Felipe
V.I.P. Member
I don't just want the Shrieking Shack. I also want a full Madam Puddifoot's tea shop, and the only thing that happened there was that Harry made Cho cry.
A tea shop would make Universal money (return on investment), whereas the Shrieking Shack would only cost Universal money (loss - no return on investment).
Yes, the creatures that inhabit the Forbidden Forest may provide sufficient theming in and of themselves. But why would you prefer nothing but rocks to an iconic building that is an integral part of the Hogsmeade landscape? At worst, I could see a "Meh, it would be cool to have a forced perspective Shrieking Shack in the distance but I can do without it," but all this vociferous outrage in defense of structures representing "interiors of the forest"? What's next, a proposal to insert a generic Tower Hamlets highrise landscape in place of the Ministry of Magic? After all, the MoM is just a sterile administrative office full of meddlesome bureaucrats, right?
I don't think we're getting "nothing but rocks" as theming. That might have been Dragon Challenge, but it won't be the same for this attraction. I expect something similar (but even better) to ET, bringing the Forbidden Forest into the indoor queue. Also, just because the Shrieking Shack is iconic and you want it is not a solid enough argument. Putting the Shrieking Shack in the middle of the Forbidden Forest as part of the queue or ride would be as weird and out of place as putting it in the middle of Hogwarts. It's not located there.
So I'm going to go with the Boat House as the entry and exit point and the Owlery as the tall structure, if both are actually buildings, that is.
Now, I love these ideas. Particularly having the boathouse as the entrance to the indoor part of the queue. The boathouse and owlery make sense for that location right next to Hogwarts, plus they are also iconic places we haven't seen yet. I think the boathouse would work perfectly as a transition to the indoor queue; we could enter the boathouse building and then "exit" into another indoor scene that looks like we are outdoors, but it would just be recreated forest (as mentioned, sort of like in ET), then continuing deeper and deeper into the Forbidden Forest, and eventually reaching the loading station to begin the coaster ride.
will there be a locker area? If so it will be improved... RIGHT?!?!?!
If I'm not mistaken, they're keeping the entrance and lockers in the same area. I would personally like it if we entered closer to Hogwarts, but it does make more sense to keep the entrance where it is to spread out the crowds.