Diagon Alley Soft Opening Watch

[neoshinok]

I was hoping for to get some 'calm before the storm' visits, but this timeline is looking like any softs will be once summer crowds have already formed.

 

[rags]

I'm new to the boards and heading down to universal this Thursday May 22nd thru Memorial Day. Do you think we have a chance of a soft open?????

 

[Kevin38]

I'm new to the boards and heading down to universal this Thursday May 22nd thru Memorial Day. Do you think we have a chance of a soft open?????

Will be there @ that time also.
I think we will miss it by a week or so.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I'm new to the boards and heading down to universal this Thursday May 22nd thru Memorial Day. Do you think we have a chance of a soft open?????

I, unfortunately, believe that there is no chance for soft openings for guests at that time. Sorry. :embarassed:

 

[Matpez]

I'm new to the boards and heading down to universal this Thursday May 22nd thru Memorial Day. Do you think we have a chance of a soft open?????

0% :wave:

 

[rags]

0% :wave:

Oh well I have a trip booked for the 1st week in Sept too! I can wait until then:thumbs:

 

[HalfGlass]

Hey Everyone!

I was down in Orlando this weekend, and I ended up talking to these two girls who work at Forbidden Journey in private. They started to see how pumped and excited I was about Diagon and I asked what the official opening date was. They said Summer 2014 for now. Then I told them I heard mid-June. They both looked at each other like they knew what was up, but one of them told me they're thinking Early July for an official opening now, with the press junket in mid-June. Obviously this could be more speculation, but it is nice to hear it from two employees.

 

[TylerDurden]

TM's were supposed to start training this week...this was then pushed to next week. NOW, they have been delayed yet again to two weeks from now. This means that (most likely), the EARLIEST TM previews could start is 2.5-3 weeks from now, putting possible softs after that. And that is assuming there arent more delays, which it seems have become the norm.

 

[Badgeking]

I just can't see them pushing back the opening of the land this much. I feel like you don't invite TONS of press down for a four day "event" to show off the area and then turn around and invite them back down a few weeks later to cover the grand opening. The way I envisioned the press "event" going was something like this:

June 17th: Welcome event during the evening after the park closes at 8pm.
June 18th: Private events with celebs and stars of the movie. This evening will be the "Grand Opening Event" with the fireworks and all that like phase 1 had.
June 19th: Public Grand Opening with press on hand to interview the public
June 20th: Final day to get any last minute interviews, pictures, video before leaving.

Inviting TONS press down for four days to preview one new land is not something you do unless you have something big that requires a lot of press. After one day press will have seen nearly everything they need to see to "hype" up the land. If they truly are going to be delaying things this much and the press event is really just a preview for four days, how long is the "Grand Opening Event" going to be for press? Another four days a few weeks after they just covered all the land has to show? It just doesn't make sense to me to have two major press events a few weeks apart.

If the training really has been pushed back another two weeks, then I think they will just cut two weeks out of soft opening. Universal has a lot more plans in place to deal with crowds this time around and they know what they are doing. I am sure they have been running both rides with people for a while now and they have been running both of them for many months before then. I just don't see the reasoning for inviting press for such a LONG period of time only to invite them back two or three weeks later for the true grand opening.

 

[Universal Bob]

I just can't see them pushing back the opening of the land this much. I feel like you don't invite TONS of press down for a four day "event" to show off the area and then turn around and invite them back down a few weeks later to cover the grand opening. The way I envisioned the press "event" going was something like this:

June 17th: Welcome event during the evening after the park closes at 8pm.
June 18th: Private events with celebs and stars of the movie. This evening will be the "Grand Opening Event" with the fireworks and all that like phase 1 had.
June 19th: Public Grand Opening with press on hand to interview the public
June 20th: Final day to get any last minute interviews, pictures, video before leaving.

Inviting TONS press down for four days to preview one new land is not something you do unless you have something big that requires a lot of press. After one day press will have seen nearly everything they need to see to "hype" up the land. If they truly are going to be delaying things this much and the press event is really just a preview for four days, how long is the "Grand Opening Event" going to be for press? Another four days a few weeks after they just covered all the land has to show? It just doesn't make sense to me to have two major press events a few weeks apart.

If the training really has been pushed back another two weeks, then I think they will just cut two weeks out of soft opening. Universal has a lot more plans in place to deal with crowds this time around and they know what they are doing. I am sure they have been running both rides with people for a while now and they have been running both of them for many months before then. I just don't see the reasoning for inviting press for such a LONG period of time only to invite them back two or three weeks later for the true grand opening.

I agree. I would be VERY surprised if DA didn't open after the 20th of June.

 

[TylerDurden]

I just can't see them pushing back the opening of the land this much. I feel like you don't invite TONS of press down for a four day "event" to show off the area and then turn around and invite them back down a few weeks later to cover the grand opening. The way I envisioned the press "event" going was something like this:

June 17th: Welcome event during the evening after the park closes at 8pm.
June 18th: Private events with celebs and stars of the movie. This evening will be the "Grand Opening Event" with the fireworks and all that like phase 1 had.
June 19th: Public Grand Opening with press on hand to interview the public
June 20th: Final day to get any last minute interviews, pictures, video before leaving.

Inviting TONS press down for four days to preview one new land is not something you do unless you have something big that requires a lot of press. After one day press will have seen nearly everything they need to see to "hype" up the land. If they truly are going to be delaying things this much and the press event is really just a preview for four days, how long is the "Grand Opening Event" going to be for press? Another four days a few weeks after they just covered all the land has to show? It just doesn't make sense to me to have two major press events a few weeks apart.

If the training really has been pushed back another two weeks, then I think they will just cut two weeks out of soft opening. Universal has a lot more plans in place to deal with crowds this time around and they know what they are doing. I am sure they have been running both rides with people for a while now and they have been running both of them for many months before then. I just don't see the reasoning for inviting press for such a LONG period of time only to invite them back two or three weeks later for the true grand opening.

I mean TM training is getting pushed back farther and farther...theres not really much you can do to disagree with that lol. Its still possible that theyll have it open June 20th, absolutely, but the delay is fact, not opinion. If theres one thing they really wont do, its open the area without TMs.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I mean TM training is getting pushed back farther and farther...theres not really much you can do to disagree with that lol.

This is not what I'm hearing.

 

[TylerDurden]

This is not what I'm hearing.

It may not be for all TM's...but I know that many who have been hired have been working in other areas of the park until the land is ready for them to begin training in. Maybe it's only for one department. But I am 110% positive that there is a two-week delay for many TMs who were scheduled to have already toured the land, seen the costumes, and trained on location.

 

[Badgeking]

I mean TM training is getting pushed back farther and farther...theres not really much you can do to disagree with that lol. Its still possible that theyll have it open June 20th, absolutely, but the delay is fact, not opinion. If theres one thing they really wont do, its open the area without TMs.

Oh, I totally agree! However, you don't invite TONS of press unless you are 100% sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that the area will be "Show Ready" by the date on the invite. Can you imagine all the bad press that would be released if Universal was like "Oh, sorry to all the news networks and fan sites but the event we invited you do, yeah, we are going to have to postpone it" after all these people made plans to attend. I also don't think (but I could be wrong) that Universal is footing the bill for this press event either (airfare and hotels). So that would cause even more drama for them if people like Lance from Screamscape bought his airline ticket and then had to pay all the fees to change it because Universal could not stick to the date.

Its going to get to a point here soon where the delays will have to stop. You can't toss a bunch of TM's into a land the day a press event starts and hope for the best. If the delay puts them at getting into the land around June 8th, they will have just over a week to "soft open" the land so the TM's can get a feel for the job before they are swarmed by press. Who knows, maybe this was there goal all along? Keep it totally secret and and not even do a bunch of soft openings so nothing is "spoiled" before opening day. I would assume they have been training the TM's that are going to open places like the restaurants and shops in Hogsmeade to at least get a feel for the crowds and how certain things are done. I mean, making a butterbeer at a cart in Hogsmeade will not be much different than a cart at Diagon. I would also hope that they are bringing in a lot of the TM's that opened Phase 1 because they know what it will be like. A bunch of new hires would get totally overwhelmed on opening day.

 

[Matpez]

Hey Everyone!

I was down in Orlando this weekend, and I ended up talking to these two girls who work at Forbidden Journey in private. They started to see how pumped and excited I was about Diagon and I asked what the official opening date was. They said Summer 2014 for now. Then I told them I heard mid-June. They both looked at each other like they knew what was up, but one of them told me they're thinking Early July for an official opening now, with the press junket in mid-June. Obviously this could be more speculation, but it is nice to hear it from two employees.

I love how folks think a company as large as Universal or Disney would actually tell front line employees something as secret as an opening date and then say they can't talk about it. Front line TM's only clue about opening dates come from forums like this and rumor sites. The supervisors of those employees don't even know the date. They don't know. Their smirks and giggles are more likely because you were the 1,298 person to ask them that day and you say the same range of dates as everyone else.

 

[Teebin]

Mercy... this is being played differently this time around. If there are no softs on the 7th and there is no GO on the 18,19,20, then they are horridly behind. Otherwise, they aren't.

 

[Badgeking]

A part of me thinks if Universal was smart they would just announce the opening date the day before it opens. I mean, if you think about, I think they REALLY want to avoid what happened last time. With Phase 1, they had a ton of soft openings, videos of the land and ride posted all over the web, and then since everybody had seen videos of it and knew the date well in advanced, everybody and their grandma showed up on opening day which was a nightmare for EVERYBODY involved.

If they keep things secret, the Grand Opening will not be nearly as insane as Phase 1. Press comes down on the 17th and during the first night event they break the news to the press and tell them all to run a story saying "Diagon Alley opens TOMORROW!" on the 18th. The locals that have off work that day and some insane people willing to pay last minute airline fees will be the only people attending the Grand Opening besides the people that just happen to be there. On top of this, the general public will then book their trip since I think a lot of people that want to visit are holding back until a date is announced. If they announce a date on June 18th, that will give people enough time to request off work and make it down before summer is over. People will not all arrive on the same day so things will be a little more spread out.

Universal knows for a fact this area will be a MASSIVE success just like Phase 1 no matter when they announce the opening date. People will be coming from all over the world for years to experience it. Instead of making day 1 a nightmare, keep things a secret until the last possible moment and then the day 1 rush won't be nearly as bad.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It may not be for all TM's...but I know that many who have been hired have been working in other areas of the park until the land is ready for them to begin training in. Maybe it's only for one department. But I am 110% positive that there is a two-week delay for many TMs who were scheduled to have already toured the land, seen the costumes, and trained on location.

My understanding is TMs for attractions are training now, food/merch start this week. Considering the goal of late May TM previews it sounds like they're on track but then again my info on when then were planning on having people trained could be well off.

 

[l-m-f-a-o]

I was talking to someone while buying butter beer and she was telling me to upgrade my pass because they are going to raise the prices soon & she like whispered its opening in less then 30 days or something because she said she took her vacation around when its opening. lol
So last week of june... seem so likely.. i suppose.

 

[fryoj]

A part of me thinks if Universal was smart they would just announce the opening date the day before it opens. I mean, if you think about, I think they REALLY want to avoid what happened last time. With Phase 1, they had a ton of soft openings, videos of the land and ride posted all over the web, and then since everybody had seen videos of it and knew the date well in advanced, everybody and their grandma showed up on opening day which was a nightmare for EVERYBODY involved.

If they keep things secret, the Grand Opening will not be nearly as insane as Phase 1. Press comes down on the 17th and during the first night event they break the news to the press and tell them all to run a story saying "Diagon Alley opens TOMORROW!" on the 18th. The locals that have off work that day and some insane people willing to pay last minute airline fees will be the only people attending the Grand Opening besides the people that just happen to be there. On top of this, the general public will then book their trip since I think a lot of people that want to visit are holding back until a date is announced. If they announce a date on June 18th, that will give people enough time to request off work and make it down before summer is over. People will not all arrive on the same day so things will be a little more spread out.

Universal knows for a fact this area will be a MASSIVE success just like Phase 1 no matter when they announce the opening date. People will be coming from all over the world for years to experience it. Instead of making day 1 a nightmare, keep things a secret until the last possible moment and then the day 1 rush won't be nearly as bad.

I disagree. You can't pay for the press that showing a line going out of the park and wrapping around Citiwalk brings. they would gladly deal with the headaches of being well over capacity for a couple days to have news stations around the world showing the crazy crowds and lines for Universal's new attraction.