Diagon Alley Soft Opening Watch

[Biff Tannen]

I wonder what this "exciting moment" with the HP stars will be on Wednesday...

 

[Skubersky]

You also write articles on Touring Plans?

Yes!

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Is there a private event happening Thursday night? Or is it Friday?

Thurs night is a private party in the new Cabana Bay courtyard.
Friday morning is media departures.
Friday night is a private party for Universal Vacations partners -- hotels, travel agencies, etc.

 

[UNIrd]

Very exciting. Thanks for sharing the itinerary Skubersky.

 

[neoshinok]

• During this period you will also have exclusive access to Diagon Alley and all of its experiences so you can capture additional information and images for your story.

This is the most exciting part. Thanks for the info!

 

[zeusnexus]

I hope UOR announces the Diagon Alley opening date before or during the Wednesday 8PM Red Carpet Event. It would be incomprehensible to host hundreds of media to a live event and invite thousands of webcast viewers without announcing the opening date.

<rant begin> If that happens, I might give up on [HASHTAG]#potterwatch[/HASHTAG]. In July, I must move from Florida to Chicago for graduate school and I am trying to squeeze in a big Universal vacation beforehand. Planning is absolutely impossible without an opening date!</rant end>

 

[Nitro_230]

I hope UOR announces the Diagon Alley opening date before or during the Wednesday 8PM Red Carpet Event. It would be incomprehensible to host hundreds of media to a live event and invite thousands of webcast viewers without announcing the opening date.

<rant begin> If that happens, I might give up on #potterwatch. In July, I must move from Florida to Chicago for graduate school and I am trying to squeeze in a big Universal vacation beforehand. Planning is absolutely impossible without an opening date!</rant end>

You will find out the opening date soon.

 

[mbrou24]

Park Maps printed that will be used starting the 21st have diagon on them

 

[IzzyB]

This sucks. With softs/opening so late into the summer crowds are going to be insane. Was hoping to visit with less crowds like last year, but that won't be happening until end of Sept/Oct time frame.

 

[mbrou24]

This sucks. With softs/opening so late into the summer crowds are going to be insane. Was hoping to visit with less crowds like last year, but that won't be happening until end of Sept/Oct time frame.

So late into summer? Barring any unforeseen setback it will be open before June ends so at worst 9 days into summer isn't that late.

 

[Miketheboss]

News is that they will be soft opening up either D.A or the H.E tomorrow.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

News is that they will be soft opening up either D.A or the H.E tomorrow.

I do not believe this at all.

 

[Teebin]

I have been thinking that they may just quietly state on Friday night or Saturday morning, "shhhhh..., Diagon Alley is open.". No one could plan for that. So it would give them a whole workday week of people rushing to get time off from work asap etc.

 

[ChrisFL]

You will find out the opening date soon.

I feel like the conversation continues like this:

"when?"
"after its open"

 

[Teebin]

I feel like the conversation continues like this:

"when?"
"after its open"

Yeah, that was like sayin, "July 4 is happening soon... I cannot reveal the secret of when... but very soon."

 

[neoshinok]

Park Maps printed that will be used starting the 21st have diagon on them

This seems like an important detail. Would they distribute maps without the land being open for long? What was the timeline like for Transformers, Despicable Me or HP phase 1?

 

[Nitro_230]

News is that they will be soft opening up either D.A or the H.E tomorrow.

Nope

This seems like an important detail. Would they distribute maps without the land being open for long? What was the timeline like for Transformers, Despicable Me or HP phase 1?

Park maps are set up to be printed a few weeks out, so with the ever moving target of softs they had to line it up to start being printed on there at some point.

 

[thrillseeker_97]

News is that they will be soft opening up either D.A or the H.E tomorrow.

No, not at all. TM's get previews before soft opening to the general public.

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This seems like an important detail. Would they distribute maps without the land being open for long? What was the timeline like for Transformers, Despicable Me or HP phase 1?

Maps are printed with whatever is 'currently going on in the parks" on the front page...DA doesn't necessarily have to be open for them to display it on a park map.

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Nope


Park maps are set up to be printed a few weeks out, so with the ever moving target of softs they had to line it up to start being printed on there at some point.

Maps are used for 2 weeks before a new set is printed up and put out.

 

[Nitro_230]

Maps are used for 2 weeks before a new set is printed up and put out.

I wasn't saying how long they are up for. I was saying the art is pretty much locked in a few weeks out so it can go through approvals, get sent to the printer, get shipped to UO and sit on pallets in cages at the front of each park for a few days before being put out.

So the decision on what date to include DA on a map has to be made a few weeks in advance.

 

[Frogki]

Well if it's any indication, Today Show just confirmed the Grand Opening will take place July 8th, proving A. They were behind where they planned to be, and B. They still want a crowd because this gives more than a few people time to get off and come down...
Now I think we can say spfts will probably be in about a week or so, following te media circus and TM previews earlier next week...

 

[IzzyB]

So late into summer? Barring any unforeseen setback it will be open before June ends so at worst 9 days into summer isn't that late.

What I meant is school is out and vacations have started. So already the parks have more people in them. Where last time it opened for softs before school was out and before vacations started. Do you remember when TF opened during softs and how long the lines were? And this is a way bigger expansion and more advertised.