Harry Potter IS making a difference!!

[Mouse Detective]

First is merchandise. However, if you look at the relative lack of quality, themed Harry Potter merchandise available to the general public I think we can all agree that it is lacking. Especially clothing.

Second is the attractions themselves. If you are looking at it objectively and with the same standards applied to Disney rides, the re-ride ability is low and by the third time it's easy to pick out exposed struts and supports.

In all honesty you could have plopped this down anywhere and it would do this well. It is driven by factors outside of Uni's control. Congratulations to them for reaping the rewards, but at the same time it's like going to the beach and congratulating someone when they find the ocean.

Well we certainly know what side of the line in the sand you're on and the flavor of the kool-aid you've been drinking! The FJ ride represents new technology that takes theme park rides to a new standard while the merchandise has received incredible reviews for theming and originality. I just can't quite place what you've been smoking.

 

[Monty]

Well we certainly know what side of the line in the sand you're on and the flavor of the kool-aid you've been drinking! The FJ ride represents new technology that takes theme park rides to a new standard while the merchandise has received incredible reviews for theming and originality. I just can't quite place what you've been smoking.

So in the absence of anything to contibute, we stoop to inferring that people who have different opinions are drinking the kool-aid or smoking something mind-altering?

Way to maintain the level of civil discussion...

 

[wm49rs]

So in the absence of anything to contibute, we stoop to inferring that people who have different opinions are drinking the kool-aid or smoking something mind-altering?

Way to maintain the level of civil discussion...

It's easier to be absolute than rational I suppose....:shrug:

 

[fosse76]

Can you purchase a genuine Harry Potter/Olivander wand anywhere else in the world? or butterbeer?

As Monty said, you can...sort of. Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice are sold exclusively inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in a few locations. You can purchase pretty much anything else (the big items...wands, Every flavor beans, robes, etc.) at the big emporiums in Universal and Islands Adventure, City Walk and the airport.

You can actually order high quality film replicas from Noble Collection. I noticed when I was at Universal last week that the Noble wands are less durable than the Universal wands (though they look identicle). The wands for sale at Harry Potter World are clearly meant to be "played" with whereas the Noble collection wands are meant for display.

Well we certainly know what side of the line in the sand you're on and the flavor of the kool-aid you've been drinking! The FJ ride represents new technology that takes theme park rides to a new standard while the merchandise has received incredible reviews for theming and originality. I just can't quite place what you've been smoking.

I think you missed jakeman's point. He was stating that one of the reasons there are lines outside the shops is because, simply, there hasn't been any quality m,erchandise from the world of Harry Potter...until now. And it still isn't widely available. Even though you can order it online, most people won't think to do that for theme park merchandise.

Though I agree that he is clearly biased with the re-rideability aspect. Just because he doesn't feel the need to re-ride it doesn't mean others won't have that same opinion. Star Tours doesn't seem like a ride that would have a high re-ridable factor, but here we have it. As for visibility issues he mentions...you can definitely see things at Disney you shouldn't see...or other unthemed areas of rides Disney hopes you don't notice (Dinosaur looks more an more bare each time I ride it). And on Harry Potter you definitely need to be looking for those support structures to see them.

And I do disagree with him that it could have been plopped down anywhere and people would have still shown up. If it had been a ride like the upcoming Little Mermaid...or the ride it is now but no themed land to go with it, I don't think it would have done anything close to what it's doing. It was a risk in that people didn't know how it would be accepted. NOTHING is a sure-fire hit. Even if it is based on the highest-grossing franchise in history.

 

[RSoxNo1]

The biggest plus for Universal in all this is how they handled the merchandise. Sure, Forbidden Journey is the most impressive attraction in the world, but people are just begging to hand Universal their money for exclusive merchandise.

Disney has been lacking from a merchandise standpoint in recent memory with generic offerings available at your local toy stores being the merchandise also sold in the parks. Harry Potter is an entire world that was created and Universal Creative was able to replicate so much of that.

At the time of J.K. Rowling's negotiations with Disney, I highly doubt they saw this level of merchandise sales to coincide with the franchise. I don't think the bean counters at Disney are upset by the fact that Forbidden Journey is a better attraction than anything they've ever done. They're upset that the land is going to pay for itself quicker than any theme park investment Disney has ever made.

 

[T-1MILLION]

The biggest plus for Universal in all this is how they handled the merchandise. Sure, Forbidden Journey is the most impressive attraction in the world, but people are just begging to hand Universal their money for exclusive merchandise.

Disney has been lacking from a merchandise standpoint in recent memory with generic offerings available at your local toy stores being the merchandise also sold in the parks. Harry Potter is an entire world that was created and Universal Creative was able to replicate so much of that.

At the time of J.K. Rowling's negotiations with Disney, I highly doubt they saw this level of merchandise sales to coincide with the franchise. I don't think the bean counters at Disney are upset by the fact that Forbidden Journey is a better attraction than anything they've ever done. They're upset that the land is going to pay for itself quicker than any theme park investment Disney has ever made.

I found this to be dead on the money...pardon the business associated pun. That about sums it up. Attendance AND Merch are BOTH up more than just a bit at Universal, where as in recent history at WDW shows both being down or flat.

 

[Pete C]

New article in the Sentinel today:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...iversal-harry-potter-20101215,0,1982334.story

Some noteworthy items here:

"I can't remember the last time anyone saw a 36 percent increase in attendance," said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, a Cincinnati consultancy.

...

Few, if any, experts expect the frenzy to subside in the immediate future.

John Puchalla, an analyst with Moody's Investors Service, predicts Universal's attendance will continue climbing by 15 percent or more through the first half of 2011. He expects it will turn slightly negative in the second half of the year — but only because Universal will be facing tough comparisons against this year's grand-opening crowds.

"We believe the attendance lift generated from the June 2010 opening of [Wizarding World] will continue for the next several years," Puchalla wrote in a research note last month.

...

Puchalla expects Universal to spend about $80 million on construction in 2011. Though that would be significantly less than the $105 million a year it averaged from 2007 to 2010 — when it built Wizarding World in Islands and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and The Simpsons Ride in Universal Studios — it would still be about twice the annual capital spending that Universal averaged during the middle part of the decade.

Although they won't discuss specific plans, Universal executives say additions to Wizarding World will happen at some point. The resort's licensing contract with Warner Bros. requires it to incorporate elements from the final Potter films, the last of which will open in theaters in July.

 

[flavious27]

No. One of the most impressive things about WWoHP is that the merchandise is all literally identical to how it is in the books and movies.

Every Flavour Beans, for example, are actually all kinds of flavors, some of them disgusting, and the container they come in doesn't say "Universal Orlando", it says "Honeydukes"

The merch is tons of unique stuff like this, and not so much of stuff that reads "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" (though that stuff is available too.)

I meant HP merch in general. WB and jk has dumped a whole lot of hp merch on the marketplace since the books have been released.

And those jelly beans have been sold for the better part of the decade by jelly belly until a couple of years ago when they switched to an inferior product.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

And those jelly beans have been sold for the better part of the decade by jelly belly until a couple of years ago when they switched to an inferior product.

So they are selling more of an inferior product and have added a greater markup. What absolute capitalist scumbags, theyve been watching Disney, except for the selling more part obviously.

I blame those evil marketing people

 

[flavious27]

So they are selling more of an inferior product and have added a greater markup. What absolute capitalist scumbags, theyve been watching Disney, except for the selling more part obviously.

I blame those evil marketing people

? WB switched manufacturers, not universal a couple years ago. I don't know who makes them for the parks, but Jelly Belly made the originals and they were of a better quality.

I would call WB's marketing people evil, they have made some awful movies that had some impressive trailers.

 

[jakeman]

Though I agree that he is clearly biased with the re-rideability aspect. Just because he doesn't feel the need to re-ride it doesn't mean others won't have that same opinion. Star Tours doesn't seem like a ride that would have a high re-ridable factor, but here we have it. As for visibility issues he mentions...you can definitely see things at Disney you shouldn't see...or other unthemed areas of rides Disney hopes you don't notice (Dinosaur looks more an more bare each time I ride it). And on Harry Potter you definitely need to be looking for those support structures to see them.

Biased? How am I biased? I've freely admitted that it is better than anything that Disney can offer at the moment.

Again, this is a clear example of lack of complete fawning over the attraction pigeonholes a poster into an erroneous category.

Just because I think the re-rideablity is low doesn't mean I don't think it is a phenomenal accomplishment. I was blown away the first time I rode it, but the second and third time it was just a hectic dark ride for me with less to look at.

Additionally, I've never said that support structures aren't visible on Disney attractions. However, why does that absolve Uni of the same standard we hold Disney to? It's a two way street here. You can't say this is better than anything Disney is done and then not nitpick to the same level you do a Disney attraction.

It's only my opinion. I'm not sure how many more times I can say I was impressed with the ride and still be accused of "drinking kool-aid" or being "biased".

And I do disagree with him that it could have been plopped down anywhere and people would have still shown up. If it had been a ride like the upcoming Little Mermaid...or the ride it is now but no themed land to go with it, I don't think it would have done anything close to what it's doing. It was a risk in that people didn't know how it would be accepted. NOTHING is a sure-fire hit. Even if it is based on the highest-grossing franchise in history.

I simply disagree. If you take the WWoHP (the whole thing) and put it anywhere, it will succeed.

I also stand by my opinion that it wasn't a gamble. It was ready made for success. I also attribute that success to the oversight of JKR and WB more so than Uni.

It's not that I have a low opinion of Uni, because I don't, but I don't think it is a stretch to say that JKR probably cared more about the authenticity of the area more than Uni.

 

[TimeTrip]

I also stand by my opinion that it wasn't a gamble. It was ready made for success. I also attribute that success to the oversight of JKR and WB more so than Uni..

If it was so obvious that it wasn't a gamble, then why did Disney pass on it? The fact that Disney passed, and Universal went for it puts a whole lot of kudos in Universal's basket.

 

[ptaylor]

Sure, Forbidden Journey is the most impressive attraction in the world,

I would disagree. It was good, and I was impressed, but I've been more impressed. I would say Spiderman is a superior attraction, as is Indiana Jones at DL. The lack of Animatronics on FJ, and the very jarring scene changes between video and live action knock it down a few notches for me. It's well done, but not ground-breaking or world-conquering.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Lets be honest its rubbish, based on a kids book that loonys read and Disney would have done so much better at making it plus it would be accessible for 8 year olds.

 

[redshoesrock]

If it was so obvious that it wasn't a gamble, then why did Disney pass on it? The fact that Disney passed, and Universal went for it puts a whole lot of kudos in Universal's basket.

From what I have read, Disney took a pass on Harry Potter because Disney and JK Rowling couldn't see eye-to-eye on what a Harry Potter-themed area should contain. An example I read was Rowling's insistence on having all guests enter the land through the Leaky Cauldron pub, make their way to the back alley wall, tap the three special bricks, and have the wall roll away revealing Diagon Alley just as Harry experienced in the first book and movie. For atmosphere and theme that's of course amazing and would cause squealing of many a HP fan. Logistically, however, that is a nightmare to funnel all those guests through one choke-point just to enter the area itself. It was issues like that which caused for Disney too many headaches and what probably convinced Rowling to tone it down just a bit when Disney turned her down.

 

[Pete C]

From what I have read, Disney took a pass on Harry Potter because Disney and JK Rowling couldn't see eye-to-eye on what a Harry Potter-themed area should contain. An example I read was Rowling's insistence on having all guests enter the land through the Leaky Cauldron pub, make their way to the back alley wall, tap the three special bricks, and have the wall roll away revealing Diagon Alley just as Harry experienced in the first book and movie. For atmosphere and theme that's of course amazing and would cause squealing of many a HP fan. Logistically, however, that is a nightmare to funnel all those guests through one choke-point just to enter the area itself. It was issues like that which caused for Disney too many headaches and what probably convinced Rowling to tone it down just a bit when Disney turned her down.

And no way Disney would have agreed to made those shops to the correct size per the books. It would have been a nightmare at Disney, resulting in too many upset guests.

 

[pax_65]

The thread kind of depresses me. There are so many people who are so loyal to Disney, almost to the point that their attitude seems to be "Disney can do no wrong." In their eyes, nothing Universal does will matter - people won't cut one minute of their sacred time in Disney parks.

This worries me, because it favors the attitude of the dime-counters at Disney who recognize that some people will come to Disney no matter what. No new attractions? Doesn't matter. Better attractions elsewhere? Doesn't matter. Critical features in key attractions not working? Doesn't matter. Attractions left unfinished? Doesn't matter.

If it really doesn't matter, why should they spend the money on it? They would be fools to do so! If the crowds come without spending the money, why spend it?

I wonder how long the loyalists have been Disney fans. For me, that loyalty was built in the early 1990s, a golden age of expansion and quality for Disney. While I still think Disney is amazing, I see things slipping here and there and I scratch my head. And for the first time, I question my loyalty and wonder about how to spend my vacation dollar. This year, Universal will take some of my $$$ out of Disney's hands. I suspect that once my kids see Universal, it will become part of our annual tradition to spend a few days there - something we NEVER would have considered before.

So my point to Disney is that they need to step up. Fix the Yeti. Finish Spaceship Earth. Give the Imagineers the budget to actually create some of the great ideas they brainstorm. Maybe pick some of the ideas up off the cutting-room floor. Put money into groundbreaking new technologies (like the Disney of old did). Keep the parks immaculately clean. Build some new attractions that make us forget all about leaving Disney property ever again. Give us some things to get really excited about. Then my Disney loyalty will be restored, and I will return to drink the Kool-Aid once more.

 

[DisneyJoe]

This year, Universal will take some of my $$$ out of Disney's hands. I suspect that once my kids see Universal, it will become part of our annual tradition to spend a few days there - something we NEVER would have considered before.

What if you are wrong, and your kids don't care if they return to Universal, yet they want to return to Disney?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Maybe his kids dont like fairies?

 

[pax_65]

My wife and I have no great love for Universal, so if the kids don't want to return that would be fine by us. The kids love Disney as much as we do, but they are even more sensitive to the lack of new attractions than I am. They don't want to wait in lines to do old attractions they've already done many times - and frankly neither do I. That's why I say my vacation dollar is up for grabs. We're questioning how much time we need in Disney Parks to do what we want to do, since there's not that much new to see from our last trip. (Of course, you can count Captain EO and the Electric Light Parade if you want, but I'm not too excited about either of those.)

Even without WWoHP we'd probably be looking closely at how many days we want to get park passes for our next trip.

As I said before, to me this discussion is less about what Universal is doing and more about what Disney is NOT doing.