Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 2

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A friend received an email to beta test the Hogwarts Express. I guess they were doing a bunch of rides yesterday but it's by invitation only. Hoping the invite opens up to 3rd party employees before too long..

Getting closer every day!

 

[TylerDurden]

The talons are huge!!!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9HXMRBMclgY

 

[Nitro_230]

A friend received an email to beta test the Hogwarts Express. I guess they were doing a bunch of rides yesterday but it's by invitation only. Hoping the invite opens up to 3rd party employees before too long..

Getting closer every day!

Third party employees, yea right. They can't even keep their own employees quiet (as proven by the fact that someone told you the got an invite to test it)

 

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I saw him on my way in to work. A bunch of people were walking in with some kind of paper in their hands.

 

[YvanEhtNioj]

This is totally random, but I had my transfer interview for 722 attractions on the 3rd and I honestly thought I murdered it. I know the team member preview and stuff isnt until he last week of May, so I figured I wouldnt actually be pulled from my ride until March at the earliest. But I thought i'd at least hear SOMETHING since they are having a crazy amount of job fairs and EVERYONE they hire will be at Diagon Alley. They can't be hiring people now and telling them "come back in march/april" right?

Basically, I'm nervous that I haven't heard anything yet. I know there are other team memebers on here, maybe someone could say something to ease my mind lol

 

[MagicRobot]

So, when's the next fly over?

 

[Teebin]

So, when's the next fly over?

Know that they will not tell you precisely when they are going up. They don't want Universal (or anyone else) to have a clue as to what is happening or when.

 

[floridakid]

Basically, I'm nervous that I haven't heard anything yet. I know there are other team memebers on here, maybe someone could say something to ease my mind lol

You (and I) should hear something by the end of February.

 

[Hedwig201]

Don't know if anyone has brought this up before but does anyone think it's interesting how just after like 2 weeks of the Potter Webcast that ABC Family is airing tons of movies that many Universal rides are based off of? For example, today alone they show The Mummy movies, Despicable Me, and Men in Black. And tomorrow they plan on showing Twister. Do they have some sort of deal with Universal or something because this is a little fishy? Although it does seem smart considering that many families watch this channel daily.

 

[Skipper Justin]

Don't know if anyone has brought this up before but does anyone think it's interesting how just after like 2 weeks of the Potter Webcast that ABC Family is airing tons of movies that many Universal rides are based off of? For example, today alone they show The Mummy movies, Despicable Me, and Men in Black. And tomorrow they plan on showing Twister. Do they have some sort of deal with Universal or something because this is a little fishy? Although it does seem smart considering that many families watch this channel daily.

No.

 

[Magistra]

I would be really disappointed if we had a staggered opening with Diagon Alley. Universal has always struck when the iron was hot and gave us the whole package, and if they were to do exactly what's happening over at New Fantasyland it would be a major letdown. And sure locals wouldn't mind, but those guests who save up for years to come would be pretty damn angry.

As someone who lives in Texas and who purchased a WWOHP on-site hotel/ticket package for myself and 2 children back in 2010, I would have been extremely angry if we hadn't had access to FJ during our stay. As it turned out, we ended up being part of the group who was admitted to the soft opening, which meant that WWOHP was only open half a day and that FJ still had quite a few bugs, but also that we were able to ride FJ several times over the 3-day period, usually without a significant wait (except for the time it shut down before we could get in to ride it), that we had early park access, and that we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves for several hours, unlike all those poor souls who were there for opening day. I can't imagine Universal could have done much to console us if FJ hadn't been open at all, except perhaps to give us 3 comp park-to-park tickets each to be used at any point in the future. Even then I wouldn't have been too happy given the cost of flights for 3 and a Royal Pacific hotel room for 3 nights.

The way I see it, the opening date can't be announced until they're able to project a date beyond which both Gringotts and the Hogwarts Express will be at least intermittently operational. They don't have to have it open all day, and they don't have to have everything bug-free. But they can't sell soft-opening vacation packages until they're sure their main attraction - Gringotts - will be operating fairly smoothly. What they might be able to do is have a pre-soft opening period where they sell a certain number of tickets at the front gate each day, or some other sort of beta-testing early admission. Locals wouldn't be nearly as upset about getting to see only part of DA as someone who has spent $1000 or more to see DA, ride the HE, and most importantly, ride Gringotts. They can also sell "sneak peak" vacation packages that advertise that guests will get to visit WWOHP-Hogsmeade, ride the HE, and take a sneak peek at Diagon Alley prior to Gringotts' completion and DA's official opening. That might not be such a bad deal for people who live in neighboring states or other parts of Florida and who visit Orlando annually.

 

[Teebin]

btw: My pm's are cleared now. Ooops! :stunned:

 

[Prototype_82]

This is certainly a change from my WDW forums. Hello, guys! I'm Mike!

I have a question about the Hogwarts Express. Will guests have to transfer from a wheelchair in order to ride it? Or are some cabins designed to allow you to park inside?

 

[Magistra]

This is certainly a change from my WDW forums. Hello, guys! I'm Mike!

I have a question about the Hogwarts Express. Will guests have to transfer from a wheelchair in order to ride it? Or are some cabins designed to allow you to park inside?

Someone (Disneyhead) posted the following back on May 2, 2013:
"All three carriages on the train have a handicap accessible section. It is the last couchette. So that means each train will have 3 separate handicap sections."

That quote can be found here: http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php/8016-Hogwarts-Express-ticketing-logistics

 

[Teebin]

Someone (Disneyhead) posted the following back on May 2, 2013:
"All three carriages on the train have a handicap accessible section. It is the last couchette. So that means each train will have 3 separate handicap sections."

That quote can be found here: http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php/8016-Hogwarts-Express-ticketing-logistics

Yeah... that was true back then... but major redesigns to the carriages were taking place at that same time; from four cabins to three. While I am sure there will be accommodations, I am not sure how they have since fit it in. The reduction in cabins must have been a pisser decision at the time, as it cut capacity per trip by 24. About 7000 fewer per day for the two trains.

 

[GGGhost]

Yeah... that was true back then... but major redesigns to the carriages were taking place at that same time; from four cabins to three. While I am sure there will be accommodations, I am not sure how they have since fit it in. The reduction in cabins must have been a pisser decision at the time, as it cut capacity per trip by 24. About 7000 fewer per day for the two trains.

I'm a little confused. Do you mean a reduction from four to three cars/carriages rather than cabins? From what I understand, there are 7 cabins per car. That's consistent with the above quote from Disneyhead if the last cabin in each car is equipped for handicap access.

 

[Brian G.]

I have some gooide pictures coming up, before the regular update. Stay tuned!

 

[Brian G.]

Zoomed in view through the Diagon Alley opening.

 

[Orlandolover]

Great pictures BriMan. Looking good Universal

 

[Brian G.]

Full Update, you'll notice a weather vane has been added to South Station (IOA Side)