IMO HP is way overated

[eddy-4]

My family and I went on July 6 and the only thing that was a disappointment to me was that we only had one day to enjoy it. I LOVED WWoHP. I had was worried when I went that it would disappointment, but it far exceeded my expectations.

We didn't visit some of the stores because of the crowds, but I loved FJ and every moment we spent touring the castle and Honeydukes. We bought the pic from FJ and everyone who has seen it has commented that we must have been really scared because my husband and I are holding hands. I tell everyone of them--nope--we were just THAT thrilled to finally visit the Mecca.

 

[Procrastinate]

I've read the books and seen the movies, but I am not a diehard fan. I think the storyline is great, but don't think J K Rowling is that good of a writer.

I loved FJ, but was disappointed in the queue. I wasn't expecting the majority of the line to be in the greenhouse. Inside the castle was nice, but I wasn't overhwelmed with it. My husband is a good size guy, but had no trouble fitting on the ride.

As for the rest of WWOHP, we were all a bit disappointed. Sure it looks cool, since we aren't diehard fans, I think we would have been just as happy with just FJ and one gift shop. We were totally unimpressed with Honeydukes and Zonkos. I don't understand the hype about the frog chorus (people humming while moving the mouths on handpuppets?). I've always thought the food and drinks in the books sounded unappealing, so I had no desire to try butterbeer. I also have no desire to wait in line to go in stores. I'll take a look next trip when the lines will be much shorter.

I also think Universal was a bit late on this as the books have all been published and the final movies will be out soon. A few years from now I think everyone will be wondering why they dedicated so much space to one character.

But I will definitely be riding FJ multiple times on every visit. Hopefully using Express Pass access.

 

[cigar95]

I also think Universal was a bit late on this as the books have all been published and the final movies will be out soon. A few years from now I think everyone will be wondering why they dedicated so much space to one character.

Thing is, a few years from now there will be another generation of kids who will be reading the books, and will be thrilled to see it "brought to life". So there will always be interest in this area, just like all the youngsters who want to eat breakfast with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy.

I was lucky enough to be an adult when the books came out. Thirty years from now, how many adults will realize if they read the books again, there is so much more for them that they didn't pick up when they read them as kids?

 

[Procrastinate]

Thing is, a few years from now there will be another generation of kids who will be reading the books, and will be thrilled to see it "brought to life". So there will always be interest in this area, just like all the youngsters who want to eat breakfast with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy.

I was lucky enough to be an adult when the books came out. Thirty years from now, how many adults will realize if they read the books again, there is so much more for them that they didn't pick up when they read them as kids?

Maybe, only time will tell. My children were very interested in HP when the first book came out, but outgrew it and lost interest in the series long ago. I am the only one in my family that has read all of the books. Any movie theme will lose interest over time. You can hear parents explaining Jaws and ET to their children in line because the children have never seen the movies. Maybe HP will be more timeless because of the books.

 

[cigar95]

Maybe HP will be more timeless because of the books.

I've always considered the movies irrelevant - it was the richness of the books that got my attention. (But WWoHP is designed after the movies - c'est la vie.)

Perhaps when your kids get a little older, they'll actually get "re-interested" in the books if they realize there was so much more wonderful stuff in them that they didn't pick up when they were young.

 

[derekburgan]

I can't imagine Disney finds Cinderella, Snow White, the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast any less relevant just because their movies came out 15-50 years ago. Granted, it's too early to put Harry Potter in that "timeless" category, but its numbers now (both movies and books) are astronomical. I don't think many people in America even understand how big this franchise is worldwide. It would be a pretty big stretch to just think in five years no one is going to care about it.

 

[Procrastinate]

Some of the disney characters are timeless, some are not. But most do not have a major section of a theme park designed after them. They may have a ride. They may just have a character meet and greet, which is easy to change.

It seems like the interest in Harry Potter has diminished from the early years. I don't see as many toys/Halloween costumes/etc as when the first books came out. I'm not saying no one will read the books in the future, but I don't know if the interest will continue to be great enough for a whole section.
FJ will be great until the technology is outdated. But five years from now, will HP merit four stores? It all looked very cool, and I saw a few people with small bags or butterbeer, but I didn't see people spending a lot of money in WWOHP. It definitely brought up attendance though, so they are spending money on tickets, the on-site hotels, and meals and drinks.

I guess I personally would have rather seen some of the money spent on Hogsmeade going into a new ride or refurbishing some of the older ones instead of more shopping/food. For me, parks are about the rides. They got one great one in this, but the rest is just fluff.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I've heard from several places the HP ride is hard to ride for those on the plus side. I'm about 2/3 through a major weight loss (I've lost 80 pounds in the last year of a goal of 120, I was 300, now I'm 220, I was 260 in December of 09 when I went and riding the Hulk was a challenge still). I'm hoping that in December when I'm in the (knock on wood) 200-210 range (I'm 5-11) I won't have any problems.

 

[damo]

I've heard from several places the HP ride is hard to ride for those on the plus side. I'm about 2/3 through a major weight loss (I've lost 80 pounds in the last year of a goal of 120, I was 300, now I'm 220, I was 260 in December of 09 when I went and riding the Hulk was a challenge still). I'm hoping that in December when I'm in the (knock on wood) 200-210 range (I'm 5-11) I won't have any problems.

You shouldn't have any problem now. People a lot heavier but shorter than you have ridden.

 

[damo]

Some of the disney characters are timeless, some are not. But most do not have a major section of a theme park designed after them. They may have a ride. They may just have a character meet and greet, which is easy to change.

It seems like the interest in Harry Potter has diminished from the early years. I don't see as many toys/Halloween costumes/etc as when the first books came out. I'm not saying no one will read the books in the future, but I don't know if the interest will continue to be great enough for a whole section.
FJ will be great until the technology is outdated. But five years from now, will HP merit four stores? It all looked very cool, and I saw a few people with small bags or butterbeer, but I didn't see people spending a lot of money in WWOHP. It definitely brought up attendance though, so they are spending money on tickets, the on-site hotels, and meals and drinks.

I guess I personally would have rather seen some of the money spent on Hogsmeade going into a new ride or refurbishing some of the older ones instead of more shopping/food. For me, parks are about the rides. They got one great one in this, but the rest is just fluff.

A lot of the park's revenue comes from the shops and restaurants. It is interesting that you are saying that there are too many stores while the vast majority of people are complaining that the stores aren't large enough.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

You shouldn't have any problem now. People a lot heavier but shorter than you have ridden.

Great to hear. This was one of the things I wasw looking forward to in going to Universal. Thanks!

 

[MaleficentandGoons]

Apparently every banner in the queue is from a scene in Goblet of Fire movie. Because there have been many people disappointed like your daughter, they are making a Cedric banner.

Hope they get some Support Diggory stuff. Ahhh Robert Pattinson....
Off topic but i did notice there were a lot of Twilight and Vampire Diaries items in the gift shop you exit through Terminator. Anyone know why?

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

It does sound as though being into HP does help with this attraction.

 

[MaleficentandGoons]

Just curious: Those of you that can't fit on the rides, how do you fit on the airplanes that get most of us to Orlando? It's a serious question as I can't imagine the ride seats being smaller than airline seats.

I just fit and yet i seat comfortable in a jetblue seat.
The issue is tat the leg area is pre set and then you have a harness that comes over the chest and rest on the thighs. SO if you have big thighs and your trying to squeeze them into the seat and then you have a harness that has to res and lock over those thighs.... Get the image?

 

[Purseval]

It does sound as though being into HP does help with this attraction.

I'm not into HP and I still found the detail to be beyond anything I've ever seen in a theme park. The only detail I've seen so far that knowing about the movies made a difference was the banners at Dragon Challenge. I thought they threw some stuff up because they just ran out of time and wanted the queue to be done at the same time as the rest of WWOHP. I thought they did a terrible job but I guess having some movie knowledge makes it a little less terrible.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I remember hearing a lot of pre HP completion hype about the wands being interactive with things in the park. Was that just wishful speculation or is that something still to come?

 

[Purseval]

I would say wishful speculation

 

[Procrastinate]

A lot of the park's revenue comes from the shops and restaurants. It is interesting that you are saying that there are too many stores while the vast majority of people are complaining that the stores aren't large enough.

In my opinion it could have all been done with one larger store instead of four small ones. The store could have still been divided into sections for the separate stores. This is often done in theme parks where there are various storefronts, but you easily pass from one to the other inside.

The complaints I have seen have been about the wait to get in various stores or that the stores are so small and cramped inside. One decent store would have solved both problems. You can't sell merchandise if people can't get in or feel claustrophobic once inside.

 

[damo]

In my opinion it could have all been done with one larger store instead of four small ones. The store could have still been divided into sections for the separate stores. This is often done in theme parks where there are various storefronts, but you easily pass from one to the other inside.

The complaints I have seen have been about the wait to get in various stores or that the stores are so small and cramped inside. One decent store would have solved both problems. You can't sell merchandise if people can't get in or feel claustrophobic once inside.

You can't do that will Hogmeade. It just wouldn't be realistic and that's what the whole goal was here. The size of the area that they are working with also prohibits much of a size difference in the stores. When the crowds die down, those stores won't be so crowded. You can't base the size on the initial crowds.

 

[Burnt Toast]

I remember hearing a lot of pre HP completion hype about the wands being interactive with things in the park. Was that just wishful speculation or is that something still to come?

That's what Three Broomsticks was supposed to have and it was announced.

Sadly it looks like it had been cut.