Harry Potter fans everywhere (including Shane at A Way To Go Travel) are anticipating the June 18th opening of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Shane has tracked the progress of the construction and tried to discover any previews or insight into what the attraction will be. He found an article published by the Orlando Sentinel. The article tauts the attraction as a cross between Island of Adventure's Spiderman, Soaring at Epcot and a ultra modern version of Disney's Haunted Mansion. After much investigation, Shane was able to get a sneak-peak review of the attraction.
"It's not a ride on a magical broomstick, but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter may be home to the next-best thing! The park opens June 18th!!!Theme-park guests aboard the new Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure will be tossed, turned and dangled over scenery — and scary moments — similar to what the boy wizard encountered in the Potter films.Passengers ride in a row of four people on a so-called enchanted bench (really, a broomstick wouldn't be very comfortable or secure, would it?) An over-shoulder harness lowers to secure them for a twisting journey on a robotic arm that throws riders from side to side, through surging, forward-moving maneuvers and eventually completely on their backs — although never completely upside down.After winding through Forbidden Journey's extensively themed queue and making a left turn at the sorting hat, guests are lead to a moving sidewalk and settle back into the seats. Team members lower the harnesses into place while music from the films' opening credits play. Overhead are levitating candles like those seen in the Great Hall in the films.
The ride experience resembles a cross between IOA's classic Spider-Man ride, Soarin' at Epcot and even an ultramodern version of Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion.Yes, there are scary moments. The frightful Dementors pop out of nowhere next to the ride vehicle — these are three-dimensional forms, not projections. And the arachnophobes among us will find the very dark spider scenes seem very long. (The whole ride is about four minutes long.) I was caught off guard a few times and let out audible gasps.The attraction combines use of a robotic arm, immersive filmed scenes with original Potter actors (including star Daniel Radcliffe) and animatronic props such as a large steam-breathing dragon and those big, icky spiders. The vehicle swoops smoothly through these components and follows Harry through scenarios, including one especially disorienting romp where riders are airborne and suddenly in the midst of a Quidditch match.Fear not, there's a happy ending and a celebration before returning to the loading station and — like magic — into an extensive gift shop full of Potterabilia."
No comments:
Post a Comment