Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
The ride is located in Hogwarts Castle
Data
amusement park	Universal's Islands of Adventure
opening	June 18, 2010
Manufacturer	Dynamic Structures, KUKA robots
Type	Darkride
Passenger carrier	47
People per passenger carrier	4th
length	approx. 250 m
speed	approx. 0.75 m / s
Travel time	approx. 5 min
capacity	1800 people per hour
Theming	Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a ride in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area of Universal's Islands of Adventure amusement park in Orlando , Florida . Passengers are led past scenes and locations in and around the Hogwarts Castle known from the Harry Potter books and films . The first run of the ride opened on June 18, 2010 at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando, and the second on July 15, 2014 at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka . A third ride at Universal Studios Hollywood opened on April 7, 2016.

description

This section refers to the ride in the Islands of Adventure. The journey in the other locations can vary significantly.

Visitors on their way to the entrance of the ride

In Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey , Robocoasters from KUKA are used, which enable the passenger carriers attached to the robot arm to move freely around three axes of rotation. However, the ride has more characteristics of a themed ride than a roller coaster. The ride includes a broom flight around Hogwarts, encounters with the Whomping Willow and a group of dementors, and a Quidditch game . The passengers are thrown around wildly by the robot arms and laid on their backs, but never turned upside down. Shoulder straps are used as a restraint system to secure the passengers. At the end of the journey, visitors arrive at the “Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods” souvenir shop. With Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey it is not possible to shorten the waiting time through the fast-pass system. For individuals, however, there is a single rider queue with which free individual seats in the passenger carriers are filled.

waiting room

the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom

Visitors enter the building through the Hogwarts Gate and begin their journey in the catacombs, which contain familiar items from the books and films. Visitors can then lock their luggage in lockers. The queue then leads back outside, through the greenhouse and back into the castle. There are other well-known objects here, such as the Nerhegeb mirror , the Hogwarts House jewels and the talking portraits. As visitors make their way down the hallways, they pass replicas of rooms from Hogwarts, including the Headmaster's Office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the Gryffindor Common Room . In the headmaster's office, visitors are greeted by Professor Dumbledore and informed that Professor Binns is giving a lecture on the history of the school. In the room where Defense Against the Dark Arts is taught, Harry, Ron and Hermione appear in camouflage cloaks and invite visitors to a game of Quidditch. But first they would have to meet in the room of wishes . Then Ron tries to perform a magic trick, but it does not work, so that one of various special effects, in this case a snow shower from the ceiling, is triggered. Before the visitors get into the station, the speaking hat and the speaking portraits remind them of the safety instructions again.

station

The magic benches are attached to the arm of an industrial robot.

Next, the visitors find themselves in the Room of Desires , which is also the station. The benches move at a steady speed through the room, a 50 m long conveyor belt runs in parallel, which passengers can use to get on safely. At the end of the room the benches rise and with the help of the floo network the journey begins. The subsequent trip combines real backdrops with projections that encompass the entire field of vision.

journey

At the start of the ride, Hermione sprinkles a pinch of flea powder on the passengers and asks them to say "observatory" so that the floo network will take them to the desired location. Thereupon the banks break open in the direction of the astronomy tower. Visitors exit the astronomy tower through the fireplace and enter the observatory, where they can see the lakes and mountains beyond Hogwarts through the open windows. At the time the visitors fly outside through one of the windows, the robotic arm moves the benches in a gentle motion in front of a full screen and the passengers follow Harry and Ron on a flight around Hogwarts to the Quidditch game. The magical benches come to a stop at a bridge, where visitors are asked by gamekeeper Hagrid if they have seen his dragon. At Harry's insistence, the visitors continued their journey, crossed under the bridge and met the dragon, who immediately began to chase the visitors. The robots move the benches from the projection surface to a real backdrop of the bridge, where an animatronic of the kite is located, which spits “fire” at the visitors in the form of illuminated fog.

The magical benches seek protection from the dragon in a setting of the forbidden forest , where the visitors encounter an animatronic from Aragog , which splashes water on them. Hermione drives Aragog away and the passengers flee the forbidden forest while more spiders get in their way. After leaving the forest, the passengers encounter the whipping willow that guards the entrance of the secret passage at the howling hut . The magical benches initially avoid the blows of the vegetation, but are finally hit, which catapults the passengers directly into the 360 ​​° projection of the Quidditch arena. By the time Slytherin scores against Gryffindor, Dementors suddenly enter the arena. Harry tries to save the passengers by escorting them back to Hogwarts under the stands, but the magical benches continue to be pursued by the Dementors and end up in the long-abandoned Chamber of Secrets . The benches move again in front of a real backdrop, where one of the dementors appears and chases after the passengers. The skeleton of the long-dead basilisk lies on the floor of the chamber, puffing dust into the air, which forms Lord Voldemort as the benches are pulled into the mouth of the statue of Salazar Slytherin.

Afterwards, many Dementors emerge from the darkness, one of whom floats down and tries to soak up the souls of the passengers. This effect is achieved by projecting the passengers 'faces onto a smoke screen in front of the Dementor, blowing cold air into the passengers' faces and playing the sound of a heartbeat from the subwoofers built into the benches. As soon as Harry has woken the passengers from their daze again, he uses a Patronus spell to put the Dementors to flight. After the last Dementor has been driven away, the passengers enter the final projection carousel, where the stones collapse outside the Chamber of Secrets. The passengers float over the black lake, back to Hogwarts, through the main hall to the great stairwell, where teachers and students cheer. Finally, Professor Dumbledore transports the passengers back through the flea network to the Room of Requirement, where the journey ends and they leave the benches again.

Security restrictions

There are test seats at the entrance to the waiting area

While anyone is allowed to walk through the waiting area, passengers must be at least four feet tall. The safety restrictions do not stipulate a maximum weight, but the passengers must be able to close the shoulder bar. There are test seats in front of the entrance and at the end of the waiting area, which show visitors whether the ride is suitable for them by lighting up differently colored lamps. People who normally need a special seat in other rides due to their body size usually have problems closing the shoulder bar. If the passengers cannot be secured with the shoulder bar, they are not allowed to use the ride. To solve this problem, Universal made changes to the restraint system of some of the seats in order to be able to carry larger passengers. In the course of these modifications, neither the size of the seats was adjusted, nor is the safety of smaller passengers endangered.

history

In January 2007, rumors first surfaced that Universal was planning a Harry Potter themed area in the Islands of Adventure . More rumors followed about a project with the code name Strong Arm , in which Robocoasters from KUKA were to be used. On March 31, 2007, Universal officially announced that a themed area called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be entering the Islands of Adventure in partnership with Warner Bros. The first construction work on the new themed area began at the end of October 2007, and work on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey began in February 2008. The construction work was completed in the second half of 2010. The ride went into operation on June 1, 2010; the official opening took place on June 18.

On December 6, 2011 it was announced that Universal would open another Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood ; one of the attractions would be another version of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey . On May 5, 2011, the Los Angeles Times published a report that Universal Park in Japan would also receive a Wizarding World of Harry Potter , including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey , by 2014 . The Japanese version of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey opened on July 15, 2014.

Transport system

a Robocoaster from KUKA, here in a stationary version firmly attached to the floor

The transport system for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was built by the Canadian system manufacturer Dynamic Structures , which has already been responsible for various rides in several Disney parks. There were Robocoaster KUKA used that were found previously only as firmly anchored to the floor finishes. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey differs from these rides in that the robots are moved through the hall in an endless transport system. The vehicle bases are supported by four heavy-duty castors, which are guided by a guide rail over the concrete floor covered with steel planks. The passenger carriers are attached to the robots' arms. This enables the Robocoasters to drive through the hall and, at the same time, to execute synchronized movements with the theming elements (real backdrops, projections). This system was first introduced in 2004 at the IAAPA of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions . A major disadvantage of this complex driving system is that the passengers cannot be evacuated quickly in the event of an emergency shutdown and therefore sometimes have to remain in an uncomfortable position for a long time.

layout

The ride was designed by Universal Creative in collaboration with the Warner Bros. Recreation Group. Thierry Coup, who previously worked on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man , Shrek 4-D and Revenge of the Mummy , was the creative director of the planning.

occupation

Many of the actors known from the films played in the video sequences of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey :

• Harry Potter , played by Daniel Radcliffe
• Ron Weasley , played by Rupert Grint
• Hermione Granger , played by Emma Watson
• Albus Dumbledore , played by Michael Gambon
• Rubeus Hagrid , played by Robbie Coltrane
• Draco Malfoy , played by Tom Felton
• Ginny Weasley , played by Bonnie Wright
• Fred Weasley , played by James Phelps
• George Weasley , played by Oliver Phelps
• Professor Flitwick , played by Warwick Davis
• Neville Longbottom , played by Matthew Lewis

reception

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was praised by most of the critics because of the innovative technology and the theming. Arthur Levinde of About.com states that he felt transported to a “truly magical place. In some wonderful moments, the floo network, the flying benches and the whipping willow not only seemed real, but actually real. ”He rated Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey with five stars out of five and wrote that the ride was the best of its kind . Robert Niles from Theme Park Insider praised Universal Creative for the attention to detail in the ride. Niles wrote that the company set its expectations as high as possible and that the ride was "the most advanced and adorable in the history of the theme park industry." Inside the Magic's Ricky Brigante describes the ride as “a mind-boggling journey not to be missed” and at the same time criticized the incoherent plot.

Web links

Commons : Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey on the Islands of Adventure website
• detailed article on Coastersandmore

Individual evidence

1. ^ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. themeparkinsider.com, accessed June 22, 2013 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Dipl.-Ing. Jochen Peschel: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. coastersandmore.com, accessed June 22, 2013 . 
3. ^ Islands of Adventure: Live the adventure of a lifetime. Universal Orlando Resort, accessed June 24, 2020 . 
4. ↑ ^{a b} Karla Cripps: Universal Studios Japan's 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' opens. CNN, July 14, 2014, accessed September 8, 2014 . 
5. ↑ Universal Studios Hollywood Makes Unprecedented Investment in Epic Theme Park Transformation. Universal Studios Hollywood, April 9, 2014, accessed June 24, 2020 . 
6. ↑ Eric Scull: Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey. mugglenet.com, accessed June 23, 2013 . 
7. ↑ ^{a b} Website of the subject area "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Orlando Resort, accessed June 24, 2020 . 
8. ↑ Information on the Universal Express Pass. Universal Orlando Resort, accessed June 24, 2020 . 
9. ↑ ^{a b} Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey queue at the Wizarding World in Universal Orlando. Video on YouTube, May 29, 2010, accessed June 25, 2013 . 
10. ↑ Harry Potter Ride! HD Universal Florida Islands Of Adventure Forbidden Journey On-Ride POV. Video on YouTube, June 22, 2011, accessed July 15, 2013 . 
11. ↑ ^{a b} Attractions Magazine: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride seats modified to fit larger guests. Orlando Attractions Magazine, September 11, 2010, accessed June 10, 2020 . 
12. ↑ Follow-up: 'Forbidden' fatties at 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter'. The Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator, June 19, 2010, archived from the original on June 25, 2010 ; accessed on July 13, 2013 . 
13. ^ Islands of Adventure. Screamscape, archived from the original on July 31, 2010 ; accessed on July 13, 2013 . 
14. ↑ Jason Garcia: Harry Potter ride tweaked for larger guests. Orlando Sentinel, September 13, 2010, accessed July 13, 2013 . 
15. ^ Arthur Levine: Universal to Float New Island at its Florida Park. themeparks.about.com, January 28, 2007, accessed June 29, 2013 . 
16. ↑ Harry Potter / Lost Continent Transformation. screamscape.com, February 1, 2007, archived from the original on February 3, 2007 ; accessed on June 29, 2013 . 
17. ↑ Jim Hill: Monday Mouse Watch: You'll Believe a Car Can Fly. jimhillmedia.com, February 4, 2007, accessed June 29, 2013 . 
18. ↑ James Sturcke: Harry Potter theme park to open in Florida. The Guardian, May 31, 2007, accessed June 29, 2013 . 
19. ↑ Harry Potter theme park swoops to Fla. USA today, May 31, 2007, accessed July 8, 2013 . 
20. ↑ Harry Potter theme park planned. BBC News, May 31, 2007, accessed July 8, 2013 . 
21. ↑ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park. the-leaky-cauldron.org, accessed July 8, 2013 . 
22. ^ Wizarding World of Harry Potter Soft Open Report RoundUp. the-leaky-cauldron.org, June 1, 2010, accessed July 8, 2013 . 
23. ↑ Jennifer Sangalang: Harry Potter 'movie stars help christen Wizarding World. USA Today, June 18, 2010, accessed July 8, 2013 . 
24. ↑ Brady MacDonald: It's official: Harry Potter land to debut at Universal Studios Hollywood. Los Angeles Times, December 6, 2011, accessed July 8, 2013 . 
25. ↑ Ryan Nakashima: Poof! Harry Potter park to appear in Hollywood. Associated Press, December 10, 2011, accessed June 24, 2020 . 
26. ↑ Ben Fritz: Harry Potter heads to Universal Studios Japan. Los Angeles Times, May 9, 2012, accessed June 22, 2013 . 
27. ↑ Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey. parkz.com, accessed June 24, 2020 . 
28. ↑ ^{a b} Dipl.-Ing. Jochen Peschel: IAAPA 2004 Innovations. coastersandmore.de, accessed on July 9, 2013 . 
29. ^ ^{A b} Lance Hart: Islands of Adventure. Screamscape.com, archived from the original on April 5, 2010 ; accessed on July 9, 2013 . 
30. ^ Robocoaster History. (No longer available online.) Simworx, archived from the original on May 31, 2011 ; accessed on July 9, 2013 . 
31. ^ "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" Attraction Details. Retrieved June 24, 2020 . 
32. ↑ KUKA: Robot-based rides. Retrieved June 24, 2020 . 
33. ^ Susan Jacobson: Guests stuck on Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter ride. Orlando Sentinel, June 23, 2010, accessed July 9, 2013 . 
34. ↑ Getting to know: Thierry Coup. rwsentosa.com, October 5, 2011, accessed July 9, 2013 . 
35. ↑ Robert Niles: Theme park magic in Orlando has a new home: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Theme Park Insider, June 17, 2010, accessed July 9, 2013 . 
36. ↑ Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (2010). IMDb, accessed on July 13, 2013 . 
37. ↑ Arthur Levine: The Forbidden Journey of Harry Potter Ride. About.com, accessed July 13, 2013 . 
38. ↑ Robert Niles: Theme park magic in Orlando has a new home: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Theme Park Insider, June 17, 2010, accessed July 13, 2013 . 
39. ↑ Ricky Brigante: Spoiler-Free Review: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Orlando's Wizarding World. Inside the Magic, June 2, 2010, accessed July 13, 2013 . 
40. ↑ Ricky Brigante: Spoiler-FILLED Review: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Orlando's Wizarding World. Inside the Magic, June 4, 2010, accessed July 13, 2013 . 

Coordinates: 28 ° 28 ′ 20.1 ″  N , 81 ° 28 ′ 25 ″  W.