Universal's Harry Potter Problem

[@Shag471]

To give a little insight to the HP licensing agreement, I worked at Forbidden Journey for 3 years and it took all 3 of those years to get a fan installed at the Greeter location due to the many rings that such things has to be approved through. It took 4 years just to get an Express sign at the attraction as well. It goes from Park Operations to Universal Creative to Warner Brothers to JK Rowling and then the approval/disapproval has to make its way back. If not approved then a new idea is submitted and the process starts all over again. With HP everything has to fit within the theme and time frame of wherever it goes. This is the reason why they put up metal stanchions and chains during the nighttime castle shows instead of using masking tape like Disney does for parades. It’s not as easy as thinking of something and just doing it. There are HUGE leaps and bounds that must take place.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I've heard about the process to some degree, but did gather that it was hard to make changes. Now with a ton of new merch, Death Eaters in Diagon and even new beer options in Hogsmeade, I figured that Warner Brothers specifically fell in its standards.

[@LuckyPierre789]

Yep. Opening team of the Hog's Head pub here. After the first winter we wanted to serve coffee and hot chocolate from the bar. Nope. We submitted many different ways to do this and all were rejected. It was horrible because when the 2nd winter came around we had nothing warm to serve from the bar and the lines just to get coffee at 3brooms were crazy. Anyway....

[@jamesriviera2001]

I just recently worked at Hagrid’s, and it is very much the same to this day. That is why I feel like there will never be any big changes to the lands no matter how much Universal wants to, because WB has the final say.

[@charlotteflood4044]

I work at the Universal Japan (for NDA reasons I’ll say no more 😅) but I can confirm that progress can be SLOW

[@me-myself-i787]

​@@jamesriviera2001Why would WB have a say? JK Rowling owns the IP.

[@jimmyjamsburner6944]

The worst thing about the entertainment in Hogmeade is the stage location. It always causes issues with traffic of people trying to get in and out of Forbidden Journey.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It makes a lot more sense with the larger versions of Hogsmeade in Hollywood and Osaka, but the placement in Islands is terrible.

[@michikip45]

The stage location is the absolute worst at IoA, pretty sure I get caught up in a congested crowd there every time I go to ride forbidden journey

[@Shag471]

I’ve always wanted them to place it in the stroller parking area for Forbidden Journey using the castle as the backdrop.

[@zenclaw13]

Why don't they create a magic stage show with actual stage magic, projection mapping, Pyro, stunts, etc.

[@schneejacques3502]

Hopefully the epic universe has that

[@DarMar106]

Essentially that’s what the Cursed Child stage show is. Story is kinda meh but they stage illusions are incredible

[@aphoticphoton]

Go the fievel route…condense the movies greatest hits into a 30 minute show? Or maybe years 4 through 7 since that coincides with the rides setting and easier to cast adults as teens vs kids lol

[@DSL3125]

​@@schneejacques3502predicting the future I see

[@Andrew-sy6on]

They aren’t break dancing. It’s classical Russian acrobatic dancing. It’s kind of what they’re known for

[@marblown]

lol was hoping someone beat me to this. Still think that scene is cringe though

[@alewiina]

@@funniestshitpostsit just says “in the far north”, it’s not really a stretch to have them come from Russia or somewhere else around there. The books do not indicate Sweden or Norway. “Far north” could mean Russia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, or hell, maybe even Iceland.

[@allyli1718]

Yeah it’s kinda annoying that he goes so hard on movie inaccuracy (that was clearly made for movie showmanship/imagery) when he himself gets basic stuff like that wrong.

[@vcorkleth]

One surprising thing is that the Wizarding World doesn't take more advantage of the Halloween season. I get why they would want to be distanced from Halloween Horror Nights, until recently, but the fact they don't put up any special decoration or have seasonal shows like they do for Christmas is a missed opportunity. Halloween was just as important in the Harry Potter world as Christmas was.

[@sydneyskindasquare]

And it’s so unfortunate because Halloween is an actual holiday that’s shown! They could have a giant puppet that is the troll, or a show with Voldemort and the death eaters! They have so much opportunity but don’t use it!

[@superwhiteboy619]

Why did they want to distance themselves from horror nights?

[@calebcampbell561]

@@superwhiteboy619probably bc Halloween horror nights leans into the gory more mature themes of its houses and movies where HP stays pretty kid friendly. Even Forbidden Journey is pretty tame compared to the props and effects in the houses.

[@davidfitzsimmons2451]

This is definitely something I thought about often, the lands primary draw is just simply 'harry potter' with as you said a few good rides. I have a hunch Rowling might be partly to blame. I know it is said one of the things she was VERY adamant about not being done when Disney was at negotiation with her was NO roaming named characters or meet and greets. She did NOT like the idea of Harry Potter, Ron, Hermione, etc just walking around or meeting with guests. Wouldn't be surprised that her initial deals with universal limited potential entertainment options.

[@NotParticularlyWitty]

Yeah, Rowling is a notorious control freak on the property (reportedly in large part due to having acquiesced on "Sorcerers Stone" for the US and never gotten over it) so I can imagine that anything interesting that in any way deviated with what she'd written would be immediately scrapped.

[@arandomnamegoeshere]

I'd actually agree with her on this point. Harry, Ron, and Hermione weren't running around Hogsmead pulling in random strangers off the street to solve mysteries and defeat Voldemort. And if we're not getting the movie's kid-year-old actors then Fake Harry isn't the same thing (and no Galaxy's Edge doesn't need Fake Luke either). Not everyone NEEDS to be a Main Character to get immersed in the world. (And yeah - I know that's not consistent with other experiences. I've been impressed with Fake Marry Poppins and especially one Fake Snow White - the "friends" of those characters were especially gifted at their portrayal. But then... the backdrop for those characters are set pieces rather than the world immersion presented by Hogsmead and Diagon Alley.)

[@davidfitzsimmons2451]

@@arandomnamegoeshere oh yes of course, let me clarify I DO agree with her not wanting characters walking around and making demands regarding it. However it does impact possible entertainment options and that IS a fact despite me agreeing with no harry walking around. And further more, we don't know what else she demanded, or how she made her demands. Perhaps she demanded "characters from movies may ONLY appear in the rides", for example with a ban on even more traditional stage entertainment involving them. That would definitely cause some issues. And perhaps she was more strict on the usual sorts of entertainment and atmosphere a theme park land might have and eased up on it over the years. We don't really know the full extent which is why I say she may be 'partially to blame'.

[@sotpseamus]

I mean, if there were a stage show set after the stories where an adult Harry discusses the importance of being a wizard policeman, and certain characters showed up, you could do a lot worse.

[@schneejacques3502]

​@@arandomnamegoeshereI would like to see side characters at least.

[@charlotteflood4044]

I wish you’d spoken more about Universal Japan! They have the smaller magical creatures (baby dragon, niffler and pigmypuff) which are essentially mini pop up shows which all interact with guests. They’ve also in the past had the Wand Studies show which is literally students doing spells and messing around when they’re not supposed to and it was on the main stage. Pyro wands, mini apple “bombs”, floating stuff, it was pretty cool I won’t lie. I really do miss that show 🙏🏼 Japan also used to have a Christmas show that I know a little less about. For some reason Japan debuts a lot more stuff than the other parks it seems.

[@virginiad.1911]

why does japan have a better version of every single theme park. its not fair 😭

[@peachy_lili]

@@virginiad.1911 because Japan knows how to balance short-term gains with long-term appeal

[@lxhi_jaoh9406]

@@virginiad.1911 FR LIKE- They get so much cooler things and all of it first! Like Nintendo Land and the Donkey Kong roller coaster 😭

[@MoDotS]

@@lxhi_jaoh9406 since when did they get a donkey kong roller coaster???? they didn't when i was there, dammit lol

[@hairyson94]

​@@MoDotS it should be open by the end of the year, but Orlando's Epic Universe will also have it next year too!

[@christinah4018]

I would love if they could expand Hogwarts more than Hogsmeade. As you said, most fans of the series want to see *Hogwarts*. Outside, there could be a Weasley’s car crashing into the Whomping Willow ride, a walk through of the magical greenhouses, maybe a stunt show centered around Quidditch or flying lessons? If they could do more indoor spaces, there’s no end to the ideas inside a Hogwarts castle extension itself - classes, common rooms, the Chamber of Secrets. The ride itself is fine, but it would be nice to have walk through options with more atmosphere and entertainment! (Not having a family-style Great Hall restaurant with students, teachers strolling around, owl effects and even howlers being delivered was such a missed opportunity.)

[@Shag471]

Basically all of those things are already represented in the rides currently in Hogsmeade. They wouldn’t use those scenes more than once in the parks because then it wouldn’t make sense. But there are lots of hidden details and in HP that guests are still discovering.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Unfortunately, Hogsmeade and the castle are boxed in. Ironically, there's an actual high school ride behind it, right across the road.

[@Shag471]

@@PoseidonEntertainment The football field floodlights can be seen from certain angles and on game nights they light up the castle. 😂

[@cmaden78]

​@@Shag471yeah..ppl have to realize we've had like 40 years to talk about and find Disney stuff..meanwhile, this has all been happening more or less "live" or at the same time

[@usefulprogrammer9880]

Yea I don’t see much opportunity for that. Though I agree it’s what the fans want. Having went recently, the Islands of Adventure section definitely shows its age. I was fairly disappointed in the forbidden journey ride. The queue was more interesting than the ride itself. But I don’t see any way they could possibly scale the castle. Space just doesn’t permit. They’d have to shut that whole section down and rebuild. And that part of the park is a major money maker.

[@aledandrian]

Regarding your complaint about the series having messy worldbuilding and tonal inconsistency, the simple explanation is that J.K. Rowling is a mediocre writer who had tons of interesting ideas for her fictional universe but little to no foresight or interest in making them come together into a coherent narrative, hence why the universe and characters are more fondly remembered and marketable than the books/movies themselves

[@amesstarline5482]

Sometimes a fandom outweighs its franchise, although "interesting" goes both ways. Interesting in a positive way, just popularizing the wizard school gimmick. Interesting in a negative way, most of the worldbuilding, species-wise or about anything that alludes to real-life culture (or stereotypes).

[@CC-qx7hk]

Tbf a lot of her ideas were straight up lifted from other stories and books. Esp of the magical academy kind

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

There's inconsistencies in the novels for sure, but it's specifically the film embellishments that bother me because of how ridiculous they can be. The Burrow attack in THBP is so unnecessary and dumb.

[@SINIESTRA]

The books are great and the design of the world on the movies is really amazing a lot of thought was put on that and it truly shows because it is still relevant and keeps standing out from the bunch, bringing new shows to Universal would be great but they do have a solid base to work out of the world is actually wonderful

[@wehkfam5680]

​@@NeggieKnightThere were four directors for eight movies. I wouldn't call that constantly changing nor would I blame any inconsistencies on that.

[@jestmaki]

Seems like a raptor show featuring owls would be an obvious choice. Plus then you can squeeze in actual education about owls.

[@solcarlosofficial]

The stage that had the simbad show has been abandoned. I hope they build the great hall restaurant there one day.

[@blabberfest]

I think we have enough food there. We need a wizarding show

[@coltonsupergame]

I personally really like the Lost Continent so I’m probably in the minority on this, but I think that they should try and revitalize the lost continent with a new show there and possibly a ride where Poseidon’s fury is based around like Greek mythology, but unfortunately I know how unrealistic this is as it wouldn’t be nearly as profitable as a new franchise or Harry Potter expansion.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

@@coltonsupergame While I doubt they'd do it, I do suppose that the history of magic in the HP universe does go back to ancient times. It would be interesting to see an ancient interpretation.

[@meganashlea]

⁠@@coltonsupergamemy 12 year old would LOVE an Ancient Greek world to roam around in. Was fortunate to get him to see Poseidon’s Fury before it closed.

[@birdflox1337]

I'm still all in on the Zelda retheming, it just makes way too much sense. I'm honestly tired of all this Harry Potter.

[@coppertopolo]

I must agree that 1) the inconsistencies in the movies can be very disconcerting, and 2) these 'shows' seem so very boring. I kept thinking that the 'split' rock used as a backdrop on the stage would burst open and something magical and exciting would emerge. What a wasted opportunity. btw, your ideas for new shows are amazing - I'd trademark them right away. Another fine video essay as usual !!

[@global2829]

I remember watching Prisoner of Azkaban in theaters and being put off by how visually different it was than the first two.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

@@global2829 That's exactly what happened with me. I was still pretty young when the first two films came out and they're what got me into reading the books. I was really excited for Prisoner of Azkaban as a film, but once it came out I was immediately turned off. Chris Columbus' films weren't the strongest, but they were the most faithful to the tone and feel of the books.

[@artisannoteworthy]

I had the same thought!! I kept thinking; "Ooooh! I can't wait to see what happens [with the rock]!" I was expecting a giant Puppet of a creature or DeathEater to pop up and unite the schools. Nope. Just a rock with a crack in it. A butt rock, if you will...

[@ajzeg01]

@@PoseidonEntertainmentNow that I’m an adult Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite. It’s the best-directed film out of all of them.

[@juliahamilton8811]

I do a lot of “magic shows” that are just visually engaging chemistry demonstrations for community events and I’ve always been surprised they don’t do anything using safely accessible chemistry demos as a “potions club” show! You don’t need expertise to do them safely and with theming and good performers they could really create a great show. You could even include volunteers! Or add in special effects and pyrotechnics to really make it flashy! Maybe I’m biased because potions was always my favorite part of the HP universe but if I can pull of a wizard’s potion show with a cheap university volunteer budget Universal could go sooooo far. If you need a chemist Universal I know a gal… 👀

[@blah7983]

Yeah I feel like some basic elephant toothpaste or iodine clock reactions could definitely work within HP spells

[@Nickelodeon_5_1_9]

I agree that the land could use more entertainment, just imagine if they had a full-blown game of Quidditch or a part of the Triwizard Tournament as show!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I don't think those are feasible, but I see where you're going.

[@Nickelodeon_5_1_9]

I’m sure they could do something given the proper stage and budget, just take a look at the Bourne Stuntacular or Water World show at Hollywood.@@PoseidonEntertainment

[@cactoyote]

@@PoseidonEntertainmentquidditch is an actual sport that a few teams play across the us. Harry Potter land running a few games would be fun. Or at least a little how to play” run down

[@M50A1]

​@@cactoyoteme when the flying broom game is real

[@thomgizziz]

@@cactoyote No it really wouldn't. It isn't like it is in the movies and most people would just be disappointed.

[@Kittpawm]

Perhaps the licensing is getting more options for future attractions at Universal Orlando. I visited the “Forbidden Forest” outdoor experience in NY last fall and it was amazing! The nighttime ambiance in the state forest made the magic come to life! A permanent walk through attraction like that would be a great addition to Hogsmeade in IOA.

[@EspenSGX]

Excellent idea! I visited the A Forbidden Forest Experience outside of Brussels. It was amazing! I also visited the Studio Tour in Leavesden, North of London. Their Forbidden Forest section is brilliant and definitely would work as a starting point for an indoor walkthrough experience expansion.

[@SalivatingSteve]

10:04 even without sound, the Celestina show looks 100x more enjoyable than the frog choir. The singer has great stage presence and confidence, and like you said is well choreographed. The guys twirling the sticks give off cheesy cosplay LARPer vibes, crossed with a high school color guard team.

[@athos1029]

Having just come back from Universal Orlando my biggest issue was the repetitive nature of the rides. I think there's an over use of 3D screens and glasses. In comparison to E.T. for example where the ride relies more on practical effects it feels like the ride is more immersive where the 3D screens and glasses feel like they're trying to cover up for the rides short falls. This view of course extends to the Harry Potter rides, but I think it's a problem that extends across Universal over all.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That's a problem for sure, but it's one that Universal is moving away from. I do think I see it less because I always skip Race Through New York, Despicable Me, Fast and Furious and The Simpsons. When I go to the park with other people who haven't been though, I do realize how quickly over-saturated it is with experiences like that. Unfortunately, I don't think the park is getting any major investment for quite a long time, but it does really need change. Rumors are that the contract with The Simpsons expires in 2028 and they must be making a lot of money off of merch, but that area of the park really needs to go.

[@Shag471]

Funny you should say this because Universal is getting away from those concepts while Disney is building more of them.

[@athos1029]

@@Shag471 I’ve come to the conclusion that Disney has chosen to destroy itself. If things continue as they are I don’t think Disney will exist in ten years. If it does it’ll be a rotten husk of its former self.

[@HelenLyons79]

I've been to both parks, wdw and Universal and am actually going back to wdw next week. I had more fun at wdw. By day 3 of 5 at Universal, I was bored. 6 of the rides had the same underpinning (the Simpsons, despicable me, Spiderman, the fast the furious, transformers, and ?). I did like hp but.... just me

[@athos1029]

@@HelenLyons79 I agree with the repetitive nature of the rides. I know what you mean about being bored both parks are small in comparison with Disney. If I weren't so tired I could probably have done both Parks in one day.

[@BulkBrogan.]

I wonder how this park will age in another decade with Gen Z and Younger having been detached from and not grown up with Harry Potter

[@someguitardude8462]

With the HBO series coming, there are two possible fates for the Wizarding World at Universal. Either the series is: a) Horrendously bad and tarnishes the reputation of Harry Potter as a franchise for the younger generations that didn't grow up with the franchise. b) Spectacular and a massive hit in every way, making the aesthetics of David Heyman's films completely obsolete, forcing Universal to pretty much strip everything bare and remaking the whole land from the ground up since everything is so movie-centric. Hell, even Daniel Radcliffe and company make appearances in the Forbidden Journey. What will happen with the cast of the new series if it is indeed a hit?

[@JP-1990]

I highly doubt there will be enough Gen Z or Alpha kids who will have grown up without encountering it at some level. It would be like young kids not growing up with Loony Toons or classic Disney. It's just too big to be avoided.

[@KKris-h]

itll probably be fine, jurassic park is even older than harry potter and that land is still beloved

[@PartanBree]

I guess it will either stay popular enough, or they'll retheme it. The basic set pieces like the castle and the olde worlde streets can lend themselves to all sorts of stories. And even if the original theme is not really remembered, castles and dragons and wizards will always find a willing audience.

[@chloelundabolt4128]

Especially with the continued controversy surrounding Rowling. I don't foresee younger generations wanting to participate in something that gets her any amount of money.

[@bengeisler102]

When I went to the parks this spring, a Dumbledore cosplayer was walking around. When we asked for a picture, his wife said that we can take a picture, but to keep it quiet. Because if a worker saw him, they might kick him out. With the reason that he might be taking all the attention away from the park. It’s kind of dumb because him walking around as Dumbledore made the park feel more like a magical experience. I still got a picture with him though.

[@sr_ryoadm]

😂 that's awesome

[@solcarlosofficial]

I wish they had also built Harry’s house and the Weasley! How fun would that be!

[@greedybat6123]

the weasleys would be cool but harry's house is literally just a normal british house lol. not much to see

[@hacyeons]

@@greedybat6123but they could build the closet he lived in so we could see inside

[@brianfoss571]

​@@hacyeons ...You do realize the Number 4 Privet Drive set still exists at the studio tour in London, right? The Burrow set is there also. You can very much go there and see them yourself. Keep in mind that the Burrow is a structurally-unstable, nearly-condemned house that barely fits 9 people. It's too small for a restaurant (besides, who wants thick bacon sandwiches in the FL heat and humidity??). It wouldn't have much capacity as a walk-through experience, either. Focusing on Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley was much better for a theme park experience.

[@DrHDoofenshmirtzphd]

Forbidden Forrest dark ride. That is what is needed.

[@brianfoss571]

@@DrHDoofenshmirtzphd Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure exists, too, you know...

[@Nidhogg13]

In fairness to the Harry Potter movies, the worldbuilding in the books is equally messy. Rowling can write an entertaining story, but she is not very good at consistent worldbuilding, and I think that's a big reason why almost everything Harry Potter related outside the main seven-book series is so bad.

[@theboringkaren]

They really do have the best environment for roaming characters (specifically ones they can create) and I’m shocked they don’t take advantage of that. So many possibilities!

[@supertouring1]

Someone else wrote earlier the lack of roaming characters is because JK rowling didn't want a disney-esque vibe.

[@FernandoSanchez-ws4jf]

I think they hesitate since the characters are so connected to the actors, also Islands of Adventure doesn't really do that other than the Marvel land.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Something I forgot but should have mentioned is that Ollivanders has people roaming the land, teaching others how to do the interactive magic. They're not "characters", but I guess they are "witches and wizards" that fit into the theming.

[@Shag471]

When you visit the HP areas in the parks, you are visiting during the time those characters existed but you don’t actually meet them except for in the attractions. Face characters are very hard to replicate perfectly. When you see Cinderella at Magic Kingdom one day she may have a completely different face the next day. JK Rowling didn’t want that so she just nixed the M&G idea for the most part.

[@TheBluestflamingos]

​​@@Shag471yeah, but you could make NPC style characters to make the world feel more populated and alive. For example, they could have a wizard struggling with a crate that rumbles and bumps around and makes odd noises, implying a supernatural creature inside. Said wizard acts shady and trys to pawn the unseen beast in the box off to park-goers, offering to mail it to in exchange for 79 galleons. Then have local shopkeep character scold crate guy by name and send him scampering off.

[@reddbeagle0813]

They should do a Wizarding World hotel where you get "sorted" to a house during check in. Make each floor of the hotel themed to a different house.

[@leftfinned]

this is a great idea! Or you could pick your house/theme of room.

[@HigherQualityUploads]

No. It's already established that Hogwarts is home to Forbidden Journey. Any implementation of the House system outside the castle makes no sense.

[@troublesomebirdsong]

I've never seen any of these parks/attractions, so from an outsider's point of view, I think the main problem with the frog choir performance seems to stem from the size of the stage. Five actors awkwardly standing there singing and then just sort of wandering around the stage and waving because there's nothing else for them to do is always going to look ridiculous. In order for that kind of show to work it either needs to be entirely stationary in a small intimate space or as a roaming performance moving throughout the park interacting with guests up close. It feels like they just had this big stage and then tried to reconfigure a show that doesn't naturally utilise the space.

[@lennylennordson6135]

Real quick, I just want to appreciate how great your editing is and how professional your videos feel. You really deserve more subscribers and views.

[@_dh]

Literally one of the best writers in this genre to boot. So much so I've emailed Poseidon giving him praise, which I never do..

[@JettSpitzer]

The Death eaters would be a great addition to diagon alley especially in Knockturn Alley since that little area fits their theme perfectly. But it is a little dark and cramped if there was an actor in there, also too many people use it as a place to cool off from the heat. But it would be nice to see if they did something more with that little corner of the land.

[@legometaworld2728]

I get your point but there’s a counterpoint some people would argue about the oddity of seeing what are essentially wizard Nazis all over the place. Yes, I know that the Galactic Empire are a necessary presence at a Star Wars park but their discrimination is rarely emphasized whereas, while fictional, the Death Eaters’ bigotry is a key theme in Harry Potter. It’d be like having Quaritch and the other bad guys patrol Avatar: World of Pandora or something.

[@jimmyjohnsubs]

They were all over diagon ally at Halloween horror this year, so we already have some progress towards that!

[@papapalps2415]

​@@legometaworld2728Lmfao, what?

[@karacoconutag]

Yeah for how grand the land overall is, the current shows are very "high school variety show" in quality, which sucks when you know they have the bandwidth to do more.

[@HigherQualityUploads]

...Hogwarts is a middle/high school... A high school vibe makes sense.

[@thomgizziz]

bandwidth... that is some buzzword nonsense. You should stop.

[@RomeroRomeral]

​@@HigherQualityUploads it's a magic school, it shouldn't look like a regular school variety show.

[@officialmonarchmusic]

6:06 The choir director in POA was literally a different character, one of Warwick Davis's many cameos, so Flitwick technically NEVER appeared in that movie. Flitwick was supposed to make an appearance in film 4, but Mike Newell, the director of the film, apparently liked the choir director better, so he just said, "Lol, this is Flitwick now". (Still somehow not the most ridiculous/idiotic thing he did with that film) I think most of the problems you mentioned originate or center around GOF. Mike Newell wasn't a great choice, and he refused to read the books, which explains the weird ridiculous discrepancies

[@otakubullfrog1665]

I'm glad you brought up the show in Universal Studios Japan because I happened to catch it earlier this year and thought it was pretty well done. The characters alternate between English and Japanese dialog and always make it clear by context what the other person just said, which I thought was a nice touch.

[@Bob-w2b8j]

I think the problem is that the harry Potter areas of the park are too successful. That's where everyone is when you go to the parks. My wife and i went there last winter and the waits for everything were insane. We waited over 2 hours to do the Hagrid coaster, 1.5 hours for escape from gringotts, and an hour for harry potter and the forbidden journey. Hell i had to wait half an hour to get a butter beer one time. Epic Universe can't come soon enough, the crowd levels at the existing parks just get insane

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I think you might have gone at an exceptionally busy time. Granted, I avoid times when there are high crowds and I'm able to do so because I live in Orlando, but a normal wait for Hagrid's is 90, Forbidden Journey 30 and Gringotts 45. This summer was dead through May, June and the first two weeks of July though. I might suggest next summer for lesser crowds if it holds the same.

[@Bob-w2b8j]

​​@@PoseidonEntertainmentreally? I'm surprised, because the weekend we were there it was actually exceptionally cold. Like in the 40s and windy during the day, and down into the 30s at night. That's good to know though. Still, even 90 minutes seems way too long to wait for a single ride. It'd be nice if they could replace or refurbish some of the areas that nobody bothers stopping at, like the old cartoon area at Islands of Adventure. The park feels kind of unbalanced right now, with the Harry Potter areas being so popular, then kind of everything else being a big drop-off in popularity

[@hazyhalfmoon]

They should have a DINNER SHOW in the Great Hall

[@iwatchthings231]

I would definitely go to that. Better yet, they could keep to the medieval theming of Hogwarts, and you can sit at each table based off of which school House you most like as a Potterhead. Most likely this dinner show/feast could be an extra fee to pay the same way people pay for at the character restaurants in Disney.

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

@@iwatchthings231or Medieval Times

[@runjanellerun]

The last time I was there it was so crowded you couldn’t even get inside the gift shops. There needs to be more rides or shows that will help absorb some people.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Well, I think Epic will draw people away for sure. Hogsmeade is a completely different experience in Hollywood though. It's larger and there are a lot fewer people there, especially since Hagrid's doesn't exist.

[@Justin.Danford]

No let's talk about the real problem: Why on Earth is there no Hogwarts themed hotel? It would print money. Guests get sorted upon arrival into 4 themed wings based on the 4 houses. (Collect all 4, is basically ensuring repeat customers). Themed lobbies, dining in the great hall, lake swimming pool...the list goes on and on.

[@mstrikesback168]

I totally agree! The reason 'Prof Flitwick' in Azkaban looked different and was directing the frog choir was bc that was Warwick Davis playing a different character. BUT one of the directors liked that look better, so in a foliowing film had Warwick look the same for Flitwick... The different directors butchered the HP series. And Voldemort isnt terrifying at all. The epic battle at the end of Phoenix, between Dumbledore and Voldy was lame. When watching the HP films, I generally only watch 1-4.

[@zarlus8]

Your commentary on the live shows in both parks is spot on. Spontaneity is greatly desired and the closest we get are the helpers for the wands that occasionally roam.

[@mazzy2121]

I also personally wish that there was a lane running beside the main line in the castle. I don't believe it's very practical for people just wanting to tour the castle to have to move at the same speed as the main line. There might be pics ppl want to take or there's just a lot to take in, period, and it's very difficult to go at your pace while people are in line to ride the ride and trying to move as fast as possible.

[@Jaxymann]

As much of an icon as the Wizarding World is at Universal Studios, I fear it might one day become a dated Albatross around the neck. Harry Potter might be an internationally recognised cultural property to this day, but the fact it’s been well over a decade since the last film was made, the average at best reception to the Fantastic Beasts trilogy - to say nothing of the absolute trainwreck of the final & conclusive film - and the author’s descent into bigoted madness could all one day combine to make the WW a dated experience in future.

[@eatatjoes6751]

100%. Unless they cash in on its international appeal or whatever.

[@Moonlitwatersofaqua]

@@chickenlittle2206 I wouldn't say universal really got the timing wrong. I think the wizarding world has been around since 2010. That was before JKR started pissing people off too much. I say too much because she was annoying fans back then, just not the general public. Who could have predicted where we would be in 10 years though.

[@mindyschocolate]

@@Spiritwonder420yeah, she’s a bigot. People don’t like that.

[@quinncosens9553]

At least for the time being, Harry Potter is here to stay. Hogwarts Legacy sold a ton of copies despite many threatening to boycott, proving the naysayers are far outnumbered by people willing to spend money to experience the wizarding world.

[@WoodsUlmann]

Warner Brothers is going to do a Harry Potter series for Max where each season is one of the books. They said it will be released over a period of ten years in the early press releases. I'm guessing that anything rushed, not faithful to the books, taken out for time, or otherwise just plain bad looking in the movies due to the time period in which they were made (between the loss of practical vfx and the overuse of CGI) will be addressed with this new series. I'd also guess that updating the rides to reflect the new series while improving some of the technology will be a major priority at the parks. I feel like they made a pretty great long-term investment because the source material - the books - will always be there to retell the stories and you can always retrofit pieces and add on to existing areas to reflect new adaptations. The problem with Disney and Lucasfilm is that they're in a double-bind... it seems like heresy to remake the first three Star Wars movies, so they have to shoehorn Darth Vader or Yoda or Luke into everything new. Sometimes it works and sometimes not so much. This is what Disney has always had with creating lands and rides based on animated films. They're pretty much timeless, every generation of kids rediscovers them, and so they never leave the consciousness of the target audience. I actually think Epic Universe has made smart choices basing lands and rides on classic book/movie monsters, the NY world of Potter, Nintendo, and other properties that aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[@shawnryan8345]

Yes WW is a game changer regarding immersion. Daunting to see you critique. You’ve landed on their Achilles heel however. Pointed and highly entertaining live performances would be next level and welcomed. As much I enjoy WW, my Achilles heel is coasters and screen rides. My equilibrium can not tolerated it. I just enjoy the scenery aspect of the land itself and kinder motion attractions. Greater immersive entertainment is an strong solution. Much appreciate one of life’s productive method and courtesy. Don’t offer a critique unless you provide a solution. You’ve done so is Spades ♠️ 😀. TY!

[@djadelaney]

I wish I didn't wish that I'd gone when I could still uncomplicatedly love Harry Potter

[@INRamos13]

You speak like a fundamentalist Christian who accidentally glanced at a woman's naked ankle and needs to repent.

[@Yannis1a]

Also The "Tales of Beedle the Bard" show doen't always do The Tale of the Three Brothers, I remember I once saw them do "The Fountain of Fair Fortune", but I don't know if they do the other two tales

[@robertgronewold3326]

One thing they could add would be a quidditch match. Just imagine attending a show where you watch the Chuddly Cannons competing with the Holyhead Harpies.

[@someguitardude8462]

Sure! Procuring flying brooms is easy peasy!

[@robertgronewold3326]

@@someguitardude8462 Presumably it would be a screen, my dude. lol

[@dizzydaydreamwishes]

When I was visiting, I went into the Madame Malkins / Quidditch Sporting store, and one of the workers there was definitely one of the most lively cast members I've ever seen, really wonderful, and she basically alluded to the saddest thing to me: They aren't really allowed to have their own "wizarding" backstories, and none of the members that work there- aside from the specific *actors*, get to be magical! Like, they can't have gone to Hogwarts at all! They have to do the whole Disney thing and say that their friend, or their sibling went to Hogwarts instead 😢 I was brokenhearted about this, seeing as I'm sure the people that are really into working in the wizarding world specifically are probably massive fans of the franchise and I'm sure they would love to explore original characters and backstories. Not only that, but can you imagine the LARPing possibilities that WW has? Literally I've never seen a park so suited for such a thing. And they treat their guests like they are all magical and what not. (I have colored hair and they called me a metamorphmagus) so why not let the cast members play too? I mean I'm not saying that it has to be all detailed and meticulously thawed out to make it complicated for single time guests or boring for repeat guests. But imagine what a little imagination could do for it. But someone in the comments section already pointed out the fact that they have so many hoops to jump through especially with JK tied to this, she doesn't like people messing with her world, she wants things her way and she's very very controlling of her IP. So I can't really see how any change is really possible. That being said, if they maintained as they are, the park will I'm sad to say inevitably become irrelevant and stale. If you got this far thank you for reading my rant 😅

[@MiguelRamirezVA]

I’m so glad you commented!! I had no idea it was a rule and was kind of disappointed that the staff didn’t necessarily seem “in the world.” I agree it’s such a big missed opportunity!! My favorite part was the Ollivanders show and the Hogwarts Express conductor being so in character, I wish that was just the norm for all the staff!

[@StorybookBella]

It is definitely the perfect place for world building like Galaxy’s Edge, where all the cast members there get to be a part of that storytelling and immersion with their backstories and personal “character” to play in the world. So sad they don’t have the opportunity to do that in WW!

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

They could have been Evermore but with buildings with actual walls because they didn’t blow the budget on importing tombstones from Europe

[@brynnthomas5525]

I think it would be really fun if they added a show along the lines of product testing for Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. The show could have fun magic tricks and pyrotechnics. They could even switch up what products are being tested to keep the show fresh. 🤩✨

[@bonniemcmaken3966]

I'm a big Harry Potter fan, but I haven't had the opportunity to go to the park since HP opened up. I can see these things may be more annoying with repeated exposure but I think I'd just appreciate the immersion aspect of everything as a first timer. I also think the choir isn't so much of a leap. Lots of schools have choirs. It's not unheard of for me that there would be one, and it is a nod to the movie. Some shows may be better than others, but they are probably something I'd observe in passing anyway. I do like some of the ideas you had for other shows and mentioning the need for a sit-down to get out of the heat!

[@r.pizzamonkey7379]

As someone with loose connections to the world of theatrical effects and props, honestly I think your ideas would be great. The whole thing of a gag show where the shopkeepers come out and each do maybe a little 5-10 minute pitch as why you should buy their products, filled with gags and stage effects, would be awesome. The only potential problem I see with the illicit dueling show you proposed is that those effects could quickly get expensive. Still, I could imagine you use bigger versions of pop-it's to create little explosions at a person's feet, or at the high end maybe even some kind of tesla coil to produce lightning from one wand to the other (though that would be REALLY hard to do safely).

[@n.d.7931]

Pop-it's?! Now that I like. That's brilliant. Are those Chinese cracker smoking bomb things still around? Haven't seen those since the 80s

[@Polkavona]

I remember being 16 and getting chosen for the wand thing. My grandma and I were so immursed and i wish it hapoened in more spots in the park

[@CaitEden53]

My only real problem with the Harry Potter parks is the wands. Yes, they’re really cool and I love them, but I can hardly pull any spells off because either I can’t find the sensor or the sensor is buggy AF Needs improvement. I still love the areas though.

[@davidferrer330]

This video was really good insight! I was once one of the guys randomly picked by Celestina Warbeck to dance. It was a blast. But it was pretty much her and the Banshees shoving me around, and me trying my best to impromptu a choreography with them and not mess up the performance. Although it was kind of an exciting blur for me, it made a great vacation video. Also, an older man tried to position himself in front of the crowd so cause he really wanted to get picked. But she got me instead. The man congratulated me afterwards.

[@ryleerehders275]

I’m not sure I’m sold on the Marketplace Show idea, but it would be really cool if they could do a quidditch game! Maybe have guests be “portkeyed” to the event, which could still be indoors but with amazing tech and special effects to make it feel like you’re outside at the match. Would definitely be a unique and fun experience!

[@basicgirgisaur]

Canonically, the land is set between the 5th and 7th movie, where Voldemort is alive and has been seen but hasn’t been killed by Harry yet. This forces Universal to not move forward with any of the world building because they will have to make a new canon timeline of what happens after Voldemort died.

[@Blondewonk]

So i had an amazing experience with a cast member in Diagon Alley when I went to the Orlando Informer event in Christmas 2023. Because it wasn’t crowded, she took me around and told me the stories of a bunch of the shops and shopkeepers. Pointed out storefronts and some art on the second story of the building facades that i wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. I wish they had something like that year round during the regular park hours. It was just awesome and immersive. I’ve re-told the stories to at least 4 different groups of friends I’ve gone to WWoHP with since.

[@xeno4600]

They should have a Chamber of Secrets show where Poseidons Fury was. Big basilisk puppet, Phoenix puppet etc. Or even a show about Tom Riddle opening the Chamber when he was a teenager. Make it scary-ish.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Current rumor seems to be Legend of Zelda. With how well done SNW is, I think they could do something spectacular there.

[@susanlund967]

I found the streets to be not wide enough for crowds.

[@evilvelvet]

Love your thoughts on the films, absolutely agree. I wish the lands had more shows & activities to do and watch within. It's mostly just shops, which have amazing details within but its just place to buy stuff and leave its so overcrowded.

[@frillygirlizm]

I think projections or a show similar to getting your wand (but instead it being your patronus) would be cool to see, their interactive forest walk through could be an inspiration for that.

[@justanotherdave4835]

I think that the frog and tri wizard thing might be better if they had 5x the people doing them, the stage looks like it should be a lot fuller than it is.

[@sasile]

So I I just came from, right before this, your video talking about the way that the enshittification of Disney IP and like quality guarantees under current management is greatly reducing the experience and value of the parks there... And this video following that, has absolutely got me on the same page with you. Every year, I go to my local Renaissance festival. Many years, I go more than once, and I would totally end up getting season passes if it was slightly closer to my city and justifiable to do every weekend for the almost three months now that it runs. There are very few rides in a Renaissance festival, and very few like automated expensive prop areas... A Renaissance festival, at least the kind that run down here, I'm in the southwest US, it's mostly shops by small artisans, and food vendors, and performances. Comedic performances, acrobatic performances, musical performances, all kinds of performances. And of course, an actual core cast to run the festival, most of whom are doing bits the whole time. From accents and costumes on food vendors to the cast member who's hired specifically to draw in the mud after rain I'm pretty sure... And I've had more fun consistently at the Renaissance festival then I often have had at these big expensive parks... I can fill a whole day easily at the Renaissance festival and not see even half of what I would be willing to see... And that's just going stage to stage watching different performances, Not even counting that one could spend most of the day going booth to stall to booth looking at all the different little shops. Admittedly, I think we have one of the best Renaissance festivals in the country, but still. I Just recently went to Disneyland for the first time since Galaxy's edge has been added there, and that is 100% the experience I wanted to have in Galaxy's edge. I wanted it to feel like a Renaissance festival. I wanted it to feel like each little nook was a different vendor selling a different class of item. I wanted the employees selling these things to be distinct characters who are going to interact with you distinctively as if you are a traveler through this spaceport on the edge of the known galaxy. But as you pointed out in that video, it mostly feels like an empty mall, despite how pretty it is, and how great all of the little set pieces and details are Whereas the first time I went to universal in California... I could have sat in the three broomsticks for easily hours and just enjoyed the atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go into every shop because of how gorgeous they all are, and wanted to notice every little thing that was moving "on its own". Even as small as hogsmead is in California universal, Still if only I personally didn't get motion sick, even with just the bitty little stupid coaster that is the Hagrid ride there, and of course the journey through hogwarts one... That easily is or could have been one of the best experiences I've ever had in a theme park in my life I think you're right on about the performances. Especially in Florida, where, like here in Arizona, the weather can be absolutely not conducive to being outside... Indoor sit down shows are delightful. They absolutely I think enhance the value of a ticket to a place like this, a place with IPs and theming... And absolutely I think that's the move, rather than chasing like a Knott's Berry or a six flag experience, where you're never going to meet the amount of thrills that those places have... Because that's all those places do. Those places are only about the bigger better faster roller coaster... But if I want to ride great coasters, I'm going to go to a coaster park. If I want an experience that feels like another world or storytelling or whatever else, that's where I'm going to think of Disney, or I once was, or I'm going to think of that first day the first time that I sat in the three broomsticks and walked down the streets of hogsmeade and watched the little things happening in the windows.

[@PrimevalDemon]

Your commentary about the movies were funny I never noticed the breakdancing it reminded me of the re-deads dancing with garo/gibdo masks from zelda. Fitting with the dancing being similarly related to Russian history in similar visual regard. I think the movies soundtracks and surprising talent of child casting often mask over the more cringe or spontaneous/ erroneous elements added or evoked/emancipated from the source materials context or cadence.

[@collecticus]

Harry Potter does have issues with continuity, but it's still one big story, as opposed to a lot of other franchises.

[@DrGodzirra]

Although it might be prohibitively expensive, I am suprised they didnt start of by basing the theme of the area around the castle itself. Obviously you cant make a near one-to-one recreation but they layout with courtyards and large buildings can help sell the illusion. Things like the great hall for dining and the four common rooms can be interesting to explore. Moreover, id imagine it would be easy to make rides around the chamber of secrets, quidditch, and the forbidden forest. Another feature would be having sir cadogan and peeves help sell the playful atmosphere, although since they are abscent from the films I doubt it would get approved.

[@ItsAVolcano]

Hogsmead at USH has some pretty serious construction going on, it looks like they're building a new stage and some other things.

[@jenniferbrown8305]

I visited USJapan and they had a fun wizarding creatures stage show with a huge hippogriff that the students (performers) had to learn to interact with by bowing. It was super impressive! EDIT: Of course you mentioned it! I will say, it was super impressive and a good proof of concept for more creatures.

[@Tyranitar.]

I think it’d be funny if there was a show where there was an actor on stage that was being presented as “A MUGGLE” and then shown off. It might not fit with the in-universe lore one bit but man it’d be funny

[@NoiseDay]

That sounds incredibly insidious.

[@medes5597]

The theatre troupe shtick at the start of the beedle the bard show, is is a reference to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. I do not know why but some of the dialogue and jokes are taken straight from it.

[@amesstarline5482]

6:55 The fact these military-inspired uniforms are unchanged in the park.. I'm surprised that was allowed. The worldbuilding in general has questionable elements from what I have heard, so it's extra surprising that even after the books, even after the films, they did not consider overhauling any of this. It's interesting seeing this from your perspective. I never read/watched them myself, lingering in the Pop Culture Osmosis zone as most things go. Thing is, with the affiliation with the author, I'm not confident about the brand, regardless of its success. Even if the concept of more sitdown experiences in any case would be nice.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I do think that despite the author, the books and films have permeated pop culture to the point where most have decided to just separate the two. I think that regardless of the quality of the story telling, the world building in the books themselves is quite enchanting and endlessly intriguing and having captured the imagination of so many people, it's uncomfortable to now be confronted with an author who is going out of her way to be a bad person. Is it okay to separate the art from the artist in this case? I'm not really sure, but that's what I've chosen to do, especially since the Wizarding World in the Universal parks will be around for decades. Specifically regarding the Durmstrang uniforms, that's an embellishment specifically from the film to make the students look "tough" and is just downright stupid. In the books, it's implied that the academy is located somewhere in one of the Nordic countries but seems to have a population heavily made up of eastern Europeans. Even so, they wear heavy fur coats, not weird uniforms like this.

[@melissawickersham9912]

Heavy fur coats would not be appropriate costumes for a park set in a warm climate. Florida and Southern California both have very warm climates.

[@amesstarline5482]

​@@melissawickersham9912I would think same applies to the military-adjacent uniforms. They could have used a different school's uniforms at least. Maybe even a custom.

[@bjvincent8786]

I have yet to visit Wizarding World Of Harry Potter at Universal Florida from what I have seen as someone who is not a Harry Potter fan; the Wizarding World this does very fun and look enjoyable to visit. The fact that Universal agreed to all of Rowling’s demands may have had something to do with this because I read Disney’s plans for the boy wizard were relatively small-scale. According to well-known Disney historian Jim Hill, the company’s plans included a small area within Fantasyland and two small rides and a minimally-themed restaurant. Suffice to say, Rowling was not blown away by Disney’s plans. The author also bristled at the company’s insistence on including outside brands like Coca-Cola and merchandise in the land’s gift shops. For their part, it seems that Disney was unwilling to give into the author’s demands, nor give her the strict creative control she and Warner Brothers were insisting on; so they reached this impasse and Disney terminated negotiations. Imagine how different the theme park landscape would be right now had Disney’s Harry Potter land and attractions been built. Universal Studios Florida would be a completely different resort, and Disney may have never built Pandora: The World of Avatar or Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Yeah, I'm not sure if Universal would have even survived without Hogsmeade. They were struggling for sure and it took them until 2019 to really get things together outside of this franchise.

[@ShadownetZero]

I must say, these are some really good theme park takes sprinkled with some really bad Harry Potter takes.

[@megfisher9830]

this might just be me, and the lack of desire for hyper-immersive HP experience, but last summer, I visited Universal Orlando with my mom and my brother and we went to the Hogsmeade Three Broomsticks restaurant. It was boiling out and thankfully the restaurant’s line was not too long, but before we made it to the end of the line, the host/waiter (i’m not totally sure the position this person was employed as) but they immediately told us to search the menu online with the QR code listed on the table. Which seems to be the new serving method for most restaurants in adventure island and universal studios. maybe i’m just biased but I don’t totally see the point of the lines in the restaurant then… We could’ve had the food outside instead of waiting to be told we could’ve ordered this whole time of waiting for a seat. there was no other information outside the building either to tell us we could order online either. It feels a bit like a spit in the face for those who dont want to wait in the boiling orlando heat for food. Anyways when we got to our table, me and my mom encountered a really odd, but i guess immersive factor to the restaurant: The chairs vary in height and size. I get it, harry potter, everything’s unusual they have dwarfs and elves in this universe. But it seemed a bit inconvenient considering me and my mom had to sit in toddler sized seats, eating our fish and chips, with no other open seats for us to trade with, since the restaurant was full. Conveniently (and kind of ironically) as we were walking to the jurassic park section of the park, there were three employees with tablets asking me, my mom, and my brother about our experience at the three broomsticks and if there were any changes the staff could make to the experience at that restaurant. I was sure to make the chair situation and the mobile ordering situation clear to them, but who knows, maybe mobile ordering and hyper-immersion is the way into universal rider’s hearts.

[@UrSammich]

I agree in that it doesn't feel like the HP world/land doesn't have much to offer. It's got the same issue as Disney with Batu. It's mostly shops. The stage performances are ok, but I agree the triwizard performance no longer works, specially given how the coaster it was themed for is no longer there. So the stage show makes no sense to really have the show going. I think Japan's use of stage show is better and feels more "magical". Something that both US parks are missing. I think what the land also needs is another ride, but maybe less coaster and something that can also integrate the wands in the park. Like how Super Nintendo World you can use your bands on Mario Kart to contribute points, maybe the wands could be used like a laser blast ride. That or a flying broomstick ride would be the next best thing. It'd most likely be screen based, but its something. Otherwise you have one projection ride and two coasters that take up the area with not much else other than shops and food.

[@ScarlethCruz-jt1hn]

i agree with some points, but why on god’s green earth would there be an aside in the movie where harry learns that the frog choir holds summer practice 😭😭

[@WDWCentral]

I had the opportunity to watch the show at Universal Studios Japan and I can confirm that it need to come to the US

[@horse00626]

Can confirm that most people do in fact buy the wands after they are picked, as that is how I ended up with 2/3 wands that I own. A very good marketing strategy for sure, and very entertaining and memorable experience. He also does a great job at picking out a wand that the person picked wants! That, and it's hard to pick out the wand that 'chose' you after an experience like that. I've gotten picked for the Olivander's show twice; one time before the interactive wands existed, and another time a few years after they were fully implemented into the park. First time I got a regular wand but second time they switched to all interactive wands for the show (which makes sense, as most people want an interactive one to use around the parks, but it also is more expensive!). The wands used in the show are all generic non-character wands and I'm not sure how often they rotate the types you can potentially get. It seems the non-character wand options were slightly changed stylistically when they were converted to interactive, as my original wand doesn't exist in an interactive form (similar mold, different colors, etc). I think I'm too old to get picked now, but I have seen non-kids get picked before if the crowd for the show/experience is smaller and there aren't any kids towards the front. Edit: for anyone curious, my non-interactive chosen wand is very similar to the interactive birch wand, and my interactive chosen wand was the ivy wand from what I can tell from the website.

[@jaygrieves6633]

How bad the accessibility of these lands were quite surprising - hogsmeade especially is so narrow, with so many bottlenecks that even in the low season I was struggling just to get down the main path in the wheelchair, and with the 'themeatic' nature of the narrow shop doorways etc. I could not actually navigate them independently. The lift situation for the hogwarts express is so bad I'm honestly surprised it got through planning...

[@PartanBree]

Why do they keep building theme parks in the most obnoxiously hot places? Why not build them in some nice temperate state with trees and stuff?

[@anglobostonian]

And you even call out Michael Gambon's action in the film version of "The Goblet of Fire" directly. There's a reason why "Dumbledore asked calmly" is such a meme.

[@cllk115]

I absolutely adore Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, I think they did a fantastic job building such an accurate world, one thing I would change would be less screen rides although thats a park wide thing but they did change it up with Hagrids so I'm happy, I also love the light show on Hogwarts and consider it better than the light show on the castle at Magic Kingdom although that might be an unpopular opinion. (The films are not great compared to the books though I agree)

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Maybe I should have talked about the shows on the castle but I've never actually stopped to experience them. I've heard generally positive things though.

[@MrJakson112]

Man your take on the HP movies really took this video down a notch

[@Quert_Zuiopue]

By the way: The students from durmstrang don't wear soviet uniforms, but imperial russian M1911 enlisted uniforms.

[@The_Original_Alex_Channel]

The effects not working has become pretty noticeable. The bunny in the hat hasn't been working and the fire on the dragon as well. Another issue is all of the abandoned and unused theaters. Fear factor, sindbad, blue man, Poseidon's fury, and a few more.

[@Cherri_Stars]

Ive been to wizarding world universal once, in june of 2012, when the park was fairly new. I got chosen for the Olivanders demonstration, it was amazing! I felt so special 😊 And yes, I bought the wand! BUT, I remember thinking that the frog choir seemed like filler entertainment for a new park. I thought it was delightful, but the kind of thing you throw together a month before opening when you realize you need anoher act but don't have time to come up with anything too elaborate or even write a script. I cant believe the frog choir is still there!

[@AlcyoneHere]

To your point at 11:09. The placement of the stage in Hogsmeade makes me wonder... What if they don't want an interesting show going on there? Have something OK enough to pull a small crowd but don't go further. Otherwise you risk blocking the walkway or you'd have to rope off the area to create a walkway. I agree with you that there should be something more interesting going on there.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Yeah, I did think that they probably anticipated crowd flow issues. I think the main issue is the location of Flight of the Hippogriff and if it would be worth getting rid of to create a larger stage area. I don't think they would because Islands offers very little for really young children, so there's really no good option. That's part of why I think a stage show replacing Sinbad's Bazaar would be really fitting though. It's a pretty dead area of the park anyways, might as well have Hogsmeade absorb it.

[@AlcyoneHere]

@@PoseidonEntertainment Seeing Hogsmeade expanded into the lost continent makes the most sense but I don't like it 😭. Im sure that area will look very different in the next 5 years.

[@fifsev]

Perfect timing if you exit Hagrid's Motorbike coaster when the Tri-Wizard show is ending, the performers exit backstage the same path you exit the ride, it's a small chance but awesome to interact while passing them in character and no huge crowd or choreography.

[@gagelewis6264]

My family was just there, holy crap the amount of people crammed into one area was just insane,, at 11am on a Wednesday in November it was PACKED with people, , we ate at 3 brooms and waited over an hour for food, , the Butterbeer was delicious though.

[@davidnorman4786]

I think Universal's Harry Potter problem is lack of immersion. Yes. I said that. Each of these lands are beautifully themed, but they are all ultimately separated. I hate that the existing lands in Florida are in two different parks. Worse, there is now going to be a third land in another (somewhat remote) park. It would be so much better if they were all combined into one large area. A place where you could go and spend most of your day completely in the HP world. Yes, you can enter one land and then take the train to the other (in another Park). But how many people actually go back and forth? It would be so much better if you could walk and explore the whole thing. I understand that they are putting their "big draw" into different parks. That gets people to pay for admission to all of the parks. But it absolutely ruins the feeling of immersion. The other thing I would love would be for them to add on to the Hogwarts piece and create a huge, inside land where you could wander Hogwarts. Go to a show in one of the classrooms. Have a couple more rides (both big and small). Eat in the Great Hall. People want to BE IN Hogwarts. Do it. Besides, it keeps you out of the Florida sun for a couple hours.

[@n.d.7931]

Exactly. I do want to BE IN Hogwarts. But I think with the insane crowds and all (esp those that aren't fans but go just for the hype)....it might be too difficult to execute and be enjoyable. Maybe one day 😊

[@BirdsNNVA]

You are right about accessibility. I went to Universal Orlando in 2016 with my brother and three friends. I could ride nothing because of my 2011 neck surgery. I went through the queues of ForbiddenJourney and Gringott’s, but why should i return? I cant do the Hagrid roller coaster. If they had sit-down attractions or easy rides, it would be a different matter. But Universal has always positioned itself as a thrill ride for teens and 20-somethings.

[@WindAndWander]

I have said it before, and I'll say it again... The tragedy that is the loss of the incredible theming of Lost Continent makes me endlessly sad. Universal has so much IP they could put into this land or revamp it. IT felt truly magical and captured that feeling of adventure. I still have a necklace I got from the bazaar as a kid. If they are dead set on changing it, I imagine it could be broken up into two lands given its size. I for one think a land based on How to Train Your Dragon would be BEYOND successful. It's adjacent to Seuss Land which could appeal to a younger audience and, since they got rid of the Dueling Dragons, they could easily take the concept into a new ride along the lines of Flight of the Nightfury or something. IT would be truly magical.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah, well they're already doing that land based on HTTYD, so definitely not in Lost Continent. The land has been dead for such a long time at the point, that I'd be fine with anything that replaces it. I remember Poseidon's Fury fondly, but I'm not sad to see it go.

[@Feykrovoahraan]

On the question about flitwick, originally their plan was to just remove him entirely from the movies but they still wanted to use the actor, so they decided to make him the choire director but when everyone saw the choir director and recognized the actor they all just assumed it was flitwick so the director took it and ran with it. That's what I've heard anyways.

[@matthewweeks113]

Im genuinely love to watch you make a realistic park in plant coaster

[@chasestudio2736]

Park atmosphere is how I can describe my disappointment with many modern parks. Sometimes it feels more like you’re walking from one long waited attraction to another instead of enjoying the journey and feeling immersed.

[@pgj1997]

8:07 Hold on. Wasn't that a minigame in one of the EA Unreal Engine games? If so, that would be a really deepcut reference that I'd appreciate.

[@aconstantstateofbladerunne5251]

I don’t know many people who are excited about the Fantastic Beasts land in Epic Universe. Even the hardcore Harry Potter fans I know think the movies are underwhelming at best. Meanwhile myself and others are frustrated that an entire land in a brand new park is going to be wasted on a franchise that is already represented in the others. Not to mention a franchise that feels past its prime in more ways than one. Like you mentioned, more people are starting to realize the sloppy worldbuilding looking back, in addition to reexamining questionable story choices and some pretty overt racism. Not to mention that JKR is a prominent figure of a major anti-lgbtq+ movement and has bragged about using Harry Potter residuals and licensing to fund politicians and policy that hurts real people. Between all those factors, lots of older fans are falling off, and the younger generation without nostalgic ties to the franchise aren’t getting on board. I assume production of the land was too far along to pivot by the time Warner Bros canceled the rest of the movies, and I can understand why they picked it in the first place considering the massive financial success of the other Harry Potter lands a few years ago. But even if they manage pull out all the stops and build something incredible, I have a feeling that land is going to age very poorly very quickly.

[@luma4902]

I mean i kinda can understand where universal is coming from since the wizarding world is heavily crowded but i agree it feels unnecesary i think the new park with new IP without harry potter would already put the existents wizarding worlds at ease

[@Nickelodeon_5_1_9]

The land has some parts of Fantastic Beasts in it, but the main attraction is in the HP British Ministry of Magic, so the land shouldn’t be THAT bad

[@Mockingdragon]

Oh boo...I hadn't realized they were building a third Potter area. I was kind of excited to go to Universal without any of my money being spent on the franchise =/ I'll have to think about whether it's good enough for me to just avoid Fantastic Beasts

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I think that the new land, while featuring magic and beasts, can stand on its own as a magical Paris without needing to tie too directly into the films. Universal has shown me that they can build great things independent of the relevancy of an IP and it seems to be shaping up as an ambitious, well developed land. I think it's something that people can enjoy regardless of if they've seen the films or not.

[@Dangic23]

About to visit Universal Studios Japan this weekend. I’ll see if they have the same type of entertainment

[@tyguy5712]

Another issue in the fourth movie is that baeubatons is turned into an all girl school and durmstrang all boys. It completely ruins the point of Fleur who is supposed to be impressive due to being the only school to have a female champion. Instead it’s just reduced to a guaranteed female champion. Also krum becomes an absolute jock for no reason

[@MaHelena]

I know that the HP lands are objective good and started new trends in the theme park industry, but I really dislike how every single new lands are now becoming this fully-immersive single-themed land, and that they are somehow superior to the regular multi-IP lands. As someone who has never picked up the HP books or saw the movies, it's a massive chunk of lands in the park that I simply cannot enjoy. By building for fans, you are rising the bar of entry for regular guests, since there is a huge disconnect between how they are "expected to feel", and how they actually feel. It also require you to be the type of person who can suspense your disbelief and imagine yourself in the story, which is an arguably higher bar than just going on rides and having fun. I actually think that this might be a problem down the line for Epic Universe, as each of the lands are fully immersive, but run the risk of drawing in audience for one IP, but making it hard for them to connect to any other lands. I'm glad that Disney seems to realize this, and started to return to the multi-IP formula, and have an overarching theme, rather than a single IP as the base for their expansion.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah, I can't say that I agree at all. I'm someone who will enjoy a well constructed land or attractions regardless of the IP and the Wizarding World delivers on a number of eclectic ride experiences that I think hold up really well.

[@Shag471]

The problem with Disney though is that they are trying to squeeze nearly every IP into the parks. And Disney Studios is a hot mess with Star Wars in 3 completely different areas of that park.

[@MaHelena]

Oh I completely agree that the wizarding worlds are some of the best land every built from an objective stand point, both in rides and general design. I'm someone who was never attached to most of the biggest IPs (marvel, star wars, GoT, lotr), so I never go to theme parks for IPs, but are there for the craft of theme park design and operation (and currently work in adjacent industry). That's why I feel especially unease, knowing that I can never appreciate the craft of those lands to the fullest, because I can't give to the experience as the fans could. Having visited all Disney and Universal theme parks in the world, my favorite land is still the grizzly gulch form HK disneyland; something fully-themed, but does not require or expect any prior experience with the IP (because it's park-original), and place everyone on an equal placing field. @@PoseidonEntertainment

[@MaHelena]

100% agree. I understand why but just can't stand how theme parks (especially the studio parks) are shoved IPs with no justification or reasons to be there. I know IPs aren't going anywhere but still feel such a shame knowing that the company that created girzzly gluch, mystic point, and The Leonardo Challenge won't have courage to do theme-park original IPs anymore. The S.E.A is an idea with so much potential, but they are not movie IPs so I guess are worthless to the upper management at the disney company. @@Shag471

[@bailantilles77]

Have you done Villian Con since your initial video shortly after soft open? It seems that a lot of the gameplay issues you had might have been addressed, although there may be some new ones created in the process since then.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I haven't bothered. I walked by the other day as I was leaving the park and it was a 15 minute wait, but I was so put off to it that I didn't bother. I'll make an effort to try again in the future though.

[@Quincyishidaawesome]

It's wild to me that there isn't a live magic show. Any half decent magician with some low grade special effects would leave people speechless

[@Pwn3dbyth3n00b]

If theyre going to take away one of the few really practical but cheesey/campy show like Posidens Fury they can at least replace it with a Harry Potter verison of it. Like the Chamber of Secrets, you fight the giant snake with all the effects and water tunnel included.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Interesting, though it's not the rumor I've heard. Apparently there are plans for a Legend of Zelda attraction, although I was concerned to hear that Sinbad's Bazaar might remain untouched. That's why I thought that extending Hogsmeade would make a lot of sense.

[@YmustTh3w0rldG0r0und]

The deathly hallows puppet show should be in a theater. Also, I agree. They do need to do some cool magic show where they're dueling with wands with pyrotechnics.

[@history_leisure]

The Triwizard thing doesn’t make sense with Dueling Dragons long gone so something from an earlier or later time (possibly between Harry and co’s time and that of their kids). Maybe Frog Choir could use an update with original tracks

[@aurorarowley7310]

Gambon took liberty to change the scene in Goblet of Fire. GAMBON thought that it made more sense for Dumbledore to yell out at Harry about whether or not he put his name in the Goblet, despite the fact that the book clearly stated otherwise. For the choir, the movie makers asked Rowling about the idea of Hogwarts having a choir. They also asked if it made sense for them to perform at the beginning of the school year. She told them it made sense and agreed to allow that change.