The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade (Orlando): Part 2

[DragonSlayer]

Why on earth did WB have a problem with this stuff? These particular effects (dungeon and house elf sound bytes) were what really made my first visit. It really felt like you were walking through and Hogwarts life was carrying on around you - like you were a visitor, just like the ride story setup was meant to be.

 

[DK745]

It's a shame hearing about what could have been and things that have been cut since opening in the ride and in the queue. I'm sure this is true for many rides though.

Really hope they don't shut ride down for refurb until at least February.

 

[Teebin]

You would have thought that they learned their lesson when they tried to that same effect in ALL of Marvel....

Weeell, let's keep in mind that if WB had the power to cut stuff, they also had the power to demand stuff, i.e. FOG, even if UC told them would be a disaster. WB is hardly in the world class theme park business. I can see where a movie art director may have demanded it until the last minute.

 

[universal_fanatic]

What's the issue with the fog being used?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Weeell, let's keep in mind that if WB had the power to cut stuff, they also had the power to demand stuff, i.e. FOG, even if UC told them would be a disaster. WB is hardly in the world class theme park business. I can see where a movie art director may have demanded it until the last minute.

What the hell WB?

 

[Teebin]

What's the issue with the fog being used?

Tripping over things you cannot see, including your own feet... coughing because you perceive smoke or because you are actually allergic to it (very rare)... or, fearing that the building is on fire in that it might be random and in a queue.

Think about where it is used successfully now. Are you sitting or standing?

 

[demoncarnotaur]

Teebin is a great source for what was *supposed* to happen with many of the elements in Forbidden Journey - many of what I'm about to list comes from posts from him and other sources. If he'd like, he's more than welcome to share or correct any of the following.

Off the top of my head...

-As we all know, the Floo Network projection was changed a few years into the ride's operation
-Dragon's original intended motion (perhaps seen in testing and in the opening weeks, I wasn't there so can't confirm) was more dynamic, with the dragon swinging his head & neck more and clearly lurching its jaw forward to belch. If someone can find the tech demo video from Entech, it'll show the original intended motion
-Aragog was supposed to move in some capacity and not be a stationary prop (not sure if this applied to the other spiders, or if they were always intended to be stationary)
-Whomping Willow scene was allegedly hit the hardest: was supposed to be much brighter, more dynamic effects, possibly (can't remember where I read this) more moving limbs... something got cut, so the lights were turned down
-Dementors lost their hands due to WB deeming them too scary (...)
-There was supposed to be a horde of dementors in the final moments before the third dome; this too was determined to be too scary by WB and the effect was turned off. The dementors are still there, turned off in the darkness, can occasionally be seen (apparently now better than before due to increased dome brightness). One of them still has their hands, as pointed out in a recent breakdown video
-Perhaps most significantly - entire ride was supposed to be in 3D and the CGI was produced as such. The long Sorting Hat hallway is where we would've retrieved our 3D glasses. This was cut for multiple reasons (motion sickness concerns? glasses falling off?)

That's all I know of. Again, I'm not an authority on this, just recalling what I've read on here and other places.

Man, I'm most bummed about the Dementor stuff.. I was looking forward to them and it kinda falls flat for me.

 

[romo]

wow did not know all of this stuff...thanks for the 411 guys :thumbs:

 

[graspthesun]

Hopefully some of these effects will be better executed in the future versions of the ride in Hollywood and abroad.

 

[tsojl2005]

What's the issue with the fog being used?

Also I've noticed that at times, continuously running ground fog has the potential to make the floor slippery. Could have just been my little residential ground fogger I use and their commercial grade could eliminate that issue ???

 

[Marni1971]

Also I've noticed that at times, continuously running ground fog has the potential to make the floor slippery. Could have just been my little residential ground fogger I use and their commercial grade could eliminate that issue ???

Depends what type of fog. Misers are damp, oil based leave a residue. RnRC in WDSP swapped its smoke machines for a completely new type since escape stairs would become slippy. The original Centercore laser in 1994s SSE was removed since its mister was too wet. ToTs boiler room and 5th D smoke machines were switched off due to condensation.

 

[tsojl2005]

Depends what type of fog. Misers are damp, oil based leave a residue. RnRC in WDSP swapped its smoke machines for a completely new type since escape stairs would become slippy. The original Centercore laser in 1994s SSE was removed since its mister was too wet. ToTs boiler room and 5th D smoke machines were switched off due to condensation.

:wave: thanks for that insight

 

[DK745]

Tripping over things you cannot see, including your own feet... coughing because you perceive smoke or because you are actually allergic to it (very rare)... or, fearing that the building is on fire in that it might be random and in a queue.

Think about where it is used successfully now. Are you sitting or standing?

They could argue the tripping thing with the mummy queue too. I'm surprised by how dark it is there. But I can see why they wouldn't have fog even if it would be neat. I do wish they used the extra dementors thoguh.

 

[Teebin]

They could argue the tripping thing with the mummy queue too. I'm surprised by how dark it is there. But I can see why they wouldn't have fog even if it would be neat. I do wish they used the extra dementors thoguh.

Ya got me there! I have tripped on the stairs in mummy too, as I often use single riders and fly through the queue before my eyes have adjusted.

Depends what type of fog. Misers are damp, oil based leave a residue. RnRC in WDSP swapped its smoke machines for a completely new type since escape stairs would become slippy. The original Centercore laser in 1994s SSE was removed since its mister was too wet. ToTs boiler room and 5th D smoke machines were switched off due to condensation.

I am not sure why you didn't mention pure nitrogen fog... as that is the type that would lay low, stay dry, and then vanish. Perhaps they were looking for a more "smokey" smoke. Someone in the know that has had access to that space, what are the make and models of the of the machine(s) that are perhaps still there unused? I had no idea that they were actually installed, just that they were planned.

I maintain that much of the fuss about WB vs Uni is conjecture. Some of it may be kind of true, but the deeper reasons could be more understandable. i.e. A movie company that would produce a scene where a dragon flies dangerously close to Harry and snaps at his broomstick, (which terrified me in the theater the first time) and yet declares FJ scenes too scary. It just doesn't make sense. There's more to it than we know. Probably always will be.

 

[universal_fanatic]

Ya got me there! I have tripped on the stairs in mummy too, as I often use single riders and fly through the queue before my eyes have adjusted.

Oh man. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. :doh:
I always feel like everyone is staring at me because I'm doing this weird foot stomp thing to see if I'm going to hit a step or not.

 

[Cupcakes]

^^ So glad I'm not the only one. I always have to make sure I'm wearing sunglasses outside the attraction before entering so the lighting transition isn't so extreme for my eyes. Have to do the same trick when going into a HHN house while it's still light out.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Two of them move at you (the two you see every time) and have no hands because they were cut from show quality. There's another ten of them that don't move that are all over that area in many different corners and sides of you. All of them have hands.

You sure about that? I have a close acquaintance that used to be on the lauded 3rd shift Maintenance team. I remember them telling me about an incident shortly after FJ opened (but was still in softs, I believe) where the ride vehicles were being cycled through after closing. During this time, the vehicles I believe cycle through in a fixed position and the show elements are *supposed* to stay off.

However, during this incident somehow the show effects were turned on, and because the benches were in a different position, one of the Kuka dementors slammed into one of the ride vehicles. Apparently it hit with so much force it sheared the hands right off.

I don't have anymore insight beyond that, but I'm guessing the other's hands were removed to match the damaged dementor.

 

[TomTheRiddle]

You sure about that? I have a close acquaintance that used to be on the lauded 3rd shift Maintenance team. I remember them telling me about an incident shortly after FJ opened (but was still in softs, I believe) where the ride vehicles were being cycled through after closing. During this time, the vehicles I believe cycle through in a fixed position and the show elements are *supposed* to stay off.

However, during this incident somehow the show effects were turned on, and because the benches were in a different position, one of the Kuka dementors slammed into one of the ride vehicles. Apparently it hit with so much force it sheared the hands right off.

I don't have anymore insight beyond that, but I'm guessing the other's hands were removed to match the damaged dementor.

That bit is unfortunately true. There's a few other "horror" stories so to speak. However, the plan was to cut the hands from show anyway.

I am not sure why you didn't mention pure nitrogen fog... as that is the type that would lay low, stay dry, and then vanish. Perhaps they were looking for a more "smokey" smoke. Someone in the know that has had access to that space, what are the make and models of the of the machine(s) that are perhaps still there unused? I had no idea that they were actually installed, just that they were planned.

I maintain that much of the fuss about WB vs Uni is conjecture. Some of it may be kind of true, but the deeper reasons could be more understandable. i.e. A movie company that would produce a scene where a dragon flies dangerously close to Harry and snaps at his broomstick, (which terrified me in the theater the first time) and yet declares FJ scenes too scary. It just doesn't make sense. There's more to it than we know. Probably always will be.

The story I have gotten from insiders are that WB considers movie experiences very different from live action effects and a ride.

 

[shiekra38]

That bit is unfortunately true. There's a few other "horror" stories so to speak. However, the plan was to cut the hands from show anyway.



The story I have gotten from insiders are that WB considers movie experiences very different from live action effects and a ride.

It somewhat makes sense...I however personally feel the spider scene and Whomping Willow are far more scary than the Dementors...but fear is relative to the person really

 

[emilykawaii123]

I wigg out when any AA's/moving props end up in my personal space, so the whole ride is pretty scary to me