The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

[damo]

Amazing pics! It is taking me a while to get through all of them. It looks like the back side of Hogsmeade still has a ways to go.

I think those are just facade buildings so should go up quickly.

 

[frequency]

Incredible new pictures here!!!!!

http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php?9-The-Wizarding-World-Of-Harry-Potter/page308

The pictures look fabulous. What do you suppose the opening in the courtyard is for? I can't figure that one out.

I am a bit worried about the crowds though. It looks narrow. Can you exit back by Dragons you think?

 

[damo]

The pictures look fabulous. What do you suppose the opening in the courtyard is for? I can't figure that one out.

I am a bit worried about the crowds though. It looks narrow. Can you exit back by Dragons you think?

These pictures have certainly posed a bunch of new questions!!! I thought the exit to Hogwarts was going to be beside the entrance but that looks changed now. There are all kinds of funny new gaps that we've not seen before. It is verrrrrry interesting!

I don't think the courtyard is going to be anything. If you look at the size of those guys up on the walkway around the great hall, you can see exactly how small that courtyard really is.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Wow! I had no idea the FJ buiding was THAT huge! I'm wondering what's up with the courtyard, too?

 

[Dawnee]

Anybody see the Today show today (Friday)? After they announced their Harry Potter contest, they said that WWoHP was opening in APRIL. That would be great if true!

 

[aubriee]

Anybody see the Today show today (Friday)? After they announced their Harry Potter contest, they said that WWoHP was opening in APRIL. That would be great if true!

Hope, hope, hope you're right! I'll be at WDW May 1st-9th and would love to spend a few days over at Universal with HP!

Hey, is anyone else rereading the books or watching the movies again, just to make sure you don't miss any of the little details they might have put in. I love wandering around looking for stuff like that at theme parks.

 

[Natasha&Matt]

Would be amazing i will be at Universal 11th-14th May

 

[Tinks1984]

Argh, I do wish they'd announce the opening! It's quite distressing now

I'd rather just know if I'll be able to see it in all its glory or if I need to come home and save up over again to go back a couple of years down the line!

 

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of Wally, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

I don't remember who said it, but definitely the red structure is for the baths façade. I think they are even using the existing bathrooms.

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[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of Tim, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

Yeah that would be very cool but if you look at the picture again, there is a construction worker on site that provides good scale to actually how tall the tunnel is:

I would say that tunnel is only about 5 feet tall, not big enough for a person to fit through, easily that is

 

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of HPotterWizard, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

Briman and/or Disneyhead would you guys mind sending me some hi-res versions?

I'm pretty decent at photoshop and would like to see if I could find anything in that courtyard.

Interesting that the Great Hall isn't the only thing that's floating. And you can see Hagrid's hut in the background

Also, this opening definitely looks person-sized to me. I haven't made up my mind about the bridge yet. Both openings look feasible to me, but the bridge itself looks way too narrow. I also like how that one turret isn't finished all the way around.

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[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of Wally, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

Good question!! It may be the building on the right of the bathrooms? as seen in this photo.

I know everyone is saying that maybe these are lockers, that those buildings are too small, but if you see this next image, Zonkos is even smaller!

Just a possibility, *** we dont know exactly where dervish and banges can be.

 

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of SL_ZER0, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

the jumbotron type thing might be for ride pictures. they always have these at the end of the ride, nice and big to tantalize. although its usually more than one screen. and the new site did confirm ride pics. or maybe its a video farewell? i think ride pics.

anyone think there will be anything more than the commercial during the superbowl tomorrow? i remember someone/some article mentioning "commercial and a sneak peek". i wonder if they still have something up their sleeve. the commercal leak couldnt have been an accident. maybe we will learn somthing more about the ride. oh i hope!!!

i know we wont be geting an opening date but i wish they would soon. people need time to plan for vacations and such. not everyone can fly over at the drop of a hat.

+100 disneyhead. if you get a nessie tattoo then they will have to let you take as many pics as you want next time. hehe.

im waffling on whether we will be up in the facade. initally i thought so but not anymore. its really a teeny little cake topper on a huge show building. anything we could see in the facade would be 500x better in the show building where every detail can be controlled. and people on the bridge would really screw up the perspective. a lot.

thanks descendo. i think that there was mention tha the three broomsticks will have outdoor eating and i think it will be back there, thus the theming of the backs of those shops. i'm going to go back and look at the willow area. i relly hope there's one, not even a moving one bt just a big willow (oh please please!!)

these aerial shots are so amazing - i have such a better understanding of the layout now - i didnt realize there was a turn after honeyduskes - which is HUGE btw.. i didnt realize also that there was such a large area between hogsmeade and hogwarts, bu then there needs to be plenty of milling-around space (the owlery wont be enough) and its convenient that it is right by ollivanders, which i predict will be seriously backed up if not done by a ticket/pass system.

--- Update ---


i went back and realized i got two different answers. so,
dervish and banges?

or dervish and banges?

and cameronw99 i think we can assume the forest will be there based on confirmations of aragog and dementors.


anyone got any ideas on the pumpkins? i couldnt tell if that was orange dirt or pumpkins but based on the concept art it seems like it might be after all. in the art it looks like people are walking close to the foh track. ive bever ridden unicorn so i have no idea about how the queue or paths work. i also wonder if there will be another buckbeak to bow to in the loading building. the kneeling one cant bow. it also cant have feathers, since its meant to be left out in the rain. i hpoe theres another insode that is as real as the trike was.

also- what is the little building by the train for? just deco?

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[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of WWOHP fan, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

Before look the holes on the left in the structure (where now there is the courtyard)

Now : an big hole in the court yard

Could it be an elevator ??

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[pixeegrl]

Can't wait until it actually opens. Hope the first Dis member that visits, comes back with a report for us all and it includes detailed notes and pictures lol. August can't get here quick enough!

 

[SharonLowe]

I just heard from my travel agent that the grand opening will be on or near June 21 and there might be soft openings in April/May.

 

[damo]

I just heard from my travel agent that the grand opening will be on or near June 21 and there might be soft openings in April/May.

The travel agent is just going by the last date of the contract. There has been no announcement.

 

[Dawnee]

Just got off the phone with my travel agent who called the Universal travel agent line. This is what she was told - they will not be announcing the grand opening until 1 week before. Prior to the grand opening, they will be opening WWoHP an hour or two each day, adding an hour or so until it’s open all day, but they won’t be advertising that it’s open….if people wander in and it’s open, it’s open.

We’ll be going this year, sort of a once in a lifetime trip for us, and I really want to make sure that HP is open when we go. It kinda sucks that they won’t give out more specific dates.

 

[damo]

Just got off the phone with my travel agent who called the Universal travel agent line. This is what she was told - they will not be announcing the grand opening until 1 week before. Prior to the grand opening, they will be opening WWoHP an hour or two each day, adding an hour or so until it’s open all day, but they won’t be advertising that it’s open….if people wander in and it’s open, it’s open.

We’ll be going this year, sort of a once in a lifetime trip for us, and I really want to make sure that HP is open when we go. It kinda sucks that they won’t give out more specific dates.

It seems really difficult to be opening an entire area for an hour each day.

 

[Don Pacho]

Courtesy of Teebin, Orlando United
http://www.orlandounited.com

Thanks for the extra closeups BriMan. That said, does anyone else think the honeydukes signwork is a tad too "PINK!" and new looking? I wonder if they will age it down a bit...