Universal + Harry Potter...It's Official!

[PiperPizzaz]

No Diagon Alley though, right? 8(

 

[CarolA]

CarolA, you are usually much more accurate than this. The approving design stage has been ongoing. Yesterday's announcement is a done deal - there will be a Harry Potter island addition to IOA. As far as killing off Harry, most think that she will not as it would probably kill the franchise's future (sales of future books/movies much less theme park) if she did. After all did Disney kill Bambi or Simba, give her a little credit Carol.

I read another article on line this AM that said that basically she has the right to STOP this up until land is broken or some other "finanical" committments have been made. She also gets to approve each step of the way... and from what I have heard via rumor on the internet that may be interesting (would LOVE to be a fly on the wall in those meetings) (The article may have been wrong, but I am willing to bet she has final approval every step of the way!)

I would think it will come off, but I think it's going to cost Universal A LOT OF MONEY LOL! (Think MORE then the estimate, those tend to be low!!!) I am surprised that Universal would do a 10 year deal only. Wonder when the 10 years starts? I mean they aren't looking to be up and running until 2010? So is it now or 2010. (The other risk is that 2010 is three years AFTER the last book, long lag there!) Reading that link, it's going to be costly. ROI is going to be tough (Keep in mind that Universal parks are in the red now so they not only need to to make enought to pay off Harry, but to get the parks back into the black. They better knock the ball out of the park with this one and do something that drives REPEAT business. A one time "been there done that" won't do it! They are going to have to pay the fees regardless of how well the rest of the park is doing) Ideally this deal would have been done three years ago and you could open "Potter World" when the last book was released.

I don't know that she won't kill of Harry. That reduces the risk of someone coming along later and trying to "write" sequels and she has expressed a concern about that. (Gone with the Wind II anyone?) Harry is my favorite character so I am keeping my fingers crossed that he lives!!!!

 

[damo]

There might be a diagon alley. I think it might be in the new area that is to be built in the employee parking area. We haven't seen any drawings for that. That is where I am anticipating that the new ride will be. Diagon Alley would work well over there.

I haven't heard anything about Sinbad or Poseidan being rethemed. They may stay as the two attractions of Lost Continent. Maybe at a future date they could be adapted. I think they would be relatively easy to adapt.

Latest word is that $230-$265 million will be spent on this new ride. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...tter,0,6671115.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

 

[snowbell]

I personally am very excited to have a Harry Potter park. I was just telling my disney agent today that I am going to go broke on my visits to Orlando. I could never pass up an opportunity to see the mouse, but now that Harry will be there, I will have to go to Universal too. I think I should tell dbf that we are moving to Florida...

 

[Fan2CSkr]

There might be a diagon alley. I think it might be in the new area that is to be built in the employee parking area. We haven't seen any drawings for that. That is where I am inticipating that the new ride will be. Diagon Alley would work well over there.

I haven't heard anything about Sinbad or Poseidan being rethemed. They may stay as the two attractions of Lost Continent. Maybe at a future date they could be adapted. I think they would be relatively easy to adapt.

Latest word is that $230-$265 million will be spent on this new ride. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...tter,0,6671115.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Gonna read it now. On the ride or on the whole project?

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

What are some of the non-ride HP things you all would like to see?

I think a great idea would be a photo-area where guests could dress in either Hogwarts or generic Wizarding robes, and pose with wands... After the photo is taken, CGI effects could be added to show spell effects or photo-realistic creatures from the world of HP (your family portrait could also include your house-elf, for example... or you could have a photo of your daughter feeding a unicorn, or your sons dueling). This could be accomplished relatively easily and inexpensively -- it would be similar to how Disney can superimpose a hitchhiking ghost, Stitch, or Tinkerbell to a PhotoPass picture.

 

[brandijo5]

I think the media is blowing it way out of proportion.

Keep in mind there is a new movie and the final book being released in a month. The Harry Potter franchise is very good at selling itself, and this announcement was well timed to coincide with the book and movie release.

I am a fan of the series and would love to visit a park or attractions, whatever they decide. However, I would NEVER go to Orlando and not pay a visit to the Mouse's House!!!!!!!

 

[Colleen27]

I don't think a harry potter theme park is going to do well or even last that long. I can see them maybe making a few rides or having it as a part of universal, but come on lets get real. Harry potter is a big hit now, but is never going to be as big as the Disney Classics or even new classics for that matter.

I'll take Disney's Magic over Potters Witch magic anytime.

I think HP has great staying power, simply because the books are so much more than just kids' stories. Would I put it on the level of Disney Classics like Cinderella or Snow White? No, it hasn't reached iconic status (yet), but I think it has just as much (or maybe more) potential for long term success than any of the new Disney endeavors aside from PotC (sacrilidge, I know, but I'm just not that impressed with the more recent offerings from Disney Animation).

I really think the books are destined to be childrens classics, on par with the Narnia series. And I don't think HP is just hot right now - I remember buying the first book on my honeymoon, around the release of the first movie, and DH saying that it was surely overhyped and that the movie franchise wouldn't make it past the 3rd film because the American pop culture attention span can't handle anything more than a trilogy. And here I am, counting the days until movie #5 and book #7 this summer. (Yeah, I'm as big a Harry Potter nut as my 9 yo )

But the media hype is blowing this *so* out of proportion in calling it a Harry Potter theme park - it isn't going to be a HP theme park. It is going to be an island in IoA and it won't be supporting the park entirely on its own.

 

[JERSEYDISFAN]

OK, second part of my question. I'm curious about how this may effect WDW's bottom line. Will it take one or two days away from an average 7 day WDW visit? (Even if it only draws a day or two of vacation time of a family w/children, it could mean an estimated 5-15% revenue loss.) Will it mean that visitors might extend their normal vacation time by an extra day or two? Or, will it draw new or more frequent visitors (the Harry Potter fans) who will divide their time between WDW, US and Seaworld, bringing even more revenue for all?

How might this new theme area at IOA change your normal visit plans?

 

[Pouncer856]

I have skipped Universal on my last two trips, but will definitely go to see a Harry Potter themed area. They said on the news they will be making a replica castle of Hogwarts. Too cool!

As far as competing with Disney, there really isn't any competition--they are geared for two different age brackets. My daughter is 5 and just took her first trip to Disney and loved it. However, I think she is still not old enough to see any of the HP movies or have me read her the books. So I wouldn't take her to HP for at least 3 more years until she's old enough to not be scared of the material, and also to comprehend the story. By the time she's that old, she may very well want to skip Disney for the water parks and other attractions in Orlando.

 

[XOoOoVEEoOoOX]

I am so excited for this!!! I jokingly told my mom I was pushing my Disney wedding back so that I could go when the park first opened!


This will open many doors for different rides/characters:

Hagrid's Hut?
Unicorn = Buckbeak ride
Classes on Wingardiam Leviosa, and many other spells?
Sweet Shops/Butterbeers in Hogsmeade?
A quidditch ride?
A whooping Willow/Ford Angelina ride?
Snape's Potion class?
The Weasley House?
The Ministry of Magic?
Ride Centuars in the forbidden forest?
Fred & George's Wizarding Wares ( I think that's the name)
Gringott's Ride?
The Final Task - the giant maze from Goblet of Fire
Seeing the 2nd Floor bathroom and Moaning Myrtle


What's sad is that once this land is built - the books and movies will be over, so unless Pottermania continues, I dont know how much they will expand it later on?


I do think Disney has a better way of creating 'magic', but in my opinion (please no flames!) Disney wouldn't have give this as much effort as Universal, No one is going to make one huge park dedicated to one franchise alone (There isn't a complete Star Wars Park correct?) So Universal will create an entire land vs. Disney doing just one ride/show/restuarant. What I'm saying is Disney is top dog at theme parks (my opinion and I love Disney, i plan on marrying there) but they KNOW they are top dog at theme parks, so they wouldn't have put the effort into it because they wouldn't have had competition to one up the project. Hopefully I'm making sense...

I do hope that they will do characters because I would love to meet Hagrid, Snape, Dumbledore, Sirius Black! In my Opinion, Universal doesn't really make its charcters real personalities as Disney does (read Ariel looks, speaks, and even signs her name like Ariel in the TLM, I meet Scooby and I felt like he was as dull as a Radio Station Mascot)

The only possiblity (which I saw at a rumor at one point) that Disney would make what was going to be Beastly Kingdomme into Harry Potter Land - but I don't think that would have fit well with the Animal Safari theme of the whole park.

Another rumor, (this is just what I read or heard before) Disney was supposedly offered the Harry potter Movies before Warner Brothers got them, When the first book had huge success, but they turned them down. (I may be wrong, this is what I heard) Ever since then they realized their HUGE mistake and they bought TV rights and I've been searching for the next Harry Potter Franchise (read Narnia, Bridge to Terabithia) So why I'm sure Jo Rowling gave them a fair shot at their idea, they really have always been a step behind at realizing Potter's success.


Just my thoughts on this, but I am seriously thinking about buying whatever annual passes Universal has, just to get into the pre-event if they have one!

I am so thrilled!!!!

If universal could perfect the technology that they used on the under the stairs/ Terror Mines haunted houses that work with infra red type technology (when a miner hat that one person from each group is wearing is pointed at certain items the light on it would turn on and off) they could tweak it a little bit and really create an immersive type "spell class" where "magic wands" pointed at certain things in a certain way ("swish and flick", anyone?) could create magical results such as levitation, shape changing, etc. that would be VERY cool. Also imagine what a transfiguration class would be like lol...

 

[damo]

Gonna read it now. On the ride or on the whole project?

Sorry, meant the project. It is rumoured that Disney spent 100 million on EE, so that should give us an idea.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

OK, second part of my question. I'm curious about how this may effect WDW's bottom line. Will it take one or two days away from an average 7 day WDW visit? (Even if it only draws a day or two of vacation time of a family w/children, it could mean an estimated 5-15% revenue loss.) Will it mean that visitors might extend their normal vacation time by an extra day or two? Or, will it draw new or more frequent visitors (the Harry Potter fans) who will divide their time between WDW, US and Seaworld, bringing even more revenue for all?

How might this new theme area at IOA change your normal visit plans?

Here's Disney's official response, from the Orlando Sentinel:

"Whenever one of our region's tourism-industry players makes an investment in their business, it's good for our industry and our community as a whole," said Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty. "That's why we continue to invest in our business."

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

They said on the news they will be making a replica castle of Hogwarts. Too cool!

From the concept drawings I've seen, it looks as if only part of Hogwarts Castle will actually be seen/built. This, of course, makes it no less cool.

 

[CarolA]

OK, second part of my question. I'm curious about how this may effect WDW's bottom line. Will it take one or two days away from an average 7 day WDW visit? (Even if it only draws a day or two of vacation time of a family w/children, it could mean an estimated 5-15% revenue loss.) Will it mean that visitors might extend their normal vacation time by an extra day or two? Or, will it draw new or more frequent visitors (the Harry Potter fans) who will divide their time between WDW, US and Seaworld, bringing even more revenue for all?

How might this new theme area at IOA change your normal visit plans?

I think it's hard to tell until you see the actual product.

That said, I think over the next two years it may actually hurt Universal. I can easily see the family who goes every year to Orlando and goes to Disney and maybe another park saying "lets go to Sea World or Busch Gardens and save Universal until the next trip when HP opens" (Or even just using ME and staying at Disney and saving ALL of the other parks for the next trip)

EDIT

Just out of curiosity I went over the Universal board there. There was at least one poster who will go this summer and then not again until after HP opens..... maybe a short term decline on "down" revenue. Not good for Universal.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Just reading through some articles and thought these thoughts were interesting!

A big "E" Ticket attraction. Which -- as you may have already heard -- will be a state-of-the-art family-friendly thrill ride that will then allow IOA guests to first soar through the trees of the Forbidden Forest and then fly high above the grounds of Hogwarts inside of the Weasley family's Ford Anglia. (FYI : This attraction will reportedly be housed inside of the soon-to-be-closed-and-gutted "Eighth Voyage of Sindbad" stunt show theater).


"Flying Unicorn" kiddie coaster. According to what I hear, Universal plans on retheming this area so that you first queue up in the garden outside of Hagrid's cottage. Then -- after wandering through the Care of Magical Creatures teacher's home -- you then get the chance to board the now re-themed "Flying Hippogriff" kiddie coaster.

IOA's extremely popular "Dueling Dragons" racing coasters is still one of the featured attractions for this part of the park. Only -- in this incarnation -- it's be re-imagined as part of the Tri Wizard Tournament. Where brave wizards do battle with fierce dragons. With the hope that they'll be able to win the Goblet of Fire.

FYI : As you wander through the significantly overhauled queue for "Dueling Dragons" (Which will have 90% of its skeletons removed, so I hear), you'll actually get a chance to get a close-up look at the Goblet. Which -- just as it appeared in the "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" film -- will be displayed on an ornate pedestal with magical blue flames licking out of its top.


http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/06/01/why-for-today.aspx

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

Sorry, meant the project. It is rumoured that Disney spent 100 million on EE, so that should give us an idea.

It will certainly be interesting to see what a quarter of a billion dollars buys Universal! Of course, bear in mind that Spiderman 3's estimated budget was about the same as IoA's TWWoHP: $258M. For comparison, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (the movie) has an estimated budget of $150M.

 

[Raider82]

If universal could perfect the technology that they used on the under the stairs/ Terror Mines haunted houses that work with infra red type technology (when a miner hat that one person from each group is wearing is pointed at certain items the light on it would turn on and off) they could tweak it a little bit and really create an immersive type "spell class" where "magic wands" pointed at certain things in a certain way ("swish and flick", anyone?) could create magical results such as levitation, shape changing, etc. that would be VERY cool. Also imagine what a transfiguration class would be like lol...

There is something like this in Myrtle Beach, called MagiQuest. Each person is basically given a wand and you go on certain quests - when you do point your wands at certain items things happen - you can even battle dragons, monsters, etc. I think if they did a big budgeted version of this it would be a big hit.

 

[damo]

Just reading through some articles and thought these thoughts were interesting!

A big "E" Ticket attraction. Which -- as you may have already heard -- will be a state-of-the-art family-friendly thrill ride that will then allow IOA guests to first soar through the trees of the Forbidden Forest and then fly high above the grounds of Hogwarts inside of the Weasley family's Ford Anglia. (FYI : This attraction will reportedly be housed inside of the soon-to-be-closed-and-gutted "Eighth Voyage of Sindbad" stunt show theater).


"Flying Unicorn" kiddie coaster. According to what I hear, Universal plans on retheming this area so that you first queue up in the garden outside of Hagrid's cottage. Then -- after wandering through the Care of Magical Creatures teacher's home -- you then get the chance to board the now re-themed "Flying Hippogriff" kiddie coaster.

IOA's extremely popular "Dueling Dragons" racing coasters is still one of the featured attractions for this part of the park. Only -- in this incarnation -- it's be re-imagined as part of the Tri Wizard Tournament. Where brave wizards do battle with fierce dragons. With the hope that they'll be able to win the Goblet of Fire.

FYI : As you wander through the significantly overhauled queue for "Dueling Dragons" (Which will have 90% of its skeletons removed, so I hear), you'll actually get a chance to get a close-up look at the Goblet. Which -- just as it appeared in the "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" film -- will be displayed on an ornate pedestal with magical blue flames licking out of its top.


http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/06/01/why-for-today.aspx

I can't imagine the new ride being in the Sinbad theatre. The other things, we had already pretty much figured out.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I can't imagine the new ride being in the Sinbad theatre. The other things, we had already pretty much figured out.

I thought that at first too but the more I think about it that theatre is a wide open canvas for them to create whatever they like. I do also wonder if it would be better suited to keep it a theatre converted to the HP theme.