TimeTrip
Well-Known Member
Yet.. Universal found a way to make it work, whereas Disney didn't. Kudos to Universal for making it work as well as they did. Unless you're insinuating that Universal owes some of its success to Disney for this?
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Harry Potter IS making a difference!!
- Thread starter MickeyMind
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Yet.. Universal found a way to make it work, whereas Disney didn't. Kudos to Universal for making it work as well as they did. Unless you're insinuating that Universal owes some of its success to Disney for this?
They way they found it to work was to just not do all those things that were originally demanded LOL. No working train, no entering through the pub etc.
Once Disney were out, Rowling had no other choice but to go with Universal.
T-1MILLION
New Member
WB and JK went with what could deliver the better product. Clearly it was Universal because that is what we have. Disney can't even upkeep their biggest classics at WDW.
I don't know about you guys but I am fine with no Stitch Voldemort or Goofy snape figures being sold. And yes, Disney would want to do that because that is how they treat Star Wars...ya know the biggest movie franchise of all time that it took them over 20 years to do anything else with but a dating simulator. Anyone who thinks Disney was going to do as much or more than Universal are most likely bitter.
I don't know about you guys but I am fine with no Stitch Voldemort or Goofy snape figures being sold. And yes, Disney would want to do that because that is how they treat Star Wars...ya know the biggest movie franchise of all time that it took them over 20 years to do anything else with but a dating simulator. Anyone who thinks Disney was going to do as much or more than Universal are most likely bitter.
flavious27
Well-Known Member
I have heard about the three bricks entrance before, it sounds cool but it is impossible to actually produce. This should have been one of the times that Eisner stepped in and got the deal signed and closed then worked out the nitty gritty details. I just wonder what other ideas she had wdi staff going crazy over.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Well said...or...should I say...well-written...or should I WRITE well-written...but I'm typing, not writing...
oh screw it, you know what I mean.
redshoesrock
Active Member
Yes, I am. Rowling *really* wanted Disney to do it, and when they finally said no thank you, my spider-sense tells me Rowling realized that she wasn't going to get "exactly" what she wanted and decided to go a bit more with the flow when Universal came to make their pitch.
Personally, I love Disney but I have to say I love the concept of "the amusement park" even more. I go into a different mindset when I go to Disney, or when I go to Universal, or when I go to Cedar Point, or when I go to Six Flags. I like them all for different reasons. I don't need to go to just one and shun the others because of lesser themes or smaller rollercoasters.
T-1MILLION
New Member
In reference to what is in bold, it would not matter Disney would of never of given it the budget Universal did. They cut budgets on their own attractions they don't have to pay third party rights for. They cut back Star Tours and held off for so long as well. They would of never of made something as good as forbidden journey and not of budgeted an entire land to Potter.
As for the second half of your post that makes me happy. That is a good mindset to have and gurantees you more fun! :-D
pax_65
Well-Known Member
Regardless of the details, the bottom line is that Disney didn't get the deal done and Universal did... and I'm sure money and budgets had everything to do with it.
Not completely unrelated... I remember a LOT of discussion on these forums about Harry Potter... many, many people were opposed to it being anywhere on Disney property. Others would have conceded a modest attraction in the studios, as long as it didn't come at the expense of anything of value like perhaps the backlot section of the backstage tour. But very few wanted to see a "land" or anything on the scope of what Universal did in Disney.
So here we are... today, Universal has the most exciting and popular attraction in Florida. I don't remember that EVER happening before. Even when Islands of Adventure opened - the entire park! - it was a mere blip compared to the excitement around WWoHP right now, months after the attraction opened.
Not completely unrelated... I remember a LOT of discussion on these forums about Harry Potter... many, many people were opposed to it being anywhere on Disney property. Others would have conceded a modest attraction in the studios, as long as it didn't come at the expense of anything of value like perhaps the backlot section of the backstage tour. But very few wanted to see a "land" or anything on the scope of what Universal did in Disney.
So here we are... today, Universal has the most exciting and popular attraction in Florida. I don't remember that EVER happening before. Even when Islands of Adventure opened - the entire park! - it was a mere blip compared to the excitement around WWoHP right now, months after the attraction opened.
redshoesrock
Active Member
To be fair, that's not *entirely* accurate. I can't speak as to what the budget was planned to be, but by the end of the Disney-Rowling talks, the concept was to do a Harry Potter niche park (like Discovery Cove or the axed-but-we'll-see Night Kingdom/Jungle Trek) which would of replicated just about everything in Harry Potterdom. I can't speak for the actual attractions as I don't remember any mentions regarding rides (there might of been but I honestly don't remember); it seemed that the niche park was more about being completely immersed in the Wizarding World with actors around you than riding a bunch of rides. Disney ultimately passed because Rowling was dead set on the niche park idea while Disney was concerned the Harry Potter franchise didn't have enough legs to last long enough as its own theme park to generate the money it wanted to make long-term. Since Rowling wouldn't budge, Disney abandoned the concept and passed on Harry Potter. Looking at Universal's WWoHP, I can see where a few of the ideas carried over; the whole "park-within-a-park" marketing, the Olivander's wand shop show/presentation, etc.
As stated before, this is what I read from a few sites several years ago when Universal announced Harry Potter and the news story was "How did Disney *not* get HP?" I wasn't in the rooms where the decisions were made and have never talked to any of the principals involved.
flavious27
Well-Known Member
I don't think it was a budget issue, I think it was more of a logistics issue. Whenever you transfer from one medium to another, there is something changed to fit that new medium. Not everything from the books can be in the movies, and not everything in the movie can be in an amusement park.
I am sure that she went in thinking of these great ways for guests to walk through her vision, and when she was told that some or most of it would not be possible to make, she did not want to change her vision. She probably came to her senses after seeing the production process for the movies and realizing what can and can not be done. I am sure that the end product of wwhp is not the first, second, third, or fourth vision she had of what wwhp would be like.
I can only hope that upper management worked with her on what was possible with the end product. Also that they would have gone through with her how a project will go from concept art to a finished product.
Alektronic
Well-Known Member
I think it had to do more with creative control. Disney always wants to have the final say or final cut. Rowling wanted to work with a company that was a little more flexible and giving her creative control and final. approval
Alektronic
Well-Known Member
Universal Orlando ponders how to take full advantage of Wizarding World's popularity
By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
12:00 AM EST, December 16, 2010
When "60 Minutes" profiled Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg earlier this month, the TV piece included a look at some of Zuckerberg's personal posts online. They showed that the 26-year-old billionaire, whose website has more than 500 million users, had recently been in Orlando — visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
It was yet another jolt of publicity for Universal Orlando, which has been basking in a global spotlight since Wizarding World's formal opening in mid-June. The rides, shops and eateries themed around J.K. Rowling's beloved boy wizard have triggered a renaissance at Universal this year, snapping an extended slump and powering the resort to the strongest performance in its 20-year history.
"It has definitely exceeded our expectations," said Alice Norsworthy, Universal's executive vice president for marketing and sales.
But now, as it concludes 2010 and prepares for a new year, Universal faces a new challenge: keeping Potter's magic alive. Already, resort executives are wrestling with questions such as when to expand Wizarding World and how to keep business balanced between Islands and Universal Studios Florida — the park without Potter.
Experts say how Universal answers such questions will ultimately determine whether it is able to hold on to the gains it has made this year.
"The challenge will be to create a continuous buzz," said Abe Pizam, dean of the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management. "It's difficult to maintain the high level of [initial] interest. You have to create buzz on a regular basis."
36% attendance jump
It is difficult to overstate how dramatic Universal's turnaround has been. Last Christmas, Orlando's No. 2 theme-park resort was limping to the end of a year in which attendance tumbled by 1.3 million people to 9.3 million — its first year with fewer than 10 million visitors since Islands of Adventure opened in 1999.
This year's yuletide is far merrier. Attendance for the third quarter — which began days after Wizarding World formally opened June 18 — skyrocketed 36 percent, as Universal drew an extra 1 million people in just three months. It has continued to climb through the fall.
"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.
Wizarding World's effect has been even more pronounced in areas beyond attendance. Universal's merchandise revenue more than doubled to $48.7 million, fueled by sales of magic wands and other Potter souvenirs. Food-and-beverage sales jumped 59 percent to $43.4 million on the popularity of butterbeer. And non-theme-park revenue rose 61 percent to $48.2 million, thanks primarily to sales of vacation packages through Universal's travel unit that offered early entry to Wizarding World.
The resort's CityWalk nightlife district has benefitted, as well. When " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" arrived in theaters last month, Universal scheduled midnight shows on all 20 screens in CityWalk's movie megaplex. The resort said every showing sold out.
Universal has had to make adjustments on the fly to manage the crowds. The resort has at times distributed to guests receipts with return times just to enter the Wizarding World section of Islands of Adventure. Inside, it halted sales of liquor over the summer so workers in the "Hog's Head" tavern could more quickly fill mugs of butterbeer.
It has faced some complaints. Some fans, for instance, have criticized the small size of Wizarding World's shops, where long lines routinely spill outside. And some experts say the limited capacity has likely cost Universal sales as frustrated guests forgo purchases.
"The undersizing was a major issue," Speigel said. "It cost them money."
But Universal executives, who call the shops "retail theater," said they were designed to look just as they are described in the Potter books and appear in Potter movies. The authenticity, they say, is what has made Wizarding World so popular in the first place.
"That's how crowded it is; that's how chaotic it is [in the books and movies]. I think that is what helps to create the demand," said John Sprouls, Universal's chief executive officer. "I don't think we have any concerns about leaving revenue on the table."
Add to Universal Studios?
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.
Still, amid all the attention being paid to Potter and Islands of Adventure, Universal is taking steps to prop up Universal Studios, which is the resort's original theme park and was, until Wizarding World opened, its busiest. The resort's lowest-priced annual passes for 2011 prohibit entry to Islands of Adventure over the summer — but permit admission to Universal Studios.
Executives have also begun discussing how and when to add to Wizarding World. Among the debates: whether to add something more to Universal Studios first.
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.
"We intend to very gladly live up to all those commitments," Sprouls said.
By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
12:00 AM EST, December 16, 2010
When "60 Minutes" profiled Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg earlier this month, the TV piece included a look at some of Zuckerberg's personal posts online. They showed that the 26-year-old billionaire, whose website has more than 500 million users, had recently been in Orlando — visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
It was yet another jolt of publicity for Universal Orlando, which has been basking in a global spotlight since Wizarding World's formal opening in mid-June. The rides, shops and eateries themed around J.K. Rowling's beloved boy wizard have triggered a renaissance at Universal this year, snapping an extended slump and powering the resort to the strongest performance in its 20-year history.
"It has definitely exceeded our expectations," said Alice Norsworthy, Universal's executive vice president for marketing and sales.
But now, as it concludes 2010 and prepares for a new year, Universal faces a new challenge: keeping Potter's magic alive. Already, resort executives are wrestling with questions such as when to expand Wizarding World and how to keep business balanced between Islands and Universal Studios Florida — the park without Potter.
Experts say how Universal answers such questions will ultimately determine whether it is able to hold on to the gains it has made this year.
"The challenge will be to create a continuous buzz," said Abe Pizam, dean of the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management. "It's difficult to maintain the high level of [initial] interest. You have to create buzz on a regular basis."
36% attendance jump
It is difficult to overstate how dramatic Universal's turnaround has been. Last Christmas, Orlando's No. 2 theme-park resort was limping to the end of a year in which attendance tumbled by 1.3 million people to 9.3 million — its first year with fewer than 10 million visitors since Islands of Adventure opened in 1999.
This year's yuletide is far merrier. Attendance for the third quarter — which began days after Wizarding World formally opened June 18 — skyrocketed 36 percent, as Universal drew an extra 1 million people in just three months. It has continued to climb through the fall.
"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.
Wizarding World's effect has been even more pronounced in areas beyond attendance. Universal's merchandise revenue more than doubled to $48.7 million, fueled by sales of magic wands and other Potter souvenirs. Food-and-beverage sales jumped 59 percent to $43.4 million on the popularity of butterbeer. And non-theme-park revenue rose 61 percent to $48.2 million, thanks primarily to sales of vacation packages through Universal's travel unit that offered early entry to Wizarding World.
The resort's CityWalk nightlife district has benefitted, as well. When " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" arrived in theaters last month, Universal scheduled midnight shows on all 20 screens in CityWalk's movie megaplex. The resort said every showing sold out.
Universal has had to make adjustments on the fly to manage the crowds. The resort has at times distributed to guests receipts with return times just to enter the Wizarding World section of Islands of Adventure. Inside, it halted sales of liquor over the summer so workers in the "Hog's Head" tavern could more quickly fill mugs of butterbeer.
It has faced some complaints. Some fans, for instance, have criticized the small size of Wizarding World's shops, where long lines routinely spill outside. And some experts say the limited capacity has likely cost Universal sales as frustrated guests forgo purchases.
"The undersizing was a major issue," Speigel said. "It cost them money."
But Universal executives, who call the shops "retail theater," said they were designed to look just as they are described in the Potter books and appear in Potter movies. The authenticity, they say, is what has made Wizarding World so popular in the first place.
"That's how crowded it is; that's how chaotic it is [in the books and movies]. I think that is what helps to create the demand," said John Sprouls, Universal's chief executive officer. "I don't think we have any concerns about leaving revenue on the table."
Add to Universal Studios?
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.
Still, amid all the attention being paid to Potter and Islands of Adventure, Universal is taking steps to prop up Universal Studios, which is the resort's original theme park and was, until Wizarding World opened, its busiest. The resort's lowest-priced annual passes for 2011 prohibit entry to Islands of Adventure over the summer — but permit admission to Universal Studios.
Executives have also begun discussing how and when to add to Wizarding World. Among the debates: whether to add something more to Universal Studios first.
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.
"We intend to very gladly live up to all those commitments," Sprouls said.
pax_65
Well-Known Member
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
This:
Is basically all I've been trying to say... :shrug:
redshoesrock
Active Member
All TWENTY??!! Wow.
Those are insane numbers. I don't even want to contemplate what's going to happen at Universal over the next two weeks...people will be waiting all day just to get into WWoHP. I wonder if that means lines will be normal length at the other IoA attractions because everyone will be in Harry Potterland.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Just got back from two days at Universal Orlando. Wizarding World is still just as wonderful as I remember, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is still the best attraction I have experienced with the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man still exciting as ever. The weather had Toon Lagoon and Jurassic Park's flaws showing in full force, but other than that there was plenty to stay occupied.
Mouse Detective
Well-Known Member
During the Christmas to New Year's holiday period, you can expect long lines at all Universal rides and attractions and insane lines at WWOHP.
AEfx
Well-Known Member
And that makes me terribly happy, because we would have never gotten such an exciting attraction at WDW. It would have been watered down so as not to be "too scary", which is always a problem at Disney. You are fighting the soccer moms who think that every attraction on Disney property should be appropriate for their 4 or 5 year-old. The same ones responsible for the Stitch-ification of Alien Encounter.
I mean, there are REAL scares and thrills in the ride. Stuff Disney is too afraid to do. My love of theme parks almost exclusively runs around dark rides - I love them. I dream about them at night. I will travel anywhere to experience one I haven't before. The one thing I've always wished was that someone would start to explore the potential of the format - you could do ANYTHING in a dark ride. But largely they don't.
I don't care a lot about Potter. I read a few chapters of the first book when it came out and it didn't do anything for me - I thought he was whiny and I kept wishing they'd just shove him back under the stairs. I've seen the films once or twice - I think they are fun, but not quite as "epic" as made out to be.
The ride though? AMAZING. Everything I hoped someone would start to do with dark ride technology (except for the video screen stuff, too much of that in there). I mean, can you IMAGINE Disney doing some of the scares with the spiders like that? Never ever happen.
Besides that, I laugh when people get all uppity about 3rd party characters ("PUT ONE MARVEL CHARACTER IN MY PARK AND I'M GOING TO BLOW A GASKET AND NEVER GO AGAIN!!!"), but in this case...I can't really see where it would fit anyway at WDW. It belongs where it is - and we would have gotten much less of an experience had Disney done the attractions. It was a good fit where it went, all around.
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