Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

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ctxak98

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Actually, yes it does. But I am not going to get into the Realism vs. Impressionism argument again. Have fun riding your trains around a mountain.
Let me re-word something I said. It is themed to the Hulk.....Just very poorly and lazily themed. there. now I am done!
 

TalkingHead

Well-Known Member
I never said it would be cheap, just that it would look amazing. And it honestly would have been worth it. As it is, the coaster is hideous and stands out horribly from the rest of the expansion. That plus the exposed show building for Forbidden Journey are the only blights on an otherwise gorgeously designed expansion.

And who knows? They may correct this someday as they become even more comfortable at spending money on big projects. Potter 1.0 seemed to be a test of sorts for them to see whether big projects like that were worth building (even though it was enormously successful I still heard it went through budget cuts and was downsized somewhat). I'm sure the success of it has opened their minds to putting more money into bigger and better projects if Potter 2.0 is any indication.

You can keep beating that drum, because the Gringott's show building is going to be visible from outside the land. At least, that's what it looks like from the construction. (Maybe @Disneyhead'71 can correct me if I'm wrong.)

Doubt it will bother me, but it'll give the Disney fans something to cling to.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
You can keep beating that drum, because the Gringott's show building is going to be visible from outside the land. At least, that's what it looks like from the construction. (Maybe @Disneyhead'71 can correct me if I'm wrong.)

Doubt it will bother me, but it'll give the Disney fans something to cling to.
You will be able to see the Gringott's show building from the Fear Factor area.
 
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Zweiland

Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of exposed coaster track at all. It's not just "Disney fanboys" that dislike it, i've heard Universal fans complain about how Dragon Challenge sticks out horribly and looks bad next to the rest of the Harry Potter elements.

It's not so much the track itself that's the problem (they can be painted to blend in fairly well within the environment), it's the exposed support beams and pylons that are the real issue at causing ugliness. I'm a huge advocate of hiding that crap behind rockwork or something similar. And yes despite my irritation at the things Disney does in general, I still praise them for doing this.

Would any Universal fan really turn their nose up at a retheme of Dragon Challenge presented similarly to this? (image courtesy of @RandySavage I believe, very nice work btw, love your site)-
Blog+-+Universal+IOA+2025+birds+potter+stadium.PNG


This would have gone a long way to alleviate the clashing themeatics that Potter 1.0 suffers from (but still keep the same ride). You'd have a very hard time getting me to ride a more thrilling coaster like Dragon Challenge, but giving it a themed appearance like that would make me appreciate it far more. I'd at least want to try it in that form. And even if I couldn't handle that level of thrill, it would still be visually stunning and fit wonderfully with the land unlike it does now.
This is the best re-theme idea for the Dragon Challenge I've seen so far.

When others complain about the exposed track pylons and suggest putting the coaster inside a mountain, I always say something along the lines of "You're supposed to be flying on a dragon in that coaster, not careening through dark mountain caves!" However, the idealbuildout concept that you just posted hides or disguises the pylons, yet the track is still mostly above the mountain, not inside it.

I agree that the track pylons visibly clash with the rest of Hogsmeade. Something needs to be done, whether repainting the track and support beams to blend in, or something along the lines of the concept you posted.
 

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
Oh, have you ridden it?

Yes it's an absolute blast! :confused:

What I am saying is that they are taking that similar form of tech for the "windows" of the train and using it to make a scenic trip to Hogwarts...

I don't see what's so hard to understand that it'll be similar to that???
 

ctxak98

Well-Known Member
Or you could have just said, "It's not how "Disney" would have done it. Therefore I don't like it."
the ride itself is a thrill, and somewhat fun until the end where it bangs your head! but yes....there is no denying its poorly themed to the hulk. Just give it up. because this is so beautiful to look at!
incredible-hulk.jpg

Ahhhh...gotta love those grey supports and green track. Gotta make sure I get my picture infront of that masterpiece! :rolleyes:
 

TalkingHead

Well-Known Member
You will be able to see the Gringott's show building from the Fear Factor area.

Ok, good. When it opens, I'll be sure to only focus on that awful blight of a show building polluting the thoroughfares of the so-called "theme" park. Disney would never let the show building be visible from anywhere in the park.

(Before someone chimes in -- I'm joking.)
 

TalkingHead

Well-Known Member
the ride itself is a thrill, and somewhat fun until the end where it bangs your head! but yes....there is no denying its poorly themed to the hulk. Just give it up. because this is so beautiful to look at!
incredible-hulk.jpg

Ahhhh...gotta love those grey supports and green track. Gotta make sure I get my picture infront of that masterpiece! :rolleyes:

Funny, I think it looks fantastic. In fact, one of the pleasures of the park is being able to see the Hulk coaster from across the lagoon.
 

BryceM

Well-Known Member
the ride itself is a thrill, and somewhat fun until the end where it bangs your head! but yes....there is no denying its poorly themed to the hulk. Just give it up. because this is so beautiful to look at!
incredible-hulk.jpg

Ahhhh...gotta love those grey supports and green track. Gotta make sure I get my picture infront of that masterpiece! :rolleyes:
I think the Hulk is one of the most iconic and strikingly beautiful coasters ever created.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
I just wish they had painted DC's tracks black and maroon like they were supposed to.

Yes there we budget cuts in TWWOHP. They built it for $265 million. Compare that to the $425 million Disney spent on The New Fantasyland.

I am interested to see what TWWOHP:DA's $500+ million is going to get us.
 

GLaDOS

Well-Known Member
the ride itself is a thrill, and somewhat fun until the end where it bangs your head! but yes....there is no denying its poorly themed to the hulk. Just give it up. because this is so beautiful to look at!
incredible-hulk.jpg

Ahhhh...gotta love those grey supports and green track. Gotta make sure I get my picture infront of that masterpiece! :rolleyes:

I love that you chose a picture that highlights the Hulk's abstract beauty there. Great shot!
 

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I'm normally on the "Disney has shot themselves in the foot" side of the argument, but I again don't like exposed coaster pylons and Hulk is no exception. I find little beauty in it. I'm not comparing it to a Six Flags coaster, but I still don't like that sort of look regardless of how well done it is.

The problem with the Forbidden Journey ride building isn't that you can see it, it's that they didn't even bother to theme it at all. It wouldn't bother me if they just took a little extra effort to give it some stone or whatever. I hope Gringotts doesn't suffer from that issue as well.

This is the best re-theme idea for the Dragon Challenge I've seen so far.

When others complain about the exposed track pylons and suggest putting the coaster inside a mountain, I always say something along the lines of "You're supposed to be flying on a dragon in that coaster, not careening through dark mountain caves!" However, the idealbuildout concept that you just posted hides or disguises the pylons, yet the track is still mostly above the mountain, not inside it.

I agree that the track pylons visibly clash with the rest of Hogsmeade. Something needs to be done, whether repainting the track and support beams to blend in, or something along the lines of the concept you posted.
You can thank RandySavage for the concept, he posted it in his Ideal Buildout blog. I tend to love his ideas and concepts/layouts-
http://idealbuildout.blogspot.com/2012/04/mountain-for-potterland.html
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
the ride itself is a thrill, and somewhat fun until the end where it bangs your head! but yes....there is no denying its poorly themed to the hulk. Just give it up. because this is so beautiful to look at!
incredible-hulk.jpg

Ahhhh...gotta love those grey supports and green track. Gotta make sure I get my picture infront of that masterpiece! :rolleyes:
Actually I do think it is a beautiful coaster with a solid theme. I have taken well over 100 pictures of it.
 
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