Store congestion would be GREATLY reduced if folks knew that almost everything in the stores was readily available at the megastore at the entrance. Particularly lines for candy, plush owls, and wands. Heck, I've seen everything but those nifty wax stamp things from the online store.
I think the Harry Potter universe has legs. We are talking about 7 enormously popular books and 8 extremely popular movies, not to mention video games, toys, replicas, and ancillary items. All in the past 10 years or so! No telling what additional stuff will come out, either from Rowling or some other authors/creators. TV shows, animated series, expanded universe fiction, etc.
The HP theme works so well for a "theme" park because even if you couldn't care less for HP, a creepy, gothic, magicky british village and castle is just cool. Drinking brown ale and eating fish and chips in a oak beamed tavern with a castle in the distance is just cool. The FJ ride is just cool! So regardless of the interest in actual HP properties, fun rides and interesting themeing that transports (primarily) American visitors away from steamy Orlando is always gonna be a success.
In that respect, it is no different from the Lost Continent thing they have there now, or the Jurassic Park, entryway, and Seuss areas. Those places are fun to be in because they are visually interesting and exciting to experience, regardless of theme. I found the x-men and comic areas to be the least interesting because those places relied heavily on the brand, instead of interesting buildings. You could replace the pictures on the buildings and I would have no idea where it was. Hogsmead or Poseidons Trident are iconic.
And I for one would LOVE an entire Star Wars themed park! I'd even swallow a prequel setting, so long as the guys doing the Clone Wars show got to spearhead it instead of Lucas. How this has never happened will remain an eternal mystery. I'd have thought Lucas's ego would be much more stroked by attendance at a park than repeated double dipping of 30 year old movies.
I think the Harry Potter universe has legs. We are talking about 7 enormously popular books and 8 extremely popular movies, not to mention video games, toys, replicas, and ancillary items. All in the past 10 years or so! No telling what additional stuff will come out, either from Rowling or some other authors/creators. TV shows, animated series, expanded universe fiction, etc.
The HP theme works so well for a "theme" park because even if you couldn't care less for HP, a creepy, gothic, magicky british village and castle is just cool. Drinking brown ale and eating fish and chips in a oak beamed tavern with a castle in the distance is just cool. The FJ ride is just cool! So regardless of the interest in actual HP properties, fun rides and interesting themeing that transports (primarily) American visitors away from steamy Orlando is always gonna be a success.
In that respect, it is no different from the Lost Continent thing they have there now, or the Jurassic Park, entryway, and Seuss areas. Those places are fun to be in because they are visually interesting and exciting to experience, regardless of theme. I found the x-men and comic areas to be the least interesting because those places relied heavily on the brand, instead of interesting buildings. You could replace the pictures on the buildings and I would have no idea where it was. Hogsmead or Poseidons Trident are iconic.
And I for one would LOVE an entire Star Wars themed park! I'd even swallow a prequel setting, so long as the guys doing the Clone Wars show got to spearhead it instead of Lucas. How this has never happened will remain an eternal mystery. I'd have thought Lucas's ego would be much more stroked by attendance at a park than repeated double dipping of 30 year old movies.
