General Discussion - Hagrid's Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure

[Felipe]

Ditto. They're done riding at this point anyhow. It sounds like @Joe also got stuck and rerode judging by this:



Also, looks like it may be stormy soon. Radar looks bleak from 2:30-7 PM or so.

Finally got texts from @Joe and in a hilariously strange turn of events, they were all riding together.

 

[Evan]

Does the pre-show explain why Hagrid is using magic throughout the ride, even though he’s been forbidden to do so in canon?

I mean... is it considered canon to clear out hogwarts and allow muggles to run wild? Or do we all become wizards when we enter? Haha.

 

[Tbad556]

Finally got texts from @Joe and in a hilariously strange turn of events, they were all riding together.

Hah! That's wild.

Speaking of, looks like it's down again. This time @ORLParkPass is stuck

 

[Living Dead Dude]

Just in case anybody else is wondering they are allowing assistance passes we got there around 1:20 and they told us to return at 4:30

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Hah! That's wild.

Speaking of, looks like it's down again. This time @ORLParkPass is stuck

Same vehicle with us he’s just posting late.

 

[devinp267]

Hah! That's wild.

Speaking of, looks like it's down again. This time @ORLParkPass is stuck

Yikes:bigeye: Not doing well today at all, oof.

 

[Nick]

Also if they're giving out water again they're actively losing money the longer people are in line.

They’re far more concerned with making sure people don’t pass out and are hydrated. With this many people, they’d likely have a bunch of avoidable cases of heat stroke or dehydration if they weren’t passing out water.

Universal and especially Bill Davis don’t like when people need to have medical treatment because of something that was avoidable like simply drinking water.

 

[Evan]

Thoughts and more later but: TPU is trash. That is all.

I read the article and I didn’t think it was that bad? They made many good points regarding the crazy line yesterday, just look at Laughing Places tweets... many had a crazy experience yesterday and now today.

Virtual queue could have easily assisted, dispersed crowds, and made a more enjoyable guest experience. But the huge crowds and a line through the entire park does stir up a good story, and creates great hype much like when Wizarding World first opened.

I don’t think it was that off base?

 

[Tbad556]

Same vehicle with us he’s just posting late.

Good to know lol. Really hoping things turn around this afternoon if the weather doesn't ruin everything.

 

[ProColor]

They’re far more concerned with making sure people don’t pass out and are hydrated. With this many people, they’d likely have a bunch of avoidable cases of heat stroke or dehydration if they weren’t passing out water.

Universal and especially Bill Davis don’t like when people need to have medical treatment because of something that was avoidable like simply drinking water.

I completely agree with them passing out water (I overheat alarmingly fast) and it's probably the best possible thing to do. I was just commenting on the TPU's article's conspiracy theory that they were trying to artificially inflate wait times to be more successful, or something.

Edit: Sorry, didn't mean for this to sound so defensive.

 

[Tobias]

Even though I'll be down here in September, I had to take a look at the POV's and wow. It honestly looks like a winner, and I'm looking forward to it even more! The ride looks flat-out fun, in the same kind of vein of BTMR. It may not be the tallest nor the fastest, but it looks like you're gonna have a smile the whole way through.

Theme Park University has an edgy inaccurate hot take article up.

Replace "edgy" with "garbage" and that's pretty much on the nose.

Thoughts and more later but: TPU is trash. That is all.

Pretty much, what they posted would make even tabloids go "uhh, no." A far cry from the decent article they did on Hard Rock Park a while back.

 

[Brian G.]

I read the article and I didn’t think it was that bad?
I don’t think it was that off base?

You wouldn't call the proclamation of "inhumane" off-base?

Really, dude?

Ignoring the hot takes, it's also wrong factually so.

 

[darkridelover]

First, I think they made some programming adjustments last night and are now finding out they need to do more fine tuning. The problems they have today will be the focus tonight and they'll keep making those adjustments until they can get all the trains running perfectly.

Second, it's understandable not to use the virtual queue yet. If the ride goes down for weather or technical issues then that causes a huge back up for the return times and potentially a bigger headache. I think it's smart to put people in a line and inflate the wait time to account for possible down time. Then try to take care of the guests as much as possible with water, food, entertainment.

 

[Latveria]

I'm genuinely curious how in 2019, with the virtual line being already used in various attractions on property, how anyone can think it wasn't an option for Universal to use yesterday and moving forward? A line through the park and going backstage was really the best course of action?

They have an adapt and capable IT staff on site - who could have had this working given resources. Ops are more than capable to know the THRC with current setup of trains running/factor in possible weather closure to assign a set amount of return tickets.

We really think the system just wasn't ready?

 

[Kungaloosh1937]

I can’t imagine the system was ever designed to accommodate the crush of a Harry Potter opening day crowd.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I'm genuinely curious how in 2019, with the virtual line being already used in various attractions on property, how anyone can think it wasn't an option for Universal to use yesterday and moving forward? A line through the park and going backstage was really the best course of action?

They have an adapt and capable IT staff on site - who could have had this working given resources. Ops are more than capable to know the THRC with current setup of trains running/factor in possible weather closure to assign a set amount of return tickets.

We really think the system just wasn't ready?

The ride isn’t made for virtual queue AND it was decided late to add it.

 

[Evan]

You wouldn't call the proclamation of "inhumane" off-base?

Really, dude?

Ignoring the hot takes, it's also wrong factually so.

I mean, I don’t agree with their wording or hyperbole. But there are valid points sprinkled in. That’s all I’m saying. It’s an interesting discussion: Could the opening have been handled differently? For sure.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I'm genuinely curious how in 2019, with the virtual line being already used in various attractions on property, how anyone can think it wasn't an option for Universal to use yesterday and moving forward? A line through the park and going backstage was really the best course of action?

They have an adapt and capable IT staff on site - who could have had this working given resources. Ops are more than capable to know the THRC with current setup of trains running/factor in possible weather closure to assign a set amount of return tickets.

We really think the system just wasn't ready?

This isn't really a VL. Its more of a "virtual overflow queue" - at your return time you'll be allowed to join the physical queue (which would probably be about 2 hours). Its to prevent the line from spilling out into Hogsmede. The attraction isn't set up for the kind of VL line you are thinking of, won't always be in effect (only once the line gets to a certain point) and is just temporary

 

[Latveria]

This isn't really a VL. Its more of a "virtual overflow queue" - at your return time you'll be allowed to join the physical queue (which would probably be about 2 hours). Its to prevent the line from spilling out into Hogsmede. The attraction isn't set up for the kind of VL line you are thinking of, won't always be in effect (only once the line gets to a certain point) and is just temporary

Agreed. Anything is better than having people stand out in the hot sun and pouring rain snaking through the park. From UO's side this is lost revenue. Those same people spilling out into the park lined up for hours on end could be spending money elsewhere in the resort waiting on their return time.

Just really curious why the overflow virtual line wasn't operational from day one.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

He is allowed.

"Hagrid keeps the pieces of his wand in a pink umbrella, and performs small spells from time to time; however, he was technically forbidden to do magic until the third book, and since he is not a fully qualified wizard, he "will always be a bit inept" as compared to other adult wizards"

Just saw that, thanks for pointing it out. I am by no means, a hardcore Potter fan.