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

[ChrisFL]

I think we'll see how good Universal is becoming when they open DM ride and the lagoon show.

I don't have big hopes for the DM ride since we've heard practically nothing about it since it was announced. I'm guessing it will be the same simulator ride with a new movie.

 

[Thurp]

All I know about Despicable Me is that it is going to be a 3D simulator experience.

Guests are "turned" into minions for a "wild adventure" with Gru and his three daughters (and of course more minions.) And I've also heard something about a minion-inspired interactive dance party but I don't know the details.

 

[c-one]

Yeah I think it's safe to say Despicable Me will be another family simulator-type ride, like Jimmy Neutron was in that space and Hanna-Barbera was before that...

 

[Alektronic]

I'll be the first to admit that Universal is far from perfect and that Disney does do some things better. While Creative has some very talented individuals overall it is one of the most disorganized and mismanaged divisions in the company. It is truly a miracle when a Universal project turns out right. If it weren't for J.K. and Warner Potter most likely would have been a failure. They always want to blame Mauer for Rockit's problems but a good portion of the blame lies with Creative. This is coming from someone that works with Creative a lot and in differrent capacities.

That being said Disney has other problems mainly because it is larger. Now that Universal is throwing a ton of money into new projects and has new owners we hope things will get better and certain people will disappear.

Also, they will be adding new people and experienced talent. I know many engineers that are leaving Disney for Universal because of better opportunities and more creative freedom and better pay.

 

[bullsforthewin]

I think we'll see how good Universal is becoming when they open DM ride and the lagoon show.

I understand the Lagoon show but how is opening up the DM ride going to prove anything but the fact that they are taking the old Hanna ride and giving it yet another new video and new paint job...not original at all....

 

[disney fan 13]

I understand the Lagoon show but how is opening up the DM ride going to prove anything but the fact that they are taking the old Hanna ride and giving it yet another new video and new paint job...not original at all....

Yeah and Disney has never done that at all

And to be fair it is getting a 3D upgrade

 

[bullsforthewin]

Yeah and Disney has never done that at all

And to be fair it is getting a 3D upgrade

Disney has not done it as much as Universal...hell i can only think of two rides and one they kept the same name...

 

[NoChesterHester]

You misinterpreted the post. I was saying that the addition of M&Gs only persuade those who are obsessed with the characters (groupies) to purchase vacations. If they want to better the M&Gs, great but don't try to pretend like they sell the WDW vacations alone. They need new and refreshed attractions.





I stand by what I said. Interactivity and integration with tech is okay. Even good. (Personally I find the new HM and WtP queues great) But what they're doing doesn't make up for the fact that the physical environment they're trying to integrate with is borderline stagnate and should be upgraded more than they've done (like what DLR is doing)

I think you and I are more alike than you realize. We just have different ways of posting.:wave:



What he said.

Gotcha. Thanks for clearing it up. My apologies for misunderstanding.

 

[MiklCraw4d]

It is literally rated second in those infamous guest surveys. You aren't missing much except a possible headache. It truly is a mystery to me how so many people can come off that ride and say it is the best thing they have ever ridden! to me it ranks up there with Journey Into Imagination in terms of overall experience. Imag. gives me a headache because of how awful the show is and Rockit gives me a headache because I'm being jostled around like ice cubes in a martini shaker.

LOL ok that makes sense - I thought you were making the opposite argument. I pulled some Youtube video up after you posted and nearly got a headache just from watching hahaha...

Besides, I'm mighty tall and... uh... a fat fat fatty, so I can't fit into half of the Uni ride vehicles and I'm sure I wouldn't fit into that. (Although I've never had any problems at all with Disney rides)

 

[WDW1974]

I'm really interested in seeing what they have for this. Universal have never been able to pull of a half-decent night show, so I'm really intrigued. I don't think their lagoon setup is ideal for a show, the shape of it, and limited viewing areas will always be a problem compared to the setup Epcot has. To create something truly spectacular, they are going to need some serious work and some serious money - is that going to happen? What was World of Color, $100 million?

I have my fingers crossed it works out - anything to crank up the competition in the Orlando areas night shows is a good thing.

I've heard some very good things, but I am also in the SHOW ME group.
One thing UNI has really had trouble with is night shows. That 360 was an absolute disaster (and not the attraction!) ... The original stunt show they had in the early days was probably the only decent thing they've ever done on that lagoon (and that had issues as well due to the viewing).

Disney's night show are all very tired and, in some cases, in awful shape, but they all are (or were) top quality productions.

I hope UNI's is spectacular ... and that Disney gets the clue that it might just be time to update/replace some of its shows (keep hearing the Wishes replacement is on again/off again). :xmas:

 

[Lee]

(keep hearing the Wishes replacement is on again/off again). :xmas:

Recently heard it's drifting back toward "on" at the moment. Same for another nightly show.

 

[dxwwf3]

I hope UNI's is spectacular ... and that Disney gets the clue that it might just be time to update/replace some of its shows (keep hearing the Wishes replacement is on again/off again). :xmas:

I hope that WDW gets a Remember Dreams Come True style fireworks show for the 50th. A show that honors the history and current attractions in the MK.

But I really can't wait for an updated Illuminations show. ROE is a good show, but it's way past time for a change, IMO.

 

[WDW1974]

Quote:
Originally Posted by disney fan 13
May people stop saying this. It is somewhat offensive to younger posters ( such as myself) who do not act like they are on a ''Pixie dust addiction.''

A fine point.
Not all trolls are school kids...but sadly many are. (Obviously not you.)

Agree all around. And apologies if it sounded like I was grouping all young people in the same category.

Trolls can and are (likely in this case) all ages. But when school is out you do see more. :xmas:

And, Lee ... why did you look like you had been attacked by a vicious troll who stole your pixie dust earlier? :ROFLOL::king::xmas:

 

[Lee]

And, Lee ... why did you look like you had been attacked by a vicious troll who stole your pixie dust earlier? :ROFLOL::king::xmas:

Bad man tell scary stories. Make Lee scared.

 

[WDW1974]

Compared to Disney, and one of the points that makes them unattractive to a lot of potential guests, is the complete lack of entertainment. No day parade, no night parade, few meet and greets, few shows, and no nightly firework shows. It is often overlooked here by people in comparisons, but the expense and effort that WDW Entertainment put into the daily offerings is massive.

There's no doubt that Disney is BY FAR better at entertainment in O-Town than UNI is (special seasonal events aside).

Unfortunately, Disney has used the lack of competition as yet another reason to not replace or add to its roster and has cut back. It has one decent regular parade (at DAK) and that is a decade old now. It has shows that are lousy and or ancient (Dream Along with Mickey, Beauty and the Beast). And has taken quality parades (BBP) and just totally destroyed them. Let's not even talk about killing the Diamond Horseshoe Review because Disney didn't want to pay REAL unionized entertainers vs. teens in foamhead costumes.

So, while UNI really needs to step up its game in this dept, so does the Mouse ... been resting on his laurels since the 90s. :xmas:

 

[WDW1974]

As for MK and EPCOT, I hardly do anything in Future World anymore besides SSE and the Land, but I still could spend 3-4 days in MK & EPCOT alone. But I just kind of hang out and do what I want to do and am not checking rides off a checklist. I'll hang out in Showcase, have a snack, ride the Wedway 2-3 times, ride the train around or the steamship... stuff like that. Just hang out. Or hang out at the monorail resorts or at Fort Wilderness, having dinner and checking out the campfire and free movie. Stuff like that.

It's true if you're just interested in riding every attraction once and getting out, you really could bust through things fairly easy if crowds are light and you time it right. But the fact remains that Disney has cleverly made it much cheaper to linger an extra day than to strike off for other ports of call. Even if families are shelling out left and right already, the psychological difference between a $5-10 day at Disney or an $80 day at Universal is profound. Especially when Universal is an unknown quantity for many newbs who haven't been there.

To quote Chis Rock, "I ain't saying it's right, I'm just saying I *understand*"

You sound like me very much in the way you approach a visit to da World.

I also can spend a great deal of time at EPCOT (MK much less so) just walking around and soaking up the atmosphere. DAK as well, although it closes so early my typical visit is probably about 2:45 in length.

I recently went to DL for just a day (I was there for five days in September, so really just wanted to largely see the place at Christmas for the first time since 2006 or 07) ... and I wound up spending 13 hours there (well, except for a two hour break at the DLH for food and drinks) and I never got bored, never ran out of attractions I wanted to see and actually didn't do everything I could have. That just NEVER happens at the MK where I can go there, ride Mansion, ride the RR, ride the TTA, eat an ice cream and leave ... it can bore me to tears (which is why I absolutely don't get how people can go there for days on end, especially repeat guests).

I was actually going to write a 'is DL really worth $80 a day?' thread because I actually paid to get in for the first time since 2007 ... I didn't, but the answer would be YES!

From a professsional standpoint (and you may have guessed I have some experience in both media and consulting), I could argue that MK is easily worth the price of a one day ticket too ... but as a fan and repeat guest ... well, that's another matter!

But think I just went off on another Spirited tangent ... don't blame me, another MAGICal denizen put all sorts of crazy ideas in my head tonight ... I think I'm going to go run and hide in some small French town!:wave::xmas:

 

[WDW1974]

If this were the other way around, and these numbers were about how Potter's shops were out-powering a WDW park, you would be all over it.

The figures alone don't mean a lot, but still very interesting, to me at least.

Nope. Not really.

Do I find WoD's numbers impressive? Yes. I just wish they actually had more items I might wish to purchase.

Do I find Potter's merchandising numbers impressive. Yes. Absolutely ... and moreso because they prove what quality themed merchandise can do for the bottom line. I wish Disney would get this.

Do I find either of the above as important as the attractions and entertainment at the respective resorts?

Absolutely not as I have more themed crap (largely Disney, but some UNI) stuff than I have places for (you may see me on Hoarders some day) and because while shopping is certainly part of a theme park visit, it's pretty far down my list on why I'd go to one. :xmas:

 

[WDW1974]

Certainly, it isn't that simple.

By the same token, criticism does not equal hate. You should learn that.
I don't know of anyone on these boards who hates Disney at all.

That's not what you said earlier when told of your ranking ... old 504!!! You didn't want to hear what kind of towels you'd be getting at the Poly once Disney's data-mining operation had determined your true value to the company vs. that little weasel who is reading this, but not posting!:animwink:

Sure sounded like a lot of hate to me ... so why don't you just go to UNI known as the Six Flags in Orlando, so there will be shorter lines at the MK for me! :xmas:

~Pass the Pixie Dust~

(is the sig passe?)

 

[WDW1974]

Quote:
Originally Posted by WDW1974
I just completely disagree, Steve.

I've stated this before, but none of what Disney has done (or is in the process of doing with the whole NEXT GEN project) is improving the day to day experience of visiting WDW.

Attractions ... high quality, immersive, themed, fit for most demos ... those are what people come to WDW for. They also come for fresh (or did since it's been so many years) entertainment from live performers, shows, parades and pyro.

And they come for what is supposed to be the highest level of quality, which anyone who visits WDW without blinders (or who has been pre Y2K or has been to their other resorts or has been to UNI/SW/Busch parks or has traveled beyond the east coast of the USA) would realize they are not getting.

They have roads that haven't been paved in years, monorails that are unreliable and falling apart, attractions where many effects don't work etc ... yet spending a billion and a half (and that number WILL go up) on data-mining and personalizing everyone's visit (yes, soon you'll be able to twitter with your favorite characters!) is somehow what they should be spending on.

I'll take the UNI/SW model right now. Steve, if you're right in a decade and the world and the World still exist and we're both alive and the tanks haven't caved in causing the Seas to be demo'd, I'll treat you to lunch at the Coral Reef ... they still won't have lobster on the menu and by then lunch for two will cost about $476 without alcohol!

I'll take you up on that, but you can do better than Coral Reef. Let's make it Jiko or Boma.

OK. Done. Jiko it shall be ... IF you are proven right!

Can't do Boma since guests demanded they take prime rib off the menu and raise the price another 25%!

Wonder how much Boma has gone up since opening (seem to recall dinner was under $20 before my 20% discount in 2001). :xmas:

 

[headhoncho34]

Quote:
Originally Posted by WDW1974
I just completely disagree, Steve.

I've stated this before, but none of what Disney has done (or is in the process of doing with the whole NEXT GEN project) is improving the day to day experience of visiting WDW.

Attractions ... high quality, immersive, themed, fit for most demos ... those are what people come to WDW for. They also come for fresh (or did since it's been so many years) entertainment from live performers, shows, parades and pyro.

And they come for what is supposed to be the highest level of quality, which anyone who visits WDW without blinders (or who has been pre Y2K or has been to their other resorts or has been to UNI/SW/Busch parks or has traveled beyond the east coast of the USA) would realize they are not getting.

They have roads that haven't been paved in years, monorails that are unreliable and falling apart, attractions where many effects don't work etc ... yet spending a billion and a half (and that number WILL go up) on data-mining and personalizing everyone's visit (yes, soon you'll be able to twitter with your favorite characters!) is somehow what they should be spending on.

I'll take the UNI/SW model right now. Steve, if you're right in a decade and the world and the World still exist and we're both alive and the tanks haven't caved in causing the Seas to be demo'd, I'll treat you to lunch at the Coral Reef ... they still won't have lobster on the menu and by then lunch for two will cost about $476 without alcohol!



OK. Done. Jiko it shall be ... IF you are proven right!

Can't do Boma since guests demanded they take prime rib off the menu and raise the price another 25%!

Wonder how much Boma has gone up since opening (seem to recall dinner was under $20 before my 20% discount in 2001). :xmas:

I respect how you tell like it is about the deteriorating quality of the parks. There is no reason or excuse for parks such as MK to fall into the ty state it has today.