Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Construction Discussion

[Brian G.]

But 50 pages of who can come up with the most clever name for the ride is okay? I think the unusually tight lipped nature of Universal on this project is a huge topic of conversation and opens up a bunch of different possibilities as to why it’s taking them so long to announce what is arguably their biggest attraction since Gringotts.

I’m still going with the theory that it’s Star Wars related and that their strategy is to do a saturated media and advertising blitz like 2 months out for the hype and then a heavy campaign for the ride over the summer months before Star Wars gets ready to open.

No. It’s not either, but I’m here now trying to right the topic. You wanna discuss the hypothetical marketing strategy for the coaster, then go ahead - but it’s a slippery slope between that and the whole “Universal isn’t announcing stuff!” - which is what I don’t what the thread to devolve into.

 

[Legacy]

I’m still going with the theory that it’s Star Wars related and that their strategy is to do a saturated media and advertising blitz like 2 months out for the hype and then a heavy campaign for the ride over the summer months before Star Wars gets ready to open.

Counter-point to your theory: Announcements for Simpsons, Kong, Fallon, Fast and Furious, CineCele... Even the final HHN reveal, weren't made until within 3 months of opening, and none of those things were "competing" for advertising awareness against something Disney had opening. Most weren't announced until 2-6 weeks before sorts. The idea of a "last minute blitz" is what Universal always does. To argue it's Star Wars related when it's never been Star Wars related in the past is misdirected.

And Gringotts wasn't the focus of the advertising when it opened: they advertised Diagon Alley.

 

[tielo]

Here is the thing, the early announcement for Hogsmead was a disaster for Universal. The park was empty up until the opening.
Disney announced a lot in advance and has a really hard time getting their hotels as full as they want it to be (next summer again big savings on hotel stays).
Anything Potter will be a nightmare when it opens because everyone and their mom will book a vacation to Universal to ride it.
This ride is a very complex machine. They don't want to disappoint guests to not open when they make a promise.
Sure we want info but we are getting it when we get it. Get over yourself, don't be a drama queen or a spoiled child and enjoy the amazing insides we get on this forum about the construction and snippets of info.

 

[mainejeff]

Yikes....I guess that Disney doesn't corner the market on touchy fanboys anymore.

So coaster speculation......how many cubic feet of rockwork will be used for this ride.....:ack:

*YAWN*

 

[rhino4evr]

Here is the thing, the early announcement for Hogsmead was a disaster for Universal. The park was empty up until the opening.
Disney announced a lot in advance and has a really hard time getting their hotels as full as they want it to be (next summer again big savings on hotel stays).
Anything Potter will be a nightmare when it opens because everyone and their mom will book a vacation to Universal to ride it.
This ride is a very complex machine. They don't want to disappoint guests to not open when they make a promise.
Sure we want info but we are getting it when we get it. Get over yourself, don't be a drama queen or a spoiled child and enjoy the amazing insides we get on this forum about the construction and snippets of info.

A few things here....

The park was empty because there was a general lack of enthusiasm for universal. They still had plenty of vistitors.

Hogsmede wasn’t a disaster at all, they just couldn’t prepare for such a demand. Remember UOR has a gotten much larger with more hotels.

No one is asking for a specific date, we all know it will open “sometime in 2019”.
Announcing name , concept art, and other ride details to get everyone excited wont disappoint anyone.

Disney is completely owning them with all the drips and drops of info on Galaxy edge. It seems like almost every week we’ve gotten some new info. That’s not by mistake.

It’s one thing to not announce details due to uncertainty of opening date. It’s another not to release info at all, especially when your biggest competition is standing alone in the spotlight.

My personal guess is they will have something out by the super bowl. If they don’t, then they’ve totally blown it.

 

[SkiBum]

A few things here....

The park was empty because there was a general lack of enthusiasm for universal. They still had plenty of vistitors.

Hogsmede wasn’t a disaster at all, they just couldn’t prepare for such a demand. Remember UOR has a gotten much larger with more hotels.

No one is asking for a specific date, we all know it will open “sometime in 2019”.
Announcing name , concept art, and other ride details to get everyone excited wont disappoint anyone.

Disney is completely owning them with all the drips and drops of info on Galaxy edge. It seems like almost every week we’ve gotten some new info. That’s not by mistake.

It’s one thing to not announce details due to uncertainty of opening date. It’s another not to release info at all, especially when your biggest competition is standing alone in the spotlight.

My personal guess is they will have something out by the super bowl. If they don’t, then they’ve totally blown it.

I agree with a lot of what you said. One difference between this coaster and SWL, in my opinion, is that the coaster is one ride replacing another. Hopefully, a very good to great ride when finished but, at its heart, still a coaster and not creating a massive capital investment. SWL is an entire land, with two huge rides, on both coasts, and with some serious capital investment. Thus, Disney is going to go all-out on marketing the two lands as they cannot afford to screw it up.

With that said, I hope that you're right about the Superbowl timeframe.

 

[shiekra38]

Here is the thing, the early announcement for Hogsmead was a disaster for Universal. The park was empty up until the opening.
Disney announced a lot in advance and has a really hard time getting their hotels as full as they want it to be (next summer again big savings on hotel stays).
Anything Potter will be a nightmare when it opens because everyone and their mom will book a vacation to Universal to ride it.
This ride is a very complex machine. They don't want to disappoint guests to not open when they make a promise.
Sure we want info but we are getting it when we get it. Get over yourself, don't be a drama queen or a spoiled child and enjoy the amazing insides we get on this forum about the construction and snippets of info.

I just want a name and a construction vlog

 

[JoeCamel]

I just want a name and a construction vlog

Bio and the Harry Potter coaster isn't enough for you?

 

[Mad Dog]

Lack of info from Universal doesn't bother me one bit. I'm fine with the speculating that 'we' do on the forums. Besides, I like surprises right around the time I'm ready to open the package.....One point though. Many people complain about leaked info and want disclaimers used so it doesn't ruin their initial ride . Well, Universal is being pretty accommodating to them, since they usually don't tell us much of anything. ...I'm a patient person. :grin:

 

[shiekra38]

Bio and the Harry Potter coaster isn't enough for you?

I find it funny that we have to rent a helicopter to get news

 

[natespf]

We just got to face it folks... this is a niche group and we are not the target audience. Marketing wants to sell tickets now. As has been pointed out Universal has become known for holding their cards tight, I think we'll see that even more so now with so much in the air. But here we are talking about a vacant hole in one of their top attractors, I don't think they need to highlight that. Rather hold off for a media blitz closer to when people would be able to come out and experience it.

 

[Mad Dog]

One thing to remember is that Universal hotels, according to Executive comments, have a pretty consistent 90% plus rooms filled rate. They don't really need to advertise/market too far in advance since they're filling those rooms with heavy spending tourists anyways. The locals will come as soon as the openings hit the airwaves.....Announcing an opening far in advance probably has more negative potential than positive since they only have X number of rooms available. Now, once they reach their objective of 12,000 to 15,000 hotel rooms within the next decade, that dynamic may change, but they still are on the low end of hotel room availability. They don't really need to push to get hotel rooms filled, especially in summer.

 

[Teebin]

Who is the lead director/art director on this project? I know that Thierry Coup made proclamations about it but...

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Who is the lead director/art director on this project? I know that Thierry Coup made proclamations about it but...

I figured Alan Gilmore? (Also fun fact Alan Gilmore worked as art director for some Bourne movies... hmmmm)

 

[Mike S]

One thing to remember is that Universal hotels, according to Executive comments, have a pretty consistent 90% plus rooms filled rate. They don't really need to advertise/market too far in advance since they're filling those rooms with heavy spending tourists anyways. The locals will come as soon as the openings hit the airwaves.....Announcing an opening far in advance probably has more negative potential than positive since they only have X number of rooms available. Now, once they reach their objective of 12,000 to 15,000 hotel rooms within the next decade, that dynamic may change, but they still are on the low end of hotel room availability. They don't really need to push to get hotel rooms filled, especially in summer.

We’re not begging for an opening. Just give us basic info on these projects. That’s all.

 

[RevFreako]

I find it funny that we have to rent a helicopter to get news

Don't take this the wrong way, but this post makes it sound like you think you're entitled to Universal telling you/us anything.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Don't take this the wrong way, but this post makes it sound like you think you're entitled to Universal telling you/us anything.

Really and truthfully, I feel both sides of the argument. It makes perfect sense that they wouldn't want to create a slump in attendance of people waiting.

BUUUUUUUUUT, and I don't want to sound like Critical Analysis, plenty of people--myself included--are so sick of the screenz that we're ready to see them announce a non-screen attraction...and I've very clearly voiced how much I loved Dragons. There's talk that F&F was the end of the screenz era. Great, now let's get the "post-screenz"-era on with!​

 

[natespf]

Well we already know this and more sans screenz attractions are in the pipeline. What does the official announcement do for you?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

1. Everyone chill, things take time.
2. Want something to talk about? How about that the ride has already at least partially run its course.

 

[shiekra38]

Don't take this the wrong way, but this post makes it sound like you think you're entitled to Universal telling you/us anything.

I understand that they can do whatever they want and yadda yadda yadda, but the interest is certainly added to by doing things like vlogs and behind the scenes videos. If Universal chooses not to make those things happen then that's on them. I do find it funny that the fan community gives them free advertising by way of helicopter, people do notice, the pictures are shown to more than just fans.

Speculation by casual folks with mum information is how we got clip art Nintendo pictures over a Disneyland map.

Again, Universal is free to choose whatever they want to do marketing wise...They have been doing so for years...I just wonder how many people miss out

As far as entitlement, I am entitled to finding something funny...If you can't see the humor in someone renting a helicopter and flying over a theme park just for construction prog