LucasLand Blue Sky Rumor @ DHS

[flavious27]

Harry Potter is wildly successful, but it's by no means a juggernaut. Harry Potter has brought Islands of Adventure at or above their previous high in attendance, but they are still well short of any Disney park.

With that said, combatting Harry Potter is something we are all expecting. Unless the Marvel rights are bought out at IOA, we have to assume that Marvel isn't an option to combat Harry Potter. Couple that with the fact that the Superhero Island in IOA is no where near as popular as Harry Potter while having arguably the only ride in Orlando that's as good as Forbidden Journey.

Additional buzz has Lord of the Rings also finding it's way over to Islands of Adventure, so the assumption is that dialogue has already started between the two parties.

To me, the most logical franchises to respond to Harry Potter are Star Wars/Lucas and Cars. They sell merchandise and have concepts/attractions already in place for development.

I don't see uni finding room to put lotr in, lc was the only area that wasn't franchise based. Also a lotr land will cost the same, if not more than wwhp. That is going to be a huge bill to pay, with expansion of wwhp very possible.

There is also the issue with ownership of uni. A new owner is going to have a large expense to buy the park, then different contracts to work on, and also any buyouts to pay.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Harry Potter is wildly successful, but it's by no means a juggernaut. Harry Potter has brought Islands of Adventure at or above their previous high in attendance, but they are still well short of any Disney park.

To me, the most logical franchises to respond to Harry Potter are Star Wars/Lucas and Cars. They sell merchandise and have concepts/attractions already in place for development.

You are right and wrong. Potter is a juggernaut in terms of merchandise and food sales. Universal has NEVER seen the first dollar of families in Orlando before.

I don't care what Meg Crofton wants to tell us -- While Potter may not be hurting Disney from an attendance standpoint, they can't be happy about the typical family saving that $200 for wands and robes at WWOHP rather than Mouse Ear Hats and Whirlygigs...

I am not privy to the accounting of Theme Parks, but I have long surmised that the admission fee all goes to overhead. It is wildly expensive to run the theme parks. All the profit comes from overpriced food and expensive merchandise. Why else would a hot dog costs six bucks? It is like going to see a movie. The ticket sales all go back to the studio.

I definitely agree with your premise that the best two franchises Disney either own's or has rights to at the Theme Parks is Cars and Star Wars. Star Wars people are as nuts as Harry Potter fans (possibly even moreso) in buying stuff. The more creative the merchandise the more they buy.

The expansion on the left side of the park in terms of the Star Wars franchise is what makes the most sense. That probably means it won't happen.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I've heard this "mature market" term thrown about quite a bit. While the Theme Park market in Orlando is definitely "mature" that doesn't mean there isn't growth. There is typically continued growth in any mature market, but what it means is that the clientelle gets more savvy, and offerings can be less predictable. A mature market (no matter what it is) is typically very difficult to break into as a new business looking to ride the wave, but it also means that the client base is well established and consistent for those that are already entrenched.

I believe the discussion that Disney will not have to offer more attractions because the market is "mature" is lunacy. I think the mature market makes it less likely to see another typical gate for a while, but the clients will continue to demand more varied and new experiences. Disney will have to focus on offering new experiences or that clientelle will slowly dwindle.

Now, we are seeing a systematic series of upgrades and updates to classic attractions like we haven't seen in years. This could either be part of their strategy or the result of catching up on several years of neglect. Anyone on here that says Disney isn't taking care of their parks right now has a fuzzy memory of the early 2000's.

 

[RSoxNo1]

From a marketing standpoint you could definitely consider Harry Potter a juggernaut. As has been said previously, it is the first stop for merchandise sales.

So far though, I don't think any of these rumors are at the point of development yet. What I had heard about LotR to Universal was that it would replace some of the Cartoon Lagoon area.

 

[flavious27]

You are right and wrong. Potter is a juggernaut in terms of merchandise and food sales. Universal has NEVER seen the first dollar of families in Orlando before.

I don't care what Meg Crofton wants to tell us -- While Potter may not be hurting Disney from an attendance standpoint, they can't be happy about the typical family saving that $200 for wands and robes at WWOHP rather than Mouse Ear Hats and Whirlygigs...

I am not privy to the accounting of Theme Parks, but I have long surmised that the admission fee all goes to overhead. It is wildly expensive to run the theme parks. All the profit comes from overpriced food and expensive merchandise. Why else would a hot dog costs six bucks? It is like going to see a movie. The ticket sales all go back to the studio.

I definitely agree with your premise that the best two franchises Disney either own's or has rights to at the Theme Parks is Cars and Star Wars. Star Wars people are as nuts as Harry Potter fans (possibly even moreso) in buying stuff. The more creative the merchandise the more they buy.

The expansion on the left side of the park in terms of the Star Wars franchise is what makes the most sense. That probably means it won't happen.

I wonder how universal does its accounting because its revenue for last year was 1.1 billion, with 11.2 million visitors. They had to make more than $100 per visitor with universal earning 92 million in the third quarter with merch and food/drink while ticket revenue being 190 million.

 

[AEfx]

From a marketing standpoint you could definitely consider Harry Potter a juggernaut. As has been said previously, it is the first stop for merchandise sales.

The question is, though - is Harry Potter evergreen?

Star Wars has been around for almost 35 years. The Muppets even longer.

Harry Potter is a series of books that is finished, and a film series that is about to be finished.

There has been pretty constant Potter-mania for the past decade because of the constant release of new material. After a few years without new material, the brand will fade somewhat since it doesn't seem to be going ancillary (i.e. we've never heard of a Potter-themed TV show in the works, etc.).

A properly themed Lucasland area would be an evergreen expansion that eventually could eclipse Potter as Harry seems to be passing over the other end of the hype scale over the next couple of years.

 

[RSoxNo1]

The question is, though - is Harry Potter evergreen?

Star Wars has been around for almost 35 years. The Muppets even longer.

Harry Potter is a series of books that is finished, and a film series that is about to be finished.

There has been pretty constant Potter-mania for the past decade because of the constant release of new material. After a few years without new material, the brand will fade somewhat since it doesn't seem to be going ancillary (i.e. we've never heard of a Potter-themed TV show in the works, etc.).

A properly themed Lucasland area would be an evergreen expansion that eventually could eclipse Potter as Harry seems to be passing over the other end of the hype scale over the next couple of years.

The possibilities of a Lucasland are definitely wider than a Potter world. However, the Potter World already exists as an excellent themed environment. The test for Disney is how Carsland turns out.

I do think you're right about Lucasland being evergreen - especially from a merchandise standpoint. Star Wars merchandise has stood the test of time, and has appeared in various iterations. The novelty of the Harry Potter merchandise is stuff from the movies, ultimately limiting their appeal.

What's even more frustrating about Lucasland is that if Alien Encounter was built in DHS, it would probably still be there.

 

[Thrill Seeker]

The question is, though - is Harry Potter evergreen?

Star Wars has been around for almost 35 years. The Muppets even longer.

Harry Potter is a series of books that is finished, and a film series that is about to be finished.

There has been pretty constant Potter-mania for the past decade because of the constant release of new material. After a few years without new material, the brand will fade somewhat since it doesn't seem to be going ancillary (i.e. we've never heard of a Potter-themed TV show in the works, etc.).

A properly themed Lucasland area would be an evergreen expansion that eventually could eclipse Potter as Harry seems to be passing over the other end of the hype scale over the next couple of years.

New books are rumored and at least one more film based on a side story IS happening. Harry Potter does have some life left in it.

 

[AEfx]

New books are rumored and at least one more film based on a side story IS happening. Harry Potter does have some life left in it.

1) Rowling had stated before that she would be done with Potter after this, however recently she did leave the remote possibility someday of returning to the series.

2) Rumors of a "side story mini-movie" are from 2008. Where are you hearing that it "IS" happening?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I wonder how universal does its accounting because its revenue for last year was 1.1 billion, with 11.2 million visitors. They had to make more than $100 per visitor with universal earning 92 million in the third quarter with merch and food/drink while ticket revenue being 190 million.

I was just there in April and despite the 70 degree weather, people were still walking around in their $80 robes, with $35 scarf and $30 wand. People are buying Harry Potter merchandise by the truckload.

 

[flavious27]

I was just there in April and despite the 70 degree weather, people were still walking around in their $80 robes, with $35 scarf and $30 wand. People are buying Harry Potter merchandise by the truckload.

Which is why I find it odd with the figures. I know that Uni had declining revenue and attendance for the first 6 months, but merch/food/drinks makes up more than 20% of the spending at a typical park. Either they had more revenue they didn't report or they had a large amount of AP that kept visiting through out the year.

 

[misterID]

I don't see uni finding room to put lotr in, lc was the only area that wasn't franchise based. Also a lotr land will cost the same, if not more than wwhp. That is going to be a huge bill to pay, with expansion of wwhp very possible.

Nah, there is room for it. And I think a LOTR area would draw bigger crowds than Potter. Especially when The Hobbit is released.

 

[lentesta]

From Disney Gossip:

Backlot Express would be converted to a Cantina style diner, although I've also heard that it could be a 'space junk yard' (as from Episode 1).

I've heard something similar. I think you're looking at a long-range plan which wouldn't start before the end of the Fantasyland expansion.

I hear Epcot's up next after Fantasyland. I could be wrong.

Len

 

[whylightbulb]

I hear Epcot's up next after Fantasyland. I could be wrong.

Len

you might want to look a lot closer to Fantasyland for the next remodel/expansion if plans remain as they are today.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I've heard something similar. I think you're looking at a long-range plan which wouldn't start before the end of the Fantasyland expansion.

I hear Epcot's up next after Fantasyland. I could be wrong.

Len

Well if it isn't THE Len Testa... Never seen you post on here before sir. Nice to have you as part of the conversation.

Heck, I'd be happy if there even was a long range plan for a Star Wars / Lucasland expansion. Pretty much every insider on here has come on to say this is all pipe dream - total Blue Sky.

The unfortunate part is that if they announced it they could strike while the iron is hot from a marketing standpoint. Ride the wave so to say, even if we were 5-6 years away. It sounds like there may be some sort of long term planning occurring, which even if it gets greenlighted we are looking at years until an announcement.

 

[NoChesterHester]

you might want to look a lot closer to Fantasyland for the next remodel/expansion if plans remain as they are today.

More MK? Tom Sawyer Island redo?

 

[flavious27]

Nah, there is room for it. And I think a LOTR area would draw bigger crowds than Potter. Especially when The Hobbit is released.

Well there is room if they take over Jurassic park island. I don't think that will happen, uni won't be able to reuse all of the rides and attractions as they did with wwhp and lc.

I do agree that a lotr land will bring larger and more consistent crowds during its run.

 

[RSoxNo1]

you might want to look a lot closer to Fantasyland for the next remodel/expansion if plans remain as they are today.

To me that means Tomorrowland or Frontierland. I assume this isn't just the re-working of the Liberty Square to Fantasyland transition area.

 

[SparkyGiraffe]

Nah, there is room for it. And I think a LOTR area would draw bigger crowds than Potter. Especially when The Hobbit is released.

I just don't see how they could do something as big and epic as LOTR in themepark form. It wouldn't live up to the books/movies. But then, they did it with Harry Potter....:shrug:

 

[George]

I just don't see how they could do something as big and epic as LOTR in themepark form. It wouldn't live up to the books/movies. But then, they did it with Harry Potter....:shrug:

The LOTR is a more expansive story, but if it's done well it will work. Really, the franchise tie in is important, but it's not everything. The reason WWoHP is big draw and will continue to be so is that it was done well. If Disney does a couple of things that are done just as well, they'll be fine.