TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Just to clarify, because despite our differences, I'm sure you wouldn't mean this, but... This is sarcasm, right?
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Disney Playing catch up with Universal... Potter Disney's biggest mistake in 20 years...
- Thread starter CinematicFusion
- Start date
WDWDad13
Well-Known Member
very much so - ... maybe no one goes just for shops but those shops will be popular and crowded just like Disney shops are popular and crowded no doubt
ABQ
Well-Known Member
Frankly, I hope Uni sticks to their opening day guns and sells unique wares in these new shops. Not the same cramp from shop to shop and I hope they teach Disney that can be successful, as Disney once did it. However, it will be interesting to see 1 or 2 years from now if Uni homogenizes these shops and puts all the same merchandise on the shelves from store to store. In the end, both parks will do whatever brings in the bucks.
btw, I completely saw what you were saying about the narrow path that DA is. And yes, it looks exactly like the movie, but that wasn't your point at all.
Does anyone know the real width from storefront to storefront? Any how far with along Main Street in the MK?
TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Several folks WILL be going for the shops. Olivander's, Borgin and Burkes, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, and the Leaky Cauldron are draws by themselves. It would be interesting to see how much business they do compared to the FLE stores after the initial rush is done.
Universal is no longer allowing strollers?
WDWDad13
Well-Known Member
no one is comparing them to any FLE stores... besides, what FLE stores? lol
cw1982
Well-Known Member
I think the assumption there is that more people with strollers are at the Magic Kingdom than at Universal, therefore meaning that, while there will be crowds, at least the people-to-stroller ratios will be more manageable at Universal than at MK.
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I guess your right but I said I heard positive reviews from people I trust. Positive or negative reviews from people here who are unidentified not named, myself included should not be taken as gospel. Make up your own mind. For example I personally like the six flags safari at great adventure more than Disney's because it's bigger and covers more of the world. They are different and I can understand why some people may disagree with me because the animals bare further apart but everyone is entitled to their own views.couldn't you also say that no one should accept positive reviews too until after the ride has been open for months?
That seems to be the going trend for anything positive around here towards Disney anyways... just sayingbut I totally agree with what you say... decide for yourself... different strokes for different folks!
ABQ
Well-Known Member
Well that will be one plus if they make it exclusively HP merchandise, but if it's all the same items one can get at Filch's, in the end, it will be a downer. Still better than mixing in Simpson's and Cat in the Hat.
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
It will have beer so thats always a positive.
TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Everything is quite well separated right now. Even beyond it just being HP merch, it's only merch that you would find at that store were it a real place. For example, there are no wands in Wisacres and there are no Weasley sweaters in Borgin and Burkes.
Though there are fewer stores at FLE, I imagine that the few that are there will do a decent job earning their place just based on the attendance at MK. Factor in Be Our Guest and there's probably a legit competition.
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ABQ
Well-Known Member
Yes, and as I said previously, I hope they stick to that plan. WDW once did the same, but then went cheap, lame, and boring. But I'm sure the dollar made that easy to do. I stated before that I'd like to see where DA shoppes are a year or two out.
TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Tony Perkis
Well-Known Member
Yes. This.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Then it is an observation with as much insight as saying the sky is blue.
Link: Comcast Is About to Cream Disney
By Rick Munarriz
We made our way up the King's Cross train station and through Platform 9 3/4, boarded the Hogwarts Express, and after a brief yet richly themed experience found our way at Hogsmeade less than four minutes later.
As we were getting off the train, my wife turned to me, offering up four simple words:
"Sell your Disney stock."
Now, she knows that I'm not about to do that. She bought me my very first share of the family entertainment giant in the late 1980s when we started going out. You marry that kind of fiscally fancy whimsy.
She's not the only one realizing that Disney (NYSE: DIS ) seems to be coasting with its theme parks at a time when Comcast's (NASDAQ: CMCSK ) Universal Orlando is raising the bar. This is shaping up to be a big summer for Central Florida, and while Disney's major addition is a tame, sparse, and surprisingly brief mine train coaster, Comcast's Diagon Alley expansion to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter experience is more ambitious than anything that Disney has cooked up in ages.
Universal Orlando's Diagon Alley doesn't officially open at Universal Studios Florida until tomorrow, but park guests have been invited to kick the tires in recent days. I was there on Saturday afternoon, taking in the sense-awakening experience with my wife and youngest son.
It's going to be the big draw to Central Florida in the coming months, even if Disney continues to have the advantage when it comes to turnstile clicks. According to industry group Themed Entertainment Association, Disney continues to watch over the country's six most visited theme parks. Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida command the next two slots, attracting 8.1 million and 7.1 million guests, respectively, last year.
However, that's going to change with this bold expansion. We weren't able to experience the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Bank indoor coaster, which has been buggy for the handful of media hands and resort package guests who have been able to go on the reportedly impressive ride. But we were able to explore the shops of Diagon Alley and even take in an early dinner at The Leaky Cauldron between our round-trip experience on the Hogwarts Express, which is the most financially brilliant thing that any theme park operator has ever done.
It's not about the train ride, which in itself is a surprisingly intimate family-friendly winner. Since the journey connects the Potter areas of Universal Orlando's two theme parks, they don't let you board unless you have either the more expensive day ticket that includes admission to both parks or you're fortunate enough to have an annual pass. In a slick move, each station sells the two-part ticket upgrade, and those ticket stations were busy taking money from muggles over the weekend.
Add it all up and the Hogwarts Express experience alone is not only going to make a ton of incremental dough from folks upgrading their tickets, but it's also going to lead to a spike in attendance as visitors take in both parks. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Comcast's two gated attractions in Orlando surpass Disney's less popular stateside parks in attendance within a year or two.
Disney doesn't seem worried. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is commanding long lines since opening in late May, and its latest addition -- a series of temporary shows and attractions themed to the wildly popular Frozen -- is generating decent fan buzz at Disney's Hollywood Studios. However, anyone with an unbiased measuring stick will be able to see that Universal Orlando is the one that shot for the moon this summer. If you don't see it that way, just take in the reports of the insane crowds that will be lining up to get into Universal Studios Florida tomorrow. I'm not letting go of my Disney stock, but the certificates are starting to get a little sweaty.
By Rick Munarriz
We made our way up the King's Cross train station and through Platform 9 3/4, boarded the Hogwarts Express, and after a brief yet richly themed experience found our way at Hogsmeade less than four minutes later.
As we were getting off the train, my wife turned to me, offering up four simple words:
"Sell your Disney stock."
Now, she knows that I'm not about to do that. She bought me my very first share of the family entertainment giant in the late 1980s when we started going out. You marry that kind of fiscally fancy whimsy.
She's not the only one realizing that Disney (NYSE: DIS ) seems to be coasting with its theme parks at a time when Comcast's (NASDAQ: CMCSK ) Universal Orlando is raising the bar. This is shaping up to be a big summer for Central Florida, and while Disney's major addition is a tame, sparse, and surprisingly brief mine train coaster, Comcast's Diagon Alley expansion to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter experience is more ambitious than anything that Disney has cooked up in ages.
Universal Orlando's Diagon Alley doesn't officially open at Universal Studios Florida until tomorrow, but park guests have been invited to kick the tires in recent days. I was there on Saturday afternoon, taking in the sense-awakening experience with my wife and youngest son.
It's going to be the big draw to Central Florida in the coming months, even if Disney continues to have the advantage when it comes to turnstile clicks. According to industry group Themed Entertainment Association, Disney continues to watch over the country's six most visited theme parks. Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida command the next two slots, attracting 8.1 million and 7.1 million guests, respectively, last year.
However, that's going to change with this bold expansion. We weren't able to experience the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Bank indoor coaster, which has been buggy for the handful of media hands and resort package guests who have been able to go on the reportedly impressive ride. But we were able to explore the shops of Diagon Alley and even take in an early dinner at The Leaky Cauldron between our round-trip experience on the Hogwarts Express, which is the most financially brilliant thing that any theme park operator has ever done.
It's not about the train ride, which in itself is a surprisingly intimate family-friendly winner. Since the journey connects the Potter areas of Universal Orlando's two theme parks, they don't let you board unless you have either the more expensive day ticket that includes admission to both parks or you're fortunate enough to have an annual pass. In a slick move, each station sells the two-part ticket upgrade, and those ticket stations were busy taking money from muggles over the weekend.
Add it all up and the Hogwarts Express experience alone is not only going to make a ton of incremental dough from folks upgrading their tickets, but it's also going to lead to a spike in attendance as visitors take in both parks. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Comcast's two gated attractions in Orlando surpass Disney's less popular stateside parks in attendance within a year or two.
Disney doesn't seem worried. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is commanding long lines since opening in late May, and its latest addition -- a series of temporary shows and attractions themed to the wildly popular Frozen -- is generating decent fan buzz at Disney's Hollywood Studios. However, anyone with an unbiased measuring stick will be able to see that Universal Orlando is the one that shot for the moon this summer. If you don't see it that way, just take in the reports of the insane crowds that will be lining up to get into Universal Studios Florida tomorrow. I'm not letting go of my Disney stock, but the certificates are starting to get a little sweaty.