Harry Potter?

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I thought I remembered Disney being in negotiation at one point for the rights to Harry Potter for DHS as well.

 

[Macca1111]

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_h...-mousewatch-you-ll-believe-a-car-can-fly.aspx

I thought I remembered Disney being in negotiation at one point for the rights to Harry Potter for DHS as well.

They were and they blew it, so JK shopped it over to Universal. If Jim Hill is correct, she was insanely demanding about the way her properties were handled, and Disney wasn't willing to go as far as she needed. Let me go see if I can find that in his archives...http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_h...-mousewatch-you-ll-believe-a-car-can-fly.aspx is one of the articles he wrote about it. If you search Harry Potter over there, you'll find the others.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

When we go to WDW we never leave Disney property. But we figure once Harry Potter opens we will have to plan a day trip over to see it. Our whole family are huge fans of Harry and honestly I would love to go to IOA and ride some of those coasters!

This is kind of our plan too. We have been waiting for our children to get a bit older before we went to Universal, because they have a lot more thrill rides. December 2010 sounds like a great time for us to have our first visit to Universal - Great! A whole new theme park experience to start planning for! My husband will be thrilled! (That's totally scarcastic, since he can't quite understand my anal WDW planning at this point. He does always appreciate it once we get there, though.)

 

[WeatherbySwann]

When we go to WDW we never leave Disney property. But we figure once Harry Potter opens we will have to plan a day trip over to see it. Our whole family are huge fans of Harry and honestly I would love to go to IOA and ride some of those coasters!

Same here. I've never been to Universal simply because I was happy with Disney and didn't see a need to spend precious vacation time away from WDW. But I think when this opens we may just have to spend a day over at Universal . . . I'm a huge HP fan.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_h...-mousewatch-you-ll-believe-a-car-can-fly.aspx

They were and they blew it, so JK shopped it over to Universal. If Jim Hill is correct, she was insanely demanding about the way her properties were handled, and Disney wasn't willing to go as far as she needed. Let me go see if I can find that in his archives...http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_h...-mousewatch-you-ll-believe-a-car-can-fly.aspx is one of the articles he wrote about it. If you search Harry Potter over there, you'll find the others.

I knew I heard something about it at the time. Thanks for helping me to remember.

 

[MassMom94]

We always include at least 3 days at Universal and Islands of Adventure. We always seem to have our best day on vacation at Universal Studios while our worst day always seems to be at DHS. Strange, huh?

Nope - not strange at all to me!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

We have never been to Univeral, never have wanted to, but will after the dust settles and HP Wizarding world is not COMPLETE madhouse.

I can't fathom the folks that will decend to Orlando for this. I mean, millions are serious fans.

 

[Nie0214]

I can't fathom the folks that will descend to Orlando for this. I mean, millions are serious fans.

I considered a Harry Potter tattoo for my latest, but decided against it. I started reading the books when I was 11 or so, as did many others. We're all old enough to travel down to Universal alone now. I could totally see spending a whole day in HP World.

 

[DOOM1001]

I've never seen a HP movie to this day.I'm going to try and see them before the Hp section opens at IOA.There hasn't been any solid details on what attractions will be going there,there has been talk that the major attraction will be using the robotic KuKa arm which will be amazing if it's true.

 

[jfinke]

It wasn't a criticism on any part or WDW vs. US. If I wanted to do that, I could certainly do that.

My only point, at least for me, is that most of the hype around HP has died down with the release of the last book. I don't know what their plans are, I haven't researched it much. But most of the locales have not changed in the later books at all.

Pottermania really seemed to peak around Goblet of Fire. I have no numbers to back that up, just a gut feeling. I certainly could be wrong. I would have just struck when there was still some mystery around the whole storyline. But, I also realize that these things can take years to plan and develop. And as mentioned above, JKR is a bit of micromanager, as is her right.

I really have not been paying attention to any kind of Toy Story attraction.

 

[Nie0214]

My only point, at least for me, is that most of the hype around HP has died down with the release of the last book. I don't know what their plans are, I haven't researched it much. But most of the locales have not changed in the later books at all.

Pottermania really seemed to peak around Goblet of Fire. I have no numbers to back that up, just a gut feeling.

If you aren't looking for HP fandom, you won't find it, but it's still huge. Post-Order of the Phoenix was a giant crowd, way bigger than GoF. I remember going to midnight release parties for these books.

I've never seen a HP movie to this day.I'm going to try and see them before the Hp section opens at IOA.There hasn't been any solid details on what attractions will be going there,there has been talk that the major attraction will be using the robotic KuKa arm which will be amazing if it's true.

The movies are okay. I always wonder when I watch them if someone who hasn't read the book has any clue about what's going on. They just seem like they would be hard to follow for anyone who hasn't read the books.

 

[december]

I haven't seen all the movies, either. But I've read all the books, and I'm 35! I bought the first one for my son a few years ago. Year before last my school started a mandatory reading program. Our bell rings at 7:45, kids have to be in class at 7:50, and they have to read until 8:10, when the 1st pd bell rings. Teachers were asked to read during this time, too. The first morning I didn't have a book, and I grabbed his Harry Potter. I fell in love with it! I went the next weekend and bought the next 5, for him of course . And I preordered the last one and finished it less than 24 hours later!

I'm working on the movies now, but highly recommend you read the books first!

 

[Redbudlover]

I am a solid fanatic WDW fan and never go off site for anything but the airport - and I travel there on ME. However I looooove Harry Potter and am so excited about this opening. Next trip once it opens will definitely include a one nite stay there for FPs and a new exploration of Universal.

 

[JenM]

Pottermania really seemed to peak around Goblet of Fire. I have no numbers to back that up, just a gut feeling. I certainly could be wrong. I would have just struck when there was still some mystery around the whole storyline. But, I also realize that these things can take years to plan and develop. And as mentioned above, JKR is a bit of micromanager, as is her right.

I would definitely disagree with that. Last summer I saw the latest HP movie at opening night at the IMAX and it was a madhouse--even the 3am show was sold out. A week later we went to the midnight release of the last book, and the crowd was even bigger and crazier than the crowd from the movies.

There's another movie coming out in the fall, Deathly Hallows is being split into 2 movies, and I think the last part is being released right around the same time as the theme park is opening. I'm sure there will plenty of cross-promotion with the last films and the theme park.

On top of that, I know quite a few kids who are just starting to get into the books and movies now and they love it. Even though the series is finished, it has plenty of rabid fans that would love see a theme park, myself included.

 

[amloveaffair]

This excites me! The books are soooooo much better than the movies though. I agree with the poster who said the movies are hard to follow. They leave so much out! I know that it's a movie and it's bound to happen but the way the edit it and choose what goes in and what doesn't, sucks. I got to see OOTP before it was released because I worked at a big time movie theatre [Rave] and I was just let down.

 

[JenM]

I enjoy the movies on their own (I watched all 5 in a row last week after I had my wisdom teeth pulled), but I agree...the books are soooo much better. I've even read the British versions of the books--the stories are exactly the same, but there are some slight differences from US books.

And I hear they're changing a ton of stuff in the next movie, so I'm bracing myself for it now.

I haven't been to Universal since we had a bag stolen there in 2005, but I will definitely head back once the HP park opens. My nephew should be just big enough to go to WDW by then, so it gives us an excuse to do both parks.

 

[jfinke]

It must just be me. I read the last four books the day they were released. But, after reading the last one, I guess I am done. It closed the story line for me. An HP theme park really isn't doing much for me at this point.

And yes, the movies are far inferior to the books. I was really disappointed in PoA even though I loved the setting much more than the previous two movies. If they had just spent 10 minutes explaining the meaning behind the patronus charm and maurader's map, it would have been complete.

 

[SkyGirl]

I am beyond excited for the final movies to come out, to go to Universal and to eventually, in many many many years to come, introduce my Grandchildren to Harry. It is one of those things that we can count on and enjoy forever, like LOTR and Disney!!

 

[trekkie2]

ohh wouldn't a LOTR park be cool too! charactor dinners with the orcs Actually, i would so be there for that. until then will be anxiously waiting for HP

 

[WeatherbySwann]

I've even read the British versions of the books--the stories are exactly the same, but there are some slight differences from US books.

Hmmm, interesting . . . I might have to find those.