Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

[Cole]

Rode it yesterday....bleh. I honestly don't get the crazy response some people are giving it like "its the best ride of all time". Let me start by saying its a great attraction, have nothing wrong with anything in regards to theming, sets, music and especially the queue, the ride itself however was just disappointing. I expected the best thing ever as some of you really made it out to be and what I got was a differently themed spiderman on a rollercoaster track. besides the first dip and that one set with the track, there was never a mind blowing moment in the ride experience. I was just watching a screen and moving with it. I needed a couple more scenes, more physical elements, a better ending and overall just more thought put into it. Felt like all the real thought and money went into the queue and that's incredibly disappointing to me. Rode FJ later that day and still find it to be the definitive potter experience over gringotts, maybe it'll grow on me but from my two times riding it I wasn't very impressed. By the way it's hilarious to go back to the days when people thought this would destroy the mummy coaster wise lol

 

[Mad Dog]

Rode it yesterday....bleh. I honestly don't get the crazy response some people are giving it like "its the best ride of all time". Let me start by saying its a great attraction, have nothing wrong with anything in regards to theming, sets, music and especially the queue, the ride itself however was just disappointing. I expected the best thing ever as some of you really made it out to be and what I got was a differently themed spiderman on a rollercoaster track. besides the first dip and that one set with the track, there was never a mind blowing moment in the ride experience. I was just watching a screen and moving with it. I needed a couple more scenes, more physical elements, a better ending and overall just more thought put into it. Felt like all the real thought and money went into the queue and that's incredibly disappointing to me. Rode FJ later that day and still find it to be the definitive potter experience over gringotts, maybe it'll grow on me but from my two times riding it I wasn't very impressed. By the way it's hilarious to go back to the days when people thought this would destroy the mummy coaster wise lol

This ride definitely grew on me. The first couple of times I rode it I would have given it a 8 out of 10. I think my expectations may have been too high, and since there is so much going on I missed a lot. But after more rides (I ended up riding it over 10 times) I started noticing how great the sets were and all of the nuances of the scenes. Plus, probably more than any other attraction I've ever been on, the seat I was in sometimes almost completely changed the ride. The scenes & thrills were very different depending on the seat & car. I was the same way with the Mummy attraction. That also grew better the more I rode it. Now, I'd give it a 10, but I too think Forbidden Journey is better.

 

[Cole]

This ride definitely grew on me. The first couple of times I rode it I would have given it a 8 out of 10. I think my expectations may have been too high, and since there is so much going on I missed a lot. But after more rides (I ended up riding it over 10 times) I started noticing how great the sets were and all of the nuances of the scenes. Plus, probably more than any other attraction I've ever been on, the seat I was in sometimes almost completely changed the ride. The scenes & thrills were very different depending on the seat & car. I was the same way with the Mummy attraction. That also grew better the more I rode it. Now, I'd give it a 10, but I too think Forbidden Journey is better.

I definitely agree about the seat point, I rode in the front and middle rows and when nagini pops out at you, the front row gets to see her up close and personal unlike the second row. The second row made you feel like the trolls were staring directly at you witch was awesome too. I feel like we all overhyped this attraction to a ridiculously unfair level witch is why I was a bit disappointed. Maybe I was missing a couple effects that would've made my experience better I don't know, I'll return to it definitely for more chances. By the way what was with the pitch black coaster rooms? Atleast put blacklight mummy posters in there jeez

 

[Mad Dog]

I definitely agree about the seat point, I rode in the front and middle rows and when nagini pops out at you, the front row gets to see her up close and personal unlike the second row. The second row made you feel like the trolls were staring directly at you witch was awesome too. I feel like we all overhyped this attraction to a ridiculously unfair level witch is why I was a bit disappointed. Maybe I was missing a couple effects that would've made my experience better I don't know, I'll return to it definitely for more chances. By the way what was with the pitch black coaster rooms? Atleast put blacklight mummy posters in there jeez

Yeah, the hype sometimes makes it tough to get a true feeling for an attraction. As I said previously, I was like that with the Mummy the first time I rode it. I expected the second coming and was a little let down. But then, after a couple of more rides, it became one of my very favorite rides in any park. Now, even though I always have hotel express, I go through the regular line since I just love that queue......The Gringott's queue is really extraordinary. Whenever I rate an attraction, I always consider the queue. To me, a great queue is as much a part of the ride as the ride itself. FJ, Tower of Terror, Mummy queues add excellence to excellence. Conversely, a boring queue can take away from a good ride in my eyes.

 

[Cole]

I absolutely agree that a queue is as much of an experience as the ride itself but in gringotts case it kind of damages it. Let me put it this way, a queue is supposed to hint at the story if there is one and build up the attraction itself, the queue for gringotts does both to the best of their abilities. I mean this is the best queue of any ride ever, it's not an opinion it's a straight up fact. However when a queue is so awesome and hypes you up to a ridiculous level and the ride doesn't fulfill that hype, that's where I have the problem. Spider-man and mummies queues build up to some of the best attractions in the world, in gringotts case the queue is the real attraction and the ride is almost like an add on to it. A role reversal that I don't think I've ever experienced a theme park before

 

[anihilnation]

Pretty sure I saw this properly, in the second scene with the trolls when the one troll falls and hangs on your carriage and you slide forward, it is actually the track that moves rather than the RV.

 

[sjago13]

The rvs only spin. The giant hydraulic that pivots the piece of track is freaking huge. If u want a good look at it sit in the last row right side or 3rd row left side wrt sitting in the vehicle. The track disconnects in 3 places and never actually forms a complete circuit and people wonder why this is a controls nightmare.

 

[andrew]

I just spent a weekend at UOR and Gringotts was easily my favorite ride. As a huge fan of the books and movies, it was incredible to walk through Gringotts and to go through the vaults. My friends and I cheered when Bellatrix and Voldemort showed up.

 

[princeinc]

The rvs only spin. The giant hydraulic that pivots the piece of track is freaking huge. If u want a good look at it sit in the last row right side or 3rd row left side wrt sitting in the vehicle. The track disconnects in 3 places and never actually forms a complete circuit and people wonder why this is a controls nightmare.

FINALLY!!! Thank you!

 

[shiekra38]

Rode it yesterday....bleh. I honestly don't get the crazy response some people are giving it like "its the best ride of all time". Let me start by saying its a great attraction, have nothing wrong with anything in regards to theming, sets, music and especially the queue, the ride itself however was just disappointing. I expected the best thing ever as some of you really made it out to be and what I got was a differently themed spiderman on a rollercoaster track. besides the first dip and that one set with the track, there was never a mind blowing moment in the ride experience. I was just watching a screen and moving with it. I needed a couple more scenes, more physical elements, a better ending and overall just more thought put into it. Felt like all the real thought and money went into the queue and that's incredibly disappointing to me. Rode FJ later that day and still find it to be the definitive potter experience over gringotts, maybe it'll grow on me but from my two times riding it I wasn't very impressed. By the way it's hilarious to go back to the days when people thought this would destroy the mummy coaster wise lol

Unfortunately Gringotts suffers from the "family friendly" bug that Universal has caught recently..I mean think about it...MIB spins and jolts you around more than this ride

I will say this ride has a better story and is more massive than FJ..plus the projection is so stinkin sharp...the thrill just isn't there

 

[sjago13]

FINALLY!!! Thank you!

What did I do?

But people expect the crazies ride experience ever, and unless u put a kuka on an inverted coaster track I think people will be let down. But if you were to show people a lights on tour of gringotts I feel like people would really appreciate what is going on with this ride.

Gringotts was an evolution while fj was a revolution In what a ride could do. I think people were expecting another revolution and we're let down.

 

[anihilnation]

The rvs only spin. The giant hydraulic that pivots the piece of track is freaking huge. If u want a good look at it sit in the last row right side or 3rd row left side wrt sitting in the vehicle. The track disconnects in 3 places and never actually forms a complete circuit and people wonder why this is a controls nightmare.

Yes! I was row 5 on the right, and I looked down and saw the track move and man, I don't think I have ever been so impressed. It really is quite a thing to see, more impressive than the teeter-totter.

- - - Updated - - -

What did I do?

But people expect the crazies ride experience ever, and unless u put a kuka on an inverted coaster track I think people will be let down.

I'm in! Now that would be wild!

- - - Updated - - -

I can understand why people are underwhelmed, I think one of the reasons why I like the ride so much is because I went in it with very low expectations. From everything I had heard from HTF I knew there would be little thrill, so I was not expecting much ... in any case, I think the strongest point is the level of immersion, there really is not that much that breaks the illusion of you being in Gringotts, even when the ride track is visible ... the track is part of the story, and you never encounter another RV.

 

[Teebin]

Yes! I was row 5 on the right, and I looked down and saw the track move and man, I don't think I have ever been so impressed. It really is quite a thing to see, more impressive than the teeter-totter.

There was a picture of one of the massive rotator arms posted shortly after it opened. I believe it was taken in an e-stop of the first track tilt. It looked like the engine room on the Titanic.

 

[shiekra38]

Yes! I was row 5 on the right, and I looked down and saw the track move and man, I don't think I have ever been so impressed. It really is quite a thing to see, more impressive than the teeter-totter.

- - - Updated - - -



I'm in! Now that would be wild!

- - - Updated - - -

I can understand why people are underwhelmed, I think one of the reasons why I like the ride so much is because I went in it with very low expectations. From everything I had heard from HTF I knew there would be little thrill, so I was not expecting much ... in any case, I think the strongest point is the level of immersion, there really is not that much that breaks the illusion of you being in Gringotts, even when the ride track is visible ... the track is part of the story, and you never encounter another RV.

You know I've never thought about this, but you are right...you never hear/see another RV (ahem FJ)...you are immersed at all times...and the story is basically a coaster so the whole ride makes sense..

 

[princeinc]

What did I do?

You appreciated the technical complexity of this attraction. Doesn't excuse the reasons for the failures but still helps understand. Completing new feats to entertain this generation of thrill seekers along with maintaining a >15 year redundancy factor for the machines along with keeping the USA's high standard for safety is HARD!! lol it takes a miracle to combine different systems to a seamless experience time after time. Its a learning step. They made the jump with new techniques. Made mistake. Now the next time (or next clone) wont have those kind of issues. Its just the price you pay for being a pioneer.

 

[Miketheboss]

The more and more that I think about what this ride could have been, it makes me feel let down. Dont get me wrong, the first time I rode the ride I cried at the end, LMAO, but honestly, its very anticlimactic. You get all hyped up because you just saw voldermort, you get launched......and its over. This ride needed more coaster sections. Even if it just wouldve been thunder mountain/mine train kind of drops/turns. After the launch, if there would have been a bunny hop section and a helix, I think just that would have improved it significantly. I hope the ride they build in japan has at least 15 more seconds of coaster action.

 

[boomerthom]

The more and more that I think about what this ride could have been, it makes me feel let down. Dont get me wrong, the first time I rode the ride I cried at the end, LMAO, but honestly, its very anticlimactic. You get all hyped up because you just saw voldermort, you get launched......and its over. This ride needed more coaster sections. Even if it just wouldve been thunder mountain/mine train kind of drops/turns. After the launch, if there would have been a bunny hop section and a helix, I think just that would have improved it significantly. I hope the ride they build in japan has at least 15 more seconds of coaster action.

It doesn't help that a significant portion of the ride is spent sitting stationary and watching screens. The motion in the ride is decent, it just doesn't make up for the relative lack of it. If the vehicle was rocking and rolling during the climax scene, the launch probably wouldn't feel so anticlimactic.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

The more and more that I think about what this ride could have been, it makes me feel let down. Dont get me wrong, the first time I rode the ride I cried at the end, LMAO, but honestly, its very anticlimactic. You get all hyped up because you just saw voldermort, you get launched......and its over. This ride needed more coaster sections. Even if it just wouldve been thunder mountain/mine train kind of drops/turns. After the launch, if there would have been a bunny hop section and a helix, I think just that would have improved it significantly. I hope the ride they build in japan has at least 15 more seconds of coaster action.

They're building this in Japan?

 

[Stitch_101]

They're building this in Japan?

As far as I'm aware, they just got WWoHP from IOA. I haven't heard of any rumors of Gringotts coming to Universal Japan.

 

[Miketheboss]

As far as I'm aware, they just got WWoHP from IOA. I haven't heard of any rumors of Gringotts coming to Universal Japan.

I'm sorry, I meant Beijing. It can be seen in the parks concept art.