http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/

The announcement is embedded in Flash so there's nothing to paste here.

The new target date is spring 2010. Not long ago that was to be 2009.

> The new target date is spring 2010. Not long ago that was
> to be 2009.

Thats sooner than expected.

The last opening target date I heard was late 2010, not spring.

I can't wait to see it!

Dragon Challenge? Are you kidding me? That's what they named Dueling Dragons?

UGHHHHHH what is up with the name thing of coasters anymore? Are we not wanting to think outside of the box? Seriously?

As a Harry Potter fan...more the books than the movies...I think it sounds great! Although I agree with Katie about DD's new moniker, I'm glad Universal will work the coaster into the theme. I only rode DD Ice once, and wasn't particularly impressed. Is Flight of the Hippogriff a new ride? I don't remember a family coaster there. If my car situation works out and I go down to KD and Carowinds, maybe that trip can extend further south. I haven't been to Florida since '04, and I wanna meet my Mummy!

But now, to the most important point. I enjoy a good belt of Southern Comfort occasionally, mixed with anything. But one thing I am NOT is a beer drinker. I just don't like it. But I love my butter. Some have bread with their butter. I have butter with my butter! So the question becomes: Will I like butterbeer?

Mike

> Is Flight of the Hippogriff a new
> ride? I don't remember a family coaster there.

Mike,

The Flying Unicorn is the current family coaster. I would assume its name is changing to the Flight of the Hippogriff. It's listed as SBNO on rcdb.com.

Kevin

As I recall, there was a small Vekoma skater coaster located next to DD last time we were there which was dragon themed. I'm not sure if this is the same coaster (but I'm guessing it probably is). It's also been a few years since our last visit to USF... I think it was '02. And we don't drink beer either, so can't help you there.

> And we don't
> drink beer either, so can't help you there.

Nobody's tasted it yet, Rob! It's Rowling's creation, so I'm curious to see what it WILL taste like. And I WILL try it. I never did try the green eggs and ham last time I was there.

Mike

> As a Harry Potter fan...more the books than the movies...I
> think it sounds great! Although I agree with Katie about
> DD's new moniker, I'm glad Universal will work the coaster
> into the theme. I only rode DD Ice once, and wasn't
> particularly impressed. Is Flight of the Hippogriff a new
> ride? I don't remember a family coaster there. If my car
> situation works out and I go down to KD and Carowinds,
> maybe that trip can extend further south. I haven't been to
> Florida since '04, and I wanna meet my Mummy!

> But now, to the most important point. I enjoy a good belt
> of Southern Comfort occasionally, mixed with anything. But
> one thing I am NOT is a beer drinker. I just don't like it.
> But I love my butter. Some have bread with their butter. I
> have butter with my butter! So the question becomes: Will I
> like butterbeer?

> Mike
If you don't mind it being a short ride, the Mummy is very fun to ride. Even better if you are on the single rider line, that line really moves [most of the time].

> Is Flight of the Hippogriff a new
> ride? I don't remember a family coaster there.

> Mike,

> The Flying Unicorn is the current family coaster. I would
> assume its name is changing to the Flight of the
> Hippogriff. It's listed as SBNO on rcdb.com.

> Kevin

I'd figured they'd retheme it to that.

> Dragon Challenge? Are you kidding me? That's what they
> named Dueling Dragons?

> UGHHHHHH what is up with the name thing of coasters
> anymore? Are we not wanting to think outside of the box?
> Seriously?

I just wonder what the tunnel is going to look like? I liked the theming of the frozen knights and the cave of skulls.

* This Post Has Been Modified *

> Dragon Challenge? Are you kidding me? That's what they
> named Dueling Dragons?

> UGHHHHHH what is up with the name thing of coasters
> anymore? Are we not wanting to think outside of the box?
> Seriously?

Yeah the name Dragon Challenge is bland but if you've read the books then you know there are about a dozen or so known types of dragons in the HP world and they all have pretty complex names like "Hungarian Horntail", "Swedish Shortsnout", "Norwegian Ridgeback", and "Antipodean Opaleye".

It would have been too much for the park to use any of these names so keeping it simple was the best way to go. They were also used and mostly talked about in Goblet of Fire during the Triwizard Tournament so we'll probably see some storyline with that..

>> If you don't mind it being a short ride, the Mummy is very
> fun to ride. Even better if you are on the single rider
> line, that line really moves [most of the time].

As I'm often solo at parks...this year being a notable exception...if there's a single rider line, I'll find it. How short IS the ride, anyway?

Mike

Well it starts off with a ride thru the tomb, dialogue, once you hit the 'dead end' that's where the ride really starts.
You reverse back a short segment and then the train rotates on a turntable and prepares to go up the launch hill into the 'mouth' and then a lot of sharp twists and turns [no inversions, but some parts did feel like you might get launched out of the seat].
Then you end up at a fake unloading station and down another drop[at that drop is where they take the pic - not in that 'station'*] and then you get to the real exit.

To be honest I never really timed it to see how long it is, but it's decent enough. Also, I managed to get the front row twice this year, which was awesome. I never got the front row much less twice in a row. I usually got the last row or somewhere in the middle.

Also for the Rip Ride rockit coaster - they have a single rider line, but it just wasn't really worth it for me. Being that each seat is 2 per row, the single rider line moves very slowly and if you get to the park early, I'd say just stay on the normal line. It probably won't make much of a difference, but at least you know on the regular line the line is moving.

*just my heads up for you.

* This Post Has Been Modified *

Just to clarify. The opening date is Spring 2010. The original date proposed was late 2009.

http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/stories/20070601_01.shtml

> The new target date is spring 2010. Not long ago that was
> to be 2009.

> Thats sooner than expected.

> The last opening target date I heard was late 2010, not
> spring.

> I can't wait to see it!

Apparently there's a clause in the contract that they have to have it open by June 30 of 2010, so to have it after that would violate the contract. However that doesn't stop all the rumors about them being way behind in construction, even for that date. I think it'll be like so many other park projects- it'll be done when it's done.

> Just to clarify. The opening date is Spring 2010.
> The original date proposed was late 2009.

The reason I knew that was that we had planned a trip to Orlando this fall.
It wasn't specifically to see Potter, but when all the pieces fell together
I remarked to my wife "we'll be able to see the new HP section at IOA too"
NOT!

> Apparently there's a clause in the contract that they have
> to have it open by June 30 of 2010, so to have it after
> that would violate the contract. However that doesn't stop
> all the rumors about them being way behind in construction,
> even for that date. I think it'll be like so many other
> park projects- it'll be done when it's done.

Well I had heard dates bounced all around the 2010 calendar. Especially after the slight delay in the construction of Hogwarts when they had to check if that structure was too big and heavy for the ground its on. And considering the size of the overall project I wouldn't be surprised if the opening does get pushed back. The Studios there couldn't get their new coaster open on time this year so it wouldn't surprise me at all if IOA couldn't do the same with WWoHP which is a gigantic project.

Basically The Wizarding World is just Dueling Dragons, Flying Unicorn, a whole buncha shops and restaurants, and the only ride that's new is the Hogwarts Castle "interactive" ride; atleast that's my early perception. Dragon Challenge is always gonna be known as the coasters FKA Dueling Dragons. I wholeheartedly agree with Katie on the Dragon Challenge name sucking. They're redoing what was already three perfectly themed coasters for reasons unknown, other than selling their souls to JK. The theming looks awesome, but I wonder is WW just gonna be like a damn-near gutted out old building with a beautiful facade. Nothing has a constant identity anymore. Just change everything to whatever is the "latest and greatest".

* This Post Has Been Modified *

I'm really gonna miss Poseidon's Fury, and the wise cracking fountain.
I don't see where either would fit with HP. I guess the Lost Continent will forever be truly lost.

A bit more info courtesy of AOL today and a short video (See Link below)

It sounds like a new book in JK Rowling's series, but Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey will be a high-tech ride and the main attraction at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new theme park area opening in spring 2010 at Universal Orlando Resort.

The Forbidden Journey ride was named by Rowling and described this week by Universal officials in a web cast revealing details of what the Potter park will look like.

The ride will take guests through scenes and rooms from the blockbuster movies inside a richly detailed remake of Hogwarts Castle made to look 700 feet tall.

Guests will enter the 'Wizarding World' through a station archway named for Hogsmeade, the magical village near Hogwarts.

A plume of steam and a train whistle will sound the arrival of the Hogwarts Express

New details have been revealed about the Harry Potter theme park in FloridaIt sounds like a new book in JK Rowling's series, but Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey will be a high-tech ride and the main attraction at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new theme park area opening in spring 2010 at Universal Orlando Resort.

The Forbidden Journey ride was named by Rowling and described this week by Universal officials in a web cast revealing details of what the Potter park will look like.

The ride will take guests through scenes and rooms from the blockbuster movies inside a richly detailed remake of Hogwarts Castle made to look 700 feet tall.

Guests will enter the 'Wizarding World' through a station archway named for Hogsmeade, the magical village near Hogwarts. A plume of steam and a train whistle will sound the arrival of the Hogwarts Express.

The goal is to make the experience immersive, so nothing outside is visible after guests pass the Hogsmeade station archway.
Rowling, known for carefully guarding the Potter franchise, hasn't yet journeyed to Orlando, but the design team has made several trips to London to consult with her.

Other rides include the 'Dragon Challenge', a twin high-speed roller coaster themed after the Triwizard Tournament and the family roller coaster Flight of the Hippogriff, named for a creature with an eagle's head and a horse's body.

"Along those journeys they're going to be swept up into the greatest parts of the movies and the books.

We've pushed every technology available to us to give guests a theme park experience unlike any they've had before," said Paul Daurio, producer of the Potter area.

The Harry Potter park will be part of Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Every shop and eatery is Potter-themed. Honeydukes sells chocolate frogs and 'Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans', Ollivander's peddles magic wands, Zonko's joke shop has Sneakoscopes, and the British restaurant Three Broomsticks pours Butterbeer.

> I'm really gonna miss Poseidon's Fury, and the wise
> cracking fountain.
> I don't see where either would fit with HP. I guess the
> Lost Continent will forever be truly lost.

Is Poseidon's Fury being removed?

I thought I read somewhere that PF and Mythos restaurant wasn't being touched.

> I thought I read somewhere that PF and Mythos restaurant
> wasn't being touched.

I assumed they would at least be re-themed. If they stay then I'm happy!

> I assumed they would at least be re-themed. If they stay
> then I'm happy!

From what I remember they were only re-doing the back part of Lost Continent and keeping Mythos and PF. And there hasn't any work being done to those two places.

I believe the Lost Continent is still going to be there, except for the back half, near Dueling Dragons.

> I believe the Lost Continent is still going to be there,
> except for the back half, near Dueling Dragons.

Thanks, and thanks June, that's good to know. I wasn't sure how much of the old IOA would be sacrificed for HP.

> I'm really gonna miss Poseidon's Fury, and the wise
> cracking fountain.
> I don't see where either would fit with HP. I guess the
> Lost Continent will forever be truly lost.

I'll confirm with June, Mythose and the fountain aren't going anywhere. We were over at the park last weekend, and they are both well out of the construction zone. Had some fun with the fountain while we were there.

So far no retheming is being done on the Dragons. There is construction all around, but I'm almost starting to wonder if they're going to leave the theming that's already there in place. Seems like it would blend in just fine that way. They are, however, finally using the main entrance for the queue now, something they haven't done in years.

Crap, I knew I forgot to do something at IOA this year. I almost completely ignored the Lost Continent section. After the Dueling Dragons, I reversed back towards Jurassic park to get another ride on the river adventure and then to the Rip Saw Falls.
I did go to LC, for PF, but one day the attraction had problems and was shut down and another day the wait was 60min [because it was probably a slow day and they had limited shows].

* This Post Has Been Modified *

> > If you don't mind it being a short ride, the Mummy is
> very
> fun to ride. Even better if you are on the single rider
> line, that line really moves [most of the time].

> As I'm often solo at parks...this year being a notable
> exception...if there's a single rider line, I'll find it.
> How short IS the ride, anyway?

> Mike

It's not that short - I liked it. I was there solo when I went to a vet conference and I walked right on it (twice) using the single rider line. So even if it is a little short, you'll have no wait.

And now I'm glad I won't be back there until Jan 2011 - that HP ride sounds like it will be amazing!

Jen

I have been waiting for HP to open forever now. its going to be great. I will defiitly be there next summer no doubt about it.