Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 2

[GGGhost]

The think the Wyndham sign brackets will drive Teebin nuts.

Only if they don't paint them to match the stonework. Odd that I never saw power cables on the corner columns. Perhaps I just overlooked it.

Yeah, as long as they are painted when they do the stonework, they are almost exactly like the original.

 

[jubs]

have we uncovered any definitive evidence that the upper floors of any of the shops will be accessible? I remember seeing the weasley's sign (more upstairs!), but I was curious if there had been any more news on that front.

I almost forgot, THANK YOU everyone for your amazing picture posts and updates! It's looking less and less likely that I'm gonna be able to afford a visit for softs or the opening, so the forum is as close as I'm gonna get for a while.

 

[Gambit]

have we uncovered any definitive evidence that the upper floors of any of the shops will be accessible? I remember seeing the weasley's sign (more upstairs!), but I was curious if there had been any more news on that front.

I think it's a safe bet that any upper floors won't be guest accessible, it's just WAY to much of a safety hazard. People carrying their purchases + narrow winding staircases + the crazy crowds = Lawsuits. They'll just have the stairways blocked off like they do right now in Honeydukes, Dervish & Banges and The Three Broomsticks. As for the Weasley sign, it's just there because it was there in the movies so I wouldn't look to far into it.

This is jut my opinion though it will most likely be the case.

 

[columbus]

I have been told that gringotts desks were not built on Nassal premises, but probably by a sub contracted by Nassal. That said, Nassal is a lead contractor on all three Potter projects being built around the world. Nassal however, does sub a ton of work to others smaller companiiiiieeeeeesss.

The recent video of the three art directors talking about the construction of phase I left me doing this: :look:

They were dancing on the nitrogen fog of many subcontractors that were sourced and actually did the work in their own shops hundreds of miles away.

Oh ok, I was just wondering cause I might be able to take a tour there next month and would love to see if they are still working on any potter stuff by then.

 

[Teebin]

I think it's a safe bet that any upper floors won't be guest accessible, it's just WAY to much of a safety hazard. People carrying their purchases + narrow winding staircases + the crazy crowds = Lawsuits. They'll just have the stairways blocked off like they do right now in Honeydukes, Dervish & Banges and The Three Broomsticks. As for the Weasley sign, it's just there because it was there in the movies so I wouldn't look to far into it.

This is jut my opinion though it will most likely be the case.

HTF sure made it sound as if that was one of their solutions to overcrowded stores. I am sure the railings will be sturdy and access fully ADA compliant. I see this working especially well in Florean's.

btw, isn't Florean's going to fill the entire space of #10 (I think that was the number). I have seen others here suggest it would be two shops.

Oh ok, I was just wondering cause I might be able to take a tour there next month and would love to see if they are still working on any potter stuff by then.

Um... Work on Japan was over a year ago... work on Diagon over the last two years. You might get lucky and see some of Hollywood, but they may have subbed a lot of that to a Los Angeles company as many there have a better chance of knowing the business. Have fun and let us know what you see... (right before your imprisonment for dishonoring the non-disclosure)

 

[Gambit]

HTF sure made it sound as if that was one of their solutions to overcrowded stores. I am sure the railings will be sturdy and access fully ADA compliant. I see this working especially well in Florean's.

I really hope that's the case but I'm not getting my hopes up.

 

[Teebin]

I really hope that's the case but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Just think of the high balcony over Citywalk within direct line to a ton of bars. Think of the balcony railings in the Mummy queue over the Anubis. Both Disney and Universal are excellent at making something appear rickety when it isn't at all.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Upper level seating areas could probably get around needing elevators if there is also seating on the ground floor that is accessible.

 

[GGGhost]

HTF sure made it sound as if that was one of their solutions to overcrowded stores. I am sure the railings will be sturdy and access fully ADA compliant. I see this working especially well in Florean's.

I sure hope you're right. It gives me hope that the WWW concept image is looking down from an upper lever and over a railing. I don't think any of the others, Phase 1 included, were shown from above.

Plus, the blueprints definitely show staircases right in the middle of WWW. Would they even be on the plans if they weren't functional?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I sure hope you're right. It gives me hope that the WWW concept image is looking down from an upper lever and over a railing. I don't think any of the others, Phase 1 included, were shown from above.

Plus, the blueprints definitely show staircases right in the middle of WWW. Would they even be on the plans if they weren't functional?

The plans would show stairs regardless of whether or not they are guest accessible.

 

[Teebin]

Plus, the blueprints definitely show staircases right in the middle of WWW. Would they even be on the plans if they weren't functional?

They would put real stairs on the plans that I saw, as the plans are foundational. Fake stairs would show on HIGHLY coveted interior design plans or show plans if there was a gag happening on said stairs.

 

[Gambit]

Just think of the high balcony over Citywalk within direct line to a ton of bars. Think of the balcony railings in the Mummy queue over the Anubis. Both Disney and Universal are excellent at making something appear rickety when it isn't at all.

So I did some very close inspections of the concept art for WWW and found some interesting things.

1. The upper levels look to narrow to allow more then a couple guests at a time.
2. To make it ADA accessible they would need an elevator which I don't see on any of the plans. Not to mention trying to move a wheelchair around up there would be hell.
3. The stairs themselves look difficult to navigate (especially that weird middle crossover section) and are piled high with Weasley products.
4. Some of the stairs and landings have NO railings at all.
5. And finally if you look really close you can see that the upper levels are in fact chained off.

 

[Teebin]

^ We will find out soon enough. Goodness knows what HTF was suggesting. He has admitted that he makes mistakes at times, which is completely understandable knowing the changeability of these things.

 

[Teebin]

Was there a superbowl ad? I didn't see it.

 

[Shadow Carelli]

Was there a superbowl ad? I didn't see it.

Nope! I think they're going to wait until the streets of Diagon Alley are finished before a commercial like they did for the commercials for Hogsmeade

 

[GGGhost]

I agree that the stairs in the concept art look decorative only and those walkways too narrow. And they definitely want to have an open atrium-like space there for the fireworks effect and all.

But if there is going to be a photo-op in the attached space (between WWW and the Owl Post), it wouldn't need a second floor or particularly high ceiling. WWW's upper level could be over that, giving them a full second floor instead of the narrow balconies.

This is total speculation, but that's what I would have done were I designing it.

 

[chev]

I'm finally flying home to Orlando in the morning after being on the road for work for the last 23 days. I can't believe how much has happened since I've been gone, can't wait to see it.

Quick question-- I didn't have any kind of employment status with Universal when WW was built, but I understand they had soft openings for staff to preview before the grand opening. How far in advance do we think there might be a soft opening for DA? Before April?

 

[Sideshow Mike]

I'm finally flying home to Orlando in the morning after being on the road for work for the last 23 days. I can't believe how much has happened since I've been gone, can't wait to see it.

Quick question-- I didn't have any kind of employment status with Universal when WW was built, but I understand they had soft openings for staff to preview before the grand opening. How far in advance do we think there might be a soft opening for DA? Before April?

No way it happens before April. At the earliest, mid to late May. Even then, it could be doubtful.

 

[Junorhane]

So I did some very close inspections of the concept art for WWW and found some interesting things.

1. The upper levels look to narrow to allow more then a couple guests at a time.
2. To make it ADA accessible they would need an elevator which I don't see on any of the plans. Not to mention trying to move a wheelchair around up there would be hell.
3. The stairs themselves look difficult to navigate (especially that weird middle crossover section) and are piled high with Weasley products.
4. Some of the stairs and landings have NO railings at all.
5. And finally if you look really close you can see that the upper levels are in fact chained off.

6. There aren't any people depicted anywhere other than the first floor.

 

[ReelJustice]

Somehow it took a week for this to happen, but All Around Orlando was the first one to get a shot of the Leaky Cauldron entrance in the London Facade:

Two things here:
1) Remember how the duct work in the windows were exposed in Leicester? Well, they've added a partition between the ducts and windows.

2) Someone made a design mistake with the Leicester molding (?) and Wyndhams sign running into each other.