DHS CARS LAND

[GLaDOS]

Because they weren't promised - only rumored... don't rewrite history.

This. It was never an announced addition to the land. Just fan hearsay.

 

[unkadug]

Both. Thankfully. But TBH a lot of TDOs mentality has gone from heads in the sand to blind panic.

Panicking people are a lot easier to replace. They make elementary mistakes that will cost them their jobs.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

Those were promised for the first phase and did not appear.

Yet Uni wasn't raked over the coals for not providing a promised experience...

Planned and promised are two different things. Disney planned a lot of things for FLE too, not all of them made them to fruition. Everything that was promised though, has been delivered to some extent.

Uni though, didn't really provide much detail on WWoHP prior to its opening, therefore very little was promised that they did not deliver on. I think the same will be true of Potter 2.0.

You can't really over-promise and under-deliver if you aren't constantly feeding tidbits about an expansion to drooling fanbois like Disney does.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

AK 2009: 9,590,000 2011: 9,783,000 Change: +193,000
DHS 2009: 9,700,000 2011: 9,699,000 Change: -1000
IOA 2009: 4,627,000 2011: 7,674,000 Change +3,047,000
UNI 2009: 5,530,000 2011: 6,044,000 Change +514,000

Yeah, I'd say an increase of nearly 4 million guests spread across two parks versus a net gain of 183,000 between DAK's gain and DHS' loss in a 2 year period is a pretty sure sign that once Potter 2.0 opens at least one, if not both, of these parks is going to be surpassed.

 

[djlaosc]

I think you are falling into a trap - skewed by what Uni actually built.

Hogsmeade isn't an attractive location in the books (or movies really) - It's most notable thing in the books is the secret passages between the town and Hogwarts. While locations are often referenced, most are not elaborated on. There is little 'exotic' about the town to enthrall potential guests.

Diagon Alley on the other hand, has all the shops.. plays the role of Harry's first encounter with the all wizard world.. is home to notable places and characters.

What is skewing your opinion I think.. is you must realize what UNI built for 'Hogsmeade' is actually a mashup of Diagon Alley concepts and Hogsmeade. So you kind of get 'best of both' to an extent. But portions of that attraction are actually attested to the lure of Diagon Alley - not hogsmeade.

If they stayed pure to what Hogsmeade was in the books... several of the shops and Olivanders wouldn't be there.

If you go only by the books and movies... Diagon Alley is a far more 'exotic' and deep place than Hogsmeade. The most unusual place in Hogsmeade, the Shreking Shack, isn't even an attraction at Uni. Three Broomsticks, Hogs Head, and the Inn, are pretty non-descript... Zonkos and honeydukes are more tales then engaging as a location in the books. The zest for what UNI did came from the cherry picking of both places to get the 'best of..' record.

There will be a huge draw for the London side of things.. and on top of that attractions and experiences.

I am wondering if, when Diagon Alley opens, they will remove the shops from Hogsmeade that are supposed to be there and replace them with actual Hogsmeade stores? I would imagine that a larger Ollivanders (more rooms) will be a part of Diagon Alley, at least.

 

[flynnibus]

I am wondering if, when Diagon Alley opens, they will remove the shops from Hogsmeade that are supposed to be there and replace them with actual Hogsmeade stores? I would imagine that a larger Ollivanders (more rooms) will be a part of Diagon Alley, at least.

This is one of the mysteries yet to be answered fully Tho its rumored Olivanders will be replaced with a much higher capacity version with much more elaborate effects in the London side.

 

[RSoxNo1]

IOA passed DCA

I meant WDW parks, and I suspect DCA will overtake IOA in 2012.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Disney Park in Florida was what I thought this bet was about, either way, I donate money to the Make a Wish Foundation once a month, so no big deal if you choose to chicken out.

But, if your willing, I would make the same wager for any Disney World park against IOA for one full year after Potter phase 2 opens. No way IOA beats any Disney Park even with Potter 2.

Thats one full year, and I would even be willing to start with a full quarter for IOA, meaning if Potter 2 opens in a May, which would be the second month of a quarter, I would forsake that quarter and start with a full 4 months, meaning the next quarter just to have every single day of the year count.

I hope that makes sense.

Jimmy Thick- Always ahead of the game.

You lost me. First full year after Phase 2 opens. Any Universal Orlando park beating any Disney World park. I only ask that you remind me if I lose.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Potter 2 isn't going to make either Orlando UNI park surpass any of the four WDW parks.

When combined with a lack of upkeep and a lack of additions I think it's likely. Worst case scenario I give money to charity - I can certainly live with that.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Personally, I think it's very possible. Here are the TEA numbers:

AK 2009: 9,590,000 2011: 9,783,000 Change: +193,000
DHS 2009: 9,700,000 2011: 9,699,000 Change: -1000
IOA 2009: 4,627,000 2011: 7,674,000 Change +3,047,000
UNI 2009: 5,530,000 2011: 6,044,000 Change +514,000

Even if DHS or AK were to break ground on a major attraction today they wouldn't likely have anything new open until well into 2015 and by that point UNI will have Transformers, Simpsons area, Potter II open, and maybe something else new in IOA. I think this all adds up to a very good chance for IOA or UNI to pass DHS or AK, and if they don't pass the numbers are going to be very close.

Also of note is Epcot which has lost guests since 2009.
Epcot 2009: 10,990,000
Epcot 2010: 10,825,000
Epcot 2011: 10,825,000
I would suspect that Epcot's 2013 numbers would increase because of Test Track, but if Star Tours showed us anything it's that re-working existing attractions and not advertising them cannot drive attendance.

 

[BenSmith]

I meant WDW parks, and I suspect DCA will overtake IOA in 2012.

DLR is a whole other ball game, their biggest competitor is Universal Hollywood, which, to put it bluntly, sucks...

 

[Californian Elitist]

DLR is a whole other ball game, their biggest competitor is Universal Hollywood, which, to put it bluntly, sucks...

Were you saying the fact that DL and USH are competitors such, or USH in general sucks? I really hope it was the first one.

 

[djlaosc]

This is one of the mysteries yet to be answered fully Tho its rumored Olivanders will be replaced with a much higher capacity version with much more elaborate effects in the London side.

You would imagine that they have seen the success of the WWOHP version, and would want to improve on it!

(All of the following comes from Wikipedia)

HOGSMEADE STORES NOT IN WWOHP:
Gladrags WizardWear (clothing/socks - Universal's own LittleMissMatched? )
Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop (stationery)
Madam Puddifoot's (teashop)

Shrieking Shack (not a store, but not represented in WWOHP)

So they could remove Ollivanders and put at least one of those three shops in. I'm trying to remember if there are any "fake" storefronts in WWOHP that they could build a store behind?


DIAGON ALLEY LOCATIONS:
The Daily Prophet Office
Borgin & Birkes (antique shop - already rumoured as a walkthrough attraction for HP2.0)
Eeylops Owl Emporium (owl shop)
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour (ice cream shop, including "chocolate and raspberry sauce with chopped nuts", and "strawberry and peanut butter cones" - although boarded up in HP6)
Flourish & Blotts (book shop)
Gringotts Wizarding Bank (bank - rumoured to be the rollercoaster ride in HP2.0)
The Leaky Cauldron (pub and inn - Universal's on DVC/Cinderella Castle Suite location? )
Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions (clothing shop next to Flourish & Blotts)
Magical Menagerie (magical creature shop)
Ollivanders (wand shop)
Potage's Cauldron Shop (cauldron shop)
Quality Quidditch Supplies (Broomsticks and Quidditch shop)
Slug and Jiggers Apothecary (scales, potions and potion ingredients shop)
Gambol and Japes (wizarding joke shop)
Various Stalls (selling sweets, etc.)
Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment (equipment shop)
Twilfitt and Tatting's (wizarding clothing shop)
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes (joke shop - already rumoured as a walkthrough attraction for HP2.0)

If people thought that Universal could do merchandise well with 4 Hogsmeade locations in WWOHP (+1 for Ollivanders), imagine what they could do if they opened these 13/14 stores in Diagon Alley!

 

[SirLink]

Both. Thankfully. But TBH a lot of TDOs mentality has gone from heads in the sand to blind panic.

So then why are they acting like Gollum and protecting their bonus' when they have more important issues to address in each park, individually, and the resort overall.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Were you saying the fact that DL and USH are competitors such, or USH in general sucks? I really hope it was the first one.

I'm with him - I'm not a fan of Universal Hollywood. If we were to line up the 6 domestic Disney parks, and the 3 domestic Universal parks I would put Universal Hollywood 9th.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'm with him - I'm not a fan of Universal Hollywood. If we were to line up the 6 domestic Disney parks, and the 3 domestic Universal parks I would put Universal Hollywood 9th.

Universal Hollywood is one of my favorites. At the same time, I'm a HUGE film fan and I think the studio tour is worth the price of a ticket. USH is unlike any other theme park, and it's just going to get better once Potter opens. It's definitely better than Disneyland at Christmas time. I know I'm in the minority when I say that. To each his/her own.

 

[BenSmith]

Were you saying the fact that DL and USH are competitors such, or USH in general sucks? I really hope it was the first one.

The second one, USH is just a mix of random attractions slapped together with no cohesive theme. And the studio tour has turned into a special effects show.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The second one, USH is just a mix of random attractions slapped together with no cohesive theme. And the studio tour has turned into a special effects show.

I agree with the first part of your statement. The second part, I disagree with.

I think if Disney decided to put a Disneyland billboard, an electronic one at that, right smack in the hills after you leave USH, they must be doing something right.

 

[JEANYLASER]

i hope Cars Land in DHS will be official!

 

[BenSmith]

I agree with the first part of your statement. The second part, I disagree with.

I think if Disney decided to put a Disneyland billboard, an electronic one at that, right smack in the hills after you leave USH, they must be doing something right.

Disneyland is the No.2 theme park in the world attendance wise(Second only to MK). DCA is 7th, and USH is 10th.
So USH is not living up to it's competitors, and lacks the themeing that USF and IOA have. The sign is just another Disney attempt to let it's competitors know they are still No.1

You see more special effect scenes on the studio tour than actual movie sets. Therefore it is more of a special effects show

Attendance records courtesy of http://www.coastergrotto.com/theme-park-attendance.jsp