Future of Dragon Challenge?

[Mad Dog]

England may be on "Rowling Potter Time", but here, in the states, we're in the "Universal Potter Time (zone)"...Love it.....

 

[Andysol]

mDiagon Alley is pretty much shut down and crawling with deatheaters, with the exception of WWW, from the beginning of the 6th book forward.

Which is exactly how it needs to be portrayed in September and October. Could you imagine the store employees being in character with it as well "quick, get in here, there's death eaters everywhere. Would you like some jelly beans?"

 

[LieutLaww]

mmm jelly beans

 

[Mad Dog]

mmm jelly beans

As Homer Simpson crosses the Studio's lagoon from Springfield to Diagon.

 

[Mike S]

As Homer Simpson crosses the Studio's lagoon from Springfield to Diagon.

"mmm... vomit"

 

[OLSinFLA]

In HP training when someone asks "when does this take place?" the official answer is to be "The World of Harry Potter is timeless"

 

[Magistra]

In HP training when someone asks "when does this take place?" the official answer is to be "The World of Harry Potter is timeless"

Indeed it is.

Or as my daughter puts it, the Wizarding World is composed of all the "money-making moments" from the books and movies.

 

[UK-Trigg]

"mmm... vomit"

“Alas! Ear wax!”

 

[epcyclopedia]

Outside the castle:

"When is this?"

"When? Well, Professor Binns' next lecture on the history of Hogwarts is in about (wait time) minutes."

"No, I mean where in the story?"

"It's a full history. Professor Binns is very thorough. Some say he's dead boring but I appreciate the attention to detail."

"Ha ha. Which book is this from though?"

"Batilda Bagshot's 'A History of Hogwarts' is considered the most comprehensive record of the school's history."

"But is Forbidden Journey before or after the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Well, it's not exactly forbidden - just not common. Dumbledore thought it good and right to let muggles tour the school so who am I to disagree? But the triwizard tournamanet? It's soon - there's a pep rally today."

After Dark Arts:

"What? What?! There's no time for that. We have to get you to the Room of the Requirement or you're going to be late for the quiddich match!"

 

[awhen]

"Batilda Bagshot's 'A History of Hogwarts' is considered the most comprehensive record of the school's history."

Dude. It's "Hogwarts: A History."

 

[kingcooger]

I believe I have read that Hogsmeade focuses on the first 4 books, Diagon Alley on the latter 3. I don't think either is supposed to be set at any exact moment. Instead, they are set in a sort of "universal Potter time" that includes all of the best moments and some of the most heroic plots from the books. Thus, Dumbledore is eternally alive at FJ, Mad-Eye Moody is eternally alive aboard the Hogwarts Express, Voldemort and Bellatrix are eternally a threat (but are continually thwarted by Harry, Ron, and Hermione) in EFG, and Ollivander's shop is eternally selling wands in Diagon Alley.

There is no way a dragon can be sitting atop Gringotts at the same moment that Ollivander's is selling wands and Florean Fortescue's is still selling ice cream. Diagon Alley is pretty much shut down and crawling with deatheaters, with the exception of WWW, from the beginning of the 6th book forward. So instead of being set in a particular book, the Wizarding World represents an amalgam of all the best moments in the books and movies, but with particular moments in time (e.g. the trio's escape from Gringotts on a dragon, Harry's wand purchase) brought to life in detail.

And besides, if DC is the main hint that Hogsmeade is set in the 4th book, then replacing it with a Forbidden Forest adventure set in the 3rd book would change that.

The choice between whether it's better to go with canon and recreate specific plots that the guest participates in on a parallel adventure or to create a purely guest-centered adventure is a personal preference. I like both, but I do think employing dramatic moments from the books/movies gives the rides a more authentic sense of drama. Kong is disappointing because if its shortness but also because the storyline consists of nothing more than "there are scary, bad things in the jungle and we must get away from them! Oh look, Kong not so bad after all, yay, we're safe!" Likewise, I think that a Forbidden Forest ride whose plot consists of nothing but "Magical creatures cool! Oh wait, some of them are evil, we're doomed! Nah, it's all good, yay we're safe!" would be a bit disappointing, too.

If you're absolutely opposed to the idea of bringing specific scenes and plot points from the books into the storyline, what other kinds of mission or storyline would you incorporate into the ride? I feel that the "Muggle visitor is invited to ride aboard a magical mode of transportation to get to a place to do a thing, then bad stuff happens" in and of itself is insufficient unless there are specific plot points and characters from the book woven in. How would a Care of Magical Creatures class visit work without incorporating scenes from Prisoner of Azkaban, if they went that way?

At this point, I would almost prefer no story. Why not just make it us tagging along on a class or, as in your initial idea, the ride being transportation from the Express to Hogwart's? We can still run across some hideous or deadly beasties, but we do not require any sort of intense story to do so. In fact, I like the class idea more because we can run across dangerous looking creatures and be told that some of them just look deadly, but are in fact quite kind. Every other story will seem too similar to what we already have on Forbidden Journey and Escape From Gringott's and in all honesty, I am fine with them getting away from that particular trope.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Dude. It's "Hogwarts: A History."

"No one cares Hermione."

 

[Magistra]

At this point, I would almost prefer no story. Why not just make it us tagging along on a class or, as in your initial idea, the ride being transportation from the Express to Hogwart's? We can still run across some hideous or deadly beasties, but we do not require any sort of intense story to do so. In fact, I like the class idea more because we can run across dangerous looking creatures and be told that some of them just look deadly, but are in fact quite kind. Every other story will seem too similar to what we already have on Forbidden Journey and Escape From Gringott's and in all honesty, I am fine with them getting away from that particular trope.

I see your point. Spiderman and Transformers seem like the same ride to me because they both follow the same plot line and use similar technology.

So basically you'd make it like a second Hogwarts Express, more or less. I mean, sure, I could go with that.

But why can't we have Harry's Patronus save us from Dementors, even if we don't see Sirius? A fully forned Patronus hasn't been used on any of the attractions yet. It doesn't even have to be Harry's. I'd be happy with Luna's.

 

[shiekra38]

I see your point. Spiderman and Transformers seem like the same ride to me because they both follow the same plot line and use similar technology.

So basically you'd make it like a second Hogwarts Express, more or less. I mean, sure, I could go with that.

But why can't we have Harry's Patronus save us from Dementors, even if we don't see Sirius? A fully forned Patronus hasn't been used on any of the attractions yet. It doesn't even have to be Harry's. I'd be happy with Luna's.

I beg the question...does a new HP ride need cast from the film at all

I would say Hagrid is really the only one that isn't featured in a ride yet (minus voice and short appearances)...I wouldn't mind him being our 'host' throughout

 

[JoeCamel]

I beg the question...does a new HP ride need cast from the film at all

I would say Hagrid is really the only one that isn't featured in a ride yet (minus voice and short appearances)...I wouldn't mind him being our 'host' throughout

But would Anthony Robert McMillan do it? Would he be allowed to by Jo?

 

[Mike S]

I see your point. Spiderman and Transformers seem like the same ride to me because they both follow the same plot line and use similar technology.

So basically you'd make it like a second Hogwarts Express, more or less. I mean, sure, I could go with that.

But why can't we have Harry's Patronus save us from Dementors, even if we don't see Sirius? A fully forned Patronus hasn't been used on any of the attractions yet. It doesn't even have to be Harry's. I'd be happy with Luna's.

Harry already saves us with a patronus in FJ. Why rehash it?

 

[Skold]

Harry already saves us with a patronus in FJ. Why rehash it?

Doesn't he also in the Express?

Then they all get free frogs, which cart lady (who apparently was right behind the Demontor) spills all over the f-ing place!

 

[Magistra]

Harry already saves us with a patronus in FJ. Why rehash it?

On the HE, we hear Harry cast a Patronus and see a white light. That's not the experience I'm talking about. I'm thinking about an encounter with a fully formed Patronus without hearing the Patronus spell being cast at all. Basically it would just be a stag (or some other animal) composed of light.

Think of the scene in Order of the Phoenix where everyone learns to cast a full Patronus. Wouldn't one of those be cool to see, minus the wizard who cast it?

 

[Magistra]

I beg the question...does a new HP ride need cast from the film at all

I would say Hagrid is really the only one that isn't featured in a ride yet (minus voice and short appearances)...I wouldn't mind him being our 'host' throughout

I'd personally like to see Luna as a guide, but yes, Hagrid would be the obvious choice (and a very good one imo) for a Forbidden Forest ride

A Harry Potter ride with none of those pesky characters or plot points? Really going for that minimalist experience, huh?

 

[Magistra]

But would Anthony Robert McMillan do it? Would he be allowed to by Jo?

Why wouldn't she allow him to do it? Because of his health problems, you mean?