Originally Posted By vbdad55 I don't think HP is a threat in any real sense of the word as far as WDW's future or long term profit wise. That being said I will venture there when it opens. I am not one who is 'afraid' of venturing off grounds - it's just that I don't care for IOA very much ( prefer the original park ) - and usually visit Uni every 3rd trip or so anyway. Also visit Sea World with about the same frequency. HP will draw me there the year it opens - sure. Now they are spending $500M - that should mean this should be very high quality. I think the lasting drawing power of the land with be based on that after 24 months or so --the first couple years filled with people trying to find that out. Hard Rock is spending less than that to open an entire theme park next year - so I have my expectations set high for HP. One only has to look at the difference Star Wars Weekends bring to the Studios to see what an increased relationship there would bring. SW is 30 years old and fan base every bit as wide - and guessing has a larger base in the age groups spending cash right now. Taking nothing away from HP -- The interesting thing will be to see if Disney and Lucas can co exist -- gonna need extra high celings in the meeting rooms for this it if occurs to get all those ego's in.
Originally Posted By Skellington88 Im sure the main Harry Potter E-ticket will blow away whatever lame pixar tie-in there gonna open at Disney World that same year.
Originally Posted By SteamboatPhillie Spirt of 74, I wasn't saying Walt created DL simply as a vacation spot and had no concern about money. Of course he liked making money, we all do. But where I see a difference between Walt and a lot of businesses is that Walt had a definite concern for quality, customer feedback, and trying to give people a return on their money. Even though he has been dead longer than you or I have been alive, his role as a visionary (and he was one, despite also having a fondness for money) does inspire a fair number of people working at his company. Obviously Universal isn't investing all this money into a land just to have people visit once, but there is a difference between creating some interesting rides and creating an immersive experience that draws you back again and again. As a fan of Harry Potter I'm hoping Universal pulls out all the stops and creates something to rival what we see at DL and WDW. I want there to be more than just a couple building fronts and an interesting kiosk. But Universal's interest in making money doesn't necessarily equate to reinventing the Imagineering department. The Marvel IOA has some nice in-jokes and references on the buildings of the land, but it's not the same as a castle or mountain like the Matterhorn. The question is how much does Universal want to bring the Harry Potter world to life, as opposed to how much it just wants to bring Harry Potter fans.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <The question is how much does Universal want to bring the Harry Potter world to life, as opposed to how much it just wants to bring Harry Potter fans.< they are a corporation like any other ( as opposed to a visionary ) - my guess is the latter will win out -- I'm hoping it's at least close to a balance.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The interesting thing will be to see if Disney and Lucas can co exist -- gonna need extra high celings in the meeting rooms for this it if occurs to get all those ego's in.>> The fact that Star Tours 2.0 is a go ... and will take that attraction to a whole new galaxy of excitement tells you that the old paranoid Eisner days of alienation are over. The fact that Indy at DL will get some new touches in time for the new movie release next year and that there's talk of a new Indy-themed attraction for the Studios in Fla should do so too. Too bad that all the bad vibes Eisner spread in his decade of paranoia likely killed the Muppets and Roger Rabbit as viable characters. But the Disney-Lucas relationship is better now than it has ever been.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The interesting thing will be to see if Disney and Lucas can co exist -- gonna need extra high celings in the meeting rooms for this it if occurs to get all those ego's in.>> Anyone who has had the 'pleasure' of dealing with J.K. Rowling will tell you she never would have made the deal with Universal if the plans weren't knock-your-socks-off, immerse you in the world of Hogwarts type of deal ... this addition to IOA will be amazing ... and if Disney doesn't freshen up its own stale parks, it'll be in for a world of hurt. The good thing is I think Disney will actually step up to the plate this time instead of sitting in the dugout looking at glossy ads of the latest marketing campaign.
Originally Posted By DLer The big "if" in all this is how good "Harryland" turns out to be, right? If it's good and has compelling attractions that are detailed, immersive and appealing to the millions of HP fanatics, then it could be a unique attraction capable of drawing kids and their parents from around the world. And if it's that good, then if Universal marketing folks are good, they'll figure out a way to get 4-5 day stays at their hotels on their property (with front-of-the-line privileges and/or early entry etc.) from the HP fans. That would hurt WDW, especially if those folks are only staying a week that previously would have been 4-5 days WDW and 2 days Universal. If you are Disney, can you allow Universal even the slightest opening to cut into your turf? I think not - you have to make sure you have compelling new or refurbished attractions that make WDW just as compelling as Universal's Harry to the Orlando visitor. I would agree with those that say a new WDW park seems out of the question - why go to the trouble and expense of putting together a whole new infrastructure when you have ample room for expansion at MK, DAK and, to a smaller extent, the Studios and/or Epcot (room for maybe one or two new attractions at best) For amusement park fans, the coming of Harryland might mean a return to the same type of thinking that caused Universal to build IOA in the first place - a kind of theme park competition that should result in an improved WDW and in a unique new HP experience at Universal - now that sounds like something that even the most infrequent visitor to Orlando might contemplate making a trip to see and if you are WDW, you would want to make sure that you get your cut of that action.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<If you are Disney, can you allow Universal even the slightest opening to cut into your turf? I think not - you have to make sure you have compelling new or refurbished attractions that make WDW just as compelling as Universal's Harry to the Orlando visitor. >> Dead on. <<I would agree with those that say a new WDW park seems out of the question - why go to the trouble and expense of putting together a whole new infrastructure when you have ample room for expansion at MK, DAK and, to a smaller extent, the Studios and/or Epcot (room for maybe one or two new attractions at best)>> Actually, the Studios have no fewer than five major attractions in the pipeline right now ... and there's a very good chance they all will be built. As for room at Epcot? Well, you're a bit off. There is more space at Epcot for expansion than any other Disney park other than DAK. There are 5-6 expansion pads for complete PAVILIONS to be added to the World Showcase. That doesn't include completed show buildings in Germany and Japan that have been unused (for attractions anyway) since 1982. In Future World, you have the whole WoL, much of Imgaination and Innoventions, and still have room for 1-2 major pavilions to be added. Epcot has HUGE expansion potential ... and that's without doing anything to backstage infrastructure.
Originally Posted By Skellington88 >>Epcot has HUGE expansion potential ... and that's without doing anything to backstage infrastructure.<< That is because Epcot Center was the last theme park to be properly designed right from the get go. It was designed so that new additions could be added for at least 50 years into future just like the original Disneyland.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<That is because Epcot Center was the last theme park to be properly designed right from the get go. It was designed so that new additions could be added for at least 50 years into future just like the original Disneyland. >> If that was the case, we should have never lost Horizons and World of Motion to Mission: Space and Test Track. I feel both of these replacements are subpar to their original counterparts and should have been addtions to the park rather than replacements.
Originally Posted By bayrr326 I have seen this thread pop up on here and other Disney fan sites and it amazes me how many Disney fans simply underestimate the popularity of Harry Potter. There are now over 325 million copies in print of this series worldwide plus the success of the movies. The popularity of HP is not gonna go away anytime soon. You have to understand that this addition will draw people from around the world to Universal until there is some other Harry Potter attraction built somewhere else this is will be the only place to experience the world of Harry Potter. I know people, including members of my family, who are planning there vacations for when it opens. Disney should be a little scared because it will draw people who may have not been here before or in the past only went to Disney. They will see that there are other things to do besides Disney. I think it will also boost the attendance of SeaWorld because people will probably be more inclined to add SW to there vacation if they are going to Universal. The biggest thing we can hope is that it will spur Disney to invest in the parks more and create some really innovative rides. It is good to see some people at Disney scared, so maybe they will take a long look at WDW and fix the problems.
Originally Posted By fkurucz << The popularity of HP is not gonna go away anytime soon.>> It will definitely have legs until the last two movies are released. Maybe Rowling will come up with some Hogwarts:The Next Generation books and movies in the future. It worked for Roddenberry
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<It will definitely have legs until the last two movies are released.>> After which we will be treated to Daniel Radcliffe parodies on Robot Chicken!
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct <<< It was designed so that new additions could be added for at least 50 years into future just like the original Disneyland. >>> ok. And just when *that* suppose to happen?!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 and which neighborhood would they be bulldozing -- didn't Walt already say the mistake he made was not allowing wnough land -- ( although being kinda hard on himself since no one except him saw his park flourishing like it did )
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I get all the DL superiority stuff -- but room to expand basically forever ?
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<I get all the DL superiority stuff -- but room to expand basically forever ?>> Once the big one hits LA there will be plenty of prime space available around the resort. Bring your own bulldozer.
Originally Posted By mstaft Might be a whole different world for Harry. Look how quickly the internet was used to reveal DCAs weaknesses and label it awful.
