Wizards and Working

This is going to be a fun one. I've had so many thoughts kicking around in my head since Tuesday that it's a wonder I didn't pass on sleep earlier in the week to get it all out. Since last week I've explored the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, worked some 60+ hours at the spooky house on the hill, and met one hell of a bus driver. I'm also just about half way through my program now which is weird to think about so I'm not going to dwell on it. Harry Potter was the highlight of the week so I'm going to start there.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I've been looking forward to a trip to Universal Studios ever since I decided to come down to Florida, and my sister's visit was a great reason to finally do it. Harry Potter was the defining story of our childhood. I still remember my mom reading the stories to us before it got insanely popular. I had really high expectations for the execution of the theme park based on the world I have pictured in my imagination for more than 10 years. Some of these expectations were met and exceeded, and others... epic failures.

Pros:
Initial cosmetic design of this area was stunning. Guests walk through the gated entrance an are greeted by the Hogwarts Express fully equipped with a photo-op with the conductor. Three steps into Hogsmeade and I'm giggling like a little girl with excitement. Hogwarts is ahead on a hill and I can't wait to get there and learn some magic!

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is not only an amazing ride it's an amazing ride system and well worth the hour and a half that I waited to experience it. It features so many of your favorite Potter moments and really puts you right in the story. It combines a robotic arm omnimover with a few elements of a bumping, swinging thrill ride. The ride features both immersive video segments and animatronics to make guests feel like they are flying through the story. About 90% of the line was also really impressive. You travel through portrait galleries, classrooms, and even the greenhouse before you board the "flying benches" that take you on your trip.

The food and drink was also a big positive in my book. We ate at the Three Broomsticks and got our Butterbeer there as well. Not only was the food mostly traditional to England, but it was reasonably priced and quite good. I got Shepard's Pie with a salad and Butterbeer for just over $12. It filled me up for much less than I've paid at Disney for similar quality. From a marketing standpoint the Butterbeer was particularly interesting. It was the single item that seemingly everyone in the park bought. Universal knew that everyone would want one so they made it affordable at around $3 for a glass. It was offered in both regular and frozen variety with the option of a souvenir cup for an additional cost. It's basically a butterscotch flavored soda served with a frothy icing that floats on top. It's really sweet but still refreshing on a hot day.

One my my all-time favorite coasters, Dueling Dragons, was re-themed as part of the Wizarding World expansion of Islands of Adventure to become part of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Now known as Dragon Challenge, the coaster is semi-hidden on the right side by the entrance and has a very little wait time when compared to the Forbidden Journey, the Hulk, and Spider-Man rides. Even when we waited for the front row it only took us about a half an hour to get on the ride. I like short waits so this gets a thumbs up.

Cons:

It's not really built like a theme park. I know that might not make sense to everyone, but it's really like a film set in a couple of ways. I know it was designed by the set designers from the movie so this shouldn't be a surprise, but aesthetics should never an excuse for lost functionality. Because it is laid out like a small town the streets are... small! And when everyone and their mother wants to see Harry Potter it get's really crowded really quickly. Thirty minute lines to get into gift shops is utter insanity no matter how you slice it. I think we waited almost an hour to see Ollivander and watch his ten minute wand fitting of a random child. Granted it was pretty cool, but the shop could have been bigger and it wouldn't have hurt the show.

The most important gift shop in the area, the one that every rider is filtered through as they exit the ride inside of Hogwarts, is so small that it's almost impossible to leave because it's filled with so many people. I wish I took a picture of it to show you, but I couldn't really do much more than mosh my way out the door, let alone look at any of the stuff for sale or get my arms up to snap a photo. Here's a look at the crowded street though, it was like a mosh pit for a little while too.

After the initial shock of seeing the Wizarding World from my imagination as a reality, some of the luster wore off because of oversights on the part of the designers. First of all, they plopped it down practically inside the Jurassic Park area of the park. That's actually kind of an understatement. Most of Hogwarts is inside of the Jurassic Park area.

It also felt a little unfinished in my opinion. It was almost like they said; "OK! The ride is done, let's open the area so we can make our money back!" They didn't make the line long enough to accommodate the sheer volume of visitors so when we were there we actually had to go backstage which really killed the magic. Not only that, there were areas of the line that you could clearly see that the backside of the castle was a big white box. All you have to do is put some mountain facing on it and it'll be fine! All the suspension of reality that wasn't lost by the backstage queue was lost by the boxy backside of Hogwarts.

Oh Hogwarts, how boxy your backside is...

Ventilation! How magical...

I also took issue with the packing of the queue, or really lack their of. The line outside stretched backstage, around the building, over a bridge, and then back again yet once we got inside the castle there was no one there. The queue was set up, but no one was getting people to fill in the space. I know what this is like because if we aren't packing the queue at the mansion the same thing will happen, but maybe Universal used the four managers that were talking in my backstage picture to pack the queue into the castle they wouldn't have needed to open the backstage area to guests in the first place. 

The last of my criticisms is of the uniformity of the premise. When in line for the rides the cast refers to the guests as muggles. Muggles do this, quickly muggles, blah blah blah. Yet at the same time we are allowed to go into the stores and buy wands and other wizard products. Why not just keep the story straight and have us all feel like wizards? They want you to feel enough like a wizard that you buy wizard things that are supposed to be magical but really don't do anything, but not enough that you feel welcome in the castle. The phrase also 

comes off like an insult int he context that it's being used which is really strange.

I still had a great time visiting, and I do have a desire to go back again, but for my money I think I'll go to Disney for the experience. If I want thrill rides only I'd rather take a trip to Cedar Point, at least they don't have a premium ticket that allows you to cut the line for $50. It's an oddly elitist system compared to fastpass which gives everyone the chance to cut a few lines instead of a few people to cut all of them.

Spring Break

Spring break time as a Disney Cast Member is great if you need money, but terrible if you value sleep and your sanity. Being busy means lots of hours for everyone, but not everyone wants lots of hours so some of them call in so they don't have to work. The Haunted Mansion, because of some of the changes that have been taking place, needs more people than they budgeted for at the beginning of the month. Basically I've worked all my time awake in the last three days has been spent at the mansion, traveling two and from the mansion, or sleeping.

I've racked up an astounding 64 hours of work for this weeks check. With so much overtime I think I'll actually break even from my staycation sooner than a thought I would. I'm thinking I'm going to keep pushing my hours as high as I can until Easter and then take it slow until my program is over. I want to reward myself with a visit to the Hoop-De-Doo dinner show. All you can eat and drink with a cast member discount... how can you go wrong.

Bus Driver Stan

I was on my way to work the other day, taking the bus as usual, when I first met Stan. He is a part time driver, a retired police officer of 21 years, and just working this job for a little extra income. I'm not sure where he is from, but my gut tells me that he was once one of NYC's finest (my gut and his accent I suppose). I've sure you've already got an image of Stan, but allow me to make the picture more vivid. He was probably 6'5, had a shaved head, and tattoos up both of his forearms.

Perhaps I'm not the man to make this sort of decision, but I think I should develop a series of talking plush dolls of hard working family men. Stan the bus driver would be the poster child of this series that would also feature Drew the construction worker, John the mail man, Paul the union leader, and Jack the plumber. There is plenty of room for expansion in the series too! Stan would feature a cell phone that rings with his favorite song We No Speak Americano with real texting while bus driving action! Squeezing the doll would make Stan shout one of his popular catch phrases including: "Jesus buddy! Learn how to drive!", "Hey Pat, I'm driving the bus, how was court?", "What an ass hole!", and of course "badda-bing badda-boom!"

It's been an eventful week to say the least, and I'm very glad I got to sleep in today. I haven't walked around much because my legs are desperately in need of rest from all the time walking on the belt in the last few days. I need to get a pedometer that I can bring with me to work. I'm curious to just how many steps I take in a day.

Cheers,

David

Song of the day - Rococo by the Arcade Fire