HP Critics Review

[tfoster]

Sure you aren't thinking of Veruca Salt?

YES!! Veruca it is!!

 

[Rip]

I won't argue that Disney could have done it better. For what was done, Universal did an outstanding job. I would only echo the key criticisms of the DisUnplugged gang. While they've been harsh at times, they've also appropriately lauded the good things. The biggest issues I have are:

The whole "Disney would have done better" is really a moot point. They were totally unwilling to, so they would not have. I agree with you here.

1) There's just not enough of it. WWoHP was wedged inside Lost Continent, and it's biggest drawbacks all have to do with space. I see this mostly as a missed opportunity. Universal could have built a truly repeatable crowd-magnet if they'd added a couple more (non-coaster) rides and spread out the shopping and perhaps added a "real" restaurant (perhaps entering Diagon Alley via a Fireplace-shaped entrance - like using the Floo Network to pass between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade).

20 acres (approximately 1/4 the size of the entire MK) and over a quarter of a billion dollars. I'd love for there to be more, but I think it's a bit unrealistic to expect them to build what could have been a true 3rd gate at this point.

2) The marketing of WWoHP all along has been terribly disingenuous. That isn't really a strike against the attractions, but more a strike against the Universal decisionmakers' hyperbolic claims and consistent under-delivery.

A valid point but I disagree. I think they planned it as a "theme park within a theme park" intentionally, which kind of addresses your next criticism. And FWIW, the only people I've really seen criticize this are on Dis - not exactly an unbiased lot.

3) Related to #1, cramming HP fans into the narrow space of WWoHP forces guests to treat WWoHP like a separate park, even when it's not a separate park. It creates long waits for everything, and forces guests to plan around lines, instead of planning around attractions. I know that, for my family, it's a big reason why we'll only be spending one day at Universal. We've planned that day around HP crowds. Any other attractions we get to do are gravy. Then we'll move on.

You also must realize that, unlike Disney, they have a very finite amount of land to work with. There is nothing that they can do about that.

Universal gets TONS of credit from me for doing a beautiful job with the theming, for including the food and drink menus in the authenticity they've created, and for getting more out of re-themed existing attractions than I thought they could (though I'm still bothered by there being only two dragons at the Tri-Wizard Tournament).

Why would you think they couldn't get more outside of the "re-theming" gig? They've done an exemplary job of building new attractions with cutting-edge technology for over a decade now.

 

[inkkognito]

And the only wizards he would have seen would be Mickey with black-rimmed glasses and a robe....

Nah, I'm sure Merlin and Yensid would have been out for photo ops too.

Some people have a bug up their butt and nothing's going to pull it out. He was biased going in and will remain biased even if buried alive in Mummy dust.

I love the Wizarding World, even as I complain about its flaws. Is it too small? Most definitely. I hate to say it, but most of LC is a waste of space that would have been much better off as part of WWoHP. The "the stores have to be small to be authentic" spiel doesn't cut it for me because if they were being that accurate, there would be no Ollivanders at all since it's in Diagon Alley, not Hogsmeade. Did they over-promise on some things? Heck yeah. Just look at the old Ollivanders promo material that showed a room full of kids all getting chosen by wands. And retheming two old rides...well...cost effective but not too exciting for me.

But with all that said, Forbidden Journey is a ride like no other. You'll never see anything even close at Disney because they just don't do the thrill ride thing (no, Expedition Everest and the other coasters are not thrill rides and Mission Space wussed out with the tame version). It's a technological marvel and I still haven't gotten tired of it after 40 rides. Butterbeer must have crack in it because I crave the stuff regularly. And the atmosphere is just so neat, especially at night. I just love to walk around and soak up the ambiance. I rarely used to go to IOA before it opened (mostly when to the Studio side), but now I'm there regularly.

Oh well, maybe that rant will keep the crowds down a bit for those of us who know how to appreciate it.

 

[Rip]

Nah, I'm sure Merlin and Yensid would have been out for photo ops too.

Some people have a bug up their butt and nothing's going to pull it out. He was biased going in and will remain biased even if buried alive in Mummy dust.

I love the Wizarding World, even as I complain about its flaws. Is it too small? Most definitely. I hate to say it, but most of LC is a waste of space that would have been much better off as part of WWoHP. The "the stores have to be small to be authentic" spiel doesn't cut it for me because if they were being that accurate, there would be no Ollivanders at all since it's in Diagon Alley, not Hogsmeade. Did they over-promise on some things? Heck yeah. Just look at the old Ollivanders promo material that showed a room full of kids all getting chosen by wands. And retheming two old rides...well...cost effective but not too exciting for me.

But with all that said, Forbidden Journey is a ride like no other. You'll never see anything even close at Disney because they just don't do the thrill ride thing (no, Expedition Everest and the other coasters are not thrill rides and Mission Space wussed out with the tame version). It's a technological marvel and I still haven't gotten tired of it after 40 rides. Butterbeer must have crack in it because I crave the stuff regularly. And the atmosphere is just so neat, especially at night. I just love to walk around and soak up the ambiance. I rarely used to go to IOA before it opened (mostly when to the Studio side), but now I'm there regularly.

Oh well, maybe that rant will keep the crowds down a bit for those of us who know how to appreciate it.

You make me wish I still lived there!

I'll be there Thursday-Sunday, though. Kids and their friends can't wait. I even got a great deal on a kids' suite at RPH before they scheduled that convention.

I only disagree with the LC, I love that island and I'd have preferred they kept it intact.

 

[Snape]

This is one of my points as well. I guarantee they would have the Disney characters running around in HP robes, etc. I do love Disney, but sometimes you just don't want to see a giant headed costumed character...

Also, this article is all over the place. He talks about how well things are themed but then says there is no "imagination" Maybe he is the one with a lack of imagination, and in need of better writing skills, imo.

First post but . What a horrible, horrible vision. I personally think Disney would have ruined Harry Potter and Tigger or Pooh running around in Harry Potter robes is a prime example.

 

[Purseval]

I love the Wizarding World, even as I complain about its flaws. Is it too small? Most definitely. I hate to say it, but most of LC is a waste of space that would have been much better off as part of WWoHP.

If it turns out that WWOHP is a big draw they may just end up folding a good chunk of LC and JP into it. Don't they have to renegotiate with Stephen Spielberg soon anyway? HP may provide Universal with some leverage because all of a sudden Jurassic Park isn't that important any more.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree, who's to say that Universal is finished? I see the criticism that an area is too small all the time when something new opens.

This guy is obviously biased and thus not worth my time. I like both resorts and prefer to listen to those who are fair to both.

 

[La2kw]

Disney could have done it better? What is their response to Universal's new addition? One new ride copied from DCA and more character meet and greets. Animal Kingdom is a poor excuse for a park and Epcot and the Studios have lost their vision and don't know what they want to be. Where are the new countries for World Showcase? Where's the Matterhorn and Mt. Fuji rides for World Showcase? Why did they build Soarin' so small, and not even bother to make a new movie for it? Why do they rip out classic highly themed audio-animatronic heavy rides like 20,000 Leagues, World of Motion, Horizons, and Journey into Imagination and replace them with imagination deprived industrial type thrill ride wanna-be's?

Why on earth did they bring back Captain Eo?!

They are too cheap, that's why. They would have made to many budget cuts with any Harry Potter attraction that it would have been appalling.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

This review sounds like it's kind of a fun place, but also confirmed what I thought it was going to be. At first I didn't care about the Wand Shop place, but now I want to see some kid wave the wand and have some cool things happen. I just want to take the kid's picture, but I don't want to actually participate. And I want to ride the FJ ride.

Other than that, I thought that by the descriptions on this board that WWHOP would feel like I'm on an elaborate set, with the exception of FJ. And that's OK, too. I'm not that crazy-excited about going, but the review made me want to see more than just the FJ ride in the castle.

 

[inkkognito]

Go at night if you really want to feel immersed in the world vs. being on a set. It's hard to describe, but night time has an ambiance all its own. I espcially love looking at the castle. A Mickey lightning bolt is going to strike me down for saying this, but I think it's actually prettier than other the castle down I-4.

 

[psl1960]

I completely understand this guy's review from the standpoint that I was there probably the same day & time. I waited for about 2 hrs early sat morning in the hot sun - sometimes there was shade - before getting into WWOHP, went to the FJ ride then being tired & hungry - saw that there were long rides for everything, it was difficult to even look at the store front windows, forget about getting into 3 broomsticks for lunch so since we were starving we just left. If I had gone home - I probably would have wrote a similar review. However my DD & I came back at about 8:30 at night ( a little rainy) and it was a completely different world, the lines were gone except for the butterbeer cart. We could see all the store front windows (lit up), the castle at night was beautiful. You could easily go into the store and browse. So I think if the reviewer would have just came back that night, his opinion would have changed.

 

[Snape]

Disney could have done it better? What is their response to Universal's new addition? One new ride copied from DCA and more character meet and greets. Animal Kingdom is a poor excuse for a park and Epcot and the Studios have lost their vision and don't know what they want to be. Where are the new countries for World Showcase? Where's the Matterhorn and Mt. Fuji rides for World Showcase? Why did they build Soarin' so small, and not even bother to make a new movie for it? Why do they rip out classic highly themed audio-animatronic heavy rides like 20,000 Leagues, World of Motion, Horizons, and Journey into Imagination and replace them with imagination deprived industrial type thrill ride wanna-be's?

Why on earth did they bring back Captain Eo?!

They are too cheap, that's why. They would have made to many budget cuts with any Harry Potter attraction that it would have been appalling.

I so agree. I know Disney is the biggest and perceived as the best, but they aren't the only gig in town. They would rather build more hotels/motels than upgrade the current rides or even build new ones. How many times can a person go on Snow White's ride or Small World? Can you say B-O-R-I-N-G.

I think Universal has done a great job competing with the mouse on the Harry Potter project. It's just too bad that there isn't a lot of land to grow there because I bet they'd really compete. Universal is kind of limited in expansion and Disney execs know that.

 

[Purseval]

Why do they rip out classic highly themed audio-animatronic heavy rides like 20,000 Leagues, World of Motion, Horizons, and Journey into Imagination and replace them with imagination deprived industrial type thrill ride wanna-be's?

I think you're being overly romantic. 20,000 leagues was a copy of the top of the sub on a track that put you about 6 inches under the surface (if you looked up through the porthole at the right angle you could actually see the people outside on part of the ride) then you rode around and looked at a bunch of styrofoam fish. It was pretty corny. Problem was they didn't replace it with anything better.

If you want to talk ruining classic then my vote would be what they did to their first animatronic attraction, the Enchanted Tiki Birds. That was also a bit corny but instead of wrecking it a sign explaining its historical significance would have done the job nicely.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Go at night if you really want to feel immersed in the world vs. being on a set. It's hard to describe, but night time has an ambiance all its own. I espcially love looking at the castle. A Mickey lightning bolt is going to strike me down for saying this, but I think it's actually prettier than other the castle down I-4.

That may be a great idea! I can imagine it feeling more mystical at night. I'm getting a little more excited about this.

The reason why is because I like certain parks better at night. Animal Kingdom is a totally different park at night than during the day, for instance. EE is more fun.

WWHOP in the dark may feel more believable and feel more immersible.

 

[inkkognito]

That may be a great idea! I can imagine it feeling more mystical at night. I'm getting a little more excited about this.

The reason why is because I like certain parks better at night. Animal Kingdom is a totally different park at night than during the day, for instance. EE is more fun.

WWHOP in the dark may feel more believable and feel more immersible.

My camera isn't the best, but if you click here you'll see a few night pics to give you an idea. I need to get the castle from the Jurrasic Park bridge as that is an even better view. The wording pic is the fiber optic sign for Forbidden Journey that you can only see at night. Dragon Challenge has one too. Hippogriff is great to ride at night too.