As announced, Universal Studios Orlando released today a new preview video as well as new infos for the highly awaited E-ticket ride "Escape from Gringotts":
"At the far end of Diagon Alley guests will find Gringotts bank, with a larger-than-life dragon towering over it that breathes real fire. The bank is home to the signature attraction, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
In “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” there’s a pivotal scene where Harry, Ron and Hermione break into Gringotts bank to steal a powerful Horcrux that (spoiler alert!) will help them defeat Lord Voldemort. On Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, you’ll encounter the trio during this quest – but expect to meet some dangerous creatures and malicious villains as well!
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts has everything you could possibly imagine and more – it’s a mind-blowing next generation thrill ride through the Gringotts vaults. It combines 4K high-definition ride animation and 3-D technology with live special effects to propel you into the action of the Harry Potter books and films.
For a sneak peek at the action, check out this video featuring some of the creative minds that are bringing this attraction to life. We’ve also captured some photos inside Gringotts bank and taken screen grabs from the HD ride animation to give you a first look.
Get ready for the ride of your life."
All these new infos sounds good, isn't it? In a few lines we've learned that the 60 foot tall Dragon located outside, at the top of the bank, will indeed breath real fire, that the ride will have - for its projection scenes - 4K definition as well as 3D and live special effects, that guests will encounter Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione, as well as "dangerous creatures and malicious villains". But who exactly will be these malicious villains, that's what i will tell you know.
But first let's have a look at the ride vehicle thanks to this new picture showing it from the front, and 12 riders will be able to board inside the ride vehicle. The minimum height for the ride will be 42" - 6" less than for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride - as one goal for the Escape from Gringotts ride was to allow "the whole family to be able to experience this," said Thierry Coup, senior vice president of Universal Creative Studios.
Before they arrive to the boarding room guests will have been through Gringotts bank - the goblin-owned bank for wizards, discover its vaults and the famous marble lobby with Goblins Audio-Animatronics who apparently will interact with guests to propose to open an account at the bank...
But the bank security has been penetrated, and "guests will find themselves transported smack in the middle of the action when Ron, Harry and Hermoine break into the bank" said Thierry Coup. The storyline for the ride itself is set just after this famous action scene that you've seen in the movie "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" adapted from the seventh book in the series written by J.K. Rowling.
Then, it will be time to board in the steampunk designed ride vehicles...
"Fans have clamored for a Gringotts ride for years, and it's definitely something that we knew that everybody wanted," Coup said. "The second we started sketching ideas it was definitely going to be Diagon Alley and Gringotts Bank". "We wanted the level of thrills that Forbidden Journey has but maybe make it more visual than physical in some ways, trying to strike the right balance," Thierry Coup said. "New projector technology and a nearly 360-degree screen will help immerse riders in the story at one point".
"The guests journey will go many miles below London toward the institution's vaults..." said Thierry Coup, and at the start of this journey they will meet Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, played by Helena Bonham Carter.
For sure, the lightning bolts sent by Bellatrix will be impressive in 3D...
... and she will send us down deeper inside Gringotts bank where will await security trolls...
...and surviving that, we'll go even deeper where the Dragon is.
...But Guests will also eventually come face to face with Lord Voldemort!
"The time you'll spend in each scene with the characters is greater than we've been able to achieve in any ride," Coup said. "It's really going to give you the sense of being there with your favorite characters."
That said, Universal isn't calling the Escape from Gringotts ride a roller coaster: "We've created an entirely new type of ride that propels guests into the story like never before," said Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Creative.
So far, the opening date for the new Wizarding World has not yet been announced, may be later today or this week and i will let you know. In the meantime, it's time to watch the new behind the scenes video released today by Universal Creative!
Pictures and video: copyright Universal Studios
