Expert Says Potter Opening May Rival Disney

[T-1MILLION]

Its not going to be as big of a tourism giant as Magic Kingdom created central Florida to be back in the day but if you scale it as a ratio I could see the comparison, besides that this article does not hold much.

What is relevant though is Potter is bigger than anything Disney has done in years, and that is the sad part.

 

[Sketch105]

Do people really go ALL the way to Orlando, visit Universal and not WDW?

How can one attraction be compared to an entire theme park?

Actually, I've met a few people who told me they didn't go to Disney because "they went there last year".

As far as the gripes about the re-theming goes..a lot of guests will have no idea about the previous incarnation of the land as part of the Lost Continent, and few newcomers will care.

As for the complaints about "it's just a couple of shops and a new ride"-
Many people consider shopping and eating an experience when on vacation. To be able to go home and say they ate at the Three Broomsticks, or bought a chocolate frog, or had Butterbeer at the Hogs Head will be an experience to them. Not everything has to be a rollercoaster ride to be enjoyed.

The other issue I have with WWoHP is that it is based on a series of books and movies that are currently popular. The series appears to be coming to an end soon though. I'm not convinced that once there are no more new books or movies that HP will still be as popular as it is now. WWoHP might outlive the end of the series for a few years but I highly doubt it will be able to remain essentially unchanged 40 years from now.

And the fact that WDW has many attractions based on characters 50+ year old that haven't had new movies/books in years doesn't shake you either?

 

[s8film40]

I'm not sure about the comparable long term impact of WWOHP on the area, but at least for the short term I can see it having a similar impact as the opening of MK or Epcot. I got the impression that that Duncan Dickson was referring to the immediate impact on the tourism market. I visited WWOHP yesterday and they already had lots of stuff set up. Theres a huge screen as you enter the park and lots of other stages and event stuff was being set up as well. There were people from the Today show walking around I assume planning out sequences. They have a stage set up by the ride with a set up for the orchestra, the thought of going and watching John Williams conduct an orchestra playing Harry Potter music in the middle of WWOHP sounds appealing to me and I'm not even a Harry Potter fan.

 

[magic2me]

It would be great for the Orlando economy if the opening of WWoHP increased hotel occupancy. I expect it will for the short term but only time will tell in the long term.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I also have a beef with IOA that they have no rides for the entire family!.

I must have missed the bit where Disney has stopped aiming for the sub 10 year old family demographic.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Not sure of the value of experts, bu it is funny to see the fan bhoy squirming.

Cant wait for the meet n greets in another two to three years. Ooohhh the excitement. And isnt the much vaunted fantasy land just some carnival rides with MDF façades one new (well not technology wise) ride and a shop or two. But I guess these are special pixie dust shops.

Cant wait for our 3 day stay at URO.

 

[mattdmorris]

Hey guys,
anybody know what time the parking garages at universal will be open in the morning in july?

 

[T-1MILLION]

Not sure of the value of experts, bu it is funny to see the fan bhoy squirming.

Cant wait for the meet n greets in another two to three years. Ooohhh the excitement. And isnt the much vaunted fantasy land just some carnival rides with MDF façades one new (well not technology wise) ride and a shop or two. But I guess these are special pixie dust shops.

Cant wait for our 3 day stay at URO.

Plus even if you could compare the new Fantasyland to Potter, Potter would still likely win (although we know there are those who will never agree) but as a branded new experience Forbidden Journey is an original and Mermaid is already known to be a clone of what DCA is getting.

Hope you enjoy your next URO Vacation Pumbas. I always enjoy your realistic opinions.

 

[Testtrack321]

Potter's going to be big, but it physically cannot be as big as MK. It just can't. Even if it was a whole new major park with tons of rides it wouldn't compare to the 1971 opening. We're talking about a cultural and economic shifting event to yet another new land/park.

 

[71jason]

Hey guys,
anybody know what time the parking garages at universal will be open in the morning in july?

Sentinel is saying 5:30. Good luck, you're a braver man than me.

 

[mattdmorris]

haha, i wouldnt say braver, maybe dumber! hopefully since its 2 weeks after grand opening, it will be a little more bearable! not counting on it. thanks for the info.

 

[jakeman]

Not sure of the value of experts, bu it is funny to see the fan bhoy squirming.

Cant wait for the meet n greets in another two to three years. Ooohhh the excitement. And isnt the much vaunted fantasy land just some carnival rides with MDF façades one new (well not technology wise) ride and a shop or two. But I guess these are special pixie dust shops.

Cant wait for our 3 day stay at URO.

I not sure many are squirming in this particular thread.

No one mentioned anything about FLE expansion in this thread, nor were there any comparisions that it will be better, equivalent, or worse.

Harry Potter will be big, but I don't think it is possible to be as big as the expert in the article is expecting.

I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself in the fall.

 

[Thurp]

I checked out the Harry Potter area this weekend. It's a bit on the small side but it's beautiful. It's very well done, the details are outstanding.

The ride blew me away. I'm still in awe several days later.

The cast members, or whatever they are called there, were basically out-Disneying Disney. So polite, so friendly and so helpful.

They did an amazing job. Credit where credit is due. Universal has really proved itself.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I not sure many are squirming in this particular thread.

No one mentioned anything about FLE expansion in this thread, nor were there any comparisions that it will be better, equivalent, or worse.
.

I think youll find I mentioned it in relation to a post that Potter area was a ride and a few shops. I felt it pertinent to point out that this to me seemed similar to the much heralded Fantasy Land expansion.

Im sure you can see my reasoning.

Or maybe not.

 

[jakeman]

I think youll find I mentioned it in relation to a post that Potter area was a ride and a few shops. I felt it pertinent to point out that this to me seemed similar to the much heralded Fantasy Land expansion.

Im sure you can see my reasoning.

Or maybe not.

Ah, I understand now. Thanks.

You know us colonials, brain all rotted from TV and such. :lookaroun

 

[Andrew54]

Yeah Right.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Ah, I understand now. Thanks.

You know us colonials, brain all rotted from TV and such. :lookaroun

According to the much respected Stephen Fry US TV is currently far more challenging and creating better more engaging drama etc than the UK.

Which as a fan of several series I have to agree.

 

[overdrive]

Looks like the guy might have been right, turn out was more than anyone expected. Looks like it even caught Universal off gaurd, I would have to bet they are already planning an expansion to the wwohp. I heard it was up to almost 16 hour wait to just get into wwohp. Thats nuts and its just the first day.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Looks like the guy might have been right, turn out was more than anyone expected. Looks like it even caught Universal off gaurd, I would have to bet they are already planning an expansion to the wwohp. I heard it was up to almost 16 hour wait to just get into wwohp. Thats nuts and its just the first day.

A 16 hour wait??? For a park that isn't even open for 16 hours?? What were they doing, lining up since last night???

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Looks like the guy might have been right, turn out was more than anyone expected. Looks like it even caught Universal off gaurd, I would have to bet they are already planning an expansion to the wwohp. I heard it was up to almost 16 hour wait to just get into wwohp. Thats nuts and its just the first day.

I've been hearing 9 hours to be honest, and I'm even finding that to be stretch. I mean, 16 hours? The park is only open for 12... staff would surely have started turning people away if there were a 16 hour wait (or maybe not, depending on how unprepared they might have been).

EDIT: After looking at pics from opening day, I can believe 9 hours, and I can see that 16 wasn;t exactly a stretch from the truth.