-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Report of Harry Potter park being a done deal for USF
- Thread starter Buried20KLeague
- Start date
Scar Junior
Active Member
Assuming the reports and rumors are true.....
I think Harry Potter is a much better fit with Universal than Disney. I don't see how HP fits into what already exists at WDW. When placed near a land or other attraction, the juxtaposition would be very jarring. Universal has a land that works well with the themes of this franchise. Also, it fits better with the Universal corporation and parks than with Disney. Jaws, BTTF, Spiderman, etc. These are all blockbusters like HP.
On a personal note, I've never been a fan of the franchise and would not like to see HP characters mixed with Disney characters in promotional or other media. I hope this boosts USF attendance figures and creates healthy competition.
Props to Universal. I think this is a good fit.
I think Harry Potter is a much better fit with Universal than Disney. I don't see how HP fits into what already exists at WDW. When placed near a land or other attraction, the juxtaposition would be very jarring. Universal has a land that works well with the themes of this franchise. Also, it fits better with the Universal corporation and parks than with Disney. Jaws, BTTF, Spiderman, etc. These are all blockbusters like HP.
On a personal note, I've never been a fan of the franchise and would not like to see HP characters mixed with Disney characters in promotional or other media. I hope this boosts USF attendance figures and creates healthy competition.
Props to Universal. I think this is a good fit.
I'm like you, I adore Harry Potter and all the magicical mysteries, however I have read the article to have read a complete theme park not just a ride or a themed area.
I cannot see even with the help of google earth where they might find space for a new park.
One correction.................no way on earth will people go to Universal to see the areas of Harry Potter and then give it in after 3-4 hours to go back to a Disney park.
At the present ticket prices people will hang out for the day and get some sort of value for money.
This might only be the case for AP holders but then you are only a fraction of the Disney population.
HP fan or not I think it wasn't such a good idea giving your biggest competitor the biggest potential grossing attraction platform in the world.
Disney is starting to get stagnant it is spending all its cash on resorts to take more money from us, and yet it should be investing in a major ride in each park most years.
It needs to constantly refresh to maintain longevity for repeat visits
Disneyfanman
Well-Known Member
A couple of things....I really agree that this is the right fit for Universal. I haven't been over there in years due to a lack of interesting new additions. HP will bring me, and my entire family back to Universal Orlando for a couple of days. In fact, we will plan a trip around the visit. I am sure that I am not alone in this. I just hope that the "thrill ride" portion of the experience won't be to over the top as to split up families. Spiderman is a supurb example of how a thrill ride experience can be appropriate for a wide range of ages. Mummy is fun for coaster lovers, but my wife and sister can't ride it because of their back and motion sickness sensitivities. That's what stops us from riding it together, and essentially why we didn't go to Universal more often. Their rides (particularly at IOA) force my wife to sit out many of the experiences. Disney always seems to offer us more to do together.
It sounds like Universal has emerged from their creative coma. Somebody with influence must again like theme parks over at NBC/Universal. Yeah!
It sounds like Universal has emerged from their creative coma. Somebody with influence must again like theme parks over at NBC/Universal. Yeah!
JimboJones123
Well-Known Member
This whole thing is a LOSE/LOSE for Disney. Very much a Danged if we do Danged if we don't. If Disney landed HP -- would it really bring in "that much more"? Not really. Nobody is going to see it as much more than another thing to do at Disney. But for Universal it is a HUGE deal. It would be one of their biggest -- if not the biggest properties. Right now -- the comic thing is their biggest thing. MUCH of their marketing is based on it and it also draws in the teen crowds. Heck, that's the reason right now why I am concidering my first ever trip to IOA. Besides that -- what else is a major draw? 20 year old movies-- 30 year old movies? This really would be a big booster for Universal -- and like somebody said earlier -- this could actually hurt Disney.
Disney has been KILLING with the MYW and Magical Express at keeping their guests on site and away from the competition. I haven't paid for a ticket to an off site park in a decade. This will not only make me want to pay for an off site ticket, but maybe do a total non-Disney trip to Orlando. We'd love to go to Sea World again -- but tix are too much. If you buy a multi-day it's a great deal, but then you would lose valuable Disney time. So, this might be the move that makes a Non-Disney trip a reality. Buy the week long pass for Sea World and week long Universal Hopper for less than the cost of a 3 Day Disney hopper. This could be REALLY BAD for Disney. Many families may do every other trip as a Disney trip instead of spliting it and staying at the Disney Hotel the whole time. Plus -- with the Universal Front of Line thing for Hotel guests -- I'd be willing to stay there for the whole week and skip Disney. Hit DTD a night or two and maybe for a meal or two.
Disney has been KILLING with the MYW and Magical Express at keeping their guests on site and away from the competition. I haven't paid for a ticket to an off site park in a decade. This will not only make me want to pay for an off site ticket, but maybe do a total non-Disney trip to Orlando. We'd love to go to Sea World again -- but tix are too much. If you buy a multi-day it's a great deal, but then you would lose valuable Disney time. So, this might be the move that makes a Non-Disney trip a reality. Buy the week long pass for Sea World and week long Universal Hopper for less than the cost of a 3 Day Disney hopper. This could be REALLY BAD for Disney. Many families may do every other trip as a Disney trip instead of spliting it and staying at the Disney Hotel the whole time. Plus -- with the Universal Front of Line thing for Hotel guests -- I'd be willing to stay there for the whole week and skip Disney. Hit DTD a night or two and maybe for a meal or two.
BeachClubVillas
Well-Known Member
drdoom1001
Member
I'm on Google earth right now looking at the whole Universal site.Does Universal own the empty land bordered by Turkey Lake rd.,I-4 and the Royal Pacific.I'm thinking if they own that that's probably where the waterpark would go when Wet n Wild moves with some space for a new hotel.But aside from that land there's not much space to do anything of significant size to the parks.But I hope Universal does land HP and steal some Disney people,Disney has been slacking off lately with minor changes to old attractions and aside from Everest no significant addition.their parks get more and more crowded every day and maybe this will kick start talk of a new park!!
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
I thought the plural of Fish was Feesh . :lookaroun
sknydave
Active Member
According to some online articles, it seems the cost to build Discovery Cove was ~100 million. I don't really see how in the world a Harry Potter theme park which aims to provide the same type of attention to each guest and limited capacity is going to be profitable? Wouldn't the costs of building such a park with these state of the art attractions cost way more than Discovery Cove?
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
The down fall here is the lack of the Kuka arm technology available to Disney. Other than that, we could be in for a 10 year stretch of Disney and Universal trying to out do one another for our entertainment dollar. At least in theory, Orlando theme park wars will benefit the consumer, probably get John Lasserter to focus some more attention to the Orlando based operation and some ground breaking attractions (morphing coaster?) to compete with the Harry Potter world.
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
If true....I find this great news for Disney Fans....maybe as big as when Univer announced they were building a park in FL.
Competition is great for consumers :drevil:
Competition is great for consumers :drevil:
garyhoov
Trophy Husband
I agree, and it goes beyond simple competition. Universal and Disney have a symbiotic relationship. It's not like there's a fixed number of tourists and Disney World and Universal split their portions of that pie. The pie can grow.
A stronger Universal will bring more tourists to Orlando. More tourists to Orlando will bring more people to Disney parks. Harry Potter or no, how many people are going to spend a week at Universal Studios?
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
The relationship is not symbiotic, at least not now. Universal cannot survive without Disney. Disney can most assuredly survive without Universal.
With that said, competition is great for the consumer.
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
Maybe, but Disney wouldn't be as good because Disney would become lazy with attractions. Which could turn into less repeat visitors.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
To a certain extent I think you're right, but Disney world is a vacation destination, and in order to keep maintaining attendance growth they will have to continue to improve the state of the parks and their attractions regardless of local competition. Their competition is partly the other theme parks in the area, but it is also other vacation destinations around the world. Comparitively, Universal and Sea World really only compete with Disney World.
The theme park industry in Orlando is a very unique situation, so much of Orlando's tourism is reliant on the success of Disney. Universal and Sea World entered into an existing market which isn't easy to do. They have pushed Disney to a certain extent, but realistically, the majority of guests may spend a day or two at Universal or Sea World, while spending their remaining time at Disney. Without a major reinvestment (that could potentially cripple Universa/Sea World), they will never be able to change that.
I view Harry Potter as a niche - albeit a very large one. For this new land to be successful, they needed a signature attraction, something groundbreaking, something heretofor unseen - and that's the Kuka Arm. However, even if this is a huge success, it will by no means cripple Disney. If people spend an additional day at Universal as a result of Harry Potter world, it's not necessarily going to come from a day that was otherwise allocated to Disney. In fact, this addition may prove to be more crippling to Sea World than anything else.
My prediction is that this will be a very successful addition to Universal, giving Islands of Adventure two very impressive rides with Spiderman and Harry Potter. Presumably Disney will have updated Space Mountain before the Potter addition, and they will have Greenlit at least one more E-Ticket that will be under construction around the time of Potter's opening.
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
You make some very good points. I also expect Disney to counter the HP move with something. I was hoping maybe MGM again with joining forces (pun intended) with Star Wars again and Indy. Maybe even Muppets. Or join with another big name like JR Tolken
It seems Disney does try their best to keep people away from anything else in Orlando. Disney doesn't want to see tourism money going the pocket of others. I guess that is where I was comig from.
You have great knowledge of the subject. I would like to see you and Brad talk trade
drdoom1001
Member
Without a doubt Disney brings in the most visitors into Central Florida,but both Universal parks,Sea World and Busch Gardens have their own niche as well as being popular with many locals.Universal Studios just had their biggest attendance day ever since it was Spring Break combined with their Mardi Gras event which is very popular and seems to last for months and a Chris Daughtry concert.These other Florida parks also have offers that are much more consumer friendly than Disney such as the Orlando Flexticket that gets you 14 days of admission to these 4 parks as well as Wet n Wild, the fun cards for the Busch parks where you pay for one day and come back for the rest of the year are always popular.If Universal gets Potter and creates a one of a kind attraction, it will bring in people from Disney and Disney will come right back with something new,it will only benefit the consumer!
nerdboyrockstar
Well-Known Member
I've spent vacations only at Universal and did not visit Disney. I know other people who have spent vacations only at Universal and did not visit Disney. I've also spent vacations at Disneyland California (a lot like Universal... 2 theme parks within walking distance, 3 on-site hotels, Downtown Disney/Citywalk).
I understand Orlando is a unique situation but your generalizations are a little off. One can spend a vacation in Universal. I'd also say, a much more relaxing one.
nerdboyrockstar
Well-Known Member
Inflating your numbers is a poor way to explain your position. 112 million people? Try 44 million (according the 2006 attendance estimates).. Plus, Universal is only 2 parks. You're summing up the attendance of Disney's 4. So in that case, Universal DID see much more than a tenth of that.