Harry Potter coming to Hollywood

[doconeill]

According to the Wall Street Journal, Universal Hollywood will get a version the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, likely to be announced next week:

Second 'Harry Potter' Park Planned

(subscribers can get the whole article)

I wonder if that means the year it opens my annual Syfy press event will be out there...probably won't be able to use my DVC points to avoid the cost of the room

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I find this all to be incredibly odd. A tremendous amount of time and effort went into building the Harry Potter area in collaboration with the author, J.K. Rowling. I can't see this happening to the level of detail once again. I guess only time will tell.

 

[doconeill]

I find this all to be incredibly odd. A tremendous amount of time and effort went into building the Harry Potter area in collaboration with the author, J.K. Rowling. I can't see this happening to the level of detail once again. I guess only time will tell.

I'm not sure why it would be a problem. They have all the plans already...it should be less work to do it again...according to the DVDs, the Three Broomsticks set built for Half Blood Prince was actually based on the design at WWOHP.

Of course, they need to fix a number of things too, like the size of the shops...and the rides would probably not be exactly the same.

What it would likely do is dilute the visitors that currently come cross country for it...but it could get a lot more visitors overall.

I'm also wondering what this could do to rumored expansion of the existing one.

 

[kbelle8995]

Well that is interesting. Hopefully they will make the shops bigger.

 

[doconeill]

I'm surprised there wasn't an updated post on this yet...but Universal P&R confirmed the Hollywood version of WWOHP today in an announcement at the park. There weren't many details, but they did confirm the castle and Forbidden Journey will be part of it. They also announced (with no other detail) that they will expand WWOHP in Orlando. And there were statements that both parks would be similar in scope (not sure if they meant pre- or post-expansion).

 

[disney david]

here the details of us hollywood and them expanding the one in orlando.



http://www.**************.net/2011/12/wizarding-world-expansion-confirmed-for-universal-orlando-harry-potter-details-announced-for-universal-studios-hollywood/


here another story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/theme-park-based-on-jk-rowling-novels-to-get-second-home-in-hollywood-after-orlando-success/2011/12/06/gIQAeM15ZO_story.html

 

[DisneyKevin]

Listen to the show we recorded today and you'll hear the rumors about the Oralndo expansion.

 

[doconeill]

Listen to the show we recorded today and you'll hear the rumors about the Oralndo expansion.

Oh, I know the rumors...

 

[disney david]

Listen to the show we recorded today and you'll hear the rumors about the Oralndo expansion.

Can't wait for to to hear the show but I hear one rumor about them turning jaws which is closing in to the expansion and connecting it by train.

 

[doconeill]

Can't wait for to to hear the show but I hear one rumor about them turning jaws which is closing in to the expansion and connecting it by train.

That's the wackiest of them...

 

[disney david]

That's the wackiest of them...

I know I don't think that will happen it dose not make that much sense but you never know with us. But here they go again here their headline harry potter theme park planned for Hollywood it not a separate theme park it just an area.

 

[DisneyKevin]

That's the wackiest of them...

Hmmm....

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I know I don't think that will happen it dose not make that much sense but you never know with us. But here they go again here their headline harry potter theme park planned for Hollywood it not a separate theme park it just an area.

They know darn well they can't market it that way out here.

This renovation (because they can't really expand without ripping out some working soundstages) will actually revitalize that park. We actually discuss this a little on the show this week. They currently are offering (in conjunction with their Grinchmas advertising) that if you buy a ticket this month, you will get free admission for all of 2012. Basically, an annual pass with an extra month - for $77 or whatever it is they are charging these days.

Most folks don't realize that Universal Hollywood actually sits in the middle of a residential area, and is built on a hillside and in the corresponding canyon. This makes for construction plans that have to be approved by the neighboring communities, especially since they will now incur additional noise and traffic burdens in the area.

Time will tell how they plan to design it. Those shops won't be bigger and the traffic flow will be a much greater problem. They already have significant guest distribution and pathway congestion issues in that park, anyway, due to the fact that the only way from one level of the park to the other is by massive outdoor escalators/staircase.

Living in the neighboring community, I'm watching this unfold with great interest. We are an entertainment industry family, as are many of our neighbors and the parents of our childrens' friends. It's been fun to discuss this with them.

 

[disney david]

They know darn well they can't market it that way out here.

This renovation (because they can't really expand without ripping out some working soundstages) will actually revitalize that park. We actually discuss this a little on the show this week. They currently are offering (in conjunction with their Grinchmas advertising) that if you buy a ticket this month, you will get free admission for all of 2012. Basically, an annual pass with an extra month - for $77 or whatever it is they are charging these days.

Most folks don't realize that Universal Hollywood actually sits in the middle of a residential area, and is built on a hillside and in the corresponding canyon. This makes for construction plans that have to be approved by the neighboring communities, especially since they will now incur additional noise and traffic burdens in the area.

Time will tell how they plan to design it. Those shops won't be bigger and the traffic flow will be a much greater problem. They already have significant guest distribution and pathway congestion issues in that park, anyway, due to the fact that the only way from one level of the park to the other is by massive outdoor escalators/staircase.

Living in the neighboring community, I'm watching this unfold with great interest. We are an entertainment industry family, as are many of our neighbors and the parents of our childrens' friends. It's been fun to discuss this with them.

I know but that how some articles are saying you know they love to call it a park I guess for them it sounds better then saying harry potter land to be add to us Hollywood. So far they said you getting the castle and the ride and I am sure shops but wondering if they will give them a ride that us Orlando dose not to be different. I know it the biggest throng they have but in 10-15 years do to think it be a huge draw with no new movies or books. But we will have to wait and see may be she will write another book.

On a side note I wonder if the castle will be bigger then Disneyland that would just be wrong. I am sure Tom bell will be on castle watch to make sure they don't build it bigger then Disney lands.

 

[doconeill]

Hmmm....

Now that I've listened, I'll explain...but as John joked, the train ride has a significant distance to traverse in an active backstage area. This isn't like the WDW Railroad, which crosses access areas but otherwise is in the woods - this is buildings, parking, etc. They would have to relocate all of that, or somehow "bury" it or grade-separate it, to keep the illusion. There are some other ideas that come to mind, but they are even more expensive (like a virtual train ride - wasn't that once considered for the Japan pavilion?)

I think the concept is GREAT, if the can pull it off though.

There is another effect that wasn't mentioned - if the expansion is part of USO, and to traverse between them requires a two-park ticket, they've finally figured out a way to get people to pay an upcharge for Harry Potter...who's going to go to only see half?

And I can't imagine the wait times just to get between them...

 

[DisneyKevin]

Now that I've listened, I'll explain...but as John joked, the train ride has a significant distance to traverse in an active backstage area. This isn't like the WDW Railroad, which crosses access areas but otherwise is in the woods - this is buildings, parking, etc. They would have to relocate all of that, or somehow "bury" it or grade-separate it, to keep the illusion. There are some other ideas that come to mind, but they are even more expensive (like a virtual train ride - wasn't that once considered for the Japan pavilion?)

I think the concept is GREAT, if the can pull it off though.

There is another effect that wasn't mentioned - if the expansion is part of USO, and to traverse between them requires a two-park ticket, they've finally figured out a way to get people to pay an upcharge for Harry Potter...who's going to go to only see half?

And I can't imagine the wait times just to get between them...

I understand all of what you are saying....but I'm hearing from some reliable sources that this is a pretty accurate idea of what's coming.

Plans can change...or be scrapped all together, but at this point in time, this seems to be the plan.

We'll see.

 

[doconeill]

I understand all of what you are saying....but I'm hearing from some reliable sources that this is a pretty accurate idea of what's coming.

Plans can change...or be scrapped all together, but at this point in time, this seems to be the plan.

We'll see.

And I'm not saying it's impossible, or coming from a bus driver...only that is it the wackiest of the rumors, regardless of it being true or not