Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 2/3/09
After months of work clearing the Wizarding World construction site and building the massive Hogwarts structure, a new piece of the puzzle has somehow popped into the fold: a hut.
Hagrid's Hut, to be more specific, now under construction under the old Flying Unicorn ride. It's not much to look at at this point, at least viewed closely in the Dueling Dragons queue. However, it's a sign of progress for this extravagant Islands of Adventure project.
Here's the movie version of the hut.
Here's the construction photos from behind the Hogwarts clearing.
And an outside look.
Also, directly in front of the Hogwarts building, a queue design of some kind (perhaps I'm way off on that guess) has formed over the last month.
Last month.
This past weekend.
And here are the latest views of Hogwarts.
And the former Enchanted Oak area (complete with bored teamster).
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 3/9/09
I suppose this update is best viewed right after a trip to the last update from 2/3.
With Spring Break crowds approaching soon, construction continues rapidly at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter site at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure. Here's the latest from Hagrid's Hut, which has completed its exterior work and will now sit there while the rest of the Hogwarts building is shaped and sealed for the massive ride installation. Rumor has it that the Hut will only be for show and storage purposes, and not an actual building for guests to tour. A shame.
(sorry for the blurry quality of some of these pics - 'tis the life of a superspy)
Hagrid's Hut:
A few shots from the Enchanted Oak construction site:
And the latest additions to the exterior of Hogwarts:
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 4/7/09
Hogsmeade is starting to take shape. This also means the Wizarding World is beginning to look a lot more...wizardly now.
Hogsmeade construction has finally started within the old Enchanted Oak restaurant site. Granted, it's a mess of dirt piles and metal frames, but the park is starting to resemble a park these days, and not just a series of faceless construction fences and irritating detours.
The Hogsmeade entrance area:
Beyond the entrance and into the construction area:
Other side:
From the Jurassic Park/Lost Continent bridge:
A few more shots of Hagrid's Hut:
Hogwarts out in front:
And Hogwarts from the south side:
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 5/5/09
The fine folk at Universal Orlando seem to be clamping down on ideal photo spots to capture the hotly anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter construction. I can’t blame them, but it’s going to be impossible to fully cloak the enormity of this park. For every sweet shot spot of Hogwarts they remove, two more Hogsmeade angles spring up. As massive summer crowds are about ready to pounce on the Islands of Adventure, I’ll take the newfound tradeoff…for now.
As a reminder of what’s being built right now, let’s take a gander at the announcement poster for the park:
Keeping in step with the concept art, the Hogsmeade archway appears to be coming along beautifully. As always, click pic for larger peek.
Angle from Jurassic Park...
Hogsmeade construction...
And bits of Hogwarts castle-making...
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 6/14/09
The summer season is here, and greeting the mob of sweaty tourists at the Islands of Adventure is a small village of rapidly constructed buildings ready to be Potterized.
Hogsmeade (click for larger size)
Jurassic Park view.
Teamster butt alert!
Hogsmeade construction.
Hogwarts.
For added entertainment value, there's an off-site construction area about five miles north of Universal Orlando where work on snow-covered spires and rooftops is underway. Here are a few photos.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 7/5/09
Two new pieces of information have hit the internet recently that need a spotlight.
First is the new Wizarding World promotional poster Universal Orlando revealed last week on the official site for the park.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Second is an Orlando Sentinel article that doesn't exactly answer all the burning question about the park, but remains a passable collection of rumors circulating the construction. Here's the link.
On with the show.
Hogsmeade:
Jurassic Park Bridge view:
Hogsmeade construction:
Hogwarts:
And the off-site construction:
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 8/12/09
The shaping of the Wizarding World continues, and now some of the rockwork is beginning to show.
Hogsmeade (click to huge-o-size)
Hogsmeade from Jurassic Park Bridge
Hogsmeade Construction (Former Enchanted Oak site)
Hogwarts
Hogwarts Jurassic Park View
Off Site Construction
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Update: 9/09/09
On the eve of massive park information about to be released to the public (around 9/15), construction continues at an amazing pace.
Hogsmeade (click to huge-o-size)
Hogsmeade from Jurassic Park Bridge
Hogsmeade Construction (Former Enchanted Oak site)
Hogwarts
Hogwarts Jurassic Park View
Off Site Construction
And this. This...noise. I caught this moan on the way to Dueling Dragons, emerging from the Wizarding World construction site. I can't figure out what the groan is supposed to be. A Halloween Horror Nights test run? Not sure. If anyone has a clue, please let me know.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Construction Video (5/18/10)
A Visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Part Two)
The Three Broomsticks is the official restaurant of the Wizarding World, supplying folks with a menu of simple Brit food items to help sell the English/Rowling ambiance of the franchise (Shepherd’s Pie is also on the menu, along with Strawberry-Peanut Butter ice cream). The building is rather cavernous and, obviously, highly themed, with artwork and props hanging from the walls to peruse, while plenty of seating (indoors and outdoors) awaits customers stopping by for a meal. I only sampled the fish and chips plate, which consisted of three large batter-fried pieces of cod and a handful of potato wedges. The fish had a good color and a surprisingly fresh taste (frankly, I wasn’t expecting much), with hefty portions to match the accelerated theme park pricing. I washed down the fish and chips with a cup of pear cider, which is nearly as perfect a refreshment as Butterbeer, only lacking a frozen counterpart. Ohhh, frozen pear cider…gimme, gimme.
Connected to the Three Broomsticks is the Hog’s Head Pub, a smaller area devoted to a more traditional English pastime: boozing it up! Offering a selection of beers and a nice cool area to sit down and enjoy the drink of your choice, Hog’s Head continues the architectural theme of The Three Broomsticks, yet manages to create an amusing corner of active pub life, topped off with an animatronic boar’s head that snorts at customers (a whimsical touch that wasn’t working during my visits). For those seeking refuge from the sun, this is a terrific stop during a sweltering Hogsmeade day, and they also sell Butterbeer to keep the teetotalers engaged.
The primary home for all magical merchandise, Dervish and Banges is a tight fit in terms of building size, but the glory contained within makes it a must-do for any muggle with a decent sized credit card limit. Teeming with t-shirts and trinkets of all colors, the real draw here is the chance to purchase a Hogwarts student robe, which helps to fit in with the glorious theming of the park. I’m told they’re comfortable in both summer and winter, though this information was passed along by a fellow sweating himself into a coma while wearing his Gryffindor pride. Also for sale are replicas of the famous flying broomsticks, helping to take the swirling fantasy of Quidditch to the next level by providing the correct prop, sans ability to fly. Hey, it beats a mop and/or hockey stick. Another oasis of fantastical merch, Dervish and Banges is something to visit. Just watch out for the finger-chomping Monster Book of Monsters.
The Owl Post is connected to Dervish and Banges (also next door to The Owlery -- a place to sit down a take a breath while animatronic owls perch and stare), serving as a generic merch area and home to the treasured wand selection. While Ollivander’s showcases the power of the magical tools, Owl Post presents the opportunity to bring one home, modeled after beloved heroes and feared villains. While I was anticipating cheap plastic sticks, the wands actually retain a nice, solid weight, with personal detail befitting the owner. The wands don’t actually trigger any sparks or curses within the Wizarding World (a missed opportunity), but the magical power of imagination is enough to pluck your money’s worth out of the purchase. Also offered here is a chance to have postcards and assorted letters branded with a Hogsmeade postmark. Won’t Netflix be ever so confused!
The Frog Choir and The Triwizard Rally
Two live shows are brought out to distract guests away from the grind of rides and shops. The first spotlights tunes from the Frog Choir, who perform a few “Harry Potter” staples (Rockapella-style), while two of the actors carry around puppet frogs for support in the bass department. It’s cute, tuneful (these are talented folk), but it stretches on a few minutes too long.
The Triwizard Rally trots out fetching members from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and burly warriors from the Durmstrang Institute for a demonstration of skill and theatricality. The ladies work a ribbon routine while hoofing it up before the blushing tourists, while the guys kick around some fight choreography before settling on a few moves involving their oversized warrior staffs. More action orientated and mindful of outward appearance, it’s the more crowd-pleasing of the two shows.
The second of the two reworked rides, Flight of the Hippogriff takes over for the Flying Unicorn attraction, elevating a modest family roller coaster with a heaping helping of Potter magic. The queue here takes the guest near Hagrid’s Hut, hearing the groundskeeper talk of Hippogriff rules and the dangers of the forest. After the coaster is boarded and locked into position, Buckbeak makes a cameo appearance on the ride (a huge animatronic figure), sitting in his nest awaiting a bow from respectful coaster passengers. From there on, it’s off like…well, a family thrill ride, hitting a safe speed of butterfly engagement, providing a rich aerial view of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Obviously, it’s not for thrill-seekers, but “Flight of the Hippogriff” proves yet again what a lot of detail and retheming creativity will do to a stale ride meant for a limited audience. The Hippogriff overlay guarantees the attraction will reach more adults in one year than the previous eight of operation under Unicorn rule.
Picturo Absurdim!
A Visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Part Three)
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Cameraro Overheatum!
And now here’s the big kahuna, the main attraction, the place to be for any visitor to the Wizarding World: Hogwarts. For many Pottermaniacs, the opportunity to enter The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a dream come true. It’s LARP with a blockbuster budget. With grand detail, striking construction, and a miracle use of forced perspective, Hogwarts comes to life in Orlando, towering over park guests in a manner sure to stun the crowds in a profound way. And what’s this? You can walk through it too? By Scabbers, I think Universal’s got it.
Standing at the gates of Hogwarts is a special vision unmatched in the area -- now Disney has the second best castle in Florida. It’s a stupendous anchor for the Wizarding World, offering the park a widescreen weight to climax the Hogsmeade experience. Here’s another area where it’s amusing to stand aside and observe the unprepared approach the school, growing more euphoric and frantic with every incoming step. The place casts a certain spell over people.
The glorious reality here is that Hogwarts is home to a ride, an original titled “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.” The castle acts as the queue for the attraction, but this is no mundane maze of metal and concrete, it’s an elaborate “tour” of Hogwarts that builds a story while the masses march along and wait. It’s a colossal leap forward in line-waiting ritual, removing the need for cell phone games and iPods to pass the time, offering the crowds an actual narrative to follow, explored through staggering technology that takes guests into the realm of magic, populated by a few familiar faces.
Entering through the dungeon area, it seems Hogwarts has opened its doors to muggles everywhere, encouraging a peek around the hallowed grounds. The queue twists through the blackness of the basement into the greenhouse area, where a majority of the wait time is found (fortunately, it’s the only outdoor segment). After reentering Hogwarts, crowds pass by talking paintings (not interactive, but outstanding in their realism), copies of the Daily Prophet, and various iconic statues and locations within the castle. The queue eventually ends up in Dumbledore’s office, where the great wizard (played by Michael Gambon) welcomes us all to Hogwarts, a feat achieved through a convincing projection trick similar to the one that brings Christopher Walken to life in the Disaster! ride. Dumbledore has a few warnings and wishes he passes on to the guests before it’s time to meet Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Again brought to life through ingenious visual trickery, the trio of teen wizards (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson) have arrived to steal us away from a horrible multi-hour lecture from Professor Binns that’s about to commence, suggesting a better time is to be found on the Quidditch pitch, where a big match between Gryffindor and Slytherin is ready to rock. Promising a spell from Hermione will help us get where we need to go (of course, the teen wizards also make it snow inside the classroom, so don’t get comfortable just yet), the queue soon exits the room, leading to a few more choice Hogwarts locales, and then off to the boarding area, overseen by the Sorting Hat, who passes along a few last-minute bits of safety information.
It’s important to note that the Hogwarts queue is mightily impressive, but perhaps not as immersive as many guests might be expecting. For a theme park queue experience, it’s second to none, delivering stupefying details and majestic mood to help pass the considerable amount of time it takes to get to the ride. However, there’s only a certain portion of Hogwarts rendered here, absent moving staircases and innumerable magical happenings. Not a criticism, but I’m assuming when fanatical guests stand outside of Hogwarts for the first time, a promise of endless castle delights will melt plenty of minds. Hogwarts is an outstanding achievement, but it’s far from a house of endless possibilities. At the end of the day, it’s an attraction queue, and a superlative one at that.
I don’t want to spoil too much of the “Forbidden Journey” event, but it’s safe to write the ride consists of flying “benches” that seat guests four at a time. Connected to a robotic KUKA arm that allows unreal liquid movement without the burden of a track above or below the rider, the bench is loaded hurriedly by Hogwarts staff, and soon, with help from Hermione, we’re flying alongside Harry and Ron on their broomsticks, escaping the bowels of the castle to catch some Quidditch.
Of course, as tradition dictates, the truant afternoon eventually goes horribly wrong.
I would best describe “Forbidden Journey” as a cross between IOA’s 3-D “Spider-Man” attraction and Disney’s “Snow White’s Scary Adventures” dark ride. It’s a technologically advanced experience that blends projected content of the actors flying around with cleverly imagined, expansive sets, populated with a series of large-scale animatronic creatures such as dragons, spiders, and Dementors. The KUKA arm creates smoothness to the magical bench “flight” that swings riders all over the various locations without any jerkiness, pushing muggles up against the dark side of the Potterverse to survey all the gruesome details. “Forbidden Journey” is a touch on the intense side (fair warning to parents of easily spooked little ones), but the effect is truly exhilarating. The attraction is amazingly transportive, wonderfully hair-raising, and accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: to make the world of Harry Potter and all of its threat a squirting, swooping, soaring, and scary reality. Voldemort would be proud.
Filch's Emporium
Located at the exit of the Forbidden Journey ride, Filch’s Emporium is a place to buy, buy, buy. Home (and a dark, dank one at that) to perhaps the most useful garments and accessories, this shop is notable for being both stocked to the low ceiling with marvelous items and completely unavoidable -- a theme park tradition. Ride photos may be purchased here, but who needs a picture of pure fear when there are Potter jerseys, Marauder’s Maps, and plush Crookshanks for sale!
What Universal has here with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a direct invitation to impress the world and win over a whole new audience normally disinterested in such theme park shenanigans. It’s not a colossal investment of acreage (hopefully expansion is in the planning stages), but the divine sights, sounds, and spells corralled here are simply outstanding, generating a must-do visit to Florida not only for Harry Potter admirers, but for anyone who longs to get lost in an elaborately ornamented land of mysterious and whimsical magic…and scrumptious beverages.
Post excelente as imagens também são incríveis! amei amei *-*
ResponderExcluirEsse parque é o sonho de todo potterhead, perfeição ao máximo em cada detalhe.
sim, tambem sou potterhead, e meu sonho é visitar esse parque (arquitetos,engenheiros, design e todos os profissionais envolvidos estao de parabens), criei este post para o caso da pagina original ser perdida, e pra ficar facil pra quem pesquisar, obrigado pelo acesso!
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