Yesterday I made a visit to Universal and witnessed that since I'd been here last, back in October of last year, there have been even MORE changes to the landscape of the parks. It's just one of the realities of living in Central Florida for over twenty years and visiting the parks here many, many, MANY times over the course of those two decades.
Once again I was marveling at the fantastic theming in the Harry Potter sections of the park, but, not a little part of me pined romantically and mourned the loss of the things these attractions have replaced.
Gone is Jaws from the original park. They'd kept one remnant of the Amity Island themed area (the big hanging shark) and relocated it, but I think it too has now been removed in favor of a new lakeside show area they're constructing.
Gone too is Dueling Dragons (renamed Dragon Challenge after the Potter-vasion) with that area being made ready for the installation of a new coaster-ish ride with, of course, the Millennial-lusted HP theme. I still can't believe they willingly destroyed the best coaster in Orlando.
And, of course, my most beloved area of the parks featuring the gnarled old tree. Built in 1999 as part of the original Islands of Adventure...so basically, well before even the first Harry potter movie and only a year after the US version of the first Harry Potter book, it felt so unique and different. It was the physical embodiment of medieval fantasy in which any story of that setting could be comfortably situated.
Here's a walk-thru video I shot, narrated by me, a decade ago. If you've never seen the original medieval-side of The Lost Continent, extant for over nine years before Hogsmeade, then feast your eyes. The very beginning of the video is the more Mediterranean-ish part of Lost Continent that still exists.