The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

[So_Money]

I really wish they would announce the *month* they are opening. We are booked for April but I'm going to resched if it isn't opened. I'd really prefer to go during the spring and I don't want to wait until winter 2010.

Is there *anyone* with insider information here? Anyone at all?

 

[damo]

Of course they'll announce a date, but it will likely be *after* their soft opening, once they know everything is working.

Sayhello

Sure they'll announce a media date after their soft opening. That goes without saying.

What I meant is that we are not going to get a date three months in advance so that people start booking vacations to be there for opening and get angry when it doesn't open as promised.

 

[mvansear]

Ok I am going to try this. I found some new photos that mugglenet linked to orlando theme parks, lets see if it works

 

[ChrisFL]

Sure they'll announce a media date after their soft opening. That goes without saying.

What I meant is that we are not going to get a date three months in advance so that people start booking vacations to be there for opening and get angry when it doesn't open as promised.

Right, like many high-tech attractions, they can't always know that far in advance when they'll have the ride perfected...and this is from every account, the most complex attraction ever built!

Universal is still having PR issues with what's come out about Rip, Ride Rockit and the manufacturer of that coaster, so the very last thing they want is bad press on something as crucial as this is.

I do wonder if they'll be opening other portions of the Wizarding World before the ride if they're completed.

 

[yaytezIOA]

:::cleans off his insider information::: From the reports that I've read and the rumors I've heard this ride HAS TO BE OPEN by Memorial Day (the official kick off to the summer season). The ride is operational right now, and you could stick it in a landfill next to a sign that says that it will give you a disease that will kill you and it would still be worth it.....so I hear. They've been testing it in soundstages, and have nothing but cosmetic work left to do on it. The rest of the village is coming along and will be starting shop work in Jan. (the insides of the shops).The dragons queue is destroyed and they will be working on replacing that very soon, and dragons will go down in Jan. Again, all based on rumors and reports. Nothing official, but a media event is planned for late May...in which a lot of the cast of the Harry Potter movies will be attending as well as JK Rowling. (I hear all the major cast, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred George Ginny, Snape, Dumbledore, Filch, Flitwick and Hagrid.)

 

[Poly-Anna]

Memorial Day weekend we are there! Come on Universal - don't disappoint!

 

[MadeToLove]

Yaytez's insider info matches what my insider info sources have said.

*Ribbon cutting with all the celebs is scheduled for late May (probably Mem. Day weekend), I was not told a firm date.
*Interior set installation of Hogwarts ride is in full swing.
*Hogwarts ride itself is a bit behind schedule, but they are working like mad to get it ready in time for late May. And apparently, it lives up to its hype and then some, (my source said awesome is too inadequate a word to describe it).
*Despite what some would like to hope for, Dueling Dragons will have to close for several weeks. They have to finish the exterior, redo the entire interior of the queue, repaint and do the regular maintenance on the tracks, make changes to the ride vehicles to match the dragon descriptions from the movies (ice dragon looks nothing like a Hungarian Horntail), etc.
*For Hogsmeade, they still have to finish the last of the exterior, do all the interiors: wood work, fixtures, etc. They have to repave the sidewalks, re-landscape, etc. And then they have to stock the stores, and train the employees.

I'd be surprised if they were finished with all of this before the end of March. Then again, they have been very fortunate to have good weather for their construction this year and are a bit ahead of schedule, so maybe they could be finished with construction by early March. However, they'd still not be able to open until all the merchandise came in, etc. And I'm not privy to what their delivery dates are on that.

My best guess based on what I've been told, what I've seen and heard from other rumor mills, etc., is that if you are going in April you have a decent shot of getting to see some of it in a soft opening, and May travelers have an even better chance of getting to test out the butter beer, and choose their wands, etc. But if you do happen to go on the day of the ribbon cutting ceremony, be warned you may not get to see much of it if they have a lot of VIPs and VIP events going on because of crowds/security/planned events. Then again, you'll get to see J.K. Rowling, so who cares if you don't get to ride the ride that day. hehe

 

[Don Pacho]

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

anyone have an idea what this red wire is for?

 

[m.urbanian87]

thanks for the pictures

 

[SnowWitch]

I would so love Potter themed family rooms"kids suite" at some of the onsite resorts.

 

[Debs Hill]

Now that would be super cool!!! I've heard rumours of a 4th Universal hotel for ages and it's a shame they didn't build a Harry Potter themed one! Oh well!
Debsx

 

[stitch'sohana]

Sorry if this has already been asked, I didn't want to go through all 40 pages to find the answer!
Are there any new rides in the WWOHP? I heard they are reusing Dueling Dragons and the Flying Unicorn for the new area. Does anyone know if they are changing Dueling Dragons track? I love how the 2 tracks look like they are going to collide and would hate to see that go.

 

[portocall]

Thanks for all this information. I am not rushing to get here, thinking summer of 2011 at the earliest, since we need time to save up for another vacation (we just did a week at Disney) but I am getting more and more excited. I always loved Universal Studios, not the biggest fan of Islands of Adventure, but I see this changing that.

 

[WWEDUDE]

Sorry if this has already been asked, I didn't want to go through all 40 pages to find the answer!
Are there any new rides in the WWOHP? I heard they are reusing Dueling Dragons and the Flying Unicorn for the new area. Does anyone know if they are changing Dueling Dragons track? I love how the 2 tracks look like they are going to collide and would hate to see that go.

Both of the roller coasters you mentioned will be re-themed, but track not changed

And there will be a new dark ride-type ride, housed inside hogarts castle (rather the grey building behind hogwarts.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Rumors that I've heard is one more BIG hotel...budget rooms. And a smaller more luxurious hotel than the PBH. The potter thing fits the "new theme park" rumor I heard years ago. Though I have heard potter is just phase one....what comes next will destroy anything that any other park has in mind. Thats all I've been told.
But NYE was the first time I got to check out Harry Potter since they've started construction on the castle. Last time I was there they had just the show building up. And all I had was my little camera
WHOA....all I can say. Wasn't excited, but damn getting anxious about it now! And looks like because of Potter they're bringing back Trike Encounter, as I saw some activity around it, and possibly Island Skipper tours.....looks like we might have some good old fashioned IOA back. Now if we only had the vortex back.

 

[ChrisFL]

Rumors that I've heard is one more BIG hotel...budget rooms. And a smaller more luxurious hotel than the PBH. The potter thing fits the "new theme park" rumor I heard years ago. Though I have heard potter is just phase one....what comes next will destroy anything that any other park has in mind. Thats all I've been told.
But NYE was the first time I got to check out Harry Potter since they've started construction on the castle. Last time I was there they had just the show building up. And all I had was my little camera
WHOA....all I can say. Wasn't excited, but damn getting anxious about it now! And looks like because of Potter they're bringing back Trike Encounter, as I saw some activity around it, and possibly Island Skipper tours.....looks like we might have some good old fashioned IOA back. Now if we only had the vortex back.

Well, of the things you mentioned, the Vortex should be the easiest to do.

A harry potter themed hotel would be awesome! I was always hoping they'd add a JP themed hotel...we got some JP rooms finally, but not a full fledged hotel.

Harry Potter though, would IMO be much more useful for a hotel setting (less massive carnivores around )

I think this would really be a breakthrough that hasn't really been done before...other than the MiraCosta at Tokyo DisneySea, though that's basically a really well themed italian village, this would be more of an "attraction" with the book/movie tie-ins.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Well, of the things you mentioned, the Vortex should be the easiest to do.

A harry potter themed hotel would be awesome! I was always hoping they'd add a JP themed hotel...we got some JP rooms finally, but not a full fledged hotel.

Harry Potter though, would IMO be much more useful for a hotel setting (less massive carnivores around )

I think this would really be a breakthrough that hasn't really been done before...other than the MiraCosta at Tokyo DisneySea, though that's basically a really well themed italian village, this would be more of an "attraction" with the book/movie tie-ins.

Vortex should be, and the most logical.....however...we all know theme park companies and logic.
For the hotels, any kind of license would be a death sentence. You could theme it to a jurassic area, and include dinosaurs...but jurassic park? It's easier to change a room or two than it is to redo a whole hotel. You could make a Harry Potter-esque hotel...like an old english inn, but to actually use potter and the like...expensive and very dated in a few years.
The themes I've heard was an egyptian theme, with a pyramid shaped hotel.....like a mini luxor.

 

[ChrisFL]

Vortex should be, and the most logical.....however...we all know theme park companies and logic.
For the hotels, any kind of license would be a death sentence. You could theme it to a jurassic area, and include dinosaurs...but jurassic park? It's easier to change a room or two than it is to redo a whole hotel. You could make a Harry Potter-esque hotel...like an old english inn, but to actually use potter and the like...expensive and very dated in a few years.
The themes I've heard was an egyptian theme, with a pyramid shaped hotel.....like a mini luxor.

I see what you mean...having an english inn theme and creating the look of hogwarts for the rooms would be good, or feature a hotel with a lot of different room themes, Marvel, Dr. Seuss, MIB, The mummy, etc.

 

[Disney_Lover06]

MuggleNet posted an article speculating that the park might open in the last week in March since the park hours are open until 10 PM the last six nights of March. The park was open no later than 6 - 8 PM on those same dates in 2009. Therefore, Universal might be planning on an increase volume of guests during that time.

I really hope they announce the date soon.

 

[mickey916]

I've been noticing too that they haven't posted any hours for April yet and I think in the past I've seen schedules at least 4 months out. I'm hoping it's because they're waiting to see if they need to extend their hours for HP.