Category: Let's talk
Today, Feltbeats.com recieved word from Universal Orlando announcing an exclusive vacation package for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Guests Can Visit UniversalOrlando.com And Book NOW For Travel Starting May 28, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (February 18, 2010) – It’s one of the most highly anticipated theme park entertainment experiences of our generation and, for the first time, guests can now book an exclusive vacation package to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort with their families.
“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Vacation Package” includes hotel accommodations and admission to both Universal Orlando theme parks – along with a wide-range of benefits available only by booking through Universal Orlando Resort. Benefits include early park admission, allowing guests to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter before other guests each day, as well as a traditional British breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, the signature eating establishment within The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And by staying at an on-site hotel, guests get exclusive Universal Express Access to select attractions and shows, allowing them to bypass regular lines.
To best enjoy all Universal Orlando offers, guests may consider the four-night package featured below. Guests can add additional nights and also upgrade their theme park tickets to include park-to-park access, allowing them to go to both Universal theme parks each day. Additional packages are available with prices starting at $285 per-adult ($829 for a family of four) for four nights at a hotel near Universal. All packages and prices are available at UniversalOrlando.com. All travel begins May 28.*
“There has been worldwide anticipation for this one-of-a-kind entertainment experience, and we are thrilled to be offering families a way to experience the magic and excitement of Harry Potter’s world,” said Alice Norsworthy, executive vice president of marketing and sales for Universal Orlando Resort
*The May 28 travel date was set to help consumers with vacation planning and does not represent the opening date for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort. Universal has announced that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open in Spring 2010. Specific opening information will come as soon as it is available.
http://feltbeats.com/2010/02/18/universal-orlando-resort-reveals-exclusive-vacation-package/
I am so going this summer!
How much were you paid to tell us that?
Sounds like a tourist trap. I mean I read all the books, seen all the movies, but come on folks!
I wasn't paid anything... You can also look at www.universalorlando.com
Hahaha I was joking about the paid thing. Anyway I saw it advertised and it looks sort of interesting I guess.
I really really really wanna go!! Like OMG wow. I want someone else to go and write up a review here first, though.
I use to bee in to that and it'd be nice and all, but it's a bit obsessive don't you think?
i'm sure the harry potter theme park would be extremely awsome. can anyone list any atractions that they have there?. i was thinking maybe a kids flying broomstick ride, or maybe a ride on a dragon but that's about it.
also, does this affect any parts of islands of adventure or is this a new park all together
So far I know there is going to be a roller coaster named Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a roller coaster called The Dragon Challenge and a roller coaster called Flight of the Hippogriff. They are going to have Ollivander's, The Three Broomsticks, Hog's Head, Zonko's, Honeydukes, and Dervish & Banges. They are going to have both alcoholic and non-alcoholic Butter Beer. There is a frog choir that will perform five times a day. I will post when I find out more.
Do they have pumpkin juice?
a frog choir, alrighty... there was never anything like that in the books unless it's made up of toads in pink outfits. umbridge coff
Sure is odd.
I think it's interesting that they are making an entire theme park on one series. It just goes to show you how popular it really is. The tickets seem a little expensive, but then again, aren't all the theme parks expensive? Lol. I wouldn't mind trying it out sometime. It really sounds interesting.
hell yeah; I'd definitely go if I had the money!!
i find it interesting that people have used words like "odd" and "obsessive" to describe this theme park. Yet many of us, not me oh gentle reader, pay mucho dinero to go see some whacked out mouse and all the other fun characters in Walt's world. At least if it is done by universal it has a halfway decent chance of being fun and exciting. If I ever went back to Orlando, which I can't imagine happening, I'd love to go there. Personally I hate central florida as it is very hot, extremely humid, and frankly plastic land.
Dizney is an evil corporation powered by brainwash, child slaves, and soda!
No sir, I don't like it.
They run the theme parks, they run the world!
Feltbeats.com had the amazing honor of being invited to tour Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey, Universal Orlando’s signature ride in the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
In a Q & A with President of Universal Creative, Mark Woodbury, prior to the tour, we were given a glimpse of what to expect. He said it is to be a state of the art ride that will change the nature of the theme park business. We learned that Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey will incorporate new film technology and take each rider on a new adventure surrounding the chaos of Harry’s life. The ride is a combination of robotics, 360 degree filmatic experience, and will have the biggest special effects ever put into a theme park attraction. The ride has been in development for three years and involved Universal Creative, JK Rowling, Warner Brothers as well as several Filmakers in its conception. The experience was done at such a level of execution that everything else will pale in comparison. Visitors will find it difficult to distinguish fantasy from reality.
As each visitor makes their way into Hogwarts Castle, they will first see the famous winged boats at the entrance. Vice President of Universal Creative Thierry Coup, and Alan Gilmore, Art Director for the Harry Potter films, explained that they are the guardians of Hogwarts, keeping the students safe from dementors and Voldemort himself. The line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey then makes its way through the dungeons, where the statue of the one-eyed witch and the famed Mirror Of Erised reside.
The queue then takes you through the greenhouse area where vines will be growing around the structures where you happen upon a batch of Mandrakes resting in their pots. It’s a nice shaded area with misting fans to protect visitors from the hot Florida sun.
Visitors to Hogwarts will then be led into the Oxford Corridor, where the statue of the architect of Hogwarts is located followed by the House Points Counter. This is an exact replica from the movies. There is also a statue of the first headmaster of Hogwarts, who has no name. Due to the immersive experience of the queue, the lines have been expanded to accommodate guests who wish to witness the entire scene while allowing the line to progress behind them.
The next prominent feature is the Griffin statue. Fans of the movies will recognize this as the entrance to Dumbledores’ office.
Visitors will then follow the queue into the portrait room. There are over 100 portraits on display, including the four school founders who interact with each other. The banter between them is quite comical and a treat for any Harry Potter fan. The portraits were filmed in Leavesden with actors and costumes approved by JK Rowling. There are other moving portraits that explain what the ride experience should be like and what rules to follow when you are on the journey.
Guests are then led into Dumbledores Office and only one word describes it: Stunning! Filmed on location in Leavesden Studios, visitors are greeted by Dumbledore, who invites you into Hogwarts. The technology used here is truly amazing. It is as though Dumbledore is really standing in front of you. The attention to detail is outstanding from the magical instruments one would expect to find in the headmasters office, to the portraits of the sleeping headmasters.
Dumbledore then instructs guests to enter the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom to attend a class taught by Professor Binns. He is filling in since Hogwarts has a tough time filling that teaching position. In the DADA room, you are welcomed by Harry, Ron and Hermione. They proceed to tell visitors how boring Professor Binns is and that they should skip class with them to attend a Quidditch match. Guests are instructed to head to the Room of Requirement as Harry, Ron and Hermione disappear under the invisibility cloak to meet you there.
Next visitors will encounter the Fat Lady who will grant access to the Gryffindor Common Room. Everything one would expect to find is there from the Red and Gold walls and tapestries to the plush couches and fireplace. There is also the bulletin board which features a copy of The Daily Prophet complete with moving pictures. The portraits on the wall give visitors information about the ride, as well as etiquette while experiencing the journey. Guests are warned that although Hermione cast a spell on the flying benches to get you through the floo network, it can be unpredictable.
The final stop on the queue is a visit with the Sorting Hat who gives final instruction before entering The Room Of Requirement for final boarding.
It is now time to ride Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey. Guests will be taken on a totally immersive ride, taking part in a Quiditch match with Harry and Draco, see the Whomping Willow, be chased by Dementors and Dragons, all while free flying with the main characters. Visitors will be living the experience.
There will be an occasion for guests to partake in photo opportunities within Filches Emporium of Confiscated Goods while exiting the ride. There are also many props that have been brought over from Leavesden, with many more on the way.
The creative staff at Universal Orlando has made Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey a truly authentic experience and something that has never been done before, and will be beyond expectations. This will definitely be a dream come true for any Harry Potter fan.
http://feltbeats.com/2010/03/24/universal-orlando-unveils-harry-potter-and-the-forbidden-journey/
Feltbeats.com has received official confirmation from Universal Orlando that the Grand Opening Celebration for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be June 18, 2010. This is to be an amazing event featuring multiple Harry Potter actors including Tom Felton himself! Stay tuned to Feltbeats.com for more news leading up to this exciting event!
http://feltbeats.com/2010/03/24/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-grand-opening-june-18-2010/
Holy shit, I soooooooo want to go there. :D
Lots of detail.
Last week, when Feltbeats.com had the opportunity to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter we were given the privilege of sampling some of the treats to be served in The Hogs Head, and Three Broomsticks, when they open on June 18th.
The first item we were given to sample was perhaps the most iconic treat from the series. One that many (including Tom) have expressed their interest in trying. Butterbeer! It was fantastic! It’s gold in color and has quite a large head of foam on top that gets larger as you drink. It is served in a plastic tankard with a Butterbeer emblem on the side that you return to the bar, but there will be a collectors version for purchase. Being that we were in Florida, they have also made a frozen version that was truely a delight. To me, both versions tasted like a cross between butterscotch and cream. Quite delicious!
The other drink we were invited to try will also be quite recognizable. Pumpkin juice. Served over ice, it reminded me of the holidays from the first sip. A distinct pumpkin flavor with hints of cinnamon, and apple. Pumpkin juice will be bottled and available for purchase.
The final signature drink ( we were unable to try) is the Hogs Head Brew which is the Hogs Heads very own beer and only available at Universal Orlando. That will also be served in it’s very own tankard, with a Hog’s Head on the side. There will also be a variety of domestic beers for purchase.
We were introduced to Universal Orlando’s Executive Chef Steve Jayson, who gave us an overview of what to expect, including a description of the childrens menu where no meal will be above 300 calories. There will also be vegetarian options available as well. Each meal served in the Three Broomsticks is said to have a distinct British feel and have a nice nutritional balance.
Now, on to the food!
We started out with a large bowl of salad to share before the main courses started to appear. Your normal garden salad with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, croutons, and dressing.
This was followed by what they call “The Great Feast”. It is said to feed a family of four but could easily feed a few more. It consists of 4 pieces of roast chicken, 4 slabs of bbq ribs, 4 ears of corn, season potatoes, and seasoned mixed vegetables. Delicious!
Next were the Fish and Chips. Battered fish that just melted in your mouth and was delectable and seasoned potatoes, or “chips”
The Sheperds Pie which came in it’s own individual container and was ground beef, vegetables, mashed potatoes and baked till golden brown on top. Definitely comfort food.
Last were the Cornish Pasties which were very similar to the shepards pie in ingredients, but wrapped in a pastry shell. They were bite size and would make a good option if eating light.
Just when we felt we couldn’t eat another bite, out comes dessert!
Any way I describe them could not possibly do them justice. The presentation was almost as magnificent as the taste.
The Cauldron Cakes, reminded me of the lava cakes you can get in other restaurants but so much better! They are individual in size, and shaped like a cauldron complete with chocolate handle, and ooze chocolate when you cut into them. Yummy!
There was Strawberry Peanut Butter Ice Cream that tastes fantastice. Strawberry ice cream with bits of peanut butter inside. It will definitely be a treat on a hot Florida day.
Hagrids Rock Cakes have been reproduced as a cookie, however your teeth will be intact after eating Universal Orlando’s version.
There was also, Treacle Tart, an Apple Tart, and Pumpkin Pie which is to represent the Pumpkin Pasties from the stories. There was also a small version of a trifle that had chocolate, raspberries and strawberries that was amazing!
It was incredible how close to the stories they were when recreating the offering to be made available. Die hard fans will not be dissapointed! Be sure to come with an empty stomach, for you will want to try everything
http://feltbeats.com/2010/03/29/lunch-at-the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/
I need to look for these drinks in the stores!
This evening, the attendees of the Orlando International Pow Wow 2010 were able to get a sneak peek at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park at Universal Orlando Resort. InsidetheMagic was able to attain information from the private event for travel and media professionals and has posted a series of photos, along with new bits of information from the attendees on the ground. Among the new tidbits, InsidetheMagic notes:
•Hogsmeade Village store fronts contain interactive elements that include the Quick Quotes Quill and plants that spring to life as you pass by.
•The Ollivander’s Wand Shop experience seems to embody the concept of the wand “choosing” you. Guests work with a “shop owner” to determine which magic wand is the best fit. Guests try to cast spells that include levitating flowers or moving a ladder. If the wand is not a correct fit, special music and lighting makes it clear. A gust of air confirms a right choice.
•At the Owlry, four different of Harry Potter postmarks are available to choose from.
•You enter Dragon Challenge (former Dueling Dragons) through the Champion’s tent and you catch a glimpse of the Triwizard Tournament Cup and the golden eggs from the dragon challenge. Shadows of fighting dragons are seen in the tent above the loading area.
•Street performers include girls from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic performing a ribbon dance and guys from the Durmstrang Institute wielding staffs. The Hogwarts frog choir is comprised of live singers with puppets who sing the “Something Wicked This Way Comes” song heard on the third Harry Potter film.
•At the Flight of the Hippogriff attraction, guests have encounters in some form with Hagrid, Fang, and Buckbeak. Before riding, you bow to a full-size moving Hippogriff.
•Apparel available for purchase includes an “I served time in Azkaban” T-shirt.
Sounds tempting and well done at that.
Spoiler-FILLED Review:
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Orlando�fs Wizarding World
Excitement is building as Universal Orlando is letting more guests by the day into their new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure. Recently, limited soft openings have allowed all park guests to finally enter the area, enabling many excited visitors to experience the groundbreaking new attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
I have had a chance to ride Forbidden Journey three times this week and have already written my completely spoiler-free thoughts on the attraction. If you�fre not interested in potentially �gruining�h the ride by reading details about what�fs inside, I recommend reading that article rather than what I am including below.
From this point forward, this post will be filled with spoilers as I take you step-by-step through the entire Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride experience, offering both descriptions of each scene as well as my own personal thoughts on how well those scenes work. Get ready for an exciting ride�c
The introduction
Now that we�fre prepared to unleash Forbidden Journey spoilers, I recommend you first watch our video tour of the incredible Hogwarts Castle queue that stops just short of the ride�fs loading area:
As you can see, Forbidden Journey truly begins the experience long before you sit down for the ride. A slow walk through the queue takes roughly 20 minutes, longer if you care to stop and watch each of the scenes several times. The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom actually features three separate bits of dialogue between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as well as three different spells that get cast in the room, each with its own unique special effects. They�fre all worth stopping and watching, though the one seen in its entirety in the video above is definitely the most entertaining.
Upon passing through everything you saw above, just past the Sorting Hat, you arrive in the �gRoom of Requirement,�h which acts as the loading area for Forbidden Journey. This room is impressive not because it is filled with detail like all of the other Hogwarts Castle areas, but rather because of how well it hides the massive contraption that you�fre about to strap yourself into.
Loading area
Upon first arriving into the Room of Requirement, you are greeted by Hogwarts students who ask, �gHow many muggles in your party?�h You get the feeling like you�fre really being escorted out of the castle by a group of students eager to help you skip a boring lecture on Hogwarts history. It�fs a nice touch.
When approaching the loading area, you catch your first glimpse of the �genchanted benches�h that you�fve been told will guide you out of the castle and to a Quidditch match. These four-seat vehicles glide horizontally along a mirrored back wall, reflecting floating candles above and making the room seem much larger than it is (though it is already a large room to begin with). The �gbenches�h really appear to be nothing more than that. There is no indication at that time that they will do anything except slowly float along the ground, but that couldn�ft be any further from the truth.
A unique element to boarding Forbidden Journey is that the ride vehicles never stop moving. Guests are required to step onto a slow-moving platform and take a seat while in motion. The loading process has been compared to Disney�fs Omnimover system, utilized on attractions like The Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear�fs Space Ranger Spin. But comparisons to those attractions end there as each of the four seats on the vehicles features an over-the-shoulder harness like those found on many roller coasters. Once you sit down in the snug seats and pull the harness down, you realize that there is no way this ride is going to be a slow-moving adventure.
Speaking of snug seats, it should be noted that a good number of guests are unable to ride Forbidden Journey due to their height and/or girth. There are test seats outside the attraction as well as before you reach the Sorting Hat. While Universal has released the ride�fs minimum height requirement of 48��, they haven�ft officially stated any maximums. But if you feel like you are taller than most or rather overweight, then there�fs a good chance you won�ft be able to ride. Fortunately, you can still walk through the queue and enjoy the scenes presented within Hogwarts Castle.
For those who do fit properly in the seats, the Forbidden Journey begins with gentle music as you glide along the moving platform, which is surprisingly long. It takes somewhere around 15-30 seconds to make it from the initial loading area to the ride�fs first scene.
Bringing the ride home
The entire ride (which lasts around four minutes) is far too dark to be captured well on video. Moreover, no video of this attraction would ever do it justice. Plus, you�fre asked to stow any bulky bags or equipment in lockers before entering the queue. If you do hang onto anything, there�fs also a small bin in the seat backs.
So rather than posting four minutes of video featuring almost nothing but blackness, I (with the aid of my wife Michelle) created a high-quality stereo audio recording of the entire attraction, which I have embedded below for your listening enjoyment. So you can either listen now and then continue to read my descriptions of each scene, or you can read the rest of this article first and then come back to listen afterward. Either way, I recommend listening using headphones to hear all of the details.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey full ride audio
0:00 / 0:00Right-click and save as to download.
The ride begins
As you reach the end of the horizontally moving platform, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey truly begins upon spotting Hermione Granger once more. She stands ahead of you up on a balcony, ready to assist you in leaving the castle. Played by Emma Watson (of course), this rather lifelike image appears to be created using the same �gmusion�h technology that places her, Ron, Harry, and Dumbledore in the ride�fs queue (as you saw in the video above). This time, unfortunately, the effect is somewhat less believable and she looks less like she�fs standing in the room with you and more like a video projection. But you only see her for a brief moment as she enchants your bench and whisks you away through the �gfloo network.�h
Now, having recently watched all of the Harry Potter films, I am familiar with the notion of traveling by floo. Wizards and witches interested in making their way quickly from one part of the Wizarding World to another need only sprinkle some �gfloo powder�h into a fire, state clearly where they want to end up, and jump in. But even knowing all of this, I didn�ft grasp the fact that we were about to enter the floo network. We had been told by Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the earlier classroom scene in the queue that we would be traveling out of the castle by �genchanted bench,�h not by the floo network. And although just after passing Hermione you do travel through a bright green cloud of fog, I never made the connection to the green flame that accompanies any floo network passage.
While this may seem like a minute detail, it actually is rather representative of the entire Forbidden Journey ride. A lot of scenes seem to come and go for no reason other than to simply entertain. The overall story of the ride is set up in bits and pieces throughout the queue via messages delivered by a series of moving portraits, Dumbledore, Ron, Harry, and Hermione, but the entire message never fully comes together. Is the ride�fs story about the fact that muggles (non-wizards) are being allowed into Hogwarts for the first time? Or is it about the fact that Hagrid has �glost a dragon,�h as is mentioned in passing a few times? Or is it that Harry, Ron, and Hermione really want us to see a Quidditch match? Or is there really no story at all?
Decades ago, Walt Disney Imagineering (then WED Enterprises) developed the world’s first theme park based largely on one simple design “rule”: Everything starts with a story. Even something as seemingly small as the recent name change of Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel to Prince Charming Regal Carrousel was accompanied by an extensive story explaining the new name. And yet, in Forbidden Journey, it seems like story comes last behind state-of-the-art technology and in-your-face effects.
Now, I’m not necessarily saying Universal’s approach to Forbidden Journey is wrong. Even without a strong beginning, middle, and end-style story, the attraction is still an amazing ride unlike any other I’ve ever seen. Moreover, my favorite theme park attraction of all time, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, also only features a loose story that is not entirely clear to the average theme park goer. There are times when a clear plot isn’t needed for an attraction to work. But when it comes to a ride based on a 7-book and soon to be 8-film series, I was simply expecting a more coherent story to carry me through the experience. But instead, Forbidden Journey provides an impressive whirlwind tour of almost every scene and character you’d expect to show up in a Harry Potter-based adventure.
With all that aside, let’s return to the action…
Scene 1:
Upon entering the floo network, you find your enchanted bench suddenly lift up off the ground, through the green fog, and instantly begin flying through tight stone corridors. At the time of riding, I thought these were meant to be Hogwarts hallways but now I realize they are representative of flying through the chimney to get to the observatory.
How it’s done: Lifting off of the ground should be rather unexpected for any guests not realizing that the “enchanted benches” are actually some of the most technologically-advanced ride vehicles currently employed in any attraction, anywhere. These seats are attached to the end of a giant robot arm, created by a company called Kuka Industrial Robotics. Similar arms can be seen at Disney’s The Sum of All Thrills attraction at Epcot, though those arms are placed in a fixed position on the ground and feature just two seats on the end.
The arms utilized in Forbidden Journey are often referred to as a “robocoaster”, as the entire arm assemblies travel along a track while also offering complete freedom of motion in any direction for riders. The system is incredibly smooth and never jerks riders around. Quick motions from left to right, upward and downward, and any combination in between are never coupled with any harshness or unpleasant feelings. While the arms are technically capable of placing riders completely upside down and spinning them around, Forbidden Journey never does this.
But all of this technology is completely hidden from the view of riders. You will never actually see the rig you are attached to, though if you’re really interested in seeing it in motion, there area a few areas of the ride that can offer you short glimpses at the vehicle ahead or behind you if you know where to look. But I recommend not searching for it, as it does ruin the illusion of flying (as if reading this article hasn’t already).
In the specific instance of flying through the stone-walled chimneys, the robot arm acts as a motion simulator base with guests looking at projected images. You don’t actually fly through a physical set quite yet and, honestly, the chimney projection is not all that convincing. Fortunately, it is short and the next scene is far more immersive.
Scene 2:
Upon arriving in the observatory, you’ll find yourself flying at the top of Hogwarts Castle, looking out onto the surrounding scenery. Harry yells out the obvious fact that Hermione succeeded in making you fly and that he and Ron will be meeting up with you shortly. Passing from right to left, you gently fly through the wooden observatory, staring out at the sky and rolling hills. Each scenic view is presented through a large ornate archway. You pass by two of them and then are suddenly thrust through a third, flying beyond the comfort of solid ground and out into the open air next to Hogwarts Castle.
How it’s done: The entire observatory is a real set. It’s a startling switch to go from the video projection of initially flying through the chimneys and suddenly ending up in a highly-detailed real environment. This type of switch takes place numerous times throughout the ride and always left me thinking that the video-based sequences felt very fake whereas the scenes featuring real-life elements felt, well, real. It’s a combination that, in my opinion, works better in The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, likely due to the fact that Spider-Man uses 3D glasses and projections. The video sequences on Forbiddden Journey are 2D and evoke a feeling more similar to The Simpsons Ride and Disney’s Soarin’ attraction, where it’s fun to experience them but you realize they’re not real while you’re watching it.
But while the juxtaposition of real life scenes with projected ones seems a bit odd at times, the actual transition between the two is incredibly smooth. Unlike Spider-Man which clearly takes you from screen to screen, throwing a few real-life elements in between, all of Forbidden Journey’s scenes seamlessly flow into one another, regardless of which type of scene you’re traveling across.
Scene 3:
Once you have flown out of the observatory, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley emerge, flying on brooms ahead of you. They are dressed in their Quidditch outfits and want you to follow them to the match. However, upon approaching a large Hogwarts Castle bridge, you briefly slow your flight as you spot Hagrid standing there, holding a large broken shackle at the end of a chain. He wonders if you’ve seen a dragon around. Well, sure enough, a huge dragon appears moments later and begins to chase you, Harry, and Ron, spitting fire while twisting and turning around you. Ultimately you take a turn toward what appears to be the Forbidden Forest.
How it’s done: This entire sequence is a video projection onto a dome surrounding you on all sides. Since the projection stretches all around you, you and the other three passengers with you in your vehicle are essentially immersed in your own private flight around Hogwarts. It’s a very unique twist on the motion simulator technology that makes The Simpsons Ride and Soarin’ possible. Unlike those attractions during which you’re likely to catch a glimpse of other riders and their vehicles, there is no chance of this happening on Forbidden Journey.
Unfortunately, these video projections are the home of my biggest complaints about this ride. While the actual physical motions of the vehicles are quite smooth, the video you’re moving in synch with is all over the place. One second your flying upward, then the next you’re taking a turn, then you’re back up, then down, and so on. I understand the designers’ desire to simulate what it would really be like to fly alongside Potter and the gang, but instead of flying with experts, I was left feeling like I was a first-time flyer that couldn’t keep under control. Because of the fast, hectic pace, you never get a moment to really take it all in.
As a result, you can almost never focus on anything. The projection moves so fast that everything ends up a blur. There are moments where it might as well not even have been Daniel Radcliffe or Rupert Grint playing their famous roles because you can’t even tell who they are due to the blurriness of the projection. It’s a truly unfortunate downfall for an otherwise fantastic attraction.
Scene 4:
Now, I’m not entirely sure of the location of this next scene. To try to evade the dragon, you take a sharp left turn into some kind of wooden building. Another part of Hogwarts? Perhaps some random wooden shack in the Forbidden Forest? Regardless of what it is, the important
thing is that the dragon is still chasing you, igniting the wooden structure around you, sending you flying for cover around every turn. Ultimately, after dodging your way through this collapsing building, you find yourself face-to-face with the dragon when it spits fire, sending you flying in a completely different direction.
How it’s done: This entire sequence is made up of real-life elements. You make a left turn out of the previous video projection sequence and into an area surrounded by wooden beams. Along the right side are wooden embers glowing red along with what appear to be claw marks. Just beyond those, a giant dragon wing is flapping outside the building as the roars get louder and closer. The wing is a memorable moment as it’s the first time in the ride you encounter a real life character of any kind. But it’s only setting the stage for the surprise that’s to come.
Just past the wing is one of my favorite moments of the ride. You continue weaving through the building until directly ahead a big expanse opens up revealing that you have reached the top of the structure. The ceiling comes to a point above you and you think you’re going to head along the top but suddenly you take a fast dive down back into the building. It’s a tough scene to describe, as there aren’t any specific landmarks to discuss, but it’s the first time during the attraction that you get a roller coaster-style sudden drop.
Just beyond that drop, the entire room lights up glowing red as an enormous animated dragon head appears right before your eyes. By animated, I don’t mean it’s a video or cartoon. I mean it is a real-life, full-size, articulated figure that is horned, grizzly, and quite angry. Fortunately, it appears that it could only lodge its head into the building and can’t quite get you. But it is literally only a few feet from you when it opens its mouth, screams, and blasts you with “fire” created by a whole lot of fog and flickering lights. It’s definitely one of the highlights of the ride.
Scene 5:
You’ve obviously found Hagrid’s missing dragon, but that’s the last you’ll see of him. You’re separated from Harry and Ron and nowhere near the Quidditch match. But rather than your enchanted bench leading you back to them, instead you suddenly find yourself deep within the pit of the Acromantulas (giant spiders). Darkness surrounds you but the occasional flash of light reveals that you’re surrounded by spiderwebs and plenty of 8-legged creatures. While at first they don’t seem so bad, as they’re no bigger than a large dog, it’s not long before they begin to launch venom at you. If that wasn’t bad enough, you encounter Aragog, parent to all of the smaller Acromantulas. You spend a moment getting to know Aragog up close before moving on deeper into the pit. Fortunately, Hermione magically appears amongst the spiders to whisk you out of there and back to the Quidditch pitch.
How it’s done: While extremely exciting, this scene is a bit baffling. I don’t entirely understand how we transition from getting blasted by a dragon within a wooden building to suddenly being down deep in the pit of the Acromantulas. That aside, once you’re there, the ride vehicles really come alive. This is another real-life scene, not a video projection, and it is very dark, often pitch black, and really disorients you. Only flickering strobes light the way, revealing spiders around every corner, on the walls and dangling from above. While winding around the spiders, you’re turning left, right, up, down, and even tilted sideways.
Depending on which seat you’re in, you may get quite wet during this scene, as many of the spiders spit at you. The left two seats are far more likely to get wet, possibly to the point where you’ll be dripping when you exit the ride. It’s fun and unexpected, but also possibly excessive at times.
Coming face-to-face with the giant Aragog spider is an exciting, but rather brief moment. If you blink, you might miss it entirely. Unlike the fully animated dragon from the previous scene, Aragog doesn’t seem to move at all. The motion of your vehicle combined with strobe lights offer a slight sensation of motion but really you just fly past the creature.
But the appearance of Hermione in the midst of all of this has me completely confused. You see her from the shoulders up peering through a hole in the wall. She is a video projection very similar to the one you saw at the very beginning of the ride. This time, however, it is completely out of place. She is just standing there, encouraging you to get out, but not really doing much else. I don’t understand how she got there or why she is there. But before you pass her, she tells you to watch out for the Whomping Willow on your way to the Quidditch pitch, which sets the stage for what’s to come.
Scene 6:
Leaving the Acromantulas pit, you are on your way back to Hogwarts Castle and, along the way, come mighty close to the famous Whomping Willow. In fact, you’re close enough to get whomped into the next scene.
How it’s done: This is one of the simpler scenes to describe and yet it works very well. You’re swung around and tilted on your back, facing upward, and you find yourself dangerously close to the Whomping Willow. And it’s really there. I’m sure there’s some clever visual trickery used here, but because you’re facing upward and staring at the top of this giant tree, you feel like you’re fifty feet in the air flying within inches of it. But the Whomping Willow is famous not only as a giant tree, but as a giant tree that swings its branches at you. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happens here. This is once again a real-life scene and just as this real-life branch comes swinging at you, you’re thrust to the right and directly into the halfway point of the ride.
Scene 7:
Yes, that’s right, we’re only halfway through! Everything you have read since you first took off into the floo system has happened in the span of a mere 2 minutes. The good news is that you’re now back on course, as you’ve been whomped all the way to the Quidditch pitch and thrust right into the action. Suddenly, you’re caught back up with Harry and Ron in the middle of the Quidditch game. Harry yells out, “Where have you been,” as if you’d simply been strolling around a field. If only he knew you were nearly burned by a dragon, consumed by an Acromantula, and pummeled by the Whomping Willow. But it doesn’t matter, as the Quidditch game is in full swing and you’re in the middle of it.
The match is between Gryffindor and Slytherin and that means Harry is going head-to-head with Draco Malfoy. As always, Malfoy’s game is a bit dirty, talking trash and bumping Potter off course. After a few passes around the arena, it suddenly becomes clear that winning Quidditch is no longer the most important task at hand. Dementors have arrived.
Potter urges you to follow him as he leads you out of the Quidditch pitch and into total blackness.
How it’s done: This entire sequence is another video projection and it’s a ton of fun to fly through a Quidditch match, ducking and dodging around the flying quaffle (ball) while watching Ron defend his goal. The pace is so fast that you can never catch more than a brief glimpse of the action before it goes whizzing past you. I’m sure it’s quite representative of what flying in a real Quidditch game would be like, but I would prefer the action to have slowed down just a bit so I could actually see what’s going on. It’s all a bit like watching a Michael Bay movie if it were first-person. It’s nearly impossible to focus on anything specific, but it all still works for the most part.
You spend about 20 seconds flying around the Quidditch game before those creepy Dementors appear and chase you and Harry off. They chase you for another 15 seconds while you follow Harry before he leads you out of the arena.
Scene 8:
Dementors. Lots of them. They’re big, scary, and come way closer to you
than you would ever have imagined you’d get to one. You’re twisting through complete darkness with more Dementors popping out from every corner. Some even follow you. Somewhere along the line you realize you’re in the Chamber of Secrets, as you fly by the skull of the Basilisk and through the giant statue of Salazar Slytherin. And just when you think you’re safe, you spot Lord Voldemort’s Dark Mark appearing amongst a cloud of fog and you know your luck just ran out. After that, more Dementors get even closer to the point where you can no longer escape their grasp. One locks you in its kiss, at which point you literally see your own soul being ripped from you in the form of your own face materializing in the fog. But fear not, as Harry Potter always comes to the rescue.
How it’s done: I believe this is the first time I have ever actually been physically startled by a dark ride scene since I rode Disney’s Haunted Mansion when I was very young. These Dementors are SCARY and they’re real. This is no video projection. As your vehicle gently glides through blackness, as if you are in a daze, you are suddenly thrust into super close proximity to the first Dementor, which seems to appear out of nowhere. It is huge, likely 10 feet tall, with skeleton bones emerging from its black draped cloth. And it’s fast. Something so large shouldn’t be able to creep up on you this quietly and quickly.
The first Dementor is unexpected and frightening. The next is scary. After that, unfortunately, the next few get a bit repetitive. They’re still extraordinarily cool, but you begin to scrutinize them a bit more the longer you have a chance to see them. What begins as a unique and scary character slowly devolves into a fabric-covered Halloween decoration. Perhaps some of the Dementors are more detailed than others. Or perhaps it’s that you get a better look at some of them when the lights come on. Either way, I remember some of them not looking as interesting as others.
My memory is a bit fuzzy as to exactly when you notice that Harry has led you into the Chamber of Secrets. Somewhere during this scene, you’ll definitely recognize the Basilisk skeleton as you go flying by it and later the giant stone head of Slytherin is quite obvious as you pass right through its mouth. Both are quite impressive set pieces.
The Dark Mark appears amongst the blackness via a creepy video projected onto a fog screen. If you’ve been on the updated version of Pirates of the Caribbean at the Magic Kingdom or at Disneyland and you’ve seen Davy Jones appear from the “waterfall,” then you know the type of fog screen I’m referring to. But in this case, rather than simulating a waterfall, the fog is used to make a giant skull appear.
The last Dementor you come face-to-face with has a wide open glowing mouth, simulating the Dementor’s Kiss, which is said to suck your soul right out of you. This hilariously creepy effect is achieved by projecting an image of your own face onto the same type of fog screen as above. Earlier in the ride, flashes of light were actually flashes used to take your photo for this moment. Out of the three times I rode it, I only saw my own face once, as the effect doesn’t always work. But when it does, it makes for a really excellent experience.
The scene ends with Harry exclaiming, “Get away from them!” Presumably he’s yelling at the Dementors and not you.
Scene 9:
Just as your soul is being ripped from your body, Harry Potter flies into the Chamber of Secrets with you and unleashes an “Expecto Patronum” onto the Dementors, driving them away. Unfortunately, at that moment, the chamber begins to cave in, but Harry leads you to safety and back to Hogwarts Castle. “To the Great Hall!”
How it’s done: Just after Harry exclaims “Get away from them!”, you’re thrust back into the final video dome projection of the ride. It’s almost over, but Harry’s got to take care of those pesky Dementors. But unlike his previous encounters with them, which required careful spell casting and great skill to create a Patronus Charm, he seems to be able to fire one off as if it’s nothing. With this being the climax of the ride, I was expecting a huge glowing Patronus blast like the one seen in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” It’s a moment that had the potential to be a real “wow.” Instead, the spell is rattled off rather matter-of-factly, blasting a single on-screen Dementor away before we continue flying behind Harry. It’s a bit disappointing and somewhat unfulfilling.
I’m not entirely sure why the Chamber of Secrets begins to cave in, other than the fact that it’s a pretty standard end to this kind of a ride. Your vehicle dodges falling rocks in all directions (much like in every other motion simulator you’ve ever been on) and when you emerge, Harry lets out the cliched line, “We made it!”
The flight back to Hogwarts Castle is a beautiful scene, passing over water and around a few turns before entering the Great Hall. Since you actually get to take a breath and look around for a second, it’s one of the better uses of the video projection sections of the ride. And it’s also the last.
Scene 10:
Your Forbidden Journey concludes when you reach the Great Hall and are immediately welcomed back by the entire Hogwarts school. At first you see a large crowd of students all cheering you on, including Harry Potter, the Weasley twins, and Ginny and Ron Weasley. After passing through there, you wind up in the moving portrait hallway where Dumbledore and more students wave and say goodbye. Dumbledore suggests that you “tuck your elbows in” just before you pass through the floo network once more on your way back to where you began. A quick flight through the chimneys and you’re welcomed back safely.
How it’s done: These two final scenes are the most similar to Islands of Adventure’s Spider-Man attraction. Each consists of a large floor-to-ceiling video projection surrounded by real life architecture. While both scenes are really nothing more than giant projected movies, the illusion of 3D is created by a perspective shift in the background. The same technique is utilized throughout the scenes in Spider-Man. As your vehicle moves from left to right, the foreground of the video remains static while the background of the shot shifts perspective, allowing you to see more as if you were truly traveling past a real space rather than a flat screen.
These final two scenes are a bit hokey, featuring a bunch of characters just standing around cheering at you. But they do serve as a final goodbye, allowing you to see everyone you have met on your Forbidden Journey one last time. You get the feeling that you truly were an outsider warmly welcomed into Hogwarts for a special occasion and are left feeling a bit sad that it’s all over.
Overall Impressions
Clearly Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey has had an impact on me or I would not have written more than 5,500 words about it. It’s one of the most exciting and unique theme park attractions to be built in many years and certainly one that visitors to Orlando will flock to for years to come.
I tried not to nitpick the ride too much in my descriptions above. I have a tendency in reviews to often focus on the negative and not praise the positive enough. In the end, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is an incredible attraction. Individually, some elements don’t come off as well as they likely could have. Video projections are sometimes blurry and hard to focus on. Scenes seem to come and go without any connection between them. But while the ride doesn’t necessarily take you through a linear story, it definitely takes you on an exciting adventure that very much mirrors Harry Potter’s own. You stumble through one enthralling happening after another, never quite sure how you’re going to make it out -- but ultimately you always do.
As Harry Potter himself describes his own experiences, “…the truth is,
most of that was just luck. I didn’t know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help.” And that basically summarizes Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Universal Orlando has created a believable world that you might already know a little (or a lot) about -- but in the end, it takes a little luck and a whole lot of help from familiar faces to see you through the incredible adventure that leaves you wanting to experience it all over again.
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2010/06/spoiler-filled-review-harry-potter-and-the-forbidden-journey-ride-at-universal-orlandos-wizarding-world/comment-page-1/
i want to go now i love everything to do with herry potter and that sounds truely neat
http://www.nbc.com/movies-specials-more/video/the-making-of-the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/1232493/
You know what? I don't like dizney.
Yeah me either. HP park sounds way cooler!
Universal Orlando have updated their online shop with merchandise from the recently opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction. The products on sale range from Sneakoscopes to park souvenirs and duffle bags, all from Dervish and Banges, Filch's Emporium, Ollivanders and the Owl Post Office.
I absolutely looooove theme parks! I wanna go!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm a big HP fan and I realy wanna go.
Inside the Magic today reports that Ollivander's Wand Shop at Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park attraction in Orlando, Florida, has undergone a small expansion in order to accommodate for the large number of customers.
The second shop can be accessed via Ollivander's through a door on the left-hand side which formerly served as the entrance to a stock room. According to Inside the Magic, "the store not only features the same assortment of magic wands but also other Wizarding World-exclusive merchandise, also available in other area stores."
Omg, I'm going this spring brake and what a nice coencidence I loooove Harry Potter! My brothers girlfrend and her fam went a few months ago getting real life props for the wands and shtuff soooo whooh! I have a feeling it'd be pretty lejit.
I soooo wanna go, but money is a major issue.
Today's Harry Potter people are what yesterday's Star Trek Convention people used to be, only shinier / less nerdy / it's more 'socially acceptable' whatever that means (theme parks / money makers included).
Hope Rawling gets some of the cash from this, but unfortunately, I doubt it.
live in fl and want to go this summer.
An app for iPhone with tips when you visit the park:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imak-tips-for-wizarding-world/id433062783?mt=8
dude I want to go. In fact I am going, it sounds like a whole lot of fun, even for someone who is blind it sounds like it'd be pretty thrilling.
I was in Orlando all last week and finally went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on Saturday. It was pretty fun. I went on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and Flight of the Hippogriff rides. I didn't go on The Dragon Challenge roller coaster. Forbidden Journey was a lot of fun. Its kind of fast, but not too fast. It tips you sideways and backwards and feels like you're going to be flipped upside down but it doesn't. The audio and visual stuff was cool, but some parts were hard to see. Flight of the Hippogriff was cool but it was really a short ride. I didn't go on The Dragon Challenge mostly because I don't like being flipped upside down, its really fast, but I will go on it one day.
They showed us the wands. They are over $30 each, so I didn't get one. I think I like Dumbledor's wand the best.
We saw The Three Broomsticks, but didn't eat lunch there. I did have two Butter Beers though. I had the cold one and the frozen one. I like the frozen one the best. I bought the cup and its cool because you can get free drink refills with it in the HP section of the park.
We went to the shops and got loads of candy from Honeydukes. They have Cauldren Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, Every Flavor Beans, and more. There's some more stuff from the shops that I'm going to buy online. I didn't want too much to pack to take home with me. Note for next time, I recommend going with a fully sighted person.
Where is the stereo recording of the ride mentioned in one of the posts above? i'd love to hear that. absolutely brilliant description. *smiles*
Dude the hp park was an absolute blast. I had a ton of fun. The conventions will be in orlando for 5 years in a row starting 2013, so there will be plenty more disney and universal studios for me to enjoy.
to post 43, do they actually have cards in the chocolate frogs, like in the series?
and what flavours did you get in the every flavour beans:)
I had a blast at Harry Potter World as well. The Butter beer is awesome. We had lunch in the Three Broomsticks and I spent $40 in Honeydukes. The rides were neat. The one in the castle, (I forget the name of it) was ok. It's largely visual though so it wasn't that great for me. There's an audio track with it and I could tell what was going on, but the ride itself just seemed like a lot of jerking around without the visual context. The Dragon Challenge roller coaster was pretty sweet though. I actually like the Hulk roller coaster better. That was very cool. I had my dog with me which kept getting me jumped to the fronts of lines all day. It was wierd. I wasn't asking for it. As soon as I approached a line, someone would take us to an alternate entrance and we got right on. I felt kind of guilty about it, but skipping 90 minute lines was convenient. It left us plenty of time for shopping. I was really pleased with the park overall. The staff was very friendly and seemed well trained about customers with disabilities. There were crates at all of the rides for my dog and nice relieving areas as well.
There is a card in the chocolate frog. Apparently not famous wizards though. I got a Hufflepuff card. The every flavor beans are basically just normal jelly beans but with lots of flavors. I've found a couple of odd ones, one that I'm pretty sure was bacon and another that tasted like it was supposed to be some kind of vegetable. It actually tasted like a jalepeno but without being spicy. I couldn't decide if it's supposed to be a vegetable or grass. Most of the beans are fruity, banana, cherry lemon, lime, grape, etc. I've also found bubble gum, chocolate and a really good cinnamon. So far, no truely disgusting flavors though. I'm only a third of the way into the bag though so maybe something else will turn up.
And after Dallas next year, the convention will be in Orlando for 6 straight years. 2013-2018. I really liked this hotel. It seemed easier to get around than any others I've been to for convention. I had the place figured out in a day and spent much less time being lost than usual. The food was good too. It was expensive, of course, but the portions were huge so it helped take the sting out of the price. The Tobias Flat Bread Pizza place was excellent. I'm very happy to be going back.
I thought NFB convention was in Orlando every other year not five years in a row?
Yeah, there is a card in each Chocolate Frog box. I got Godric Gryffindor in mine. The Chocolate Frogs are a lot bigger than I thought they would be.
I'm still eating my Every Flavor Beans. Got a lot of the same flavors as the poster above.
It was supposed to be every other year, but they announced at convention that they were finalizing a deal that would keep us there every year from 2013-2018. That's 6 conventions in a row. Dr Maurer made the announcement right after Mr. Rosen spoke in general session.
Oh nice.
I heard they still weren't sure about 2018? At any rate, I'm glad I will be returning. I hear they will be at the rosen center in 2012 which in my oppinion was a better laid out hotel.
Another Injury At Harry Potter Rollercoaster
Universal Studios Makes Changes In Wake Of New Injury
Universal Orlando is making a big change to one of the key attractions at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter after a second incident on the ride in two weeks has left another park patron injured.
The injuries happened on the Dragon Challenge dual roller coaster. In both cases, riders say something struck them on a portion of the ride where the two coaster trains come close together at high speed.
In the latest incident, 19-year-old Jon Wilson of Ohio says something struck him in his foot, arm and face on Thursday.
"My sister was sitting next to me at the time and when I said I was hit she thought it was a bug or something but then she looked over and I had blood on my hands so it was obviously something more," Wilson said.
In a major change for the attraction, the two trains of the dual coaster will now be staggered so they do not pass within feet of one another at high speed.
"As we continue to study these incidents, we will operate both coasters as separate experiences without their usual intersect points, Universal Spokesman Tom Schroder said in a written statement.
Thursday's incident came just over two weeks after another rider said he was injured on the same section of the ride. Carlos Montalvo said something struck him as the coaster he was riding passed the other coaster. Montavlo said the injury blinded his right eye.
Schroder said Universal Orlando officials believe "the ride itself did not play a role in these incidents."
"The safety of our guests is our highest priority and we are taking this very seriously," Schroder said, noting that more than 50 million people have "safely experienced" the Dragon Challenge (which was formerly called Dueling Dragons) since it opened.
Schroder said the park would not "speculate on what caused these incidents" but would continue its "long-standing policy of advising guests to safely secure personal items before riding."
Wilson said he's upset that Universal didn't change the ride after the incident that injured Montalvo.
"If this kind of thing is happening more than once in two weeks...it could be a problem of some kind and I feel...I feel....I just wanna make sure other people aren't getting hurt on it."
The Wall Street Journal has just issued a report that the Universal Studios Hollywood will be the site of a second Wizarding World of Harry Potter type theme park in the coming years. The article sites persons familiar with the plans and says an official announcement is due next week. They report: NBCUniversal is planning to expand its Los Angeles theme park with a section devoted to the "Harry Potter" franchise, according to people familiar with the matter, hoping to repeat the success of a similar attraction at NBCU's Orlando, Fla., resort.
The new "Harry Potter" addition in the Los Angeles park, Universal Studios Hollywood, will likely resemble the one in Florida, these people say, which includes a Hogwarts Castle, roller coasters, and several Potter-themed restaurants including the Hog's Head tavern, which serves butterbeer, as in the books.
The WSJ goes on to make mention of the fact that if this second park does come to Hollywood, this might open the door for the other Universal Parks to look into adopting the Harry Potter theme park model as well.
While this is indeed exciting news, we have yet to receive official confirmation on expansion plans but we are working to confirm the news to you.
Update: Thanks to the ever awesome Jamie, we now know of a report from the LA Times which reports that the contract securing the deal is about to be signed, and "new attraction is expected to open at Universal Studios Hollywood no earlier than 2015."
I want a wand for some odd reason.