Owl Post Office
Borrowing an idea from the Orlando park, this would function like a real post office, invested with the authority to deliver letters and packages to local and international addresses using official stamps and postmarks of the Wizarding world.
As such, each office would double as a vendor of stationery, with a vast selection writing and packaging materials available for sale within its premises. Row upon row of quills, ink jars and parchment. Vintage envelopes, wrappers and containers in all shapes and sizes. Sticks of wax and emblem stamps to seal letters and packages.
On high colour-coded shelves lining the walls would be a multitude of mechanical owls, arranged according to species, filling the post office with the rustling of feathers and gentle hoots. When letters or small packages are brought to the counter, ready to be mailed, the postal worker would stamp the words "Delivered by Owl" and bundle them securely to a short thick rod.
Hanging the bundle between two well-spaced poles by resting each end of the rod on the grooved top of each pole, the worker would then whistle, while discreetly pressing a button. This activates a device that moves along aerial tracks suspended from the ceiling. A rig attached to the device would hook an appropriate-sized owl, which would trigger a catch that causes its wings to spread.
As the owl glides along a downward sloping aerial track leading to the counter, its talons would spread and gently close around the suspended rod. Without slowing its pace, the owl would then glide out of a window, following the aerial track up and out of sight, carrying away the rod and the bundle of mail attached to it.
Big and bulky items to be mailed would be placed in the post office's keeping, for delivery by more conventional means. Customers can also sign up for a local courier service that delivers letters and small items to anyone within the premises of the theme park.
Registering as a member of the Owlet Dispatch Network, enters your name into the system. Each member would be handed a gauntlet to be laced around the forearm. Embedded in the gauntlet would be a chip that allows a wireless connection to the dispatch network. Attached to the gauntlet would be jesses ending in a thin metal tag that is actually a smart card storing the member's registration details.
Inserting someone else's jesses tag into the tiny card reading device hidden within one's own gauntlet would cause a small, thin flexible OLED screen to light up. The name of owner of the tag, as well as a question asking, "Add Contact?", would pop up on the screen. Below the screen would be a row of tactile buttons. Pressing the "Yes" button would add this person onto a list of contacts.
Choosing the "Mail" button would send a transmission through the wireless connection to the network, Within the park premises would be strategically located dispatch centres. The transmission would signal the nearest centre to dispatch a small owl, called a Scop. Made of light-weight but hardy materials, the Scop is a preprogrammed radio-controlled bird able to zoom in on any GPS coordinates.
The dispatched Scop would track and lock onto the GPS device embedded within the gauntlet that issued the summons. Raising the arm with the gauntlet with the front portion facing the sky, would leave it in an ideal position for the Scop to land on. After allowing the owl to fold its fabric-like wings, the Scop could be gently handled and placed on any flat surface.
Tied to a leg of the owl would be a waterproof tube, which could be opened and a rolled up piece of parchment inserted into it. The Scop would also be carrying on its back a small mokeskin pouch, tied closed with a lock. Using short-range wireless devices, like Bluetooth, when the device within the pouch's lock detects an authenticated chip in a gauntlet within close proximity, the OLED screen on the gauntlet would light up with the message, "Unlock Pouch?".
Pressing the "Unlock" button would allow small items or private correspondence to be stored in the pouch. Pressing the "Lock" button would secure the contents of the pouch from prying hands. Pressing the "Contacts" button would cause the list of previously added contacts to appear on the OLED screen. Using the "Up" and "Down" and "Enter" buttons would allow the intended recipient to be chosen.
The list would also include a contact named "Dispatch Centre". Choosing this would send the bird back to the nearest dispatch centre, if the gauntlet wearer decides not to send a mail after all. Once the message in the leg tube and/or the contents of the pouch are ready for delivery, the Scop can be perched gently on the front of the gauntlet.
Pressing the "Fly" button would cause the owl's wings to spread and start flapping. After a few seconds, an upward thrust of the arm would launch the Scop into the air. The owl would track and lock onto the GPS coordinates of the chosen contact. The short-range devices within the pouch's lock and the gauntlets ensure that the lock around the pouch would only be opened by the intended recipient or the original sender.
If an owl happens to sustain injuries during the process of sending or receiving mail, please bring the indisposed bird to the nearest dispatch centre for some magical healing :)
As such, each office would double as a vendor of stationery, with a vast selection writing and packaging materials available for sale within its premises. Row upon row of quills, ink jars and parchment. Vintage envelopes, wrappers and containers in all shapes and sizes. Sticks of wax and emblem stamps to seal letters and packages.
On high colour-coded shelves lining the walls would be a multitude of mechanical owls, arranged according to species, filling the post office with the rustling of feathers and gentle hoots. When letters or small packages are brought to the counter, ready to be mailed, the postal worker would stamp the words "Delivered by Owl" and bundle them securely to a short thick rod.
Hanging the bundle between two well-spaced poles by resting each end of the rod on the grooved top of each pole, the worker would then whistle, while discreetly pressing a button. This activates a device that moves along aerial tracks suspended from the ceiling. A rig attached to the device would hook an appropriate-sized owl, which would trigger a catch that causes its wings to spread.
As the owl glides along a downward sloping aerial track leading to the counter, its talons would spread and gently close around the suspended rod. Without slowing its pace, the owl would then glide out of a window, following the aerial track up and out of sight, carrying away the rod and the bundle of mail attached to it.
Big and bulky items to be mailed would be placed in the post office's keeping, for delivery by more conventional means. Customers can also sign up for a local courier service that delivers letters and small items to anyone within the premises of the theme park.
Registering as a member of the Owlet Dispatch Network, enters your name into the system. Each member would be handed a gauntlet to be laced around the forearm. Embedded in the gauntlet would be a chip that allows a wireless connection to the dispatch network. Attached to the gauntlet would be jesses ending in a thin metal tag that is actually a smart card storing the member's registration details.
Inserting someone else's jesses tag into the tiny card reading device hidden within one's own gauntlet would cause a small, thin flexible OLED screen to light up. The name of owner of the tag, as well as a question asking, "Add Contact?", would pop up on the screen. Below the screen would be a row of tactile buttons. Pressing the "Yes" button would add this person onto a list of contacts.
Choosing the "Mail" button would send a transmission through the wireless connection to the network, Within the park premises would be strategically located dispatch centres. The transmission would signal the nearest centre to dispatch a small owl, called a Scop. Made of light-weight but hardy materials, the Scop is a preprogrammed radio-controlled bird able to zoom in on any GPS coordinates.
The dispatched Scop would track and lock onto the GPS device embedded within the gauntlet that issued the summons. Raising the arm with the gauntlet with the front portion facing the sky, would leave it in an ideal position for the Scop to land on. After allowing the owl to fold its fabric-like wings, the Scop could be gently handled and placed on any flat surface.
Tied to a leg of the owl would be a waterproof tube, which could be opened and a rolled up piece of parchment inserted into it. The Scop would also be carrying on its back a small mokeskin pouch, tied closed with a lock. Using short-range wireless devices, like Bluetooth, when the device within the pouch's lock detects an authenticated chip in a gauntlet within close proximity, the OLED screen on the gauntlet would light up with the message, "Unlock Pouch?".
Pressing the "Unlock" button would allow small items or private correspondence to be stored in the pouch. Pressing the "Lock" button would secure the contents of the pouch from prying hands. Pressing the "Contacts" button would cause the list of previously added contacts to appear on the OLED screen. Using the "Up" and "Down" and "Enter" buttons would allow the intended recipient to be chosen.
The list would also include a contact named "Dispatch Centre". Choosing this would send the bird back to the nearest dispatch centre, if the gauntlet wearer decides not to send a mail after all. Once the message in the leg tube and/or the contents of the pouch are ready for delivery, the Scop can be perched gently on the front of the gauntlet.
Pressing the "Fly" button would cause the owl's wings to spread and start flapping. After a few seconds, an upward thrust of the arm would launch the Scop into the air. The owl would track and lock onto the GPS coordinates of the chosen contact. The short-range devices within the pouch's lock and the gauntlets ensure that the lock around the pouch would only be opened by the intended recipient or the original sender.
If an owl happens to sustain injuries during the process of sending or receiving mail, please bring the indisposed bird to the nearest dispatch centre for some magical healing :)