Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Construction Discussion

[JungleSkip]

I like how Universal's presentation on Fatastic Worlds talks about how Disney gets a "free ride" on the competition and that it's time to capture the week-long vacation market, yet other than being forced to by the likes of their WB contract, they haven't really shown us that they CAN be that good. Volcano Bay, Fast and Furious, new Hulk, new night time show, etc etc etc. The only time they really knock it out of the park is when they've got an IP partner riding their asses.

Volcano Bay is better than any Disney Water Park. The new nighttime show is just as good as any current Disney nighttime show save for Happily Ever After. This ride will be a top ten ride in Orlando.

F&F sucks. No doubt. But it’s high time fans stop pretending it’s representative of Universal’s entire product line.

 

[belloq87]

My issue is the immediate jump to “GOD EMPORER DISNEY WOULD NEVER DO THIS!”

Who here is really saying that, though? And nobody here is suddenly saying that this Potter coaster is all of a sudden going to be terrible, or something. It is possible to be a bit disappointed in a cut corner AND ALSO still be massively hyped for the ride, as I am.

And then I look at Expedition Everest, whose second half is 99% unthemed helixes in a field, Slinky Dog JUST opened, etc and I just have to throw my hands up

I mean, Everest is explicitly themed to be a train ride that goes into chaos as we careen down the mountainside, which the helixes stand-in for. Saying the second half is just "unthemed helixes in a field" is a little unfair; it's happening against the backdrop of one of the most epic-scale structures Disney's built in Florida.

As for Slinky, I think almost everybody in this forum was/is critical of the shortcuts taken there.

 

[LikeMike]

Thank god for bio. He must lurk on these threads and realised this one needed something new to discuss!

 

[JungleSkip]

I mean, Everest is explicitly themed to be a train ride that goes into chaos as we careen down the mountainside, which the helixes stand-in for. Saying the second half is just "unthemed helixes in a field" is a little unfair; it's happening against the backdrop of one of the most epic-scale structures Disney's built in Florida

Ahhhh mental gymnastics. So it’s not cheating out when Disney does it because there’s a mountain a few yards away, but it is cheating out for Universal when there’s a bunch of other new themed structures a few yards away.

Then the spike is just the bike stalling out like it does in the movies, set against one of the best jobs Universal has done in Florida.

There, now a bare spike has a legitimate story reason!

 

[Imperius]

Who here is really saying that, though? And nobody here is suddenly saying that this Potter coaster is all of a sudden going to be terrible, or something. It is possible to be a bit disappointed in a cut corner AND ALSO still be massively hyped for the ride, as I am.

I mean this whole discussion started from a poster saying Disney would never do this.

 

[Scott W.]

I’ve been bashing Universal a lot over the past year but this spike debate is such a non issue it’s not even worth discussing.

 

[belloq87]

Ahhhh mental gymnastics. So it’s not cheating out when Disney does it because there’s a mountain a few yards away, but it is cheating out for Universal when there’s a bunch of other new themed structures a few yards away.

I think the veiled implication that I have double standards with respect to these two companies is a little unfair, and I believe my comment record will back me up on my assertion that I'm equally tough on (and fair to) both of these companies and their efforts.

I mean this whole discussion started from a poster saying Disney would never do this.

I must have missed it.

 

[BBPH]

This is really looking beautiful, with pull-throughs done on a good section of the track and now scaffolding down on the abbey we must be looking at some full testing soon!

 

[SkiBum]

Disney would never cut anything this important. Opens TSL without any shade in the middle of the summer.

I quit.

For those who question Universal cutting one small part of the ride, I offer up Disney's Seven Dwarves Mine Train as Exhibit A of what budget cuts truly look like. Go to YouTube, look up Martins New Fantasyland video and watch both parts. I think that the second video shows how much Disney cut from that coaster and it is unbelievable. Parks have to make cuts for budgetary reasons. This is something that most will never really notice. Basically, a nice to have versus they did what?!?

 

[shiekra38]

I mean this whole discussion started from a poster saying Disney would never do this.

And thank the maker that Disney didn't get the HP rights...it would have been the biggest mistake in history

 

[SkiBum]

And thank the maker that Disney didn't get the HP rights...it would have been the biggest mistake in history

Yeah, one ride and a bunch of meet-n-greets.

 

[shiekra38]

Yeah, one ride and a bunch of meet-n-greets.

I wonder if we would've gotten Cabanna Bay or Sapphire or the new park

Crazy to think what could have happened

 

[SkiBum]

I wonder if we would've gotten Cabanna Bay or Sapphire or the new park

Crazy to think what could have happened

Oh, and one thing I forgot. Pandora/Avatar was supposed to have three rides, with one being a coaster (assuming the know-alls knew all). The entire ride was slashed. So, uh, yeah, I'm just excited for this coaster, with its multitude of scenes, launches, setting, abbey (normal or not), and yet another reason to come back to one of my favorite parks.

 

[JoeCamel]

Oh, and one thing I forgot. Pandora/Avatar was supposed to have three rides, with one being a coaster (assuming the know-alls knew all). The entire ride was slashed. So, uh, yeah, I'm just excited for this coaster, with its multitude of scenes, launches, setting, abbey (normal or not), and yet another reason to come back to one of my favorite parks.

As long as we are piling on Dis the pandora boat ride was shortened leaving what you see today. Anyone up to waiting an hour for that?

 

[tielo]

Well that is it, ,just canceled my vacation because there is not a rumored enclosure of a spike. I booked instead a WDW vacation and looking forward to ride the stunningly themed Goofy Barnstormer, Slinkey Dog, Primeval Whirl (1 and 2), and the beautiful themed "coasters in a box" (with or without cardboard cutouts or Disco Yeti).

Here is the thing, theming is fun but at almost every single Disney coaster the theming is holding the coaster back. Take 7DMT, it's too short to handle enough guests or to make it worth a wait. Every coaster in a box is limiting the movement of the coaster. It needs to be confined and is limited in the amount of elements it can do. That doesn't make a great coaster and I can't call it much theming either. The only exemption imho is Big Thunder.

The Potter coaster hugs a huge plot of land, it has a ton of theming surrounding it and has a ton of coaster elements. If Universal would pile that on one 7DMT plot it would have saved a ton of money. It would have a "story" that goes like: here is a mine and there is a house with, for what ever reason has a witch at the door, they lived happily ever after after 20 seconds of coaster, the end."

Also, just before the spike we meet Fluffy, oh look a big a$$ doggy with 3 heads and than we go into a speed run to a enclosure that has a spike behind it. I think it will be fine and otherwise ride it at night when this coaster will change it's personality...

 

[SkiBum]

Well that is it, ,just canceled my vacation because there is not a rumored enclosure of a spike. I booked instead a WDW vacation and looking forward to ride the stunningly themed Goofy Barnstormer, Slinkey Dog, Primeval Whirl (1 and 2), and the beautiful themed "coasters in a box" (with or without cardboard cutouts or Disco Yeti).

Here is the thing, theming is fun but at almost every single Disney coaster the theming is holding the coaster back. Take 7DMT, it's too short to handle enough guests or to make it worth a wait. Every coaster in a box is limiting the movement of the coaster. It needs to be confined and is limited in the amount of elements it can do. That doesn't make a great coaster and I can't call it much theming either. The only exemption imho is Big Thunder.

The Potter coaster hugs a huge plot of land, it has a ton of theming surrounding it and has a ton of coaster elements. If Universal would pile that on one 7DMT plot it would have saved a ton of money. It would have a "story" that goes like: here is a mine and there is a house with, for what ever reason has a witch at the door, they lived happily ever after after 20 seconds of coaster, the end."

Also, just before the spike we meet Fluffy, oh look a big a$$ doggy with 3 heads and than we go into a speed run to a enclosure that has a spike behind it. I think it will be fine and otherwise ride it at night when this coaster will change it's personality...

If there aren't any hold brakes on the spike, I don't think that you'll be on it long enough to go, "Hey, I wonder why they didn't enclose this?" It's more "Augh" followed immediately by "WHOA!!!!"

 

[shiekra38]

Something tells me that was always the original plan

Also, who tf cares

 

[rhino4evr]

Oh boy...Alicia you have to be careful with “bad news” around here.

Personally. I’m disappointed, but who knows, it could not make much a difference in the grand scheme.

Disney has made so many of these type of cuts over the years. It’s funny to see people make this a Disney vs Uni thing. It’s not. All attractions have budgets. I’m sure this is a really expensive attraction, and will knock our socks off.

Calm down everyone!

Also Volcano Bay is an amazing water park, but I’d prefer to go anywhere else due to the Tapu Tapu.

 

[devinp267]

"Whew chile", The pettiness. .. on another note, im kinda worried about how real hagrid will look, i pray he's not wayyyy off.

 

[Andysol]

Oh boy...Alicia you have to be careful with “bad news” around here.

Personally. I’m disappointed, but who knows, it could not make much a difference in the grand scheme.

Disney has made so many of these type of cuts over the years. It’s funny to see people make this a Disney vs Uni thing. It’s not. All attractions have budgets. I’m sure this is a really expensive attraction, and will knock our socks off.

Calm down everyone!

Also Volcano Bay is an amazing water park, but I’d prefer to go anywhere else due to the Tapu Tapu.

I agree (and VB is the best).

I don’t like the disney comparisons or the “disney wouldn’t have done this”. They do. They should all be criticized equally. I thought the changes to Toy story, namely the lack of enclosed M&G and toy store were beyond stupid. Absolutely changed the area.

My annoyance is always with the “suck it up” crowd and the mocking “welp, the ride is ruined now” people. It’s ok to be disappointed in something being cut.
But jumping to defend the cut is so laughable. The reactions of “well disney did this to xyz” or “who cares?” attitudes are obnoxious.
It’s ok to say, “ya, it sucks, but it’s still going to be a great ride” like some people say.

Universal isn’t your wife. You don’t need to defend her honor.
Universal is more like a hooker. She’ll take your money no matter how nice or rude you are to her.