Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion (Opens 2014)

[Disneyhead]

ound: ound: :hail:

That was hilarious! Ok, but seriously, it will be interesting from a story standpoint how they handle it. Maybe some Musion tech?

It will be after HBP since Weasley Wizard Wheezes will be there and before the all out war. Ollivander will be MIA and his brother Ralph will be manning the store.

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

There is indeed a branch of an Ollivanders shop in Hogsmeade. It's run by an associate of Ollivander..

 

[grizzlybarely]

Won't there be 3 showrooms at "new" Ollivanders? Surely they wouldn't staff 3 Ollivander look-alikes at a time.

 

[BJCool]

Yes, talking about Olivanders with that comment. It would really differentiate the two as well, at least with the show. Give them two unique settings and styles.

Okay, I just had no idea where the musion idea came from and what is was for. For the wand experience, there needs to be a physical person conducting the show and handing the wands to the chosen person, something a musion John Hurt can't accomplish.

Won't there be 3 showrooms at "new" Ollivanders? Surely they wouldn't staff 3 Ollivander look-alikes at a time.

The idea is that you don't know that there are 3 separate showrooms. You will get escorted into the experience, believing that you are going into the "one, real Ollivander's Wand Shop".

 

[Andy]

Won't there be 3 showrooms at "new" Ollivanders? Surely they wouldn't staff 3 Ollivander look-alikes at a time.

Yes, each with quite the capacity options for the busiest times of the year.

The idea is that you don't know that there are 3 separate showrooms. You will get escorted into the experience, believing that you are going into the "one, real Ollivander's Wand Shop".

Exactly

 

[brianlo]

To all those who incessantly bring up the "Ollivander's isn't even in Hogsmeade" thing: if J.K. Rowling can accept the idea of a Hogsmeade branch, I'm sure you'll manage. I actually quite like the idea of the parks creating little pieces of canon.

I don't have a problem with it being there from the beginning, it was something I feel like JK conceded since she wanted to see it built.

However now it is unnecessary, not because it doesn't belong but because a superior version with better capacity will exist. Why keep the original that simply isn't properly built to handle the HP crowds? Anyone who cares enough to go to Ollivander's (and will fork out the cash for a wand) won't think twice about upgrading their ticket to a Park Hopper.

I'd say convert it to another unique themed retail space, or a quick serve (like a bakery?). There are plenty of really great things in the HP universe that would be unique and most importantly - sell more stuff!

 

[maxairmike]

Okay, I just had no idea where the musion idea came from and what is was for. For the wand experience, there needs to be a physical person conducting the show and handing the wands to the chosen person, something a musion John Hurt can't accomplish.

I was thinking more of Olivander making an "appearance" and handing off the duty to his assistant while he attends to something else, possibly having the assistant "interact" with him like in Disaster. But yeah, not likely happening, it was just a little thinking out loud about making a cohesive story depending on the time period of the land.

 

[badlactose]

Where would they even put the Great Hall? I don't want to walk into it from Hogsmeade, seems like it would ruin the authenticity of just walking into a room in Hogwarts while Hogwarts castle is off in the distance.

Well, in the books and the movies, there is a secret tunnel that leads from Hogwarts to Honeydukes. Harry uses it to sneak out of the school bounds several times. Also, they could always use the whole floo network idea (You could enter a pub or a shop, march into the fireplace, and magically apparate inside Hogwarts). Then again they could also do the vanishing cabinet method of travelling through space.

Come to think of it, any one of these methods would make more narrative sense than the Magic Mirror effect in Belle's Enchanted Tales. It's an awesome effect, but it doesn't quite gel with what's presented in the movie. The mirror is simply a way of seeing the Beast and the castle, not of magically transporting there.

 

[JungleSkip]

I don't have a problem with it being there from the beginning, it was something I feel like JK conceded since she wanted to see it built.

However now it is unnecessary, not because it doesn't belong but because a superior version with better capacity will exist. Why keep the original that simply isn't properly built to handle the HP crowds? Anyone who cares enough to go to Ollivander's (and will fork out the cash for a wand) won't think twice about upgrading their ticket to a Park Hopper.

I'd say convert it to another unique themed retail space, or a quick serve (like a bakery?). There are plenty of really great things in the HP universe that would be unique and most importantly - sell more stuff!

I agree 100%. Keeping the Hogsmede Ollivander's is a mistake, if they decide to do so.

 

[Teebin]

Yes, it is the end of the world as we know it if they keep an additional Ollivanders in Hogsmeade. Who in hell cares short of the mega corp that stands to make big bucks off from all of them??? Saying it is a "mistake" implies something horrid will happen if they leave it open. :doh:

 

[JungleSkip]

Yes, it is the end of the world as we know it if they keep an additional Ollivanders in Hogsmeade. Who in hell cares short of the mega corp that stands to make big bucks off from all of them??? Saying it is a "mistake" implies something horrid will happen if they leave it open. :doh:

Way to take it to the extreme.

If the point of the second land and the Hogwarts express is to increase the sales of 2 park or multiday tickets, having 2 of the same exact attractions, one which is obviously worse than the other, isn't the best strategy, especially when there are things missing from Hogsmede that would be a draw for fans.

 

[Voidfish]

I think there's something to be said about the intimacy there is to the current experience. Sure, the lines are a pain but there is nothing like being chosen to get a wand and feeling exactly like you've walked into the books or the movies or something in between.

I'm all for a larger shop with a larger capacity, but I'd hate to lose the coziness of the current one.

 

[JungleSkip]

I think there's something to be said about the intimacy there is to the current experience. Sure, the lines are a pain but there is nothing like being chosen to get a wand and feeling exactly like you've walked into the books or the movies or something in between.

I'm all for a larger shop with a larger capacity, but I'd hate to lose the coziness of the current one.

The new shop will be cozy. There's just going to be multiple rooms to it.

 

[BTM85]

I don't have a problem with it being there from the beginning, it was something I feel like JK conceded since she wanted to see it built.

However now it is unnecessary, not because it doesn't belong but because a superior version with better capacity will exist. Why keep the original that simply isn't properly built to handle the HP crowds? Anyone who cares enough to go to Ollivander's (and will fork out the cash for a wand) won't think twice about upgrading their ticket to a Park Hopper.

I'd say convert it to another unique themed retail space, or a quick serve (like a bakery?). There are plenty of really great things in the HP universe that would be unique and most importantly - sell more stuff!

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop! Come on!

 

[JungleSkip]

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop! Come on!

Yes! This is exactly what I'd like to see. Why have 2 Ollivander's when we can get another unique offering like this?

 

[Mike]

I agree. I would like to see them do something different with the IOA Ollivander's. More so, I would like to see them add something to the first level of Hogwarts in the unfinished space.

 

[BTM85]

I agree. I would like to see them do something different with the IOA Ollivander's. More so, I would like to see them add something to the first level of Hogwarts in the unfinished space.

What unfinished space?

 

[badlactose]

I think there's something to be said about the intimacy there is to the current experience. Sure, the lines are a pain but there is nothing like being chosen to get a wand and feeling exactly like you've walked into the books or the movies or something in between.

I'm all for a larger shop with a larger capacity, but I'd hate to lose the coziness of the current one.

From what people on here are describing, it will still be as cozy and 'authentic'. Think of it as a sleight of hand magic trick. There are three separate show rooms. But the guess will only see and be aware of one of them. From start to finish, it will feel as if you entered a small shop.

 

[Teebin]

I wonder how they will do the three rooms? Carousel so that everyone walks through the same entryway?

 

[Mike]

What unfinished space?

From my understanding and posted multiple times on here by those with far better knowledge, there are two vacant rooms on the ground level of the complex. If I recall correctly, at one time one/both were planned as part of the queue (potions classroom?) but the budget tightened up so they went with a larger greenhouse area for queue capacity. Like the open sightlines to the naked showbuilding, I always thought it was unfortunate that they didn't do something with this ground floor space, whether queue or Magiquest, or whatever. It would be nice to see them at least properly reconfigure the entry with the bottleneck at lockers and reduce the more than necessary amount of switchbacks around the greenhouse.

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I wonder how they will do the three rooms? Carousel so that everyone walks through the same entryway?

I would assume partition walls on a sliding track covering 2 of the 3 doors at any one time. A bookcase with wands? Something cheap to implement, easy, low maintenance. But effective. Anything more would be a nice bonus. At the Disneyland Mickey M&G I think they simply had multiple doors with minimal false signage.