George K to Replace Meg Crofton as WDW head in early 2013

[BigThunderMatt]

Truth. Far more opportunities to squeeze property out of the six existing SW films and the three upcoming ones than the HP series which is, barring anything ridiculously Rowlingish, over.

Don't misunderstand. I love everything about Harry Potter. I firmly believe that 50 years from now it will be on shelves right next to the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. I think the demand will still exist for some time, and the fact that the franchise exists in a variety of mediums means it will continue to receive exposure.

 

[juniorthomas]

Don't misunderstand. I love everything about Harry Potter. I firmly believe that 50 years from now it will be on shelves right next to the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. I think the demand will still exist for some time, and the fact that the franchise exists in a variety of mediums means it will continue to receive exposure.

I get what you're saying. I'm just saying, by numbers alone I guess, that SW has more opportunities for park growth. I'm a HP fan too.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I get what you're saying. I'm just saying, by numbers alone I guess, that SW has more opportunities for park growth. I'm a HP fan too.

I am a HUGE Potter fan, and I LOVE TWWOHP, and UOR in general. But I do think that after 2.0 opens, that will be it in general. Freshening yes, and maybe a few additional individual attractions, like possibly the Shrieking Shack, The Barrow (IOA) and the Flying Ford Anglia (USF). But that's about it.

 

[juniorthomas]

I am a HUGE Potter fan, and I LOVE TWWOHP, and UOR in general. But I do think that after 2.0 opens, that will be it in general. Freshening yes, and maybe a few additional individual attractions, like possibly the Shrieking Shack, The Barrow (IOA) and the Flying Ford Anglia (USF). But that's about it.

Yeah, they're certainly rather limited.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Yeah, they're certainly rather limited.

But Universal will offer other new IPs to keep the people coming to the parks. I am making this up, so this ISN'T a rumor of any kind, but I could see a famous Chocolate Factory or some other such property eventually coming to UOR. I repeat for anyone with reading comprehension problems, I JUST MADE THAT UP!

Tomorrows headline at VICEAGE: "UNIVERSAL HAS INKED A DEAL FOR CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY!!!!!!!!"

I kid, it's all in good fun.

 

[juniorthomas]

But Universal will offer other new IPs to keep the people coming to the parks. I am making this up, so this ISN'T a rumor of any kind, but I could see a famous Chocolate Factory or some other such property eventually coming to UOR. I repeat for anyone with reading comprehension problems, I JUST MADE THAT UP!

Tomorrows headline at VICEAGE: "UNIVERSAL HAS INKED A DEAL FOR CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY!!!!!!!!"

I kid, it's all in good fun.

Honestly - I would go to that world. It's a WB property though...

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Honestly - I would go to that world. It's a WB property though...

So is Potter.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

So is Potter.

And LOTR.

 

[SirLink]

Truth. Far more opportunities to squeeze property out of the six existing SW films and the three upcoming ones than the HP series which is, barring anything ridiculously Rowlingish, over.

Potter is classic children's literature ... and is still writing extra Potter content on Potermore. But I would honestly say it is harder to design a cohesive land that encapsulates Star Wars without annoying a SW fan here or there.

 

[WDW1974]

Uh-oh....I haven't heard that.
I need to get back in the loop on that whole mess...

Not sure there's a loop to be in.

Lots of misinformation flying and people quoting misinformation and embellishing it. Like the current UNI rumour.

 

[SirLink]

Honestly - I would go to that world. It's a WB property though...

You do know it is based on a book by another great children's writer Roald Dahl, and unlike a certain Tolkien selling the rights to everything bar the books, it still has to go through the authors estate for approval - hence the reason why there is an attraction in Alton Towers based on the franchise.

 

[WDW1974]

Of course they aren't meeting at the Santa Ana Olive Garden. They meet at the Mall of Orange Olive Garden on Tustin Avenue. They both love the breadsticks.

I prefer Buca de Beppo in Garden Grove myself if I'm going for Italian chain food ... although I still am not happy that in 2001 Jason decided to put our food on someone else's table when it obviously wasn't their food and they sorta looked at it and touched the plates and let it sit there before they called him back and then he came over and dropped it off at ours. Well, we weren't going to eat food that spent a few minutes on a stranger's table and told him.

He wasn't happy and went back to the kitchen, but decided he could just return with the same food. Needless to say, he wasn't tipped a penny.

Odd thing about that was within the same month we had the exact same thing happen at the Olive Garden in Westwood and that waiter was also a 20-something hipster named 'Jason' ... and, yes, it is strange that I can remember these things.

But I wouldn't be able to remember import things, many that involve Disney, if I didn't also remember the inane as well.

Oh, but I do still dine at Buca. I don't eat at Olive Garden unless someone is taking me and I have no choice.

But, yeah, I have dined at the Olive Garden you speak of. Never with George (too cheap!) or Al!

I've been reading Al Lutz since the late 1990's, at his various websites. His sources go back to before George K. was in Anaheim for the first time in 2000-01, and there were some truly great scoops by Lutz in the interim years alone of 2003-09 when George K. was nowhere near California. (Lutz scooped.... 50th plans, Disneyland cleanup of '04-'05, Submarine drama, Pirates Lair, DCA Makeover: what it consisted of and the dates it would be announced and then opened, Characters going in Small World, even some trashy celebrity dish back then like Lindsay Lohan being drunk and high during her 18th birthday visit, etc., etc., etc.)

Several of those Lutz scoops were vehemently denied online by various "insiders" and "experts", the Pirates Lair and Small World characters scoops by Lutz were the most memorable examples. But then a few months went by and Disney actually announced they were doing the stuff Lutz said they were going to, and the "insiders" fell silent.

The most recent example of that type of thing is Lutz saying Tokyo Disneyland is seriously considering replacing their Rivers of America section of Frontierland with a full Cars Land clone. That one came out of nowhere. Some insiders deny that to the end of their bandwidth, but we'll have to see what gets announced later in 2013.

Absolutely.

Just because the Prez and lead creative of DL happen to be two of AL's top sources doesn't mean he needs either of them to break real news. The truth is, if he worked for a legit news outlet, he would be considered a bulldog reporter with a top rep. ... Much like other Spirits, there is a reason why he is a must read in exec suites, Disney cubicles and places all over the globe.

 

[WDW1974]

Who's driving this train? Star Wars would be an even worse fit in DAK than Avatar. Didn't think that was possible.

Star Wars isn't going into DAK. ... UGH!!! ... I love social media, just think of the rumours one could start if one wanted to (ask my friends in the Celebration Place Social Media Cabal) and how easy they spread and how once the genie is out, you simply can't grab the lamp and pull an Aladdin.

 

[WDW1974]

Of course it is. I saw a months-old picture of Joe Rohde and James Cameron looking serious and standing around a bland, nondescript model.

Looks like everything's on track.

C'mon, you do know how many fans that assuaged, right?

Now, anyone with a functioning brain should be able to see at this point the the project is extremely troubled at best ... yet one 8-month old photo of four bored confused people sitting near a child's C- science fair model asking ' happened in Vegas and how are we married now?' is somehow enough to convince fanbois?

C'mon, you're better than that. You don't let the Imagineer unzipper your pants until you've at least consumed two drinks.

 

[WDW1974]

I wouldn't expect anything more than Mos Eisley Cantina, Jedi Training Academy, and some major placemaking around Star Tours.

I wouldn't expect that much unless we're lucky.

But that's it.

Now, China is another matter.

 

[WDW1974]

You would have to fix WDI first - from what I can gather - it always seems that everybody wants to have decision it takes years to actually get to point where projects are agreed upon before being sent to wait on a shelf for funding.

No. If Burbank wants things to happen, then they can happen almost overnight.
There is a bureaucracy, but it can be short-circuited. Hell, that's why we have the Fantasyland project (such as it is) or the Avatar deal.

 

[WDW1974]

Truth. Far more opportunities to squeeze property out of the six existing SW films and the three upcoming ones than the HP series which is, barring anything ridiculously Rowlingish, over.

Not true at all. Quality wins out over IP all the time. And the HP series will become classics just like Cinderella and Lion King and Toy Story.

And PLEASE, let's try and keep this thread somewhat OT. There are approximately 743 others where we can fight the UNI vs Disney, Potter vs. Star Wars battles. And I don't have much interest in them anyway. They're about as tired as soda thievary and lifetime refillable mugs at WDW resorts!

 

[SirLink]

No. If Burbank wants things to happen, then they can happen almost overnight.
There is a bureaucracy, but it can be short-circuited. Hell, that's why we have the Fantasyland project (such as it is) or the Avatar deal.

I meant the costs to build an attraction - it should be relatively cheap, it isn't that needs to be fixed first. Yes, you get projects started - but when they get to choose between the Fantasyland proposals and go for the least impressive version. Then you gotta fix why they aren't getting best bang for buck.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Now, China is another matter.

Certainly a better choice than Toy Story Land.

 

[djlaosc]

Star Wars isn't going into DAK. ... UGH!!! ... I love social media, just think of the rumours one could start if one wanted to (ask my friends in the Celebration Place Social Media Cabal) and how easy they spread and how once the genie is out, you simply can't grab the lamp and pull an Aladdin.

I'm actually busy watching Aladdin now!