The main purpose of our trip to Orlando was to receive a thorough run-through and definitive explanation regarding the park's biggest attraction (and, up until now, it's biggest mystery): Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
The fan-site heads met with Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Creative (and grand overseer of the project). He took our questions and described very enthusiastically what the long-awaited ride would be like, as well as what the park experience was going to be. Speaking of Universal's history, Mr. Woodbury noted that when it comes to rides, Universal likes to do things that nobody's ever done before. They pioneer groundbreaking and before-nonexistant special and technical effects to an ever-expanding on-screen experience and utilize the absolute latest in ride technology, combined, to give park-goers a completely new experience.... and that's just with their rides in general. When it comes to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, he says, everyone involved has really taken it to the next level. According to Mr. Woodbury, the Wizarding World and its main attraction (Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey) is going to "transform the theme park experience as you know it."
Mr. Woodbury then spoke at length about the Forbidden Journey itself, and here is what he had to say. The Forbidden Journey ride is going to be an excursion into the world of Harry Potter - bringing with it "all of the chaos of his world". It's a new story, a new adventure where the guests, as Muggles, are invited to witness the goings-on of Harry, Ron and Hermione as they experience an adventure that takes them through many of the vast locations across Harry's world. Although the fan-site heads had heard several times by this point that the ride experience was going to be "nothing like before" - we at this point asked for further clarification, and got it. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey will be a "360 degree filmatic experience" with the biggest in special effects by which he means physical effects of all. Other rides at Universal, such as Twister or The Mummy which utilize real flames or wind that you can feel the heat of, wouldn't begin to describe the sorts of physical effects Mr. Woodbury hints at. Signs in the queue for the ride itself warn riders that they will be pushed, pulled, dropped, lifted, stopped, turned around and all but thrown (although I'm reciting from memory; I don't recall them promising that we wouldn't be thrown). We asked Mr. Woodbury about fire, smoke, steam, as examples of physical effects, and he very seriously stated that there would be "all those, more, more, and more on top of that."
While interviewing Mr. Woodbury, he gave us a run-down of the locations that we would get to see on the Forbidden Journey ride itself, and its story. Once you step inside the castle where the ride itself is housed, you are welcomed by Dumbledore and soon acquainted with Harry, Ron and Hermione, who scheme to escape a particularly boring lecture of Professor Binns' and ask you to meet them in the Room of Requirement. The ride begins in the Room of Requirement, and takes you to a Quidditch match, which features Ron, Harry and Draco (presumably all playing Quidditch at the same time). You witness Quidditch first-hand, from next to Harry, once again while the ride is utilizing never-before-existant technology to make the environment real.
At one point, Mr. Woodbury was asked if the Forbidden Journey ride would actually travel outside of Hogwarts Castle (in the park). He very seriously replied, that when guests are on the ride, they will have a "very hard time distinguishing between what is actually outside and what is not." I wouldn't believe him if he wasn't so serious about it. But he was. Reiteration. This ride is gonna do all new things.
Also mentioned about the ride journey itself is an encounter with Dementors, the Whomping Willow, and a ride on the Floo Network thanks to Hermione. The press release issued by Universal later today will no doubt include a more concise ordering of these locations.
I'M excited.
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