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

Coaster Lover

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
https://blog.universalorlando.com/w...de/?__source=sm.awr.ao.FBPAGE&linkId=40128016

NEW GENERATION OF THRILL RIDE COMING TO THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER – HOGSMEADE

Kristen ClarkKristen Clark July 24, 2017

I’m super excited to tell you that a new generation of thrill ride is coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 2019! I can’t tell you everything about the new ride just yet, but here’s what I can share:

  • This all-new thrill ride will take you deeper into J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, where you will encounter some of your favorite characters and creatures. It’ll be unlike anything we’ve ever done before and it will be fun for the entire family.
  • The new attraction will be one of the most highly-themed coaster experiences we’ve created. It will combine a new level of storytelling with an action-packed adventure…and a few surprises along the way.
  • Our award-winning Universal Creative team is once again collaborating with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films to bring this new coaster experience to life.
  • This ride is going to redefine the category and transport you to thrilling places, drawing you into even more exciting adventures within the wizarding world. It’s going to be the perfect addition to Hogsmeade.
We’re permanently closing Dragon Challenge on September 5 to make way for this all-new ride. The last day of operation will be Monday, September 4.

Stay tuned to the blog or sign up for email updates – more details will be released in the future.

In the meantime, make sure you come out and take your last ride on Dragon Challenge before it closes.
 
Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
Coaster Lover said:
I must say, considering they are closing Dragon's Challenge on Sept 4th, even if they open late 2019 (which is likely when Star Wars Land will open), to remove the current attraction and build a new attraction all within ~2 years sounds very ambitious...
Click to expand...
They did Transformers in 11 months from start of demolition to cast members previews. So they have built at an impressive speed before.
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
This sums up my feelings on this bit of news:

355194ef6b48a4d4d71a0b46e81dce7e.jpg
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
I'll miss Dragon Challenge, but I'm totally in favor of this. The main draw of Dragon Challenge, dueling, has been gone for years now and was never coming back anyway. Without it, they're some of the weaker roller coasters in the B&M catalog. It's also always been a very ugly coaster - a big ugly mass of steel over a swampy pond, which gives you way too much backstage view (unlike the Hulk, which is aesthetically pleasing and only has minimal views of backstage which aren't as ugly).

Just, yeah, "a few surprises along the way" - please don't let this mean stopping momentum to watch a screen.
 
andysol

andysol

Well-Known Member
Coaster Lover said:
  • This all-new thrill ride will take you deeper into J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, where you will encounter some of your favorite characters and creatures. It’ll be unlike anything we’ve ever done before and it will be fun for the entire family.
  • The new attraction will be one of the most highly-themed coaster experiences we’ve created. It will combine a new level of storytelling with an action-packed adventure…and a few surprises along the way.
  • This ride is going to redefine the category and transport you to thrilling places, drawing you into even more exciting adventures within the wizarding world. It’s going to be the perfect addition to Hogsmeade.
Click to expand...

So three things that said the exact same thing while saying nothing at all.



Screens, no screens- doesn't matter. Anyone who has ridden the HP rides, walked through the HP areas, shopped in the HP shops, taken in an HP show at Olivanders or Diagon Alley, enjoyed the HP food, and generally just "lived" in the world that Rowling and Universal Creative has built- has to be thrilled. While Disney and Universal both make announcements that get us excited- the expectations we have are rarely, if ever met. Budget cuts, ride changes- or our expectations were just too high.
But with UC/WB/Rowling at the helm- we have not only had our expectations met- but they have consistently exceeded them in every single way. They've earned my complete trust- whatever they do will be better than I could have imagined. And isn't that what makes us, as theme park fans, truly the happiest?

I'm stoked.
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
Tom Morrow said:
I'll miss Dragon Challenge, but I'm totally in favor of this. The main draw of Dragon Challenge, dueling, has been gone for years now and was never coming back anyway. Without it, they're some of the weaker roller coasters in the B&M catalog. It's also always been a very ugly coaster - a big ugly mass of steel over a swampy pond, which gives you way too much backstage view (unlike the Hulk, which is aesthetically pleasing and only has minimal views of backstage which aren't as ugly).

Just, yeah, "a few surprises along the way" - please don't let this mean stopping momentum to watch a screen.
Click to expand...

I'm really going to miss these things. Fire Dragon I'd compare favorably to a Batman, and riding in the back row of Ice delivered several moments of sustained zero gravity. Riding on the front of Fire in a stinging rainstorm is one of the most memorable coaster rides I've ever had. The dueling aspect was very impressive to watch from off-ride, but after the lift hill it had minimal impact on the actual ride experience. I'll always regret not having been able to see the original queue, but I thought the Potter version of the queue was very well done, especially the hall of candles and the subwoofer effect near the goblet. I wonder if the aesthetics of the spaghetti bowl would have been improved by painting the supports dark green and brown so that they resembled tree trunks and branches. I actually liked the fact that the supports partially sat over a swamp- it was an interesting change from the grass most coasters ride over, and added a slight degree of perceived danger.

Hopefully the new ride will be even better. An indoor Gerstlauer Infinity coaster with multiple show scenes would suit me just fine.

disneygeek90 said:
But will there be screens?
Click to expand...

Do we even have to ask at this point?
 
surfsupdon

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
I like these rides but look forward to more Potter. As said above, everything Potter has done before in these parks has exceeded my expectations.

One time on dragon challenge I lost my flip phone as it flew out of my pocket :-/
 
U

UpAllNight

Well-Known Member
Positives

- Gringotts and Forbidden Journey stand out head and shoulders above anything Universal have done since Spiderman. This is great news.

- Working with Warner Bros should ensure a perfect experience and not a 'that'll do' kind of one offered with Hulk re-do, Kong and Volcano Bay

- They're replacing good coasters with hopefully a much better themed one. I enjoy The Dragons, but they pale in comparison with Montu and Nemesis, now they don't duel. This one should atleast be unique

- There should, surely, be additional land for them to work with and expand further into.

- Another ride that should be open when it rains. Islands does still suffer in this regard.

- I love Seaworld. This clears the way for them for the time being as being the only place in Orlando for big thrill coasters. There's a market for this...they should persue it with greater intensity.


Negatives

- Hogsmede already stands out as being the best area in Islands. We're now at 2019 and no word on Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon or Marvel, which desperately need updating.

- Further investment in Hogsmede will further make the other areas stand out.
 
U

UpAllNight

Well-Known Member
Coaster Lover said:
I must say, considering they are closing Dragon's Challenge on Sept 4th, even if they open late 2019 (which is likely when Star Wars Land will open), to remove the current attraction and build a new attraction all within ~2 years sounds very ambitious...
Click to expand...

I'd argue it's a normal timeframe for a theme park attraction. Disney have managed to somehow create an acceptance that it's ok for things to take as long as they take to build them. Many regional parks, in very poor winter weather, ground clear, and build massive B&Ms in less than a year. Yeah there's big tech that goes into these rides, but 2 years in my eyes is a normal timeframe.
 

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