Never go on Opening Day

[Pegasus928]

If I ever needed reminding why I would never turn up to an event on it's opening day then the aerial shots around Universal Islands of Adventure and City Walk have done it for me.

http://www.wftv.com/entertainment/23944549/detail.html

I know people are excited about this new attraction but i must admit I had no idea it was on this scale

 

[2Tiggies]

It's absolutely insane! And the fact that people were actually standing there means they were prepared to wait it out. Don't know I could justify a day's park entrance just for one attraction. Actually I do know: I would NEVER! And it's meant to be a holiday?

 

[disneyholic family]

today is the same - there is already a massive line and it's not even 8 am

 

[Cyrano]

Read about this on the Unplugged board... insane

 

[Chilly]

wow mad

 

[jjk]

Madness!

 

[Disneymad]

I also heard there's a similarly stupid long line (relatively speaking of course) at Guest Services with people complaining. Whether that's because of what seems to be a rather monumental fail of Universal managing the launch or whether it's due to them mis-managing people's expectations of it being a teensy zone rather than the inferred 'World' I don't know.

I do know that with all the marketing hype I've seen people comment that previously they'd thought it was a new theme park coming and I have to say, when I saw the aerial pictures of the area it looks to me to be about the size of MK entrance to castle - so not a lot bigger than Main St USA, then I imagine there's going to be a lot of people caught out by how small this addition to the park really is. No wonder people can't all fit in!

 

[fizz13]

I saw the photos yesterday and one guy actually abandoned his spot near Jurassic park and shot video footage down the line, its up on You Tube, absolutely insane. The fact that people couldnt even get into IOA, never mind WWOHP, not sure what Universal could have done to stop people coming though

 

[Dollyrar]

I also heard there's a similarly stupid long line (relatively speaking of course) at Guest Services with people complaining. Whether that's because of what seems to be a rather monumental fail of Universal managing the launch or whether it's due to them mis-managing people's expectations of it being a teensy zone rather than the inferred 'World' I don't know.

I do know that with all the marketing hype I've seen people comment that previously they'd thought it was a new theme park coming and I have to say, when I saw the aerial pictures of the area it looks to me to be about the size of MK entrance to castle - so not a lot bigger than Main St USA, then I imagine there's going to be a lot of people caught out by how small this addition to the park really is. No wonder people can't all fit in!

If people haven't done their own research as to what has actually been built before spending a day of their vacation attending it, and/or haven't anticipated that a theme park will be crazy busy when a new attraction opens, then unfortunately they get what they get

This is not a failure of Universal's for mis-leading the general public. The information on what has been built has been available through many sources for a long time now.You can find it from Google in literally seconds. New attractions are always going to be popular, especially one that is based on one of the biggest phonmena in books & movies of the last 15 years.

I personally am thrilled for Universal. The success of this attraction (speaking of the area as a whole) will only serve to keep the Theme Park business in the Orlando area competitive, which ultimately means better attractions for everyone

 

[wilma-bride]

Complete and utter madness. I must admit, when DD and I were watching the live video feed yesterday, she said she wished we were there so she could have seen Daniel Radcliffe. Personally, I am more than pleased that we were not. I can't imagine wanting to have been there yesterday, with the insane lines and heat. I bet the rest of the park was quiet though

ETA: I just watched the video on youtube that Claire (Fizz) was referring to - OMG!!!!!! That is just completely ridiculous. The end of the line to get into WWOHP was underneath the Hulk!!!!!! And there was a amssive line of people outside the park waiting to get in too. Poor, foolish people.

 

[Disneymad]

If people haven't done their own research as to what has actually been built before spending a day of their vacation attending it, and/or haven't anticipated that a theme park will be crazy busy when a new attraction opens, then unfortunately they get what they get

While I see what you're saying and agree to some extent, for most 'normal' people (I use the term loosely but really, most people on the DIS are not your average vacation planners), planning a vacation isn't - and really shouldn't - be a military exercise.

Universal have without doubt majorly hyped this attraction. They have made this out to be a really, really 'big thing' - and the reality is that sure, it's pretty shiny, but it's not perhaps the kind of scale that they've implied with the size and level of it's marketing.

I don't think it's entirely fair to blame a visitor for believing what they've been told by the company they're buying a product from. It's like watching a movie trailer and then finding that the only good bits of the movie were in the trailer. Yes, a person can read around for reviews, but it's not their fault if the movie turns out to be bad.

 

[mickeyforpresident]

PLease could you post a link to the You Tube footage?

 

[BethEJo]

Geeeeeeeeee.

It's even painful just to look at the pictures - I can only imagine the heat and the crouds and the anticipation. And that brings on palpitations!!

I do feel sorry for the many people who are going to be disappointed with the new "theme park" (because all know it's not that, despite what Universal have been saying...) - don't get me wrong, I really want to see it but will happily
wait a year or so. And I will go with realistic expectations.

8 hours was how long the queue was being reported as!! Holy fagooda....

 

[PudseyChancer]

While I see what you're saying and agree to some extent, for most 'normal' people (I use the term loosely but really, most people on the DIS are not your average vacation planners), planning a vacation isn't - and really shouldn't - be a military exercise.

Universal have without doubt majorly hyped this attraction. They have made this out to be a really, really 'big thing' - and the reality is that sure, it's pretty shiny, but it's not perhaps the kind of scale that they've implied with the size and level of it's marketing.

I don't think it's entirely fair to blame a visitor for believing what they've been told by the company they're buying a product from. It's like watching a movie trailer and then finding that the only good bits of the movie were in the trailer. Yes, a person can read around for reviews, but it's not their fault if the movie turns out to be bad.

Couldn't disagree with you more!

I think you would be naive if you thought that you could go to Universal on the day that WWOHP opened and not encounter crazy crowds, or huge queues at the attractions. Whilst I agree with your point about general vacations not being planned to the nth degree, an Orlando holiday, at peak crowd times, when a major new attraction is opening, is not a general vacation.

As for Universal hyping this attraction, why shouldn't they? It's the biggest thing to happen in Orlando over the past few years, and it's a real forward step for them. I'm not sure how relevant people's perception of the size of WWOHP was to any of the opening day's attendance is either.

I think what Universal have done with the Harry Potter brand is amazing, I also think that there is a certain amount of Universal-bashing going on for whatever reason.

The proof of the pudding though, as always, is in the eating and I can't wait for September so I can go sample it myself!

 

[Dollyrar]

Universal have without doubt majorly hyped this attraction. They have made this out to be a really, really 'big thing' - and the reality is that sure, it's pretty shiny, but it's not perhaps the kind of scale that they've implied with the size and level of it's marketing.

Every company will always hype up their product in a positive light, that's just good marketing. Your view sounds like it's based on your opinion, rather than the facts that Universal have previously made widely available to the public. Universal have always stated on record that this is a 20 acre addition to Islands of Adventure, that consists of 3 main attractions and some restaurants and shops. False reporting by the media has stated that this was its own theme park, but Universal has never stated this in any of the recent press releases or videos that i have seen?
There's no major military planning involved to check this info out on the internet. Surely if you were specifically planning to travel there on day one of it's opening, even the average non-dis'ser would have known what to expect when they arrived that day? I don't think a 10 minute glance at the internet to check on this info is asking too much of people, especially if they're paying hundreds of $$$ to attend? If they don't want to do that and then complain that it was not as big as they expected, then more fool them.
The majority of people who are coming out are giving this area glowing reviews. I'm sure that is not always going to be the case (like the analogy of films you use), but that is all down to each persons unique perception. If I asked for my money back after every bad film I've watched at the cinema, I'd be a very rich man!
However, If I've paid to see a two hour film that I hate, but every critic in the world loved (along with the other 99 people in the same cinema at the same time), that doesn't entitle me to complain to the management and say that I was mis-sold something and deserve my money back. The info in the lobby gave me the run-time, told me a brief synopsis of the film, and told me who it was directed by and had starring in it. Lots of information about the film was freely available before-hand, and it was my decision to purchase the ticket and take a chance on me enjoying it.

 

[wilma-bride]

PLease could you post a link to the You Tube footage?

Here you go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge1fIuH2qVs

The scary thing is it's only footage of the queue and it's 12 minutes long!!!!

 

[torsie24]

Here you go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge1fIuH2qVs

The scary thing is it's only footage of the queue and it's 12 minutes long!!!!

Just watched.

How sad people have taken little kids in strollers.

That's so unfair on them.

 

[Sapper383]

I can't believe people waited that long with kids....my DD5 had a melt down when we waited 1hr to see Tinkerbell......It looks fab, but I couldn't justify wasting a day standing in line,trying to see it!

 

[crabbie1]

What a bunch of toolsSorry but I think it is ridiculous that people will put themselves and there poor kids through that long wait in that heat.Yes its new and its cool to say you went on opening day but Im afraid I would have nt stood there for that amount of time. Each to there own I suppose .

 

[Disneymad]

I don't think people were complaining about it being busy in itself, but rather that a small area was crowded because essentially they thought it would be bigger.

Yes, Universal have stated it was 20 acres. Do you know how big 20 acres is? I don't, apart from it sounds big.

Put in to context, this 'World' was touted as a "Theme park within a theme park" from the very outset - a phrase that has been bantered around continually ever since. And no, granted, that's the BBC not Universal who said that...but in 2007 when the project was officially announced where do you think the BBC (and many other sites) got their spiel from if not Universal PR.

Hype that was continued by the Orlando Sentinel "The collection of rides, shops and eateries being built in Universal's Islands of Adventure is the most hotly anticipated addition to Orlando's theme parks since Disney's Animal Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World in 1998."

Sure, it says it's within IoA but it also makes a direct comparison to DAK - an entire Disney park - really. Really? Now if you've never been to Universal Studios before what kind of impression is that going to leave you with? Again, this is before anyone from the press had seen WWoHP so where did they get this from if not Universal.

Even right up till yesterday, Associated Press finished their piece with "Admission to Wizarding World is included with ticket for Islands of Adventure." implying that it's an additional attraction that you're getting free entry to with an IOA ticket - you don't see anyone saying 'Admission to Fantasyland is included with entry into the MK', and rightly so.

It's easy to say 'oh it should be obvious' when you're familiar with Universal, or even Orlando attractions, but for people who are visiting the first time ever - and this is bringing in a whole new visitor base with Harry Potter fanbase - then I can see why it would come as a shock.

You're basically saying that internet forums should be required reading for a family holiday which I feel is asking a lot of the average person. This isn't some backwater B&B you're looking for reviews on but a respectable themepark franchise, it's not unreasonable for people to come to a conclusion about the scale of WWoHP and really who can blame them for that.

If you see an advert in the paper for the brand new 'super spintastical Washomatic' washing machine and trot down Curry's to buy it then sure, if you'd read that well respected washing machine forum you could have got a free box of washing powder if only you'd known. No one should walk away with tumble dryer though.

Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not here to play devil's advocate or anything, I'm just genuinely surprised that no one's actually disagreed that Universal hasn't been stretching the truth a wee bit, but instead basically said 'well it's their own fault for believing it'. Now sure, some (or possibly a lot) of people might have been a little bit gullible but since when does that make them the guilty party and not the victim?