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IOA | Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure | Intamin LSM Launch (Dragon Challenge replacement)

I'm hoping they'll plant some smaller bushes and things next to the lines of trees because they all look a bit 'placed' at the moment. Too neat. Looks like this could be a cracking ride though...
 
I think we're going to see a lot of groundwork over the coming months - grasses, bushes, more trees etc. The great thing with this being a Potter ride is the fact that you can absolutely guarantee this will not open looking half-finished.
 
Ethan said:
I'm hoping they'll plant some smaller bushes and things next to the lines of trees because they all look a bit 'placed' at the moment. Too neat. Looks like this could be a cracking ride though...
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Lofty said:
I think we're going to see a lot of groundwork over the coming months - grasses, bushes, more trees etc. The great thing with this being a Potter ride is the fact that you can absolutely guarantee this will not open looking half-finished.
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To just comment briefly on this - I think Lofty's right. Those big trees need surprisingly big equipment to install (thanks to both their height and weight), and so they probably need to leave much of the surrounding areas 'unfinished' while they move the big machines around. I suspect they'll start 'landscaping their way out' from the back once they're done with all the larger equipment.
 
What’s the chances of this being open mid June? I’m looking at going around the 19th June but don’t want to jump the gun.
 
djreplay26 said:
What’s the chances of this being open mid June? I’m looking at going around the 19th June but don’t want to jump the gun.
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There's really no saying when it will open, yet. Universal is a tricky one to try to guess, too as their past rides have all opened over a 4 month span:

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - June 18, 2010
Escape from Gringotts - 8 July 2014
Skull Island: Reign of Kong - June 9, 2016
Jimmy Fallon Race Through New York - 6 April 2017
Supercharged - April 23, 2018
 
 
I really wish they did a better job covering up the building for Forbidden Journey, from the guests' perspective inside the park that is. You got one of the most immersive theme park areas in the world yet the white building still manages to stick out a bit.
 
Hutch said:
I really wish they did a better job covering up the building for Forbidden Journey, from the guests' perspective inside the park that is. You got one of the most immersive theme park areas in the world yet the white building still manages to stick out a bit.
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Agree. There are a few small details like this that make Universal's theming still not quite on the same level as Disney's. For example, in the Forbidden Journey queue, you can see all the steel supports holding up Hogwarts if you look behind the rocks outside. And in Diagon Alley, there is an open archway at the back that looks directly into a backstage area.
 
Looks like they forgot to theme the drop track building - will probably look fine from ground level but in that aerial view concept art it's an eyesore!
The river looks good, it will be a cool feature.
 
Looks great! But... well, maybe not but... I dunno. On the fence with one thing though.

Part of me really hopes that there's plenty of paths and alcoves and things to get lost in around this coaster. It's part of what makes Taron so wonderful, the coaster is around you, not just 'over there'. It'll also open the ride up to some wonderful photo opportunities. On the flip side, it would make it much more immersive to not see some bugger with a BBQ turkey leg watching you go round...

Can't decide.

The artwork is nice though. I just want to see the artwork for INSIDE those buildings. :p
 
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Peet said:
Looks like they forgot to theme the drop track building - will probably look fine from ground level but in that aerial view concept art it's an eyesore!
The river looks good, it will be a cool feature.
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I don't think they really need to theme the outside of that building if it's going to covered up from the back. No one is ever going to see the outside of it anyways so why bother wasting money on theming it?
 
This looks absolutely stunning! I personally reckon that this could potentially top Everest as my favourite family coaster in Florida! (I class Revenge of the Mummy as a thrill ride.)
 
Matt N said:
This looks absolutely stunning! I personally reckon that this could potentially top Everest as my favourite family coaster in Florida! (I class Revenge of the Mummy as a thrill ride.)
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I definitely think it'll be better than Everest. For me, the actual 'coaster' part of Everest is just not that good and the time it takes for the track transitions to switch just kills momentum - I think it's safe to say that this will just be a much snappier and fulfilled experience. Or at least, we hope it will be.
 
Lofty said:
I definitely think it'll be better than Everest. For me, the actual 'coaster' part of Everest is just not that good and the time it takes for the track transitions to switch just kills momentum - I think it's safe to say that this will just be a much snappier and fulfilled experience. Or at least, we hope it will be.
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On reflection, I'm with you here. While Everest was a fab family ride (my personal favourite family coaster) I do remember coming off it a little underwhelmed when I rode it in 2014. I remember it feeling like a massively scaled up Runaway Mine Train at Alton at the time (with loads of theming, of course!) It might not help that I went into it with the fanfare of it being the world's most expensive coaster implanted firmly in my mind, so I'm interested to see whether I'm less underwhelmed when I reride it in April!
 
Absolutely loving the lush concept art. Here's to an equally immersive plot to match!
 
Jamesss said:
Agree. There are a few small details like this that make Universal's theming still not quite on the same level as Disney's. For example, in the Forbidden Journey queue, you can see all the steel supports holding up Hogwarts if you look behind the rocks outside. And in Diagon Alley, there is an open archway at the back that looks directly into a backstage area.
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Could that be deliberate? Universal Studios is built around the whole concept of fake sets, blurring the line between movie magic and real-life practicalities, and revealing the backstage to you.
 
Robbie said:
Could that be deliberate? Universal Studios is built around the whole concept of fake sets, blurring the line between movie magic and real-life practicalities, and revealing the backstage to you.
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I'm almost certain it's not on purpose. In videos and documentaries about the construction and design of Diagon Alley at the other park, they're constantly on about everything being immersive and like you're there. I'm pretty sure that in the films we don't see Harry and the gang stumble across Karen, from Ollivander's, having her 7 minute fag break out the back next to the bins.
 
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