hpyhnt 1000
Well-Known Member
In all reality, are any of us in our right minds? I mean, look at how long this discussion has gone on. :lol:
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Only a year and a half away from Harry Potter Land and still nothing from Disney!
- Thread starter djkidkaz
- Start date
In all reality, are any of us in our right minds? I mean, look at how long this discussion has gone on. :lol:
Yankeeplex
New Member
I couldn't care less about Harry Potter...I am not sure why it has become as huge as it has. I grew up on Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which were much more ground breaking.
Testtrack321
Well-Known Member
My friend said it best. IoA is a character central park, full of characters from...
a.) Marvel Comics
b.) Dr. Seuss
c.) "Classic" strip/tv characters
d.) Jurassic Park
And their attendance is still reportedly behind DCA. Why should Disney react to this? This is a character driven park, and isn't "stealing" guests from WDW. Disney has a clear plan right now for improvements and additions, most noticeably the reworking of "classic" attractions, additions of popular characters to the parks, and adding "solid" rides to parks (see Toy Story Mania) to keep guests in.
It's working pretty well right now, why should it change? We're not talking about psychotic over reacting Eisner leading anymore.
a.) Marvel Comics
b.) Dr. Seuss
c.) "Classic" strip/tv characters
d.) Jurassic Park
And their attendance is still reportedly behind DCA. Why should Disney react to this? This is a character driven park, and isn't "stealing" guests from WDW. Disney has a clear plan right now for improvements and additions, most noticeably the reworking of "classic" attractions, additions of popular characters to the parks, and adding "solid" rides to parks (see Toy Story Mania) to keep guests in.
It's working pretty well right now, why should it change? We're not talking about psychotic over reacting Eisner leading anymore.
copcarguyp71
Well-Known Member
I gotta be honest I am not an absolute disney freakazoid (although I do enjoy it tremendously) but I have never really gotten the lure of HP. Heck I have to watch the movies a couple of times just to get what all of the dialog is through the thick accents. They are entertaining but they do not wrap around you and leave you with a sense of wonder and awe the way disney seems to able to do. I suspect that HP will have negative impact on WDW. Sure people will go to see it but think about it...WDW does not have a whole section of the park based on Pirates or Toy Story because they realize it is not everyones cup of tea.
Specializing a huge section of your attraction park around a spark that may die out in time is a pretty high dollar gamble IMO.
Specializing a huge section of your attraction park around a spark that may die out in time is a pretty high dollar gamble IMO.
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
I suspect its more than the accents that are thick.
However HP, like Lord of the Ring Sting and other such sword and saucery drivel is not to my taste, but anything that gets the Warcraft zombies off line freeing up band with is to be encouraged.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I completely agree with you, and I'm exactly the same type of casual Disney fan that you are. I don't get what the big deal is about Harry Potter to begin with, and I won't be on Expedia in late 2009 booking my trip to Orlando to go on some Harry Potter ride at Universal.
I'm sure Uni will do a decent job with this major addition, as usually do a decent job with their big stuff. It certainly won't be up to traditional Disney standards, but it will be a cut above the local Six Flags offering to be sure.
And then after the first big summer the sub-standard Universal maintenance habits will kick in and stuff will break, robots will get creaky and have torn skin like the dinosaurs on Jurassic Park always do, special effects will be turned off due to maintenance headaches, the queues will get banged up, and the harsh Florida climate will take its toll and dull the finishes and coat everything with mildew around the edges.
Not to say WDW fans shouldn't be concerned about the future of the WDW parks, because all of the money and new Disney rides seem to be aimed right at Anaheim for the next four years. But this Harry Potter thing seems to be much ado about not much.
I can't believe that no one has bothered to point out that the gross revenue of the I-Drive district (Universal, Sea World, Convention Center, Rosen, and everything else in between) already outdoes the Walt Disney World resort. Disney just gets to have a large amount of business generated under one umbrella, thus their marketing department gets to hype themselves and claim "we RULE Central Florida!"
Orlando has matured into many different directions that do not include Disney. Harry Potter is going to intensify this trend. Greatly.
Orlando has matured into many different directions that do not include Disney. Harry Potter is going to intensify this trend. Greatly.
ILLmaticS0ldier
Member
hater.
And Harry Potter is much more thna the movies its books toys etc. There's not many books at least for me that I enjoyed as much as harry potter
nuttyskadork
New Member
What do you mean STILL? I've got a 2008 guide book that lists DCA and IOA tied. Now of course that probably changed with the new rides at DCA but its still odd.
This is what it has for american theme parks with annual attendance
1. MK- 16.2 mil
2. Disneyland- 14.6 mil
3. Epcot- 9.9 mil
4. DHS- 8.7 mil
5. DAK 8.2 mil
6. Universal Orlando 6.1 mil
7. IOA 5.8 mil (strangely both IOA and DCA have a higher average daily attendance than Universal Orlando)
7. DCA 5.8 mil
9. Sea World- 5.6 mil
10. Universal Hollywood- 4.7 mil
yankspy
Well-Known Member
This thread shows slightly different numbers. However, it does show them pretty close as well.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=288098&highlight=attendance
nuttyskadork
New Member
So yeah MK is up a lot haha. Disneylands got another 200,000.
Epcots up a bit. Both DHS and DAK are up, DAKs catching up though. Must be Expedition Everest.
Unversal Orlandos up a bit, but IOA is actually down. Guess thats what happens when you don't bring in any new rides.
DCA's down a bit too.
And Universal California is almost getting beat by Busch Gardens haha.
I didnt even know there was a Universal Japan haha
Epcots up a bit. Both DHS and DAK are up, DAKs catching up though. Must be Expedition Everest.
Unversal Orlandos up a bit, but IOA is actually down. Guess thats what happens when you don't bring in any new rides.
DCA's down a bit too.
And Universal California is almost getting beat by Busch Gardens haha.
I didnt even know there was a Universal Japan haha
Figment571
Member
I would like to make the point though in response to this that it seems Disney is almost trying to exclude teens from the world and their company in general.
Look at what they have been promoting HUGELY in the last few years Pirates, yes I know teens liked it but Disney didn't know they had that on their hands so you can't say that is something they planned on.
High School Musical. This is what I have issue with the most, and Disney Channel in general; Disney seems perfectly content on making content exclusively for tweens and small children that teens do not "get" or like. Then there is the fact that this is practically the only thing a family can watch at Walt Disney World! Why don't they have a channel that shows Disney's animated movies. That would be much better than Disney Channel for a whole week and teens even though they won't outloud admit they like those movies, a lot. I know that these Disney Channel Franchises makes tons of money for Disney but still it can be ridiculous with it being everywhere. This same thing happened in the early 80's with movies Disney put out such as the cult hit TRON. People did not want to see a movie from Disney because they thaught it was just kids stuff.
Also in the parks themselves many teens find the attractions very dull. They want more thrills and spills, and less sweet little dark rides. They want more of what the competitors offer. Even though I am a firm beliver in Walt's vision of a family experience I belive that means all of the family, including thrill seeking teens, and sorry to say today's thrill seekers find the mountains mild at best. Disney needs to bite the bullet and build one or two extreme coasters for the teens to enjoy and offer other attractions around it that everyone else can enjoy while the teens get there thrill fix.
just my thoughts....
disnyfan89
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but you can not generalize an entire group of individuals. I happen to be a teenager and I will take the richly detailed Everest over the Hulk any day. When I go to a theme park I look for a full experiance! I want a story that has a Beginning, Middle, and End. Not just a ride that is losely tied to a story to get by. I can to Universal and ride every ride there and not feel connected to any of it. At Disney I make that connection. My friend also spend more time in the Disney parks than they do the Universal parks. My friends would much rather hang out in DTD than in City Walk.
I would also disagree with the statement that Disney wants to limit the amount of teens that visit their parks. Disney knows that the teen market is what gives Universal their edge. Disney has been trying to capture this market with rides such as Tot, RnR, M:S, Everest, LMA, and most recently Toy Story Mania. Take a look at some of their ads and its not hard to see Disney wants this market. Sure Families spend money but so do teens! Teens not only spend their own money but their parent's as well.
I would also disagree with the statement that Disney wants to limit the amount of teens that visit their parks. Disney knows that the teen market is what gives Universal their edge. Disney has been trying to capture this market with rides such as Tot, RnR, M:S, Everest, LMA, and most recently Toy Story Mania. Take a look at some of their ads and its not hard to see Disney wants this market. Sure Families spend money but so do teens! Teens not only spend their own money but their parent's as well.
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
And at some time in the future,when they are earning their own, learn to appreciate the value of it.
disnyfan89
Well-Known Member
Im learning that one right now! :lol: Should have saved up for college sooner!
coasterphil
Well-Known Member
Why is a comparison between DCA and IOA even relevant? DCA is right across from the 2nd busiest park in the world, of course it is going to have fairly big numbers no matter what. It's too hard to compare parks that are part of resorts because they gain attendance simply by association with the mega parks.
Testtrack321
Well-Known Member
Damn, does that guide book list lottery picks and other betting information, I mean since it can predict the rest of 2008... the year we're still in....
I never tried to compare the two parks in anyway. IOA is better in every way. What I'm saying is that this is a character centric park that still lacks in attendance, and adding more characters, no matter how popular, won't challenge Disney in a major way.
EvanAnderson
Active Member
It's funny to read the all the posts here. Some people say no matter what Universal does with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it'll never be as good as Toy Story Mania. I don't really get that sentence, but it shows that people here aren't willing to try new things.
If Disney was the one who got Harry Potter, all of you would be sooo happy about it, and all the posts saying "I don't like Harry Potter, I'm not going" would turn into "I'll be there opening day."
A lot of people say Universal has no theming and is like a Six Flags park. Then you say you've never been to IOA. I go to IOA once a week, and that place still amazes me with the theming there. Yes, JP River Adventure needs a rehab BADLY, hopefully it'll get one once WWoHP opens.
What I have heard from various sites and sources is that J.K. Rowling was extremely impressed with how the Creative team designed Suess Landing, with Suess' widow basically saying everything that is to be done. Even to this day, anything added to that Island has to go through her first.
Rowling, and the people who built the sets for the movies are the ones making the new land, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be an authentic experience.
A lot are saying "it's just a new ride, so what". It's going to feature Hogsmeade, The Forbidden Forest, and Hogwarts Castle. I know Hogwarts will be fully explorable, and the robo kuka arm attraction should be very high tech, and be fun to experience. It will also include a retheming of the Dueling Dragons and Flying Unicorn Coasters to more Harry Potter material.
Now a lot of people are going to say "Disney would have made it Diagon Alley and it would have been better." Diagon Alley was nowhere near the Hogwarts castle, as Hogsmeade was right down the road from it.
And the area will be opened around the time of the last movies come out.
If Disney was the one who got Harry Potter, all of you would be sooo happy about it, and all the posts saying "I don't like Harry Potter, I'm not going" would turn into "I'll be there opening day."
A lot of people say Universal has no theming and is like a Six Flags park. Then you say you've never been to IOA. I go to IOA once a week, and that place still amazes me with the theming there. Yes, JP River Adventure needs a rehab BADLY, hopefully it'll get one once WWoHP opens.
What I have heard from various sites and sources is that J.K. Rowling was extremely impressed with how the Creative team designed Suess Landing, with Suess' widow basically saying everything that is to be done. Even to this day, anything added to that Island has to go through her first.
Rowling, and the people who built the sets for the movies are the ones making the new land, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be an authentic experience.
A lot are saying "it's just a new ride, so what". It's going to feature Hogsmeade, The Forbidden Forest, and Hogwarts Castle. I know Hogwarts will be fully explorable, and the robo kuka arm attraction should be very high tech, and be fun to experience. It will also include a retheming of the Dueling Dragons and Flying Unicorn Coasters to more Harry Potter material.
Now a lot of people are going to say "Disney would have made it Diagon Alley and it would have been better." Diagon Alley was nowhere near the Hogwarts castle, as Hogsmeade was right down the road from it.
And the area will be opened around the time of the last movies come out.
EpcotServo
Well-Known Member
You're not reading into it the right way....try this:
No matter how whiz-bang cool and amazing PotterLand is, I PERSONALLY will always like Midway Mania better because I think Toy Story's is WAY BETTER than Harry Potter. (Like I said, Harry Potter's best book and movie are both Goblet of Fire, the rest are all meh.)
In short, I really love Midway Mania. Potter I could care less about.
He's nice in book, OK in movie, interesting in Theme Park. And what people aren't getting about what I'm saying is confounding. The bottom line is that no matter how amazing Universal rides and theme parks are....In the long run I will always like the Disney one better.
And I'm not a UniversalBasher. I REALLY love Universal. I've had a lot of great times there. It's just that Disney has that something that Universal doesn't and I'd bet your sweet life that come Potterland, it'll be fantastic, but in the end won't have that something.
:shrug:
coasterphil
Well-Known Member
"That something" is totally in you though, not the attraction itself. You feel an emotional attachment to Toy Story based on your life experience, not because Disney did a better job implementing a storyline or "that something" into their attraction.
I'm just trying to say that if people can remove their emotional attachment to the Disney brand (which I understand can be very difficult because it's played such a huge role in many lives) they'll see that Universal offers attractions that are as good or better than what Disney has. So you didn't like the Men In Black movie series as much as you liked Toy Story growing up, that doesn't automatically make TSM a better ride than MIB is. I feel Disney fans think that way all the time though and blow Universal off. Then again, this site is really more of a Disney fan site than a theme park fan site, so why should the majority care that there are three great parks just down the road from WDW that don't have the Disney brand that means so much to them.