More on Ride Inside Hogwarts Castle at Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park
FansJuly 05, 2009, 07:09 AM
The Orlando Sentinel has an article online today, with more details on the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park attraction currently being built in Orlando, Florida. Readers will recall we've posted before regarding rumors and reports of a possible ride inside the giant castle of Hogwarts which will serve as the center of the new park at Universal Orlando. Today the paper states:
The castle will also house what is expected to be the Wizarding World's signature attraction. Several people familiar with the project, including one person directly involved, said the ride will be what's known as a "robocoaster" — a ride system in which guests sit in seats suspended from a robotic arm that can swivel and swoop in multiple directions while it advances along a track.
Plans show the track snaking through more than a dozen scenes, though what those scenes will be remains a mystery. The attraction, according to the people familiar with it, will also feature an elaborate pre-show queue with special effects such as floating candles and snow falling indoors.
Other new details about the park which is expected to open early next year include a mention that Hagrid's Hut is being built along with plans "to re-create the Forbidden Forest, an ominous setting from the books that's home to creatures such as centaurs, unicorns and spiderlike "acromantulas." Finally, notable quotes come from discussion on what rides the park may include:
There is little yet to indicate what rides will be included in the Wizarding World beyond the Hogwarts "dark" ride. Part of the Wizarding World is being built in the Lost Continent section of Islands of Adventure, and documents indicate that two existing attractions there — Dueling Dragons, where riders choose between two intertwined roller coasters, and the Flying Unicorn, a children's coaster closed last year as part of the Potter construction — will be incorporated into Harry Potter's world.
Both rides are expected to be re-themed with Potter story lines. Records show, for instance, that Universal plans to add a large tent at the entrance of Dueling Dragons, which fans have speculated will ultimately be converted into a re-creation of a wizarding tournament from one of the books in which one of the events involves stealing eggs from dragons.
cool!!