Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion (Opens 2014)

[slappybob]

Thanks John for the great pics!!!

 

[Teebin]

Large older trees directly behind Mummy were taken out sometime in the wee hours yesterday. Work continues on landscape removal next to Sinbad. I have always wondered what they do with the plants and it turns out, many are sent through a wood chipper. Only the tall palms seem to be preserved and set aside. All things considered, we are probably 2-3 months out from any station construction in this location as it will all have to endure the lengthy dewatering process.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

We have already discussed this. The answer appears to be Monorail style towers above the roadways.

Are we 100% sure the route will follow the main road backstage? While it would be the shortest distance between Amity and Sinbad, it certainly doesn't follow the path of least resistance. That area (between Mummy and the EE grill/Production Kitchen/warehouse) is such a hotbed of activity and can be a bottleneck as it is, I shudder to think what the construction and eventual monorail pillars would do.

To me, a more reasonable route would be to ex.it the back perimeter fence to the left of HR, through some of the EE parking lot and then through backstage areas behind the warehouse. A lot more real estate back there.

 

[Teebin]

To me, a more reasonable route would be to ex.it the back perimeter fence to the left of HR, through some of the EE parking lot and then through backstage areas behind the warehouse. A lot more real estate back there.

If you recall historically... Disney's monorail cost a ton of money because of the length of track and tower, especially the run from MK to Epcot. I could be wrong, but line of least money will win here. Much of it may be prefabbed and installed overnight.

 

[jtsalien]

If you recall historically... Disney's monorail cost a ton of money because of the length of track and tower, especially the run from MK to Epcot. I could be wrong, but line of least money will win here. Much of it may be prefabbed and installed overnight.

$1,000,000 per mile is the estimate cost to build the monorail system back in the 1970's cost.

 

[Teebin]

^Add to that the current plans seem to indicated a station pointed directly at 5th avenue backstage.

 

[ReelJustice]

The area they have to work with behind Mummy on the path of least resistance (which is about 2000 feet from station to station)

 

[MIAboy]

According to some of my sources, an announcement will happen late August or September. Let's wait and see.

 

[JungleSkip]

I'd be very, very surprised if that was the case. Maybe for Transformers and the possible 2014 IoA project. But not Potter, IMO.

 

[jtsalien]

I'd be very, very surprised if that was the case. Maybe for Transformers and the possible 2014 IoA project. But not Potter, IMO.

I'd be surprised if we hear anything that close to HHN. December or January makes more sense.

 

[Hatetofly]

I'd be surprised if we hear anything that close to HHN. December or January makes more sense.

Agreed, I'm thinking around when ever FLE opens. November-December

 

[RonaldsModernLife]

Ok ok, maybe I'm an idiot but how exactly is this Hogwarts Express going to work? Will it literally be a train that moves guests from Universal to Islands of Adventure? If so, I assume that's going to require a multi park ticket. If not, I see it sort of being messy. Confused tourists and upset kids being told they can't go on the Hogwarts Express because they only paid admission to one park.

 

[ReelJustice]

Ok ok, maybe I'm an idiot but how exactly is this Hogwarts Express going to work? Will it literally be a train that moves guests from Universal to Islands of Adventure? If so, I assume that's going to require a multi park ticket. If not, I see it sort of being messy. Confused tourists and upset kids being told they can't go on the Hogwarts Express because they only paid admission to one park.

I don't think any of us can honestly tell you, but we're all interested in finding out.

 

[Disneyhead]

When I originally heard back in July 2008 that potter was going where Jaws is, the only other tidbit of info included was that one park tickets would cease to exist.

 

[Vyrus]

^ THAT would be extremely stupid to combine both parks into one gate. Thats less revenue and then asking a guest to pay lets say $150 cause its one park is ridiculous.

Personally I think what will happen is when you get off of the HE on either side there will be ticket machines, if u have a 2 park pass you go through, if not, you get put in a queue line to get back on the train, simple as that.

 

[Eric]

Personally I think what will happen is when you get off of the HE on either side there will be ticket machines, if u have a 2 park pass you go through, if not, you get put in a queue line to get back on the train, simple as that.

Yes, this idea makes the most sense. Tourists can still ride the train, they just can't enter IOA or vice versa. Still could be a headache for the ones who don't do their homework, but this is the most feasible route. I don't think they will eliminate the one park ticket.

 

[MIAboy]

I'd be very, very surprised if that was the case. Maybe for Transformers and the possible 2014 IoA project. But not Potter, IMO.

I said just an announcement or at least a hint. I dont think all the details either. Everyone has been asking what happened to Jaws and whats the construction for, so they might feel pressured to spill the beans, either transformers or potter.

 

[ReelJustice]

We have a showbuilding:

 

[RonaldsModernLife]

Personally I think what will happen is when you get off of the HE on either side there will be ticket machines, if u have a 2 park pass you go through, if not, you get put in a queue line to get back on the train, simple as that.

Hmmm, so 4 queues for one ride. A normal queue, a Express queue (if there is one), single riders AND a queue for people who can't exit the ride because they didn't pay for a 2 park ticket...I hope they do serve meals on this train because you sure will be waiting a lot to get onto this ride.

I sort of see how they could get rid of the single park ticket and make it mandatory to get a 2 park ticket. Sure, that might scare some people away when they are forced to pay $150, like you said, but I see any other way either being massive confusion or just an endless queue for a simple train ride. I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan so I'm not sure if all this fuss is worth it for a monorail ride...but whatever. We'll see what they do.

 

[BJCool]

It feels like we have the HE/ticketing disscussion every few weeks and then it dies down with either construction pics, permit speculations, rumors, etc. So now we're back to the same old same old. :bonk: