The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[DinoInstitute]

Ithemepark just posted a few videos and pictures from inside DA including two photos and a video of Gringotts loading platform and first few feet of track.

Cool. So I guess they did have soft openings? Im gonna go watch those videos--they are my fav Orlando recorder!

 

[DinoInstitute]

If the ride breaks down running at limited capacity, I don't see the opening day next week going very smoothly.

At least they can control access to DA. But Kings Cross is accessible to anyone.

A catastrophic opening wouldn't surprise me at this point. 1000+ showing up for a chance at a soft opening today? What happens when Gringotts breaks down and dumps the queue into DA? How do you manage capacity in the land with that breakdown looming? Sounds like a nightmare.

Thats my biggest fear about this land. Part of the reason why I don't plan to visit until 2016

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Cool. So I guess they did have soft openings? Im gonna go watch those videos--they are my fav Orlando recorder!

They are letting in guest who booked the special WWOHP hotel packages. Not sure if he posted to YouTube but check Facebook and Twitter and they are there.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

If the ride breaks down running at limited capacity, I don't see the opening day next week going very smoothly.

At least they can control access to DA. But Kings Cross is accessible to anyone.

A catastrophic opening wouldn't surprise me at this point. 1000+ showing up for a chance at a soft opening today? What happens when Gringotts breaks down and dumps the queue into DA? How do you manage capacity in the land with that breakdown looming? Sounds like a nightmare.

I hear you. But new rides break down all the time. 7DMT broke down during CM previews a lot.

I think we can all expect Universal to be a madhouse for the rest of the year.
I'll be there first thing in the morning come October and I'm still expecting crowds.

 

[TalkingHead]

I hear you. But new rides break down all the time. 7DMT broke down during CM previews a lot.

I think we can all expect Universal to be a madhouse for the rest of the year.
I'll be there first thing in the morning come October and I'm still expecting crowds.

But Mine Train doesn't exit into a land with controlled access. That's what makes DA a unique problem.

And here I thought the park hopping Hogwarts Express was going to be the major hurdle for the expansion!

 

[Mike S]

I hear you. But new rides break down all the time. 7DMT broke down during CM previews a lot.

I think we can all expect Universal to be a madhouse for the rest of the year.
I'll be there first thing in the morning come October and I'm still expecting crowds.

I'll be there the first weekend it's open so I'll tell you how bad the crowds are, that is if I'm not trampled to death first

 

[BrianLo]

Can I ask what it is you do that allows you to take ten weeks off consecutively? That is truly unheard of in the states unless you don't work or run the company

Med student. We are encouraged to not work for our two summers as they are shorter than traditional University breaks and really would have little impact financially. Instead pursue research or travel... (I've taken the latter recommendation seriously).

I have a Graduate degree already so there is little point in taking on a summer project personally.

Lots do the Europe or SE Asia backpacking thing, I'm just more savvy and game the system somewhat. It's better to pick all of the above.

Tung Chung would be an even easier commute to HKDL! I thought the W at Kowloon was easy as is.

Lots of roadwork for the bridge going on there, and a tunnel it seems to cut through the island platform where the cable car initially runs.

 

[Rodan75]

Honestly that was probably the most overrated animated film in the past year since Frozen...or rather appeared to be overrated..

It is holding BO fairly well and is doing well internationally, but it is not the clear cut hit that DWA needed. Fox has to be disappointed in their DWA agreement, Katzenberg needs to get himself focused on the movie biz or he will lose all of DWA. I'm surprised that so many folks thought a boy-focused animated adventure was going to do the huge business that was predicted.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

The special on tv was really cool. I enjoyed Universal previewing Despicable Me as well

I'm not shocked by the hoard of folks camped out for a soft open. I can't wait to see opening day pics, I think it'll be just as nuts as the first one.

I hope bob Iger was watching that special.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

It is holding BO fairly well and is doing well internationally, but it is not the clear cut hit that DWA needed. Fox has to be disappointed in their DWA agreement, Katzenberg needs to get himself focused on the movie biz or he will lose all of DWA. I'm surprised that so many folks thought a boy-focused animated adventure was going to do the huge business that was predicted.

I think the surprise comes more from the thinking that it is the only high quality, sorry Planes, animated film out this summer. It is possible folks were looking for Despicable Me 2 numbers out of the gate, but this film should hold its own for most of July.

 

[Rodan75]

I think the surprise comes more from the thinking that it is the only high quality, sorry Planes, animated film out this summer. It is possible folks were looking for Despicable Me 2 numbers out of the gate, but this film should hold its own for most of July.

Agreed. It would be quite the slap in the face if a cheapquel beat Dragons for the total summer run.

 

[hunty]

I'll be there the first weekend it's open so I'll tell you how bad the crowds are, that is if I'm not trampled to death first

The crowds are already bad been going for 16 year's and never seen it so busy

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

7DMT also didnt have 1000s of guest camping out for soft openings.

Yeah, it will be a mess but I'm not sure that even if Gringotts was running 100% that it would make a difference to crowds walking about DA.
I'll be curious to see how far the line reaches outside DA.
Maybe guest wont stick around long... going from. Gringotts to The Hogwarts Express?

 

[ThemeParkJunkee]

I really enjoyed the NBC special on the "making of" Diagon Alley. Very interesting to hear about Universal Creative and their attention to detail. The scenes inside the area during construction were fascinating. How all that steel framework became the detailed "land" it is today. Incredible.

 

[George]

7DMT also didnt have 1000s of guest camping out for soft openings.

Yeah, it will be a mess but I'm not sure that even if Gringotts was running 100% that it would make a difference to crowds walking about DA.
I'll be curious to see how far the line reaches outside DA.
Maybe guest wont stick around long... going from. Gringotts to The Hogwarts Express?

7DMT won't even have long lines once people realize the ride is over a bit prematurely.

 

[twebber55]

7DMT won't even have long lines once people realize the ride is over a bit prematurely.

I rode it twice...FP one time and rope drop the other...would never wait longer than 20-30 minutes for it

 

[George]

I rode it twice...FP one time and rope drop the other...would never wait longer than 20-30 minutes for it

I've ridden twice as well. Fastpasses. 20 or 30 minutes would be my max wait too.

 

[twebber55]

7DMT also didnt have 1000s of guest camping out for soft openings.

Yeah, it will be a mess but I'm not sure that even if Gringotts was running 100% that it would make a difference to crowds walking about DA.
I'll be curious to see how far the line reaches outside DA.
Maybe guest wont stick around long... going from. Gringotts to The Hogwarts Express?

yeah that will be a blast to see that...I wasn't part of the theme park message board community back when wwohp opened so im looking forward to it
once again universal has done a great job building this up

 

[twebber55]

I've ridden twice as well. Fastpasses. 20 or 30 minutes would be my max wait too.

I will say the area is incredible with the lanterns and the look of the ride is large even though the ride itself is short

 

[PhotoDave219]

Universal's policy of lying about soft openings has really paid dividends, hasn't it?

From a distance, it seems like Uni has botched the pre-opening of Diagon. I know some of the bloggers swore that Gringotts wasn't falling further behind. But it sounds like it's completely played havoc on opening this place.

And it sounds like Gringotts is still a mess. Maybe some of those sanctimonious bloggers can now admit the ride is a problem?

Honestly, how can they open a soft opening to the general public?

Have all these guess who just paid a premium so they can go into diagon alley. They were given a two hour window when they can get a sneak peek. To turn around and then let it be a free-for-all? Ridiculous. You're going to insult and and probably have to refund all these people that just big-money.

Conversely… Begrudging respect for monetizing a soft opening. Those packages are here soft opening folks.

Short version? You want in, you pay the man.