The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hollywood
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Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods is, indeed, located at the base of Hogwarts Castle. It serves as the gift shop for Forbidden Journey, so guests exit through there before they go back to the lockers to retrieve their belongings. Also, after comparing the WWoHP interactive websites for Hollywood, Japan, and Orlando, it seems the snowman is exclusive to IOA. We'll be getting a Butterbeer cart in its place.
After looking closely at the new site, I noticed a few things:
- Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment will seemingly have a back entrance/exit that faces the proposed FJ extended queue
- Gladrags Wizardwear sits exactly where Ollivanders does in IOA
- there will be four storefronts covering the two new cottages to the right of the owlery, including "Ceridwen's Cauldrons" and "Brews and Strews"
- as mentioned above, Hogwarts Castle seems to be farther away from Hogsmeade in USH than in IOA
- the area that holds the Ollivanders queue in IOA seems to have been repurposed in our Hogsmeade as another opening to the alternate pathway behind Dervish and Banges
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- Aug 2, 2013
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Butter beer ice cream will be served at the Three Broomsticks!
So, um, Universal, while you're not using them, I can keep them guarded safely. (brings out souvenir mug, licks lips)
- Oct 3, 2015
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I just read on Theme Park Insider (a blog post back in June) that the Hollywood version of Flight of the Hippogriff is going to be developed by Mack Rides, while the original and the one in Japan were constructed by Vekoma, the original developers. And from my research, Vekoma is a mixed-to-negative reputation across the board.
So ...how much different do you think the HW version will be compared to the other two? I know that Hollywood is obviously going to use the same plan and layout, but inherently it's going to be a little different from their counterparts and not a complete clone.
So ...how much different do you think the HW version will be compared to the other two? I know that Hollywood is obviously going to use the same plan and layout, but inherently it's going to be a little different from their counterparts and not a complete clone.
It's a simple little tame family coaster. I think it's safe to say that it'll feel and look almost identical.
There will not be any major differences. A few tweaks to the layout to fit in it's location but the overall experience will be the same. The reason they wen't with Mack over Vekoma was purely based on scheduling. Vekoma already has numerous large-scale projects slated for 2016 and they couldn't guarantee that Hippogriff would be done in time for Hollywood's firm Spring 2016 opening.
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- May 3, 2014
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I heard a rumor yesterday that USH's one day ticket will be priced the same as a one-day Park Hopper at Disneyland once Wizarding World opens. The rumor comes from a relative of someone who works there so take it with a shaker of salt, but I really hope this isn't true. I mean I know Wizarding World is going to be huge, but let's hope USH isn't getting delusions of grandeur.
If that rumor is true that will make USH the most expensive Park in the country. Even after Potter the park is not going to be worth that much. They're getting way too cocky here by raising prices like that if its true and eliminating annual passes. Are people going to pay $160 PLUS $20 parking? People will say, "Disney's cheaper, lets go there..." That is assuming Disney doesn't skyrocket their prices that high in Universal's lead.
- Aug 2, 2013
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It may be priced like a single day one park ticket from Disney. But I highly doubt it will be priced like a hopper. Universal can't think its single park has the same value as Disney's two theme parks.
Honestly... Potter doesn't qualify as a reason to raise ticket prices. The park seriously needs to add more than a "built for the 3rd time" land, and I don't mean more retail/dining. The park needs more rides & actual shows. Now if Universal wanted to add a well themed sit-down table-service restaurant to the upper & lower lot, that would be fine.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the crowds, APs, tickets, etc... once Potter opens though. I just hope USH has their next new rides/attractions lined up to open ASAP in 2017 & beyond....
It will be interesting to see what happens with the crowds, APs, tickets, etc... once Potter opens though. I just hope USH has their next new rides/attractions lined up to open ASAP in 2017 & beyond....
Perhaps raising the prices that much (if true) is meant to discourage people from coming for the first year. As has been pointed out USH has so little to do (rides and shows) that the park can't handle crowds of 40,000 and up. Maybe enough people WILL say, "Disney's cheaper, lets go there..." and that's what USH is going for. They'll be happy with 25/30,000 per day at $160.
They can (and will) make the annual passes crazy expensive to discourage the casual uses of it that has been going on for a decade. I don't think one day passes will be higher than Disneyland.
The big change is annual passes. They have been GIVING them away essentially. The Buy A Day Get A Year Free will never come back, as the park will never again be able to handle that. Since almost all passes expire next February, they'll be able to revamp the entire system, and they have a ton planned.
Heck, I wonder if initially for the first half of the year Potter is open if they'll offer annual passes at all of ANY kind. They might offer only a buy a day get another day/week free, but they might put a cap on it to see how the crowds are initially.
The big change is annual passes. They have been GIVING them away essentially. The Buy A Day Get A Year Free will never come back, as the park will never again be able to handle that. Since almost all passes expire next February, they'll be able to revamp the entire system, and they have a ton planned.
Heck, I wonder if initially for the first half of the year Potter is open if they'll offer annual passes at all of ANY kind. They might offer only a buy a day get another day/week free, but they might put a cap on it to see how the crowds are initially.
- Oct 3, 2015
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It'll be interesting in how they're going to roll out the next phase of the renovations and new attractions. It's such a delicate thing because you want to make sure there's still enough attractions open during construction to warrant the ticket prices.
- May 3, 2014
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Let me amend the rumor. Apparently one-day tickets will be more like $130, not $160. Still, that's really expensive for Universal Hollywood. They might get one visit out of the average guest to see Potter, but after that I think people will look at those prices and say, "If we're going to spend that much, we might as well go to Disney."
Interesting. I honestly doubt that will happen knowing Universal still won't have nearly as much as Disney, even after Potter opens. They could easily raise parking and admission by $3-$5, but no one will pay $130 to get into the park until maybe 5 years from now.
Gone are the days of $34 admission in 1996. 
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