Hogwarts express to stop at Epcot!

[Jen D]

Warner Brothers has long associated its characters with Six Flags, which as least in the past it has owned a share of-- don't know if they still own part of it but Six Flags is still putting up rides based on DC characters... Six Flags specializes in gut-wrenching thrill rides, but I don't know if they could do something like Harry Potter justice. It would be nice if they'd license to Disney, but I'm skeptical... As for the Star Wars/Indiana Jones movies-- forgetting the fact that the relationship between Fox and Disney isn't nearly as acrimonious as that between AOL/TW and Disney... remember that 20th Century Fox does not control the rights to Star Wars, George Lucas does. From the beginning he has had unique control over the franchise- he wasn't even contractually obligated to bring the recent sequels to Fox. So I don't think Fox would have had much power to stop Lucas from dealing with Disney. Lucas and Spielberg had a similarly sweet deal with Paramount on the Indiana Jones pictures.

But the rumor is too tantalizing to die. All of us would love to see what Imagineering could do with Potter's world.

 

[swilphil]

If it's true that WB only has the movie rights to the first 3 books, there could be something to it. JK Rowling or the publishing company could have made a deal with Disney, especially since Disney is so international with parks in Europe and Asia.

 

[southernwingz]

I, along with many others, I'm sure, would love for this rumor to be true.

 

[TinkerBellPixie4GOAL]

For those of you thinking that this is just a rumor...check out THIS . It's a list of all that Disney is planning to do...and from what I know as an annual passholder who goes to Disney at least once or twice a week everything they say is true. And my sister who works at Universal says that they are taking on Lord of the Rings because Disney already has Harry Potter wrapped up.

Now as for the location...I believe that the ride should go in the space between Canada and the UK at Epcot where the Millenium pavillion used to be...that would be a perfect place for it. I don't see why they would put it in future world and they would be very pig headed to even try putting it in America...as the book premiered in the UK and it's author is British. No, I think that Disney will expand the UK to hold the Potter ride. Should be interesting. What do you think it may be like?

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by TinkerBellPixie4GOAL
Now as for the location...I believe that the ride should go in the space between Canada and the UK at Epcot where the Millenium pavillion used to be...that would be a perfect place for it.

That building is still there; it's used for special events and conventions.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by TinkerBellPixie4GOAL
For those of you thinking that this is just a rumor...check out THIS . It's a list of all that Disney is planning to do...and from what I know as an annual passholder who goes to Disney at least once or twice a week everything they say is true. And my sister who works at Universal says that they are taking on Lord of the Rings because Disney already has Harry Potter wrapped up.

Now as for the location...I believe that the ride should go in the space between Canada and the UK at Epcot where the Millenium pavillion used to be...that would be a perfect place for it. I don't see why they would put it in future world and they would be very pig headed to even try putting it in America...as the book premiered in the UK and it's author is British. No, I think that Disney will expand the UK to hold the Potter ride. Should be interesting. What do you think it may be like?

Well, it appears that there is a CM on this link that says it is still a rumor. http://www.disneycorner.com/modules...opic&t=4665&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

 

[grimgrinnin]

Originally posted by goofyandmore
I don't know if you have heard, but Disney has announced that they will be building a Harry Potter attraction at Epcot in 2006.

Disney has not announced this. There's a world of difference between a rumor on the innernet(TM) and a Disney press release.

grim

 

[NotUrsula]

For those wondering, WB *does* run theme parks. They are called "Warner Brothers Movie World." There are none in the US, but there is one in Australia and one in Spain that I know of, and probably more in development; the one in Australia already has a HP attraction, which is a walk-through set of Diagon Alley.

 

[Jen D]

Warner Brothers definitely has the rights to Book 4 because Mike Newell has already been hired to direct and and start preproduction. I've never heard anything to indicate WB didn't buy the rights to the entire series.

 

[Darwineffect]

as nice as it would be to see a HP attraction at any theme park, I believe this is a VERY loose rumor. The biggest basis for this is the sales of HP merchandise at the parks, but Universal also carries HP stuff and did long before Disney sold any. I even think one of the new shops at SeaWorld carries the HP books. I had read an article in the Orlando Sentinal, the local paper here, a few years ago that Universal studios had won the theme park rights to both Potter and the Lord of the ringsa dn was planning on developing a third park based on them. This has yet to happen obviously but I think the point is that until I see an attraction, I don't think any park has a locked deal.

 

[goofyandmore]

If the fact that Harry Potter music is being played in Disney World doesnt'n cause you to suspect some upcoming disney - Harry Potter connection, I don't know what does. Would WB play the Mickey Mouse Club song at WB Movieworld for no particular reason? Disneycorner.com might not be such an unreliable source after all as they along with many harry potter sites have recognized that The Worlds most magical story will at some point in time be coming to the Worlds most magical place.

 

[On Schedule]

Disney is building the "Soaring over California" ride at Epcot attached to The Land. It will be marketed as a gift from Disneyland for the anniversary.

After a year or two, the ride will be revamped, and a new "theme" will be added to the same ride.

No Harry Potter ride is coming to Epcot.

Thanks!

 

[erikthewise]

Well, they could make a Quidditch movie to show at the "Soarin'" attraction. If they really wanted to.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Please follow this link to an article I recently posted regarding Time Warner's response to the rumors. There are definitely some great ideas on this board as to what Disney COULD do with Potter, but, right now, it looks like they won't be doing anything.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=419801

 

[eeyore0062]

This is complete and total "hogwash". Time/Warner owns Harry Potter and is not selling the rights to Disney. There was an article dispelling these myths in the Orlando Sentinal Business section this past week.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by goofyandmore
If the fact that Harry Potter music is being played in Disney World doesnt'n cause you to suspect some upcoming disney - Harry Potter connection, I don't know what does. Would WB play the Mickey Mouse Club song at WB Movieworld for no particular reason? Disneycorner.com might not be such an unreliable source after all as they along with many harry potter sites have recognized that The Worlds most magical story will at some point in time be coming to the Worlds most magical place.

They play music by Yanni too, does that mean they are going to do an attraction with him?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

..........

 

[ZachnElli]

It would be great, but I don't believe it. That link (the Disney Corner) also said they were expanding the monorail everywhere! I wish! We asked the monorail driver this just last month, he'd worked there 14 years and he said they will never expand that, it costs way too much now. It's all just rumors!

 

[Fantasmic303]

Seeing as how I'm apparently invisible in my posts, let me try this again to settle the rumor, atleast for now.

I'm not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, and if it has I apologize, but I've seen the "Harry Potter at Epcot" rumors on this board and figured I'd post to squash them. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on if you're a fan or not), there is no project currently on Disney's plate that includes Harry.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
AOL lawyers cast spell on rumors
Published 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.

 

[tltjet]

Here is an interesting artical that you all might like to read at
www.jimhillmedia.com.