Only a year and a half away from Harry Potter Land and still nothing from Disney!

[iheartdisney91]

dont try to melt me but... i REALLY cant wait to go to Harry potter... BUT DISNEY IS ALWAYS 1ST IN MIND

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

The reviews for the Wizarding World/Potter Land better be amazing. Because if they are not, you probably won't see me at Islands of Adventure for a long time- at least until they paint and repair what IS there now. Just check out my IOA trip report / photos on my blog, and you'll see why.

www.insightsandsounds.blogspot.com

 

[Glasgow]

I visited IOA two weeks ago and took some construction pics. Nothing much to see except the steel framing for a HUGE building

 

[Texas84]

Another casual fan anxiously waiting for PotterWorld (pumps shotgun in self-defense). I love WDW for the theming and HPW has huge potential. And the rest of my family, including parents, are HP freaks.

 

[Legacy]

Another casual fan anxiously waiting for PotterWorld (pumps shotgun in self-defense). I love WDW for the theming and HPW has huge potential. And the rest of my family, including parents, are HP freaks.

*bang* :lookaroun

(Shotguns don't work at long range...)

 

[jorgetheviking]

Im anticipating WWOHP. I'm tired of these threads concerning the competition between WDW & UO. I like them both, I will always visit them both. We all know Disney will strike back a year or 2 after WWOHP opens with an incredible new experience of their own.

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

I'm glad that Disney didn't get Harry Potter and that Universal did.
I just wouldn't be able to see it "fitting" nicely within any existing WDW parks.

MK- It wouldn't fit in any existing land, and the whole "Hogwarts Castle" would take away from Cinderella Castle imo.
Epcot - the UK? There's not that much space there, and I don't think Epcot should even have any huge fantasy franchise attached to it.
DHS- Maybe, but I hate just having the Studios be a back-up to throw anything movie related into the park that doesn't fit in the other three. Pixar Place is the start of what I hope is a new "park 'land' themeing" to the studios.
AK - Not unless they added a new land, and even then, you have some "monster" type creatures, but nothing soaked in legends from around the world like they yeti is.

That's just my thinking on it.

 

[NJDVCMembers]

HP is good for everyone...

Let's not forget that as a region, central florida will benefit from this, thus Disney will as well. WWoHP is not a week long destination resort. It stands to reason that the attraction will definitely help Universal, but may also benefit Disney as well. It will bring more people to the area, possibly for longer periods of time, and those people will need to be lodged and fed, Disney may end up with new people coming to visit.

IMHO, it helps the entire area.

 

[JimboJones123]

I won't read through this thread, but I'm planning my first ever Universal Vacation for 2010. We'll stay onsite and do a whole week at Univeral and the beach. May hit DTD, but this will be the first time Universal gets my money. I've gone for free on media passes. Wasn't worth going again until now. GO HP!!!! Sorry Disney, it was a lose-lose for you. And this is part of you losing.

 

[cbmartin]

I have a few friends that work for universal, and cant say what area, since they would get in trouble... but from what they have told me, universal is trying to cut spending on the harry potter part of the park....because they arent 100% sure about major gains in visitors, but with that being said, universal is having already a greater number of people this year from simpsons, then last year.... Hopefully disney will release a major new ride something not from another disney park in the world to will blow us away

 

[tirian]

Another thread about US and IOA?????? Why is it such a big deal if people leave Disney to visit Harry Potter's World at Universal? I don't think that Disney is in too much danger from suffering terribly once it is open. I am a HUGE Disney fan - but also a big Harry Potter fan as well. Will I go to Universal when it opens - heck yeah! Will I stop going to Disney - no way in "heck" :fork:. I am an AP holder and will always go to Disney. Just because I spend a day away from the park when I go to Orlando doesn't mean that Disney isn't my park of choice. Seriously - people need to lighten up about this a little!!

That's how the Guest demographic is in California. People go everywhere, from Disneyland to Knott's to Universal. But those are locals. Florida relies more on visitors, and few of them are going to travel all the way to Orlando and completely skip Disney.

Disney doesn't have to worry. Besides, the Space Mt. refurb will be a decent feather in their cap.

 

[tirian]

I can not wait for the Harry Potter park to open, Im not a huge HP fan or anything but I think the park is going to be awesome, after seeing IOA, I was taken back that there really is a world (park) outside of Disney that is just as fabulous.

Until you interact with their employees/CMs.

 

[jorgetheviking]

Until you interact with their employees/CMs.

Actually, I've come in contact with quite a few outstanding team members at Universal and a few not so good ones. Same goes for Disney. I was sad while visiting the studios this week one of my favorite TMs was not there.

 

[HMF]

I can not wait for the Harry Potter park to open, Im not a huge HP fan or anything but I think the park is going to be awesome, after seeing IOA, I was taken back that there really is a world (park) outside of Disney that is just as fabulous.

The reason IOA is so good is because it was designed by laid-off Imagineers.

 

[nuttyskadork]

Well Harry Potter sure isnt gonna be enough to bring me down from Edmonton (in Canada FYI). Granted Ive never read the books and don't recall any of the movies being anything overly special. As much as I'd love to revisit WDW tomorrow (my first visit was in April) I don't have the finances for it (or my cell phone bill, dang roaming charges!) But yeah, I figure next time I can get down there, hopefully the 5th Disney park will be open. Haha. Yeah I went to WDW and Universal (did all four WDW parks, both Universal prks and both Disney waterparks plus DisneyQuest, a Panicat the Disco concert and two TNA Wrestling tapings all in ten days). But I missed out on a few attractions, most notably Toy Story wasnt open yet. I did get the chance to ride Simpsons when it was in rehersal though. Still regretting I didnt line up for Dueling Dragons at IOA but saw everything else there (minus the kiddie rides and the two carnival rides in Marvel).

Pretty sure I saw everything in Universal (again excluding kiddie rides and some of the shows), heck even got to be in the Fear Factor, that was an experience and a half. But I'd like to have more time to look around CityWalk. Also I want to go in the summer when they do the Universal 360 thing.

Yeah at MK, most notable ride I missed out on was Carousel of Progress. I think I goofed up on only riding Buzz Lightyear once because I couldnt' really get a hang of it so it sort of ruined it for me. I skipped all of ToonTown (had seen Disneyland anyways) and most of Fantasyland (excluding Philair Magic). Didnt see the Jamboree or Tom Sawyer Island but I'd seen them in Disneyland anyways. Skipped out on Hall of Presidents, being Canadian it didnt interest me too much. I'd definetly go on a repeat visit though.

At EPCOT I only saw about half the Turtle Talk show, and didnt spend as much time as I'd have liked in Innoventions but otherwise saw all of Future World (except the Coca-Cola place which closed early). World Showcase I basically rode the two rides, bought beer in Germany and saw the Canada movie. So yeah lots more I'd like to do there. I may have done more, but....wow that German beer is strong lol.

Hollywood Studios I missed quite a bit actually. Couldnt get into the last Lights Motors Action. Missed the parade, missed out on Great Movie Ride. Missed Little Mermaid and Beauty & The Beast. Only caught the last half of Fantasmic. Didnt get to see the movie-portions of One Mans Dream and Magic of Disney Animation. And of course Toy Story and Narnia werent open yet.

Animal Kingdom I saw basically all I wanted in less than a day. Skipped out on Rafikis Planet Watch and only did one of the Jungle Treks. Also missed Pocahontas and Flights of Wonder.

Also this time round I want to actually stay on Disney property as lots of time was wasted travelling back and forth from my hotel in Kissimee. Plus the early entry/late would have been nice. Also I wanted to see Wide World of Sports but didint get around to it.

 

[nuttyskadork]

woah I got carried away there off topic lol....Whew I should get some sleep hahaa. :snore:

 

[gusgoose]

Dueling Dragons is being rethemed to the Triwizard Cup Tournament and the Flying Unicorn is being rethemed to Hagrid's Hyppogryph (sp).

But (it's funny how Disney fans are ignoring this aspect of it) Universal is also building a fully explorable recreation of Hoggwarts Castle and a new "E Ticket" attraction utilizing Kuka Robocoaster technology (the stuff Disney wanted for an Incredibles attraction) rumored to be themed off of the flying car from Chamber of Secrets. Also, a recent article posted on Themeparkinsider had a Universal chef discussing some of the things they were developing for the new resturaunts... to include Butterbeer.

Furthermore, they have the set designers from the movies working with the parks to ensure consistancy between the film and the new attractions.

And one more person calls the Wizarding World of Harry Potter "PotterLand" or "PotterWorld" I'm going to virtually shoot them before calling Frontierland, "Cowboy Town" and the World Showcase "Snooze-ville."

I'm a big Universal Studios/IOA fan, it will never come close to Disney for my wife and I, but I enjoy it and she's never been. On our most recent trip to Disney, we had to skip the entire Universal experience, but we're planning our next trip to Orlando in early 2010 centered around Harry Potter.

And see, here's the thing, I read that entire bolded section above and I barely understand a word of it. I've never read one page of a Harry Potter book or watched one minute of the movies. But when I repeat all that to my wife, she'll probably jump up-and-down in glee.

But we still plan on spending at least two days in Disney while we're there, and that's regardless of what rides/attractions Disney opens between now-and-then.

 

[sleepybear]

I think most people on both sides of this debate are forgetting two undeniable facts:

1. Universal is in a slump and they needed to do something huge. They got it, in the form of Harry Potter. I hope they do it well and that all the HP fans enjoy it.

2. Walt Disney World is more than just a theme park. It's an immersive experience, from the resorts to the restaurants to the rides. The Disney touch has always been about combining cutting-edge technology with attention to detail, customer service and memorable family experiences. They know this, and probably aren't sweating Harry's arrival.

 

[ChrisFL]

I find it disturbing how construction has barely started on WWoHP, Universal has released very few details and yet everyone seems to know exactly how it's going to be

Look, we haven't heard anything because they don't want to let out any secrets of what they're working on.

And if you think Disney isn't concerned, why did they feel the need to get one of Universal Creative's top designers, Scott Trowbridge?

 

[hokielutz]

I think most people on both sides of this debate are forgetting two undeniable facts:

1. Universal is in a slump and they needed to do something huge. They got it, in the form of Harry Potter. I hope they do it well and that all the HP fans enjoy it.

2. Walt Disney World is more than just a theme park. It's an immersive experience, from the resorts to the restaurants to the rides. The Disney touch has always been about combining cutting-edge technology with attention to detail, customer service and memorable family experiences. They know this, and probably aren't sweating Harry's arrival.

These facts are definitely in the forefront of my mind. As has been discussed over the past few years Uni's turnstile numbers have shrunk year over year over year.... So, maybe this is the jolt they need to get a bit more prosperous. The risk is this is a major infrastructure investment by Universal and WB, and if the rage for HP dies off after all the movies are complete, what will happen to the park atttendance? If HP interest falls off, will that portion of the park still generate a buzz?

I just don't know... and only time will tell. Disney is taking a risk with the AI experience at the Studios, but that is only one attraction and not an immersive environment which occupies several park sections.