People Waiting at WDW for Harry Potter?!

[Evil Genius]

The lulls are equivalent to the time between meals...you are satisfied and content until that next carrot comes.
I love the books - I'm a mother and aunt and teacher and fan.
I don't blame JK Rowling for guarding her vision.
This series has already survived a decade and is still growing - I've watched new students every year show excitement about finally being Harry Potter readers that can comprehend chapter books! My opinion...these books are better than the movies and I HAVE read them all after standing in lines at midnight to receive them!
I don't make comparisons between Disney and Rowling b/c they are BOTH in my heart.

The books are very much better than the films. Of course I'd say that's the case almost 100% of the time.

My point is still that I think while Universal striking while the iron is hot is a smart thing to do to a certain point. It is a tremendous amount of capital to invest into something that really hasn't proven itself to have multi-generational appeal.

I could be wrong and if I am I'll be the first to admit it. However if I am wrong Universal better have plans to expand capacity of WWoHP or it'll be a moot point.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Technically Disney makes money for each person who walks into Universal Islands of Adventure because of Marvel Island

I could be wrong, but I don't think this is true. Universal pays Marvel (i.e., Disney) a set licensing fee to use those characters, but that's not the same as giving them a cut of every admission ticket.

Unless Universal is selling Marvel merchandise (which I'm sure Disney would get a cut of), I don't think Disney really has any financial incentive to see more people go to IOA just because of the Marvel connection.

 

[Mouse Man]

Have I read any of the HP books, NO. Now far as the Movies go, the DWF and I love them. We are not HP Fanatics or big fans but love the movies and love the most important part of all, the use of imagination. I can see why the kids are into this. The DWF and I have seen every film so far and now feel compelled to see the last two. Will I go and see HP at Uni, Yes, but will I go again, probably not. Uni is a fun place to see every now and then, but not every year. Disney is the class and Magic that we love and now is becoming even more fun because we are getting our Grandson involved for this right of passage and can't wait to take him on his first Disney trip ever in 2012 when he will be 5 years old. In the mean time, it's Disney films and classics like 101 Dalmations, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Brave Little Toaster, Peter Pan, Toy Story, Lion King and so on. So far this little man loves to come over to see Grandma and Pop Pop to watch a movie on a Saturday over night stay. HP I am quite sure when he is much older will be involved and encouraged to him as well.

 

[WendyTinkerbell]

I'm not a big fan of Harry Potter, but would go see the land if I were at Universal.

And that brings me to my next point. I'm sure that Disney is still making money from the HP land. While people may go over to Universal for the day or 2, many people will still come and stay at a Disney resort and spend many days at the Disney Parks and may go visit Universal for the day.

Like a poster said earlier, they overheard someone talking about HP at the Wilderness Lodge. HP may bring additional people to Orlando, but they may also be bringing them to Disney. Disney didn't spend the money to make the land but will still profit from it.

 

[Chezman1399]

I could be wrong, but I don't think this is true. Universal pays Marvel (i.e., Disney) a set licensing fee to use those characters, but that's not the same as giving them a cut of every admission ticket.

Unless Universal is selling Marvel merchandise (which I'm sure Disney would get a cut of), I don't think Disney really has any financial incentive to see more people go to IOA just because of the Marvel connection.

It was reported during the merger that it was not a set licensing fee and based on the ammount of people that enter the park in a year. If it doesn't tie into Theme Park attendance numbers directly, it does tie into IoA profit. I'm almost positive it's not a set fee or time contract.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

It was reported during the merger that it was not a set licensing fee and based on the ammount of people that enter the park in a year. If it doesn't tie into Theme Park attendance numbers directly, it does tie into IoA profit. I'm almost positive it's not a set fee or time contract.

Fair enough. Learn something new every day.

 

[fosse76]

To be honest I'm glad Disney didn't buy it because in the end that's not what Disney is about, there about originality and using there own product.

Disney isn't really about originality. Some of Disney's most popular attractions are based on stories created by non-Disney entities. (Peter Pan, all the princesses, Winnie the Pooh, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, the characters of Splash Mountain...even the legend of the Yeti isn't a Disney creation). Even the Pixar characters aren't really Disney, since they were created by third-party Pixar for Disney.

I'm baffeled to this day about why Disney would break there rule and buy Marvel. Is Marvel a good product to have, yes it is but it makes no sense that Disney would be all about this. Pixar is a different beast because in sense that's where the company started for the most part.

Disney is a corporation and Marvel is a lucrative property. Disney's image appeals to families but is a turn off to everyone else. Marvel is an attempt to broaden the Company's appeal.

It makes sense to me that HP would be at universal because if you look at there product, it's all about bringing the excitement of actually being able to ride the movie. Disney is about being able to expierence there own product, not somebody elses, that's why Marvel is a bad Idea.

Again, I disagree. While the product may be Disney's version, it is still based on a creation done by someone not associated with Disney. Look at the use of George Lucas properties. Disney had nothing to do with the creation of Star Wars or Indiana Jones.

And come on guys Harry potter is so influential in what it's given to the world of entertainment, that it can be put in the lexicon of some of the greatest characters in history of the literature or any sort of entertainment. Don't deny it can't, because that would be foolish.

I don't know if I'd go that far, but some people on this board are being ridiculous in questioning the longevity of this attraction. How many people who visit Disney even know what Song of the South is, let alone that Splash Mountain is based on it. The average park guest probably doesn't care that much about Star Wars or Indiana Jones either, but that hasn't dwindled their appeal in the parks. How old is the Lion King? How old is Aladdin? The new Fantasyland expansion is being based on a property that is 19 years old (Harry Potter is 12). As long as the theme park attractions stand on their own, there won't be any questions about longevity.

 

[fosse76]

It was reported during the merger that it was not a set licensing fee and based on the ammount of people that enter the park in a year. If it doesn't tie into Theme Park attendance numbers directly, it does tie into IoA profit. I'm almost positive it's not a set fee or time contract.

I don't recall ever reading that. It wouldn't make sense to have that kind of fee, since the whole park isn't based on Marvel.

 

[xdx]

From the Vacationeer Perspective

I love the "original" topic here but this has gone off on a crazy tangent...

Will Universal profit from Harry Potter? They sure better...

Was there a long wait to get into HP this weekend? Yes, yesterday 1-2 hours... my best friend was there and has 3 kids that are HP readers...

Do I wish Disney had gotten the HP deal? Maybe, would have been a good addition to Hollywood Studios assuming Rowling wasn't cutting their throat... I don't have the specifics...

Am I glad that they decided to purchase Pixar instead? DEFINITELY... Adds much more to the parks, moved Disney into the spotlight again as the hand drawn animation was taking a back seat... and they will definitely break even on the deal soon if they haven't already... TS3 may finalize it...

The big question for Uni is how long/how much $ will they be able to get from the HP franchise. I'm sure they are in hopes that she will start on HP the next generation in the next 5-10 years...

I do always agree that competition is great for the customer, and we may have gotten FLE as a direct result of HP at Uni. The HP fans will come in droves for the next few months, but in 2013, there will be substantially more people pass through FLE than HP at Uni...

I go to Disney every year for 10 days and I will probably go to Universal for a day in approx 5-7 years assuming HP is still going strong once my children are old enough to appreciate it, but with as big a HP fan as I am, it's not worth the effort to go there for 1 new ride and a few stores...

I live close enough to CedarPoint and Kings Island if want pure coasters, but Universal just doesn't offer enough for the investment of tickets, taxi, etc to leave Disney property.

If I lived in the Orland area, I would definitely go, but I would already be going to IOA so that really wouldn't change anything...

Just my thoughts...

 

[RSoxNo1]

I don't think there was EVER an option of Disney doing this as the rights to theme park rides and the like would have been in the movie contracts from the beginning. I think that W Bros would be more likely to go with Universal than Disney?
Did Universal have anything to do with the movies? I maybe wrong but I thought they had a hand in somewhere.....

I do think its better suited to Universal. As much of a Disney freak that I am....

I'm heading over later in the year and I don't think that TWWOHP is tempting me to IOA in fact dreading that there will be thousands still flocking there, it is actually putting me off going there at all.

:wave:

For clarification - the theme park rights and movie rights are two different entities, and Disney was most certainly in negotiations with J.K. Rowling. I have not seen the attraction or the land, but by all accounts Universal has set the gold standard for themed lands. When Carsland opens in 2012 the level of theming should be on par with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and it may be able to match the merchandising as well.

While Carsland and Harry Potter appeal to different audiences, the determining factor for Disney would likely be that merchandising. When they see guests walking out of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with $30 wands, and stomachs full of $8-12 Pumpkin Juice and Butter Beer, they will definitely take notice.

To combat this, Disney needs to latch onto a franchise that can be themed to the same level of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, lends itself it to an E-Ticket attraction, and most importantly has the ability to sell merchandise. I really think Carsland is the best solution, and if anything is going to be given the fast track at Walt Disney World, ironically Carsland makes the most amount of sense.

 

[_Scar]

Does it really have 8-16 hour wait times?!?!?

I'm staying on Universal grounds when I'm going, but they they announced no express pass! Wth!!

 

[fosse76]

These people are idiots.

If this were WDW instead of Universal, you wouldn't have made that sta5tement.

 

[devoy1701]

If this were WDW instead of Universal, you wouldn't have made that sta5tement.

I most definitely would have. Waiting that long for anything is insane!

I don't wait 90-120 minutes for TSMM, not even when it first opened. Actually we never enter a queue that has a posted time of longer than 60 minutes ever.

I'm not going to wait 16 hrs to get into a theme park....i'm not even going to wait 4 hours to get into a theme park (actually I don't know much past 30 minutes I would wait just to get IN a theme park).

I'll visit once the novelty has run off. Maybe sometime next February when the holiday crowds have passed and people are back in school.

 

[Evil Genius]

If this were WDW instead of Universal, you wouldn't have made that sta5tement.

There's no way I would wait half an hour just to get INTO a park! Much less the insane wait times for the attractions themselves.

Plus, from what a friend of mine that is down there right now has told me, the crowds are so thick at WWoHP that you can't even turn around in the shops or returants! There's no way I would put myself through that level of crowd!

 

[RSoxNo1]

If this were WDW instead of Universal, you wouldn't have made that sta5tement.

Yeah, I think several people on here said the same things when seeing 300 minute waits for Soarin' on NYE or the 6+ hour waits for The Nemo Subs when they first opened.

Some people don't have the luxury of traveling to these destinations during non-peak seasons, but these crowds are 100% the product of the premier. To me, that's not worth it.

 

[ryanduggers]

I most definitely would have. Waiting that long for anything is insane!

I don't wait 90-120 minutes for TSMM, not even when it first opened. Actually we never enter a queue that has a posted time of longer than 60 minutes ever.

I'm not going to wait 16 hrs to get into a theme park....i'm not even going to wait 4 hours to get into a theme park (actually I don't know much past 30 minutes I would wait just to get IN a theme park).

I'll visit once the novelty has run off. Maybe sometime next February when the holiday crowds have passed and people are back in school.

That is the main reason we go to WDW the week after Pop Warner.

By the way, my in-laws are leaving Wednesday for a wedding at Universal. (first trip to Orlando)

We told them about the lines at Uni, and suggested they just go to MK. (they do not like crowds)

 

[Disneyson 1]

Nice how you quoted nearly all of the things to offer at IOA but when it came to list the things at MK you decided on only 2.

That wasn't the point I was making. The point was that the post I quoted said something to the effect of "I'm not going to spend $60 to get into a park that has one new ride and two rides I've already been on".

MY post said that there's more to the park then just the two rides (atmosphere, the other rides, etc.) in IoA, and saying that you're not going to waste $60 on "one new ride and two rides you've already went on" is the same as saying that you "don't want to go to the MK because you'll be wasting $80 on one semi-new fireworks show and a parade you've already seen"

The point is that there's clearly more to each park than just the new stuff, and you're not paying $XX just to experience two or three "new" things.

 

[WDWNeighbor]

The point is that there's clearly more to each park than just the new stuff, and you're not paying $XX just to experience two or three "new" things.

Well said. IOA is full of amazing thrill rides -- rides that would never ever ever be at a Disney park, because they are a bit too extreme (i.e. Everest vs. Hulk). I am sure some people think Disney lost out on Harry Potter. But I think Disney's potential loss is all of our gain. I don't think Disney would have pushed the thrill factor as much as Universal did and from what I understand, that is what makes the ride so amazing. Disney does what it does best and that is to cater to all ages and families. Universal's IOA has the thrill factor nailed down.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Well said. IOA is full of amazing thrill rides -- rides that would never ever ever be at a Disney park, because they are a bit too extreme (i.e. Everest vs. Hulk). I am sure some people think Disney lost out on Harry Potter. But I think Disney's potential loss is all of our gain. I don't think Disney would have pushed the thrill factor as much as Universal did and from what I understand, that is what makes the ride so amazing. Disney does what it does best and that is to cater to all families with kids under 10. Universal's IOA has the thrill factor nailed down.

Fixed that for you.

 

[WDWNeighbor]

Fixed that for you.

Fair enough... But you are forgetting about the elderly population. Disney satisfies the child inside of them too and how great is it that they have somewhere to go to and feel like a kid again.