Harry Potter IS making a difference!!

[Mouse Detective]

I'm not drinkin any Disney Kool Aid.
2013, NO ONE will talk about Potter.

You just contridicted yourself.

 

[GenerationX]

We face the big decision on our upcoming trip - do we take a day out of WDW to see HP? We always rent a car, so that's not a factor. The boys are 15, 13, and 11 now, and the youngest two are HP fans. We're prime candidates, but we're probably not going to do it for two reasons:

1. We don't like to switch resorts mid-trip, so we're at a WDW moderate the whole trip.
2. The Magic Your Way ticket pricing makes the additional day at the Disney parks so incredibly cheap compared to a single day at Universal. The difference is hundreds of dollars.

I'm sure many other families face this same decision, but I doubt all of them will choose to stay at Disney. The question is then whether the people that slice a day or more off of their Disney vacation are offset by the people brought in by HP to Universal that decide to try a day or more at WDW. Short-term, I think Disney loses in that one. Long-term, there are too many variables to predict with any degree of accuracy what will happen.

 

[JustInTime]

You just contridicted yourself.

That's what I am sayin!

 

[slappy magoo]

I have to admit the idea that Harry Potter is just going to go away was kind of funny to me. It's not like they're going to stop printing the books, or stop renting or selling the movies. Every 6 seconds, another potential Harry Potter reader is born. These kids are going to hear about Potter from older siblings, older relatives, their parents, teachers, librarians, both the books and the movies in those same peoples' personal libraries. Will it always be as popular as it is right now? Probably not, but how many pop culture phenomena sees its popularity stay just as strong or grow as it ages? Precious few, but that doesn't mean they become UN-popular. And the idea that a well-produced, well-themed exciting ride will somehow start to suck because its based on an aging franchise discounts most of Disney's attractions, as well.

 

[Disneyson 1]

Universal and Disney both have their merits (Amazing MiB vs. Lackluster Buzz, Timeless Muppets vs. Dated Shrek), but we can go for YEARS and never figure out a victor.

At this point, the question is if the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is undeniably one of the most amazing thematic experience in the world today, can retain more vacationers than Disney can (mostly based on brand name and nostalgia). Personally, I think potter, with it's re-releases and continuing saga after this movie, will retain visitors just as well as Star Tours or Toy Story Mania. With increases in land size as well as a projected increase in movie popularity over the next few decades (with mounting promotional efforts on the remaining movies in 3-D, video games, etc.), Potter has a great chance to keep visitors coming into the park.

Never will the Potter franchise itself match the great Disney company. But neither will the Princess franchise (Or the World of Cars, for that matter) match all of NBC/Universal Pictures/Universal Parks/etc.

Now, if IoA slowly upgrades the rest of the park up to Potter standards (which it, in fact, is very close to right now), perhaps we're looking at stolen business away from Disney. It won't KILL Disney, but it will have negative impacts, that's for sure.

P.S. I am still in love with the Cat in the Hat AND Snow White even though I wasn't around when either of these "pop culture relics" were released. People will still love Potter, people will still love Princesses.

 

[MiklCraw4d]

Oh...you mean the Men in Black ride that is unquestionably superior to it's Disney counterpart, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin? That MiB ride?

Exactly. I could care less about the films, but that ride is fantastic. And that's the point.

I agree with those who believe Potter will remain an "evergreen" franchise. And Uni is holding that Phase 2 announcement over Disney's head like the sword of Damocles - anytime they want, they can blow pretty much any Disney announcement out of the water.

Some of the franchises that have been mentioned as outdated are still salvageable. Jurassic Park isn't a current hot property, but do giant rampaging dinosaurs ever go out of style? That area does deserve another ride, though.

The area of IOA that I do believe needs a thematic upgrade is the area based on old comic strips. It's a neat idea, and kind of surreal, but many of those strips don't even exist anymore and most of them are pretty obscure. The theming in the Marvel area could use some plussing as well.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

The area of IOA that I do believe needs a thematic upgrade is the area based on old comic strips. It's a neat idea, and kind of surreal, but many of those strips don't even exist anymore and most of them are pretty obscure.

Not to mention that the entire concept of the comic strip as a form of popular entertainment becomes less relevant by the day. And I say this as someone whose paycheck depends on people continuing to buy newspapers, so I don't take any pleasure in it.

If we're talking about characters losing their spot in pop culture, I think a generation of kids is currently growing up that will largely have no idea who Beetle Bailey, Blondie, Hagar the Horrible, etc. are.

 

[Lee]

We haven't seen Radiator Springs Racers. So it's possible that it could combine a variety of different elements like Spiderman or Forbidden Journey.

Actually, I've seen quite a bit of RSR, and I can tell you it has no elements like Spidy or FJ. It's Test Track 2.0, only with FAR better theming and place-setting.
It will be awesome. (And for what they're paying for it, it better be. RSR is going to top out somewhere just south of five times the cost of Forbidden Journey.)

I just think that realistically, it raised the bar so high that for the first time Disney is playing serious catchup.

They are, but sadly, the ones who make the decisions don't realize it. Only the creatives.

2. The Magic Your Way ticket pricing makes the additional day at the Disney parks so incredibly cheap compared to a single day at Universal. The difference is hundreds of dollars.

Ugh...don't get me started on the evils of Magic Your Way, aka How to Boost Your Attendance Numbers At The Expense Of New Attractions.

Exactly. I could care less about the films, but that ride is fantastic.

A certain someone recently told me of a potential MiB expansion over at USO. Perhaps depending on how well MiB3D does. I welcome it.

And Uni is holding that Phase 2 announcement over Disney's head like the sword of Damocles - anytime they want, they can blow pretty much any Disney announcement out of the water.

Yep. Nothing Disney has anywhere in the pipeline could have the impact that the Potter expansion announcement will have. You can almost sense Disney management flinching. Perhaps they should have bitten the bullet and taken the Potter deal when they had the chance. Actually...Uni's Potter rights are only for the US...

The theming in the Marvel area could use some plussing as well.

Won't happen. Uni no longer sees the Marvel characters as long-term residents at IoA, so there's little chance they will spend any unnecessary money there.
Something better to think about...What will Disney's take on a Marvel land look like? Won't be too long until we find out.:lookaroun

 

[Lee]

If we're talking about characters losing their spot in pop culture, I think a generation of kids is currently growing up that will largely have no idea who Beetle Bailey, Blondie, Hagar the Horrible, etc. are.

True, but damn it, I want me a Bloom County land at IoA!

 

[EvanAnderson]

Disney building a Marvel land? I don't know. I can guess that they'd get some complaints over it. Marvel Super Hero Island is what you'd expect to walk into a Comic Strip. It's loud, bright colors, etc. Disney wouldn't be able to do that, without having people complain that it's not Disney. Alien Encounter got replaced cause it was too scary. Plenty of small kids are scared of loud noises. I can't picture Disney building a Spiderman themed attraction as an omni-mover.

Anywho, I recently had to do a SWOT analysis on WWOHP for school. Strengths? To have hold of one of the most popular characters and stories of our time. Weaknesses? The Disney Fans who will never venture outside Disney property for anything, not even dinner. Opportunities? Expansions. If timed right, could bring mega tons amounts of people. Threats? Disney expansion that would rival Potter. Right now, there is non. Also, those Disney fans who never leave the resort, are actually starting to slowly tip toe over to Potter to see it.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Now, if IoA slowly upgrades the rest of the park up to Potter standards (which it, in fact, is very close to right now), perhaps we're looking at stolen business away from Disney. It won't KILL Disney, but it will have negative impacts, that's for sure.

This stall in attendance was not just coming from Universal, it also came from Disney. Guest spending has been down for a few years now. Disney was able to fill rooms and the parks with heavy and frequent discounting. The move to get away from so much discounting started this year. The biggest news is not that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not attracting people, but Disney is starting to hit the point where people do not see value in paying the "real" price for time at Walt Disney World. That is BIG and a problem that is not going to be overcome by just adding in amazing rides. Disney has spent years riding the public goodwill towards the Disney name and the public, not just Disney fans, is starting to lose some of that goodwill, just like they did with the Disney Stores and the films. The difference is that those enterprises are not nearly the size of Walt Disney World and require significantly less time, energy and money on the part of the customer.

The big thing that Harry Potter is taking is guest dollars. People are spending truck loads of money on the unique, land specific merchandise found within the land. Too bad the people at Disney are probably thinking that the people at Universal Orlando are fools for not saturating every store at their resort with Harry Potter merchandise.

Exactly. I could care less about the films, but that ride is fantastic. And that's the point.

Agreed. I have yet to read a book, fell asleep in the theater during Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and have not bothered with any of the other films. I must say though, that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has not only wowed me as a non-fan, it also has me interested in watching some of the films.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Disney building a Marvel land? I don't know. I can guess that they'd get some complaints over it. Marvel Super Hero Island is what you'd expect to walk into a Comic Strip. It's loud, bright colors, etc. Disney wouldn't be able to do that, without having people complain that it's not Disney. Alien Encounter got replaced cause it was too scary. Plenty of small kids are scared of loud noises. I can't picture Disney building a Spiderman themed attraction as an omni-mover.

I'm guessing Lee's hint was based on plans for the overseas parks. I'm also guessing fans in Hong Kong and Shanghai are less picky about what does or doesn't qualify as "Disney" than the domestic nuts like us. :lol:

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disney building a Marvel land? I don't know. I can guess that they'd get some complaints over it. Marvel Super Hero Island is what you'd expect to walk into a Comic Strip. It's loud, bright colors, etc. Disney wouldn't be able to do that, without having people complain that it's not Disney. Alien Encounter got replaced cause it was too scary. Plenty of small kids are scared of loud noises. I can't picture Disney building a Spiderman themed attraction as an omni-mover.

Look at some art from Marvel Super Heroes Theme Park that was planned for Dubailand.

 

[Lee]

I'm guessing Lee's hint was based on plans for the overseas parks.

Bingo.

 

[Lee]

Look at some art from Marvel Super Heroes Theme Park that was planned for Dubailand.

Love that art. Wonder if Disney now owns it...
Marvel will show up in Shanghai first, not as a park but as a land.
Paris...I don't see a Marvel park happening there unless what happens in Shanghai is a colossal hit. The mouse is very risk-averse. Think of Shanghai as a trial run for a full park further down the road.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Exactly. They public is now "spoiled" by heavy room discounts, free or discounted dining, and Magic Your Way tickets. Disney MUST begin to work it's way back to a normal, pre-9/11 pricing structure if they don't want to really be suffering down the road. They should go cold-turkey. Eliminate all discounting, deal with the short-term backlash, and try to get back on track before it's too late.

I agree, but think this should come in conjunction with a freeze of the annual price increases. No price decreases, as that would send the wrong message, that Disney is not really worth the price, but no more increases until the backlash subsides and they can once again be sustained without discounts.

 

[Lee]

I agree, but think this should come in conjunction with a freeze of the annual price increases. No price decreases, as that would send the wrong message, that Disney is not really worth the price, but no more increases until the backlash subsides and they can once again be sustained without discounts.

Agreed.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Love that art. Wonder if Disney now owns it...
Marvel will show up in Shanghai first, not as a park but as a land.
Paris...I don't see a Marvel park happening there unless what happens in Shanghai is a colossal hit. The mouse is very risk-averse. Think of Shanghai as a trial run for a full park further down the road.

That is a very good question. A professor of mine was actually apart of the Ferrari World team for awhile and said he quit because many of the firms involved were not being paid in money, but were being offered/forced to accept the prestige of working in the United Arab Emirates. I would think, with the collapse of the Dubailand project, it has been pretty easy for Disney to get out of the deal.

I really wish I could be sitting in on the meetings as Universal decides what it wants to do moving forward.

 

[Flip83]

C'mon, Disney knows Potters popularity. And no i didnt contradict myself. It's true. Potter will still be enjoyed by many, but the Expansion will attract more than Potter. Then maybe they'll attempt to expand Potter (maybe), then Disney will do something to top it again. In 2-3 years, Potter won't be the buzz around Orlando. I'm not saying it'll die, it just won't have the popularity. There are more WDW fans then there are Potter Fans. A few potter fans have already seen it, said it's cool but nothing there (including all of both Parks) drives them to make a trip down there to see that. What drives them to go down there is to see WDW again. Theres really no argument here, it's the truth for about 98 percent of everyone on these forums. Everyone goes to the Orlando area for vacation to see WDW, not Universal. You take those couple days during a trip to see US and SW and the rest is in Disney. Everyone knows it. Disney will always be the top seed. Universal will always be 2nd place. Potter is getting Disneys attn but it hasn't and won't do enough damage to Disney crowds to rush them to get something big going. It'd be good if it did, but it won't. I don't want a rushed project in Disney anyway. They can take their time and wait till they have great ideas. People complain about FLE, even after they modified plans, and they still complain. They will never be able to please EVERYONE. Not EVERYONE likes Potter either, and they can't please EVERYONE. FLE will be very big for MK and WDW. And be very popular to many many people, but to some it won't. They know that.

 

[lazyboy97o]

What drives them to go down there is to see WDW again. Theres really no argument here, it's the truth for about 98 percent of everyone on these forums. Everyone goes to the Orlando area for vacation to see WDW, not Universal. You take those couple days during a trip to see US and SW and the rest is in Disney. Everyone knows it. Disney will always be the top seed. Universal will always be 2nd place. Potter is getting Disneys attn but it hasn't and won't do enough damage to Disney crowds to rush them to get something big going.

This is the kind of thinking that causes one to slip out of the lead and is exactly Disney's mentality. It why people were not willing to buy Walt Disney World at full price. There is nothing to stop Walt Disney World from becoming the reason people used to visit the Orlando area.