Vote of the week: Show scenes for Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

July 23, 2009, 6:36 PM · After watching the latest Harry Potter movie this past week, my kids are looking forward to the next installment in the Harry Potter universe: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Here's what we know about the main attraction in the new land, which will open early in 2010: It will take place inside Hogwarts Castle. You will board after queueing through the Great Hall. The ride vehicles will be four-person seats on Kuka robot arms, mounted from an overhead track. And there will be about 10 scenes in the ride.

But what do you want those 10 scenes to be? Let's vote!

I've selected several potential scenes from the first three Harry Potter books. They are all scenes from inside Hogwarts Castle and do not include the Great Hall or the entry, which will be part of the queue. Nor do they include the common rooms, well, 'cause you're not supposed to be in common rooms outside your house. ;-) And they do not include any scenes that take place outside the castle, since that's where the ride will be set.

Pick the one you most want to see, from these options, then discuss in the comments.

Have a great weekend!

Replies (18)

July 23, 2009 at 7:23 PM · Are you sure that you never leave the Castle during the ride?
July 23, 2009 at 7:28 PM · No. It could be a Haunted Mansion type of deal, where you slide out a window or something and wander the grounds. (And there's always apparition, once you get outside the castle, of course!) But the ride itself is contained within the Hogwarts "building."
July 23, 2009 at 7:40 PM · Robert, are you sure that the track is suspended? Everything I heard going into this was that it would be a modified Spider-man system with KUKA arms attached from the ground.

Also, I heard that you would tour the grounds of Hogwarts as well as the school itself. One of the rumored scenes, that I have heard from the very beginning, is the Whomping Willow scene from Chamber of Secrets.

July 23, 2009 at 8:01 PM · Yeah Robert, I've heard the same as Raul. That anonymous post should be attributed to me by the way.
July 24, 2009 at 1:04 AM · I have no qualms with the ride being like Spider-Man because, really, that's what I was hoping for, anyway. Why fix what ain't broke, right? The worst that can come out of this potential Potter ride is that it bumps out the current Best Ride. ;)

Anyway, as for my scene, which I find discussion strangely lacking of, I picked the Chamber of Secrets. Because, since the land is supposedly going to be based off the first four books, I'd say that scenes with the greatest chances are most definitely prevalent scenes from the first four books, and Chamber of Secrets, in my mind, is probably the most prevalent from the first four.

Any other scenes that pop up will probably just be to set the scene of the ride, I'd imagine, or move the story along. If I were a betting man, I'd say the climax will probably be in the Chamber. ;)

July 24, 2009 at 2:06 AM · Hmmm. I thought the timeline was somewhere between the fourth and fifth books. Whatever. I voted for the Staircase because I think all the cases moving with no particular rhyme or reason would be cool.
July 24, 2009 at 4:55 AM · I'm won't be certain of anything until I ride, and if Universal Creative does it's job well, I won't be entirely certain about things like ride systems and tech effects even then! Many of us have seen or been told detailed plans, but even those change over time.
July 24, 2009 at 6:01 AM · I voted Chamber of Secrets.

Regarding the ride system, I have to agree with Raul and Dan so far. Suspended can mean a few things, but robot arms suspended from the track leaves me guessing right now. Keep in mind....riders can be considered "suspended" even with the Kuka arms attached to a ground track. I believe I have seen floor prep work in some pictures taken that might confirm this, but like Robert said...with Universal things can always change with a blink of an eye!

July 24, 2009 at 6:42 AM · These are great choices, Robert. I wonder how they'd pull of the Mirror of Erised? My greatest desire might be beyond PG-rated. I guess everyone sees something different, though, so nobody could be offended.

I chose the staircase. If they could elevate and weave you through it like you were a camera in the films, with the stairs narrowly dodging you and the portraits all yelling at you, it would be fantastic.

July 24, 2009 at 7:13 AM · It might be fun to see the Yule Ball in progress, a la the Ballroom at the Haunted Mansion. Could be a glorious mid-ride pause for some spectacle.

I wish it would end with the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort in the Great Hall, but that part of the movie won't even be out yet.

The Troll attack would be good - maybe it could follow the cars around from time to time, then swipe at them similar to Exp. Everest's Yeti?

Would be a shame not to pop "outside" briefly to watch a Quidditch match, but that may be another ride in the land.

July 24, 2009 at 10:07 AM · If I had to guess or hope, I would be pretty sure that Universal would want to include a Fluffy and Basilisk AA that would blow Disney's Yeti away, there will probably be some dementors, and I really hope we can get a Voldemort animatronic as well.
July 24, 2009 at 11:28 AM · I vote to see Aragog, ride in the flying car, fly in a quidditch game and ride on the Knight Bus.
July 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM · there should be a womping willow roller coaster!
July 24, 2009 at 9:33 PM · Is this ride going to be in 3D, or with sets and AAs?
July 25, 2009 at 5:52 AM · Well, I feel like an idiot. Someone just reminded me that apparition isn't the only way in the wizarding world to pop from one place to another. I totally forgot about floo powder. So if they use that, anything outside the castle is fair game.
July 26, 2009 at 2:48 PM · The chamber of secrets could be a ride in it's own right. It would be incredible to have your car just narrowly miss an attack from the basilisk.
July 27, 2009 at 12:05 AM · I think running from the dementors on your broom would be a scary addition to the potter ride. They could have rain in the show room, giant 3d projections on the walls, and a Harry robot flying next to you. Would be great.
July 28, 2009 at 1:10 PM · sorry not much help but all i do know is that emma, dan and rupert have already filmed the interactive scenes ;) but by the sounds of what you have described it sounds more like a virtual tour through hogwarts , either way i shall find out as i'm finally back out to florida october 2010 =)

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