Lost Continent to become Hogwarts?

[AlexandNessa]

Excellent ideas! Perhaps a Godfather Acres? Where you can take pics with Fredo and Don Corleone? I can almost hear the theme from the movie piped throughout the section of the park. The possibilities are endless. Do you have any capital for a start up? I'll go halfsies.

Sorry for the interruption folks ... Back to the regularly scheduled thread!

 

[damo]

Mobland sounds like great fun!!!

 

[ChrisFL]

Scarface: The Musical? Love IT!

Actually, a mob-themed area would be great if they ever decided to make a more adult-themed park...maybe in Vegas? That would be perfect!

 

[Figment22]

A roller coaster theamed to Gringots Bank would be fun.

That's an awesome idea!
I just showed this thread to DS13, who's a HUGE Harry Potter fan. He thinks Mythos should become The Leaky Cauldron!

 

[thedisneymom]

I too was a doubter of how terrific the HP books were and thought what is all this fuss about. I began the first book and couldn't put it down and haven't stopped since. granted you have to be like a kid that never grew up but isn't that what we all are at the parks. LOL A Hogwarts area would be amazing i hope the rumors are true.

 

[lindalinda]

I showed my son this and the first thing he said was ...cool...a virtual reality ride like at Disney Quest of a Quidditch game would be great! And I agree!

 

[MSWint]

In my personal and humble opinion ... I like the idea of a Hogwarts ... Just like I would love to see a Pirates of the Caribbean theme replace tom sawyer island at MK.

I love new, fresh attractions ... I know they are costly and are very rare, but as a guest, you just can't get enough of new/original thinking.

New and original thinking is absolutely what is required to survive at my work (and if you think about it, probably the same for your job also) and is kind of what I expect when I visit any theme park ... on a much larger scale of course.

Of course, there are those who love the classics ... my DW is one of them, she just loves "it's a small world" at MK ... I HATE it ... been there done that WAY too many times, not even remotely entertaining to me ... but that's just me.

Theme Park attractions are VERY expensive and I understand why change is a difficult decision to make. Disney and UA have done a pretty good job over the years adding new theme parks to add some variety. Water Parks, Animal Kingdom, IOA, etc. ... but I would like to see some of the old standby's like MK make major changes based on the 21st century. I mean, come on, Futureland at MK is pathetic ... totally 1960's futureland. The only advantage in my opinion is that us babyboomers can go to MK and see exactly the same thing we saw when we were 10 years old.

Again, only my personal and humble opinion, but I am much more into new and exciting adventures than I am with nostalgia.

Gota love anything NEW and EXCITING ... if done with class.

 

[yaytezIOA]

That's an awesome idea!
I just showed this thread to DS13, who's a HUGE Harry Potter fan. He thinks Mythos should become The Leaky Cauldron!

BAAAAAAAAAAAD IDEA! Mythos is mythos. Thats it. It wont fit, but who cares. Its Mythos! If you want a leaky Cauldron, you can either do that to the Enchanted Oak, leave the oak....or build a new one. LEAVE MYTHOS ALONE!!!!!

I would really love to see the attractions go more towards the books and less towards the movies. In comparison to the books...they are crappy. Just look at JP, they geared everything from the books...not the movies. Though the movies couldnt help but be referenced at this point.

 

[kenban]

I think redoing the Lost Continent to become Harry Potter would be a mistake. What should be done is build a HP section south of the current bounds of the park where it has long been rumored the 4th and 5th onsite hotels would be built. Just west of Ripsaw falls is a large open area (where its been said another Jurassic park ride was to be built). I think it would be best to branch the path right before the Jurassic Park gate and make a pathway leading to a train station. Then you board a train which takes you over the road into the new Harry Potter section. To increase ease of access to the differant sections of the park I would also build an island in the middle of the IoA lake with bridges that lead to each section.

If its done right there would be enough land for a huge Harry Potter section or maybe even 2 or 3 lands plus the rest could still be used for the 4th hotel. But then I also think that next door at Universal Studios they need to start expanding the park instead of just replacing rides (although I really don't mind seeing BTTF removed). US is surrounded to the north and west by surface parking lots (I believe its employee and studio parking but that is just a guess) which could easily be expanded onto by building a parking garage.

 

[Amity 3]

Scarface: The Musical? Love IT!

Actually, a mob-themed area would be great if they ever decided to make a more adult-themed park...maybe in Vegas? That would be perfect!

Sopranos Land would be my favorite.

 

[Figment22]

BAAAAAAAAAAAD IDEA! Mythos is mythos. Thats it. It wont fit, but who cares. Its Mythos! If you want a leaky Cauldron, you can either do that to the Enchanted Oak, leave the oak....or build a new one. LEAVE MYTHOS ALONE!!!!!

Nah, the Oak would have to become The Whomping Willow Cafe

BTW, I love Mythos too and would like to have it remain as is. Mythos as TLC was my son's idea.

 

[lindalinda]

I love Mythos too...but the name could change couldnt it? I mean couldnt that be Dumbledore?

 

[DOOM1001]

I heard that until attendance picks up they aren't going to add much or spend money on the park.

If they want attendance to rise, you can't sit around and do nothing!!!I mean there was supposed to be the new Simpsons ride and now that might not happen, nothing big has happened at IOA since it opened, how do you think attendance will rise if nothing new is being added.The Universal park did add some decent attractions in the last 5 years or so, Mummy, MIB and Shrek, but IOA has been in a stall pattern!!

 

[robvia]

Agree, they can't just rename everything, call it HP, change a few facades, and expect everyone to show up. They need thrill rides, that's what people talk about the most. The suits know this, but for some reason, when it comes time to put stuff on the drawing board, they go the family route and "think" fans will come just because it sounds good. Sure, the family stuff is important, but when casual fans walk up to me at work, they don't ask about that new iVillage show. No, they ask if I've been on that big new coaster up north. The proof of this is right here.
http://www.thrillnetwork.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=155
Click the link, and look at the views. Universal isn't even on the board, the thread was closed when they realized there was nothing to talk about.

 

[yaytezIOA]

This update from screamscape:
It’s not much, but we’ve heard from a Screamscape source that what we believe to be the Harry Potter project at IOA has been worked on under the “Project: StrongArm” codename. While they can’t confirm the “Potter” bit, we were told that StrongArm does involves the rethemeing of an existing attraction and the addition of an all new attraction in the Lost Continent. We’ve also heard from another source that there is a chance that the timeline could be ramped up to allow for a possible mid to late 2008 opening window. More as we find out.

 

[Jason71]

This update from screamscape:
It’s not much, but we’ve heard from a Screamscape source that what we believe to be the Harry Potter project at IOA has been worked on under the “Project: StrongArm” codename. While they can’t confirm the “Potter” bit, we were told that StrongArm does involves the rethemeing of an existing attraction and the addition of an all new attraction in the Lost Continent. We’ve also heard from another source that there is a chance that the timeline could be ramped up to allow for a possible mid to late 2008 opening window. More as we find out.

Thinking out loud, I could see them re-theming Posidon (keep the water tunnel, replace the animation in the finale, rework the decor and story line), then putting a new ride where Sinbad currently sits.

The question then becomes, do they retheme all of the Lost Continent, or just leave Hogwarts as an addition off to the side?

The more I think about it, the more this makes sense. With Magic Express and Magic Your Way, Universal needs something killer to get people to make the effort to visit their park. A new ride in Jurrasic Park or even an amazing new roller coaster is not going to cut it. The world's first Harry Potter ride? That will make news and start drawing guests.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Agree, they can't just rename everything, call it HP, change a few facades, and expect everyone to show up. They need thrill rides, that's what people talk about the most. The suits know this, but for some reason, when it comes time to put stuff on the drawing board, they go the family route and "think" fans will come just because it sounds good. Sure, the family stuff is important, but when casual fans walk up to me at work, they don't ask about that new iVillage show. No, they ask if I've been on that big new coaster up north. The proof of this is right here.
http://www.thrillnetwork.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=155
Click the link, and look at the views. Universal isn't even on the board, the thread was closed when they realized there was nothing to talk about.

They go the disney route.It works for them, so it will work for us. Look how many people on these very boards want to go to Universal, but are afraid to because of the "thill rides"....which IOA has, but come on...is it really full of them?
Harry Potter will translate into family for those people coming into town for disney. I just hate to see them kill an original area for a fake HP area.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

i think hogwarts would be amazing but there is just something about LC that is just brilliant. its like your own Sinbadic world! (i need to get out more!)

d

 

[Foladar]

I wouldn't be disappointed if it did or didn't happen .. I would definitely visit IOA for it, though. As someone mentioned, although I know it wouldn't happen since it is way too close to Soarin and possibly ET, but a broomstick ride would be fun where you would fly over Hogwarts or something like that.

 

[t-and-a]

My whole family thinks it would be great, especially my 9 year old son! What about Poseidon's Fury becoming The Chamber of Secrets?