Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Having finally escaped horticulture purgatory, you reenter the castle, moving
along its halls and passageways. One chamber you'll probably remember from the
films is a multistory gallery of portraits, many of whose subjects come alive when
they take a notion. You'll see for the first time the four founders of Hogwarts:
Helga Hufflepuff holding her famous cup, Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw
nearby, and the tall, moving portrait of Salazar Slytherin straight ahead. The founders
argue about Quidditch and Dumbledore's controversial decision to host an open
house at Hogwarts for Muggles (garden-variety mortals). Don't rush through the gal-
lery—the effects are very cool, and the conversation is essential to understanding the
rest of the attraction.
Next up, after you've navigated some more passages, is Dumbledore's office,
where the chief wizard appears on a balcony and welcomes you to Hogwarts. The
headmaster's appearance is your introduction to Musion Eyeliner technology—a
high-definition video-projection system that produces breathtakingly realistic, three-
dimensional, life-size moving holograms. The technology uses a special foil that re-
flects images from HD projectors, producing holographic images of variable sizes
and incredible clarity. After his welcoming remarks, Dumbledore dispatches you to
the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom to hear a presentation on the history of
Hogwarts.
As you gather to await the lecture, Harry, Ron, and Hermione pop out from be-
neath an invisibility cloak. They suggest you ditch the lecture in favor of joining
them for a proper tour of Hogwarts, including a Quidditch match. After some repartee
among the characters and a couple of special-effects surprises, it's off to the Hogwarts
Official Attraction Safety Briefing and Boarding Instructions Chamber—OK, we
made up the name, but you get the picture. The briefing and instructions are presented
by animated portraits, including an etiquette teacher. Later on, even the famed Sorting
Hat gets into the act. All this leads to the Room of Requirement, where hundreds of
candles float overhead and you board the ride.
After all the high-tech stuff in your queuing odyssey, you'll naturally expect to be
wowedbyyourridevehicle.Surelyit'saNimbus3000turbo-broom,aphoenix,ahip-
pogriff, or at least the Weasleys' flying car. But no, what you'll ride on the most tech-
nologically advanced theme park attraction in America is … a
bench
? Yep, a bench.
