| Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts | |
|---|---|
| Park | Universal Studios Florida |
| Park section | The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley |
| Opening date | July 8, 2014 |
| Closing date | Unknown |
| Height | Unknown |
| Drop | Unknown |
| Speed | Unknown |
| Replaced | Jaws |
| Replaced by | Unknown |
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is a high-speed steel roller coaster located at Universal Studios Florida. Opened in July 2014, the roller coaster is the flagship attraction of Universal Orlando Resort's Diagon Alley expansion.
Ride history[]
Jaws (1990-2012)[]
Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990 with a themed area known as Amity, themed after Universal's popular thriller movie Jaws. The star attraction of the Amity area was Jaws, a slow, calm boat ride on the waters surrounding Amity Island, in which riders would be attacked by an animatronic version of Jaws. Jaws and its surrounding Amity area closed permanently on January 2, 2012, and demolition followed shortly.
Rumors and announcement[]
Rumors for a Harry Potter-themed attraction speculated in the late 1990s or the early 2000s. On May 31, 2007, Universal Orlando Resort officially announced The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new themed area themed entirely to the popular Harry Potter franchise. After a two-or-so year-long constructon period, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened on June 18, 2010.
Speculations quickly arose about Universal having plans to expand the area, with Diagon Alley and a Gringotts-themed attraction replacing The Lost Continent. On December 6, 2011, Universal announced their plans to expand The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. On January 25, 2012, it was confirmed that the Jaws demolition was executed to make way for the new expansion. Details on the expansion emerged in May 2013. The expansion would take place in Universal Studios Florida, and would connect to the adjacent park via a replica of the Hogwarts Express. The name of the attraction was revealed on January 23, 2014. Major storyline details were revealed on May 14, 2014.
Construction[]
Construction on Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts began shortly after the Jaws/Amity demolition concluded. For the attraction, the former Jaws lagoon was levelled and the land was reclamated. Construction on neighboring Diagon Alley buildings began, as well as a giant show building that would be transformed into Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the location of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. Construction was completed about a year after construction commenced, and the attraction opened alongside the expansion on July 8, 2014.
Ride synopsis[]
Currenly, nobody knows how the ride is like because video recording is strictly prohibited on the attraction. However, a video was uploaded to YouTube featuring a ride scene in which Bellatrix Lestrange zaps the car, sending it plunging into the darkness below.
Ride technology[]
Much like Universal Studios Florida's Transformers: The Ride and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts features 3D projection screens, displaying holographic renditions of the ride's characters.
Trivia[]
Stats[]
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is themed after Gringotts Wizarding Bank, a wizarding bank from the Harry Potter series that is heavily guarded by goblins.
- The site that Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts occupies is 75,000 square feet wide.
- The coaster was designed by Universal Creative.
- Guests had to wait up to 450 minutes on opening day.
- The track length is 2,000 feet long.