How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk (Epic Universe)

[Rhian]

Can they put one of those in the gift shop like other items I can't afford so I can stare longingly at it through the glass?

I think we've now reached the point where I start exiling myself from these various threads!

With previews expected to come up anytime now maybe it's time we spin up an Epic spoiler thread. There's probably going to be other things popping over the next few weeks to months as Universal brings things out for testing.

Pretty big spoiler that I wish was kept a secret until park open. Makes me worry that all the cool stuff is gonna start to come out in the park and we will have already seen it.

Seeing and experiencing are different things. I get what you mean though!

If this is available during the AP previews it'll probably show up in a lot of places before May 22nd. Something to keep in mind for anyone who might want to avoid spoilers in general on social media, not just these threads.

 

[greendude33]

This is going to be so great to see in person - reminds me of the raptor encounter. I wonder how close guests will be able to get to it - if it’ll be more like a performance at distance or a meet and greet.

The way it walks looks so eerily precise and robotic. From reading about it, it sounds like the software tries to blend between the intended animation and what the drone actually needs to do to be able to stand up, balance and support itself. I imagine that can get better over time - Boston Dynamics certainly didn’t design these things for entertainment & animation purposes, so probably just a matter of further developing the animation software and the walking algorithm.

 

[saint.piss]

 

[OLSinFLA]

Did they get a bulk discount on carrots?

 

[ParkExplorer9513]

Oh wow, they have Yaknog year-round! I knew they'd improve it from Astrid's original recipe.

 

[DrStarlander]

I don't love the section of wood fence along Wing Gliders here from a view-from-the-coaster standpoint or view-from-the-walkway. Feels pinched tight and un-immersive. A continuous backdrop of forest trees would be an improvement. I see some heavy equipment around this spot in recent Bioreconstruct imagery so I'm hopeful they move the fence back and plant some trees in there, in the spot marked in the image.

 

[jarmor]

The fence and current trees are fine. You do run into right of way issues. In my opinion, if they could have successfully planted more trees there then they would have. Besides, on the coaster, you will see that fence for all of 2 seconds as you're angled away from it.

 

[DrStarlander]

The fence and current trees are fine. You do run into right of way issues. In my opinion, if they could have successfully planted more trees there then they would have. Besides, on the coaster, you will see that fence for all of 2 seconds as you're angled away from it.

I do agree they have to account for truck turnaround, and it looks like they went with option B in the attached for 10m trucks and refuse collectors. But I think years ago in the planning stage they should have been able to position things to allow for a treeline screen here.

I'm not as bothered by the two-second view from the coaster but this fence appears very visible from the walkway and bridge photo-spot once you enter the land, and it feels backyard-ish to me. I think in this case, given the extensive scope of scenic elements in this land, a 4-meter high rock face/feature at this location and maybe even a rock arch over the track landing in the grass would have been called for.

I understand "there's only so much money" but about 30 meters down the track is an elaborate rockwork section and two arches that look only visible from the coaster. One could have been located at the wood fence area so it's enjoyable from the coaster and improves the first-impression walkway view and land ambiance/immersion.

 

[GAcoaster]

I think it’s premature to worry about any of the fences/trees/sightlines—

A: They’re not done yet
B: Foliage fills in (quickly in Florida)
C: What see in aerials looks VERY different from the ground. There is a lot more variation in ground levels than you can guess from aerials.

For anyone who’s been on property, the majority of the park is set up from the service/road level. It will help to hide things from view.