People Waiting at WDW for Harry Potter?!

[munkgirl]

in twenty years disney will still be kicking itself. I think it needs a new adventure park. hey maybe they could do a twilight saga one resembling forks lol disney if ur reading this it could save ur toosh. I am predicting this will enhance universal orlando island of adventure right below magic kingdom florida and california .....

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.
*Edit - Not an attack on you personally maryszhi. I don't have a problem with people who like Twilight, just the franchise itself.

Having a man bite open a woman's womb to free their demon-spawn child is not something I can picture in *any* Disney park... Also, there is enough immature whining from the guests without adding Bella Swan to the mix.

 

[devoy1701]

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.
*Edit - Not an attack on you personally maryszhi. I don't have a problem with people who like Twilight, just the franchise itself.

Having a man bite open a woman's womb to free their demon-spawn child is not something I can picture in *any* Disney park... Also, there is enough immature whining from the guests without adding Bella Swan to the mix.

not to mention that girl can't act. :dazzle:

 

[Evil Genius]

not to mention that girl can't act. :dazzle:

Not to hijack the thread...but she was quite enjoyable in Adventureland...she actually showed a personality in that flick!

 

[opshannon]

Universal certainly landed a nice deal there with HP... but in the long run I don't see this as being anywhere near a classic, hence why I am glad Disney did not get the deal. Sure, it's a craze now but the whole book series is NOT a classic series. The movies have no real directing quality and they are all about effects. I just don't see how in 20 years people will still be excited about the HP aspect of Universal. This is a micro, short term thrill... thats the way I see it.

Personally, I'd like to see an expansion of Pixar and Disney attractions... at what park, doesnt matter to me. But I'd like to see the Prince Caspian (maybe the WORST attraction, ever) and the Little Mermaid show be merged into that small Pixar area at DHS and have some new Pixar themed rides.

Stopped reading there because you lost all credibility. You may not like the Potter franchise. You may be secretly bitter that Universal is going to have success Disney could have had. You may not be having a good day. But the bolded statement is absolutely absurd.

 

[devoy1701]

Not to hijack the thread...but she was quite enjoyable in Adventureland...she actually showed a personality in that flick!

ooooh, I'll check it out. From Zathura, to the Messengers, to whatever else I've seen her in, she hasn't shown any personality when acting. And she always says her lines like a child coming down from a temper tantrum. I mean maybe that's her style...but I actually thought Zathura was her best role since she was FROZEN for 3/4 of the movie!

 

[munkgirl]

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?

Are you serious? I was on the fence about going when I'm in Orlando next week, but if they for reals have Myrtle in the bathrooms - well that's it, sign me up. I don't even care much about the rides, I just want to go to Ollivander's, Honeyduke's and taste me some butter beer...

 

[munkgirl]

Not to hijack the thread...but she was quite enjoyable in Adventureland...she actually showed a personality in that flick!

I never read the books, but I had the plot recap from a friend. I was even thinking about going to see the movie that had the birth scene in it, for the lols, but apparently they cut that out. Such a disappointment. :\

 

[ddbowdoin]

Stopped reading there because you lost all credibility. You may not like the Potter franchise. You may be secretly bitter that Universal is going to have success Disney could have had. You may not be having a good day. But the bolded statement is absolutely absurd.

I'm 25... I consider the series to be books written for children, even though many adults read them. What I should have said that in my opinion I do not think that the HP series has the classic appeal of WD stories. Now WD has a massive arsenal of stories to fall back on but children grow up loving Disney stories and films and this love is translated into the theme parks. I think Harry Potter is that period every 12-15 year old goes through and while sales may be immense world wide I don't see how the story lines and can be translated into a classic theme park attraction.

 

[Evil Genius]

I'm 25... I consider the series to be books written for children, even though many adults read them. What I should have said that in my opinion I do not think that the HP series has the classic appeal of WD stories. Now WD has a massive arsenal of stories to fall back on but children grow up loving Disney stories and films and this love is translated into the theme parks. I think Harry Potter is that period every 12-15 year old goes through and while sales may be immense world wide I don't see how the story lines and can be translated into a classic theme park attraction.

Add to that the films simply aren't classics in any sense of the word. In fact, if you go back and watch the first few they don't even hold up less than a decade after their release.

I've always stated that the Potter franchise is a generational fad. The books are enjoyable and enjoyed the benefit of a marketing frenzy unseen by any other literary series...but honestly I don't see it holding up decade after decade.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Add to that the films simply aren't classics in any sense of the word. In fact, if you go back and watch the first few they don't even hold up less than a decade after their release.

I've always stated that the Potter franchise is a generational fad. The books are enjoyable and enjoyed the benefit of a marketing frenzy unseen by any other literary series...but honestly I don't see it holding up decade after decade.

can't agree more, the films are ALL glitz and glamour ... ie let me show you what I can do with computer generated graphics. Unlike say Pixar, which is an ABSOLUTE GEM, PERIOD. Sure, Disney hasn't had a nice animated film in some time but the classic films have been enjoyed by families for years and years and years.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Hell of a lot of people with crystal balls or time machines.

 

[Chezman1399]

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

 

[CommandoDisney]

HP has the potential to be the new star wars. After the movies are all done, it can still live on if Rowling keeps feeding this monster every couple of years by tossing out some new sidestory or something.
I think this place sounds really cool and i cant wait to go. especially after i was just in IoA this past fall, and couldnt even fill up a whole days worth in the park.
I do not fault disney for passing on this. they would rather push their own franchises than someone elses. they like to keep a very tight control over everything, which is what keeps it disney.
Plus, i really do hope this challenges disney to make bigger and better things and hopefully bring about some more competitive pricing! competition is always better for the consumer.

And yes, i did compare HP and Star Wars, so save it, nerds.

 

[Evil Genius]

Hell of a lot of people with crystal balls or time machines.

It has nothing to do with that. It's just a matter of looking at trends.

The Potter franchise was quite popular with the release of each new novel and film. However in the down time between books and films the popularity has shown a tendency to lull.

Add to that the point that after the last films...then what? Rowling has stated on numerous occasions she wants noone else writing in her "universe" and she had shown no inclination of continuing it herself. And I'm sorry...it just doesn't have the long lasting appeal of even something like the Lord of the Rings books and films.

Looking at that I don't see the franchise sustaining itself over decades.

 

[RiversideBunny]

I like Harry Potter- the books and the movies. I think that, like Walt Disney's creations, how you enjoy them has more to do with imagination than with age.
I'm not a teenager. My kids aren't even teenagers; they have kids of their own.
If you have the ability to see beyond the ordinary three-dimensional, logical world, and enter the magical lands that exist because you allow them to, then you are approaching the true meaning of life.

 

[Evil Genius]

I like Harry Potter- the books and the movies. I think that, like Walt Disney's creations, how you enjoy them has more to do with imagination than with age.
I'm not a teenager. My kids aren't even teenagers; they have kids of their own.
If you have the ability to see beyond the ordinary three-dimensional, logical world, and enter the magical lands that exist because you allow them to, then you are approaching the true meaning of life.

Well said!

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

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

It has nothing to do with that. It's just a matter of looking at trends.

The Potter franchise was quite popular with the release of each new novel and film. However in the down time between books and films the popularity has shown a tendency to lull.

Add to that the point that after the last films...then what? Rowling has stated on numerous occasions she wants noone else writing in her "universe" and she had shown no inclination of continuing it herself. And I'm sorry...it just doesn't have the long lasting appeal of even something like the Lord of the Rings books and films.

Looking at that I don't see the franchise sustaining itself over decades.

As I said unless your a Time Lord you have no way of knowing how the appeal will last of either the books/films or part of a theme park. Your offering an opinion with no data to support the conclusions youve reached

Lets face it Lord of the Rings was a book read by hippy's and sad acts that believed in goblins and elves until the films. Whod have thought such a load of old bollocks would have been such a success for the New Zealand Tourist Board

 

[munkgirl]

I'm 25... I consider the series to be books written for children, even though many adults read them. What I should have said that in my opinion I do not think that the HP series has the classic appeal of WD stories. Now WD has a massive arsenal of stories to fall back on but children grow up loving Disney stories and films and this love is translated into the theme parks. I think Harry Potter is that period every 12-15 year old goes through and while sales may be immense world wide I don't see how the story lines and can be translated into a classic theme park attraction.

http://markreadsharrypotter.buzznet.com/user/journal/7000971/mark-reads-harry-potter-sorcerers/

This is the blog of a 20-something man, reading Harry Potter series for the first time. Maybe it's just him, but watching him discover the series the way I did when I was just 11 is really wonderful. He has all the same reactions that I did when I was a kid. I've always felt that HP, just like Disney, is one of those things where it doesn't matter what your age is or where you come from - you can find something to relate to.

He also read the Twilight series, if anyone is interested. His blog/reviews are slightly more...intense for those books. Not favorably.

 

[Evil Genius]

As I said unless your a Time Lord you have no way of knowing how the appeal will last of either the books/films or part of a theme park. Your offering an opinion with no data to support the conclusions youve reached

Lets face it Lord of the Rings was a book read by hippy's and sad acts that believed in goblins and elves until the films. Whod have thought such a load of old bollocks would have been such a success for the New Zealand Tourist Board

I won't debate either of these statements as they're both very true.

All I'll say is, it's a massive gamble on a property that isn't old enough to prove it's longstanding worth.

 

[kashmir]

It has nothing to do with that. It's just a matter of looking at trends.
The Potter franchise was quite popular with the release of each new novel and film. However in the down time between books and films the popularity has shown a tendency to lull.
Looking at that I don't see the franchise sustaining itself over decades.

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.