Harry Potter and the Goblet of 'Oh, &*%^' From WDW

Originally Posted By whistler

Jim, the harry potter thing is hard to explain to folks who aren't into it (or haven't read the books), but it is something really special. Honestly.

I am a huge Disneygeek, I guess we all are, in varying degrees. My love for Disney, the history and the parks and early films is entrenched in me for life (again, most of us here, I suppose)

So when I say that I beleive that the harry potter stories and characters, for me, easily eclipse anything put out by Disney, ever, I don't say it to be flippant or anything. For me though, and millions of other people, it's the case.

I haven't been to wdw since right after animal kingdom opened. I have Disneyland every summer, and nothing they've done in florida has gotten me back down there in almost ten years. When this Uni/potter thing opens, though, I can see myself taking the family down again. Next time, however, maybe we stay at universal for a few of the days......

Now multiply that by a whole lot of people, and one can start to see the potential impact of this whole project. Just a thought.

 

Originally Posted By GalDisney

I , for one have no interest in the Harry Potter franchise so Universal won't be getting any visits from me. Have not been there yet, have no intentions in the future of visiting universal.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Potentially? Sure. "Like nothing else in recent memory?" Definitely, since nothing else in recent memory, despite all the hype, hopes and prognostication has made a dent in WDW. As long as there is hyperbole in the world, ("And for all those doubters this not only will but has already put IOA on the map.") there will be doubters.>>

Sure. And that's kewl.

We'll have to wait to see what transpires after all.

I just have some very spirited friends in the netherlands like Burbank and Glendale that realize WDW is gonna be in for a world of hurt when HP opens IF Disney conducts business as usual.

And that, right now, seems to be the plan.

Unless you consider a Hong Kongish redo of Jungle Cruise enough to pull guests into the MK until the next major attraction opens ... and right now, it'll likely not be until 2010.

That's not gonna cut it.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<I don't suppose any of you would be looking for 310 DVC points...>>

How desperate are you, Trippy? ;-)

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<If its true that Disney had the first shot at this and blew it, then they should have known this was going to happen and therefore had time to come up with a "plan" other than handing out free blue mouse ears and magic fast passes. I guess we can look forward to extended 'free dining plan' periods.>>

Naturally.

But Disney has known this deal was going to happen for many months. As soon as their deal fell through, it was a foregone conclusion despite all the online planting that GE/NBC wasn't going to invest in its park business ...

Right now, WDW's big focus is on improving Disney-MGM and rebranding the park in likely fiscal qter two of '08 as the Disney-Pixar Studios.

There are no fewer than six major attractions being considered (not including the Toy Story Mania attraction) and a Star Tours redo was recently approved (see other thread) ... and that doesn't include the new Block Party Bash that will be coming next year too as well as talk of reworking Fantasmic.

Now, I don't how many of these will actually happen, but I'd advise any of you fans of the Backlot Tour (are there any of you?) to ride in the near future.

But the MK's future is muddled with WDI considering ideas as diverse as attractions based on Narnia and Tinker Bell (yes, I'm being serious) ... and Epcot, well, there's not much to talk about if it doesn't involve Siemens and SSE and Innoventions.

There's going to have to be some major planning. Long term strategic planning that focuses on growth, reinvestment and keeping the parks fresh ... in other words, something that hasn't happened at WDW in over a decade.

 

Originally Posted By kennect

Spirit, Hopefully this will be the catalyst that kick starts Disney in Florida to get their act together...Hopefully the higher ups will step in and make it happen....BUT the last thing I would like to see Disney do is anything major with the Star Wars name attached...I don't care how many fans there are...It isn't Disney....How about Disney plopping down that proposed Little Mermaid dark ride that we all know about? That to me would be a major draw....There is just so much they are already in control of there seems to be no need to look elsewhere....And as far AK, that missing Beastly Kingdom would look great....Why go elsewhere when you already have a ton of things that already have a Disney built in audience? Call me the odd man out but I am glad that Disney didn't get the Potter rights for theme park use....Harry isn't Disney....

 

Originally Posted By bobbelee9

^^I'm kinda with you, what if they'd changed the castle into an HP castle? The cake was bad enough.

 

Originally Posted By Labuda

"My wife and I love Universal Studios... the park is considerably better than Disney/MGM Studios. The addition of Harry Potter will get us over to IOA for the first time. And if we are going to spend that much time there, we might as well spend a couple of nights at the absolutely fantastic Portofino Bay hotel."

Whereas for the Labuda family, HP will get us to Universal for the first time. And I'll be darned if I just do a day trip - it's gonna be a couple or maybe 3 nights (got to make sure that we have time to do everything we are going to want to do) onsite there. Soooo, just think - 3 years from now, I'll either be back from my first Universal experience, OR I'll be counting down the days.

 

Originally Posted By ToonKirby

>Call me the odd man out but I am glad that Disney didn't get the Potter rights for theme park use<

Me too, I just think that Harry Potter would have been too overwhelming.

 

Originally Posted By sun-n-fun

Our family talks about taking a day or 2 from WDW and checking out Uni, but we never do. HP may be the thing to get us there. Financially, we won't be able to extend our trip to do it, so we'll just have to cut from time at WDW

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> Now, I don't how many of these will actually happen, but I'd advise any of you fans of the Backlot Tour (are there any of you?) to ride in the near future. <<

I'm sad to hear that, I was really hoping they could restore it to a class attraction. The way it is now though I would prefer to see it gone. The popularity of Harry Potter is very evident. If it's good enough to sustain an entire land devoted to it long term, is yet to be proven. I guess if I was committing 500 million to a project I would be pretty sure it was worth the investment.

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

I just rode Nemo Subs @ DL. Between DLR's bright future and Universal Orlando's Supreme plans I will tell you that I feel sorry for anyone who committed to visiting The Most Dilapidated Place on Earth for the next 40 years. And, no, those people without an add-on membership will have fat chance to book DL's DVC at any other times than a Wednesday night in January when everything is shut-down.

As for NEMO, I will tell you it was an instant Disney Classic! What an attraction! The analogy setting-up the difference of it and the Seas/EPCOT version to the difference of POTC at DL v. MK couldn't be more weak. The difference is far more significant. Like SFMM to DL. And this is coming from someone (me) who liked the Seas Update. Who likes Omnimovers. But man-o-man; do the Florida Execs look silly trying to ramrod the removal of their own lagoon, or what! In Fantasyland no less, >snicker<!

The queue issues will be no worse than when people waited for Indy or Splash for 2-3 hours. Everyone will come off understanding why they waited as long as they did. Well, other than the psychological aspect that the line progresses at a much slower pace than an Indy or Splash. The spoiled FP generation will have to adjust to a Dumbo style line. More standing in place.

I typically stay away from name-dropping like other "insiders", but I did speak with Marty Sklar after he rode yesterday and it was like a shot of espresso to see real enthusiasm from him rather than the feigned positive nonsense that he dished out over the last 7 years. Quite a difference between real excitement and a PR CYA statement.

The energy in Anaheim was almost like the glory days of the late 80s and early 90s. At least it's headed that way.

 

Originally Posted By u k fan

<<<So when I say that I beleive that the harry potter stories and characters, for me, easily eclipse anything put out by Disney, ever, I don't say it to be flippant or anything. For me though, and millions of other people, it's the case.>>>

I would argue that Mickey Mouse was as big as Harry Potter at a comparable time. It will be interesting to see how HP holds up in 80 years time. I think Mickey has much bigger universal (no pun intended) appeal.

I haven't visited Uni Orlando on my last two trips to Orlando because on the trip before that we were done at Uni Studios by lunchtime and we only spent 3/4 of a day at IOA. Harry Potter will make no difference to whether or not I visit in the future, but I will be heading over to The Studios for The Simpsons.

I'll still probably only spend half a day there though!!!

 

Originally Posted By trekkeruss

I think with the explosion of entertainment choices in today's world, it is *very* difficult to create the same kind of impact as Disney did with Mickey and Co.

 

Originally Posted By Skellington88

Spirit...what about the redo of Imagination at Epcot? I thought both Baxter and Lasseter were really behind that? It seems like a nobrainer to greenlight!

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Spirit, Hopefully this will be the catalyst that kick starts Disney in Florida to get their act together...Hopefully the higher ups will step in and make it happen....BUT the last thing I would like to see Disney do is anything major with the Star Wars name attached...I don't care how many fans there are...It isn't Disney.>>

OK ... Spirit trying very hard to be nice ... still trying ... still trying.

Not sure that worked.

Here goes: what exactly is Disney?

Is it just the Fab Four? Or animated characters from Walt's day? Is it stuff borrowed by the Mouse (like 20,000 Leagues) so long as it came during the classic era? Is Jack Sparrow OK, but Mike and Sully, Buzz and Woody and Nemo and Dory aren't? Where do the Muppets fit in in your Disney world view?

I ask because I notice this argument/attitude frequently on LP.com and other Disney fan sites.

It's like people want to decide what is
quintessentially Disney ... and if it doesn't fit their view, then it somehow shouldn't count.

Well, this isn't the mid-70s when Disney's very out-of-touch leadership passed on making Star Wars ... much like a similar thing in the 1990s with a trio of Lord of the Rings movies (or ABC with the CSI franchise but I'll leave that one out here).

Star Wars is an amazing franchise with endearing characters and values that are, at the core, inherently Disney.

Star Tours has been a fave attractions at Disney parks across the globe. But somehow Disney shouldn't do more with this franchise if its possible?

Sorry, Ken, but that just makes no sense to me ... none. And I'm trying.

And I am no Star Wars geek.

<<...How about Disney plopping down that proposed Little Mermaid dark ride that we all know about? That to me would be a major draw.>>

Based upon what?

I mean, I'll play along here even though it's not going to happen.

Why do you feel a LM darkride is a good fit and would attract more folks than Star Wars attractions?

FWIW, this is going to the pile of attractions like the Western River Expedition or Discovery Bay as concepts that were great AT THE TIME but missed their windows.

This attraction was fully designed and ready to go ... and was considered at one time or other for MK, DLP, DL, HKDL and DCA (I believe in that order). Why wasn't it built when The Little Mermaid was more relevant?

<<...There is just so much they are already in control of there seems to be no need to look elsewhere.>>

And they've already shown with Lucas franchises like Star Wars and Indy, that they can build amazing environents and attractions that MOST people love.
<<...And as far AK, that missing Beastly Kingdom would look great.>>

But it won't happen. Ever.

Joe Rohde himself has told me that. And he's told others. This isn't news.

And DAK isn't hurting for quality attractions and additions.

The MK is. The Studios are.

<<...Why go elsewhere when you already have a ton of things that already have a Disney built in audience? Call me the odd man out but I am glad that Disney didn't get the Potter rights for theme park use....Harry isn't Disney ...>>

No. Harry isn't.

But he could have been.

And, even though I'm not a big fan ( saw first two films on flights, missed third and saw last one in theater and never read one page of one book), I understand what a huge opportunity this would have been.

So do the folks at GE/NBC/Universal ... but, hey, maybe we can make a Home on the Range ride ... or an Atlantis one ... or maybe Chicken Little.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Whereas for the Labuda family, HP will get us to Universal for the first time. And I'll be darned if I just do a day trip - it's gonna be a couple or maybe 3 nights (got to make sure that we have time to do everything we are going to want to do) onsite there. Soooo, just think - 3 years from now, I'll either be back from my first Universal experience, OR I'll be counting down the days. >>

AND


<<Our family talks about taking a day or 2 from WDW and checking out Uni, but we never do. HP may be the thing to get us there. Financially, we won't be able to extend our trip to do it, so we'll just have to cut from time at WDW >>

These posts are exactly what is being read at Team Disney right now. Because ultimately, this attitude will be prevalent amongst enough WDW visitors to make a difference ... a big differnce in the bottom line.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Me too, I just think that Harry Potter would have been too overwhelming. >>

How so?

(I'm curious)

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<As for NEMO, I will tell you it was an instant Disney Classic! What an attraction! The analogy setting-up the difference of it and the Seas/EPCOT version to the difference of POTC at DL v. MK couldn't be more weak. The difference is far more significant. Like SFMM to DL. And this is coming from someone (me) who liked the Seas Update. Who likes Omnimovers. But man-o-man; do the Florida Execs look silly trying to ramrod the removal of their own lagoon, or what! In Fantasyland no less, >snicker<! >>

First, welcome back Mike ... it's ALWAYS good to see you in the LaughingPlace!

Second, I won't even ask how you managed to ride the subs, but everything you say is what I've heard from others. That this is a PURE DISNEY (sorry, that's for all the folks who don't like Pixar characters) E-Ticket extravaganza. If I hear it from you too, I know it's true.

As to the WDW execs ... well, I don't know how I can rip them more than I have.
They are simply clueless ... WalMart types with no sense of history, of the Disney legacy and of (on a simple busines level) what product it is they're supposed to be selling.

The good thing is they're being picked off one by one ... look for another to leave very shortly

 

Originally Posted By pheneix

Gee Phil Holmes sure has been inside the park lately. And he's been really nice too...