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Universal Orlando (Studios/IOA/Epic Universe) : General Discussion

If I won the lottery, that is the first thing I would do! I'm really uncertain how staff/other guests would treat a lone visitor though. If anyone has ever done the big Orlando parks alone I would love to hear some feedback. I've always been in a family group or a pair before.
 
Laura said:
If I won the lottery, that is the first thing I would do! I'm really uncertain how staff/other guests would treat a lone visitor though. If anyone has ever done the big Orlando parks alone I would love to hear some feedback. I've always been in a family group or a pair before.
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The last visit I did was a few years back with my mum who was terrified of rides, so I ended up soloing the majority of them. The staff were very friendly, eager and enthusiastic to talk to me on the majority of cases, and I got a very unique experience where I had Dragon Challenge all to myself thanks to very early park entry and some unrivaled customer service from the ride team.

The vast majority of Universal staff tend to be very friendly if you stop and have a chat with them where possible, with Disney being a hit and miss across all four parks in terms of staff treatment to individuals. Other than the op on the photo sales booth for Manta at SeaWorld urging me on during my mini Mantathon, the Busch and SeaWorld staff are your standard operations.
 
Says a lot about me if I can't even pay for people to come with me. But in all seriousness I don't feel comfortable being someone's meal ticket, no one I know wants to go badly enough to actually cough up the dosh (the people I know who ARE going are going as couples and as such I am excluded, which is why I was driven to join the ECC, but they aren't interested in 'theme' parks).

I want to go with people who want to be there as desperately as I do. Anyway this is terribly off-topic now, sorry!
 
I think it's safe to say the majority of people on here [if not, everyone] are desperate to go and would quite happily join you. I'd be on the first plane possible over to Orlando if I had the money, but sadly that's not the case.

And to firmly set this back on topic, the majority of the area is now regularly soft opening minus Gringotts. Several sources have said you can easily spend three hours soaking up the area and every little knook and cranny on offer without feeling the need to leave, and that's without stepping foot on Gringotts or the HE.
 
I'm well overdue that lottery win so when it happens this is the first place I will come ;)

Has anyone managed to get details or a photo for the icecream menu for Florean Fortescue's yet? Other than strawberry and peanut butter and butterbeer of course!
 
Hmm I definitely have seen the full menu a few weeks ago but I can't quite remember where. If I come across it I'll post it here!

:)
 
The ice cream menu includes-

Butter Beer
Granny Smith,
Early Grey and Lavender,
Chocolate Chili,
Clotted Cream,
Apple Crumble,
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Salted Caramel Blondie
Chocolate and Raspberry
Strawberry and Peanut-Butter
Orange Marmalade.

I think i will prob try sticky toffee when i visit later in the year, not a fan of butter beer so wont be trying the ice cream version! , i will try some of the new drinks though they have created for the expansion.
 
The cost of trying all the ice-cream would outweigh the cost of the entire holiday tbh :p
 
TPR have posted this photo of the Gringotts test seat:

10300657_10152573067568566_4370627648928848804_n.jpg


Still doesn't seem to give too many clues of the manufacturer. Saying that I still think the ride vehicles might be Premier!

:)
 
You're right with Premier providing the trains IIRC, and I believe the rest of the physical ride hardware was manufactured by Vekoma. Hopefully those shin guards don't provide additional discomfort for the riders...
 
What the hell is up with these shin restraints? Coasters have never needed them before, why the sudden appearence?
 
Have to agree with that; they're appearing left right and centre on lab bar coasters. Could it be related to the New Texas Giant incident?

:)
 
I REALLY don't like the look of those ankle restraints, they make me agitated just looking at them. They cannot possibly be comfortable for all shapes and sizes and seem incredibly restrictive.

Don't like them at all, and cannot believe this is the best solution technically given some of the amusement park ride leaps forward in technology.

Surprised at Universal for this. Premier cars? Really?
 
TheMan said:
Surprised at Universal for this. Premier cars? Really?
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Well, Revenge of the Mummy is a Premier coaster and that's really good. Makes sense from that perspective. Don't see the point of the shin restraints though, all they do is cause pain.
 
I see Premier as a quality manufacturer. All of their coasters I have ridden have been good and of a high quality. I certainly hope they have had an involvement in Gringotts.

:)
 
I sat in the test seat last Thursday and the shin guards didn't touch me, I can't comment on what they'll be like when in motion (hopefully I'll find out later this week) but they don't seem like too much of a problem. Even The Mummy has them to an extent and it's not a problem there.

I'm really sorry I've not had the chance to post a full review but I've been really busy with my last week at work and packing up to head back to England, I'm actually posting this on my break in the Magic Kjngdom utilidors in the midst of a 10 hour shift. I'll try and get a full review up by the end of the week once I've done Gringotts, but safe to say from what I experienced last week at the soft opening I must say it exceeded the hype infinitely.

I'm not a huge Potter Geek, but from a fan of theme parks and immersive theming's perspective, honest to say... It made me a tad emotional :p
 
Diagon Alley officially opens today and as expected, queues are already racking up. However this time, Universal have allowed guests into the park well before 6am to wait outside the area:

BsA5POkCEAAPaC_.jpg:large
 
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