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Coordinates: 28°28′21″N 81°28′26″W / 28.472454°N 81.473803°W / 28.472454; -81.473803
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'''''Flight of the Hippogriff''''', previously known as '''''Flying Unicorn''''',<ref name="RCDB"/><ref name="What's up with Wizarding World?">{{cite news|last=Bevil|first=Dewayne|title=What's up with Wizarding World?|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/os-bevil-harry-potter-theme-park-faq-20100610,0,3378069.column|accessdate=2 July 2010|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=June 10, 2010}}</ref> is a [[roller coaster]] at the [[Islands of Adventure]] theme park, in [[Orlando, Florida]], [[United States]]. The ride is located in [[The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Islands of Adventure)|The Wizarding World of Harry Potter]] section of the park and is a mild alternative to the land's more extreme rides including [[Dragon Challenge]] and [[Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey]]. It was one of the first attractions to open with ''The Wizarding World of Harry Potter'' on its grand opening on June 18, 2010.<ref name="Official Opening Release"/>
'''''Flight of the Hippogriff''''', previously known as '''''Flying Unicorn''''',<ref name="RCDB"/><ref name="What's up with Wizarding World?">{{cite news|last=Bevil|first=Dewayne|title=What's up with Wizarding World?|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/os-bevil-harry-potter-theme-park-faq-20100610,0,3378069.column|accessdate=2 July 2010|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=June 10, 2010}}</ref> is a [[roller coaster]] at the [[Islands of Adventure]] theme park, in [[Orlando, Florida]], [[United States]]. The ride is located in [[The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Islands of Adventure)|The Wizarding World of Harry Potter]] section of the park and is a awesome alternative to the land's more shitty rides including the terrible [[Dragon Challenge]] and [[Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey]]. It was one of the first attractions to open with ''The Wizarding World of Harry Potter'' on its grand opening on June 18, 2010.<ref name="Official Opening Release"/>

==History==
==History==
===Flying Unicorn era===
===Flying Unicorn era===
[[File:Unicorncoasterpic.jpg|thumb|left|189px|The former ''Flying Unicorn'' roller coaster at [[Islands of Adventure]]]]
[[File:Unicorncoasterpic.jpg|thumb|left|189px|The former ''Flying Unicorn'' roller coaster at [[Islands of Adventure]]]]
''Flying Unicorn'' was one of the first rides to be added to Islands of Adventure after its grand opening, debuting on June 29, 2000<ref name="RCDB"/> in the park's Lost Continent area.<ref name="Unicorn info">{{cite web|last=Orlando Florida|title=The Flying Unicorn - Universal's Islands of Adventure|url=http://www.orlando-florida.net/universal-orlando/islands-of-adventure/lost-continent/flying-unicorn.htm|publisher=Orlando Florida|accessdate=2 July 2010}}</ref> The ride took place in an enchanted forest, like something from a fairy tale. Various signs along the queue tell the story of a wizard who found a baby unicorn's horn, which it shed (once every thousand years). He then used the horn to create this ride. The magic from the unicorn's horn is used so that it can fly. Guests rode in carts designed to look like mechanical unicorns, and travel over a track, to the top of the lift, then dropped through various dips and turns before being deposited at the start of the track.<ref name="Unicorn POV">{{cite web|last=Attractions Magazine|title=The Flying Unicorn POV ridethrough (Before it was Flight of the Hippogriff)|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCjB2zM3J2s|work=Video|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=2 July 2010}}</ref>
''Flying Unicorn'' was one of the first rides to be added to Islands of Adventure after its grand opening, debuting on June 29, 2000<ref name="RCDB"/> in the park's Lost Continent area.<ref name="Unicorn info">{{cite web|last=Orlando Florida|title=The Flying Unicorn - Universal's Islands of Adventure|url=http://www.orlando-florida.net/universal-orlando/islands-of-adventure/lost-continent/flying-unicorn.htm|publisher=Orlando Florida|accessdate=2 July 2010}}</ref> The ride took place in an enchanted forest, like something from a fairy tale. Various signs along the queue tell the story of a wizard who found a baby unicorn's horn, which it shed (once every thousand years). He then used the horn to create this ride, why, i don't know. The magic from the unicorn's horn is used so that it can fly. Guests rode in carts designed to look like mechanical unicorns, and travel over a track, to the top of the lift, then dropped through various dips and turns before being deposited at the start of the track.<ref name="Unicorn POV">{{cite web|last=Attractions Magazine|title=The Flying Unicorn POV ridethrough (Before it was Flight of the Hippogriff)|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCjB2zM3J2s|work=Video|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=2 July 2010}}</ref>


===Flight of the Hippogriff transformation===
===Flight of the Hippogriff transformation===

Revision as of 00:01, 1 February 2014

Flight of the Hippogriff
Previously known as Flying Unicorn
File:Flight of the Hippogriff - train front.jpg
One of the newly rethemed trains.
Islands of Adventure
LocationIslands of Adventure
Park sectionThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Coordinates28°28′21″N 81°28′26″W / 28.472454°N 81.473803°W / 28.472454; -81.473803
StatusOperating
Opening dateJune 29, 2000 (2000-06-29) (As Flying Unicorn)
June 18, 2010 (2010-06-18) (As Flight of the Hippogriff)[1][2]
Closing dateJuly 7, 2008 (2008-07-07) (As Flying Unicorn)[2]
General statistics
TypeSteel – Junior
ManufacturerVekoma
ModelJunior Coaster (335m)[2]
Height42 ft (13 m)
Length1,099 ft (335 m)
Speed28.5 mph (45.9 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration1:06
Height restriction36 in (91 cm)
Trains2 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 16 riders per train.
Ride HostRubeus Hagrid
Previous attractionThe Flying Unicorn (2000 - 2008)
Flight of the Hippogriff at RCDB

Flight of the Hippogriff, previously known as Flying Unicorn,[2][3] is a roller coaster at the Islands of Adventure theme park, in Orlando, Florida, United States. The ride is located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of the park and is a awesome alternative to the land's more shitty rides including the terrible Dragon Challenge and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It was one of the first attractions to open with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter on its grand opening on June 18, 2010.[4]

History

Flying Unicorn era

File:Unicorncoasterpic.jpg
The former Flying Unicorn roller coaster at Islands of Adventure

Flying Unicorn was one of the first rides to be added to Islands of Adventure after its grand opening, debuting on June 29, 2000[2] in the park's Lost Continent area.[5] The ride took place in an enchanted forest, like something from a fairy tale. Various signs along the queue tell the story of a wizard who found a baby unicorn's horn, which it shed (once every thousand years). He then used the horn to create this ride, why, i don't know. The magic from the unicorn's horn is used so that it can fly. Guests rode in carts designed to look like mechanical unicorns, and travel over a track, to the top of the lift, then dropped through various dips and turns before being deposited at the start of the track.[6]

Flight of the Hippogriff transformation

A vehicle ascending the lift hill on Flight of the Hippogriff. An animatronic Hippogriff can be seen in the background, to the left side of the lift hill.

Following the announcement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter section in May 2007, both Flying Unicorn and fellow previous incarnation Dueling Dragons were shown to be in the new area, but it had not be confirmed whether they were to be closed and re-themed as of that time.[7]

After almost 10 years of operation, Flying Unicorn was closed on July 7, 2008 to allow construction to proceed on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.[8] The attraction was closed off to the public and listed as Standing But Not Operating (SBNO).[2]

On September 15, 2009, Universal officially revealed the attractions which were to open in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter section, confirming that Flying Unicorn would be refurbished and re-themed into Flight of the Hippogriff.[9]

The attraction soft opened on June 1, 2010 under the new name of Flight of the Hippogriff. It officially opened with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter on June 18, 2010.[4]

Attraction summary

Entrance to the attraction.
Track layout

Queue

The roller coaster's new backstory is that Hagrid is teaching young wizards how to fly a Hippogriff by using fake replicas of the creature. The queue line weaves through Hogwarts Grounds, past Hagrid's Hut and the Forest, and leads into an open canopy where Care of Magical Creatures Class is taught, and riders board the vehicle.[10][11]

Ride

The roller coaster takes passengers on a test flight of the Hippogriff over the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's Hut. Riders are instructed to bow to the Hippogriff before the ride progresses up the lift hill.[10] The cars then travel over a track, to the top of the lift, where riders have a full aerial view of The Wizarding World,[3] and then dropped through various dips and turns around Hogwarts Grounds before being deposited at the start of the track, where Hagrid thanks riders, who then disembark.[10]

References

  1. ^ Universal Orlando. "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Orlando. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Roller Coaster Database. "Flight of the Hippogriff (Universal Studios Islands of Adventure)". Database entry. RCDB. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b Bevil, Dewayne (June 10, 2010). "What's up with Wizarding World?". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b Universal Orlando. "NOW OPEN! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort". Universal Orlando. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  5. ^ Orlando Florida. "The Flying Unicorn - Universal's Islands of Adventure". Orlando Florida. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  6. ^ Attractions Magazine. "The Flying Unicorn POV ridethrough (Before it was Flight of the Hippogriff)". Video. YouTube. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  7. ^ "Fly the Ford Anglia at New Harry Potter Theme Park?". Leaky Cauldron. Retrieved 2 July 2010. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  8. ^ Universal Orlando. "Special attractions for children". Universal Orlando. Archived from the original on 2008-07-16. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  9. ^ Universal Orlando. "Universal Orlando Resort Reveals Highly Anticipated Details about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Orlando. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  10. ^ a b c Inside the Magic. "Flight of the Hippogriff ride POV with Hippogriff animatronic at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Video. YouTube. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  11. ^ olduniversallover. "Flight of the Hippogriff - Queue [HD]". Video. YouTube. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
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