Uni's New Plan For Potter Could Make Significant Dent To WDW

[FigmentJedi]

Brilliant way to sell more tickets if true.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Brilliant move by Universal.

I absolutely love the idea of the parks competing and trying to one-up each other. This is exactly what was needed for a LONG time, and a reason Disney became so complacent. This back and forth of announcin projects and expansions is welcome news for me. Competition is a wonderful thing!!

 

[MKCP 1985]

Let's keep this thread on the subject of how this will impact WDW. If you want to discuss the specifics of this in terms of Universal, head to the thread linked by DisneyInsider above. Thanks.

Before Universal opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Islands of Adventure Park, my small family of four which usually means party of six would do a 4 or 5 day park hopper stay on property at Walt Disney World, and would go to all four major Disney parks.

The effect of Harry Potter on our crew was that last December we stayed off-site, bought tickets with no park hopping and spent one full day at Universal, with one day, two park tickets. It is very easy for us to unanimously proclaim the Animal Kingdom park the park that gets axed in favor of Universal, and that will remain the case until Avatar-Land gets built, in all likelihood.

Adding more Harry Potter attractions could even have the effect of putting us back into a Universal partner hotel with front of the line privileges, and then driving over to Disney. We have stayed in the Hard Rock Hotel once before and really liked it, but we got our fill of the Universal Parks after a couple of days. Don't forget Sea World is closer to Universal than to Disney and they have some good stuff going on in their park as well.

I don't think our experience was all that unusual and can see more people doing the same in the future. We were *thisclose* to buying DVC in 2008 and I am SO VERY GLAD we didn't. :shrug:

 

[Disneyfan1981]

I haven't been to Universal since they opened up Potter but I'm still unsure of how much of a dent this will actually do. I like the idea of the parks separating the two "worlds" which is very outside the box but the last time we did Uni, we did both parks in one day no problem using their version of the Fastpass. We actually struggled for things to do at Universal Studios itself and ended up going back to IOA. Even if this new Potter land has a couple of rides that are must dos, I still don't see it really cutting into my time for WDW.

 

[trr1]

maybe universal could put in a value resort

 

[invader]

I can't wait until attendance drops in IOA once they open whatever they're opening in USF opens. Sort of like what happened with RRR.

 

[GLaDOS]

I can't wait until attendance drops in IOA once they open whatever they're opening in USF opens. Sort of like what happened with RRR.

There are plans in place to ensure that won't happen.

 

[lebeau]

I can't wait until attendance drops in IOA once they open whatever they're opening in USF opens. Sort of like what happened with RRR.

If the train rumor is true, do you really think Potter fans will only visit one park? Even if they have visited Potter on IOA, I suspect most will want to ride the train back and experience the whole thing.

It's a brilliant move if they can work out the logistics.

I expect Disney to continue sitting on its hands, but hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Ignohippo]

I suspect that whoever came up with this particular rumor hasn't looked at an overhead map of Universal Studios Resort (see http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.4765,-81.470629&spn=0.007271,0.007532&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6). There's significant distance between the Amity area in Universal Studios and the Wizarding World in IoA with quite a few buildings in between. Not too mention that construction in the area behind the train in Wizarding World would impact operation of the Dragon Challenge. I'm not saying that this couldn't be done but I suspect that the gain wouldn't out-weigh the expense. :shrug:

It would be easy to build the train and have it go around the parameter. Yes, it's a decent distance, but that's why you have the train. As for the expense, I'm sure the idea of doubling the amount of tickets Uni has sold to IOA over the past year (because they'd now be selling 2-park passes instead of one) more than makes up for it.

 

[zooey]

Before Universal opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Islands of Adventure Park, my small family of four which usually means party of six would do a 4 or 5 day park hopper stay on property at Walt Disney World, and would go to all four major Disney parks.

The effect of Harry Potter on our crew was that last December we stayed off-site, bought tickets with no park hopping and spent one full day at Universal, with one day, two park tickets. It is very easy for us to unanimously proclaim the Animal Kingdom park the park that gets axed in favor of Universal, and that will remain the case until Avatar-Land gets built, in all likelihood.

Adding more Harry Potter attractions could even have the effect of putting us back into a Universal partner hotel with front of the line privileges, and then driving over to Disney. We have stayed in the Hard Rock Hotel once before and really liked it, but we got our fill of the Universal Parks after a couple of days. Don't forget Sea World is closer to Universal than to Disney and they have some good stuff going on in their park as well.

I don't think our experience was all that unusual and can see more people doing the same in the future. We were *thisclose* to buying DVC in 2008 and I am SO VERY GLAD we didn't. :shrug:

Why don't you just extend your vacation days so you can do everything you want instead of cutting stuff out? That's what I do.

 

[Ignohippo]

I wonder if this will be the beginning of forced combo/park-hopper passes. This plan makes the most sense for Universal if visitors have to buy a combo pass to both IOA and USO (if not, God help the cast member at the train who has to tell people they can't ride without a ticket to the other park).

Now, I wouldn't expect Universal to force a combo pass unless Disney did first, just as they wouldn't hike prices until Disney did. But I do wonder if this gives Disney the excuse to go ahead and enact it, "anticipating" that Universal will do it. Just pure speculation...

I don't know why you would assume Uni would force a combo park pass on people - or even why they would need to. I'm betting a huge amount of people coming to Uni for Potter would buy the 2-park pass. This idea is a huge win for Uni. They already offer them, and I don't see anything changing (besides maybe the prices).

 

[Ignohippo]

I absolutely love the idea of the parks competing and trying to one-up each other. This is exactly what was needed for a LONG time, and a reason Disney became so complacent. This back and forth of announcin projects and expansions is welcome news for me. Competition is a wonderful thing!!

Except that, if the reports are true, key Disney investors have demanded a stop of major expenditures at the parks.

It's horribly short-sighted but par for the course in today's business world. DHS and EPCOT need major upgrades IMO to get back on pace with what the industry demands. They've been way too stagnant for way too long. Unfortunately, it sounds like Avatar may be the last addition we see to WDW for a long, long time.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Why don't you just extend your vacation days so you can do everything you want instead of cutting stuff out? That's what I do.

Not everyone can do that with work, finances, etc. Most people get one week off, and have to decide how to spend it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Adding in a value resort would be another great move by Universal, especially if it's $5-10 cheaper a night than the Disney values.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Except that, if the reports are true, key Disney investors have demanded a stop of major expenditures at the parks.

It's horribly short-sighted but par for the course in today's business world. DHS and EPCOT need major upgrades IMO to get back on pace with what the industry demands. They've been way too stagnant for way too long. Unfortunately, it sounds like Avatar may be the last addition we see to WDW for a long, long time.

I am not sure I agree with you on this. Yes, it is known that investors are getting a little cranky about all the current heavy spending and that Disney has also said it will start cutting back once the current projects complete. It will not happen! There needs be another DVC resort very soon besides GF DVC and there will be more investment into DHS and Epcot over the next few years to keep in stride with the other Orlando parks. If profits keep on pace and Universal keeps investing huge than WDC has no option but to spend money on it's Orlando property.

I think this is a good thing for any Disney fan. If you are a Universal fan, what happens in 10 - 15 years and the Potterverse popularity starts waining and now instead of upgrading one land in one park you have two tied to the same character? :shrug:

 

[MAF]

Uni is getting this and we're getting Avatar in 2020...FAIL!

 

[njDizFan]

The timeframe is pretty impressive. From announcement to completion could be less than 2 years from the rumors floating around.

And let's wait for some dirt to get moved before we can evn begin to put a timeframe on AV-Land.

2020 might not be an exageration.

 

[SyracuseOrange]

With the chatter that "key shareholders are demanding Disney stop big investments..."

Does anyone have an article to back this up?

 

[menamechris]

The only problem I see with the "competition" between Universal and Disney is that I have a feeling Disney is very limited right now with how much they can actually compete. Management has run many key components of the resort into the ground (monorails, buses, general maintenance and upkeep of parks) and all of those issues seem to be coming to a head at once. So while Universal has their pockets full of cash to do new, innovative attractions and experiences, Disney is having to pour money into maintenance and the transportation system (which should have been done all along - as opposed to waiting till they had no choice). If Disney is in competition mode at all, we should be hearing about new things coming in the short-term - not Avatar, which as has been pointed out - is probably at least 5 years away and 5 years too late.

 

[invader]

I take what I said back. Uni can have their wizard boy. I'll take two one billion dollar ships, a shanghai resort, and three major expansions over Harry Potter any day.