Could it be facts prove Star Wars is just not the draw is used to be?

[Disneyhead'71]

I agree that without new content, Potter will go from "Hot" to "classic". But I am confident that in 100 years more people will be reading Potter novels than popping in Blurays of Cars and Cars 2 combined.

Now, where will Star Wars be in 100 years?

 

[Master Yoda]

I agree that without new content, Potter will go from "Hot" to "classic". But I am confident that in 100 years more people will be reading Potter novels than popping in Blurays of Cars and Cars 2 combined.

Now, where will Star Wars be in 100 years?

I don't doubt that Potter will be bigger than Cars in 100 years either, but that is not exactly an apples to apples comparison. In the end I think Potter will be in line with Tolkien's work.

Hard to say where SW will be in 100 years but considering that it is a big as ever 35 years after launch I think it will still be around. They have established a time line that spans several thousand years and only a fraction of it has been explored.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I just used Cars as an IP because Disney just opened a Potter-esqe sized land based on a single IP, and that IP was Cars. (For those saying building Potter was stupid because it's a dead franchise). We will see exactly how dead when LeakyCon rolls into town next year for the Grand Opening of Potter 2.0.

My biggest concern about Star Wars longevity, is Disney's history of killing their Cash Cows by over-milking them. Can you say "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"? They are WWTBAMing Marvel as we speak.

 

[Master Yoda]

I just used Cars as an IP because Disney just opened a Potter-esqe sized land based on a single IP, and that IP was Cars. (For those saying building Potter was stupid because it's a dead franchise). We will see exactly how dead when LeakyCon rolls into town next year for the Grand Opening of Potter 2.0.

My biggest concern about Star Wars longevity, is Disney's history of killing their Cash Cows by over-milking them. Can you say "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"? They are WWTBAMing Marvel as we speak.

Anyone who said building Potter was stupid is, well....stupid. The Universe might have expanded to it's limit, but that does not change the fact that it is a great story that will, is some capacity, live forever. If the attractions, lands, etc are built and maintained with high quality standards there is no reason they can not have a long life as well.

The only stupid thing is that there is not already a SW land.

 

[lazyboy97o]

And I like how people keep saying that Potter has nothing new coming so it's a dead franchise. I guess they are forgetting about a close to $600 Million theme park land next year.

This is because many theme park fans do not actually think themed entertainment is a valid creative medium. That's why they accept and demand that more be based on existing franchises and why they insist that said franchises need support from other mediums.

 

[juniorthomas]

I don't doubt that Potter will be bigger than Cars in 100 years either, but that is not exactly an apples to apples comparison. In the end I think Potter will be in line with Tolkien's work.

Hard to say where SW will be in 100 years but considering that it is a big as ever 35 years after launch I think it will still be around. They have established a time line that spans several thousand years and only a fraction of it has been explored.

I'd be really interested if anyone out there has numbers on whether or not younger kids are reading Harry Potter now that there isn't a media cycle feeding it. Obviously, Potter lives on to all those who read the books and watched the movies, but I think it would be an interesting study to find out if people who were too young before are now seeking it out or if they're on to other things.

 

[twebber55]

STAR WARS is as popular as ever, and will only get more popular in the coming years, but STAR TOURS, even with its fantastic upgrade, is still a small-scale attraction compared to the "real" thrills of ToT and RnRC. Simulators simply are not a big deal anymore, as you can ride them at your local mall now. It did not help that the attraction exterior was only changed slightly with the 2.0 refurbishment, so even people walking by the building for the first time in years may be unaware that something new is inside.

Disney is aware that they did a poor job of marketing the upgrade, such that they've been handing out little postcards advertising the ride at their gift shops.

The fanbase is huge and hungry for more experiences. They're older and they have kids and teens of their own. And right now, these fans don't have a place to play. STAR WARS needs a bigger, more elaborate footprint than just one attraction. It needs something real that guests can walk through, ride through, smell, taste and touch. STAR WARS is a world, a galaxy, not a corner outpost as it is represented now.

which is a good point...no matter the IP you still have to create quality within an immersive theme.... i personally look forward to a star wars expansion..i kinda wished they would do a small expansion by 2015 then larger one after new movies are released

 

[tk924]

They have established a time line that spans several thousand years and only a fraction of it has been explored.

This statement hits the nail on the head. Disney is smart. They know they'll get their investment back...quickly. Not just from new movies and park expansion, but from toys, tv, clothes, software, etc.
When a guy can sell his creation for $4 billion and then give all of it to charity, he's got more money than he knows what to do with. Disney knows that with IP like Marvel and SW, they have a brand new, baby golden goose. I guess some of us "SW geeks" will be helping them out in the years to come.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

This statement hits the nail on the head. Disney is smart. They know they'll get their investment back...quickly. Not just from new movies and park expansion, but from toys, tv, clothes, software, etc.
When a guy can sell his creation for $4 billion and then give all of it to charity, he's got more money than he knows what to do with. Disney knows that with IP like Marvel and SW, they have a brand new, baby golden goose. I guess some of us "SW geeks" will be helping them out in the years to come.

Disney has a bad habit of killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

 

[tk924]

Disney has a bad habit of killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

I certainly hope not. SW has too big a fan base. Plus, they've done a pretty good job with Marvel. The success of SW Episode VII will be crucial to keep us hooked. If they don't do a good job with the next SW movie, then I'll share your sentiment.
Help me Mickey Mouse. You're my only hope.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Ep. VII doesn't concern me as much as the TV series, cartoon series, and the plethora of spin-off movies. Not to mention the boatload of crap merchandise. (This thought came to me while looking at the Star Wars Angry Birds and Star Wars Pez at the check out at Walmart last night).

 

[Master Yoda]

Ep. VII doesn't concern me as much as the TV series, cartoon series, and the plethora of spin-off movies. Not to mention the boatload of crap merchandise. (This thought came to me while looking at the Star Wars Angry Birds and Star Wars Pez at the check out at Walmart last night).

If the Star Wars/Transformers mash up did not kill the franchise nothing will.

 

[wdisney9000]

I see many children and adults rocking Star Wars shirts. I hardly ever see ANYONE wearing Harry Potter shirts. I have many nieces and nephews and they are fans of both SW and Potter but when I am at their house I see tons of Star Wars toys, light sabers, legos, etc. I cant recall seeing any Harry Potter toys. Its not just my family, but friends who have kids also have more Star Wars stuff than Potter. Same with adults. More Star Wars collectibles over Potter. It may just be that Star Wars is more marketable than Potter. I think Star Wars just has cooler items to sell. Dont get me wrong, I love the Potter series and own all the dvd's. I cant wait to visit Uni and see Potter 2.0. Star Wars just has more appeal to young and old alike. It has stood the test of time. The title of this thread is silly. "Could it be FACTS prove Star Wars is just not the draw it used to be". The only fact given in the OP's post is just that Star Tours had a short wait time on two different days. I see only one fact, not facts. Im sure Uni has had many days when waits for Potter attractions were short. Basing an idea that the ENTIRE Star Wars series no longer has a draw because an attraction at WDW had a short wait time is ridiculous. "what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points" - (from) Billy Madison

 

[HenryMystic]

^As has been pointed out ad nauseum, there is a frustrating lack of Potter merchandise in existence. That's why WWoHP does so well with guest spending.

 

[bigAWL]

The only stupid thing is that there is not already a SW land.

Amen!

Disney has a bad habit of killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

I'm not sure how true that is... Cars, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, lots of films back to Snow White, all have not been killed, and promise to continue to produce for years to come. Even Tinkerbell is somehow managing to stay somewhat popular.

In any case, if Lucas couldn't kill SW with his prequels, do you really think Disney will be able to do so? The prequels, as much as the old fans derided them, served to bring SW popularity to a whole new generation. I see Disney's continuation doing the same. Don't underestimate the Force!

 

[Bairstow]

While is does have multiple theme park additions coming down the pipeline, the franchise itself has nothing new coming as far as we know. No more books, no more movies. We have the existing movies and books and that is it. Sure that could change, but that is a big maybe.

Star Wars on the other hand is already beyond huge and is only getting bigger. Star Wars has 6 movies, a multi-season TV show in the can and at least one more on the way. The number of novels is in the 3 digit range, more movies are on the horizon and it has a merchandise line that rivals the GNP of some countries.

HP is an incredible franchise, but it will eventually wane in popularity if noting new is added.

On the flipside of that coin I wonder if Star Wars has approached the other end of the spectrum- audience fatigue from over-saturation.
Three disappointing movies followed by years of cartoons, action figures, and Mr. Potato Heads may have taken its toll, not perhaps on the core fanbase, but on the casual viewer.

 

[Master Yoda]

On the flipside of that coin I wonder if Star Wars has approached the other end of the spectrum- audience fatigue from over-saturation.
Three disappointing movies followed by years of cartoons, action figures, and Mr. Potato Heads may have taken its toll, not perhaps on the core fanbase, but on the casual viewer.

It is a dangerous thing to flirt with, but in this day and age of instant gratification I think the line of over saturation has moved to an almost unobtainable point.

 

[OrderMuppet]

I'd be really interested if anyone out there has numbers on whether or not younger kids are reading Harry Potter now that there isn't a media cycle feeding it. Obviously, Potter lives on to all those who read the books and watched the movies, but I think it would be an interesting study to find out if people who were too young before are now seeking it out or if they're on to other things.

I would guess that we're probably still too close to tell. For instance, younger siblings will have easy access to their older siblings' book copies, to which the initial owners are still too attached to banish to the attic/basement/giveaway bin. The movies are still being rerun on cable; I'm not sure if the last one has even reached [basic] cable yet.

I was reading William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade (published 1983) last night and he had some interesting comments on Star Wars (ep IV). The section was about movie endurance over time, and he specifically mentioned that he and some friends watched Star Wars again (~5 years after initial release) and felt "embarrassed" by the special effects, the acting, etc. (I tried to find the exact passage online to paste here; no luck. Maybe when I go home tonight I'll type it out.) They probably would not have believed, in 1980-whatever, that it would still have such a following in 2013, be rerun frequently on cable, be in the top 20 of AFI's "100 years, 100 movies" list... It's safe to say that most popular stuff inevitably goes through a passé phase and who knows whether or not any one franchise/trend will be the one-in-a-hundred to come out the other side.

Edited because I got my roman numerals backwards. :\

 

[bigAWL]

If there was embarassment over the effects after 5 years, I'd say they were a victim of their own success. ILM pioneered the effects industry in those days, and the advances they themselves made between ep IV and ep VI were amazing. What's sad is that you can no longer get the original three movies in their historical ground-breaking form, since Lucas re-did them.

 

[Bairstow]

I'm trying to imagine what kind of action/sci-fi movie Goldman would have been watching in the mid-'80s that would make him "embarrassed" by the special effects and acting in Star Wars.

Predator? Aliens? Beetelejuice?