Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Officially Open

[Delirium_Guy]

My thoughts on the Wizarding World (for the two people who might care):

I'm confused about how I feel - The "absorbing" of the Medieval section of The Lost Continent is nothing short of genius, but also a bit depressing. That was a fantastic area of the park that, like all of Islands, had extraordinary detail (The Enchanted Oak Tavern? Merlinwood? The Dueling Dragon statue?). The area that replaced it is doubtlessly even better themed, but did the beautiful area that stood there before have to be sacrificed? And now, for better or worse, the wait for that inverted dueling coaster will be three times as long as it was the same time last year, and that's really strange and unfortunate for first-time visitors who don't really care about Harry Potter as a franchise, so they just decide not to enter the super-crowded Hogwarts area and never experience the great rides within.

That, too, brings out another question - we know the marketing of "a Harry Potter theme park" was negative in that it oversold it to the fans. Consider, maybe it also was off-putting for those who don't really care one way or other about Potter, or even dislike it... Maybe those who love Harry Potter will visit Islands of Adventure and be disappointed by the small size, and those who don't care for Harry Potter will avoid Islands of Adventure, seeing the "Harry Potter" banners and signs posted all over it, and chalk it up as the much-talked-about Harry Potter theme park and just avoid it... It's a question worth asking!

From all I've heard and seen, The Wizarding World is absolutely beautiful, immersive, and fun. I fear it may have been oversold, though - not just in size, but in grandeur. I'm sure the buildings and shops and restaurants are beautiful, but it's still a theme park. I actually do fear that, unless I keep myself grounded, I'll be let down from expecting too much. Beautiful as the decor may be, I'll still be paying a lot of money for food, waiting in line, and having (in short) a passive experience rather than an active one. I'm still dying to visit, of course, but it really is a chore to not make my standards higher than any theme park can meet.

All legit concerns. I was greatly saddened by the loss of Lost Continent. The area was so beautifully done and, best of all, completely original...it was that type of thing that really made Islands so special when it opened. With that said, Wizarding World is a very worthy replacement and upholds the same quality standards that the former section of LC had. Regarding your comment about Dragons never having a line but now having a long line.....again not the case. The *longest* I've seen it since Wizarding World opened is 15 minutes....which is a line that it frequently got as Dueling Dragons during the middle of the summer. Even on the Grand Opening on 6/18, Dragons never had more than a 10 minute wait. Dragons really have become an after thought in Wizarding World....take a look at the entrance as it sits tucked back and away from the hustle and bustle of Hogsmeade.

While its plausible about the non-Potter fans to avoid the area, I still think they are likely to at least walk *through* it. Its relatively easy to navigate through the area now at this point, they are getting crowd control down much better and have better alternatives for the long lines that are crushing the retail and food outlets....so regular foot traffic is flowing well throughout now. The marketing is iffy. I've had my doubts, but I'm starting to wonder if it really was an issue in the first place. While I think some are going to be disappointed in discovering that it is merely just a "land" within Islands of Adventure, what they experience is going to be what they take away from it all. Universal is really delivering on that front, which is why I think the number of disappointments will be very minimal. Crowd complaints have been tremendous, with good reason, but when asked if dealing with those crowds were worth it....the answer is almost always a resounding YES.

You're doing yourself a favor by keeping your expectations reasonable and not getting caught up in the hype. It is easy for me to sit here and gush about Wizarding World. I really am just in love with the entire area and it exceeded my expectations by a vast amount. I hope the same holds true for you whenever you get the opportunity to visit....which I think it will!

- Todd

[CoasterKrazy]

Regarding the Slate article: I've not been to Islands of Adventure since WWHP opened, but I have been there in the past. I've also experienced all the parks at Walt Disney World, as well as Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea, which I believe is the best and most beautifully themed park on the planet. The article's main argument is that Disney would have done what Universal did not:

It's hard to believe that Disney's Imagineers wouldn't have found ways to pack every corner of their version of PotterLand with surprises and wit, both of which are sorely lacking in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. One imagines motion-sensitive animatronic goblins taking your tickets, or Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts mucking up the rides, or a Mirror of Erised showing each visitor a picture of himself surrounded by bags of money. I'd love to see a Disney-built version of Diagon Alley, with drunken warlocks passed out on the street like the rum-guzzling Pirates of the Caribbean.

At the very least, Disney wouldn't have been shy about, say, hiring 100 actors with good British accents to walk around in robes, wave wands, and do some magic tricks. What we wanted wasn't tasteful reproductions of buildings from the Potter movies; we wanted the messiness of the Potter books, where magic is funny and woven into the fabric of everyday life.

Where are these surprise-packed corners in Disney parks? the ticket-taking animatronics? the hoards of roaming actors? Perhaps I've forgotten (doubtful) but they aren't there, at least not in any greater proportion than that (reportedly) found at WWHP. As I recall, there are more interactive animatronics at Disney, but none that could perform tasks like taking tickets. Generally, Disney does do a better job themeing their parks, but in my opinion, not to the extent that this article would lead one to believe. To dislike the experience because it does not live up to what you think may have possibly been built at another park doesn't hold much water. At least when enthusiasts complain about a new ride, they can compare it to other coasters that have already been built!

I understand this reporter didn't enjoy the park, but I would respect his opinion more if he had better reasons for disliking it.

[The Interpreter]

New Ride Breaks Down; Strands 132, Fire Department Called:

...OFD officials said one rider called 911 when the roller coaster stopped Friday night because he thought he was upside down. However, Universal officials said the Forbidden Journey ride doesn't go upside down.

An OFD official told WESH 2 that there was some sort of mechanical issue on the ride. He said the evacuations proceeded smoothly, without panic or injury. Guests used the provided catwalks and ladders to exit the Forbidden Journey.

In all, 52 cars full of passengers were unloaded as Universal worked to repair the Harry Potter ride.

Universal officials said the ride will be up and running Saturday morning.

http://www.wesh.com/entertainment/24375560/detail.html

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/harry-potter-ride-breaks-down/muggle-malfunction/

[XGatorHead 8904]

A victory for those of us who are built more like Hagrid than Hermione!

Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey Seats Modified to Fit Larger Guests: http://attractionsma...-larger-guests/

This gives me hope that I might actually be able to ride if we go like we're planning to next year!