Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic - General Discussion Thread

[Rhian]

My idea beyond "it's magic" is that we're already in a time loop of some kind when we enter the portal and the main story of the ride would fill in details. We'll see how far it goes because I figure at some point they'd have to explain to guests who may not know what a Time Turner is to some degree for the sake of the ride's story; if any explanation existed no matter how trivial it would be there.

What will be really interesting is if, because of this time overlap/parallel timeline, we'll see characters interact that otherwise wouldn't. That would be neat.

New merch has dropped for the Ministry of Magic attraction/land/whatever at Epic Universe. The Time Turner is prominently featured, which leads me to speculate that it will be the MacGuffin we're trying to keep Dolores Umbridge from snagging.

I can't unsee a blue magic peanut.

I've voiced my complaints about that. It's why my opinion of Forbidden Journey has fallen over the years (it's not even in my top four rides at Islands, as great as the technology is). I don't expect a perfect continuity, but give me a comprehensible plot at least.

It feels like a Greatest Hits kind of ride more than a full story on its own. Had they reattempted it now after everything they've learned I'm sure it would be different.

 

[Disneyhead]

I've voiced my complaints about that. It's why my opinion of Forbidden Journey has fallen over the years (it's not even in my top four rides at Islands, as great as the technology is). I don't expect a perfect continuity, but give me a comprehensible plot at least.

It's easy to look back now and complain about a "greatest hits" ride. But remember this was built when Universal was not doing well, and this was the one "new" ride in their new Harry Potter land.

It was good enough then to change the entire industry. From Carsland at DCA to Pandora at DAK. All of them were built on the "Hogsmeade" blueprint.

 

[FrankSinatra]

One last question… are guests actually considered to be wizards instead of muggles? I always thought that was such a dumb choice in Hogsmeade.

I spent a few days at Hogsmeade last year. Was I supposed to be one or the other? Didn’t notice.

My kids were definitely wizards — they did magic with their wands.

 

[FrankSinatra]

I can't unsee a blue magic peanut.

Circus show elephant is a wizard, confirmed.

 

[ReelJustice]

Just have fun. Theme parks are supposed to be fun.

 

[Patrokls]

As long as the land has exclusive beer and some wand spots I don’t really care what the story is supposed to be about.

 

[Mad Dog]

Importance of story is exaggerated. That's mostly just important to super super fandom.

 

[Disneyhead]

As long as the land has exclusive beer and some wand spots I don’t really care what the story is supposed to be about.

Being France, maybe they will have land exclusive wine.

 

[Mad Dog]

Being France, maybe they will have land exclusive wine.

Hopefully the TM's won't act like the French do towards tourists.

 

[Skipper Justin]

I spent a few days at Hogsmeade last year. Was I supposed to be one or the other? Didn’t notice.

My kids were definitely wizards — they did magic with their wands.

Muggles visiting Hogwarts. I always thought that was so stupid. The queue sets it up.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

It's easy to look back now and complain about a "greatest hits" ride. But remember this was built when Universal was not doing well, and this was the one "new" ride in their new Harry Potter land.

It was good enough then to change the entire industry. From Carsland at DCA to Pandora at DAK. All of them were built on the "Hogsmeade" blueprint.

Yeah, obviously they were going to want to feature as much Potter iconography as they could the first go, since they had no idea if it would be successful enough to warrant expansion.

Ironically, Hagrid's provides a pretty good blueprint for how to do that while still providing a coherent plot.

On its own, it sounds like Ministry will provide a coherent story, and I can't wait for it. I truly feel like it will be the best Potter ride yet--by a wide margin, actually.

Also, while they're on more solid financial footing for now, if they do eventually take on LotR they'll have the same challenge of including as much important iconography in one land/ride as possible--fan ideas of full parks for a single property are never feasible.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Hopefully the TM's won't act like the French do towards tourists.

Ride breakdowns will be themed to TM strikes. Will be the most immersive land in Orlando.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Ride breakdowns will be themed to TM strikes. Will be the most immersive land in Orlando.

The TM strikes will be used as a parade for the land!

 

[kingcooger]

It's easy to look back now and complain about a "greatest hits" ride. But remember this was built when Universal was not doing well, and this was the one "new" ride in their new Harry Potter land.

It was good enough then to change the entire industry. From Carsland at DCA to Pandora at DAK. All of them were built on the "Hogsmeade" blueprint.

For me, the complaint is not about it being a 'greatest hits' ride, but about the fact that they refer to us as muggles on multiple occasions within said attraction.

The main reason being, muggles are not supposed to be able to see dementors.

As well, Dumbledore inviting muggles in violates the wizard's code.

THAT is what bothers me.

Take those few lines of dialogue out, make us all potential new students or returning alumni and it fixes all the continuity issues within the ride itself.

Being France, maybe they will have land exclusive wine.

I will take this along with a butterbeer crepe and whatever butterbeer themed latte or just straight up coffee they can come up with.

 

[OLSinFLA]

For me, the complaint is not about it being a 'greatest hits' ride, but about the fact that they refer to us as muggles on multiple occasions within said attraction.

The main reason being, muggles are not supposed to be able to see dementors.

As well, Dumbledore inviting muggles in violates the wizard's code.

THAT is what bothers me.

Take those few lines of dialogue out, make us all potential new students or returning alumni and it fixes all the continuity issues within the ride itself.

I will take this along with a butterbeer crepe and whatever butterbeer themed latte or just straight up coffee they can come up with.

The ride isn't supposed to make logical sense. It's just supposed to wrap the world of HP around you.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

The ride isn't supposed to make logical sense. It's just supposed to wrap the world of HP around you.

And I think it's perfectly fair to argue that they could have done the former while still doing the latter (albeit with just a few tweaks).

 

[kingcooger]

The ride isn't supposed to make logical sense. It's just supposed to wrap the world of HP around you.

And I think it's perfectly fair to argue that they could have done the former while still doing the latter.

And as I said above, the fix is simple: Take the few lines of dialogue out that mention is as being muggles, make us all potential new students or returning alumni, and there, all the continuity issues within the ride itself are fixed.

Because, as I also stated, I LIKE the ride itself and take no issue with its best of nature.

Edit to add: And, I would further make a case that you cannot say we are immersed in the world of HP when we are treated as muggles who somehow can perform magic with wands and somehow can see dementors. Both fly in the face of HP lore, so therefore it pulls the fans who care about continuity out of the immersive nature.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

And as I said above, the fix is simple: Take the few lines of dialogue out that mention is as being muggles, make us all potential new students or returning alumni, and there, all the continuity issues within the ride itself are fixed.

Because, as I also stated, I LIKE the ride itself and take no issue with its best of nature.

Mostly. I was thinking, funny enough, a Care of Magical Creatures lesson that results in Draco hexing us into the forest...boom, perfect justification for why all these HP universe monsters are in one place at the same time.

 

[FrankSinatra]

Muggles visiting Hogwarts. I always thought that was so stupid. The queue sets it up.

Funny, never noticed. But we did have Express our first two days, so we skipped much of the queue.

Latter days we saw the whole queue but I guess we were already wizards by that time.

 

[Thorin Groth]

Doesn’t JK Rowling have a big say in the story of these rides? How did she approve the first HP ride to have such an obvious oversight? Muggles not seeing dementors was this big part of one of the films openers (I think Order of the Phoenix?) I never really hear this dialogue about us being muggles since I usually take single riders but still very strange.

It’s always a little sad for me to think about how we will never get to see the core three in action since their actors are way older now. I can see them using their ministry versions in whatever this ride is but still a little underwhelming.