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Operational breakdowns have also struck Comcast's (CMCSK) nearby Universal Studios Florida, where riders were stuck on its Transformers ride for reportedly about an hour on Tuesday before being escorted off. However, the most glaring problem child of the parks has to be Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
The attraction officially opened on July 8 as part of Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The queues have been long, the breakdowns plentiful. Maybe wizards just don't want us mere muggles to get in on the fun.
Time Travails
The Diagon Alley expansion is impressive. Park guests can explore the streets of faux London and the fictional Diagon Alley where shops, eateries and the mysterious Knockturn Alley have been thrilling guests downing frozen butterbeer refreshments and chocolate chili ice cream as they wave interactive wands at window displays that spring to life.
The Hogwarts Express train ride that connects the Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas in two theme parks is hands down the industry's neatest themed turn at a means of transportation. (Take notes, Disney.)
However, the long delays and perpetual setbacks at Escape from Gringotts must be debilitating to the otherwise well-received addition. Media coverage on opening day turned from excitement to frustration when breakdowns left patrons waiting more than seven hours for a ride. A week later, wait times have averaged two to three hours most days.
Making a Bank Withdrawal
There's nothing wrong with the rich details of the ride's queue. It includes a majestic bank lobby with audio-animatronic goblins leading to the office-lined hallway that ends in a pre-show. That in turn leads to a goblin explaining the ride's safety features, a sensory elevator experience and a spiraling staircase that winds its way up to the loading platform.
This is what Universal didn't want. The otherwise-spectacular ride -- and I won't play spoiler beyond saying that it's an immersive 3-D experience with some coaster elements -- is getting tagged as unreliable. Dedicated forums are ripe with stories of riders stuck on the ride and in some cases having to be escorted off the attraction if the outage can't be remedied quickly.
Universal should get it right -- in time. There's too much at stake, and there's something to be said about raising the bar at a time when Disney World a few exits away is playing it safe. It's rare when a trouble ride is closed rather than fixed, with Rocket Rods an example from Disneyland.
However, Universal is more likely to tone down problematic elements of Escape from Gringotts than it is to shutter the attraction. Muggles just need to be patient.
Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Walt Disney. Try any Motley Fool newsletter service free for 30 days.