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

[fredoflasvegas]

While the coaster looks a bit on the flat side, the immersive themeing and all the different elements, including all the moments of twistiness, and its length will more than make up for it. Looks like quite an adventure. Never I thought I'd say I'm looking forward to this - but I am!

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

Encounter some of the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures, such as a majestic Centaur, a swarm of mischievous Cornish Pixies, Fluffy, the three-headed dog – and even a creature that’s never been seen in the films

Is #whatsintheshed from Kings Island taking an Orlando vacation? I don't blame it.

 

Also, I love that there will be 1200 trees planted around this. The theming should be stellar! Feelings aside, sounds like it'll be a huge improvement at least theme/scenery-wise from the coaster(s) that shall not be named that previously resided in the area.

 

And I'm sure Potter fans will be get moist for this ride.

[xVicesAndVirtues]

Maybe they can just put up a sign a la Dragons that instead says "choose thy position: sitting or bending over"

 

Looking forward to riding this at some point, and undoubtedly Universal is going to be f*cking slammed and is going to make tons of money this summer, per usual. I actually appreciate the fact that they've planted 1,200 trees. Universal is single-handedly doing more to fight climate change than the idiot in the white house.

[Canobie Coaster]

Maybe they can just put up a sign a la Dragons that instead says "choose thy position: sitting or bending over"

 

I would die in laughter if Universal had a sign to choose to bend over.

[Dombot]

Feelings aside, sounds like it'll be a huge improvement at least theme/scenery-wise from the coaster(s) that shall not be named that previously resided in the area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXNe7vVTnkw

[Chiselphane]

Man, what is it with Universal and spraying things at guests

 

https://www.insideuniversal.net/2019/03/universal-orlando-to-introduce-themed-smells-in-islands-of-adventures-restrooms/

[Satans Hockey]

Man, what is it with Universal and spraying things at guests

 

https://www.insideuniversal.net/2019/03/universal-orlando-to-introduce-themed-smells-in-islands-of-adventures-restrooms/

 

 

Well that's better than the other scents you can smell in the bathroom lol

[jedimaster1227]

The Universal Orlando Resort has announced the second haunted house coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2019, Nightingales - Blood Pit!

 

 

https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/nightingales-blood-pit-at-hhn-2019/?_ga=2.159962361.535202017.1555342934-1661684524.1555342934

 

Imagine yourself transported back to Ancient Rome where a ruthless emperor reigns and gladiatorial games are put on for bloody entertainment. Add in bloodthirsty creatures and you’ll find yourself in the middle of Nightingales: Blood Pit – an all-new haunted house at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights.

 

Here’s what you need to know about the next chapter in this fan-favorite original storyline of the nightingales.

 

Story

Ancient Rome is suffering its worst drought in centuries. The ruthless emperor has declared the gladiatorial games to continue nonstop until the rains return. The gruesome bloodshed of the games is horrifying enough, but then come the creatures.

 

The Nightingales

As the blood soaks into the earth, the nightingales feed on the dead and dying. The nightingales are a grisly race of creatures that have been here since the dawn of time. You may think you’re familiar with their past feeding frenzies, but you haven’t seen them like this. You’ll try to survive alongside the gladiators as the ravenous nightingales tear into their victims and notice that fresh blood has come into their midst…

 

Event Details

Come face-to-face with the nightingales this fall when Halloween Horror Nights returns on select nights from Sept. 6 – Nov. 2. This year, you’ll experience 10 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, live entertainment and more. Right now, take advantage of a limited time ticket offer and this vacation package while you can. Click here for more event details.

[jedimaster1227]

The Universal Orlando Resort has released details about some of the creatures Guests will see when riding Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure when the ride opens this June!

 

https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/first-ever-look-at-creatures/

 

This week, we’re revealing more about the magical creatures you’ll encounter on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the new epic adventure opening June 13 in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. It will be the most immersive, highly-themed coaster experience yet, and take you on a thrilling journey with Hagrid to the Forbidden Forest to discover the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures.

 

Now through April 19, stay tuned to the Universal Orlando blog as we give you a first-ever look at some of the creatures you’ll encounter…including one that’s never been seen in the films. A new creature will be revealed each day at 11 a.m. EDT to prepare you for the incredible things you may see during your trip into the Forbidden Forest as part of Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures Class.

 

As our reveal week comes to an end, it’s time to reveal our final creature – not seen before in the films. Careful, you may want to approach from the front.

 

Blast-Ended Skrewt

 

For the first time ever, you’ll be able to come face-to-face (or face-to-rear) with a Blast-Ended Skrewt on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Described as a cross between scorpions and elongated crabs, Skrewts aren’t afraid to attack other Skrewts they encounter and have incredibly strong armor that can’t be penetrated by spells – proving to be a challenge for Hagrid since they hatched.

 

On your journey through the Forbidden Forest during Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, you’ll encounter Blast-Ended Skrewts up to 8 feet long with tails up to ten-feet high and topped with a massive stinger. The Blast-Ended Skrewt is the main lesson for the day but, as with all adventures with Hagrid, things don’t always go to plan…

 

Fun Facts:

 

• Blast-Ended Skrewts were first introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and also mentioned in Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  
• As you may have read in the book, Hagrid created these unique creatures by crossbreeding Fire Crabs and Manticores – fierce creatures in their own right
  
• Skrewts create actual fire from their ‘blasting-ends,’ igniting at random intervals – so be wary during your encounter
  
• Even if you’re far enough to avoid their fire, watch out as you may still catch a whiff of their powerful scent… known to smell like rotting fish

 

Centaurs

 

A Centaur is a magical creature with a human head, torso and arms, joined to a horse’s body. They are, however, their own species and should be treated with great respect.

 

As you make your way into the dark forest on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, look out for this mysterious archer in the distance ready to strike. He stands at 8 ft. tall, which would probably make him a great athlete in the Muggle world.

 

Fun Facts:

 

• In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hagrid is friendly with the Centaur herds as he regularly enters the Forbidden Forest to help injured creatures
  
• According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, these forest-dwelling beings usually live in herds of between 10 and 50 and are well-versed in magical healing, divination, archery and astronomy
  
• Centaurs made their first appearance in the films during Harry Potter’s detention in the Forbidden Forest in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

 

Devil’s Snare

 

While Devil’s Snare isn’t a creature, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to mention this perilous plant from the wizarding world – often strangling people who touch it with its dexterous vines. Devil’s Snare flourishes in damp, dark environments and it has a strong dislike of light and fire – remember that for your journey!

 

Speaking of your journey, Devil’s Snare is one of the many challenges you’ll face on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. You may even find yourself entangled in a thicket of this dangerous plant but remember to remain calm! If you don’t, you may end up entangled in hundreds of its vines…

 

And fun fact about Devil’s Snare, it made its first film appearance in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when the brave Hermione told her friends how to defeat this dangerous force.

 

Cornish Pixies

 

Cornish pixies are electric blue tricksters who love to create mischief – often at the expense of others. These mischievous creatures fly, and have also been known to seize unwary humans by the ears and deposit them at the tops of tall trees and buildings – poor Neville Longbottom…

 

In Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, you’ll see these troublesome creatures wreaking havoc on an infamous blue car… and in places you may not expect. They’re about 13 inches tall and you’ll find more than 20 pixies throughout your adventure. Happy hunting!

 

Fun Facts:

 

• According to Pottermore, Cornish pixies can produce a high-pitched jabbering that’s only comprehensible to other pixies
  
• Cornish pixies made their first film appearance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets during Gilderoy Lockhart’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class

 

Fluffy, the Three-Headed Dog

 

Fluffy is a giant three-headed dog that’s known for being the trusted guard dog of the Sorcerer’s Stone. And, as many of you know, Fluffy has a weakness – he falls asleep to the sound of music.

 

In Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, you’ll confront this gigantic, beloved creature deep in the Forbidden Forest. Proceed with caution – he’s a guard dog first and foremost. And in this new adventure, Fluffy weighs 8,000 Ibs., which is roughly as big as two standard Muggle cars.

 

Fun Facts:

 

• In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Fluffy belongs to Hagrid, who adopted him from a “Greek chappie” he met in a pub
  
• Experts on Pottermore say Fluffy was inspired by Cerberus – the dog that in Greek mythology guarded the gates of the Underworld – and, just like Fluffy, he fell asleep to the sound of music
  
• Fluffy made his first and only appearance in the film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

 

And these aren’t the only creatures you may encounter on your journey with Hagrid:

 

• You may hear some Thestrals near the carriages
  
• Look out for sculptures of various magical creatures living in the black lake, including Merpeople (mysterious underwater-dwelling beasts) and Grindylows (horned, pale-green water demons)
  
• Keep your ears tuned for the voices of gnomes- they’re known to scurry about the grounds
  
• And even more surprises!

 

We can’t wait to see these creatures in person when Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opens on June 13. Make sure to sign up for emails as we continue to reveal further details on this new experience. #WizardingWorldOrlando

[coasterbill]

This looks amazing

[Hilltopper39]

Kind of interesting that all of these photos they're sharing of the attraction are taken at night (and probably heavily edited) even though most of the attraction is outside and will operate in broad daylight. I'm curious how it's going to look in the daytime once it opens.

[SharkTums]

Kind of interesting that all of these photos they're sharing of the attraction are taken at night (and probably heavily edited) even though most of the attraction is outside and will operate in broad daylight. I'm curious how it's going to look in the daytime once it opens.

 

I was thinking the SAME thing. I assume some of these are in show buildings, but some we know are outside. Guess this could be a ride where it actually DOES make a big difference day to night rides.

[Chiselphane]

Its interesting as an over-analyzing fan because of the 4 creatures here that have been in the films, 3 of them have been shown only in indoor environments but all of those are outside here. And 2 of those 3 were shot in dark/low light conditions. Centaurs were only ones outside in the films, and their scenes were in the dark or at least dusk as well. So being generous, maybe they're trying to keep marketing to match how some would already be picturing them.

 

 

I had to laugh because the one creature they show indoors is the least suited for it. Sure, let's put a bug that farts fire in the same room as a bunch of wooden farm equipment, what could possibly go wrong.

 

And not content with spraying water, they're going to spray rotten fish stink on the ride? SIGN ME UP

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

And not content with spraying water, they're going to spray rotten fish stink on the ride? SIGN ME UP

That was definitely the most bizarre piece of info I took from this. I guess if Disney can get away with spraying bug farts in Bug's Life then Universal can spray fish stink and be alright. Still doesn't sound too pleasant to me...

 

I feel dumb because I'm not sure if these images are pictures of animatronics or screen images from the ride? Either way, still very cool and I'm sure it'll be a huge hit!

[dreynolds1982]

I feel dumb because I'm not sure if these images are pictures of animatronics or screen images from the ride? Either way, still very cool and I'm sure it'll be a huge hit!

It looks like they are real props, though I'm not sure how much they will actually move. From the looks of it, it looks like the pixies will be still figures, just peppered throughout a few scenes of the ride. I'd imagine the centaurs will be mostly still (fixed in that position with the bow arched) but will likely move a little. The Devils Snare is rumored to be part of the drop track scene so I'd guess there will be a mix of projection effects with the physical limbs. Just due to the massive size of fluffy, I'm thinking the heads will move up and down some, maybe mouth movement, but again mostly still. I'd think the most dynamic figure would be the blast ended skrewt since it's sort of the spotlight figure of the ride.

 

All just guesses on my part though. Like you said it looks pretty cool either way and seems like UO has realized that they need to step away from the screens some and go back to more practical effects.

[RollerManic]

Fluffy is an animatronic per the video the park released to the media:

 

[jedimaster1227]

Universal Orlando has announced that "Universal Monsters" will have a new haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights 2019!

 

 

“Universal Monsters” will come to life in all-new terrifying Halloween Horror Nights mazes at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, inspired by Universal’s original cinematic monsters and the movie studio that invented the horror films. The terrifying experiences on both coasts will wake some of the most frightening and legendary monsters in horror history and bring them face-to-face with guests at the nation's premier Halloween events.

 

On the heels of last year’s successful “Universal Monsters” experience, Universal Studios Hollywood will introduce an all-new horrifying maze, “Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man,” that delves deeper into the Universal Monsters’ lore. Loosely based on Universal’s 1943 horror movie of the same name, this reimagined tale for the 21st century takes guests on a terrifying journey that bears witness to a deadly confrontation between these two horror icons and the epic battle that rages between them. Guests will follow in the footsteps of the Frankenstein Monster, lured by exotic music towards a nearby gypsy camp while desperately seeking sanctuary from a mob of angry villagers determined to destroy him. It is within the gypsy encampment that the Frankenstein Monster meets The Wolf Man and where the madness begins as guests are led along a path of destruction through the murky Moors, to a creepy cemetery and into the smoldering ruins of Castle Frankenstein and its icy cellars beneath.

 

Once again, GRAMMY® Award-winning musician, SLASH, long hailed as one of the best electric guitar-players of all time, will collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood to compose an original score for the maze. Click here to witness the rise of the undead that begins this fall at Universal Studios Hollywood.

 

At Universal Orlando Resort, guests will be hunted by every single grisly monster from the anthology, including Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein, in the all-new experience, “Universal Monsters.” Each sinister environment will bleed from one to the next as guests press through the darkened realms of horrifying creatures. Guests will face bloody terrors in Dracula’s castle and flee from what is behind the cryptic howls of the grim forest. They’ll run from the horrifying manmade monster within Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, and fall prey to an ancient Egyptian curse as they are pursued by the evil Mummy. Guests will try to escape the mysterious Creature lurking in the Black Lagoon, or become victims of other horrors waiting in the shadows.

to witness the terror that is coming to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort.

 

Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights” is the ultimate Halloween event. For more than 25 years, guests from around the world have visited “Halloween Horror Nights” to become victims inside their own horror film. Multiple movie-quality mazes based on iconic horror television shows, films and original stories come to life season after season. And, the streets of each park’s event are transformed into highly-themed scare zones where menacing scare-actors lunge from every darkened corner.

 

“Halloween Horror Nights” begins Friday, September 6 in Orlando and on Friday, September 13 in Hollywood. Additional details about the events will be revealed soon. A limited time ticket offer and vacation package for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights are on sale now. For more information about “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, visit http://www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.

Edited April 29, 2019 by jedimaster1227

[mary.pesik]

My brother went on the Hulk last night! I am so proud of him!

[thedlr]

We've decided to go to HHN Orlando this year and I'm looking forward to Universal Monsters. We did Hollywood last year and I really enjoyed it there. We only got to do it once though, so I'm glad we'll kinda get to experience it again in Orlando.

[jedimaster1227]

The Universal Orlando Resort has unveiled the new Hagrid animated figure that guests will encounter when riding Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure when it opens next month!

 

https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/first-look-at-hagrid/

 

As we gear up to experience Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the new epic adventure opening June 13 in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Hagrid himself will be brought to life as the most advanced and life-like animated figure we’ve ever created. Here’s your first glimpse at the half-giant:

 

 

On this immersive coaster experience, you will join Hagrid on a thrilling journey into the Forbidden Forest. Along the way, he’ll introduce you to some of the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures. And for the first time ever in our parks, you’ll get the chance to come face-to-face with Hagrid, who is not only the Hogwarts gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor, but also one of Harry Potter’s most loving and loyal friends.

 

See below for some fun facts about what makes Hagrid Universal Orlando’s most advanced and realistic animated figure.

 

• Universal Creative, the team responsible for creating Universal’s iconic rides and attractions, worked directly with Robbie Coltrane – who portrays Hagrid in the Harry Potter films – to study his body movements and facial expressions to develop 24 different body actions for this animated figure
  
• Incredible attention to detail was taken to recreate Hagrid’s likeness from the films, including a meticulously hand-sculpted face, digital scans of Hagrid actor Robbie Coltrane’s teeth, and careful placement of individual hair strands – including eyebrows and lashes.
  
• The costume Hagrid wears was designed by the same team that created his on-screen attire for the Harry Potter films
  Hagrid’s height is exactly proportional to his height in the films – 7 feet 6 inches tall
  
• Robbie Coltrane recorded a custom script for Hagrid in this new adventure
  
• And be on the lookout for an exact replica of Hagrid’s famous pink umbrella!

 

Edited May 6, 2019 by jedimaster1227

[larrygator]

I hope it does better over time than Yeti.

[Nrthwnd]

What movement I could see, wasn't a lot. But I assume they wouldn't show everything about their Hagrid, including the speaking bits. Waving the umbrella a bit was fine, for now. Looking forward to more movement and sound, heh.

[Canobie Coaster]

That looks incredible. This is why Universal should use less screens (speaking as an enthusiast, I totally understand why they do).

[scubaski]

Will be there Thursday and Friday and maybe I will be lucky enough to attend a soft opening as I did for Transformers and I will post a report. Wish me luck.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Luck wished.