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

[Claymax]

Any thoughts as to the train being more of a VR ride as opposed to mode of transportation?

I was considering the same...

However it could also be part of the immersive experience to take guests to the new section or ride, with all of the 'can't see it 'til you're there' thrill that the train ride to Hogwarts offers.

It could also solve a problem of getting guests to a different area of the park if it's not contiguous. (Like how Disney has you walk to the ride building in Space Mtn.)

Pure speculation, but it's fun!

 

[Barb]

but the reason i enjoy Universal is because it's such a different vibe than WDW...and therin lies the appeal.

I can spend a week or more @ WDW and not be bored. We do split stays anyway @ disney due to DVC accommodations price structure on the weekends...might as well drive on up the highway to U. Sorta a 2 for 1 kind of trip.

Honestly don't get the 'my park is better than yours' rant. Always found it absurd that people get so invested and feel the need to defend their park of choice so fervently (reminds me of a suitor defending their paramour's virtue) via degregating remarks.

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Very well said! That's exactly how we feel. Each park has it's own charm and appeal. We love both and ALWAYS do both US/IOA and WDW. I came here to add my two thumbs up to the HP addition and found the conversation had tunned.

That being said, we are thrilled to hear this news!!! We wouldn't miss our stay at USF. We love the resorts, too! This is excellent!!

 

[loribell]

Perhaps it's my split personality manifesting itself again -

but the reason i enjoy Universal is because it's such a different vibe than WDW...and therin lies the appeal.

I can spend a week or more @ WDW and not be bored. We do split stays anyway @ disney due to DVC accommodations price structure on the weekends...might as well drive on up the highway to U. Sorta a 2 for 1 kind of trip.

Honestly don't get the 'my park is better than yours' rant. Always found it absurd that people get so invested and feel the need to defend their park of choice so fervently (reminds me of a suitor defending their paramour's virtue) via degregating remarks.

Perhaps it's Harry envy ? Honestly think that Rowlings said show me the money, which is well within her right. Do know that Disney movie club used to offer the Potter movies, was thinking that Buena Vista may have been the distributor on @ least the 1st movie.

While I enjoy HP franchise, certainly not a rabid fan; do look forward to the development. Just hope that enchanted oak is converted over & will miss Sinbad show.

Any thoughts as to the train being more of a VR ride as opposed to mode of transportation?

Gotta agree with you on enjoying both sets of parks. I love going to Disney & Universal. My only problem with the new area, which the press releases said would be 20 some acres & basically as big as IOA itself was originally, is that I will now have to increase the length of my stays even more!

For what it's worth I think having an entrance that allows you to go from one park to the other easily is a fabulous idea. I believe that can be done between DL & DCA. I would love to be able to walk out one exit right in to the entrance for the other park. You would still have the other entrances that take you through City Walk. The best of both worlds.

The one downfall I see is a change to the Enchanted Oak. I love it. I hope any change they make is even better than what is already there but they leave the food alone.

 

[Claymax]

For what it's worth I think having an entrance that allows you to go from one park to the other easily is a fabulous idea. I believe that can be done between DL & DCA.

Now that I didn't know! Is this a fact anyone? I assume usual park hopper rules apply?

My thinking of this originally was that they would want you to have to walk past all of the shops etc when you leave, if you wanted to go to another park. But the more I think about it, it would encourage park hopper sales and you still have to walk past those shops to leave. And undoubtedly more shops on any pathway connecting the parks! It seems like a win-win, why not?

 

[loribell]

If I remember correctly the parking garage at DL/DCA is still on the other side of the California version of DTD. I have been there to eat a meal when I was in town on business, just didn't get to go into the parks. So Uni could put in a back entrance to move from Us to IOA and back but offsite guests would still enter through the parking garage & Citywalk to actually get to the parks for the beginning of the day. Of course onsite guests would still visit Citywalk to eat at the many fine restaurants.

 

[ChrisFL]

Yes, DL and DCA are right next to each other, even closer than IOA and US...the only problem with that is, for me, DCA is barely worth going to. I was there once but didn't enjoy it.

 

[loribell]

Yes, DL and DCA are right next to each other, even closer than IOA and US...the only problem with that is, for me, DCA is barely worth going to. I was there once but didn't enjoy it.

With how they are extending the new area for HP will it not be comparable in distance, or at least sort of close. I realize that where you come out of US and go in to IOA now is a mich greater distance but if they put the semi connecting area back behind where the Nick Studio used to be and some and at the back of the new HP land it seems it would be fairly close. At least much closer then what it is now.

 

[Claymax]

If I remember correctly the parking garage at DL/DCA is still on the other side of the California version of DTD. I have been there to eat a meal when I was in town on business, just didn't get to go into the parks. So Uni could put in a back entrance to move from Us to IOA and back but offsite guests would still enter through the parking garage & Citywalk to actually get to the parks for the beginning of the day. Of course onsite guests would still visit Citywalk to eat at the many fine restaurants.

I mean seriously. Simpsons on one side, HP on the other? Everyone will buy a park hopper. Guess this makes all of their hotel expansion plans a bit more logical eh?

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Perhaps it's my split personality manifesting itself again -

but the reason i enjoy Universal is because it's such a different vibe than WDW...and therin lies the appeal.

Sorta a 2 for 1 kind of trip.

Honestly don't get the 'my park is better than yours' rant. Always found it absurd that people get so invested and feel the need to defend their park of choice so fervently (reminds me of a suitor defending their paramour's virtue) via degregating remarks.

Perhaps it's Harry envy ? Honestly think that Rowlings said show me the money, which is well within her right. Do know that Disney movie club used to offer the Potter movies, was thinking that Buena Vista may have been the distributor on @ least the 1st movie.

While I enjoy HP franchise, certainly not a rabid fan; do look forward to the development. Just hope that enchanted oak is converted over & will miss Sinbad show.

Any thoughts as to the train being more of a VR ride as opposed to mode of transportation?

I understand what you're saying but I do get the whole my park is better than yours mentality too. Actually from your statement, I can spend a week or more @ WDW and not be bored. We do split stays anyway @ disney due to DVC accommodations price structure on the weekends...might as well drive on up the highway to U. I get the feeling you do have a preference or should I say a favorite. Of course thats just my take on what I read. Universal seems to be the afterthought since Disney $ are too high for the weekend. I'm positive you enjoy both cause you said so but still we all have our favorites. Its like sports some competitors are more driven that others.

I enjoy all theme parks but Universal is my favorite. Its kinda like someone that drinks cola, I'm sure most will have a favorite, pepsi or coke. Some peoples likes and dislikes are more intense than others. The only opinions I dont respect if of the person that knocks a product w/o ever trying it. It seems so silly to hate Universal before ever stepping foot inside its parks.

So now it seems that Universal has a huge reason to gloat with HP coming. It makes sense to me when I see posts by those that feel threatened or defensive that their favorite isn't in the limelight at that moment to defend what they love. Lots of passionate people around here! That's a good thing.

I think much more went into JKR's thought process than he who can show me the $ wins. After reading many interviews over the years she seems to be extremely picky about how her product is represented. I'll miss Sinbad too thats been a family favorite around here for a long while. I also hope they dont remove the enchanted oak and wish they can incorporate it to work with their intended theme. After all I would have to find a new place for my afternoon Alchemy break. I'm very interested in what they will do with that train!


As an aside I was reading on the Rumors Board and they have a Universal HP thread that has a few posts I strongly disagree with. Anyone else? http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1469492

 

[magnumaid]

Whew! Got through all of the posts.

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

Some type of show replacing Sinbad would be cool.
Characters, moving paintings @ Hogwarts, photo op on a Nimbus2000.

I think I have to watch the movies again!

 

[Claymax]

Whew! Got through all of the posts.

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

Some type of show replacing Sinbad would be cool.
Characters, moving paintings @ Hogwarts, photo op on a Nimbus2000.

I think I have to watch the movies again!

Well for the Harry show to replace Sinbad I have an idea.

Make it a Cirque de Soleil type show. You could have the houses marching in and out singing, aerobatics on brooms around the stage, ghosts entertaining the audiences and fireworks galore for effects.

Call it Harry (La) Pouba, or Harry - The Nouba Years.

 

[loribell]

I understand what you're saying but I do get the whole my park is better than yours mentality too. Actually from your statement, I can spend a week or more @ WDW and not be bored. We do split stays anyway @ disney due to DVC accommodations price structure on the weekends...might as well drive on up the highway to U. I get the feeling you do have a preference or should I say a favorite. Of course thats just my take on what I read. Universal seems to be the afterthought since Disney $ are too high for the weekend. I'm positive you enjoy both cause you said so but still we all have our favorites. Its like sports some competitors are more driven that others.

We actually do the same thing as keishashadow. But my favorite of all parks is IOA. My favortie Disney park is AK. We just have a pretty hefty investment in our rooms (already paid for) at our DVC resorts. Unfortunately with that included we can't spend a lot of time at the Universal onsite hotels. When I get filthy rich however I will be staying onsite at one of the Universal hotels for an entire week, if not longer.

I don't know if you know how the dvc point plan works, you probably don't care either, but the reason we breat away for the weekend is that the point cost is much larger for Fri/Sat nights. As an example, a 2 bed @ SSR during July is 36 points per night Sun - Thurs, it is 68 points per night Fri/Sat. If not I sure wouldn't move in the middle of a stay. I would do Disney first, then move to Universal. I would much rather have the FOTL at the end then do it and then have to wait in lines of for FP windows to open. like I said you probably don't care at all. just trying to explain why most DVC owners do it the way they do.

 

[tidefan]

As an aside I was reading on the Rumors Board and they have a Universal HP thread that has a few posts I strongly disagree with. Anyone else? http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1469492

I posted over there, so I guess I can post here, though I do so with a major caveat. I have never been to US or IOA, so I can't really comment as to whether it is better or worse than Disney. I have been to CityWalk, but that's like saying that I've been to Downtown Disney, so the only thing I can really say is that I like Margaritaville, but hated the parking deck.

Anyway, my observation is this. Why wasn't this announced 3 years ago and opened now, at the height of HP mania? In three years, yes there will still be HP fans, but since the books (and possibly the movies) will be over, I doubt that it will be quite as big a splash as it would be if it were to be open now. Just wondering why they didn't do this sooner.

That being said, I do look forward to going to US/IOA someday so that I can make a comparison, however, I think that I will like them both...

 

[calgarygary]

I'm a little surprised that Poseidon's Fury isn't being incorporated into the new island. It seems to me that with retheming and using the existing technology of the show that it could be a great wizard vs. wizard show.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I'm a little surprised that Poseidon's Fury isn't being incorporated into the new island. It seems to me that with retheming and using the existing technology of the show that it could be a great wizard vs. wizard show.

I totally agree! But what would or even will be left of LC?

 

[Fan2CSkr]

We actually do the same thing as keishashadow. But my favorite of all parks is IOA. My favortie Disney park is AK. We just have a pretty hefty investment in our rooms (already paid for) at our DVC resorts. Unfortunately with that included we can't spend a lot of time at the Universal onsite hotels. When I get filthy rich however I will be staying onsite at one of the Universal hotels for an entire week, if not longer.

I don't know if you know how the dvc point plan works, you probably don't care either, but the reason we breat away for the weekend is that the point cost is much larger for Fri/Sat nights. As an example, a 2 bed @ SSR during July is 36 points per night Sun - Thurs, it is 68 points per night Fri/Sat. If not I sure wouldn't move in the middle of a stay. I would do Disney first, then move to Universal. I would much rather have the FOTL at the end then do it and then have to wait in lines of for FP windows to open. like I said you probably don't care at all. just trying to explain why most DVC owners do it the way they do.

That makes sense and I do appreciate the DVC workings explanation. Just to be clear I wasnt queationing Keisha at all just stating that I understood why some feel the need to defend what they love. I suppose I should have done that w/o the added quote! Thanks and the whole DVC thing makes perfect sense, hope you hit the lottery!

 

[JERSEYDISFAN]

After much discussion and speculation among DISboards participants over the years, yesterday's press announcement that Warner/Universal are planning on opening a Harry Potter Theme Park in 2009 in the Orlando area has answered the question.

Apparently it has the blessing and participation of J.D. Rowling in the design stages, currently under underway. Not much in additional details other than Rowling's statement that she wants it to remain true to the novels as much as possible.

Next big questions - what effect will this have on WDW? Will many of us be splitting (or extending) our vacations with the new park? What will WDW do to hold on to its fans - lower prices, new attractions, etc. Finally, let the speculation begin as we have two years to discuss what the new park's going to include and what will it look like.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I posted over there, so I guess I can post here, though I do so with a major caveat. I have never been to US or IOA, so I can't really comment as to whether it is better or worse than Disney. I have been to CityWalk, but that's like saying that I've been to Downtown Disney, so the only thing I can really say is that I like Margaritaville, but hated the parking deck.

Anyway, my observation is this. Why wasn't this announced 3 years ago and opened now, at the height of HP mania? In three years, yes there will still be HP fans, but since the books (and possibly the movies) will be over, I doubt that it will be quite as big a splash as it would be if it were to be open now. Just wondering why they didn't do this sooner.

That being said, I do look forward to going to US/IOA someday so that I can make a comparison, however, I think that I will like them both...

Hi tidefan, welcome to the dark side!
I'm sure many factors contribute to the why now question. The major one I can think of is that JKR wasn't ready to release it! It is after-all her ultimate decision. As far as "the height of HP mania" being over, who can say for sure? I tend to disagree based on the fact that many rides/attractions are based on history. Sometimes people can take a ride or attraction and enjoy it for its face value, the pleasure it brings you for what it is, not what it represents or its nostalgia. In any case I believe the HP hype will live on for a long time to come. I think the culmination of the HP books and movies is the perfect time for this area to open!

 

[Robin4]

Maybe this is just because I never got involved in Harry Potter but I don't see why you would build a whole park on Harry Potter? I could defenitely see doing a big ride or a section of like IOA but a whole park? To me it just doesn't make sense. However, I'm sure Universal has this planned out! It'll be interesting to see what they do with this idea! And as far as Disney and competition goes I think Disney will always be on top, Disney practically invented the theme park, I don't think they'll ever be behind. If nothing else my family will still be just going to Disney

 

[Brave teacher]

I might be willing to spend a day or two at Universal now, but I am still true to Disney in my heart.