Do you think Universal is revealing too much about Hagrid's Coaster?

[Disxuni]

After seeing the photos of Hagrid yesterday, while I was excited and thought it was absolutely mind blowing, once the excitement settled down I thought of how much Universal seems to be revealing about this ride prior to the opening.

They never been this revealing before. Of course, it's only adding to the hype and people are still going to go regardless, if anything encourage people to want to see it even more, but I feel like after seeing those photos, I feel like now once I go onto the ride, I'm not going to be as shocked and amazed as I would have been if I had not seen those photos.

For those that are curious, do not mind being spoiled, and now wanting to see the photos:
https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/first-look-at-hagrid/

 

[verleniahall]

I think it’s one thing to see a photo, but a COMPLETE other thing to experience it yourself.

 

[Disxuni]

I agree. I'm sure it's going to be amazing to see it in person and I'm still going to be amazed when I get off the ride. However, it just makes me wonder how differently I would have felt coming off FJ if I knew as much as I did about FJ as I do about this ride prior to getting on it. A lot of the wonder and amazement of FJ is not only it's a little unique compared to the other rides at the resort, but the element of surprise and the unknown when it was coming out.

 

[DisneyMom93]

I haven't looked at any pics, etc.

I think Universal figures people who want to find out a lot before the ride will check out the photos, and those who don't want to know in advance won't look. I personally don't like spoilers for anything that matters to me. I personally don't watch movie previews, ride previews, etc, especially for Marvel or Disney. I find they put the funniest line in the movie in the previews. That drives me crazy. I literally close my eyes and cover my ears in the theatre.

 

[TommyJK]

It's a catch 22. People on other boards were up in arms and slamming universal for not releasing enough info (before they started to release pictures and other details) and how they should be giving details to complete against Disney (and SWGE opening), and now some are saying they are showing too much.

But as others have noted, a few pictures of the creatures and Hagrid IMO is a good tease because seeing a pic online is one thing, but experiencing it in full action while on the ride will be entirely something else.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don’t know why “we” think we should be able to see anything of the ride before we go on it. And I don’t know why their marketing department is going along with it.

So yes I think they are revealing too much.

 

[Peppeperoni]

I don’t think it affects me at all. Once I’m on the ride, the pics I saw months prior would be the last thing in my mind. And even if it was a day before, it’s a picture without experiencing it

 

[Disxuni]

I think Universal figures people who want to find out a lot before the ride will check out the photos, and those who don't want to know in advance won't look.

My issue is that I was on instagram and I follow Orlando Insider, so it kind of like, "Whoop, surprise, here it is!" Now I've been reading articles and finding out information and that is fine to me. However, seeing the photos was a little bit of a shock and all the times I've originally seen the photos, it wasn't through an article, but through my instagram.

It's not like it ruins it completely and it's still amazing. It's just a surprise that they're revealing so much considering how they've been in the past.

 

[imprint]

I personally think it is just USO's way of not letting WDW have all the glory this summer (USO gets some pregame buzz and Hagrid opens before SWGE, right?). However, this thread gave me another thought: I believe there were some vocal people dissatisfied by the Kong AA. Maybe USO is giving a glimpse of the AAs just to keep expectations in check. I dunno, just a thought.

 

[Disxuni]

I personally think it is just USO's way of not letting WDW have all the glory this summer (USO gets some pregame buzz and Hagrid opens before SWGE, right?). However, this thread gave me another thought: I believe there were some vocal people dissatisfied by the Kong AA. Maybe USO is giving a glimpse of the AAs just to keep expectations in check. I dunno, just a thought.

I do think a lot of it has to do with WDW. There is already so much hype over Star Wars, even before the concept art and little teasers they keep dropping too. They need to compete, be seen, and heard. WDW blown people away with the Na'vi AA and considering Universal isn't known for their human AAs they needed to definitely step it up their game and they did.

 

[georgina]

I haven't been looking or following any of the news other than the opening date and seeing some of the track photos a while ago. So they haven't revealed much to me. I don't have Instagram or follow anyone related to Universal on Facebook.

 

[skylock]

I haven't been looking or following any of the news other than the opening date and seeing some of the track photos a while ago. So they haven't revealed much to me. I don't have Instagram or follow anyone related to Universal on Facebook.

I do follow several information sites on social media, but I have had no problem scrolling on by. I have seen almost nothing pertaining to the ride mainly because I don't really care, I will be riding it the next time I am there, so I will see it then

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I do think it has to do with Disney and SWGE, but I think it's kind of nice for those folks who don't get to come to Orlando every year. Right now, as much as I love it, my family gets to Orlando every 3 yrs, period. DH wants to see and do other things and that works for us. So it's kind of fun to get a glimpse of the new stuff to stoke my addiction.

I've got a girls' trip coming up this fall for the first time, breaking that 3 yr thing. I can't wait to get back into Uni and ride the new stuff - this is just icing for me.

 

[ErinAlb]

I had ZERO intention of trying to ride Hagrid's Motorbike when I visit in October. No way was I willing to stand in a line like that for one ride. Or even go through all the bother of trying to strategize meticulously to somehow make it happen without a huge line. Put it out of mind, I said. Forget about it, enjoy the park as though it's not even there, because it'll just become a point of stress.

Now that I've heard more about the ride, I'll gladly revamp our whole itinerary if there's any way we can realistically make it happen. As soon as I heard about Devil's Snare and saw the size of that Fluffy, I was like, "OK, now I'm going to be disappointed if we can't experience that." If I lived in Orlando, I would definitely carve out a day to wait in line and check it out.

That said, I also keep seeing details about Star Wars land, and it doesn't really make me want to brave the crowds while I'm there. I've loved Star Wars all my life and only started reading Harry Potter a year ago (don't tell me what happens, I'm reading with my kid and we're only on book 5). But the Harry Potter stuff is what I REALLY want to see in Orlando. Maybe it's because the Star Wars land is based on a planet I've never heard of. Batuu occupies no place in my imagination — whereas Harry Potter land brings to life places that I've imagined a LOT. If Star Wars land was Tatooine/Mos Eisley, I'd probably be a lot more eager to go.

In any case, the Hagrid promotion has successfully activated the longing in my imagination to be In The Story. I don't know if that has as much to do with the promotional strategy than the product itself. But it has worked for me!

 

[Disxuni]

In any case, the Hagrid promotion has successfully activated the longing in my imagination to be In The Story. I don't know if that has as much to do with the promotional strategy than the product itself. But it has worked for me!

I am happy to hear that all this has inspired you to go ride Hagrid's coaster after all. Luckily, by the time you go in October, it will not be nearly as mad as going during the opening week, or even the summer of it opening. While it might still be a long wait compared to other rides, it will be nothing compared to what it will be like when it first opens / during the summer, due to the fact that school will be in session and by then will have a few months for most of the hype to occur.

I personally do plan on getting a AP, going during the fall myself, and going on Hagrid's coaster is my 1# mission. I will be definitely going during EE my first time and get there early to make sure I have more of a chance to lessen the wait time. If anything, if it's too ridiculous, I'll wait until the night shows start, because by then most will either be out of the parks, or watching the show.

 

[macraven]

I live in Georgia and the constant same tv commercial for this new ride is on all times of the day

At first I thought I’m not going to stand in any line for it, but am sure I will as gotta try it at least once

 

[imprint]

I had ZERO intention of trying to ride Hagrid's Motorbike when I visit in October. No way was I willing to stand in a line like that for one ride. Or even go through all the bother of trying to strategize meticulously to somehow make it happen without a huge line. Put it out of mind, I said. Forget about it, enjoy the park as though it's not even there, because it'll just become a point of stress.

Now that I've heard more about the ride, I'll gladly revamp our whole itinerary if there's any way we can realistically make it happen. As soon as I heard about Devil's Snare and saw the size of that Fluffy, I was like, "OK, now I'm going to be disappointed if we can't experience that." If I lived in Orlando, I would definitely carve out a day to wait in line and check it out.

That said, I also keep seeing details about Star Wars land, and it doesn't really make me want to brave the crowds while I'm there. I've loved Star Wars all my life and only started reading Harry Potter a year ago (don't tell me what happens, I'm reading with my kid and we're only on book 5). But the Harry Potter stuff is what I REALLY want to see in Orlando. Maybe it's because the Star Wars land is based on a planet I've never heard of. Batuu occupies no place in my imagination — whereas Harry Potter land brings to life places that I've imagined a LOT. If Star Wars land was Tatooine/Mos Eisley, I'd probably be a lot more eager to go.

In any case, the Hagrid promotion has successfully activated the longing in my imagination to be In The Story. I don't know if that has as much to do with the promotional strategy than the product itself. But it has worked for me!

If you are staying on-site, then using the Early Entry should definitely be the way to go, particularly if IoA is the EE park when you go. That's how we plan to do it anyway.

 

[ErinAlb]

If you are staying on-site, then using the Early Entry should definitely be the way to go, particularly if IoA is the EE park when you go. That's how we plan to do it anyway.

I had really hoped to do this. But it's probably not going to work out because Halloween Horror Nights is happening every day that I'm there. In the past, they've opened US an hour before IoA AND offered EE at US to make up for the reduced access to US at night.

So EE begins at 7 a.m. in Universal Studios, general admission comes into Universal Studios at 8 a.m., and Islands of Adventure doesn't open until 9 a.m. That means I can't even get an advantage lining up for Hogwarts Express ahead of the general admission crowd.

I guess it's possible they'll change up EE during HHN because of the new ride. I kind of hope they do, since I really wanted to see Hogsmeade before the crowds fill it up, even if Hagrid's Motorbike is too busy to ride.

 

[imprint]

I had really hoped to do this. But it's probably not going to work out because Halloween Horror Nights is happening every day that I'm there. In the past, they've opened US an hour before IoA AND offered EE at US to make up for the reduced access to US at night.

So EE begins at 7 a.m. in Universal Studios, general admission comes into Universal Studios at 8 a.m., and Islands of Adventure doesn't open until 9 a.m. That means I can't even get an advantage lining up for Hogwarts Express ahead of the general admission crowd.

I guess it's possible they'll change up EE during HHN because of the new ride. I kind of hope they do, since I really wanted to see Hogsmeade before the crowds fill it up, even if Hagrid's Motorbike is too busy to ride.

Good points. I will keep an eye on reports here and find out the best strategy. We will have about 4 weeks of HHN season to get an idea of what to do. I'm like you, we don't want to wait in line forever for the new ride, but we really, really are looking forward to it.