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Flight of the Hippogriff

Flight of the Hippogriff
Previously known as Flying Unicorn (2000–2008)
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.
Universal Islands of Adventure
Park sectionThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade
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)
Flight of the Hippogriff at Universal Islands of Adventure at RCDB
Universal Studios Japan
Park sectionThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Coordinates34°40′07″N 135°25′56″E / 34.6685°N 135.4321°E / 34.6685; 135.4321
StatusOperating
Opening dateJuly 15, 2014 (2014-07-15)
Flight of the Hippogriff at Universal Studios Japan at RCDB
Universal Studios Hollywood
Park sectionThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Coordinates34°08′16″N 118°21′13″W / 34.1377°N 118.3537°W / 34.1377; -118.3537
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 7, 2016 (2016-04-07)
Flight of the Hippogriff at Universal Studios Hollywood at RCDB
Universal Studios Beijing
Park sectionThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Coordinates39°51′18″N 116°40′26″E / 39.855°N 116.674°E / 39.855; 116.674
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 20, 2021 (2021-09-20)
Flight of the Hippogriff at Universal Studios Beijing at RCDB
General statistics
TypeSteel – Junior
ManufacturerVekoma (Orlando, Japan)
Mack Rides (Hollywood, Beijing)
DesignerUniversal Creative
ModelJunior Coaster (335m) (Japan/Florida)
[1] Youngstar Coaster (Custom) (Hollywood, Beijing) [1]
Lift/launch systemDrive tire (Florida, Hollywood, Japan)
Chain (Beijing)
Height42.7 ft (13.0 m)
Length1,099.1 ft (335.0 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.
Queue hostRubeus Hagrid (voiced by Robbie Coltrane)
Ride hostRubeus Hagrid
Must transfer from wheelchair

Flight of the Hippogriff is a junior roller coaster at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of the many Universal theme parks. It is present at Universal Islands of Adventure in Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Beijing. Designed by Universal Creative, the first installation opened at Islands of Adventure on June 18, 2010. The new ride was a redesign of an existing roller coaster known as Flying Unicorn, which the park closed in 2008 to begin its transformation. The design change was implemented to fit the new Harry Potter-themed area that was being constructed at the park. Flight of the Hippogriff is a mild alternative to the area's more extreme rides such as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Following a successful launch, identical versions of the roller coaster were installed at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood over the next several years, with the Beijing version opening with the park in 2021.

History

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Universal Islands of Adventure

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Flying Unicorn was one of the first rides to be added to Islands of Adventure after its grand opening, debuting on June 29, 2000, in the park's Lost Continent area.[1][2][3] 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 before dropping through various dips and turns and being deposited at the start of the track.[4]

Entrance to the attraction.

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 been confirmed whether they were to be closed and rethemed as of that time.[5]

After eight years of operation, Flying Unicorn closed on July 7, 2008, to allow construction to proceed on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.[6]

On September 15, 2009, Universal officially revealed the attractions that would open in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section, confirming that Flying Unicorn would be refurbished and rethemed into Flight of the Hippogriff.[7]

The attraction soft opened on June 1, 2010,[citation needed] under the new name of Flight of the Hippogriff. It officially opened with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on June 18, 2010.[8]

Universal Studios Japan

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A duplicate of the Orlando attraction was installed at Universal Studios Japan as part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area. It opened on July 15, 2014.[9][10]

Universal Studios Hollywood

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Flight of the Hippogriff was also installed at Universal Studios Hollywood and opened on April 7, 2016. This is the first outdoor roller coaster at the Hollywood location.[11] It is also the first Mack Rides Youngstar Coaster in the United States.[12]

Universal Studios Beijing

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Harry Potter is a lots of Flight of the Hippogriff outdoor roller coaster at Universal Studios Beijing and opened on September 20, 2021.[13][14]

Hagrid's Hut at queue area of the attraction in Universal Studios Beijing

Attraction summary

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Track layout

Queue

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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.[15][16]

Ride

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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.[15] The cars then travel over a track, to the top of the lift, where riders have a full aerial view of The Wizarding World,[17] 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.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Roller Coaster Database. "Flight of the Hippogriff (Universal Studios Islands of Adventure)". Database entry. RCDB. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  2. ^ Universal Orlando. "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Orlando. Archived from the original on 2 July 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  3. ^ Orlando Florida. "The Flying Unicorn – Universal's Islands of Adventure". Orlando Florida. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  4. ^ Attractions Magazine (15 December 2009). "The Flying Unicorn POV ridethrough (Before it was Flight of the Hippogriff)". Video. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  5. ^ SueTLC (June 2007). "Fly the Ford Anglia at New Harry Potter Theme Park?". Leaky Cauldron. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  6. ^ Universal Orlando. "Special attractions for children". Universal Orlando. Archived from the original on 2008-07-16. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  7. ^ Universal Orlando. "Universal Orlando Resort Reveals Highly Anticipated Details about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Orlando. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  8. ^ "NOW OPEN! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort". Orlando, Florida: Universal Studios. June 18, 2010. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  9. ^ Marden, Duane. "unknown  (Universal Studios Japan)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  10. ^ "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Studios Japan. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Harry Potter ride to be in 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood next spring". Los Angeles Times. 2 June 2015.
  12. ^ Roller Coaster Database. "Flight of the Hippogriff (Universal Studios Hollywood)". Database entry. RCDB. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  13. ^ "The Unicorn flying the ride". Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  14. ^ Roller Coaster. "Flight of the Hippogriff (Universal Studios Beijing)". Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b c Inside the Magic (28 May 2010). "Flight of the Hippogriff ride POV with Hippogriff animatronic at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Video. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  16. ^ olduniversallover. "Flight of the Hippogriff – Queue [HD]". Video. YouTube. Retrieved 2 July 2010.[dead YouTube link]
  17. ^ Bevil, Dewayne (June 10, 2010). "What's up with Wizarding World?". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2 July 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
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