Anyone finding themselves rooting for Harry Potter Land?

[MJMcBride]

Well, I suppose a very popular Harry Potter land at Universal can do nothing but encourage more innovation at WDW

 

[WDWFan4Life]

I can't wait for Harry Potter at IOA. I hope the theming is as good as I have heard it will be and will challenge Disney to build more attractions that have great theming.

 

[ChrisFL]

Disney doesn't care about Universal's Potter and they'll never respond directly but may make adjustments if it hits their pocketbook, which IMO, won't happen because even the opening of IOA impacted WDW very, very little.

I am still of the belief that the reason IOA made little impact because the marketing department was (and still is) horrible. Nobody had any cloe what IOA was or that it was owned by Universal, or if they did know, had no idea it was a separate park (Remember the "Universal Escape" name?)

This is a much easier sell...JK Rowling personally approves a new Harry Potter land, it's in all of the newspapers and people start booking 2010 for a visit to Universal.

I even recall being completely blown away by the responses on some parts of THIS website by people who never even considered going to Universal, suddenly changing their mind and saying they have to go see it.

That convinced me that this is not a small deal. Having said that, it is still too early to tell if this will have a negative effect on Disney sales. I do forsee them having lower attendance at AK or DHS due to this possibly. Or all of the parks could see a net gain...who knows?

 

[artesian]

US/IoA will be on the radar for my family now for sure. This year was the first time we took our kids and took advantage of the $80 7 day unlimited admission passes. Both my kids love HP and allready want to know when we can go back to that park with the big kid rides as they call it. I think my pattern in the future is going to be 3 days Disney 2-3 days US/IoA. I tend to agree that DIsney does need to start to add some more to keep the kids wanting to go. I like to let them make the choices as to where we go. This year they elected to forego AK totally for an additional day at IoA.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

This year they elected to forego AK totally for an additional day at IoA.

This one quote shows how subjective our individual opinions are. My daughter and I like Animal Kingdom better than every other park in Orlando. Doesn't make either of us right or wrong individually but the fact that the masses agree with your family does make my personal opinion less valid.

 

[Kurtoon]

WDW does not consider US or IOA to be competition.
Any guest that wants to drop a couple a hundred bucks at Sea World or any other venue does not affect WDW.
WDW sees their main competition as Home Depot.
"will my family spend 10k on a vacation to WDW this year?....or... will we build a new room addition/deck/patio/playroom ?

 

[artesian]

This one quote shows how subjective our individual opinions are. My daughter and I like Animal Kingdom better than every other park in Orlando. Doesn't make either of us right or wrong individually but the fact that the masses agree with your family does make my personal opinion less valid.

Don't think i was attacking anyones opinion here. I was just making light of the fact of what my kids choices were. Doesn't make it right or wrong. I was trying to say that Disney may lose 1 day of our time in Orlando.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Don't think i was attacking anyones opinion here. I was just making light of the fact of what my kids choices were. Doesn't make it right or wrong. I was trying to say that Disney may lose 1 day of our time in Orlando.

No, no, no, I wasn't arguing or offended by your point at all just using the 'your opinion vs. mine' to show how difficult these discussions can be if we use our personal preferences as our arguing points.

 

[ChrisFL]

WDW does not consider US or IOA to be competition.
Any guest that wants to drop a couple a hundred bucks at Sea World or any other venue does not affect WDW.
WDW sees their main competition as Home Depot.
"will my family spend 10k on a vacation to WDW this year?....or... will we build a new room addition/deck/patio/playroom ?

I disagree, US/IOA has become a resort destination all to itself, with it's own hotels, night time entertainment district, and 2 theme parks, so yes, they are in competition with Disney

 

[Padrepride]

Disney is going to respond to this. My belief is that Disney is going to announce a huge E-ticket ride and/or a new land around the same time that Potterland will open. This way Disney can steal some of Universal's thunder and make some Disney fans consider coming back to Universal if Potterland proves to be good.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Don't think i was attacking anyones opinion here. I was just making light of the fact of what my kids choices were. Doesn't make it right or wrong. I was trying to say that Disney may lose 1 day of our time in Orlando.

I think the point that Peter was trying to make was that there is no true way to judge what will happen based on the wide variety of opinions and preferences that will spontaneously occur among WDW tourists.

The fact that many are surprised (at the amount of die hard Disney fans are saying they will go to Harry Potter at USO) proves that there are driving forces that are now creating new differences among Disney fans. We all have our preferences on ride types, favorite parks, and what gets us up in the morning. Especially, when it comes to what we like and don't like within Disney. That can then be directly translated to the whole HP thing.

When you throw a new, unknown variable into an equation - you can try to predict the outcome, but gosh - you just never know what really floats someone's boat!

Did I get that right?

 

[Metro West]

WDW does not consider US or IOA to be competition.

Sure they do...anytime there might be another option to take some of Disney's money offsite, you better believe Disney considers it competition. How could they not?

I think the point that Peter was trying to make was that there is no true way to judge what will happen based on the wide variety of opinions and preferences that will spontaneously occur among WDW tourists.

The fact that many are surprised (at the amount of die hard Disney fans are saying they will go to Harry Potter at USO) proves that there are driving forces that are now creating new differences among Disney fans. We all have our preferences on ride types, favorite parks, and what gets us up in the morning. Especially, when it comes to what we like and don't like within Disney. That can then be directly translated to the whole HP thing.

When you throw a new, unknown variable into an equation - you can try to predict the outcome, but gosh - you just never know what really floats someone's boat!

Did I get that right?

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

I do like Harry Potter, but even if I dont know if Universal Studios can completley make it happen. I am curious to know what it will, and I probably will find out through disboarda nad pictures and things, considering I would rather sit in a hotel room and stare at the cieling for a week then even go on Universal property. "If I have to hug another princess, im gonna hurl!" That little girl o_o She drives me crazy, and Universal obviously doesn't play "fair", and isn't too much competition for Disney.
Disney is kind of laughing at Universal for trying so hard. Sorry universal fans, I dont think Universal is that good of a park. They just dont seem to have the right touch as Disney does, and I dont really think Disney is outdated or anything either like some of you think. Tomorrowland is my favorite land... it may not be what the future is/was going to be... but it was Walt's vision, and it is kind of cool just to see what they thought was going to happen back then. Dont expect flying cars all over the place.. lol the future is the future for a reason. And I think kids are really keeping up with everything Disney. They know who all the characters are, and they might not know exactly what the lands are, but that is a big part in going too. Learning! Its amazing to see what Western life was like, discovering your laughing place, and getting to know what pirates looked like and how they lived. Just to be whatever you want it magic.
Universal... you do get to explore, but its not the same. To explore Harry Potter's World would be cool, but I dont think it will help Universal too much. Maybe for a couple of harry Potter fanatics, but they would only come to see what it is and that is it. Disney definitley will have the upper hand- always.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

Oh lol- sorry guys but this is annoying me. What do you mean by Mission Mars? Do you mean Mission Space in Epcot? Some people do get sick on it I guess... it is enclosed, so it might be because of that. They have also made two different teams- green and orange. Green is the easier one and if you ask me almost anyone can do it. The CMs also ask you like 5 times if you want to get off before it starts, so you really are taken care of...
I didn't read all the posts of this thread because there were so many, but I think I saw something about some people not being into thrill rides? lol well if thats true I know a bunch of.. older.. people that love Disney even if they dont go on rides like Space mountain or more intense. There's shopping, tons of shows, and then small rides like Pirates, Dumbo, Haunted Mansion, people mover (im not sure what the new name of that is..) The laugh floor, and that is just a couple of things. Epcot is even better because they have the World Showcase and there are small rides and shows and movies to do there, the perfect thing for those who dont like thrills as much. Something for everyone from a child... to an adult.... to the more elderly.

 

[acehorseytink]

Oh lol- sorry guys but this is annoying me. What do you mean by Mission Mars? Do you mean Mission Space in Epcot? Some people do get sick on it I guess... it is enclosed, so it might be because of that. They have also made two different teams- green and orange. Green is the easier one and if you ask me almost anyone can do it. The CMs also ask you like 5 times if you want to get off before it starts, so you really are taken care of...
I didn't read all the posts of this thread because there were so many, but I think I saw something about some people not being into thrill rides? lol well if thats true I know a bunch of.. older.. people that love Disney even if they dont go on rides like Space mountain or more intense. There's shopping, tons of shows, and then small rides like Pirates, Dumbo, Haunted Mansion, people mover (im not sure what the new name of that is..) The laugh floor, and that is just a couple of things. Epcot is even better because they have the World Showcase and there are small rides and shows and movies to do there, the perfect thing for those who dont like thrills as much. Something for everyone from a child... to an adult.... to the more elderly.

I think what my friend here is trying to say is that disney has something for everyone, from every age to every interest. Universal tends to focus more on the thrill side of things and not so much the other things that appeal to all ages as disney does.

 

[acehorseytink]

And sorry emma, (keep in mind I LOVE DISNEY). but i do however want to check out universal too. I love thrill rides and want to see what they do with the harry potter land thing. But a trip to universal would only be mixed in with a disney trip, not on it's own as a sole trip like u can do with disney. And actually i think that is what alot of ppl do with the universal and other parks, go to several in one trip.

 

[Metro West]

I do like Harry Potter, but even if I dont know if Universal Studios can completley make it happen. I am curious to know what it will, and I probably will find out through disboarda nad pictures and things, considering I would rather sit in a hotel room and stare at the cieling for a week then even go on Universal property. "If I have to hug another princess, im gonna hurl!" That little girl o_o She drives me crazy, and Universal obviously doesn't play "fair", and isn't too much competition for Disney.
Disney is kind of laughing at Universal for trying so hard. Sorry universal fans, I dont think Universal is that good of a park. They just dont seem to have the right touch as Disney does, and I dont really think Disney is outdated or anything either like some of you think. Tomorrowland is my favorite land... it may not be what the future is/was going to be... but it was Walt's vision, and it is kind of cool just to see what they thought was going to happen back then. Dont expect flying cars all over the place.. lol the future is the future for a reason. And I think kids are really keeping up with everything Disney. They know who all the characters are, and they might not know exactly what the lands are, but that is a big part in going too. Learning! Its amazing to see what Western life was like, discovering your laughing place, and getting to know what pirates looked like and how they lived. Just to be whatever you want it magic.
Universal... you do get to explore, but its not the same. To explore Harry Potter's World would be cool, but I dont think it will help Universal too much. Maybe for a couple of harry Potter fanatics, but they would only come to see what it is and that is it. Disney definitley will have the upper hand- always.

So...since you've already decided Universal isn't worth your time, why do you think HP will not bring in large crowds and why don't you think Universal is that great of a park? Again...if you've never been and have no intention of going...how are you such an expert on Universal's advertising? I think the commercials are funny. Maybe since I have annual passes to BOTH Disney and Universal and can go whenever I want, I enjoy both resorts.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

Im not even sure when that commercial was out, but all I had to do was watch, im guessing spongebob, and that commercial came on a couple of times. It was awhile ago, and of course I do... study? Universal and read articles over it and compare, but I would never go in the parks and do it. Im too stubborn and would not go there because I would be too busy in the kingdom. But those commercials always hint at Disney, that was just the worst one. Others say somethign like "Buy a pass at Universal for half the price of a disney park hopper!" and all that kind of stuff. I wonder if that helps get visitors there or something...

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

lol tink, I know you LOVE Disney. You and dashyboy can go to Universal by yourselves, i'll go to epcot or another park by myself. Dont worry, I wont get lost

 

[DrDonald]

I can't wait for the HP land to open. I am interested to see what it will bring to Disney.