Harry Potter, the good, the bad and maybe some ugly.

[Figmentforever24]

Its rare that I just make a random trip to theme parks for a day, but when something new and exciting opens I tend to make an exception. This exception come on the 14th when I went to Universal for a day to check out the new expansion at Universal Studios. Below is what I thought of the new area:

The Good: Holy Crap this land is amazing! If you haven't been then be prepared to have your jaw hit the floor as soon as you enter this new land. The details of this land are spot on with the movie and words can not tell you the immersive feeling you get when you enter this land. Each store is a complete replica of the movies and anybody can easily spend 6+ hours in this land. The bank coaster is the main draw for this new land and with good reason. I waited 350+ minutes for this ride due to some technical issues, but it was worth it. The ride system is something you have to experience rather then me tell you, but it totally propels you into the movie. I didn't ride the express so that is for another day, but the areas I did visit were breathtaking.

The Bad: Way to many people. Universal handled the crowds pretty well but the crowds that were cramped into the narrow streets made the land seem a little less magical. Don't expect the crowds to die down anytime soon though. The other bad this is this land did the same thing Harry Potter in islands of Adventure did......it makes the rest of the park seem cheap. Your heart almost sinks when you leave because you leave such an immersive place and enter a not so immersive place...its a bummer.

The Ugly: Like any land there is plenty of stuff that aren't as hot. The first being that many of the store facades are just that.....facades. Many of these stores that you really want to go into you can not. They are simply window displays with some interactive wand elements. The wands are my second point in that many of the interactive wand element spots didn't work right. Obviously a kink that needs to be fixed but many people were very upset that they spent money on a wand only to have it not work. Next is the dragon. Many people have gone nuts over the dragon but I cant. You know if I am in the real land from the movies should a fake stagnant dragon be on the building. The fire is cool but if this the real land then maybe he should move or come out of the dome every once in a while....idk. It really bugged me so sorry dragon lovers. The next complaint comes in the form of the AA's. Many people have said these are the most advanced AA's ever built....wrong. When you enter the bank many of the goblins simply move their head from side to side slowly with blinking here and there. Now that goblin on the end is really REALLY cool! Other then that I cant say anything ugly about this land. It truly was a great experience and everyone needs to go and see this. So make sure to stop by sometime...you wont regret it!

 

[wilkeliza]

Thanks for the review.

I must say I agree with the dragon. As cool as it looks (haven't seen it for myself) it doesn't fit in the story of the area! The dragon was only on the outside of Gringotts for a brief moment. By putting the dragon there it has forever trapped Diagon Alley to that specific portion of the series. To me it cheapens it just a tiny bit for me because it is always trapped in a time before the battle of Hogwarts and makes no sense story wise because you go into the bank and go back in time story wise.

Edited to clarify I do know you would go "back in time" no matter what due to the fact the escape happened years ago in the Harry Potter time line but seeing the dragon out breathing fire just slips it for me for a bit. I am sure when I see it I'm going to gawk and stand their waiting for it to breath fire but something in my head makes it forever stuck in a small time frame.

 

[DorianDonP]

It's a great photo op but I do agree that the dragon doesn't really 'fit' being there. I debated that for awhile in my head when it was first announced, as I thought I would have preferred the dragon during the Gringotts ride.

 

[philliplc]

The other bad this is this land did the same thing Harry Potter in islands of Adventure did......it makes the rest of the park seem cheap. Your heart almost sinks when you leave because you leave such an immersive place and enter a not so immersive place...its a bummer.

Hmmm this seems weird to me. That was not my experience with IOA when I first went to Hogsmeade in 2011 - it didn't make me think any less of the theming of the rest of the park. I was still enjoyably immersed in what's left of Lost Continent, Jurassic Park etc. If anything it made the rest of the park sweeter.

I assume no matter the immersion level of DA (going in Sept) it won't make me feel standing front center for Twister, queue of ET, or other things I immerse myself in when at US are any cheaper experiences.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Hmmm this seems weird to me. That was not my experience with IOA when I first went to Hogsmeade in 2011 - it didn't make me think any less of the theming of the rest of the park. I was still enjoyably immersed in what's left of Lost Continent, Jurassic Park etc. If anything it made the rest of the park sweeter.

I assume no matter the immersion level of DA (going in Sept) it won't make me feel standing front center for Twister, queue of ET, or other things I immerse myself in when at US are any cheaper experiences.

You have the detailed Hogsmeade then the cheap cut outs of the Marvel area. Its a little unsettling.

 

[cieslack]

You have the detailed Hogsmeade then the cheap cut outs of the Marvel area. Its a little unsettling.

Love the comic book feel. Couldn't disagree more.

 

[jon18uk]

Hmmm this seems weird to me. That was not my experience with IOA when I first went to Hogsmeade in 2011 - it didn't make me think any less of the theming of the rest of the park. I was still enjoyably immersed in what's left of Lost Continent, Jurassic Park etc. If anything it made the rest of the park sweeter.

I assume no matter the immersion level of DA (going in Sept) it won't make me feel standing front center for Twister, queue of ET, or other things I immerse myself in when at US are any cheaper experiences.

I agree on IoA, the theming was far better than US ever since opening. I actually feel just a simmersed in Jurassic Park as I do in Hogsmeade.

The studios park is improving all the time but I think the "behind the scenes" studio theming is being dropped and we will see more areas such as Springfield where everything is themed to match.

 

[RMulieri]

I don't think it cheapens the rest of the parks either.Even Marvel has the traditional comic-book feel to it( which is the point).I think Springfield and the NY areas of the Studios are pretty well themed

 

[csmith041177]

I actually like the Dragon! But I do understand everyone's complaints and that it seems out of place.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Your entitled to your opinion but I disagree. Those cut outs was a cheap way to save money and in no way makes me feel like im a comic book. The only reason I step in there is for Spider-Man. I don't like the bare steel hulk coaster and the waste of time Dr. Doom. Anyway this isn't where I want to debate the parks and how they compare to other places. I was just wanting people to know what I thought about the new expansion.

 

[johde]

You have the detailed Hogsmeade then the cheap cut outs of the Marvel area. Its a little unsettling.

I agree on IoA, the theming was far better than US ever since opening. I actually feel just a simmersed in Jurassic Park as I do in Hogsmeade.

The studios park is improving all the time but I think the "behind the scenes" studio theming is being dropped and we will see more areas such as Springfield where everything is themed to match.

I've not been there the Springfield finished up. But I agree with both of the sentiments presented. At IOA, even before WWoHP, I think the right side of the park from Seuss Landing around to Jurassic Park is very well done and very immersive. Toon lagoon, seems to be a transition zone. Dudley Do Right and Popeye are well done immersive attraction but by the time you get to the area around Dagwoods, The theming is 2D and you are looking at the funny papers instead of being in the funny papers. and that feeling continues to the exteriors in Marvel Superhero Island. The cutouts make it feel closer to looking at giant comic books instead of being inside the comic books. The queue lines and inside Spiderman up the immersive qualities. Where the effect is Stepping into a comic book on the attraction level. The exterior being the book itself and stepping inside is the book come to life.

At USF, since probably a little before Simpsons, USF has been successfully making the transition from a Movie Studio park to a Movie park and down playing the "behind the scenes" aspects of the park. But it's going to be a continuing process. At this point, I think USF done a better job of this in terms of "walking down the street" look compared to DHS. At DSH you have entire areas like the area around the Honey I shrunk the Kids Playset and Studio Catering company that are themed to the backside of theming. Even in Muppet plaza if you look to the right it's backside of theming. Of course that side of the parks was originally the "working studios" and tram tour part of the park.

 

[susieh]

We'll be there in 4 weeks time and are really looking forward to seeing Diagon Alley.
We have been to the studios in the UK where the films were made and have seen the real sets from the movies. They do a Harry Potter tour and we spent 5 hours there on 2 occasions
I am hoping it isn't so crowded you can't see it properly

 

[DOOM1001]

I think IOA is very nicely themed,the Hogsmeade area fits in better there as the rest of the park has themes.Diagon Alley however is in the less themed Universal park which has more open buildings with less theming.With that said Universal is my favorite of the two parks,I like how it has more space,that it hosts Mardi Gras and Horror Nights,the streets themed to NY and Hollywood,this park isn't meant to have that top notch theming but the same can be said about Hollywood Studios at Disney,it's a studio themed park and I love it's theming because I love everything that has to do with movies.For example I hear many people rave about the theming at AK and at least for me it bores me,way too many trees with some nicely themed attractions in
between,I think you're going to like what you like,USF might not have amazing theming but I love the park.

 

[nugov2]

You have the detailed Hogsmeade then the cheap cut outs of the Marvel area. Its a little unsettling.

You must not be a comic book fan. That was actually my favorite land besides fantasyland at MK(yes I know a different park). We haven't done HP land yet and I am sure it will be another favorite!! I actually thought IOA did a great job with the theming at the park. Uni isn't the same feel, but it does what it is supposed to...mimic a studio lot. MK has very little detailing that blows me away besides FL and the Castle, but I think IOA and MK are still equally amazing(I always say that I give MK a little higher score b/c of the nostalgia I feel from my family trips.

 

[Figmentforever24]

You must not be a comic book fan. That was actually my favorite land besides fantasyland at MK(yes I know a different park). We haven't done HP land yet and I am sure it will be another favorite!! I actually thought IOA did a great job with the theming at the park. Uni isn't the same feel, but it does what it is supposed to...mimic a studio lot. MK has very little detailing that blows me away besides FL and the Castle, but I think IOA and MK are still equally amazing(I always say that I give MK a little higher score b/c of the nostalgia I feel from my family trips.

The land is fine and I LOVE comic books yet its just cheap and tacky. Im not going to start a Disney debate but Disney gets more fire for the Street of America façade at Hollywood Studios. Anyway like I said people are entitled to their opinion and I will be fine with that. I don't expect people to always agree and I don't get mad when they don't. That's the point of the boards.

 

[wilkeliza]

You must not be a comic book fan. That was actually my favorite land besides fantasyland at MK(yes I know a different park). We haven't done HP land yet and I am sure it will be another favorite!! I actually thought IOA did a great job with the theming at the park. Uni isn't the same feel, but it does what it is supposed to...mimic a studio lot. MK has very little detailing that blows me away besides FL and the Castle, but I think IOA and MK are still equally amazing(I always say that I give MK a little higher score b/c of the nostalgia I feel from my family trips.

I'm a comic book fan and found the area cheap. That's just me personally though.

 

[bumbershoot]

...Dudley Do Right and Popeye are well done immersive attraction but by the time you get to the area around Dagwoods, The theming is 2D and you are looking at the funny papers instead of being in the funny papers. and that feeling continues to the exteriors in Marvel Superhero Island. The cutouts make it feel closer to looking at giant comic books instead of being inside the comic books. The queue lines and inside Spiderman up the immersive qualities. Where the effect is Stepping into a comic book on the attraction level. The exterior being the book itself and stepping inside is the book come to life....

I *like* that.

Isn't the catchphrase "ride the movies"? It's not "walk in the movies", necessarily.

The comic section is brilliant and amusing, and the Superhero island is well done IMO. It's big and brash and loud and I feel like I'm reading a comic. Now...comic books in my life were for when I was a child. I don't read them now and don't want to read them now (how I ended up with a comic book reading husband I have NO idea). But still, I appreciate how that area looks, because it's like looking at them.

Then you step inside a building and THEN you're in the story. I like it.

We'll be there in 4 weeks time and are really looking forward to seeing Diagon Alley.
We have been to the studios in the UK where the films were made and have seen the real sets from the movies. They do a Harry Potter tour and we spent 5 hours there on 2 occasions
I am hoping it isn't so crowded you can't see it properly

I can't wait to hear your opinion, since you've been there! We were going to go there last month, but it isn't exactly a budget option, and it was a last minute "hey, DH is going to England and Ireland for work and the airfare actually isn't horrific, so let's go and eat bread and cheese and chocolate every day and visit free museums" sort of trip. So we missed it.