Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 To all those naysayers that have booed down both HP and IOA, us supporters of the theme park, attraction and company(Universal)that has spurred Disney into announcing their "Potter Swatter", we can only say, "You're welcome!" See what a little healthy competition can bring about?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer This, I will agree with, even if I wish that Disney one-uped Uni with something original, not something that I think Uni should be doing.
Originally Posted By ChiMike Great post Bob. Everybody else is getting lost in the good/bad debate on Avatar when it is way too early to see how things materialize. However, the one thing that is quite certain is that without Universal's top-notch growth, and their affect on WDW (which is still denied by some), this investment in Animal Kingdom with an outside property would not be happening. That is something that can be discussed. While there is a long way to go here, the one thing I am excited to see is if WDI can actually still deliver. Can they out do what Universal did with Potter. I don't care if the license is Garfield, can they design a strong 2015 cutting edge theme park attraction? My theory for the last ten years is with the talent drain, WDI can no longer even design a shoebox effectively. This will certainly be their put-up or shut-up moment. Can't blame the budget this time boys.
Originally Posted By WDWdreamin Who booed HP? Many Disney fans love HP too. Many don't care one way or another. Just preferring a Disney park to Uni isn't the same as booing. Who booed IOA for doing HP? Glad I wasn't there. WWoHP was/is brilliant.
Originally Posted By ChiMike Lots of folks, a few on here, and a whole bunch out there in that Internet thing.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Garfield?! HA! Why doesn't he have a theme park attraction? That's the real issue here! I'm a Disney guy, obviously, but Harry Potter has me planning a trip to Universal Orlando later this year. I just have to see what all the fuss is about, and I may never return to Universal Orlando again, but it should be worth a fun couple of days there. Generally I go to Universal Hollywood about once every 5 to 7 years, and I have a fun time, but on my way back to the car I always think "Okay, I don't need to come back here for another five years at least". Sea World and Knott's Berry Farm also slot into that category. Legoland and Magic Mountain are the once-per-decade theme parks. But at least HP has me heading to Universal Orlando for the first time ever, an itinerary I never would have planned before HP. And I'm not even a Harry Potter fan. That said, I have never seen the movie Avatar, still have no desire to see it, and until yesterday had no idea what it was about. My understanding of the plot is still only at "Politically Correct blue aliens on a pretty planet who are good and are attacked by white humans who are bad". Seems a bit of a Politically Correct cliche' to me, but at least I know a bit now. Will it get me to stay longer at Animal Kingdom? Maybe. I'd like to see some artwork first. And it's still a couple years away from even starting construction, and five or six years from opening. We've got some time to twiddle our thumbs, and I imagine an expansion of Potterland will have opened before then.
Originally Posted By Bolna Yes, I am glad that they finally started to play the competition game! And I am relieved that this will finally put an end to any discussion whether the Fantasyland "Expansion" is the "Potter Swatter" - of course it isn't. This is it!
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>And I am relieved that this will finally put an end to any discussion whether the Fantasyland "Expansion" is the "Potter Swatter" - of course it isn't. This is it<< It's barely a Legoland swatter, not sure how it could have ever been seriously considered to be a Potter Swatter. I agree.
Originally Posted By MousDad Is this a retroactive Potter 1.0 swatter, a proposed Potter 2.0 swatter, or a cumulative Potter 1.0-2.0 swatter? Also, I think the actual definition of the word "swat" should be clarified in this context. Are we talking an annoying but not-so-painful swat on the backside, or the squishing flat of a housefly by the utensil of same name?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Personally I think much of the debate about the competition war that began with WWoHP exists mostly in the minds of hard core theme park fans. I don't believe that Disney management is losing sleep over it.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Probably not, but that is because of Disney's arrogance about being #1. For me personally, as a former CM, current Disney AP holder, big big Disney fan, I now look towards Universal over Disney for being our theme park choice. This weekend we are staying at the Royal Pacific. It is a beautiful resort and we are paying a lot less than a stay at Port Orleans for the same time...I checked. More and more Universal is making feel like they want and appreciate our business and we always enjoy the park.
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>Personally I think much of the debate about the competition war that began with WWoHP exists mostly in the minds of hard core theme park fans. I don't believe that Disney management is losing sleep over it.<< Not quite. There has been a competition war before Universal even came to town. Their entry into the Orlando market was nothing but competitive with the premature, rushed timing of MGM. Hard to relegate competitive feelings to just the hard core fan boys. It exists, make no mistake about it. In recent years it has existed in HR efforts with the limited Orlando labor pool. The HP addition only rekindled the dynamic, and SJHYM is absolutely correct that a lot of the lopsided view is the result of Disney's arrogance.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 Quite frankly it's a win win for me. If Avatar means Disney is trying to step up their game that's great.
Originally Posted By Mr F Disney is Notoriously know to Half-arse things, just because they know they can make lots of money off of it by providing as little as possible in terms of quality. Just look at the Magic Kingdom: a half-arse copy of Disneyland which is not even close to the same quality. If they do an AVATAR land, they BETTER do it right, and not not slash the budget 10 times just to be cheap and greedy.
Originally Posted By PotNoodle ^^^ That's kind of how I feel. People are speculating on the message boards about how they are going to bring these wonderful effects to life. Well, fantasy, meet reality. With investors to please, nothing is immune to budget cuts. I want to see Cameron's reaction when he's told he can't do something because the budget doesn't allow. He's used to going overbudget.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "While there is a long way to go here, the one thing I am excited to see is if WDI can actually still deliver" Indeed, Mike! For years now people have(wrongfully, in my opinion)been lambasting WDI for the cockups that have been DCA and things like Chester and Hesters. Many of us have(rightfully)said, "How can WDI deliver A-grade product when being given the bare minimum dollars?!?" $500 million is a LARGE chunk of change and, since I am SURE it will balloon out even more, WDI will finally, some say since TDS, be given more a free reign to go a little blue sky(see what I did there?). Let's hope they can deliver something WORTHY of TWWoHP!
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "Who booed HP?" The same short sighted DOMs and apologists who cannot see that a)Having two world class resorts in the same town means pretty much double the amount of attractions and leisure activities and THAT'S A GOOD THING!!! and b)Competition makes BOTH parties have to lift their game and provide MORE and BETTER product for their guests and THAT'S A GOOD THING!!! I mean, hell, come live in Australia. Our "world class theme park" resembles Nara Dreamland. Google it. BLEEEECCCCCHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By leobloom >> "How can WDI deliver A-grade product when being given the bare minimum dollars?!?" << Or how can WDI deliver grade-A product when they wastefully burn through cash. Apparently Potter came in at a figure considerably less than it would have been if Disney had built it.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "I don't believe that Disney management is losing sleep over it." I heard they also hate money. Rolls eyes
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "Quite frankly it's a win win for me. If Avatar means Disney is trying to step up their game that's great." There ya go!
