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Universal Orlando Resort (USF, IOA, Epic) Discussion Thread

P. 625: Harry Potter Ministry of Magic revealed!

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Well, I got the Gory getaway package and came to UOR. We drove down from Pittsburgh on Sunday, stated with a friend Sunday night, then hit Busch Gardens Monday, rode everything! Checked into our hotel Monday night. We woke up early to get the early entry to IOA. This was my first time getting to see the Wizarding World. It was so amazing walking in there the first time. Made me really excited for next years opening!

Just wanted to give a little play by play:

 

Got to the park around 7:45 and they began letting us in a few minutes before 8 for early entry to Wizarding World. We decided to hit dragon challenge first because we wanted to ride front row on both sides. We were the ONLY ones on both trains. They let us cut through the station to ride our second time instead of having to walk through the queue again. They must have liked knowing we came straight to them, because they have us express access to Forbidden Journey! The line was probably 20 minutes(not bad at all), but with the express access we were given, it was roughly 5 minutes! Way cool for our first time!

 

We got to see olivanders, and watch the kids have the wand pick them, which was great! We saw honey dukes, rode flight of the hippogriff, took a look around three broom sticks, and of course, tried the butter beer; both cold and frozen.

 

Because of the early entry option, we got through literally every single ride in the park by 10 am! I couldn't believe it. We went and upgraded our 2 day base tickets to the two day park hoppers with early entry and hopped right over to USO! Again, it took us about an hour to finish all of USO, and we even did rip ride rockit twice lol.

 

The employees were amazing, the treatment we got was outstanding. I actually felt like I was really having a personalized experience at both parks. I had more fun here than I have had at Disney in over two years! Props to UOR!

Now tomorrow, we will be back for early entry again, can't wait to hit Forbidden Journey again! And we also have tickets to Horror Nights, and of course, express pass! I have heard too many stories about how crazy the lines get!!! We want to be able to see all the houses since we drove over a thousand miles to be here!

 

Thursday we will be doing the impossible. Hitting all four Disney parks in one day!! Lol. Luckily we only have 2-3 rides per park we want to hit. Should be possible!

 

Anyways, that's my brief, scattered, report on our trip, but more importantly our trip to UOR today, and how impressed I was with EVERYTHING!!

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According to Screamscape, there's a really interesting patent from Universal that calls for a transparent glass shield that can repeatedly be shot by flames and maintain its transparency, with the flame machine about three feet from one side and riders able to be kept directly on the other.

 

US08523692-20130903-D00003.thumb.png.0f5346abff162283ce0a9e9a92cd04ac.png

Taken from US Patent US8523692.

 

Two things to note: a) I think we've got ourselves an interaction with the Gringott's dragon, and b) this helps to back up the rumors that this ride would use roller coaster track on a motion base, as was also patented a few years back.

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https://www.universalorlando.com/Events/Mardi-Gras

 

Music's Biggest Names Live In Concert on the Universal Music Plaza stage

 

From pop to country to hip hop to rock, the concerts during Mardi Gras offer an exciting mix of superstar singers and bands.

 

Just Announced for 2014

Robin Thicke, Feb 22

The Wanted, May 10

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I'll do a full review when I'm not on my phone in the airport, but in short:

 

Winners of Hhn: resident evil and werewolf.

 

Just below: evil dead, la Llorna, walking dead

 

Above average, but still underwhelming: havoc

 

Disappointment: cabin in the woods.

 

wtf: undead

 

Scare zones were weak. Bill and teds was great.

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I'll do a full review when I'm not on my phone in the airport, but in short:

 

Winners of Hhn: resident evil and werewolf.

Just below: evil dead, la Llorna, walking dead

Above average, but still underwhelming: havoc

Disappointment: cabin in the woods.

 

Wow, I'm very curious to see your full review. Honestly, I think I was at the complete end of the spectrum. Can't wait!

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I got some great scares in Cabin, so I absolutely loved it.

 

The scare zone between Mel's and the Walking Dead maze was also pretty good. There seemed to be tons of scare actors, the rest were eh. The chainsaw guys between Simpsons and MIB were incredibly hit, but not very scarey.

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Hogwarts Express arrives at Universal Orlando!

Details:

The Hogwarts Express has arrived at Universal! The iconic locomotive and train tender was placed on the tracks between the two theme parks today.

 

Just like in the books and films – guests will be able to board the Hogwarts Express and travel between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, which is open at Islands of Adventure, and ‘London’ when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley opens at Universal Studios Florida next year.

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Edited by robbalvey
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I suspect the Hogwarts Express is going to be the breakout attraction once this expansion opens. Unlike Gringotts Coaster and Forbidden Journey there will likely be no height requirement and absolutely everybody is going to want to take the train between the parks. I wonder if they will restrict entry to guests with a park-to-park ticket?

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I suspect the Hogwarts Express is going to be the breakout attraction once this expansion opens. Unlike Gringotts Coaster and Forbidden Journey there will likely be no height requirement and absolutely everybody is going to want to take the train between the parks.

 

This is exactly why they will limit it to two park ticket holders.

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I wonder if they will restrict entry to guests with a park-to-park ticket?

Yes, that's how it will work. Think of it like being the monorail from MK to Epcot. You need a ticket to get in.

 

There is no monorail line that goes from the Magic Kingdom Park to EPCOT. But there are two lines that go from the Magic Kingdom Park to the Ticket & Transportation Center and then another separate monorail line that goes from the Ticket & Transportation to EPCOT and back.

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I wonder if they will restrict entry to guests with a park-to-park ticket?

Yes, that's how it will work. Think of it like being the monorail from MK to Epcot. You need a ticket to get in.

 

There is no monorail line that goes from the Magic Kingdom Park to EPCOT. But there are two lines that go from the Magic Kingdom Park to the Ticket & Transportation Center and then another separate monorail line that goes from the Ticket & Transportation to EPCOT and back.

I think out of all people, Robb knows. It doesn't have to get all technical.

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I wonder if they will restrict entry to guests with a park-to-park ticket?

Yes, that's how it will work. Think of it like being the monorail from MK to Epcot. You need a ticket to get in.

 

There is no monorail line that goes from the Magic Kingdom Park to EPCOT. But there are two lines that go from the Magic Kingdom Park to the Ticket & Transportation Center and then another separate monorail line that goes from the Ticket & Transportation to EPCOT and back.

 

I think his post was meant more hypothetically than literally.

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I wonder if they will restrict entry to guests with a park-to-park ticket?

Yes, that's how it will work. Think of it like being the monorail from MK to Epcot. You need a ticket to get in.

 

There is no monorail line that goes from the Magic Kingdom Park to EPCOT. But there are two lines that go from the Magic Kingdom Park to the Ticket & Transportation Center and then another separate monorail line that goes from the Ticket & Transportation to EPCOT and back.

 

Of all the Floridians, pretty sure Robb is the last one you need to tell what MK does/does not have.

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It's a clever way to 1) carry guests from park to park and 2) force parents to buy their Harry Potter fan-children two-park tickets.

 

Fixed.

 

It's all very devilishly clever.

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I think it's quite an interesting power move, and really unprecedented. (or maybe I'm reading into it too much)

 

Unveiling a new e-ticket (maybe d-ticket?) that is only available to the upper tier ticket buyers? Seems bold. If the only way to experience this new attraction is to pony up for a more expensive ticket, I would expect anger and backlash.

 

Jay

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^You already have to buy a two-day ticket to visit both parks. I imagine that most people spring for those, anyway--especially if they're at the resort for just one day.

 

Yes, some people will be annoyed, but I doubt it will be a major problem for Universal, no more so than it has for Disney in California.

Edited by cfc
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omg this is so exciting! i can't wait till this opens and the entire dragon alley, i could see the trains when i was in line for evil dead ! this entire project is insane and completely owns the them park industry, no one is doing anything near this, anywhere! hands down UO is my favorite park ever.

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