People Waiting at WDW for Harry Potter?!

[raven]

...it's going to outpace the lines for Soarin' for a good long while.

What's the ride capacity of HP? Soarin seats 87 guests per theater and has 2 theaters. That's 174 guests every 5 minutes or so and yet the line, 5 years after it's been open, is still often past 90 minutes.

I'll also predict (and after 17 pages, I can't be sure I'm the first to say this), that the Harry Potter land will be the thing that sets up Uni hotels to start opening extra evening hours to resort guests.

Heaven forbid they should keep the parks open past 6PM in the off season.

The reality is, you all should really be upset with Disney who instead of innovating in any way is bringing us a beautiful-to-look-at yet most likely boring-to-experience Fantasyland update with a by-the-numbers dark ride using a ride system from 1967. How innovative...

I think that creating a Kuka arm flying around a set building would be a little overkill for Little Mermaid. And, after reading the restrictions the ride system offers, no little kids would be able to ride it.

I've said time and time again that the Universal and Disney cannot be compaired in ways of thrill factors when they cator to different audiences.

 

[RobGraves]

They really have no expansion options do they? I'm not that familiar with Universal property, but I was under the impression that Potter was built right up against a High School (like the back of Hogwarts is about 50ft from the school football field)

they have expansion options... and expansions are coming and are required in the contract

 

[SRisonS]

Im not one to call "photoshop" when I see an unbelievable picture, but come on... I would have had to seen this with my own eyes to believe that CBS would have run this. Nothing against danlb_2000 nor am I insinuating that you did this, but I just cant believe this one is legit.

EDIT: I do believe that people would show up at DHS and ask for Potter. Very plausible.

That pic of the CBS mistake is definitely real. In fact, unless it's been changed; you can Google... CBS disney Harry potter park... And find the YouTube link. It's CBS' official YouTube page, and the video description says it's a Disney park.

Edit: nevermind. . I saw the links were posted. (I'm being lazy on my iPhone)

 

[wdwmagic]

they have expansion options... and expansions are coming and are required in the contract

Where is the expansion land? I can see possibly taking over the rest of Lost Continent, but that would be more of a replacement, and not an expansion of the park.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I can see them expanding this into Jurassic Park and/or the lost continent.

The biggest advantage that Universal has with this land over Disney is the merchandising - Jim Hill mentioned the concern on his show this week, and it's definitely a legitimate one: Universal is now getting the first tourist dollar. Guest spending is often front loaded, and especially with word getting out about the theme park specific merchandise for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that's going to be the takeaway from Disney.

While the attraction raises the bar even further, that may not be the deciding factor. Disney doesn't recover from this blow by building a comparable attraction. They recover by having better merchandise options.

I made a blog post about this, and to me it seems that if Disney feels compelled to react to this, it's going to be more merchandise locations adjacent to the Princess meet and greets, as well as Carsland.

 

[cheezbat]

Universal has a few different expansion options for WWOHP, and one of them is pushing further into Lost Continent. Personally, I don't think the attractions would be big losses, though I do like the themeing in the LC area, I've always hoped to see the original Poseidon's Fury attraction return, or place a new dark ride inside in it's place.

There is also room behind the existing park, where the sound stages are. So many of them are not used for more than storage anymore.

Either way, expansion to WWOHP is coming....that's a given.

 

[SleepingMonk]

There is also room behind the existing park, where the sound stages are. So many of them are not used for more than storage anymore.

.

True.

There is an amazing amount of space back there. Just the small parts they route you thru during HHN shows that.

 

[T-1MILLION]

Universal has a few different expansion options

Either way, expansion to WWOHP is coming....that's a given.

I would say not so much an expansion as long as people keep pouring in like this there is not one needed. That would cost more money and cause more contracts all over again. Potter is now at its peak and will never be more popular. Note if this is the way things worked we would of gotten a Star Wars land along with Star tours.

You don't want to add too much Potter to one park because not everyone likes Potter. Its a delecate balance of properties and they have a load of potter stuff and all the main iconic points right now.

Something you may see though and by may I mean almost count on it is seasonal and event enchancements. Such as the Potter fan convention event in July and Halloween/Christmas time festivities in the area.

 

[unkadug]

Looking at aerial views, I can see property that could use for expansion coming from Universal itself. I just don't see how the guest could access this property without coming dangerously close to a roller coaster.

Of course they could fill in some of the lake itself....that's some prime property.

 

[misterID]

There's expansion room all over Universal. Plus, like has been said, they can still convert some sound stages and older attractions into new attractions, too.

I can see them expanding this into Jurassic Park and/or the lost continent.

The biggest advantage that Universal has with this land over Disney is the merchandising - Jim Hill mentioned the concern on his show this week, and it's definitely a legitimate one: Universal is now getting the first tourist dollar. Guest spending is often front loaded, and especially with word getting out about the theme park specific merchandise for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that's going to be the takeaway from Disney.

While the attraction raises the bar even further, that may not be the deciding factor. Disney doesn't recover from this blow by building a comparable attraction. They recover by having better merchandise options.

I made a blog post about this, and to me it seems that if Disney feels compelled to react to this, it's going to be more merchandise locations adjacent to the Princess meet and greets, as well as Carsland.

Man, I never even thought about the merchandising.

 

[TarzanRocked99-]

The proposed expansion would be to the right of the current land in the backstage areas between the parks. Yes you would have to go near the coasters, and yes there are areas that's safely doable. Also the expansion was part of the contractual agreement so it's more of a when and not an if.

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

If I ever hear anything involving Disney and Twilight in the same sentence ever again, and that sentence is not "Disney and Twilight have absolutely nothing to do with each other", there will be blood.

But not if you're talking about the Zone.

 

[slappy magoo]

Slappy magoo, I was not being critical of Universal at all. The fact they translated film to reality so convincingly is of course very commendable. Notice I attributed the same potential reaction to things at Disney. All I was trying to point out was they built what we have been seeing for the last nine years. The films set the specific look and feel for what JKR outlined in text. In reality, we have known what was coming for nine years. As a bonus, the park had the advantage of advance reviews/criticism, millions of studio dollars spent on design, and a long time line to perfect the product.

This problem is present in all movie-tied attractions. The only real difference for say Carsland or FLE is that the tangible result is being built out of an entirely cartoon/fantasy environment. We have not looked at the real world equivalent of these products for nearly a decade (excluding Broadway).

Universal did a great job with HP and I have no problem saying that at all. The plans just did not come from thin air and neither do all Disney plans. I was just trying to interject a new discussion point into the mix. Perhaps this line of commenting would be better reserved for Eddie’s thread since this one has become a slugfest.​

No punches being thrown by me. It just seems to me that, while on the one hand complimenting Uni for a job well done, you're to a degree trivializing what they've done because it's based so specifically on what was done in the Potter films, which was based so specifically on what was written in the books. An experience as close as possible to adventures as spelled out in the books or films seems to be what people wanted. Not only that, but it was Uni's original reason for being, a place where you could "ride the movies." I guess what you consider as a less-positive factor (not necessarily negative) I see as overwhelmingly more-positive. If, instead of the intense-but-silly storyline that exists, Star Tours was specifically built as a "blow up the Death Star 3.0" scenario, I'd never not be on line, know what I mean?

 

[Mouse Detective]

I'm not that familiar with Universal property, but I was under the impression that Potter was built right up against a High School (like the back of Hogwarts is about 50ft from the school football field)

There is a high school across the street that runs behind this part of IOA (Turkey Lake Road) but it's a 4-lane divided highway with the high school beyond that. So way more than 50-ft.

I agree that the expansion possibilities come from the Lost Continent area which are underwhelming.

 

[dweezil78]

Well done on the AD reference! :sohappy::lol:

Haha, thank you. I'm glad someone picked up on it. :lol:

 

[Giraffe Lounge]

Unfortunately though, being so close to the action causes problems with scale and makes some of the effects less convincing. For example, the flying sections infront of the movie screens are nowhere near as convincing as Soarin. Due to being too close, and the screens being too small. You also have a feeling of always being inside a cave, rather than having any sense of open space. So while the up-close nature of FJ is different, I wouldn't say it's better.

The flying sequences of FJ are FAR superior to Soarin', more movement, and you're not surrounded by 50 people to your left and right and feet hanging above you.

 

[RobGraves]

The flying sequences of FJ are FAR superior to Soarin', more movement, and you're not surrounded by 50 people to your left and right and feet hanging above you.

and the screen and video quality are way better,,,



also... dementors kiss = win

 

[SteamboatPilary]

Well said!

However I don't think that automatically translates to long standing popularity and transcending generations.

Sorry Evil Genius, I'm not trying to pick on you, but your comment has been iterated by others too, and I finally decided to reply.

I've been reading the pages and pages of these posts (I'm sick in bed so I've time to spare) and what I fail to understand is how people seem to be unavailable to the notion that liking both Universal properties AND Disney properties is POSSIBLE. My whole family is nuts for Disney but we appreciate the complete difference that IOA offers us. Is that wrong? I think not. Is it disloyal? No way!

As for everyone wondering about whether or not the WWOHP and the HP series will 'transcend time/generations', come on! The HP series is about Good vs Evil. That theme has been around since mankind began and continues to intrigue...

We'll be at WDW for almost 2 weeks this August.. One of those days will be spent at IOA/WWOHP, and I can't wait.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

As for everyone wondering about whether or not the WWOHP and the HP series will 'transcend time/generations', come on! The HP series is about Good vs Evil. That theme has been around since mankind began and continues to intrigue...

I'm with you. The only argument I can take seriously is that the HP movies might not stand the test of time. They've really been hit or miss from Day 1 IMO. I thought 3 of them were pretty decent, and 3 of them were medicore-to-bad. (I'll leave the question of which are which unanswered.) :drevil:

But the books clearly have all the elements to stand the test of time. There are a few parts that will become dated (Dudley's Playstation, et al), but for the most part they're very entertaining yarns addressing elemental subjects in a timeless way. I don't see HP as a fad. The properties won't be white hot in the same way once the movies are done, but that doesn't mean they're going to disappear.

 

[_Scar]

haha, thank you. I'm glad someone picked up on it. :lol:

cha chee cha chee cha chee cha