The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade (Orlando): Part 2

[TSSD]

Did it have any FJ spoilers?

 

[rinacee]

Did it have any FJ spoilers?

Just a little. Mostly it was queue and a couple well-known features of the ride.

 

[Frogki]

Did it have any FJ spoilers?

It did show the ride vehicles and sections of the que but nothing too revealing... I thought the end was a bit cheesy, "I'm not going home. Not really"... That's directly from the films, yet it signifies how I think I'll feel when I leave the Wizarding World...

 

[Bryan]

...

dang looks like the sign is visible in daylight they just don't turn it on til dusk

 

[Frogki]

dang looks like the sign is visible in daylight they just don't turn it on til dusk

They actually do turn it on in the day... I've seen a video somewhere, I forget where lol... I personally am going to try to get a picture while it's not on, because that's when it looks like the real Hogwarts entryway...

 

[jalapeno]

The special was decent, and it went much more in depth than the NBC special. I will say that the two news anchors that did the special were probably the worst they could of picked in central Florida. The one guy didn't know what the hell he was talking about, and the lady seemed less than amused. The info they provided was neat but it was also nothing new. If anything it probably interested the locals who didn't know much about it.

hatetofly, you nailed it about Laura Diaz. We happen to be there on the Sun before GO when they were filming and she just seemed to be miserable. We were getting off FotH and they were coming on through the exit and didn't wait for us to get off the ride before they came on to the exit platform. She had this "my **** doesn't stink and I really don't want to be here" look on her face as she ran over my 7 year old just trying to exit. We were eating in the the 3 Broomsticks when they were setting up the food for that part which was cool as we had a chance to see what everything else, that we didn't order, looked like. I did feel bad for their camera man, we saw the poor guy on all 3 days we went the week prior to GO and this dude was just dripping in head to toe sweat and even when the reports weren't around he was all over the place taking different shots. I think I may have enjoyed this more if Jim and Martha from WESH would have done it and it's an NBC station as well.

 

[duelingdragons12]

im going out tommorow morning do you still have to wait to get into the area?

 

[emily7793]

im going out tommorow morning do you still have to wait to get into the area?

Me too! Today's wait was 2 and a half hours from what I've heard, best strategy is to go anywhere from 3pm to closing.

 

[syenisch]

I went last night at 830 and walked right into the WW. The wait for FJ was 90 minutes, but we were on the ride in an hour. FJ was AWESOME. Although I need to ride it again to know what the heck was going on!!

 

[Brian G.]

From Yahoo!

Most people remember the feeling of not being tall enough to ride an amusement park ride, but some would-be riders of the signature attraction at Universal Studios' new "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park in Orlando are being turned away because of their girth. The ride, "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," employs individual restraints to keep each guest tucked in to his or her seat, but the restraints aren't large enough to accommodate heavier riders.

Universal seems to have anticipated this issue, stationing staff "wizards" and test-seats along the line and at the entrance to Forbidden Journey. Riders test their ability to fit in the seats, as well as the restraint (which must click three times to be deemed safe and for the potential rider to be allowed into the attraction).


One Harry Potter fan, Jeff Guillaume of Lansing, Michigan, expressed disappointment on his "Harry Potter" fan site after he failed the test. Guillaume is 5'8" and weighs 265 pounds, and says the restraint wouldn't fit over his torso, though he reports that other rides at the park have special cars reserved for bigger riders.
Universal, which doesn't have "specific weight limits (just the test seats and a requirement that riders be at least 48 inches tall), says the "body dimension" restrictions are "to ensure the safety of our guests. It's #1."

That's all fine and good, but considering the average weight of an American man is 191 pounds (and rising: in 1960 it was 166 pounds), "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" could be turning away quite a few potential revelers.

Universal isn't the first theme-park operator to deal with issues raised by the growing rate of obesity in the United States. In 2007, Disney had to modify the "It's a Small World" ride after weighted-down boats began regularly getting stuck in the plume.

One Harry Potter fan who was unable to ride "Forbidden Journey" when his seat test yielded only two clicks of the restraint, is turning the incident into a personal motivational challenge. Banks Lee, who says he's 6'2? and approximately 310 lbs, has decided to diet and exercise until he can get on the ride (and hopes to continue his quest even after meeting that goal.) He's even started a blog: Banks Lee and the Three Clicks: My Journey to Fit on an Enchanted Bench, where the Orlando resident is documenting the long walks and sensible diet that he hopes will lead to a ride on "The Forbidden Journey."

 

[The_Bled]

dang looks like the sign is visible in daylight they just don't turn it on til dusk

Its a light-up sign. Just come later. I wasn't allowed entry today. AGAIN. I'll be there soon.

 

[TSSD]

From Yahoo!

Most people remember the feeling of not being tall enough to ride an amusement park ride, but some would-be riders of the signature attraction at Universal Studios' new "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park in Orlando are being turned away because of their girth. The ride, "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," employs individual restraints to keep each guest tucked in to his or her seat, but the restraints aren't large enough to accommodate heavier riders.

Universal seems to have anticipated this issue, stationing staff "wizards" and test-seats along the line and at the entrance to Forbidden Journey. Riders test their ability to fit in the seats, as well as the restraint (which must click three times to be deemed safe and for the potential rider to be allowed into the attraction).


One Harry Potter fan, Jeff Guillaume of Lansing, Michigan, expressed disappointment on his "Harry Potter" fan site after he failed the test. Guillaume is 5'8" and weighs 265 pounds, and says the restraint wouldn't fit over his torso, though he reports that other rides at the park have special cars reserved for bigger riders.
Universal, which doesn't have "specific weight limits (just the test seats and a requirement that riders be at least 48 inches tall), says the "body dimension" restrictions are "to ensure the safety of our guests. It's #1."

That's all fine and good, but considering the average weight of an American man is 191 pounds (and rising: in 1960 it was 166 pounds), "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" could be turning away quite a few potential revelers.

Universal isn't the first theme-park operator to deal with issues raised by the growing rate of obesity in the United States. In 2007, Disney had to modify the "It's a Small World" ride after weighted-down boats began regularly getting stuck in the plume.

One Harry Potter fan who was unable to ride "Forbidden Journey" when his seat test yielded only two clicks of the restraint, is turning the incident into a personal motivational challenge. Banks Lee, who says he's 6'2? and approximately 310 lbs, has decided to diet and exercise until he can get on the ride (and hopes to continue his quest even after meeting that goal.) He's even started a blog: Banks Lee and the Three Clicks: My Journey to Fit on an Enchanted Bench, where the Orlando resident is documenting the long walks and sensible diet that he hopes will lead to a ride on "The Forbidden Journey."

On the bright side the want of people to go on the ride might just lower the obesity rate in the country.

 

[TSSD]

Local 6 special, just cringed when the guy called it Hogswart. Not that bad, though there is some new shots of the shops.

-Edit-
Sorry for double post

 

[Buzz Lightbeer]

How long has the single rider line been for FJ?

 

[Frogki]

Local 6 special, just cringed when the guy called it Hogswart. Not that bad, though there is some new shots of the shops.

-Edit-
Sorry for double post

Yeah, I got to see my first ever shot of Hogwarts robes... If they drop in price to a reasonable amount, I might just buy them, they aren't cheap Halloween type costumes, these are the real deal, approved by J.K. Rowling herself...

 

[The_Bled]

How long has the single rider line been for FJ?

Definitely not as long as the "Line to get in", but singles is great. Definitely arrive earlier...

 

[TSSD]

Yeah, I got to see my first ever shot of Hogwarts robes... If they drop in price to a reasonable amount, I might just buy them, they aren't cheap Halloween type costumes, these are the real deal, approved by J.K. Rowling herself...

You mean Hogswart robes.

 

[Frogki]

You mean Hogswart robes.

rotfl, of course that's what I meant... I can not believe how many news station people have been calling it "Hogswart"... lol...

 

[ralphoutloud]

I'm telling you people, 6PM or later is where it's at. You'll enjoy yourself a lot more and WWOHP stays open later than the rest of IOA if you get into the park before 10PM.

I've been every night this week and been in the world till at least midnight every night.

 

[avadakedavra1]

You guys all know that JK was Teebin, right?

The things you say on this site are great.............terible, but great!!