Harry Potter IS making a difference!!

[cheezbat]

They also always have attendants on duty that will add more free time to the lockers if the wait time grows from when you first rented the locker.

I can't stand when people complain about the lockers. They're free, they're quick, they're effective, and they're easy.

People are ignorant. That's the whole problem. I see so many people freaking out about the lockers when im there, but its like you said, the attendants add time to it if the ride breaks down or the wait time is significantly longer for any reason. Besides, if the wait time is 30 minutes, the rental fee doesn't even start until 45 minutes go by. They normally give you a 15 to 20 minute window. I use them all the time and have NEVER had a problem.

 

[flavious27]

So the steel itself used for the track and supports is more advanced than the robotics, the programming to sync the movements with the video, and all of the AAs. :brick:

I don't consider what is going on in Pooh to be more "advanced" than several robotic arms holding and moving guests synced to video projections that are also moving in step with your vehicle. So many moving parts, so much programming and engineering. I don't see how Pooh's real-time tracking system compares. That's nice that you get a slightly different variation on Pooh each time you ride it, but it's not going to be vastly different. The room where all the pots move around each other is the only place where the ride varies from ride to ride. The real issue is that most of it is lost on 99% of the guests who will never know what is going on under the floor. I would say Star Tours 2 will be far more noticeable with its different videos. On FJ, the technology is clear in what you are seeing and how you are moving. There is no comparison with the feeling felt when exiting these two rides...FJ is on an entirely different level.

sarcasm. :wave:

Pooh does the same thing with the movements of the pots to the elements and other pots.

Does it really make a ride better that guests know that they see everything that is controlling the experience?

 

[flavious27]

The issue here is walkable area. I'm not sure how much of this space is Dragon Challenge.

A little more than 4.5 acres.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Those lockers are free for 2 hours but it could be more, after that they don't automatically unlock, they charge you the advertised fee.

Fanboys never let facts get in the way of brand loyalty displays to the sacred rodent.



As for the other comment
Disney could have done better is rather odd thing to say given Disney walked away from the project.

 

[Flip83]

So I guess you aren't a Disney fanatic?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Nope just a paying customer with no over arching blind brand loyalty.

 

[cwolnowski]

Of course the Wizardly World of Harry Potter is affecting attendance. But I think it's clear that the new Fantasyland expansion is largely in part a response to draw more people to visit MK and WDW in general. I also read recently, interestingly enough, that Disney and Universal met in an effort to collectively develop advertising campaigns to market the entire Orlando area, realizing that in tough economic times they would both benefit by tourism coming to central Florida. I like the idea of competition as it will surely make Disney work that much harder is developing and implementing new and exciting attractions/projects.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Of course the Wizardly World of Harry Potter is affecting attendance. But I think it's clear that the new Fantasyland expansion is largely in part a response to draw more people to visit MK and WDW in general. I also read recently, interestingly enough, that Disney and Universal met in an effort to collectively develop advertising campaigns to market the entire Orlando area, realizing that in tough economic times they would both benefit by tourism coming to central Florida. I like the idea of competition as it will surely make Disney work that much harder is developing and implementing new and exciting attractions/projects.

This is nothing new. Executives from all of the major attractions sit on Visit Orlando board where they work together to bring people to the area overall. You can see an article here from last month that shows who is on the committee:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/bu...hotelier-paul-tang-to-lead-visit-orlando.html

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I thought they already did cooperate on the other coast given the tickets I can buy similar to the Orlando Flex ticket, but including Disneyland.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I thought they already did cooperate on the other coast given the tickets I can buy similar to the Orlando Flex ticket, but including Disneyland.

Those tickets work a bit differently I believe since another company puts those together. My belief is that the folks at Disneyland elect to get on the Flex Ticket because they want people to come for at least a couple of days to the resort. They know people planning trips to SoCal are not really looking to spend a week at Disneyland like they might when they plan to go to WDW. It's better for them to offer themselves on that ticket and get people for a few days rather than people being offered that ticket and bypassing it since they don't have the option. I think that Disney World doesn't offer this option simply because they do not have to.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Those tickets work a bit differently I believe since another company puts those together. My belief is that the folks at Disneyland elect to get on the Flex Ticket because they want people to come for at least a couple of days to the resort. They know people planning trips to SoCal are not really looking to spend a week at Disneyland like they might when they plan to go to WDW. It's better for them to offer themselves on that ticket and get people for a few days rather than people being offered that ticket and bypassing it since they don't have the option. I think that Disney World doesn't offer this option simply because they do not have to.

It is how I intend to use it later this year and certainly makes sense to me as a tourist.

I would be interested to find out how Disneys numbers are for UK guests as reading on line there does seem to be this thought that the Orlando Flex Plus is great value and Disney, thanks to its marketing, is overpriced given its for kids. And people saying they will not bother with Disney but take in Sea World and Busch instead. A Florida ticket may well work for both companies in the UK market.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

It is how I intend to use it later this year and certainly makes sense to me as a tourist.

I would be interested to find out how Disneys numbers are for UK guests as reading on line there does seem to be this thought that the Orlando Flex Plus is great value and Disney, thanks to its marketing, is overpriced given its for kids. And people saying they will not bother with Disney but take in Sea World and Busch instead. A Florida ticket may well work for both companies in the UK market.

Perhaps. I'm far from an expert in British vacation trends, but is that the overall impression? In my experiences at the parks I have met a number of British families who come to the mouse regularly and spend a couple of weeks at a time there. I also believe that, like yourself, there is a large number of DVC owners across the pond. This isn't really challenging as much as just interest by me. I was not aware that stigma might exist over there.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps. I'm far from an expert in British vacation trends, but is that the overall impression? In my experiences at the parks I have met a number of British families who come to the mouse regularly and spend a couple of weeks at a time there. I also believe that, like yourself, there is a large number of DVC owners across the pond. This isn't really challenging as much as just interest by me. I was not aware that stigma might exist over there.

Its the most common view expressed on non Disney focussed sites and is particularly posted on general sites I use which are non park related. when I enquire It seems to be families with boys and young teens who see little beyond the studios at Disney being worth a visit. Money may be a big factor a Disney ticket has nearly doubled in price since the economy collapsed. That said Potteland has had a decent hike too with discount ticket harder to find, but that seems to get overlooked.

 

[DisneyJoe]

and Disney, thanks to its marketing, is overpriced given its for kids.

Doesn't Disney offer 14 day and 21 day Ultimate tickets to UK residents ?

The 21 day ticket is 264.00 GBP = 422.57 USD...

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Doesn't Disney offer 14 day and 21 day Ultimate tickets to UK residents ?

The 21 day ticket is 264.00 GBP = 422.57 USD...

That ticket was about £160 18/20 months ago. I got my 14 day tickets luckily a week before the price jumped.

The Orlando Flex ticket is currently £160

 

[RSoxNo1]

The only thing I'd say about the lockers is that I do wish there were more signs in the area to "comfort" guests about extended waits. I think there is a realistic concern amongst guests that think they will be charged even if they only use the locker for the time it takes to wait in line and ride the ride.

The "free" window that's listed isn't always going to be the free window you actually receive but that's far from common knowledge.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

The only thing I'd say about the lockers is that I do wish there were more signs in the area to "comfort" guests about extended waits. I think there is a realistic concern amongst guests that think they will be charged even if they only use the locker for the time it takes to wait in line and ride the ride.

The "free" window that's listed isn't always going to be the free window you actually receive but that's far from common knowledge.

I found the times on the lockers to be fairly generous on my visit. When FJ was at a 30 minute wait, we were given 90 minutes on the locker. Even with most of the park being a walk on that day, we were given 30 minutes minimum at any attraction. I could have ridden hulk 3 times and never worried about going to my locker again.

 

[wendysmom]

Sorry...we didn't "freak out" about the lockers. We were told, however, by an attendant that we needed to get back to the locker in one hour because they would open. Guess they were misinformed. Maybe others don't mind getting out of line to scramble around in a crowded area finding a locker and going through all the steps to use it (and helping those that didn't get the whole concept), then get back in line much farther back than we were....I would rather put my stuff under the seat a la Soarin'.

And I honestly thought the ride was not that great. The sudden switch from screen to actual dragon I found to be jolting, taking me out of the moment. But as I said, the attention to detail was fantastic. And the butterbeer was yummy, too. The lockers...my family and I thought they were a pain.

 

[GoofyRacer11]

In my opinion, I feel that it affected Disney more in the beginning and it is starting to wear off. I mean Disney stock still continues to rise so obviously they are not suffering much.

 

[fillerup]

Jason Garcia - O'Sentinel 2/14

"Just half a year of Harry Potter was enough to lift Universal Orlando's full-year attendance by 20 percent, the resort said Monday.

Universal said it drew 11.2 million visitors in 2010, an increase of nearly 2 million from 2009 as huge crowds descended on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opened in mid-June in the resort's Islands of Adventure theme park.

It was Universal's highest attendance since 2004, when it drew 12.1 million people, and the third-best in the resort's history."

Attendance, profits and sales soar at Universal, thanks to Harry Potter