Does disney have rights to Harry Potter????

[Bob O]

http://themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=1208
I dont know how true this may be, but it is interesting????

 

[EUROPA]

According to Jim Hill....Universal has the Theme Park rights to develop attractions for Harry Potter and LOTR..

In fact the rumor is that Universal's Third Theme park in Orlando is going to have Hogworts Castle as it's centerpiece.

 

[Planogirl]

I can't imagine why Mr. Gault would say such a thing because as the article stated, Disney would likely let it be known if they actually had HP wrapped up. HP would be a major coup for a theme park, I can already see the kids of a certain age set excited about HP attractions.

I just can't see Disney keeping quiet about this and I also can't see them spending the kind of money it's likely to take to get Harry Potter.

 

[wtg2000]

Is it possible that nobody has them, that when JK Rowling sold the movie rights they didn't include theme park rights?

I think a Harry Potter land in England, where the books take place, would be more appropriate.

 

[Lewisc]

Newsday reported (2 years ago?) that Universal has the theme park rights to LOTR and Harry Potter. I am surprised (if true) they haven't announced anything. Do they even have stuff in the gift shops?

 

[Bob O]

You would have thought that any park that has the rights to Potter/LOTR would have had some type of show/ride in the process ob being built while these properties are still very hot and in the news.

 

[Dznefreek]

In fact the rumor is that Universal's Third Theme park in Orlando is going to have Hogworts Castle as it's centerpiece

This is the first time I have heard of this. Anyone else hear this before?

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Dznefreek
This is the first time I have heard of this. Anyone else hear this before?

It's been kicked around on the Universal board quite a few times by a couple of the employees...So before anyone ask me to "prove it" rolleyes: )I can't. So I;m not sure how ture it is... there even seems to be doubt if Universal even has the rights...so its hard to say...unless you see someone start building an attraction we are not going to find out until then...because regardless of who owns the theme park rights, nobody is going to say they do until they have something being built. Neither Universal or Disney want to answer questions as to why they were sitting on the rights for so long.

 

[eclipseSD]

From Theme Park Insider:

Every once in awhile Universal Orlando President Bob Gault holds a “Lunch with Bob” question and answer session. Middle and upper management types sit around and pepper Mr. Gault with questions regarding various projects and ideas. Mr. Gault responds and then assigns people to follow up on promising suggestions

On Thursday, July 3rd, Mr. Gault hosted one such question and answer session. The minutes from the meeting were circulated among various personnel at Uninersal Orlando.

While there were several interesting questions, Gault’s answer to one particular inquiiry was especially notable.

Question: Has Universal pursued ‘Lord of the Rings’ or Harry Potter?

Gaults’ answer: “Disney has Harry Potter wrapped up. We will check into ‘Lord of the Rings.’

From an IOA Central poster(an "insider") in March:


True, the entire park will not be based on the Harry Potter franchise alone but I can tell you that Hogwarts Castle will be the parks signature 'weenie'. As beautiful as Cinderella Castle is Hogwarts, from what I have heard will be something truly special. Lord of the Rings will definitely play an intricate part of Universal's next park but remember the Harry Potter franchise has a very long ways to go before completion. By the time this mythical thrid park is completed you might be able to walk through the gates of the park and have the compete story of Harry hit the big screen.


Between you and me guys, you don't know how close The Simpsons actually came to having a home at Islands of Adventure.


Universal does have all theme park rights to both franchises and I do understand your reluctance towards the whole Potter shindig as it is not geared towards the age bracket of this board (of course I'm assuming most here are teenagers to young adult males). Universal though sees this oppertunity to really take Mickey to town and steal the child demographic from Disney. While you may not be interested in Harry, millions apon millions of young children love the young wizard. Imagine a massive, enchanting castle floating in mist as the theme to Harry Potter swells around you. If done right, Universal Creative has a chance to really out do Disney. Some of the attraction possiblities I've heard are simply amazing! (Of course I can't tell, sorry guys) Now also expect something truly amazing when Universal tackles the LOTR franchise too, Universal knows this is also a gold mine. I'm sure Peter Jackson will also be tapped to help design and create Middle Earth, Mordor, the Shire, Mt. Doom, Helm's Deep ect... who knows what will happen.

As far as The Simpsons are concerned, imagine a crazy bus ride with Auto as you try and save the Simpsons from I belive it was Mr. Burns. That was a good six years ago that I first heard of this so excuse me if I forget some of the goodies. I do think Toon Lagoon was originally to be based on cartoons not comic book charcaters. I don't think a seperate area was ever designed for Springfield.


From Jim Hill:

Speaking of Peter Jackson: Here's one reason that Disney's infamous Imagineers envy the folks at Universal Creative: Universal has the theme park rights to use all of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" characters to build new shows and rides around. And here's another reason why Mickey gets jealous whenever anyone ever brings up Universal: You know J.K. Rowling's highly popular "Harry Potter" series. Universal Studios has the theme park rights to all of those characters as well.

These contradictions confuse me.

 

[jlambrig]

Disney does have the network broadcast rights for showing the Potter movies and also they are running a contest for the next movie. So it does look like they are trying to get the rights to the various pieces of the franchise. But seeing how Rowling is now richer than the Queen, I think we should question when will she buy the rights to Disney?

 

[ErikdaRed]

The management comment could be that while Universal owns the theme park rights to Harry Potter, Disney could "own" the idea of a "magical" park centered around a castle. I could see that Universal wouldn't want to be seen as knocking off Disney.

 

[Lesley]

Whoever gets Harry to incorporate into a theme park certainly has the opportunity to do great things.....there are many people, both young and old who would love the opportunity to walk into the world of wizards...leave Muggle life behind for a while.

But then again, that's the appeal of WDW for a lot of people....leaving the real world behind. If Universal has HP and does a better job of creating an immersive experience than Disney has available at the same time (Disney certainly has had a great history of this...but its slowly being chipped away) this could tip the scales, IMO. Not that I have complete faith that they could pull it off.....but we can hope someone does!

I think a Hogwarts Castle serving as a hotel (ie. the Mira Costa at TDS) and as a "weenie" for a theme park could work very well.....where do you want to stay, Gryffindor tower? Ravenclaw? Slytherin's dungeon? Sorting could even be incorporated into check-in. Add the Hogwarts grounds, Hogsmeade, a portkey or two to other wizard places like Diagon Alley (or create the experience of traveling by floo) or even into the muggle world of Privet Drive.... it could be good, very good. And Rowling's stories certainly give plenty of opportunites to create rides! Game of Quidditch anyone?

I guess I just exposed myself as a complete Harry Potter geek...didn't I? LOL...whatever!

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Lesley
I guess I just exposed myself as a complete Harry Potter geek...didn't I? LOL...whatever!

All of that sounds great...you can't be more of a HP geek then I am. Checkout my Avatar.

 

[wtg2000]

I'm just wondering if JK Rowling would let them build a Harry Potter world in Florida and not in England.

 

[Legends of Horizons]

Exactly what does Gault mean by "wrapped up"? Would “Disney has Harry Potter wrapped up." refer to Disney actually owning the rights, or rather might Disney somehow (probably through legal channels) have the Potter franchise "wrapped up" (tied up) in the courts or negotiations at the present time, thus preventing any development.

Just idle speculation. It seems clear Universal has this license for itself, but Gault's comment must mean something.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by wtg2000
I'm just wondering if JK Rowling would let them build a Harry Potter world in Florida and not in England.

$$$ that would be as dumb as only selling the book and merchandise in England... why limit youself to a small number of customers.

 

[wtg2000]

Harry is a worldwide phenomenum with its roots in England. To build it ONLY in the US could be a bad PR move and be seen as selling out to the Americans.

The book analogy doesn't really work since a book can easily be distributed around the world. It's a bit harder to build Harry Potter world in every country. And remember, England is close to a continent with millions and millions of people. I'm sure they'd get a few visitors and it would feel much more authentic going to an HP park in England. Orlando just doesn't say Harry Potter.

 

[jlambrig]

This is what they had in WB Movie World in Australia

In the HARRY POTTER MOVIE MAGIC EXPERIENCE, guests were able to enter the spellbinding world of Harry Potter and meander down a fully re-created Diagon Alley discovering a captivating display of sets inspired by Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and real artefacts from the film.

I didn't know it was the Philosopher's Stone for the UK edition. Apparently the American publisher changed it to Sorcerer's Stone.

 

[EUROPA]

Wrong...regardless of the millions of people in Europe...America is still the place for this sort of thing. They sell more books here, they sell more toys, they sell more t-shirts, Florida is the number one tourist destinatio. $$$ wise just building something in England does not make sense.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Think about the climate...ugh.