A non-Harry Potter Lover's guide through HP

[poeticdiabetic]

This little post is for those folks who have never read Harry Potter, nor read his books. We avoided HP like the plague and I haven't seen one minute of the movie. The reason why is because I have friends where their kids are so much into HP that they carry around these little diaries and try to cast spells and such. I didn't want my kids pretending to be wizards and witches.

My kids are older now, though; and they knew the difference between real and imaginary characters. They are allowed to read the books, but didn't want to on their own. I guess it's because they went into other books and just didn't have the opportunity to get around to it.

Oh, and we're big Disney-folk, but we think that US/IOA is great. We honestly don't think that either one is better than the others, but that some things are done better at each parks. (We'll be at WDW in September!)

So, we know NOTHING about HP. Absolutely nothing! So my verbiage may be funny to some and I may get the spelling wrong, but here goes:

OK, the first big thing you see is this huge, luminous castle. You will be taken aback by the detail and that it looks like it was formed from a huge rock! And when you touch it, it's concrete! Truly spectacular!

When you walk through the gates, you will notice a theme if griffins and dragons. But the castle itself is majestic with arches all around and throughout and stained glass. It looks like a very large cathedral, which kind of took away from my experience because, historically; the arches and stained glass came well after the predominance of the pagan religions of Great Britain's decline. However, it's fantasy, so I let it go.

But here's another thing: you will delight in how they use darkness and light in the castle. Someone did a great job of putting interesting things in the darkness, but put the moving and interactive objects in some light. You will find yourself trying to look into the darkness for hidden objects, which makes the other objects even more interesting.

OK, there are paintings in the castle. Sometimes, they talk to you. They give you history. But what I like about it is that it has this oil-canvas veneer- so it looks like a real painting! I can see that in people's houses in about 10 years! That is some technology!

But then, we were led into this other hall where the paintings were talking to themselves! And that hall was really cool because there were all these paintings, but up near the top were these few steps leading somewhere. I asked myself "Why would there be steps up there? The only way to get up there is to fly." I guess that's what that was all about!

By then, you are led to this big room where you meet this guy who runs the school. The whole concept is that the castle is a school for wizards and witches. I think his name was Dumbledore.

And then, we were led about and around with all kinds of cool stuff to see until you get to the large room where you see Harry Potter and the girl and boy that are his friends. What I liked about it was because, of course; Harry Potter and friends were not there. What was there was some sort of hologram that looked so real that you can't believe it! This, again, is some technology that I think will go beyond US/IOA eventually. I mean, someone can hold business meetings without being there with a more realistic feel. Or, a pastor of a church can preach to many congregations at one time. That technology is coming soon.

I didn't follow what they were talking about, but I think they made it snow inside the room! Wow!

Then, eventually... you are led into a room where you will enter into the ride itself!

I will continue this after I eat breakfast... TBC!

 

[Ms819]

Thank you so much for this post! I have read posts for months (but never posted) to get a feel for IOA for someone that is not very familiar with HP. I only recently watched HP (movies 1-4) a few weeks ago on ABC Family with my 12 year old son to "study" for vacation! This will be my third time at IOA and US Florida and I am so excited to see it now that HP has taken over! I love these two parks so much that I have NEVER been to Disney We are finally going to try a day at Magic Kingdom and two days at Universal June 17-24!

Patiently waiting for the rest of your TR!

 

[mesaboy2]

When you walk through the gates, you will notice a theme if griffins and dragons. But the castle itself is majestic with arches all around and throughout and stained glass. It looks like a very large cathedral, which kind of took away from my experience because, historically; the arches and stained glass came well after the predominance of the pagan religions of Great Britain's decline. However, it's fantasy, so I let it go.

I knew there was something wrong about that! J/K.

Please, carry on....

 

[lilpooh108]

When you walk through the gates, you will notice a theme if griffins and dragons. But the castle itself is majestic with arches all around and throughout and stained glass. It looks like a very large cathedral, which kind of took away from my experience because, historically; the arches and stained glass came well after the predominance of the pagan religions of Great Britain's decline. However, it's fantasy, so I let it go.

What a great point! I was just there and the stained glass bothered me alot too. I couldn't figure out why....until I read your post. It looked so out of place probably because it was really out of place.

But the stained glass is (I think) a tribute to a scene from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. There is a scene in the movie (can't remember if it is also in the book) where it is raining and it looks like the person in the stained glass is crying. Very effective scene.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's nice that you went despite your iffy feelings about the series. FWIW, I avoided reading the books for a few years because the actions of the super-fans just bugged me (I was working at amazon.com customer service when a couple of the early books came out and the behaviour of the customers was shocking and really put me off), but it turned out I was only hurting myself.


Looks like (from the HP wiki) the castle is said to be around 1000 years old, which does seem to put it before the gothic period (the castle looks like Duke to me, and my brother the alumnus tells me Duke's style is Gothic, so I figure it's Gothic?), BUT I doubt that the castle is static. The staircases and doors move, the whole place changes inside, and when they changed the way the grounds fit together between the 2nd and 3rd movies JK Rowling allowed it, so apparently she's OK with big sweeping changes...so inside the story they probably just added things to it, changed it, as times changed.

 

[mesaboy2]

You folks are making me feel dumb.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Great points, everyone!

Now, on to my experience:

Eventually, we went to the part of the castle where we were loaded into the ride itself. It reminded me of a conveyor belt- with the floor moving in the same direction, yet independent of the ride.

The ride itself puts you into a positions where you are riding as a part of a movie when you are in the open air portion, and it was live action while you were either inside or captive. It was the inside, live action scenes that are the scariest because the live action stuff is really, really close. and it was normally dark. The scariest moment for me was the part when you were confronted by those ghost villains. I think someone called them "Dementias." Well, there was this big one that really didn't interact with you, but was ominous in how big it was in the dark shadows. Really creepy!

Anyway, it ends with this inexplicable cheering scene where people are applauding you for your bravery. It kinda didn't fit, but you are kinda happy that it's over- not because it's so bad, but you are worn out by the images of big, scary spiders, ghosts and dragons. You want to applaud to, even though you may have just went through it with your eyes closed.

In other words, the ride was scary and fun! I didn't get the story, though. I think it's because the ride was made for Potter fans and they probably could follow it. But it didn't matter! What mattered was the thrills, imagery and feel of the ride.

I think it's either the best or second-best ride in the park. (I'm still partial to ROTM.) It's not for little kids, though. But you should have them walk through the castle and let them duck out once you enter the ride.

I will talk briefly about the other things I've noticed about the town itself and why I think this would have never been pulled off by Disney later on. What the creators did was great, and yes... I've tasted Butterbeer!

 

[hpfan100]

interesting perspective...

Dementors are one of the best of the ride as are the spitting spiders. DID you get the holograph of you and fellow riders during the dementors part?

I guess this ride being written for potter fans is like any other themed ride. If you don't know the story it will seem confusing.

interested to hear the rest of you perspective

 

[cigar95]

In other words, the ride was scary and fun! I didn't get the story, though. I think it's because the ride was made for Potter fans and they probably could follow it. But it didn't matter! What mattered was the thrills, imagery and feel of the ride.

Don't worry, you didn't miss the story - there wasn't one. Sadly, it was just a pastiche of various scenes from the books that could be considered as scary or exciting, but didn't really have anything to do with one another.

That was my biggest disappointment about the ride - the technology was terrific, the queue was very well-done, but then . . . . . . .

Aside regarding the stained glass - I'm not sure how it would be related to Britain's pagan era. Can you elaborate? (He types the question just as he's about to leave town, real smart . . . . )

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Yeah, I did see the hologram with our pictures on it. That was great! The spitting spiders were interesting, as well.

As far as the British pagan issue, I can talk about it at length by PMing me, if you wish. It's not important except that it took away from me a little bit because I love history and religious studies. But I can explain it in detail, if you like.

OK, the place called Hogsmeade. What I like is the snow-capped buildings, where some had these curvy chimneys that gave it a whimsical look. It was kinda dark, but I guess it in line with the theme. I didn't go to any of the shops, but there were lines everywhere... even in the shops. And most of the shops looked cool, but a lot of them were just facades. I wish they would expand the shops. Oh, and I saw some lame roller coaster, and Dueling Dragons, which is under some new name, lost a lot of luster because it doesn't have it's castle.

So the bottom line is FJ is the star and all of the other rides are just there.

Ok, about Butterbeer. It is very good. I like it! But can I ask a question? Is not Butterbeer just a good vanilla creme soda with some whipped cream on top? I was going to try it at home, but I'm still in Orlando (going back to US/IOA tomorrow.) I mean, I'm glad that I've tried it, but I'm pretty sure that I can make this at home. And that's a good thing. I mean, anytime I want to relive my HP experience, I can just break out the vanilla creme soda and whipped cream and walk around!

OK, here's why I think that I'm glad that Disney didn't do it and US/IOA did:

1. The ride wouldn't be that scary. Those spitting spider and Dementors (thanks for the spelling, hpfan100) wouldn't be as scary as it was.

2. They wouldn't invest in Hogsmeade. I think that they would have invested in the castle. I think the would have made it the centerpiece of another world, but that world wouldn't have been Hogsmeade. It would have been that villains world or some other world that would have been a Disney masterpiece. But I am curiously interested in Hogsmeade and wish to explore it if they open more things up.

Here's my bottom line: I had fun. To me, the castle is the best thing about Hogsmeade. I like the ride, too; but the castle is something that is absolutely breathtaking.

As for Hogsmeade, it's incomplete. They need to open more stuff. I would like for it to have it's own gate and include a hotel. Can you imagine that?

As for the books and movies? Still not interested. I would like to experience it via the parks.

 

[fairyprincess88]

As a full on Potter nerd I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the reason Hogsmeade seemed incomplete or lackluster is because you know nothing about it.

The shops you did not go in are part of the story. Every Potter fan has dreamed of going into Honeydukes and Dervish and Banges(the shops also have some of the best props of the WWoHP in them). Ollivanders wand shop is also of course the big highlight of the village. A hotel in Hogsmeade would not really work too well as there is no hotel in Hogsmeade, however there are rooms over the Three Broomsticks as it serves as an inn and a restaraunt. These rooms are built into the Three Broomsticks at the park. Just look up from anywhere in the dining room and you will see them. Hogsmeade is very well done and kept very much to cannon(except for Ollivanders as it does not technically belong in Hogsmeade). I really don't see what else they need to open to make it "complete", and not to sound even more nerdy but Hogsmeade wouldn't have it's own gate, it's nothing more than a wizarding village that Hogwarts students visit, kind of like Main Street USA.

As for the demetors, yep, they are supposed to be that scary, as they are basically serve the role of executioners for wizard kind and the ones in the ride are trying to do just that, execute. It's known as the "Dementor's Kiss", hence why you see your image stretched out from your face to theirs. At that moment, they are sucking out your soul.

I'm glad you had fun, even if you knew nothing about it really. But if you really want to get the most out of the WWoHP then you might want to at least check out the movies. The park is made mostly with the fans in mind, and the storyline does kind of lack if you have no idea what is what, which is probably why you didn't really get Hogsmeade.

There is a loose storyline for FJ that starts while in the queue. Basically this is the first time that muggles(non-magic folk) have been allowed in Hogwarts, Prof Dumbledore(old dude) welcomes the muggles and instructs them to meet up with Prof Binns for a History of Magic lesson. This is where Harry, Hermione and Ron come in(where they make it snow) and tell you that they are going to rescue you from being bored to death by Binns and that to meet them in the next room and they will sneak you out of the castle for a Quidditch match on benches that Hermione will enchant to fly. Then of course you get on the ride, but things get crazy and then at the end, the kids cheer because basically the muggles didn't die.

 

[macraven]

even though i am not a parry hotter fan, i explored the castle, rides, shops and singing frogs.


i'm glad i read this thread. i guess i'm a muggle....

i have been on FJ a lot and some of it didn't make any sense to me.


i love the feel of that ride.
especially when you are leaning back.

on each return trip to the darkside, i will do repeat rides on FJ.


you don't have to know the theme in order to enjoy the ride.

 

[cigar95]

There is a loose storyline for FJ that starts while in the queue. . . . . . Then of course you get on the ride, but things get crazy and then at the end, the kids cheer because basically the muggles didn't die.

Yeh, that was my problem - once the ride begins, the story stops, and it's just a pastiche of "wow, look at this" scenes that are unrelated to one another. The story in the queue, light as it is, just makes the lack of story in the ride itself more disappointing.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Ok, about Butterbeer. It is very good. I like it! But can I ask a question? Is not Butterbeer just a good vanilla creme soda with some whipped cream on top? I was going to try it at home, but I'm still in Orlando (going back to US/IOA tomorrow.) I mean, I'm glad that I've tried it, but I'm pretty sure that I can make this at home. And that's a good thing. I mean, anytime I want to relive my HP experience, I can just break out the vanilla creme soda and whipped cream and walk around!

Not quite. In essence it is a cream soda base (try the cold/non frozen and get a straw if you can and try to taste the liquid. The topping is what makes it--it's flavored with butterscotch (hence the butter part) and shortbread). There are also tons of unofficial/homebrew butterbeer recipes online. Experiment around if you want to try one. There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic "muggle-made" recipes. The stuff sold at the parks is non-alcoholic, obviously.

 

[tinydancer09]

Here's a timeline for you:

Alright so I have watched the movies "here and there." I would watch one then not watch the next couple then watch another.

Then I rode the ride... and got confused. I loved the ride, top dark ride ever, but I was confused.

Now we're rewatching the movies and I'm actually paying attention to them. I really enjoy watching the movies now that Ive been to WWOHP and being able to sit there and go "Ohhh!"


I highly recommend anyone who went to WWOHP and enjoyed it to go back and watch the movies. You won't be able to stop!

 

[Badge]

Yeh, that was my problem - once the ride begins, the story stops, and it's just a pastiche of "wow, look at this" scenes that are unrelated to one another. The story in the queue, light as it is, just makes the lack of story in the ride itself more disappointing.

I agree. As amazing as all the stuff that makes the ride work is, the story really fails. Its ashame since the ride (and the whole area) is based on the best story I have ever read. I was really hoping for this amazing storyline that would be told. Personally, I was hoping for a NEW storyline created by JK herself that tied into Muggles finally being able to get into Hogwarts. What we got was just a bunch of moments from the books and films tossed together without much of a story.

I was also hoping for more with the ride. While it is an amazing experince (the best dark ride ever made I think), I was still wanting more. With so many rides at Universal featuring fire, we got none on FJ. I was also really wanting to see SNOW during the ride. I wanted our car to go "outside" and have it be snowing so the whole room would just be filled with falling snow. While we got snow in the line, I think that would have been really cool since I have never seen a ride that had snow in it! Not to mention the fact that the whole area of the park looks like it just finished snowing. With the current scenes, the outdoor moments of the ride feature NO snow that I can recall. It was really odd that they made it like that. Also, I was hoping for more from the Dementors. While they are a really scary element in the movies and books, they do not have that "scare" factor I was looking for. To me, they look like sticks with black sheets on them and a head. With the amount of money they spent to make this area come to life, I feel like they could have come up with a better look for them. Oh well, maybe in a few years they will update the ride to draw back the crowds (if they ever die down that is )

 

[Sehsun]

But if you really want to get the most out of the WWoHP then you might want to at least check out the movies. The park is made mostly with the fans in mind, and the storyline does kind of lack if you have no idea what is what, which is probably why you didn't really get Hogsmeade.

I highly recommend anyone who went to WWOHP and enjoyed it to go back and watch the movies. You won't be able to stop!

I totally agree with you both!

When I first visited WWoHP in February of this year, I enjoyed it, but I hadn't watched any of the HP movies before then, so I didn't "get" all of the details (I had, however, read the first 3 books back in high school, so I did know a little bit about HP).

Since I knew I would be visiting more in the future, I felt that I must at least start watching the movies so I could enjoy the details as much as the fans did. Little did I know just how much I would love the movies! So much emotion and action that makes for very entertaining movies. I agree with tinydancer09 - I kept watching them, all the way up to HP and the DH Part 1.

I am now happy to say that I am finally caught up on all the movies that are out on DVD/blu-ray and am currently reading the last book (for the first time). Will have to catch up on the rest of the books later, as I am a somewhat slow reader, and I really wanted to have read the last book before DH Part 2 comes out in theatres (sadly, I have accidentally stumbled on a few spoilers - not on purpose).

The WWoHP made me a HP fan, instead of the books and movies first. I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon sooner, but better late than never, right?

 

[tinydancer09]

The WWoHP made me a HP fan, instead of the books and movies first. I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon sooner, but better late than never, right?

Agree! I was never "against" the potter fandom (like I'm again twillight) I just never "GOT" it nor had time/want to read/watch them. I still am not taking on reading them, I like you am a slow reader and I just.. dont enjoy it. I hate saying that though makes me feel like I'm uneducated Anyways, I am at least watching the movies and loving them. We're watching the 3rd tomorrow and the 4th later this week.

 

[Hunter182]

The thing about the Wizarding World it was created for the Harry Potter fans. Since we are absolutley everywhere all over the world, Universal got in this mind set first. WWoHP is fun for everyone, including the casual person who has only heard of the movies or books but never touched either. But the real reward is for the fans. We all followed the series for over a decade, and we consider these characters family. It's a part of us, considering many fans grew up with the series.

As some above posters said, the story for Forbidden Journey is weak. It's just a mix match of "Harry's Greatest Hits" if you will. But it's still terribly exciting and a groundbreaking ride technology wise.

 

[Hunter182]

This little post is for those folks who have never read Harry Potter, nor read his books. We avoided HP like the plague and I haven't seen one minute of the movie. The reason why is because I have friends where their kids are so much into HP that they carry around these little diaries and try to cast spells and such. I didn't want my kids pretending to be wizards and witches.

Kids are kids. You never picked up a stick when you were a kid and pretended it was a lightsaber? Picked up a piece of rope and went on adventures as Indiana Jones?

There is nothing wrong with being immersed in a world that you are passionate about. If it becomes too serious and that's all the kids focus on and other things start to falter, then it can be a problem. But kids have the best imagination capabilites in the world. Let them use it.

Besides that, I do give you much credit OP. At first I was afraid you were another person who viewed Harry Potter as an symbol of the occult and other rubbish.

I've met people who are so adamant against Harry Potter they avoid Universal Studios like the plague. They consider the Universal creative department to be Satanists because they placed one of the most beloved series in the world in a theme park for people to experience and enjoy. (Of course these are also the people who boycott Disney because of "Gay Days".)

But pardon me for my ranting.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, I really am. Maybe one day it'll be a catalyst to pick-up that first book and see why we all love the series so much.

(And as for Hogwarts having stained glass, that is a refference to the third movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban. The history of Hogwarts does mention it has been around for thousands of years, but the castle is updated every hundred years or so. )