Seven Dwarf's Mine Train Virtual Ride

[Sped2424]

Based on some a discussion with HTF over on the Uni forum it appears that the trains will have less then 10 minute cycle time. Figuring in load and unload we could be talking about 5 minutes or less ride time. Not really enough time to be rolling a trolley up the isle to sell things.

we shall see!

 

[BigThunderMatt]

A franchise, that will die out years later. 20 years down the road there is a big chance that Harry Potter will get the Jaws treatment. Unless the franchise has had at least 15 years staying power, it's not a good idea to build upon a franchise. That's why I'm a little bit concerned about Avatarland, but I'm leaving it in Disney's hands. I'm just a person who thinks its best to create a land or attraction from scratch. Then there are chances franchises will come from that. (Pirates of the Caribbean)

You realize the first Harry Potter book was published 16 years ago right? If that's not staying power at this point, I don't know what is.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

Harry Potter is not an IP that will last. Without new content coming out it will slowly decline in popularity.
Universal has done an amazing job with everything, but I just don't see it lasting.
However, I still think it is a better IP than Avatar which seems questionable even with the new movies coming out. Star Wars, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

You're so quick to write it off. Perhaps it's because of the fact that you're not a Harry Potter fan and are just upset that Disney actually got beaten at their own game? Harry Potter is going to be sticking around for sometime. It will be up there on the shelves with Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia 50 years from now. J.K. Rowling isn't dead yet. There's nothing saying she couldn't write more material. Not only that, but Pottermore is still in it's infancy and she has confirmed she is, in fact, working on an encyclopedia of the wizarding world.

George Lucas himself said that Episode III was going to be the last Star Wars film...well look what happened there.

No one can see the future, but to blatantly deny what's practically slapping you in the face is utter lunacy.

 

[JimboJones123]

Visited Universal / IoA today.

Most of the parks were starting to get to offseason mode. Near walk ons for most attractions. Now Despicable Me was 90 and TF 45, but NOTHING else was over 30 EXCEPT Harry Potter.

90 minutes at 9:30. 2 hours after 10:00 am. The lines for all of the shops were packed. Hogsmead was 80% full for breakfast too.

No lack of guests who could not wait to see The Boy Who Lived.

Meanwhile, at New Fantasyland last weekend, walk on Mermaid all morning. 5 minute wait for BatB lunch. No line at all for Tales with Belle. New Fantasyland was totally dead until we left at 1 pm.

So can we stop dismissing HP now?

Grow up folks. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it isn't popular.

Besides, we are less than a decade away from a new Potter series at this point anyways.

(wishful thinking)

 

[Lee]

but after my dislike for Forbidden Journey...

Well, that just invalidated everything else you said/are saying/ever will say...



I kid...I kid....sorta...

 

[Disneyfan_76]

You're so quick to write it off. Perhaps it's because of the fact that you're not a Harry Potter fan and are just upset that Disney actually got beaten at their own game? Harry Potter is going to be sticking around for sometime. It will be up there on the shelves with Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia 50 years from now. J.K. Rowling isn't dead yet. There's nothing saying she couldn't write more material. Not only that, but Pottermore is still in it's infancy and she has confirmed she is, in fact, working on an encyclopedia of the wizarding world.

George Lucas himself said that Episode III was going to be the last Star Wars film...well look what happened there.

No one can see the future, but to blatantly deny what's practically slapping you in the face is utter lunacy.

I'm actually a big harry potter fan. I completely agree that disney got beat at their own game with what Universal built. I never said otherwise. I am very much on the side of Universal > Disney at the moment. My beef is with the IP, same with avatar for disney. I don't feel either have the staying power to last more than a decade.

 

[raymusiccity]

I'm actually a big harry potter fan. I completely agree that disney got beat at their own game with what Universal built. I never said otherwise. I am very much on the side of Universal > Disney at the moment. My beef is with the IP, same with avatar for disney. I don't feel either have the staying power to last more than a decade.

I don't think it was so much Disney being beat at their own game, as it was Uni desperate for a hit. Rowling's deal to Disney included a demand for a % of the gate. Disney certainly didn't need to give anything of that scope up with an already thriving park.

 

[Sped2424]

Is it sad or great commentary that a thread devoted to a new attraction at Disney ended up becoming a discussion on harry potter's franchise staying power and about the new developments occurring over at universal with phase 2. I vote great commentary.

 

[Lee]

I don't think it was so much Disney being beat at their own game, as it was Uni desperate for a hit. Rowling's deal to Disney included a demand for a % of the gate. Disney certainly didn't need to give anything of that scope up with an already thriving park.

JKR never asked for a percentage of the gate. Something like that would never even be considered.
The deal she/WB wanted was almost exactly the one she got at Uni, a huge chunk of the merchandising and creative control/veto power over the content of the land.

 

[marni1971]

I'm actually a big harry potter fan. I completely agree that disney got beat at their own game with what Universal built. I never said otherwise. I am very much on the side of Universal > Disney at the moment. My beef is with the IP, same with avatar for disney. I don't feel either have the staying power to last more than a decade.

Ill say it again. The IP doesn't matter if the product can stand on its own merits.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Ill say it again. The IP doesn't matter if the product can stand on its own merits.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that you could take an obscure movie, sixty years old, that nobody ever watches and which is barely available, and turn it into a highly popular log flume ride.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

My beef is with the IP, same with avatar for disney. I don't feel either have the staying power to last more than a decade.

I think Potter is still a very much underserved franchise. JK Rowling's a billionaire already, and not much interested in watering down her love baby for more profit. So Potter is onyl modrately exploited. But if Potter the IP were to be sold to Disney, the leaders in exploting IPs, Potter could blow away anything Disney has.

Potter has that elusive emotional attachement that very few IPs manage. Star Wars does, Disney theme parks do, Potter do. Their fans are really, truly, emotionally invested in these fantasy worlds. They all share the quality too of converting people instantly into lifelong fans. I think they are here to stay for quite some time still.

 

[Sped2424]

Does anyone know the story of how disney almost had the franchise? everywhere I look I only find rumors that all differ from one another I figured if anyone would know they would be on this site. Also what were the plans if she were to have gone with disney.

 

[afar28]

Does anyone know the story of how disney almost had the franchise? everywhere I look I only find rumors that all differ from one another I figured if anyone would know they would be on this site. Also what were the plans if she were to have gone with disney.

I too am curious about this. I get a different story everywhere I go.

 

[RSoxNo1]

JKR never asked for a percentage of the gate. Something like that would never even be considered.
The deal she/WB wanted was almost exactly the one she got at Uni, a huge chunk of the merchandising and creative control/veto power over the content of the land.

Unless you're Steven Spielberg.