- May 9th, 2016, 9:37 pm
#87770
Well, finally, after being in Clearwater, FL. for over 7 months I kind of forced my team to take a day and hit Universal and I.O.A. before our job is over and we missed an opportunity.Here are a few of my thoughts.
Ok, so I decided against a normal type of “trip report” and the posting of pictures that anyone can find with a simple search, but I thought maybe a discussion on the technology and thrills, or not, of Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. So feel free to put up your thoughts on what you think.
1st off I will say that both Harry Potter areas were done pretty well. My friend bought him a wand and we watched and laughed at him casting spells at all the spots in both areas. The attention to detail was quite nice but I was bothered by the tiny rooms you could look into with stationary décor. With all that is going on in both areas this is one place I feel they dropped the ball. I got the feeling more of looking in a museum rather than a Harry Potter world where nothing remains still. Also, they should put a restaurant in Knockturn Alley. That was my kind of place, dark, mysterious, ominous. What foods they could serve in the low demonic light!
The very best of both H.P. sections was the Forbidden ride. The mix of real décor and projection came together quite nicely with an attraction that did not keep stopping every 10 feet. It was very fluid and interactive as much as many places you felt like you could just reach out and touch the scenery.
We rode the main attractions such as Men in Black, Simpsons, Spiderman, Hogwarts Express, Mummy, etc. What I experienced was a lot less thrill and more of a watching movie feel. I know, I know, it IS Universal Studios so what did I expect? Well, I have been here many, many times in the past but even then I felt like there is just way too much projection screening everywhere and a lot less in the actual ride feel. In H.P. Forbidden Journey where Dumbledore is talking and later when Harry and the gang came to chat the projection was terrible. Scale was off, brightness was off and the illusion of them actually being there was lost. Also in Gringotts, before you board the whole scene was, at first, cool then it became sloppy. I’m sure to the younger crowd and even older adults loved it but I am a technical guy who works in technical jobs and I was underwhelmed to say the least. Most projections has never been quite in sync with the attraction and when there is more than one carriage that has to share it never ends well enough for me.
The whole point of this is that I feel image projection, 3D projection, ride stoppage every few feet to where you can see the other carriages are just so overdone here. While Kong was obviously not open and I saw where Fast and Furious is being built I can only see more and more of a projection experience.
To be fair, there is a ton of stuff to do at both parks but for the price of a one day ticket I think not. Just not enough actual thrills.
I’ll let you all chime in if you want. Sorry Jarvis.
Ok, so I decided against a normal type of “trip report” and the posting of pictures that anyone can find with a simple search, but I thought maybe a discussion on the technology and thrills, or not, of Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. So feel free to put up your thoughts on what you think.
1st off I will say that both Harry Potter areas were done pretty well. My friend bought him a wand and we watched and laughed at him casting spells at all the spots in both areas. The attention to detail was quite nice but I was bothered by the tiny rooms you could look into with stationary décor. With all that is going on in both areas this is one place I feel they dropped the ball. I got the feeling more of looking in a museum rather than a Harry Potter world where nothing remains still. Also, they should put a restaurant in Knockturn Alley. That was my kind of place, dark, mysterious, ominous. What foods they could serve in the low demonic light!
The very best of both H.P. sections was the Forbidden ride. The mix of real décor and projection came together quite nicely with an attraction that did not keep stopping every 10 feet. It was very fluid and interactive as much as many places you felt like you could just reach out and touch the scenery.
We rode the main attractions such as Men in Black, Simpsons, Spiderman, Hogwarts Express, Mummy, etc. What I experienced was a lot less thrill and more of a watching movie feel. I know, I know, it IS Universal Studios so what did I expect? Well, I have been here many, many times in the past but even then I felt like there is just way too much projection screening everywhere and a lot less in the actual ride feel. In H.P. Forbidden Journey where Dumbledore is talking and later when Harry and the gang came to chat the projection was terrible. Scale was off, brightness was off and the illusion of them actually being there was lost. Also in Gringotts, before you board the whole scene was, at first, cool then it became sloppy. I’m sure to the younger crowd and even older adults loved it but I am a technical guy who works in technical jobs and I was underwhelmed to say the least. Most projections has never been quite in sync with the attraction and when there is more than one carriage that has to share it never ends well enough for me.
The whole point of this is that I feel image projection, 3D projection, ride stoppage every few feet to where you can see the other carriages are just so overdone here. While Kong was obviously not open and I saw where Fast and Furious is being built I can only see more and more of a projection experience.
To be fair, there is a ton of stuff to do at both parks but for the price of a one day ticket I think not. Just not enough actual thrills.
I’ll let you all chime in if you want. Sorry Jarvis.
