Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 2

[graspthesun]

Anyone know how often the dragon effect goes off? Every 30 sec, Every minute??

Not nearly that often. I believe it's every 15 minutes.

 

[NJBrandon]

Troll so hard...

 

[UNIrd]

Not nearly that often. I believe it's every 15 minutes.

Green is Universal.

 

[romo]

were can we watch the webcast tonight? the original link still has the schedule posted?

 

[Tbad556]

"A screen inside Hogwarts Express during the ride" - https://twitter.com/KatyChemical/status/479384602893905920

The screens in London are showing some clips from the films now. - https://twitter.com/ThemePark/status/479401978728964096/photo/1

 

[Teebin]

Robbie Coltrane is riding an ECV tonight... and has a couple of staff following him along... one holding a cane for him.

 

[Tbad556]

Does anyone have a link to the webcast?

https://www.universalorlando.com/ck...index.html?social_id=social_20140616_26083146

It should show up there at around 8 PM.

 

[glendroid]

The moving bricks thing was always blue sky, folks. I can't see how they could possibly make it work with the amount of people going in and out all day. Like someone else said, it's a safety hazard and just not worth it to appease a few die hards.

Some of you might have your expectations way too high, Diagon Alley is going to instantly become the new gold standard in theming once it opens yet some people are complaining that the entrance doesn't have magically moving bricks or the extended queue in Gringotts isn't themed. Enjoy the beauty and glory of this, because it is taking theme parks to a new level.

I think it takes far more than Diagonal alley to surpass Cars Land or Disneysea yet. Those are the gold standard for theming.

 

[Frogki]

I think it takes far more than Diagonal alley to surpass Cars Land or Disneysea yet. Those are the gold standard for theming.

Okay now I know you're trolling. Disney Sea, I could see but that's an entire park, but come on - Carsland? It's a desert with mountains, big whoop - HP has been and will continue to be much more of a standard than Cars Land ever thought of being...

 

[UNIrd]

I think it takes far more than Diagonal alley to surpass Cars Land or Disneysea yet. Those are the gold standard for theming.

Yes, because Disney has never built a mountain before.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

Either a troll or a pixie duster, or both. DisneySea you can make a case for but lol at Cars Land.

 

[mahnamahna]

Either a troll or a pixie duster, or both. DisneySea you can make a case for but lol at Cars Land.

Pixie dusting is the bomb.com... back to Potter.

Cars Land is about on par if you take in the rockwork... attractions-wise, Hogwarts Express and Gringotts beat RSR. I'm not even bothering to use the 2 flat rides .

and I would love to see Universal build Mt. Crumpet and either the Lonely Mountain or Mt. Doom. I don't agree that building a mountain multiple times takes away from the theming. Disney does a beautiful job with them and they're easily some of their best attractions, Disco yeti aside.
IOA could use a mountain or two IMO.

Although DisneySea as a whole is above Diagon Alley in terms of theming, just from pictures. But no park compares to DisneySea it's in a whole class of its own.

 

[glendroid]

Okay now I know you're trolling. Disney Sea, I could see but that's an entire park, but come on - Carsland? It's a desert with mountains, big whoop - HP has been and will continue to be much more of a standard than Cars Land ever thought of being...

I'm far from a Disney fan boy, I'm a Premier Passholder with Universal Orlando as well. The three gold standard for theming for me are easily these in this order:

1.DisneySea (Pick any land you want)
2.Hogsmeade Village
3.Cars Land

Hogsmeade Village for me is still one of the most exciting lands I have ever visited. That was as well seeing it the month it opened after going to DisneySea the month before for the first time. I'm as big a Universal supporter as any of us. At any point in time no matter how much we do love something we should still be critical of what they're doing. As for Disney for example, Seven Dwarves Mine Train is a cute attraction that is wonderfully themed. Is it a perfect attraction? Far from it, it as well leaves a lot to be desired.

If you can see DisneySea being possibly your idea of "the bar" as well and it being a whole park and not just a land, that just support what I mentioned.

Saying Cars Land is just that does not do it justice. If you want detail and an immersive environment, Cars Land has that in spades. There are so few rides that incorporate in to the a land's environment and add to that kinetic energy. When in line for Radiator Springs Racers, you are literally surrounded by the ride.

 

[Mad Dog]

Picky, picky picky. Some of this nitpicking borders on the absurd. Diagon is the new gold standard. As Stan Lee used to write, "nuff said".

 

[Milla4Prez66]

I think it's unfair to compare a whole park like DisneySea to a small land in a park like Diagon Alley either. But they are the cream of the crop when talking about theming.

 

[novawildcat18]

The moving bricks thing was always blue sky, folks. I can't see how they could possibly make it work with the amount of people going in and out all day. Like someone else said, it's a safety hazard and just not worth it to appease a few die hards.

Some of you might have your expectations way too high, Diagon Alley is going to instantly become the new gold standard in theming once it opens yet some people are complaining that the entrance doesn't have magically moving bricks or the extended queue in Gringotts isn't themed. Enjoy the beauty and glory of this, because it is taking theme parks to a new level.

I was expecting at least a few rotating bricks or a projection similar to the Platform 9 3/4 effect. I'm just extremely surprised JK and WB were okay with this lackluster entrance. Wasn't the entrance to Diagon Alley a big reason why JK didn't sell the rights to Disney? I'm just surprised, that's all.

 

[zeusnexus]

 

[Kevin38]

Is the webcast on?

 

[glendroid]

These are the kind of things that drive people away posting on forums. A forum is a place where many people can share their opinions. I'm just as critical of Disney as I am Universal, if not moreso with Disney.

- - - Updated - - -

I was expecting at least a few rotating bricks or a projection similar to the Platform 9 3/4 effect. I'm just extremely surprised JK and WB were okay with this lackluster entrance. Wasn't the entrance to Diagon Alley a big reason why JK didn't sell the rights to Disney? I'm just surprised, that's all.

I'm happy that Universal got the rights as opposed to Disney. Disney wouldn't have done the license justice and we wouldn't have gotten a ride on the scale of Forbidden Journey.

 

[Junorhane]

Is the webcast on?

Yes.