NBC preview of Harry Potter World on tonight!

[Disneygeek714]

Complete and utter Universal propaganda. What did you expect? An unbiased assessment of the attraction? I was hoping for at least SOMETHING about the attraction that I did not already know. This thing could have been filmed two years ago, and may have been. Emma Watson looked very young in the interviews.

 

[chirurgeon]

I agree about the "Theme Park" references. And Pete is so right about the 2 car funeral. Did Daniel Radcliffe and the actor who plays Neville even know that the 2 roller coaster were actually re-themed and not brand new for the area? It is going to be such a disappointment for so many people.

Kim

 

[vegetablegirl]

Man, talk about disappointing. I was expecting a little more about the making of the area... definitely not a 30-minute commercial for something that clearly they were talking about in theoretical terms before actually being there.

Also, talk about misleading... "A whole world! A fabulous theme park!" Ultimately very disappointing, nothing worth watching.

 

[ericafny]

I was going to start a separate thread on this but found this one I too am extremely disappointed after watching the special tonight. In fact, I am even re-thinking visiting when we will be there in August based on the images that were shown of Hogsmead and Pete's review. This area is going to be packed. I hate having to fight my way into stores and I am definitely not waiting 3 plus hours for FJ. I may hold off until next year when the crowds will most likely be thinner and the hype has worn off...

I am a huge HP fan (see tag <----) and I am even still already turned off by WWOHP.

 

[SugarSpice]

Totally disappointed in the show. They kept calling it a theme park which it isn't. They showed nothing of the land except for rooftops. Even my 8 year old disappointed in the show. He said "is that it?"

 

[safetymom]

Oh I can't wait to watch the special after seeing your comments. I just predict a lot of unhappy people this summer.

 

[k5jm]

Is there a deceptive advertising or truth in advertising law in Florida? That was a complete sham. Caveat emptor. I smell a lemon!

 

[DiRTyBuNNy]

Ah, so it was complete fail train? I'm glad because I didn't get home from work in time to catch it and totally forgot to DVR it..go me!

--DB

 

[mom2knk]

It was a 30 minute commercial...and one that gives false hope, at that!

for shame...

No visit for us this August...we'll wait a couple years until we can enjoy the fact that everyone else has already made their visit. (and we too, are big Potter fans!)

 

[vegetablegirl]

So I think someone should count the number of times they call it a theme park. Just for laughs.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I kind of 1/2 watched it again and they mentioned that you get to walk through the Gryffindor common room. Anyone know if that's true? In all the reviews I've read I don't remember anyone mentioning that.

I've read alot of reviews and it is a real mix. Some people absolutely LOVED WWofHP, some said it was good, but small, a couple weren't impressed. So it doesn't seem to be a home run or a game changer.

I do think people are going to be disappointed too. Not everyone, but I can see parents who aren't big HP fans taking their kids who are and thinking "This is it?"

 

[DisneyWhiz]

Well, that sucked...
I watched it until the end, hoping they would show us at least SOME ride footage

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Is it me or are they showing more clips from the films than the world itself?

I thought the exact same thing Nikki. Lots of movie clips, and some of the ones with the film makers had been released on their website previously. In fact, now that I think about it - we posted one of the videos on the blog almost two months ago.

http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/04/16/video-harry-potter-filmmakers-discuss-wizarding-world/

Looked to me like this was filmed way in advance so the ONLY things they could film was the storefronts. Seemed like something that should have been on the last DVD as a crappy special feature, not a 30 minute network slot.

My 12yo daughter was saying it was a DVD special feature on the most recent DVD.

I liked when they said "There are different rides for different ages." There are three rides total and only one for kids.

I thought that was funny too. Rides for all ages! You mean 1 ride for each age group...

They didn't show one iota of anything else. Most of what they described was illustrated via clips from the movies and some computer animation taken right from the web site.

That's why I think it was filmed well in advance of the press previews, and was just a garbage ad.

Even the shots of the inside of the supposed Honeydukes could have been any candy shop...I didn't see anything HPish about it.

That was Honeydukes, but the clips were so short it was hard to get a good look at it.

I kind of 1/2 watched it again and they mentioned that you get to walk through the Gryffindor common room. Anyone know if that's true? In all the reviews I've read I don't remember anyone mentioning that.

Yes, you do get to walk through the Gryffindor common room. After you go through the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom, you pass the portrait of the Fat Lady guarding the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower of the castle (this portrait looks identical to the one in the film), and enter the Gryffindor common room surrounded by many more talking portraits.

The one thing that surprised me about the the NBC special was that they didn't have any commentary from the film stars (including Emma Watson) that were JUST at WWoHP in mid May (Thursday, May 20th).

Universal Orlando was releasing pictures of them touring WWoHP, and even released a video of their tour. I thought for sure some of the commentary from the film stars would have been filmed recently from this visit. You can see the video of the film stars touring on our blog.

http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/05/22/video-film-stars-tour-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/

 

[Uncleromulus]

Stores at Potter Land?? Meaning Universal will be trying to sell you something??

I thought Disney was the only one who did that

 

[BethEJo]

The one thing that surprised me about the the NBC special was that they didn't have any commentary from the film stars (including Emma Watson) that were JUST at WWoHP in mid May (Thursday, May 20th).

Universal Orlando was releasing pictures of them touring WWoHP, and even released a video of their tour. I thought for sure some of the commentary from the film stars would have been filmed recently from this visit. You can see the video of the film stars touring on our blog.

http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/05/22/video-film-stars-tour-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/

I wasnt aware of this - think I'll go and check it out now.

It's such a shame that the show wasn't a hit with everybody. Sounded like a massive let-down!

To my knowledge, there have been no TV shows showcasing WWoHP aired in the UK (yet), but there have been some reviews in the national newspapers. They too are exagerating the whole thing, and making it out to be some new theme park (in my opinion).

They still make me want to visit it though, but I too like many of the posters on this thread can wait a couple of years

One of reviews said that you can hear Moaning Myrtle in the girl's bathroom?!?

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

One of reviews said that you can hear Moaning Myrtle in the girl's bathroom?!?

It would be interesting to hear reviews of the show from people who knew very little about WWoHP. It probably would get a very different response from the, and I'm sure that's what the target audience was.

Yup, you can hear Moaning Myrtle in both bathrooms I think. Although I missed her in the men's room.

 

[dpuck1998]

They are still calling it a theme park even during this show.

Sad ain't it.

The only thing I can say, my 11yo was excited about it. At least we can manage our expectations and know enough of what to expect that we won't be disappointed. I wouldn't pay extra to go see this, but since its a land and I'm going to US anyway, hey what a nice extra.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Sad ain't it.

The only thing I can say, my 11yo was excited about it. At least we can manage our expectations and know enough of what to expect that we won't be disappointed. I wouldn't pay extra to go see this, but since its a land and I'm going to US anyway, hey what a nice extra.

My 12 year old said she didn't see anything in the special that she didn't already know. I've already got them managing their expectations that only 1 out of 25 get randomly picked for the wand experience. I don't know what we would do as a family if 1 child got picked but not the other. My girls are plotting to be in separate groups of 25 going in so they both have a chance to be picked.

 

[dpuck1998]

My 12 year old said she didn't see anything in the special that she didn't already know. I've already got them managing their expectations that only 1 out of 25 get randomly picked for the wand experience. I don't know what we would do as a family if 1 child got picked but not the other. My girls are plotting to be in separate groups of 25 going in so they both have a chance to be picked.

Good plan! There are 5 of us, we can cover lots of groups

 

[Merry Mousketeer]

I watched the special last night and was surprised at how little content there was of the actual Wizardng World. Clearly, the actors had not seen the attractions in person and were just talking about what they had been told and seen from concept art.

I remember the "old days" (queue the harp) on The Wonderful World of Color/Disney when Walt would show us an advanced preview of a new attraction. Even when it was no where near being finished, he showed you the models, concept art, interviewed the Imagineers working on it, told you the backstory and described it in such detail that you didn't feel cheated or even realize that he never really showed you the actual attraction. At the end of the show you couldn't wait to go to Disneyland and see it for yourself!

You'd think the producers of that Harry Potter special would've watched a few of Walt's old TV shows to see how it should've been done.