Harry Potter and Disney Really ??

[DancingBear]

Meg, we're glad to have you here; however, how did the brief, unattributed reference to a Harry Potter ride on Disney Corner become:

we at FAP can confirm that the Disney Imagineers are seriously looking into a HP attraction, as they have purchased the rights to a HP attraction.

and what is your basis for

we're pretty sure that the ride will not be located in Epcot's UK pavilion, but in some area of Future World.

Also, I don't wish to nitpick, but Universal is not affiliated with Warner Brothers.

BTW, I believe there was a brief reference to it above, but a major source of this rumor seems to be this story:

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=1208

If you know of any other sources/confirmation, please let us know!

 

[Lewisc]

At least 2 HP boards have the rumor BUT they both attribute Disney Corner as the source. Disney Corner also has monrail expansion and kingdom suites in the same project class as HP.

Makes sense either Universal or Disney has (or will get) HP rights. Sounds like Disney may be the one to get it but not sure about much else. We'll know something is up if we start seeing HP merchandise in the EPCOT gift shops.

 

[EUROPA]

Yeah I agree still seems like we really don't know at this point. Nobody shoot me but I hope that Disney does not get it. I think that Universal has more ability to really do HP justice. If the rumors were correct Universal had plans to develop a whole land and possibly a park around HP and I sure that I dont want to see something thrown together for Epcot.

 

[PrincessMeg]

Thanks for the welcome, Dancing Bear. I realize that I did not put all the sites that I got the information from in here, but I did find the information somewhere in addition to TLC. Sorry for not adding that in my first post.

I did go to the website you mentioned--but there I just found a repeat of the information I stated above. I believe that one of the posters at FAP linked to that webpage and another one.

Sorry for the mix-up, and thanks for calling me on it! I don't want people to think I'm alright with posting false information.

~Meg

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by PrincessMeg
Sorry for the mix-up, and thanks for calling me on it! I don't want people to think I'm alright with posting false information.

~Meg

This is a rumor board. No one is complaining about "false information". My point is most of the rumors are derived from Diseny Corner which has a number of other rumors listed that seem to be suspect.

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney comes up with some type of HP attraction, just not sure of when and where.

 

[DancingBear]

Originally posted by PrincessMeg
Sorry for the mix-up, and thanks for calling me on it! I don't want people to think I'm alright with posting false information.

~Meg

As Lewisc said, no problem here with rumors, just trying to pin down the sources.

 

[JessicaR]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...,0,6659529.column?coll=orl-business-headlines

Looks like HP isnt going anywhere...yet.

AOL lawyers cast spell on rumors
Susan Strother Clarke

August 8, 2003

Is there a Lord of the Rings attraction in Universal's future? How about a Harry Potter ride at Walt Disney World?

Not so fast, Muggle-breath.

Speculation on the Internet and in the theme-park industry has both companies going after rights for the characters from the phenomenally popular books and movies.

Turns out, those rights are well inside the AOL Time Warner family -- and the folks over there aren't willing to give 'em up.

"AOL Time Warner lawyers are talking to the attorneys at Universal and Disney about the rumor," said a Warner Bros. spokeswoman.

That would be talking to dispel the rumor, apparently.

Too bad. The idea seemed so perfect -- there was even Web talk about a Harry Potter ride at Epcot by 2005. Besides, ABC, which is owned by Disney, has paid $130 million to air the first two Potter movies. Vivendi Universal, meanwhile, has produced Lord of the Rings video games.

But, it's not meant to be, at least for now. And don't expect Harry Potter to find his way into a theme park of his very own -- such as Potter World -- or to land at Six Flags, which licenses other Warner Bros. characters.

"Right now, we don't care to do anything," a spokeswoman said.

 

[nhmomx2]

Why does this sound so implausible? Back in November '01 Disney was working on a deal with WB to purchase all non-pay television rights:

"The deal gives ABC a 10-year license for both Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, including all non-pay television rights. During that licensing period, the network can air the films on the Walt Disney Co.-owned cable networks Disney Channel and ABC Family"

www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/1098328

Whether or not they included in that deal the rights to an attraction I haven't found yet. I do, however, think MGM would be a more suitable location. But then again, Diagon Alley in WS would be kind of neat!!

 

[Lewisc]

I'm somewhat surprised that the rights holder to HP and LOTR licensed the theme park rights to AOL. I would have thought they would have dealt directly with Universal and Disney.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some dispute as to whether or not the theme park rights were licensed with the movie rights. AOL may be claiming the theme park rights are part of the merchandizing rights they licensed.

 

[DancingBear]

Good points, Lewisc. An issue may be who owns the rights to the characters and such vs. who owns the rights to same as depicted in the movie.

Why did Jim Hill write a year ago:

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.

http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/08142002.1.htm~contentFrame

 

[Planogirl]

I find it hard to believe that AOL would grab these rights and have no plans. I wonder what they're really up to?

 

[eclipseSD]

Considering Tolkien absolutely hated everything Walt Disney did and would never allow him to have the film rights to LOTR, it would be an insult to his honor if Disney were allowed to have theme park rights to LOTR.

 

[JeffH]

Maybe they could/should build a new Hogwart pavilion/castle.
A 'castle' like that would make a great addition to the World Showcase (although a bit out of theme), or a GREAT addition to Animal Kingdom as the centerpiece for the Fantasy section of the park.
At AK, the attractions within the castle would then feature unicorns and dragons (both of which have already appeared in the 2 movies), I can't think of a better theme that incorporates fantasy characters as HP. At AK the castle could easily be built in the giant section behind Camp Minnie Mickey (which features 'fantasy' characters) with the castle walls hiding the construction. No more 'Beastly Kingdom', I never liked that moniker anyway, make way for Hogwarts!!!
We should imagineer what Hogwarts could include...
Here are my thoughts (mainly of how it would work at AK).
1) A dark ride featuring Harry Potter's adventures and especially encounters with fantasy characters and his friends and enemies and the castle. As it travelled though the castle the 'routes' would change (moving stairs) creating a random ride. Each vehicle (or group of vehicles) would visit each section outside the castle, but the order would change with each ride.
-Hagrid's Hut and the dark forest (Baby dragon and Unicorns)
-The caves under Hogwarts (Dragon)
-The schoolyard
-The merchant area, Diagon Alley
-Hogsmeade
-the greenhouse
This dark ride would be more of a tour of the world of HP with the randomization gimick.
2) A low-speed, high-speed crazy car ride mimicing the flying car...cruising at times as you travel to Hogwarts and circle over it (some sort of high tech projection below you), accidentally get involved in game of Quidditch, then a fight with the living tree in the middle (where the car is batted back and forth and spins<spin controlled from inside the car>), ending with a high speed run through the black forest surrounded by spiders.
3) A soaring type attraction, but instead of hang gliders, of course we'd be riding brooms (each different). A room full of broom riders makes a lot more sense than a room full of hang glider flyers. We'd then all fly our brooms over California (only kidding), I mean Hogwarts and become part of a Quidditch game. This would be Broom 101, where we are taught how to fly...sortof like a HP carrousel. A new twist could be that you have some control over the broom being able to swing it left and right a few feet.
4) A Hogwart train(s) (including the magical through the wall
entrance) could also stop there and circle the park (at Epcot circle the back of the World Showcase with stops every 3rd country or so, at Animal Kingdom it would have stops at the back of Dinoland, Asia, Africa and, of course Hogwarts), and provide much needed transportation for this huge park.
5) A kids area featuring a playarea featuring themed stuff...
6) a little flying car ride (yes ANOTHER spinny ride) with a crazy tree in the middle trying to catch you.
7) and a hedgemaze
8) A large restaurant (maybe not as big as the one at Hogwarts) where a talking hat tells you where to sit
9) A 'Dinosaur' like dark ride which visits all the scary parts of HPs world...a HP Haunted Mansion featuring close encounters with dragons, spiders, centaurs, wizards...

I think an addition like this would bring a whole new group of people to WDW (which they hoped AK would do, but instead it siphoned of guests from the other parks) and to Animal Kingdom as well. I would see AK easily become the #2 park, with this.

After reading d-r's ideas (we sure think alike when it comes to rides) in the link below, it sure would help solve the (stupid) space problem at MGM, to have a train transport guests to an offsite Hogwarts section of the park.

 

[d-r]

I like the way you think Jeff - we started this once before-

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=404353&perpage=15&pagenumber=2