Future of Dragon Challenge?

[Mike S]

E.T. is probably better than anything in Fantasyland.

Not a very high bar to beat.

 

[Mad Dog]

Not a very high bar to beat.

That's funny....I'm probably one of the most ardent ET supporters on this forum, just love it & would really be sad to see it go, but....there's this little piece of trivia that's too good not to mention. When Jay Stein, the MCA/Universal Executive that was the actual founder of Universal Orlando, was pushing for his second park, Cartoon World, that ended up evolving into IOA because Universal couldn't reach a financial agreement with Warner for their cartoon & DC rights, he mentioned the results of a survey to further his push for a cartoon oriented second park. He pointed out that the Hanna Barbara ride (that later became Jimmy Neutron & then Despicable Me) consistently outperformed the acclaimed ET in guest surveys. ...From Sam Genneway's book JayBangs.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

That's funny....I'm probably one of the most ardent ET supporters on this forum, just love it & would really be sad to see it go, but....there's this little piece of trivia that's too good not to mention. When Jay Stein, the MCA/Universal Executive that was the actual founder of Universal Orlando, was pushing for his second park, Cartoon World, that ended up evolving into IOA because Universal couldn't reach a financial agreement with Warner for their cartoon & DC rights, he mentioned the results of a survey to further his push for a cartoon oriented second park. He pointed out that the Hanna Barbara ride (that later became Jimmy Neutron & then Despicable Me) consistently outperformed the acclaimed ET in guest surveys. ...From Sam Genneway's book JayBangs.

Cause its the first ride guests see, while ET is tucked away in a corner.

 

[Mad Dog]

Cause its the first ride guests see, while ET is tucked away in a corner.

Why would that have anything to do with a guest satisfaction survey? That would be like Shrek doing better than Gringotts in a guest satisfaction survey since you see it first.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Why would that have anything to do with a guest satisfaction survey? That would be like Shrek doing better than Gringotts in a guest satisfaction survey since you see it first.

I thought you meant attendance. Whoops.

And I can see why, at the time a simulator was a unique attraction unto probably the 2010's

 

[Nick]

"E-Ticket" is used to describe how popular an attraction is, not how great the attraction is.

E-ticket is used to describe size, scope, length, capacity AND popularity of an attraction. There were many factors.

 

[Frank Drackman]

Cause its the first ride guests see, while ET is tucked away in a corner.

If we are talking pre IOA, was it really tucked in the corner?

I mean, wasn't the Hard Rock Cafe over there back then complete with another entrance where you could go to the restaurant and then re-enter the park?

I just recall days when ET did have the longest waits at the Studios.

 

[Magistra]

If DC is removed, it seems logical that a family-friendly Forbidden Forest dark ride would replace it, based on the location. The London Studio Tour is adding a Forbidden Forest tour this year, with interactive trees as well as Aragog and Buckbeak, and it's about time Universal does so, as well.

The DC area connects the Hogwarts Express to the Hogwarts castle/frog choir stage area, skirting Hogsmeade. Thus, upon disembarking from the HE, guests would be able to either walk to Hogsmeade or board a thestral-led kuka carriage to Hogwarts. The queue for the carriages would take you past the Shrieking Shack in the distance, which would disguise the show building. As you travel towards Hogwarts in your carriage, Lupin in werewolf form leaps out towards you, driving you from the path. The thestral-led carriages take off into the Forbidden Forest where you witness the swarm of dementors above the edge of the lake and the near-death of Sirius Black. You return to the path just in time to see Sirius ride away on Buckbeak before exiting your carriage just behind the frog choir stage.

In addition to this E-ticket (yes, I said it!) family-friendly ride, the forest would be extended, and a Ford Anglia photo op, similar to Sirius Black's motorcycle in Diagon Alley, would be added. An Aragog, Buckbeak, and/or Thestral Encounter would be added as well. A giant Whomping Willow with an entrance to Shrieking Shack restrooms beneath its roots would be the icing on the cake.

Since the new ride entrance would be moved closer to the HE station, the current DC entrance could be closed and replaced with a real Madam Puddifoots in the next phase.

After this phase, the final HP phase would replace Fear Factor with the Ministry of Magic. As for Fantastic Beasts, there is no telling where Newt will travel next. He might even travel to some land that resembles the Lost Continent in a future movie, or to a location that would be incorporated into the 3rd park.

 

[JoeCamel]

If DC is removed, it seems logical that a family-friendly Forbidden Forest dark ride would replace it, based on the location. The London Studio Tour is adding a Forbidden Forest tour this year, with interactive trees as well as Aragog and Buckbeak, and it's about time Universal does so, as well.

The DC area connects the Hogwarts Express to the Hogwarts castle/frog choir stage area, skirting Hogsmeade. Thus, upon disembarking from the HE, guests would be able to either walk to Hogsmeade or board a thestral-led kuka carriage to Hogwarts. The queue for the carriages would take you past the Shrieking Shack in the distance, which would disguise the show building. As you travel towards Hogwarts in your carriage, Lupin in werewolf form leaps out towards you, driving you from the path. The thestral-led carriages take off into the Forbidden Forest where you witness the swarm of dementors above the edge of the lake and the near-death of Sirius Black. You return to the path just in time to see Sirius ride away on Buckbeak before exiting your carriage just behind the frog choir stage.

In addition to this E-ticket (yes, I said it!) family-friendly ride, the forest would be extended, and a Ford Anglia photo op, similar to Sirius Black's motorcycle in Diagon Alley, would be added. An Aragog, Buckbeak, and/or Thestral Encounter would be added as well. A giant Whomping Willow with an entrance to Shrieking Shack restrooms beneath its roots would be the icing on the cake.

Since the new ride entrance would be moved closer to the HE station, the current DC entrance could be closed and replaced with a real Madam Puddifoots in the next phase.

After this phase, the final HP phase would replace Fear Factor with the Ministry of Magic. As for Fantastic Beasts, there is no telling where Newt will travel next. He might even travel to some land that resembles the Lost Continent in a future movie, or to a location that would be incorporated into the 3rd park.

I am not normally a fan of book report rides but in this case I quite like it. A ride with a function would work here.

Simon - Get the bulldozers!

 

[Scott W.]

Forbidden Forest | Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

 

[Magistra]

I am not normally a fan of book report rides but in this case I quite like it. A ride with a function would work here.

Simon - Get the bulldozers!

The other option might be to run the queue through the Shrieking Shack itself, but that doesn't fit with the "Let's ride to the castle in these carriages" motif. If they don't/can't work in footage of Sirius Black, I suppose it could just be a "friendly ride to the castle along the edge of the Forbidden Forest" gone wrong.

 

[SkiBum]

The other option might be to run the queue through the Shrieking Shack itself, but that doesn't fit with the "Let's ride to the castle in these carriages" motif. If they don't/can't work in footage of Sirius Black, I suppose it could just be a "friendly ride to the castle along the edge of the Forbidden Forest" gone wrong.

I would set up a new storyline without reliance on the films, per se. Work in the monsters, certainly, including the spiders, unicorns, centaurs, and even a giant or two. Same basic premise which is to start a trip to the castle in the carriages that goes way off course.

 

[Magistra]

I would set up a new storyline without reliance on the films, per se. Work in the monsters, certainly, including the spiders, unicorns, centaurs, and even a giant or two. Same basic premise which is to start a trip to the castle in the carriages that goes way off course.

Why not both, as with Gringotts?

While exiting the HE station, we hear Hagrid in the distance, summoning us toward the carriages. Meanwhile, Luna appears, saying she knows a shortcut to the carriages and she has a secret to show us. We follow her into a cave, and she ushers us into a dark, indoor version of the Forbidden Forest. There is a baby unicorn asleep in the wood We watch her handfeed it.

Suddenly we hear a werewolf howl in the distance. She urges us forward, into the carriages. Our ride encounters numerous beasts along the way. But as in Gringotts, we also witness parts of an HP storyline running parallel to ours. On each occasion that the werewolf or dementors approach us, Graup or Buckbeak or the Ford Anglia or the centaurs save us. In the end, our Thestral finally takes flight and gently lands just outside Hogwarts gate, where Luna naively asks us what took us so long.

 

[Mike S]

Eh, I'd be fine if it was just doing a Care for Magical Creatures Class in ride form. The Werewolf doesn't need to be Lupin as I think it was already said that they do live in the Forest. Also, no Spiders since they're already in FJ. Mountain Trolls/Giants instead. Unicorns too. And Centaurs.

 

[Magistra]

Eh, I'd be fine if it was just doing a Care for Magical Creatures Class in ride form. The Werewolf doesn't need to be Lupin as I think it was already said that they do live in the Forest. Also, no Spiders since they're already in FJ. Mountain Trolls/Giants instead. Unicorns too. And Centaurs.

How about Harry's Patronus?

I think having the parallel story line from the books reinforces theming in a way the "kitchen sink" approach used in Forbidden Journey doesn't quite capture.

 

[Mike S]

How about Harry's Patronus?

I think having the parallel story line from the books reinforces theming in a way the "kitchen sink" approach used in Forbidden Journey doesn't quite capture.

The land is set during Goblet of Fire but the events you described are from Prisoner of Azkaban.

Also that is one of the reasons I put FJ above Gringotts. Not trying too hard with a movie plot. Gringotts would've been better as a simple ride through the vaults past the Security Trolls, Thieve's Downfall, Dragon, etc.

 

[anihilnation]

The land is set during Goblet of Fire but the events you described are from Prisoner of Azkaban.

Also that is one of the reasons I put FJ above Gringotts. Not trying too hard with a movie plot. Gringotts would've been better as a simple ride through the vaults past the Security Trolls, Thieve's Downfall, Dragon, etc.

I find that Gringott's story is so messy, I mean, why is our RV attacked? We're not intruders. Why don't the trolls do something against Bellatrix and Voldermort? Still, I love just how close you get to Bellatrix

 

[Frogki]

I find that Gringott's story is so messy, I mean, why is our RV attacked? We're not intruders. Why don't the trolls do something against Bellatrix and Voldermort? Still, I love just how close you get to Bellatrix

Warning: huge nerd rant ahead.

So the basic theming in the parks gives the impression that the majority of guests are treated as muggles. This means that Voldemort and Bellatrix would absolutely loathe us, no matter what we were doing. Furthermore, they really don't care who they attack when on a rampage.
The trolls are on the side of the bank. At this point in the story, the bank is all but controlled by the Ministry and therefore, Voldemort. Trolls aren't too bright to begin with. So their attacks aren't very coordinated and without a skilled wizard or goblin with us at the time of the attack, they would view us as intruders.

The story is messy but it makes basic sense.

 

[Magistra]

The land is set during Goblet of Fire but the events you described are from Prisoner of Azkaban.

Gringotts is set during Deathly Hallows, but Diagon Alley feels more like one of the earlier books. Forbidden Journey is mostly from Chamber of Secrets. Madam Puddifoots is from Goblet of Fire, while the Gilderoy Lockhart books in various shop windows are from Chamber of Secrets. Grimmauld Place is from Order of the Phoenix, and the Knight Bus is from Prisoner of Azkaban.

I believe the official word on time placement is that there isn't one. That doesn't mean that particular attractions can't be set against one particular storyline from the books/movies.

Edit: That said, I personally love FJ's kitchen sink approach, too. I thought the creative team had decided against that for future attractions, however.

 

[jseal777]

I just noticed today that in FJ you just randomly end up in the Chamber of Secrets after being on the Quidditch pitch and it makes no sense. Didn't hurt my feelings tho