Harry Potter IS making a difference!!

[jakeman]

The success of HP - and the willing to build it - is possibly the best thing to happen to Uni Orlando since they redeveloped the whole resort in the late 90`s. They took a gamble and it has more than paid off.

No offense Martin, but I just don't see HP as a gamble.

Regardless if it is a flash in the pan or a true franchise (I would bank on the later, but that isn't relevant to the topic), HP is one of the hottest properties available right now. It has a fan base with elements as fanatical as Star Wars and Star Trek fans.

While the land is very impressive, it would be hard for it not to be with the involvement of Rowling.

It is impressive and a success and Uni should be congratulated for it, but it is far from a gamble.

 

[Lee]

No offense Martin, but I just don't see HP as a gamble.

It was a gamble for Uni in the sense that it meant changing their business model and because it was like handling plutonium. Do it right and you win big. Had they screwed it up, it would have been the biggest failure in theme park history.
Thankfully, they did it the right way by not cutting corners and by involving JKR and WB throughout the entire process.

 

[amejr999]

Well, Al Lutz thinks that things will improve soon:

http://miceage.micechat.com/mc/mc120110a.htm

(Scroll down to Ask A Columnist)

 

[jakeman]

It was a gamble for Uni in the sense that it meant changing their business model and because it was like handling plutonium. Do it right and you win big. Had they screwed it up, it would have been the biggest failure in theme park history.
Thankfully, they did it the right way by not cutting corners and by involving JKR and WB throughout the entire process.

I thought they didn't have a choice?

JKR was going to be there whether they liked it or not. Is that not correct?

Not arguing, just curious.

 

[Lee]

I thought they didn't have a choice?

JKR was going to be there whether they liked it or not. Is that not correct?

Not arguing, just curious.

Her first choice was Disney, hence he months and months of concept work that went into the Disney version of HP.
When that fell through, Uni had to make quite a sales pitch to get it, part of which was bringing JKR and WB on board and giving them tons of power over the project.
Wasn't that way with Disney. Yes, she would have been involved, but not to the extent she was at Uni.

 

[imagineer boy]

Her first choice was Disney, hence he months and months of concept work that went into the Disney version of HP.
When that fell through, Uni had to make quite a sales pitch to get it, part of which was bringing JKR and WB on board and giving them tons of power over the project.
Wasn't that way with Disney. Yes, she would have been involved, but not to the extent she was at Uni.

Wow, Disney was JKR's first choice and Disney flushed it down the toilet. Such a shame.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

Yes, she would have been involved, but not to the extent she was at Uni.

Which was probably Disney's biggest slip-up with this project. Their arrogance and inability to give J.K. Rowling creative control over a property that SHE created could have potentially been one of the stupidest decisions parks & resorts has ever made.

Although, to be honest, I'm glad Disney didn't get it. Can you imagine the horrific Disney-fied Harry Potter merchandise ala Star Wars they would have been selling?

 

[Jrn14]

I heard that JK was turned off because of the way that Disney "did business" with the Hensons, and the Milne family... I don't think either family are happy with the way things turned out.

 

[lebeau]

Pardon me for not following the wave of everyone else in society. I also dislike the Twilight "saga", thought Avatar was a waste of my time, and fell asleep 3 times while trying to watch the first Lord of the Rings movie so I didn't bother watching the rest of them. Cool effects and wizarding world's don't do it for me. Doesn't mean I'm ignorant of pop culture, just means I don't give a damn about what's "popular"...it's definitely not popular for a guy of 22 to be crazy about Disney, but whatev...

Regardless, I still think that when my age group is all 50-60 we'll be having conversations along the lines of "remember that Harry Potter fella and how popular he was when we were younger?" and not "Man, I can't believe Harry Potter is still around, can you believe it? 40 years?!" I saw we have a thread reunion in 2038 and see how it all plays out.

Just to clarify, I'm not a Potter fan. I'm not saying Potter is good or bad. I'm ambivalent. But it's not a fad. It's already been around too long to be a fad. Pogs were a fad. Pet rocks were a fad. Even if everyone stopped reading HP books tomorrow and the last film was never released, HP was a cultural movement. Not a fad.

In 40 years, I'm not sure how relevant HP will be. Surely, the current day fervor will have died down. But it won't be forgotten. However, even if the books are unread and the movies unwatched in 2050, that won't make HP a fad. It's cultural impact is undeniable regardless of what happens in the future.

 

[Testtrack321]

Well, Al Lutz thinks that things will improve soon:

http://miceage.micechat.com/mc/mc120110a.htm

(Scroll down to Ask A Columnist)

I just read that too. I don't know if I agree with some of the comments, but overall with message.

This is turning out interesting.

 

[lebeau]

Doubtful. Transformers isn't nearly big enough to cover a whole land and make a splash.

If something does happen with Marvel, it won't be until after Potter Phase II has come.

And I wouldn't be surprised if they shell out some money to DC and Six Flags and open up what they originally planned anyway.

How I would love that!

I've heard it's unlikely. But if it ever happened, no one would be more excited than me.

 

[slappy magoo]

Well, Al Lutz thinks that things will improve soon:

http://miceage.micechat.com/mc/mc120110a.htm

(Scroll down to Ask A Columnist)

Sorry, but no he doesn't. He wrote "When will things start to turn around? Soon, hopefully." HOPEFULLY. Doesn't mean they are, or they will.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure, eventually, Disney will get off their duffs and start investing heavily in the parks. But "soon, hopefully" isn't the same as "soon, and here are the reasons I think so..."

 

[lebeau]

Sorry, but no he doesn't. He wrote "When will things start to turn around? Soon, hopefully." HOPEFULLY. Doesn't mean they are, or they will.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure, eventually, Disney will get off their duffs and start investing heavily in the parks. But "soon, hopefully" isn't the same as "soon, and here are the reasons I think so..."

Yeah, I was surprised to hear that Al was apparently optimistic about WDW as that is rarely (never?) the case. So I hurried over to read it. Sure enough, Lutz takes pot shots at WDW and ends with "soon, hopefully" which is about the same as saying things can only go up from here.

 

[wm49rs]

Yeah, I was surprised to hear that Al was apparently optimistic about WDW as that is rarely (never?) the case. So I hurried over to read it. Sure enough, Lutz takes pot shots at WDW and ends with "soon, hopefully" which is about the same as saying things can only go up from here.

A tiger and his stripes after all.....

 

[devoy1701]

Just to clarify, I'm not a Potter fan. I'm not saying Potter is good or bad. I'm ambivalent. But it's not a fad. It's already been around too long to be a fad. Pogs were a fad. Pet rocks were a fad. Even if everyone stopped reading HP books tomorrow and the last film was never released, HP was a cultural movement. Not a fad.

In 40 years, I'm not sure how relevant HP will be. Surely, the current day fervor will have died down. But it won't be forgotten. However, even if the books are unread and the movies unwatched in 2050, that won't make HP a fad. It's cultural impact is undeniable regardless of what happens in the future.

Ok. no worries. :wave:

 

[inluvwithbeast]

Ok. no worries. :wave:

I myself cannot stand Twilight. I prayed that it would not become culturally significant. However, the other females my age and younger made sure it did. :/

So we find common ground. Lol.

 

[imagineer boy]

Now Twilight is definately a fad. When the last movie is released with will unquestionably fade out of the public conciousness.

 

[lebeau]

Now Twilight is definately a fad. When the last movie is released with will unquestionably fade out of the public conciousness.

I'm not sure how you're defining a fad but to my way of thinking, Twilight has already passed fad status. 4 best selling books and 3 (soon to be 4) hit movies does not a fad make.

Will it drop in popularity? Sure. But that doesn't make it a fad. I can't think of a single cultural event (movie, book, musical group, etc.) that didn't rise and fall in popularity and relevance. Most rise and then fall off the face of the earth. But that doesn't make them fads. Even "ever green" franchises like Star Wars or James Bond have peaks and valleys. Just because Twilight or HP or any Disney property will one day be less popular than it is today does not make it a fad.

(And for the record, I'm not a Twilight fan either.)

 

[devoy1701]

I'm not sure how you're defining a fad but to my way of thinking, Twilight has already passed fad status. 4 best selling books and 3 (soon to be 4) hit movies does not a fad make.

Will it drop in popularity? Sure. But that doesn't make it a fad. I can't think of a single cultural event (movie, book, musical group, etc.) that didn't rise and fall in popularity and relevance. Most rise and then fall off the face of the earth. But that doesn't make them fads. Even "ever green" franchises like Star Wars or James Bond have peaks and valleys. Just because Twilight or HP or any Disney property will one day be less popular than it is today does not make it a fad.

(And for the record, I'm not a Twilight fan either.)

I'm noticing a trend maybe?

 

[slappy magoo]

I'm not sure how you're defining a fad but to my way of thinking, Twilight has already passed fad status. 4 best selling books and 3 (soon to be 4) hit movies does not a fad make.

5, lebeau. 5. Just like the last Harry Potter novel, the last Twilight novel is being split into two movies. Since I've never read a page of the books, and usually watch the movies using Rifftrax to make them entertaining, I'll leave it to others to argue whether it's necessary to keep as much of the story intact as possible, OR it's a cash grab.

I will add, however, that the 2-movie adaptation of the last book is being directed by Bill Condon, a man whose short-but-diverse list of movies he's directed includes "Gods and Monsters" (where he won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay) and "Dreamgirls."