Holy Diagon Alley Batman!

[andyman8]

It does indeed look incredible! Not sure when I'm going to head up there to visit (maybe Labor Day?) but, even as a WDW AP holder, I plan on checking it out. Oddly enough, I'm not the least of a HP fan but just the theming and detail intrigues me enough to visit. I can't imagine the excitement a HP fan must be feeling about it.

Realistically though, from WDW's perspective, when your top park is beating out there's by 10 million people, they see no reason to pour so much time and effort into building something to overshadow HP. For them, there is more money to made in MagicBands & MyMagic+. Iger has made his priority expanding the "brand" in Asia, so that's where you'll see most of the company's money going. As a theme park fan, it's saddening.

This isn't to suggest that I don't see the magic in WDW anymore. The fact is most tend to let nostalgia cloud their view of WDW's past a bit. Nobody remembers the 60 minute line you had to wait in for Space in 1990 if you didn't want to wake up early. Now, you can book it the night before or even the day of. While I've been very disappointed to see some of these cutbacks (namely PUSH), I still find a WDW vacation very enjoyable. I firmly believe that WDW and UOR are in no way mutually exclusive and you can easily enjoy both.

 

[jm106]

We have worked a day at IOA and one at US in October but after seeing and reading about Diagon Alley, I was tempted to shave another day off of Disney and add it to US. We have 5 days in Disney, one being MNSSHP. No one can agree where to make changes so we probably wont revamp the schedule. I hope I love MNSSHP enough not to regret choosing that over another US day.

 

[sonofanarchy]

This is the point I always make for the naysayers of AVATARLAND.
It's up to WDW/JCameron to blow us away Pray

But here's the thing - Though not a fan of either, I was excited to see WWoHP. Like Star Wars, I don't think you need to be a fan to want to see it. I have NO desire to see a land based on Avatar. And I enjoyed Avatar more than Harry Potter. I just have no interest in any more Avatar anything.

 

[wareagle57]

We have worked a day at IOA and one at US in October but after seeing and reading about Diagon Alley, I was tempted to shave another day off of Disney and add it to US. We have 5 days in Disney, one being MNSSHP. No one can agree where to make changes so we probably wont revamp the schedule. I hope I love MNSSHP enough not to regret choosing that over another US day.

Instead of adding a 3rd day at US/IOA just make the two days be park to park tickets. You need that to ride the Hogwarts Express anyway.

 

[jm106]

Instead of adding a 3rd day at US/IOA just make the two days be park to park tickets. You need that to ride the Hogwarts Express anyway.

yes, thats is the plan.

 

[canoe86]

We are considering all options at this point. From Universal only to Disney only and everything in between.

 

[luisov]

They made a good decision of hiring the set designer and decorators of the Harry Potter films. If you're a HP fan, you'll know how passionate they are about the details. Nobody could've done it better.

In regards of the Disney comparison... Eh, I somehow disagree. Sure, Disney hasn't done anything impressive since the 90's (Except perhaps for Expedition Everest and Carsland). And yeah, Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade have the best theming Universal has ever done. However, the rest of US (with some exceptions) is definitely not as impressive. Great job to Universal though. I'm glad they have raised their own standards. Same goes for the other theme parks that have been improving their theming in recent years.

 

[EvilQueenLiz]

Last summer I did 2 days in Universal and 5 in WDW.
This year I'm doing 3 in Universal and 7 in Disney. I'm staying at a WDW resort and renting a car to get back and forth.
On previous trips I have done 7-10 days in Disney exclusively.
Next year I'm thinking of staying in Universals new "value" resort while I do another few days over there.
I LOVE Disney and you'll never see me visit Orlando without going there but they need to start doing something special to get my full business back.

 

[DCWarrior]

Isn't there a whole Universal Studios section on these forums to talk about this?!?!?!?!

 

[RescueRanger]

Isn't there a whole Universal Studios section on these forums to talk about this?!?!?!?!

If it didn't interest you, why did you even enter the thread? I personally think it relates to WDW parks. It shows what a theme park can do if they spend their money wisely. Universal is innovating and giving people what they want, rides! Disney on the other hand is giving us plastic bands and computer glitches that are actually reducing the guest experience.

 

[sethschroeder]

But here's the thing - Though not a fan of either, I was excited to see WWoHP. Like Star Wars, I don't think you need to be a fan to want to see it. I have NO desire to see a land based on Avatar. And I enjoyed Avatar more than Harry Potter. I just have no interest in any more Avatar anything.

Does not compute?

So you like Avatar more but you wanted to see something based on Harry Potter? Sounds like the marketing people at US did a real good job!

Avatar done correctly could go blow for blow with the theming of HP due to them being able to go out of this world with the idea. HP still has to be grounded in reality and if you didn't like the series than it's nothing more than throwback London...

Not saying HP isn't likely amazing in person but talking from someone who enjoys both series but isn't an extreme fan of either what you said is a very foreign concept to me especially considering there is a million ways to protray pandora and make it something spectacular.

 

[Tonyz]

First of all, as an immersive experience, nothing on earth beats WDW as a whole. The parks, downtown, the boardwalk, the resorts, the restaurants all under the magic bubble. So this post is regarding specific parks.

I'm a diehard Disney sycophant and I'll defend it to the death... but no doubt Universal has won this round. I have ZERO interest in anything that Universal has to offer... with the exception of Harry Potter Land. I'm not even a HP fan and I'd love to see Diagon Alley.

Universal really has stepped up its game. And what has Disney done? Well it expanded Fantasyland. Yes, that's AWESOME and I'll get more pleasure out of that than anything relating to HP.

BUT... what other BIG things has Disney done in the past few years? A completely unnecessary renovation of Fast Passes. The completely unnecessary change ala Magic Bands. Oh, and the genius idea of closing the Adventure's Club.

Yeah, they are beginning Avatarland... something that we're all still scratching our heads as to why they're doing this. I'm sure it'll be awesome, but it's so odd.

And who knows when it'll be done. I mean, how long did SDMT take compared to all of Diagon Alley??

WDW is my absolute favorite place on earth. And no matter what gets added to Universal or any other park, that will never change. I mean honestly, for me, the hub expansion is more exciting than Harry Potter. But no argument that Universal is showing that it can really compete with Disney.

And there's an endless list of things that could be updated/expanded. Tomorrowland needs a makeover. Hollywood Studios needs a makeover. Future World has way too many empty buildings.

For me, it'll always be Disney. But if the trend continues, there could very easily be a day very soon where Islands of Adventure starts to overtake DHS... then AK... then Epcot. Disney should stop fiddling with fast passes, get off their [butts] and do some damn IMAGINEERING!!!

 

[sethschroeder]

If it didn't interest you, why did you even enter the thread? I personally think it relates to WDW parks. It shows what a theme park can do if they spend their money wisely. Universal is innovating and giving people what they want, rides! Disney on the other hand is giving us plastic bands and computer glitches that are actually reducing the guest experience.

The person has a point this thread really does seem to belong on the universal section of the site.

 

[Networth]

See I enjoyed the HP books but never was that into the expansion? Yet I love Star Wars and the ride at HS, can't wait till/if the plans for that expansion get the green light. I'm happy for Universal, I've been many times (hold AP's to both Uni and Disney). Yet I will admit Disney wins on nostalgic moments hands down. Hopefully potter has set a fire under their **** at Dianeys board room but I doubt we will see much change to someone like Eisner replaces Iger. I so wish I could tell about some of the SW ideas but knowing the internet I don't need anyone loosing their job (old college roommate is an Imagineer). If the board would just let the Imagineers do what they do best people would see the "Disney Standard" come back, sigh...

Anyway I may take a quick day trip in August to Uni to see the new potter expansion.

 

[RescueRanger]

The person has a point this thread really does seem to belong on the universal section of the site.

I will state it again. It relates to this board as it shows the deficiency in what WDW has given us over the last several years in relation to what US has done. Look, I drank the kool-aid and bought into DVC a few years ago. However I have to be honest, I am less than thrilled at what WDW is becoming. If things don't turn around fast, and I mean Disney building meaningful rides, we will probably sell our DVC and start vacationing elsewhere.

 

[fairyprincess88]

How in the world do you spend 8 hours in WWOHP?

I guess I don't get it but maybe I will as we added 2 days for Universal onto our trip this fall and staying onsite. I just feel that if you didn't need to wait in lines you could easily see both areas in a half day but with waits it likely balloons to a full day.

Give me a list of things you do then in these areas?
Forbidden Journey
Dragon Challenge
Flight of Hippogriff
Gringotts
Hogwarts Express
Sprit Rally / Frog Choir
Shopping
Admiring the Sites
Eating at one of the restaurants

Am I missing things like special things that happen through the day? Or is it more the lines that take up time?

I have spent many, many hours and days upon days in the WWoHP. I'm a Potter nerd, just spending time wandering Hogsmeade is amazing to me. Exploring all the shops, looking at/photographing all the displays. My friends and I have spent hours just hanging out in the Owlery drinking butterbeers and sharing treats from Honeydukes and talking to other Potter fans.

Diagon is a whole other beast. I only had a few hours in there during the media event and I feel I have not even made a dent in exploring it. It is much bigger than Hogsmeade and there are so many corners and sections and twists and turns. There is Diagon Alley then into Horizont Alley, into Knockturn Alley and then into Carkett Market. I plan on taking most of an entire day in December just getting lost in there.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have spent many, many hours and days upon days in the WWoHP. I'm a Potter nerd, just spending time wandering Hogsmeade is amazing to me. Exploring all the shops, looking at/photographing all the displays. My friends and I have spent hours just hanging out in the Owlery drinking butterbeers and sharing treats from Honeydukes and talking to other Potter fans.

We can easily lose well over an hour sitting outside behind the Three Broomsticks, drinking Butterbeer or real beer or just coffee (I've developed a horrible brain freeze reaction to my fave frozen butterbeer, and I dislike the cold Butterbeer but also really don't like crying from pain...so I've started just having coffee if I don't want a beer) while sharing Rock Cakes. Talking, people watching, turtle watching (there are turtles that live in the water below)... And on our last trip, getting to meet Evanna Lynch by chance!

Riding, re-riding, walking, looking, sitting. DS loves Hippogriff and he will use the Express Pass and go again and again and again.

We have worked a day at IOA and one at US in October but after seeing and reading about Diagon Alley, I was tempted to shave another day off of Disney and add it to US. We have 5 days in Disney, one being MNSSHP. No one can agree where to make changes so we probably wont revamp the schedule. I hope I love MNSSHP enough not to regret choosing that over another US day.

What about going the morning and early afternoon before the party?

Isn't there a whole Universal Studios section on these forums to talk about this?!?!?!?!

Sure, but it's a slightly different audience. Different people talking about it (at least the newbies just discovering Universal). Trust me, if this thread were over there, the mods would talk about moving it over here, because there's so much WDW talk in it!

Last summer I did 2 days in Universal and 5 in WDW.
This year I'm doing 3 in Universal and 7 in Disney. I'm staying at a WDW resort and renting a car to get back and forth.
On previous trips I have done 7-10 days in Disney exclusively.
Next year I'm thinking of staying in Universals new "value" resort while I do another few days over there.
I LOVE Disney and you'll never see me visit Orlando without going there but they need to start doing something special to get my full business back.

Be sure to check out the prices of the others, especially Royal Pacific, because the unlimited Express Pass (included with the 3 Deluxe hotels) might be worth just enough to you to bump you up from Cabana Bay. CB looks super-cool and very fun, but that EP is awesome.

First of all, as an immersive experience, nothing on earth beats WDW as a whole. The parks, downtown, the boardwalk, the resorts, the restaurants all under the magic bubble.

For you.

For my family it's Disneyland and then right along with it Universal Florida. And then WDW.

Unfortunate that we dislike the DVC resort at Disneyland, and that Universal doesn't have a timeshare! Because owning DVC means we do sort of have to go to WDW every so often LOL. So far we haven't had a purely great visit to WDW. Sure wish I could have one of those!

 

[shepd]

You have to like Disney World for what it is. Truth is, the parent company is pouring TONS more money into Disney than is Universal into itself, just not in Florida. There was a thread a month or two back where someone detailed the incredible array of expansions to current properties along with entirely new theme parks around the world. Disney will continue to make tons of money in Orlando without mondo-major expansions there. They are looking at the big picture. The best way to grow the company is NOT huge Florida expansions, but instead entirely new presence around the globe.

I'm not so sure about that. I know that if, say, the only Disney that existed were Disney Paris, I'd have made the trip there. If you're not in the USA, and you don't have a Disney in your country, the specific location of Disney isn't all that important. The cost of decent length of stay Disney tickets is about the cost of airfare to many first wold countries, so it shouldn't factor in.

I think Disney might be spreading themselves thin with around the world locations, because there's always going to be a country without a Disney (I'd put bets on Disney never, ever building in Canada, for example--I have to drive for hours just to go to a Disney store, and I'm in the 10th most populated city here!).

Frankly, I'd almost rather Disney pour all the effort into one location so they could make it so incredible it'd draw people from across the planet there!

I say all this and I'm live pretty much as close to Disney as a foreigner can get.

 

[Planogirl]

I love to hang out in WWoHP. It's a great place to rest and people watch or see a show. I can do the same in some areas of WDW so for me it's not exclusive to Universal.

I'm so excited to see Diagon Alley!

 

[BugsDaddy]

A very impressive attraction that will pull some attendance from the Disney parks.

All that being said, it will not make a significant dent In the immersive experience that Disney offers. No one yet really sees US as a vacation destination. They see it as a max 3 day park. At least the vast majority. US just cannot compete on that level with Disney and they know it. It doesn't mean that they cannot increase their share of the theme park pie but they would need to probably add 3 to 5 of these same type of attractions (and one to two more gates) and some more resorts at different levels to even begin to compete with Disney on that level. I just don't think that will ever happen. Or at least not in the foreseeable future.