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

[Rob]

Great post! I couldn't agree any more. Disney, Universal and EP all take the same approach; put in the care, effort, money and detail and then the income and profit will naturally follow. If you fully immerse someone in a unique experience like Harry Potter then they are naturally likely to want to purchase items to go with said experience as it just makes it more real.

 

[thefatone]

Kings Cross depature board. Seems somewhat surreal to see things like 'First Capital Connect' and 'East Coast' on there, however all the trains are showing as on-time so it's not very accurate! Would be good if they played station announcements as well:

Don't know if you've watched the POV through this queueline, but it does play announcements almost exactly like Kings Cross - "please join this train now... as it is ready to leave. Platform 3 for the...".

This project is just pure insanity. And from that, I really want to go back right now and do it. Maybe a visit on a whim!

 

[Rob]

Don't know if you've watched the POV through this queueline, but it does play announcements almost exactly like Kings Cross - "please join this train now... as it is ready to leave. Platform 3 for the...".

Yes thanks I saw that since and got stupidly excited by it! The departure and arrivals boards also change which is good. I'm not sure but I think they might be in "real time" which is even more awesome! The details are incredible!

 

[Scott]

Yes thanks I saw that since and got stupidly excited by it! The departure and arrivals boards also change which is good. I'm not sure but I think they might be in "real time" which is even more awesome! The details are incredible!

If they do then that's bloody insane but from the image I thought they looked like stickers?

 

[Rob]

If they do then that's bloody insane but from the image I thought they looked like stickers?

Well in the video they were displaying different trains/times etc than in the photo! It's bloody brilliant!!

 

[Danny]

Even if you never expected something that simple, somebody in a meeting will have brought that point up regarding the time changes on the boards and here we are today. Something so simple and in no way beneficial to the guests overall experience, yet Universal did it anyway to make the whole experience as realistic and accurate to the world as possible. The true definition of guest satisfaction over profit right there.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Presumably they follow the real Kings Cross, but on a timeshift? if so, it will be interesting to see how many delays get put up on there, and if the locals think that means the ride is broken.

 

[Danny]

Universal are moving forwards with the King Kong development over in IoA recently, with the arrival of various forms of piping and steel work. It's now come to light that Universal have filed for the foundation and structural steel work for the project, with the following image of the submitted permit:

 

[Danny]

The Hogwarts Express has also opened today for softs, so expect reviews to be making their way onto the internet soon!

 

[Andrew]

A very very very poor quality POV has been posted here. It's in portrait instead of landscape but you can see some clear scenes and there is the audio too so it'll have to do for now.

Of course *SPOILERS* in the following video

 

[NF2]

I'm in the queue right now and safe to say the announcements, whilst cool, are definitely not real

Just heard an announcement for an East coast train to Peterborough via Middlesborough... Nice grasp of Geography there guys

 

[Dar]

A very very very poor quality POV has been posted here. It's in portrait instead of landscape but you can see some clear scenes and there is the audio too so it'll have to do for now.

Of course *SPOILERS* in the following video

That's the 3rd version of that same POV of seen and they're all naff!

 

[Danny]

Naturally as these have been taken in secret on shoddy camera phones, the POVs aren't going to be brilliant up until open day. Even then I doubt we'll get a glimpse of a POV that does the ride justice, as even to this day I still fail to find a POV that gives the audience an insight into just how spectacular Forbidden Journey is.

 

[Ted]

Have to say, the idea of (almost) real train announcements is amazing! I'm sure some train geeks who have been or will be going to the park will have told such inaccuracies like the one NF2 pointed out to universal so they can be fixed

 

[Scott]

I'm in the queue right now and safe to say the announcements, whilst cool, are definitely not real

Just heard an announcement for an East coast train to Peterborough via Middlesborough... Nice grasp of Geography there guys

It's things like this which I love... The project is so incredible that to find fault we have to look to slightly inaccurate train announcements. It's amazing

 

[Alastair]

I LOVE the way they've completely discarded Desplat's score (which originally accompanied the Gringotts escape scene in the film) and used all John Williams. The music you hear at the start was (I believe) part of the Quidditch music from the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

[Laura]

Does anyone actually want to organise a visit?

I am seriously considering just packing myself off there in December on my own. I have the money just no one who wants to go so was going to go on my own.

 

[pritchardavid]

Don't tempt me Laura

 

[Laura]

That was the general idea of the post!

I've been in December twice before and the only busy area was the Wizarding World, everything else was walk-on, and the weather wasn't too unbearable. You also have the palm trees done up for Christmas and so on. It's a great time to go and one of the most affordable! I do not know if Virgin will be offering early entry to the Diagon Alley area this early into the opening though, amazing as that would be.

 

[Danny]

I agree that December is a stunning time to visit, and I'd actually strive to visit again during that period. If you can conjure up some extra magical money and fancy paying for a large group of us, I'm sure you'd have plenty of people to fill the spaces

Unfortunately my bank account does not permit me to do a visit at all this year, and for the foreseeable future until at least 2016. May the savings begin.