Pandora vs. Harry Potter

[spock8113]

Saw Avatar, hadda prop my eyes open with match sticks. Don't wanna see it again.
It's basically an intergalactic "Dances With Wolves", which was much better.
I would not stand on line for 200 minutes for a colorful boat ride with ONE animatronic (no S).
The banshee seems ok but it's that old Five and Dime horse ride with a screen in front.
Two rides, that's it, oh and it's colorful at night dot, dot, dot.
Harry Potter has more familiarity and outdoes Avatarland 100 fold.
Expedition Everest created more draw for the park.
Unfortunately for James Cameron, many of us out here see Avatarland being bulldozed (developers and cursed progress)
in three to five years for Guardians of the Galaxy Pt22, Groots Roots-The kindergarten Years.
SWL and TSL look much more of a draw but they too seem to only have 2 rides each?

IMHO!

 

[jloucks]

Harry Potter was definitely unique for theme parks at the time and it still is IMO. Not sure about the technology aspect, but Harry Potter seems like a larger franchise that reaches a wider audience. I mean, I didn't even realize that there was going to be a sequel to Avatar. I personally think Harry Potter is more immersive, but I'm a huge HP fan so I might be biased.

No, you are correct, it is way more immersive and popular. Just the sheer quantity of lore supports this. For better or worse, Avatar was Dances With Wolves in space. ... a very niche topic.

 

[Raineman]

Saw Avatar, hadda prop my eyes open with match sticks. Don't wanna see it again.

I feel the same way about every Harry Potter movie.

The banshee seems ok but it's that old Five and Dime horse ride with a screen in front.

A gross simplification, but aren't the HP rides at Uni screen-based as well? Aren't the majority of dark rides at Uni screen-based? FOP is probably one of, if not the best, 4D simulator rides in theme park history.

Harry Potter has more familiarity and outdoes Avatarland 100 fold.

Familiarity isn't everything when it comes to theme parks-many people who have never seen Avatar have been impressed with Pandora, and have enjoyed their time there.

Expedition Everest created more draw for the park.

Really? Almost 6 months since Pandora opened, and it is still crazy busy all day, every day.

Unfortunately for James Cameron, many of us out here see Avatarland being bulldozed (developers and cursed progress)
in three to five years for Guardians of the Galaxy Pt22, Groots Roots-The kindergarten Years.

I hope you were being facetious, because that makes 0 sense. And who is this "many of us" that you speak of?

Two rides, that's it, oh and it's colorful at night dot, dot, dot.

SWL and TSL look much more of a draw but they too seem to only have 2 rides each?

It kills me how some people think the true measure of a theme park/land is the number of attractions you can cram into it.

BTW, all of the above, IMHO.

 

[Incomudro]

I have to beg to differ. I have seen maybe 2.5 potter movies and have read no books. I do not identify as any of their "houses" but I am super impressed with the lands

I didn't say I wasn't impressed with the lands, they are extremely well done.
What I said was, that not knowing what I was looking at - it was hard to relate to.
I can relate to nature.
So, I can relate fantastic, natural themeing - as we see in Pandora.

 

[bhg469]

I didn't say I wasn't impressed with the lands, they are extremely well done.
What I said was, that not knowing what I was looking at - it was hard to relate to.
I can relate to nature.
So, I can relate fantastic, natural themeing - as we see in Pandora.

Maybe because I dig the effort by universal a bit more than that of disney in this particular case. The shops, food and merch all seem to be much more put together but again thats just an opinion. I love a walk through the woods as well and I enjoy being outdoors but the plastic look to a lot of the scenery took me out of that mode. I couldnt connect to this as nature.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Potter was just practice.

"Oh look, you can see Volcano Bay from here."

 

[bclane]

Potter was just practice.

"Oh look, you can see Volcano Bay from here."

Now that Chris Tolkien has stepped down, this finally enters the realm of possibility. Please please please let this happen someday before I'm too old and senile to enjoy it!

 

[spock8113]

A gross simplification, but aren't the HP rides at Uni screen-based as well? Aren't the majority of dark rides at Uni screen-based? FOP is probably one of, if not the best, 4D simulator rides in theme park history.

4D is Quadraphonic compared to Surround Sound. Soarin' is 4D with a little Smellevision thrown in.
It's similar to the concept of BodyWars (long closed)......................visually immersive with a little bit of physical movement thrown in to fool your brain. That ride made me ill, where Star Wars has more of a familiarity with that entire physical world.
HP has you on this giant "open hand" that rolls you all around, makes Mission Space look simple! That's the best, 4D simulator rides in theme park history...so far.

Familiarity isn't everything when it comes to theme parks-many people who have never seen Avatar have been impressed with Pandora, and have enjoyed their time there.

I don't know, when POC was drawing fewer and fewer riders, they put in Capt. Jack and the ridership bounced right back up.
Aren't all the rides in Fantasy Land based on familiarity? Actually didn't Disney build DL based on film familiarity?
Yet off the top of my little head: Matterhorn, Dinosaur, Spaceship Earth, whole different no familiarity thing, absolutely.

Really? Almost 6 months since Pandora opened, and it is still crazy busy all day, every day.

All the parks have been pretty busy and there seems to be no quiet time anymore. I think once SWL and TSL open, the real attendance numbers might show.

I hope you were being facetious, because that makes 0 sense. And who is this "many of us" that you speak of?

Oh yes, facetious. (hadda copy and paste, couldn't spell it)
I talk to people about Disney alot, some who work there. The popular questions since May are about AL. Although initially impressed especially at night, reviews are mixed.

It kills me how some people think the true measure of a theme park/land is the number of attractions you can cram into it.

I don't see myself going on Pirate of the Caribbean. I think this is Disney's way of skimping out, like ONE anamatronic on Navi River.
It costs money to design, build, install and maintain.
Maintaining COP has gotta be extraordinary! Its 55 years old.
HM is 46 years old.

Like so many others, you like AL, and it is something to see...
I just don't see it's longevity like all the other "lands", especially with the other sections opening.
I just have a Statler and Waldorf view of it and am not as impressed.
I've been wrong before, plenty.

 

[sonoma15]

A gross simplification, but aren't the HP rides at Uni screen-based as well? Aren't the majority of dark rides at Uni screen-based? FOP is probably one of, if not the best, 4D simulator rides in theme park history.

Forbidden Journey has screens but I wouldn't really call it screen-based.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

And let's not forget that the WWoHP is growing substantially as we speak with the 3rd mega E Ticket. And the 4th may be starting soon. There seems to be a kerfluffle in regards to the timelines of the USF additions. They may end up going "full DHS" and just close everything for 2 years.

 

[POLY LOVER]

In the long term, I see that Americans are becoming desensitized and skeptical about everything today. It's very hard to wow or impress people anymore and I expect it will get worse. We are being leed down the path of everything is boring or fake. We are numb,Theme parks are going to be challegened to entertain us all.

 

[bclane]

In the long term, I see that Americans are becoming desensitized and skeptical about everything today. It's very hard to wow or impress people anymore and I expect it will get worse. We are being leed down the path of everything is boring or fake. We are numb,Theme parks are going to be challegened to entertain us all.

I agree, especially when it comes to the small things. I’m still blown away by things like the cave paintings in the FoP queue (especially when you consider the story behind them). Most people seem to just walk by and can’t be bothered to even look up from their cellphones long enough to appreciate all the thought and love that was put into the place.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I agree, especially when it comes to the small things. I’m still blown away by things like the cave paintings in the FoP queue (especially when you consider the story behind them). Most people seem to just walk by and can’t be bothered to even look up from their cellphones long enough to appreciate all the thought and love that was put into the place.

Yes, if you take the time Disney hold many treasures and details that will impress you, IF you lift your heads from the phones. Take the time to smell the roses and appreciate the small things. For one thing the mural in the contemporary and the castle are impressive.

 

[Minnie1976]

Never liked avatar so Pandora was ok. I just saw Potter at Universal, wonderful! The best!

 

[cheezbat]

While Pandora is beautiful and Flight of Passage is fun, it didn't wow me anywhere near as much as my first experience to Hogsmeade or Forbidden Journey. Potter kills Pandora easily.

 

[Minthorne]

Pandora is pretty. Potter is immersive. Potter wins.

 

[NickMaio]

Forget Pandora vs Potter, Africa is more immersive than either of those. You can pretend to use magic or fly on a banshee, I prefer going on a real African safari.

Not really sure how this ties into the OP.
To even get to Africa from NA is a lot more $$$.

 

[bhg469]

HP is larger and still growing.

That doesn't matter, the HP lands are great with the added feature of Potter fans wandering around in the lands looking like they are in the Potter movies compete with wands etc. HP hands down is the winner.

I really don't think that anyone can even question that one is a lot more immersive than the other. I really think that once Disney realized that they would have star wars to plan for, Pandora instantly became less important, hence the supposed downgrades of the attractions. It sounds like the E ticket that was supposed to be there would have really blown all the potter attractions away. We now have Galaxys edge to look forward to

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Just by the numbers Potter blows Pandora out of the water.

Attractions:

Potter has 2-E Tickets (soon to be 3), 1-D Ticket, and 1-C Ticket.
Pandora has 1-E Ticket, and 1 C-Ticket.

Stage Shows:

Potter has 4 stage shows (Frog Choir, Spirit Rally, Tales of Beetle the Bard, and Cilestina Warbeck)
Pandora has the lovely Drum Show.

Food & Beverage:

Potter has The Three Broomsticks, The Leaky Cauldron, Hog's Head Pub, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, The Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, and Honeyduke's Sweet Shop.
Pandora has the Satu'li Canteen and Pongo Pongo.

Interactive Shows:

Potter has Ollivander's, and Gringott's Money Exchange.
Pandora has none.

Interactive Experiences:

Potter has 24 interactive wand experiences
Pandora has 2 interactive plants

Then there are the things that matter to theme park fans like AA count and immersion.

We can argue all day about immersion. But as far as AAs go:

Potter has a large dragon, a Hippogriff, 10 Goblin bankers. One that you can talk to and he will talk back. And several mechanical figures like Hedwig in the Hogwarts Express queue, several figures in The Magical Menagerie, and the other shop windows.
Pandora has the Shaman and the Na'vi in the aquarium

Not to mention, Potter is 33 acres and Pandora is 12 acres.

And yes, Pandora is beautiful, but Potter also has some lovely eye candy.

 

[Astro_Digital]

Well said, and while Avatar had a fan base years ago. I believe few people watch the movie today.
How many kid get excited over Avatar ?

While Harry Potter world is alive and well, kids of all ages love these stories.