New Harry Potter Coaster Confirmed for 2019 (Dragon's Challenge Closing Sept 4th)

[Tony Perkis]

I wasn't there, but based on what I've seen, crowd management wasn't even an issue. It was actually pretty uneventful in that sense. They even took several unusual measures to prepare for the entirely expected onslaught, like setting up a 10-hour-long queue (that even slithered through backstage areas) ahead of time and handing out water to everyone. There were simply too many people all wanting to see the same thing.

I was making an assumption based on Disneyland restricting reservations for SW land, though that is clearly a very different scenario based on lack of land availability in Anaheim.

@DoubleJ21 is clearly just looking for something to complain about, and when you need to go to random Twitter people to support a largely unfounded argument, you’ve already lost the argument.

 

[MisterPenguin]

They even took several unusual measures to prepare for the entirely expected onslaught...

Except establish a virtual queue, like they know how to do with F&F.

Was Universal expecting Hagrid's to be less popular than F&F? I was at Uni on a crowded weekend and they didn't even bother using F&F's virtual queue since so few wanted to ride it.

This is a clear misreading of the public.

I hope I don't have to razz WDW for 10 lines for SWL later this year...

 

[flynnibus]

Uni was clearly trying to shape demand today. They had message boards on the highway, outside the park, people holding signs in the park, all over saying the attraction was at capacity.

It was <1hr wait from 7-9pm tonight... posted at 120mins

 

[flynnibus]

Except establish a virtual queue, like they know how to do with F&F.

They were planning to... and switches for some reason. They were telling guests on Monday that virtual queue started Friday... but they opted not to.

The challenge with a virtual queue is there is no pain to balance tolerance for waits

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Hagrids is gonna make tron feel flat!!

And short. Really short.

 

[General Mayhem]

Hopefully Universal will learn a thing or two about before opening an attraction before it’s ready. 10 hours is unacceptable, and there’s no excuse.

 

[General Mayhem]

They were planning to... and switches for some reason. They were telling guests on Monday that virtual queue started Friday... but they opted not to.

The challenge with a virtual queue is there is no pain to balance tolerance for waits

The reason they opted against it for Friday was because the ride was not able to open until 11am.

 

[JT3000]

Except establish a virtual queue, like they know how to do with F&F.

There was a 10 hour wait shortly after the park opened. The park was open for only 12 hours, and the ride only operated for 11. A virtual queue might've saved some folks from having to stand in line, but no one else was getting on the ride that day. Then you get people complaining that they couldn't even queue up, like when Disney runs out of Fastpasses first thing in the morning, but worse. It's a lose-lose situation.

 

[Coaster Lover]

That rapid switch track is a pretty cool piece of tech. Quite an advancement on what Vekoma developed for Expedition Everest. I see Intamin has a few more coasters in the works using these. Excited to see some novel new ideas come up using these in the near future.

 

[RobotWolf]

That rapid switch track is a pretty cool piece of tech.

Do you have any more information about the switch on this ride? I know there is a high-speed switch, albeit on a different type of system, on Forbidden Journey.

 

[RobotWolf]

Does anyone know which company created the animatronics for this coaster?

 

[Stripes]

That rapid switch track is a pretty cool piece of tech. Quite an advancement on what Vekoma developed for Expedition Everest. I see Intamin has a few more coasters in the works using these. Excited to see some novel new ideas come up using these in the near future.

They're completely different track switches. One moves left and right (Hagrid) the other rotates.


Also, the track switches on Everest are right behind the train. Hagrid's track switches are quite some distance away, giving the illusion that they switched much faster. In reality the track switch mechanism itself takes maybe a second or two less.

Vekoma has a similar track switch on Big Grizzly Mountain in Hong Kong that's just as quick.

 

[flynnibus]

the two track effects done on Hagrids are the smoothest I've experienced (relative to the rider). The second one could probably do with about a 3-5 second speed up... and different set lighting in that area. But the switch for the reverse section is done fantastically.

And the spike portion is so well integrated.. it doesn't feel like approaching a 'bolt on' gag. The way they handle the onboard audio in that section as well is top notch.

 

[flynnibus]

Here is another fine detail...

While there are multiple trains out on the track... and there is this big expanse you see from the queue... while out on the circuit (past load) you never see another train....

The headlight and 'driving towards [something]' effect at night is phenomenal.

 

[flynnibus]

I also experienced what they do if a rider has a problem loading.

The person I was matched up with couldn't get the lap bar to secure when riding the bike, so they had us swap.. and had him try in the side car.

In both cases, they use a small chip or magnet over a circle on the sidecar shell (you'll see about a quarter sized circle on the top of the sidecar shell) to switch the car and release the lapbar. There was another operator control down near the sidecar's faux wheel that I could not see.

In our case, with the second try and multiple tries to get the lapbar down... they could not get him sorted before the end of the belt.. so they had to stop the load conveyor and trains. After about 30-45 seconds.. they got everything going again.

 

[Coaster Lover]

They're completely different track switches. One moves left and right (Hagrid) the other rotates.

The mechanism of the switch is not the impressive part. The impressive part is that the train stays in motion the whole time (and not at an insignificant speed). Consider on Hagrids how short of a distance and how short of time the ride would have to stop the train should the switch not move and relock in the time between when the train fully passes the switch, accelerates to the launch, stalls, then reverses over the switch. On Everist and Grizzley, the train comes to a full stop (or is on a lift hill which could be easily stopped if necessary) while the switch track locks. If there is an issue with the switch, the computer just keeps the train stopped... no biggie. Hagrid stays in continuous motion. The safety mechanisms need to monitor the train and the switch to ensure the switch moves and locks before the train hits a point of no return where the safety system couldn't stop the ride . The safety mechanisms and sensors that need to go into that feat are pretty crazy...

 

[raven]

Hopefully Universal will learn a thing or two about before opening an attraction before it’s ready. 10 hours is unacceptable, and there’s no excuse.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Hopefully you'd also learn a lesson or two about trying to ride on opening day.

You mean like Disney did with Epcot? Or Space Mountain? ... sigh... short memories

 

[JT3000]

You mean like Disney did with Epcot? Or Space Mountain? ... sigh... short memories

Both of those opening days predate my birth, so I'm not sure what you're referring to. Either way, opening day is never a good time.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The mechanism of the switch is not the impressive part. The impressive part is that the train stays in motion the whole time (and not at an insignificant speed). Consider on Hagrids how short of a distance and how short of time the ride would have to stop the train should the switch not move and relock in the time between when the train fully passes the switch, accelerates to the launch, stalls, then reverses over the switch. On Everist and Grizzley, the train comes to a full stop (or is on a lift hill which could be easily stopped if necessary) while the switch track locks. If there is an issue with the switch, the computer just keeps the train stopped... no biggie. Hagrid stays in continuous motion. The safety mechanisms need to monitor the train and the switch to ensure the switch moves and locks before the train hits a point of no return where the safety system couldn't stop the ride . The safety mechanisms and sensors that need to go into that feat are pretty crazy...

Nobody would be crazy enough to have a point of no return. What you describe is not a fail safe design. The brakes are engaged, you’re just not at them. The computer is not waiting to be told of an error to hit the brakes. Instead, the computer is looking for confirmation of the track being fully switched to deactivate the brakes before you get to them.