Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<But that doesn't mean that can't reach its quality.>> I agree. The place will look great. But to me, there's absolutely nothing to get excited about. By the time TLM opens, it'll be a clone from a year and a half ago at least. BoG will be a nice restaurant, for sure but I don't jump up and down for new restaurants. And Brithday, I mean Star, I mean Toontown, I mean Circusland is just another rehash of a half baked concept. The mine train ride will be cool, but that's still 3-4 years away. It'll be a nice area, but I don't see anything to be excited about. But that's just me.
Originally Posted By Doobie Completely understood. For me, it's different. Just as I love Potter for it's look and feel, not it's actual rides, I hope to love Fantasyland for the same thing. Sometimes, looks are enough. And I don't think I'm alone. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that's a big part of Potter's success and has the potential to be a big success for Fantasyland. That has me cautiously excited. Doobie.
Originally Posted By SafariRob >>The mine train ride will be cool, but that's still 3-4 years away.<< Seriously? It's that far out?
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper That's cool. But for me to get really excited about a project, it needs to have some punch behind its looks. Potter has Forbidden Journey. Carsland has Radiator Springs Racers. I just don't think either of the new Fantasyland rides will be either of them. Now, don't get me wrong, the Mine Train and Mermaid will be very needed and nice additions. But unless everything I know about the Mine Train is wrong, neither will set the the world on fire.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper 43 was for 41 <<Seriously? It's that far out?>> I believe so. Probably closer to 3 at this point. I don't even think construction has started on it.
Originally Posted By Bolna <<There were stories of adults in Europe planning their first trips to America just to visit Harry Potter-land. As nice as it may be, I really don’t think there’ll be that kind of hysteria around the opening of the New Fantasyland. Now I’m not a fan, but everyone knows that the worldwide appeal of the Potter franchise is simply enormous.>> Not saying that one is better than the other, but I just wanted to point out that so far quite a few Europeans have been planning trips to America with the main focus to go to a Disney park - so it isn't as if that would only happen for Harry Potter, its just new there.
Originally Posted By SafariRob No one can deny that Harry Potter worked wonders for Universal. What remains to be seen, however, is the question of shelf life. Does Universal know how to get the most bang for their buck? Disney does. The fact that rides like Peter Pan and Dumbo are still relevent today is a testament to that. Will Harry Potter still be relevent enought to carry an entire land in IoA in 10, 15 or 20 years? That's the question. Disney is building a Fantasyland that will still be relevent in 20 years...a land with staying power. It's not the hottest, latest thing. It will not bring in a completely new demographic overnight. It's a long-term solution. That's how I see it.
Originally Posted By Lee hisownself >>I believe so. Probably closer to 3 at this point. I don't even think construction has started on it.<< The internal timeline has the Mine Ride scheduled to open in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. That's Jan-Mar 2013.
Originally Posted By Bolna Only time will tell, but I think Harry Potter has a lot of potential to be a true classic one day. It isn't a new thing anymore, it has been around since the late 90s when the craze started with the first books.
Originally Posted By Bolna I also wanted to say thanks for the report from behind the building walls! It was really interesting even though a lot of questions weren't answered. I just wonder whether Fantasyland will really be so large? I think it might not be that much larger than the DLP Fantasyland. And I am sure that the feeling of space that exists now on the building site will be gone once it is really built out. But I am really excited about all the pretty things there will be to look at. I am sure it will be a great improvement with regard to atmosphere!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Yes, but I recall reading a couple of stories where it was a first time trip to the State or to Florida - just to see Harry Potter. I'm sure that happens with Disney on occasion too, but I've never heard of it happening for a new attraction.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "What remains to be seen, however, is the question of shelf life. Does Universal know how to get the most bang for their buck? Disney does. The fact that rides like Peter Pan and Dumbo are still relevent today is a testament to that." This.
Originally Posted By Bolna I get your point, but I think those stories were just a bit exaggerated. All German news reports I saw that reported about WWHOP were writing about the "new Harry Potter themepark" which opened in Orlando. I have very rarely seen reports about single attractions opening at WDW or DL - I think the only things that comes to mind in that area was the christening of the Disney Dream, but that's not surprising since it was built in Germany. So I think it is fair to compare Disney as a whole with Harry Potter with regard as being a motivator for a trip to the US.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Ugh...do we have to get into the Harry Potter shelf life discussion for the one millionth time on a Disney discussion board? Harry Potter is this generation's Star Wars. And I'm sure people were saying the same things back then about SW they are saying now about Potter.
Originally Posted By MPierce I'm still trying to figure out if Mickey Mouse is going to have shelf life.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer 2014 for SWSA II is freaking painful. Why is this taking so long?
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Why is this taking so long?>> They haven't even started to build it.
Originally Posted By Scutr I just don't get the whole harry Potter thing. I tried to watch the first movie twice and fell asleep both times.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I just don't get the whole harry Potter thing. I tried to watch the first movie twice and fell asleep both times.>> And my dad fell asleep when he took me to see the remastered trilogy in the 90s. Things like Star Wars and Potter aren't going to appeal to everyone. Doesn't mean they transcend pop culture and become legendary.
