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

[Atticus]

Wait a minute...only 25 people can go into the shop at one time, and the wand selection process takes 2 to 5 minutes....Umm yeah, I have a feeling the wait for this will be longer then the wait for the dark ride. I understand that they want to make it "authentic" but that is a REALLY stupid idea if Universal plans to sell anything. I have a feeling I will never seen the inside of any of these shops...at least not the first few months the park is open. Yikes!

Exactly why recreating the movies isn't 100% possible, unless you are rich enough to afford making a movie yourself. I think it's a great idea to have the Ollivander's Experience, but the experience Harry had in the film didn't operate under the laws of Supply and Demand -- Harry was alone (story element) with a fistful of his parents money. Most tourists are on a budget, dealing with a time-crunch, and the thousands of other human beings around them who feel that they deserve the special attention just as much as you.

Also, the Ollivander's Experience isn't going to rake in the cash if it works with a limited number of mini-magicians at once. If UO invested tons of money in the effects, but don't have an efficient means of making that money back, they wouldn't do it unless the income from something else could cover Ollivander's. Queues will be long, prices may be high, and the quality of the product even questionable. Think about the Bippity-Boppity Boutique at Disney -- $50 for the basic package, just to get a Disney makeover. Ollivander's is a similar product that will "make-over" a kid into a wizard, with the special focus of an actor, effects, and park space. If it's "free" (except for the wand), expect LONG lines and poor quality. If it's expensive or a "fee" is charged just to enjoy the experience, expect shorter lines and a slightly better product. They could offer the experience for free and jack up the price of the wands, but that wouldn't change the length of the queue and would result in a price increase somewhere else -- food, merchandise, Uni Express, or even park admission.

 

[Cwoolboy]

hmmm.. I am seeking a deeper darker more informative discussion... perhaps wdwmagic.com, tmz.com or WAIT... I found it! http://www.barney.com/usa/index.asp

WOW TEEBIN...I never took you for a Barney fan. Well, at least USF has the A Day In The Park With Barney show to keep you entertained until WWoHP opens. ound:

 

[BTT_Racheal]

Well if you look a few posts above it seems he has also confirmed from his sources that Gringotts Wizarding Bank is in the form of an ATM in an alleyway in the wizarding world.

Clever on theming corner...and essential with how much cash people will tossing out of their wallets.

Maybe I'm overlooking the post about the ATM, but I went back like 10 pages and couldn't find it. Grr.
Behind the Thrills has a picture of a page in the AAA Going Places Magazine talking about the ATM. Very clever theme. Wizarding bank=ATM.

 

[Vyrus]

When it comes to Ollivanders there will be two different kinds of customers, one will want the experience of a wand choosing them, the other just want to pick one out, more than likely a replica wand and be in and out of the shop for that sole purpose.

I bet the wands will be such a raker of profits. All they do is carve a stick!

When it comes a wand being just a stick, there are going to be some intricate designs being sold there and its not just someone one on their front porch and their widdling knife carving it down. These will be some truly beautiful works of art, just like some of those custom Vinylnation mickeys sold at the stores.

 

[TheDecemberists]

Regardless of how many people can fit into Olivanders, I'ma go broke at Hogsmeade!

 

[Vyrus]

^^Agreed, just on food, Butterbeer(spiked of course), and Hogs Head Ale alone I think I'm going to be drunk, I mean broke, hehehe.

 

[DisFreakBrent]

Just to show Universal is sticking to their dates & going to be ready look what the media is getting to invite them to the opening http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/04...er/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

As far as wands go it has to be actual wood or it's a no go for me. There are so many places online that you can get really cool wands & if they are not able to compete cost & quality wise with them I'm wand shopping else where.

 

[Jymmymack]

Per the whole Ollivander's conversation. It will be EXTREMELY busy and a very long wait for the first few months. Don't be surprised if you have a reservation time or something like that down the line when it gets out of hand. That being said, if somebody wants a wand and doesn't want to wait for the experience, there is nothing forcing them to. From the sound of it, there will be another small alcove type shop (from the looks that we got from the Ellen show I'm assuming that almost all of the shops are connected, but I have a feeling the "experience" might be separated) that will sell wands without the experience and will also contain the "build-your-own wand" station.


^^^^ HOLY SCHNIKES! I would give ANYTHING to get my hands on one of those packages! I wouldn't be able to go, but I would just want it for the sake of making it the center-piece at the head table at my wedding!








That was joke.

 

[Vyrus]

Just to show Universal is sticking to their dates & going to be ready look what the media is getting to invite them to the opening http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/04...er/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

As far as wands go it has to be actual wood or it's a no go for me. There are so many places online that you can get really cool wands & if they are not able to compete cost & quality wise with them I'm wand shopping else where.

Wow that is a BEAUTIFUL wand they received in that package, it looks VERY high quality. One thing Universal does is they do invitations and announcements out of this world, especially with Halloween Horror Nights every year.

 

[dreamcat]

wow! That is the most amazing invitation ever! ok anyways... about this whole Ollivanders and wands thing, I remember talking about this before and the whole "MTV said only 25 at a time" discussion. I think they wont lose money because of that, only create a bigger line because of the word of mouth of "that was so cool" experience. It will be a must for fans and maybe the general theme park goers will by pass it.

 

[Vyrus]

Well... this is it... the boring "calm". It has been fun watching that some of you are having dreams about this. Unfortunately, I suffer from the adage, "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it". Just exchange "wish" with "fish". Even today, I was driving I-4 doing 70 and fell into a psychic trance for a while... I saw paper with drawings... I saw 2008... I saw a street layout... I saw "oject Str" and I saw the word Dominic and an alcove or alleyway... and money of some kind... all that I could make out was "otts Wizarding Ban"... then I heard horns... many horns... horns of heaven I thought... and then I shook out of it and realized I was driving nearly sideways across 5 lanes of traffic on I-4. I think I need new brake pads.

So... I have fished that lake hard... and while I caught hundreds of fish I have eaten most of them and only told you of the smallest that I caught. Why? Because the crane and the gator and the snake requested so of me. In hindsight, with many of you dreaming clever and happy dreams of hope and expectation, I am glad I have been restricted by my animal friends and psychic trances. I now realize, this is a very big dream for many of you second only to Christmas Day or a Birthday. While I hope they "get it right technically" many of you are hoping that you "get your wish magically". Two very different desires yet both require the same outcome. I wish us both well in our hopes and desires. -Teebin

To fill in some of your words here:

"oject Str" = Project Strongarm
"otts Wizarding Ban" = Gringotts Wizarding Bank
"Dominic" = Dominic Maestros shop

So the ATM is located in the shop with this facade. As far as the technical and magical wishes, I would believe some of the things they are trying to do are truly visionary and only in our dreams did we think these things were possible.

 

[Bryan]

wish i would've thought of making a theme park blog

would love that invite

 

[rhino4evr]

I wonder if the initial plans for the park/shop will change once Universal realizes they cannot handle the supply and demand. Having to wait in line to go into a store seems completely crazy to me. Has anyone ever experienced anything like that in any other park? Usually the only line you get in, is the line to checkout.

EDIT: Nice Invite...does it confirm the June 18th date? Or is the media event on a different day? It usually is. That should give us an idea of softs..

 

[Latveria]

Deleted :stunned:

 

[montu2u]

I got my invitation for the Grand Opening Celebration today. So excited. I love Universal and the marketing team. The wand is the exact same one my son has from Noble Collection. The only difference is, the top of the box has
"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
at Universal Orlando Resort
Grand Opening Celebration 2010"
on it. It going to be a great evening.

 

[Bryan]

decided to watch all 6 films back to back this week and glad i did

I had only seen each film once shortly after they were released and it was only for the entertainment factor

watching them now I learned so much more I missed so much dialog the first time and had no clue or I guess I didn't care what it all meant. But now i had my computer and everytime the mentioned something I looked it up. and I did my best to learn what was left out of the films despite not reading the books.

Will probably sit down and watch them again soon

 

[Jumboshrmp]

I'm about 4 pages behind, but I'll catch up to he thread soon. A few pages back we were discussing music that would go good to the Forbidden Journey.
I found this:
The song is called The Flying Car, and it's from The Chamber of Secrets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKWRKPv8oK8

This beginning of this song sounds so perfect for the moment of the ride when the enchanted benches magically lift off the ground for the first time.



Also, I am planning a trip to Universal for some time in June. I know that it is too early to know for sure, but how many of you would say it is a safe bet to plan a trip for just before the Grand Opening date?
I could play it safe and go after June 18th, because I want to make sure I get on Forbidden Journey and do everything there is to do, but it would be nice to avoid the crowds that will be coming after that date.

I'm thinking of going for 4 or 5 days, and my idea was to go up around June 16th so that I'd have 2 days of possible soft openings before the big day to enjoy the Wizarding World. But just in case it isn't fully operational on those two days, I'd still be there on the 18th and 19th so I could get to do everything.

I don't expect to be able to avoid lines, but I'd rather wait in a 3 hour line during soft openings than a 4-5 hour line after the grand opening.

 

[Teebin]

I got my invitation for the Grand Opening Celebration today.

Great for you! You must work at a really big hotel very near Universal as I cannot imagine every lil sleepspot in Orlando received such an invite.

 

[BBPH]

I got my invitation for the Grand Opening Celebration today. So excited. I love Universal and the marketing team. The wand is the exact same one my son has from Noble Collection. The only difference is, the top of the box has
"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
at Universal Orlando Resort
Grand Opening Celebration 2010"
on it. It going to be a great evening.

You did? what big news/update team are you part of then.....

 

[FloRida848]

if you aim the wand off the bridge in the WWOHP, a large splash comes flying at you...........jk ;D