Universal is taking advantage of Disney's weak spot

[JeremyGNJ]

I think it's obvious that Disney should just make "50 Shades of Gray"-land.

 

[hsmamato2]

I don't know, I haven't read all of this....but I agree with OP....I think the winds of change are blowing, but it takes a while to see the full effects. While I lovelovelove Disney....reminiscing over the good old favorites can only go so far.... which is pretty much the parks experience right now,lots of good memories,not much more to base it all on. Very little that's new,up to date,etc. In comparison to Universal, which is like a feisty teenager coming up fast on the middle aged Uncle.... it's got more energy,more that's new,and more that's interesting. So I think it will take a while,but the way things are currently run at WDW,I think they should be concerned. So while I still love that 'older uncle'.... i am drawn to that 'energetic teen' with new ideas also....

 

[hsmamato2]

FWIW, I have never even read the HP books or seen the movies, and I STILL like the new lands and attractions..... it is well done, no question. And the technology used at Universal is currently better than most of WDW....I am thinking of,say, the Muppets 3d movie vs. The new Simpsons 3d attraction/land..... (just one example)

 

[Disneychick75]

So you think Harry Potter is one of the greatest works of human history? I am sure many of the die hard fans believe this but that was not my inclination.

Also you can't say the book came out 17 years ago thus its got a following that will last the ages, they have released new content pretty much every 1-2 years for the last 17 years. New releases in book/movie (97,98,99,00,01,02,03,04,05,05,07,07,09,10,11) and now with the release of 3 new books/movies its likely to extend out a while before that "stale" state sets in that shows the difference between pop culture and all time great works of literature and culture which from universal's perspective I would never want, I would always want another story or movie around the corner.

Back to my original point do people think Harry Potter will live on like: Lord of the Rings, Catcher in the Rye, Don Quixote, A Tale of Two Cities?

By the way Disney would be LUCKY to have Harry Potter under their banner by no means is having Harry a negative. The reason Mickey works so well for Disney is he is cross-generational-platform-story. Since he lives in shorts originally like Daffy and Bug Bunny they are icons that can be a face of a park and be the calling card for generations.

Me- 60ish
Daughter- 20's
Grandson - toddler
Good vs evil HP's basic premise and is a cross generational platform. Oh and my daughter and I are Muggles. We're not sure about my grandson yet although as his grandmother, I think he's magic.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Yes, I believe it will. not because it is great literature. It isn't. (Seriously, Rowling, green comes in shades other than 'emerald'!) But because it built a universe and gave it life, and generations of children and adults have happily moved in, to live there in their imaginations.

The Lord of the Rings wasn't great literature, either. (OMG, so much walking!) But the world Tolkien created is glorious. And that book didn't require 'new content' to keep it fresh, either.

All of this is true, though Tolkien fleshes out his universe so much more with languages and cultures explained in great detail. Tolkien also allowed his "Middle Earth" to be used by countless authors after the fact, allowing for thousands of other books to be written in and around that universe. His stories were about the universe that he had created more so than the characters, and he was happy to see others explore that universe.

Whether or not Harry Potter remains relevant will likely depend on either Rowling or others taking up the torch and continuing to write about that universe. Her stories were more about the characters than the world that she created. There is a lot of potential, and Rowling seems content to sit on her $$Billions$$ and let it sit idle.

At any rate, Harry Potter will continue to be relevant long after Universal Studios makes its fortunes in Orlando.

 

[ArwenMarie]

And rides can still be great even if you don't know or care about the originating story.

 

[PirateD]

Harry Potter is definitely this generation's StarWars.

My daughter will introduce her kids to HP the way I introduced her to StarWars.

Some things are just plain "good" and timeless. Harry Potter is one of them.

I think this is the closest comparison. We just had a Harry Potter themed family night at our school. All of the students and most of the adults were dressed up or at least adorned with a few Harry Potter accessories, and everyone was enthusiastically engaged in the Hogwarts festivities. I see the same enthusiasm in my niece who has just started reading the books, watching the movies, and who is wanting to go to Universal now. Even though the books and movies are not new to us, they are new to her. I was trying to remember what in my childhood had this same popularity and the closest I could come was Star Wars. I definitely believe that Harry Potter has that same staying power and will continue to be popular for many years to come.

 

[clsteve]

Back to Op's original premise, I do think UO is most definitely exploiting a weak spot in Disney's strategy:

UO is doing a much better job of leveraging their movie catalog to appeal to young boys with The Potter franchise, Transformers, Spiderman, The Mummy series, Simpsons, Shrek, DM, etc. Our 2 boys immediately noticed the difference from WDW during our UO trip this January

Also, their character opportunities are right in this sweet spot as well and are much more interactive and impromptu: Doc from BTTF, Shaggy and Scooby, Shrek, Simpsons, The Blues Bros, etc. Their merchandise also reflects this emphasis.

I am continually surprised at how little Disney leverages their movies for this group like they used to. Back in the 70's and 80's there seemed to be a more equal distribution of emphasis between boys and girls movie representation.Even the POTC refurb to include that Depp guy was a bit weak.

3 of my boys all time favorite movies are 20,000 Leagues, Swiss Family Robinson and Treasure Island. More recently, The Incredibles and WALL-E are two they really liked- yet nothing in the Parks. They love Star Wars- yet nothing planned anytime soon. Avatar? they're not interested. They enjoyed the visuals but thought the plot was beyond lame.

And this is in no way a comment on thrill rides and how UO is better. I have one boy who is a thrill guy, the other definitely is not. This is a comment on how I'd be concerned for the long term if I was a Disney decision maker. Boys grow up, have families, and may well end up having more of a UO nostalgia factor than a Disney one. That's where my boys are headed if Disney doesn't beef up the wow factor for young boys very soon.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

And rides can still be great even if you don't know or care about the originating story.

True. My kids have never watched Song of the South, but they love Splash Mountain.

 

[fairyprincess88]

Whether or not Harry Potter remains relevant will likely depend on either Rowling or others taking up the torch and continuing to write about that universe. Her stories were more about the characters than the world that she created. There is a lot of potential, and Rowling seems content to sit on her $$Billions$$ and let it sit idle.

Actually this is what she is doing and has done in the past. The next three Potter films are about other people, places and things in the HP universe and are in fact based on text books used by students in Hogwarts. The first to be released is "Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them" which is also the title of the first year Care of Magical Creatures text book and will based around the fictional author of that book and their adventures and then Quidditch Through the Ages will come and so on.

There have also been several books already released based on the HP universe rather than the main characters such as the above mentioned text books and of course the Tales of Beedle the Bard and there is more content coming. It's not sitting idle at all.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I think it's obvious that Disney should just make "50 Shades of Gray"-land.

Ahhhh...yes. The new and improved Pleasure Island.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Boys grow up, have families, and may well end up having more of a UO nostalgia factor than a Disney one. That's where my boys are headed if Disney doesn't beef up the wow factor for young boys very soon.

This is an extremely powerful argument for the long-range ramifications of Disney's *seeming* passivity in response to the Universal juggernaut.

 

[MichiganDVC]

Because we have allowed it If this topic is not of interest to you join in the many other threads.

By the way this is not an invitation to discuss board moderation in public

Wasn't so much about "Moderation" as it was wondering why I read through three pages of Universal attraction/hotel chat on the WDW part of this board. Then I looked at the Universal/Sea World Forums, heard the crickets, and understood why.

This board is where most things "current" are posted within the WDW Universe(which includes Universal)...that's just what it's become. Yes, there is a Rumours and News board but it doesn't seem to generate a fraction of the response and interaction that this particular board does.

Totally agree. As I said above, I looked at Universal/Sea World forum and no one posts there. My comment wasn't so much directed at you, OP, but generally at the people who spend their time on the WDW forum professing love for Universal, yet the Universal forum is comparatively empty. I feel like its more of a competition for them than a natural love to talk about Universal. JMO

 

[morethananyonex]

This is an extremely powerful argument for the long-range ramifications of Disney's *seeming* passivity in response to the Universal juggernaut.

I agree, and I've never thought of that. It's an interesting point, and more dangerous to Disney than "not engaging" Universal in an arms race could ever be.

Totally agree. As I said above, I looked at Universal/Sea World forum and no one posts there. My comment wasn't so much directed at you, OP, but generally at the people who spend their time on the WDW forum professing love for Universal, yet the Universal forum is comparatively empty. I feel like its more of a competition for them than a natural love to talk about Universal. JMO

Or maybe, they just post more here because like you said, no one posts there. Kind of like when someone posts a dining question on here hoping to get more traffic, or a dining plan question in the main restaurant forum instead of the dining plan sub forum.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

As I said above, I looked at Universal/Sea World forum and no one posts there. My comment wasn't so much directed at you, OP, but generally at the people who spend their time on the WDW forum professing love for Universal, yet the Universal forum is comparatively empty. I feel like its more of a competition for them than a natural love to talk about Universal. JMO

Excellent point!

I'm a WDW fanatic through and through. My posts about Universal almost solely have to do with what *impact* it has on WDW(either positively or negatively).

 

[MichiganDVC]

Or maybe, they just post more here because like you said, no one posts there. Kind of like when someone posts a dining question on here hoping to get more traffic, or a dining plan question in the main restaurant forum instead of the dining plan sub forum.

Yep. I guess from now on I'll have to consider the "WDW Theme Park attractions and strategies" board to be the "WDW attractions, strategies, I hate FP+ and Why Universal is better anyhow" board.

 

[Shaden]

Actually there is no evidence that WDW is hurting or that UNI is doing overly well.


Report after report on the various forums show the MK as crowded almost all the time and the other parks more crowded then normal.

WDW has many new attractions coming down the road, including the DMT, Avatarland, Stars Wars expansion, totally new TDT, additionally resorts (which reports are also showing reservations are getting hard to obtain) not to mention the many smaller things going on.

Uni is busy with the new HP and that will help them with a attendance *Bump* at least for the 1st year, then we will see if the attendance bump continues as the Marvel characters don't seem to be adding much in attendance.


AKK

NO doubt they are doing "well"

But Disney has lost 3.6% Market share ..

UNI has gained almost 5% increase in market share ...

This is since 2009.

Sure Disney still has 71% market share ... and they are doing "well" but, Universal is beating them down slowly. The numbers here really don't lie.

 

[morethananyonex]

Yep. I guess from now on I'll have to consider the "WDW Theme Park attractions and strategies" board to be the "WDW attractions, strategies, I hate FP+ and Why Universal is better anyhow" board.

You forgot to include the "why Disney is evil for making people wait for Anna and Elsa" board.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Sure Disney still has 71% market share ... and they are doing "well" but, Universal is beating them down slowly. The numbers here really don't lie.

They are actually starting to "beat them down" at a rapidly increasing clip.

 

[MC0810]

You forgot to include the "why Disney is evil for making people wait for Anna and Elsa" board.

I cringe every time I read that..and people are posting that several times a day...IT BLOWS MY MIND