Harry Potter....and it looks amazing

[tirian]

This is something I feel Universal really excels at - keeping unique, relevant merchandise in its stores...


...you'll notice each park has its own main store (Studios Store & the Islands of Adventure Trading Company) and Citywalk also has a main store (Universal Orlando Store) that sells a little bit of everything as well as your more generic Universal/Islands of Adventure items. Right now at Disney, all of the shops are like the Emporium, with the same generic crap lining every aisle. Disney could learn a lesson from Universal and perhaps sell some more quality merchandise.

I couldn't believe how much better the merchandise was at Universal IOA. EVERYTHING from high-end collectibles to keychains kept the theme going strong.

There's no reason to sell plush baby princesses in the Briar Patch store at Splash Mountain; and when you can't even find a decent keychain that doesn't break within a week, you know Disney has merch issues.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

This is something I feel Universal really excels at - keeping unique, relevant merchandise in its stores. Some examples:

*Plethora of Revenge of the Mummy-specific and Egyptian-themed merchandise in Sahara Traders
*Twister and farm-stuff in Aftermath
*Nickelodean stuff galore in the Nickstuff
*Some great, unique Jaws items throughout the Amity carts
*Tons of Men in Black/alien stuff in the MIB Gear
*Simpsons merchandise at the Kwik-E Mart
*Terminator items at Cyberdyne Styles
-Lots of specialty shopping at the Irish shop in New York, The Brown Derby, Oakley, etc...
-Spider-Man stuff at the... Spider-Man Shop (okay, maybe that name needed more work)
-Great, nostalgic comic book items and toys at Marvel Alternaverse
-A surprising amount of unique merchandise for some not-so-relevant characters at Toon Extra
-Great educational/entertainment based merchandise at the Jurassic Park stores
-Some AWESOME foreign and specialty items in the Lost Continent stores, such as Treasures of Poseidon and all of the carts in the Sinbad Bazaar
-Before Dueling Dragons left, it had a Dragon's Roost which sold an unbelievably cool amount of unique collectibles and apparel (I myself have two high-quality "fire and ice" dragon baby sculpts)
-Great Seussian items of all kinds and sorts in the various shops of Seuss Landing
-And now, with Harry Potter, a bulk of unbelievably cool unique items from the universe

...you'll notice each park has its own main store (Studios Store & the Islands of Adventure Trading Company) and Citywalk also has a main store (Universal Orlando Store) that sells a little bit of everything as well as your more generic Universal/Islands of Adventure items. Right now at Disney, all of the shops are like the Emporium, with the same generic crap lining every aisle. Disney could learn a lesson from Universal and perhaps sell some more quality merchandise.

You know, I didn't really think about that until now. Wow.

 

[SSE]

It would be nice if Disney followed Universal's steps in regards to merchandise and made area specific stuff again besides maybe a couple things. I believe in the old saying that you have to spend money to make money. If Disney actually put the money into making really good quality merchandise that represented the area which it was in then I think that they would make a lot of money on it.

I also hope that one day Disney loses the Disney Parks name that they use to promote a lot of their stuff. Does anyone know if there are people within the company that have a clue and hate the name and are trying to get rid of it? To me the name just feels cheap and it makes me think of Six Flags.

 

[LSonDubz]

im not into harry potter in the least, but I love "haunted" "medieval" themes

 

[E P C O T]

Mini review via BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10352816.stm

 

[Mouse Man]

Let's see the new HP exhibit not land because it's really tiny when you compare it to Aventure land or Tomorrow land and so on. Uni will be begging for guests again in about two or three years. Maybe they will put in another Rolar Coaster to have the IOA recalled Coaster Land. It would be cool to see a Roller Coaster next to the Condo's and town homes. Maybe with all the propperty Uni has they can expand, no wait no space left. Maybe there world class resorts will bring people, no wait to many conventions going on. Get real, Uni is a Glorified Six Flags that will eventually go bank rupt. I don't even see how you can compare UNI to WDW and all it has to offer. Totally ridiculous thread to say the least. :hammer:

 

[Duckberg]

Potter MAYHEM Hmmm!

Didn't Disney give up on landing Potter for WDW because J.K. Rowling wanted the MOON $$$$ ? I would question that UNI should have had this attraction up years ago. Will the Potter franchise be heading into a cooling mode down the road :veryconfu Duckberg

 

[dxwwf3]

Will the Potter franchise be heading into a cooling mode down the road :veryconfu Duckberg

Possibly, but I think this now has the staying power of a Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I didn't think it would stay this popular for this long a few years ago. I know there are still 2 more movies to come out, but I think this has staying power.

 

[Testtrack321]

Didn't Disney give up on landing Potter for WDW because J.K. Rowling wanted the MOON $$$$ ? I would question that UNI should have had this attraction up years ago. Will the Potter franchise be heading into a cooling mode down the road :veryconfu Duckberg

From what I understand she wanted more control on the experience than Disney was going to let her have (fun test: go to WWoHP and try to find any "name brand" stuff there. Big example: no Coke/Pepsi)

 

[Duckberg]

From what I understand she wanted more control on the experience than Disney was going to let her have (fun test: go to WWoHP and try to find any "name brand" stuff there. Big example: no Coke/Pepsi)

Thanks for the info! In other words Harry Potter IS the BRAND, total focus on product? Wizard! Duckberg

 

[Duckberg]

STAYING Power

Possibly, but I think this now has the staying power of a Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I didn't think it would stay this popular for this long a few years ago. I know there are still 2 more movies to come out, but I think this has staying power.

Good points! Like the last Indiana Jones movie no, matter how good or bad it was it kept the Indie character in the public eye which was probably a + for the Indie Stunt Show @ WDW. Duckberg

 

[Testtrack321]

Thanks for the info! In other words Harry Potter IS the BRAND, total focus on product? Wizard! Duckberg

Very much so, from what products are in the land to her demands to have final approval on all attractions, addition, modifications, and entertainment. You get an unparalleled experience, for sure, but hell on earth from a management perspective.

 

[Lee]

Didn't Disney give up on landing Potter for WDW because J.K. Rowling wanted the MOON $$$$ ?

From what I understand she wanted more control on the experience than Disney was going to let her have

Yes. Both.
They were just unable to come to terms in both areas.
Would have been great, however. Bigger and better than WWoHP.

 

[Testtrack321]

Yes. Both.
They were just unable to come to terms in both areas.
Would have been great, however. Bigger and better than WWoHP.

Well ANYTHING is bigger than WWoHP :ROFLOL:

Since you've let us taste the possibilities, what were some of the ideas WDI had? I heard something about Diagon Alley? :shrug:

 

[Captain Chaos]

The fifth theme park???

 

[Lee]

Since you've let us taste the possibilities, what were some of the ideas WDI had? I heard something about Diagon Alley? :shrug:

I'm not fully versed on all the specifics, but I also was told that Diagon Alley would have been the gateway to the land.
More attractions than WW, built out in multiple phases over several years.

The fifth theme park???

It was never described to me that way. Just as a land added to an existing park.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I'm not fully versed on all the specifics, but I also was told that Diagon Alley would have been the gateway to the land.
More attractions than WW, built out in multiple phases over several years.


It was never described to me that way. Just as a land added to an existing park.

I must know... Inquiring minds want to know... Which park??? I'm assuming DHS....

 

[JROK]

From a few interviews with the designers that I've read over the week, they're already talking about the park expanding Potter. I wouldn't be surprised if in 3 years it takes over all of Lost Continent.

 

[Horizonsfan]

From a few interviews with the designers that I've read over the week, they're already talking about the park expanding Potter. I wouldn't be surprised if in 3 years it takes over all of Lost Continent.

That would be much welcomed. The Poseidon's Fury show is cheesy. I remember reading on the sodium-saturated website Screamscape about Uni eyeing the land behind the sinbad show and the land the theater sits on.

 

[JT3000]

That would be much welcomed.

Not for me. LC is still a beautiful area, and even with all the mistakes they've made, Poseidon is still redeemable. They just have to make the effort. Besides, WWoHP is already enough Potter IMO.

Let's see the new HP exhibit not land because it's really tiny when you compare it to Aventure land or Tomorrow land and so on. Uni will be begging for guests again in about two or three years. Maybe they will put in another Rolar Coaster to have the IOA recalled Coaster Land. It would be cool to see a Roller Coaster next to the Condo's and town homes. Maybe with all the propperty Uni has they can expand, no wait no space left. Maybe there world class resorts will bring people, no wait to many conventions going on. Get real, Uni is a Glorified Six Flags that will eventually go bank rupt. I don't even see how you can compare UNI to WDW and all it has to offer. Totally ridiculous thread to say the least. :hammer:

Thread? Not so ridiculous. Your posts? Very much so. Do you have nothing better to do with your time than troll the Universal forum?