Y'all should ...

[Beholder]

Nah, Eisner and iger were all over that we'll before potter. I think the impact of potter is the emphasis on integrated merch and food/bev in the actual park design. I think it moved those concepts up further in the thinking process. The success of potter by far is the revenue impact of it - much more than the attendance boost.


But that also leads the question of... Is that type of revenue sustainable?
Or was it pent up demand due to the lack of equivalent merch previously?
Without new movies, there are fewer opportunities to feed new merch
concepts and demand. It's an interesting area to study..

Perhaps HP has taken the merchandise tie-in to a whole new level? But I see your point about sustainability. If a property is "hot" now, will it be so in 5,10, or 20 years? That's the danger of following a trend instead of creating it. You are dictated to by the market and it's whims, not creating things that people want, wether they know it or not. I'll always believe that HM and SM and Pirates will be the greatest attractions at WDW, but do they sell mechandise? Other than Pirates (and that's lost steam) they don't. And those rides probably wouldn't get built today. Makes me kind of wonder what great things we're missing out on because of this "new" way of thinking?

 

[flynnibus]

Perhaps HP has taken the merchandise tie-in to a whole new level? But I see your point about sustainability. If a property is "hot" now, will it be so in 5,10, or 20 years?

It's not a question of hot... But rather saturation. The market lacked any quality HP merch to this level. So when made available it was an onslaught. But once you have everything... What do you buy on next years trip? Or the trip after that? To sustain that revenue with a market highly dependent on repeat customers you need to introduce new merchandise. That's going to be harder and harder over time with a franchise that isn't currently growing. The canon needs to keep growing to make new merch opportunities. Verse just new tshirts styles each year.

That's the real reason people like Lucas let their properties be extended

 

[Beholder]

It's not a question of hot... But rather saturation. The market lacked any quality HP merch to this level. So when made available it was an onslaught. But once you have everything... What do you buy on next years trip? Or the trip after that? To sustain that revenue with a market highly dependent on repeat customers you need to introduce new merchandise. That's going to be harder and harder over time with a franchise that isn't currently growing.
The canon needs to keep growing to make new merch opportunities. Verse
just new tshirts styles each year.



That's the real reason people like Lucas let their properties be extended

Lucas is a great example. His universe is "infinite" and of course that translates well into a sustainable market, plus he's managed a way to keep SW fresh and relevant for multiple generations, no easy task. Will HP have that kind of following? I don't know, but Marvel is a proven property as far as any "trend" goes. It was around long before SW, and it's doing great, and the comic book format lends itself to reinvention, which keeps things fresh for a new generation. I would live Disney to maintain things in-house, but I believe the world/market has changed that, perhaps forever.

 

[Californian Elitist]

But in a larger context, I think the understanding was that the Japanese lump ghost stories and fairy tales in the same literary sense. So, if it makes perfect sense to a Japanese person that a Haunted House ride is in with the Fairy Tale rides, then personally I give it a pass.

What I have trouble with is Iron Man in Disneyland's Tomorrowland. When rumors started that a huge E-Ticket was on the way I was thrilled. I've been dying for weeks to know what it was. Now that we're hearing it's Iron Man . . . I'm a little disappointed. I don't know. It's not even that I don't like the idea of an Iron Man attraction, because if it's an amazing ride I will line up no matter what the theme. But DL's Tomorrowland needs to start making itself more cohesive, not less. Some people have suggested that the rumors of Autopia and Finding Nemo Subs biting the dust for this ride are false, which I suppose is fine. That plus Innoventions is a WHOLE lot of space for one attraction to take up. But if they're sticking around, then bringing in Iron Man only adds to the thematic confusion for the land, and I don't love that idea.

I was hoping this new E-Ticket would shape the direction for the land in time to come . . . I guess I still wish for that, but on the surface it doesn't seem to be making any moves to do that on a conceptual level. Especially if the plan really is to add a Marvel Third Gate to DLR. Rushing Iron Man into Tomorrowland even though the new park is in the works seems short-sighted and weird.

Like I said, if it's a great E-Ticket and worth my time in line, I'll gladly take it. I just wonder what the thought process is here.

Once again, we haven't even see concept work yet. People are already saying they don't like it, when they don't even know what it is. How can you dislike something that you haven't heard of and doesn't even exist yet, in a theme park? That's all I'm saying. The imagineers may have been able to come up with a really cool concept that works well with Tomorrowland. We don't know that yet, so why don't we just wait and see?

 

[IWant2GoNow]

totally off topic, but regarding merchandising, i saw a huge range of lord of the rings LEGO in my local tesco store about a week ago. they really are missing an opportunity not be acquiring the movie rights for this franchise...

UNI will probably acquire it & build LotR where Lost Continent is before Disney even looks at it. OR Disney will acquire the theme park rights but only so UNI can't & then do nothing with the franchise at all.

 

[djlaosc]

UNI will probably acquire it & build LotR where Lost Continent is before Disney even looks at it. OR Disney will acquire the theme park rights but only so UNI can't & then do nothing with the franchise at all.

The rumour seemed to be that part of Toon Lagoon (the theater, not Popeye/Dudley) in IOA would be removed, and LOTR would be built there! So LOTR would be between Marvel and Toon Lagoon!

 

[IWant2GoNow]

The rumour seemed to be that part of Toon Lagoon (the theater, not Popeye/Dudley) in IOA would be removed, and LOTR would be built there! So LOTR would be between Marvel and Toon Lagoon!

If that rumor panned out, I would almost hope that they didn't build it at all. LotR deserves a much larger space than what is provided by taking out that theatre. I think repurposing The Lost Continent would even be a bit small on scale for LotR, but at least they may be able to expand behind LC. With the spot you mention, there's very little room for growth unfortunately. Interesting rumor regardless.

 

[Beholder]

If that rumor panned out, I would almost hope that they didn't build it at all. LotR deserves a much larger space than what is provided by taking out that theatre. I think repurposing The Lost Continent would even be a bit small on scale for LotR, but at least they may be able to expand behind LC. With the spot you mention, there's very little room for growth unfortunately. Interesting rumor regardless.

Agreed. LOTR needs a massive area, even it's own theme park. I wouldn't want to see any of the Tolkien properties done small scale. It's an epic world that deserves an epic representation. A dark ride/coaster through the Mines of Moria with a Balrog would, done right, be the Potter swatter that everybody seems to want.

 

[Taylor]

Agreed. LOTR needs a massive area, even it's own theme park. I wouldn't want to see any of the Tolkien properties done small scale. It's an epic world that deserves an epic representation. A dark ride/coaster through the Mines of Moria with a Balrog would, done right, be the Potter swatter that everybody seems to want.

No I had my doubts with potter but I just don't see LOTR being viable enough to have its own land, i don't know maybe it's because i like star wars to much

 

[PurpleRose]

I do not see LotR being enough for its own park. Maybe its own land...I don't know. I'm a huge nerd but I don't like the LotR films. I agree with Randall from Clerks II.

"Even the trees walked in those flicks!"

 

[Denscott]

LOTR is as popular as ever even after 60 years. The amount of story and detail in that world is amazing and it would be a great experience to have the Shire, Mordor, Mount Doom, Monas Tirith, Rohan, the Misty Mountains, etc. etc. as places to visit and explore.

Another property that personally I would love to see (but never will) is George R R Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" or as it's better known to people now, "Game of Thrones". That book series has the same epicness as LOTR and Potter but it's a little, ahem, more adult than the other two.

 

[RunnerEd]

@Lee With all of the "smoke" for DHS, AK, DCL, and FLE being built in MK, is there any talk of EPCOT getting some love beyond the TT refurb?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Frankly, I wonder how successful that would be. Superheroes appeal primarily to a very narrow demographic, mostly young males and little boys. Potter appeals to all ages (its book sales alone have proven that), so it has a much better chance at luring more visitors. Comparing Iron Man to Potter is like comparing apples to oranges IMO.

The Avengers did $300 million more in the domestic box office than any Harry Potter movie, and only the first and last Harry Potter movies matched or exceeded what Iron Man and Iron Man 2 did in the box office.

 

[djlaosc]

If that rumor panned out, I would almost hope that they didn't build it at all. LotR deserves a much larger space than what is provided by taking out that theatre. I think repurposing The Lost Continent would even be a bit small on scale for LotR, but at least they may be able to expand behind LC. With the spot you mention, there's very little room for growth unfortunately. Interesting rumor regardless.

They could also take out Comic Strip Cafe, and the stalls between the theater and Popeye. Also, they have a large plot of land on the opposite side of the road that they could build LOTR on, unless that is the land earmarked for Cabana Bay and/or the potential waterpark/future hotels.

That same rumour said that if Disney got the rights, the only thing that they would do is put in a scene in The Great Movie Ride. Don't know whether that was a joke, or serious (it's hard to tell on the internet), but that was what was said.

 

[djlaosc]

totally off topic, but regarding merchandising, i saw a huge range of lord of the rings LEGO in my local tesco store about a week ago. they really are missing an opportunity not be acquiring the movie rights for this franchise...

The LEGO LOTR videogame is out in the next couple of months as well.

 

[ChrisM]

It's nice you like them. I see them as adolescent male power fantasies, and I outgrew that some time ago. *shrug*

You outgrew them, eh? But you still think Disney properties are great and sport an Oswald avatar?

Apparently you haven't outgrown everything.

 

[ChrisM]

UNI will probably acquire it & build LotR where Lost Continent is before Disney even looks at it. OR Disney will acquire the theme park rights but only so UNI can't & then do nothing with the franchise at all.

If the rights acquisition fee demands I've heard are correct, no one will be acquiring the theme park rights to LOTR for a very long time, if ever.

 

[alphac2005]

Once again, we haven't even see concept work yet. People are already saying they don't like it, when they don't even know what it is. How can you dislike something that you haven't heard of and doesn't even exist yet, in a theme park? That's all I'm saying. The imagineers may have been able to come up with a really cool concept that works well with Tomorrowland. We don't know that yet, so why don't we just wait and see?

Raven, you just made too much sense. Therefore, you answered your own statements above. We have the rose colored glass club here, the realists about where the parks are and the need for major improvements, and those who you mentioned above that simply like to complain about any and everything, even if it's just concocted in their minds.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Raven, you just made too much sense. Therefore, you answered your own statements above. We have the rose colored glass club here, the realists about where the parks are and the need for major improvements, and those who you mentioned above that simply like to complain about any and everything, even if it's just concocted in their minds.

LOL, I complain when complaining is due but this is ridiculous. People say Disneyland is sacred, and while I agree, that ship has sailed, when it comes to outside things being inside the parks. It sailed away to Never Never Land, actually. What's funny is people who complain about Marvel being in the parks will go and experience the attraction(s) anyway, and most likely will probably end up liking it. Oh the irony. *sigh*

 

[alphac2005]

On the whole Iron Man, Marvel being in a Disney park, that's a little tricky for me. I love comics. I love Disney. But together? I guess it depends on the attraction and how it fits in the overall theme. But the idea of Tony Stark having an attraction in Innoventions bothers me far less than Nemo at the Seas.

I'd argue that how can there be an honest disappointment of replacing Innoventions at DL, which is simply an advertisement for mostly technology you can see at Best Buy or Home Depot with various corporate "partners" or a quality, E-Ticket, which has been lacking in that long extinguished part of DL? Carousel of Progress to America Sings to nothing to Innoventions.

I think that when Pixar started popping up throughout the properties, at least they were partners with Disney and there was a partnership since the near beginning at least with the featured films, even though they rapidly took over real estate around the parks that had always been "Disney." With Marvel, there is no long standing relationship and they simply want to use a property that is in the portfolio today, which simply isn't "Disney." The truth, though, is that Star Wars, Indiana Jones, the majority of scenes (minus Fantasia) in the Great Movie Ride, etc. haven't even been a part of the company, and are amongst some of the most popular attractions that they've ever had.

In DL, I get that it's different in that it's almost sacred ground as far as the fans are considered, but Star Tours has been welcoming guests in Tomorrowland for 25 years.

I think that we can all agree that the sad truth is that original, non-licensed storytelling attractions are generally history with the company. That could change sometime, but as it is now, it's properties or bust at the theme parks.