Can we thank Harry Potter for the "new & improved WDW"?

[Scifidiner]

If everything that has been announced at D23 comes to fruition I will be thrilled beyond words. I hope and pray that Disney does this right. I do have to wonder how much the WWoHP's success has had on these improvements. It's one of those things that is virtually impossible to prove. But IMO I believe it's at least one of the reasons Disney has upped it's game.

 

[umichigan10]

It's both Harry Potter sections, and also the fact universal has expanded their parks in other ways (including adding a water park, and owning another 400 acre parcel) and building more on property hotels. They're making it into a true destination which will only fuel disneys urge to build. Good for the consumer

 

[toonaspie]

Harry Potter pretty much kicked off the theme park renaissance which we are grateful to be experiencing at this time. Universal getting that franchise was the best thing to happen to both companies. I remember for quite a while WDW was in a slump and the people in charge of the resort at the time didn't really care to do any fixes. Then Harry Potter at Universal became wildly successful to the point that it took customers AWAY from Disney and that was enough to scare them into finally getting to work on improvements.

 

[cuteandfluffy626]

Walt Disney World has been the King of theme parks for so long it took them a long time, even after the WWOHP was first opened to see they were being dethroned. Thank god Diagon Alley finally kicked them in the *** and they are finally adding and rethemeing areas of the parks that desperately need attention.