People Waiting at WDW for Harry Potter?!

[JohnLocke]

I don't know if it was necessary or not for Disney to buy the Harry Potter theme park rights, but I think many of you are kidding yourselves when it comes to Potter's popularity.

First of all, I think that Harry Potter really has a place with Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia as far as book series go with long-time popularity. Like those, I don't see it being a flash in the pan, and I think the books will be enjoyed for generations to come.

The movie franchises is where things deviate at least a little. The Lord of the Rings has really established itself as a great film franchise and will be looked back on fondly, and should be watchable for years to come. I'm not as sure where Harry Potter or the Chronicles of Narnia will fall here. Harry Potter is definitely in much better shape, as Disney failed with Prince Caspian, but neither franchise completely lives up to the worlds that were created in the books.

With that being said, was Disney smart in turning down the offer? I really don't know. Basing an entire land around a single franchise may not be the best thing to do, but to have only one new attraction, that made need to be replaced in the next 15-20 years for something newer, could cause them some headaches. Hopefully the showing that Universal is getting will wake Disney up to getting some revolutionary attractions of there own and work on expanding or building new lands to better complete DHS and AK.

 

[Jerriko]

maybe it's just me, but I would be asking for a refund if I spend $60 to enter the theme park , stand in line for the whole day to ride one new ride and 2 rides I've already been on, with new paint.

:shrug:

plus what did this do for the rest of the park, if you wanted to visit the other attractions, were you able to get throught the throng of people without them thinking you were cutting

 

[JohnLocke]

Maybe not, but it cannot be argued that Disney has never created rides that didn't have long wait times.. Nonetheless, 5,000 people on opening day, I guess is a good nimber for a park that gets that amount in a day anyway... :lol:

Not 5,000 on opening day, a 5,000 person long line was formed well before the park was opened.

 

[floridabill]

maybe disney didn't need harry at the time??

According to cbs harry's world was in the works for ten years prior to being built.....if thats even true cause we all know how accurate the media has been:lol: But if true My guess is that 10 years ago disney felt they were probably all set and didn't need potter, but they definitely had the money way back then to cough up. But they probably had so many other big projects that were original planned for the future but never predicted the economy would go to junk. just a thought.

 

[Disneyson 1]

maybe it's just me, but I would be asking for a refund if I spend $60 to enter the theme park , stand in line for the whole day to ride one new ride and 2 rides I've already been on, with new paint.

:shrug:

plus what did this do for the rest of the park, if you wanted to visit the other attractions, were you able to get throught the throng of people without them thinking you were cutting

I'm pretty sure the line is only on the perimeter of the park (meaning access is possible for the rest of the park. And the line, so I hear, is three hours (max) of waiting.

P.S, you're not only paying for the 1 new ride ad the 2 re-themed coasters, but also for access to the shops, the Owlry, the 2 street shows, the Olivander's show, the amazing line for Harry Potter (rumored to match or even excel the great theming of the ride itself), the cool special effects in the shop windows, the THEMED BATHROOMS (yes, Moaning Myrtle is in the bathrooms of both sexes!)... oh yeah, and the rest of the park, including the award-winning Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, the classic Jurassic Park Ride, and tons more!

I mean, do you complain you want your money back if you pay $80 to go to the MK, stake out your spot in front of the castle all day to see a semi-new fireworks show and an old parade you've already seen?

 

[Gregoryp73]

I think he is talking about the difference in the crowds from opening day of a film to a couple of weeks later after the film opened. A much anticipated film will pack the crowds in when it first opens, the crowds will dwindle dramatically as the weeks progress. If they didn't those same films would still be showing at the theaters right now.

Bingo

 

[RoRo]

I waited 3 hours just to get into the land and it was well worth it. The line spanded all the way to the gate and snaked out of the main path. All the rest of the rides had 45-30 min max.

The Forbidden Journey is the best ride in the world, period. The whole land was very immersive and butterbeer is beast. Disney has to step up their game for sure, this was a game changer.

BTW, there is an express pass queue and single rider queue for FJ.

 

[MysticOrient]

And since the entire point of the Harry Potter land is the brilliant lifelike theming, who is to say that kids like my son will care or have any clue what Hogwarts Castle, etc., is??

Maybe that is why Disney didn't fight so hard for it... They might have been thinking, well 20 years from now, Harry Schmarry? Just food for thought.

You could use that same argument with Disney attractions, too. I mean, "Splash Mountain"??? Who the heck is B'Rer Rabbit or B'Rer Fox, anyway? I know who they are but my 7-YO daughter simply thinks it's all got to do with the ride versus some story.

What about Tom Sawyer's Island? Now, I don't want to compare the Harry Potter series with any Mark Twain classics, but I'm sure you see my point. MK alone has based probably 80% (if not more) of their attractions based on their characters so it's not a far stretch for IOA and WWoHP to do the same.

Judy

 

[misterID]

I don't think people are taking into consideration that a lot of people are waiting to go to IOA and never planned to come on opening weekend, mainly because of the lines. I really can't believe some of you are trying to say that opening weekend is the extent of the big crowds/people interested in HP and somehow it will all die out very soon. Someone in this thread even suggested it was dying out today! This is going to be stretched out for over a year. Not everyone that's interested, myself included, ever planned to go on opening day, or even the first month.

And I really don't get the disney-infused, blind hatred of UNI and refuse to give them any credit whatsoever.

 

[talonstruck]

The only way I can see Disney generating lines of this size is if they open Twilight land based on Twilight and I dont see that happening.

 

[Mouse Detective]

No one has ever said that Harry Potter is going to put Disney out of business. The entire Universal Studios operation is tiny compared to Disney World. Universal just wants a bigger slice of the pie. This will actually be good for Disney because people vacationing in Orlando this summer because of Harry Potter are likely to visit Disney World too. But clearly Universal is going to get that bigger slice and it will be at the expense of the Mouse.

 

[Gregoryp73]

The only way I can see Disney generating lines of this size is if they open Twilight land based on Twilight and I dont see that happening.

My DVC membership would be put up for sale the instant they did this...
I had a hard enough time accepting the American Idol attraction.

They have a strong enough brand with their Disney and Pixar movies...

 

[cheezbat]

wow wow wow to some of you...

I see that there is a hatred towards Universal from some of you. Well guess what? Universal just gave Disney a kick in the pants with Potter. I was there opening day, and while it was hot, I have to say that Universal did a GREAT job with keeping the line organized for the most part, had managers and team members near the lines with water and drink carts, there were costumed character performers also doing meet and greets throughout Seuss Landing, Marvel Superhero Island, and Toon Lagoon, not only entertaining guests walking through the rest of the park, but the people standing in the line.

I rode Spiderman, and all three water rides, and all of the wait times for EVERY other attraction in the park were between 5-30 minutes. Very comfortable waits for everyone. I personally think Universal did their very best handling this situation, and I don't think DIsney could have done it any better. I was there. I saw, and even talked with some of the managers and workers. They were all very accomodating and friendly.

As for Potter's 'stay-ability'? Come on guys...look at Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Star Trek, James Bond, Indiana Jones....all of these are different movies/books/attractions that have and have had staying power for a very long time. Just because the Potter book series is finished, and the last two films are on their way does not mean that Harry won't be relevant in 10-20 years. Universal based Suess Landing off of the works of Theodore Giesel...his books came out decades ago, and to this day millions of children still read them and know who the Grinch and the Cat in The Hat are...I think it's quite possible the same may be said about Harry Potter years down the road.

Disney missed out on this one in my opinion. I personally hope this really does give Disney the kick in the pants it needs to start building some new amazing cutting edge attractions here in Orlando again.

Oh, and I heard that the entire Potterland cost around $250 million. The Forbidden Journey ride alone cost almost half of that.

 

[Disneyson 1]

^That.^

Bingo

The allusion to movies is not entirely plausable. By that logic, theme parks would have to introduce new rides every 4 months. I can assure you that if Fantasmic was playing in every theatre in the country at it's opening it would not be playing anymore, but the thing with theme parks is that there are always new people that come into them, meaning that rides are always fresh to someone. Or, in the case of classic rides, they don't really need new people as the old people continue to re-visit. I'm pretty certain that the land will continue to be visited for at least 10 years, and soon enough it'll turn into a classic.

I mean, Star Tours has been going on for quite a while and JUST this year they're updating it.

 

[Epic Epcot]

The only way I can see Disney generating lines of this size is if they open Twilight land based on Twilight and I dont see that happening.

Oh God no. Unlike Harry Potter, Twilight is a passing fad. In fact, the series isn't half as popular as it was a little less than a year ago. To build some sort of Twilight themed attraction, let alone land, would be a surefire bust. Plus, Twilight isn't that good of a series in the first place.

As for Potterland and how it'll affect IoA, I think it'll prove to be a strong a popular attraction for them; and I think that's a well deserved victory for them, I know I'll try to make a visit to IoA to check it out sometime soon. Although it'll no way mean that Uni's going to overtake WDW attendance-wise anytime soon, and will actually boost the amount of tourists who'll pay a visit to Disney, it is something of a game changer; it shows that Universal can and will match Disney in terms of detail and immersion. Like many other people on these boards who have already said this, I hope this will be a wake up call for TDO, because they've got to kick it up a notch if they want to say in the lead.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I waited 3 hours just to get into the land and it was well worth it. The line spanded all the way to the gate and snaked out of the main path. All the rest of the rides had 45-30 min max.

The Forbidden Journey is the best ride in the world, period. The whole land was very immersive and butterbeer is beast. Disney has to step up their game for sure, this was a game changer.

BTW, there is an express pass queue and single rider queue for FJ.

So Universal is lying??

From their website:

*On-site hotel privileges good for hotel stay as indicated on the room key card. Paid theme park admission required. Excludes separately ticketed events. Good for the number of guests staying in the room. Express ride access not available at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™. Express ride access available during normal theme park operating hours only. Some attractions excluded. Additional restrictions may apply and benefits are subject to change without notice. Access may be restricted during certain times at certain attractions.

Also been confirmed with a friend who works for Loews Hotels.... So, what is it??

 

[Captain Chaos]

Oh God no. Unlike Harry Potter, Twilight is a passing fad. In fact, the series isn't half as popular as it was a little less than a year ago. To build some sort of Twilight themed attraction, let alone land, would be a surefire bust. Plus, Twilight isn't that good of a series in the first place.

As for Potterland and how it'll affect IoA, I think it'll prove to be a strong a popular attraction for them; and I think that's a well deserved victory for them, I know I'll try to make a visit to IoA to check it out sometime soon. Although it'll no way mean that Uni's going to overtake WDW attendance-wise anytime soon, and will actually boost the amount of tourists who'll pay a visit to Disney, it is something of a game changer; it shows that Universal can and will match Disney in terms of detail and immersion. Like many other people on these boards who have already said this, I hope this will be a wake up call for TDO, because they've got to kick it up a notch if they want to say in the lead.

Twilight?? AGH.. please god no...

 

[unkadug]

Anybody that uses the term "game changer" when referring to this area has got to be younger than 16. I just can't see a mature adult thinking like this.

 

[wm49rs]

wow wow wow to some of you...

I see that there is a hatred towards Universal from some of you. Well guess what? Universal just gave Disney a kick in the pants with Potter. I was there opening day, and while it was hot, I have to say that Universal did a GREAT job with keeping the line organized for the most part, had managers and team members near the lines with water and drink carts, there were costumed character performers also doing meet and greets throughout Seuss Landing, Marvel Superhero Island, and Toon Lagoon, not only entertaining guests walking through the rest of the park, but the people standing in the line.

I rode Spiderman, and all three water rides, and all of the wait times for EVERY other attraction in the park were between 5-30 minutes. Very comfortable waits for everyone. I personally think Universal did their very best handling this situation, and I don't think DIsney could have done it any better. I was there. I saw, and even talked with some of the managers and workers. They were all very accomodating and friendly.

As for Potter's 'stay-ability'? Come on guys...look at Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Star Trek, James Bond, Indiana Jones....all of these are different movies/books/attractions that have and have had staying power for a very long time. Just because the Potter book series is finished, and the last two films are on their way does not mean that Harry won't be relevant in 10-20 years. Universal based Suess Landing off of the works of Theodore Giesel...his books came out decades ago, and to this day millions of children still read them and know who the Grinch and the Cat in The Hat are...I think it's quite possible the same may be said about Harry Potter years down the road.

Disney missed out on this one in my opinion. I personally hope this really does give Disney the kick in the pants it needs to start building some new amazing cutting edge attractions here in Orlando again.

Oh, and I heard that the entire Potterland cost around $250 million. The Forbidden Journey ride alone cost almost half of that.

Well, personally, I don't hate Universal, and am actually looking forward to seeing WWoHP at some point. As for Universal keeping lines organized, I think the criticism that capacity should have been better planned for ahead of time is a valid one.

And as for the wait times, what do you think the wait for ToT, RNRC or TSMM was on the same day at DHS? I guarantee each one was more than 30 minutes. And I have little doubt the wait times at the other parks were of a similar length. I don't think Disney is so much regretting not bringing Harry Potter on board as they are welcoming the traffic that they know will eventually find their way over to WDW. Like it or not, Universal doesn't have the same volume of rides and atrractions, or the same number of restaurants and hotels that WDW does.

And as for the staying power of WWoHP, only time will tell, which means it could just as easily fade as it could be a viable component of Universal over the course of the decades to come. There's no way of being sure for the immediate future....

And as for the cost, the NYT ran an article which had analysts putting the final price tag at around $265M, so everyone appears to be in the ballpark.

 

[hrcollectibles]

Disney goes and spends 100 million just on a ride (mission space). QUOTE]

While they may have spent that on the MS ride, overall the MS ride is somewhat of a failure. The reason I say this is because the vast majority of people don't or can't ride it, they've had readjust the ride so others could ride and if you look at the ride now, there is rarely any sort of heavy wait time like Testtrack or Soarin. It's not the ride Disney anticipated it being at all, so while they spent all that money, the question comes to mind was that money well spent?

From what I understand not everyone can ride the New Harry Potter ride due to their Size. I was listening to a podcast where the host was not able to experience the new ride because he was too big for the pull down harness...he is not Huge. he is 5'10 and weighs about 230...And apparently they were pulling people out of the line they (the cast members) thought were too big to ride and had them sit in a seat, and if they had to force the harness down they did not allow the guest to ride