Future of Dragon Challenge?

[JoeCamel]

I still think DC is the best coaster in park, and i honestly think no one knows when it's leaving. I remember last Memorial Day weekend in 2016, people were telling me it get my last rides out of the way.

As with most plans in theme parks everything is fluid until it actually happens. I do think there was discussion about taking it down and putting the space to better use but with the closing on the south property everything is now being re-evaluated to be sure the limited resources are put to best use.

While Comcast does invest a boat load of money into the parks for the future the funds are not unlimited so it is UC's job to get the best bang for the buck. They are not just building rides in the hopes more people will come, the gate pays for ops, the profit is in the food and merch. You have to be able to show how the company will profit for anything to be greenlit.

Pretty sure we will see DC go sooner rather than later but it may not be first on the list as long as it keeps running.

 

[SkiBum]

Holy, I never knew so many people here were old. I'm turning 17 in a month and I feel old. I hate to even tell people that imma junior in high school because it sound old.

Your sentence structure and grammar actually gave your age away. I've got shirts older than you.

 

[Mad Dog]

As with most plans in theme parks everything is fluid until it actually happens. I do think there was discussion about taking it down and putting the space to better use but with the closing on the south property everything is now being re-evaluated to be sure the limited resources are put to best use.

While Comcast does invest a boat load of money into the parks for the future the funds are not unlimited so it is UC's job to get the best bang for the buck. They are not just building rides in the hopes more people will come, the gate pays for ops, the profit is in the food and merch. You have to be able to show how the company will profit for anything to be greenlit.

Pretty sure we will see DC go sooner rather than later but it may not be first on the list as long as it keeps running.

Exactly. Everything is being evaluated & up in the air because of the new property & Dream Works acquisition. We're all guessing on stuff now, but my feeling is that Universal itself is still guessing too. Everything is fluid & subject to change. You don't need to be an insider to know that. It's just basic business common sense.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I still don't think Dragon Challenge is going anywhere anytime soon. Too many other fish to fry at the resort, with the Fast N Furious and Nintendo projects, not to mention the new theme park on site B. I see the Toon Ampitheatre being priority before more Potter stuff...and of course IF more Potter stuff comes, I'd expect the expansion to go to Diagon Alley seeing as how there's only one ride there and Fear Factor would make much more sense to demo over the coasters.

How I understood it, Hogsmede and Diagon Alley both have 1 more expansion plan each left.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Holy, I never knew so many people here were old. I'm turning 17 in a month and I feel old. I hate to even tell people that imma junior in high school because it sound old.

Haha I'm 26 now, but I started reading forums at 12 and joined my first around 18 or 19.

 

[jseal777]

How I understood it, Hogsmede and Diagon Alley both have 1 more expansion plan each left.

:drool::drool:

 

[LJGonz]

Your sentence structure and grammar actually gave your age away. I've got shirts older than you.

Ya, I'm pretty used to just texting.

 

[LJGonz]

How I understood it, Hogsmede and Diagon Alley both have 1 more expansion plan each left.

The thought of that just made me pass out :drool:

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

The thought of that just made me pass out :drool:

There was always a phase 3 for Potter. What side got what and when is what we dont know.

 

[LJGonz]

There was always a phase 3 for Potter. What side got what and when is what we dont know.

I would more than love an expansion on each park, but I do want something like a ministry of magic.

 

[Cheezbat]

How I understood it, Hogsmede and Diagon Alley both have 1 more expansion plan each left.

Sounds about right.

 

[Mike S]

How I understood it, Hogsmede and Diagon Alley both have 1 more expansion plan each left.

I'd be fine just getting the Forest and then something else in USF besides Potter. That would be the right balance imo.

 

[LJGonz]

I feel like when Harry Potter should just be let alone at universal, what else would be as popular as that? What would be built in UOR that could be as popular at HP (not including Nintendo)

 

[fryoj]

I think they are going to have to get on with the Potter expansions if they are going to do them. We are 10 years since the last book came out, and 6 years since the last movie. Granted, FB stuff is an option, but for the main Potter story arc, there has to be a shelf life. Expansions of anything are diminishing returns as it is, but a 3rd or 4th expansion of a decade old story will only be worse. Potter has been the golden goose, and I am all for expansions, but at some point, they'll be better off doing something else.

 

[SkiBum]

I think they are going to have to get on with the Potter expansions if they are going to do them. We are 10 years since the last book came out, and 6 years since the last movie. Granted, FB stuff is an option, but for the main Potter story arc, there has to be a shelf life. Expansions of anything are diminishing returns as it is, but a 3rd or 4th expansion of a decade old story will only be worse. Potter has been the golden goose, and I am all for expansions, but at some point, they'll be better off doing something else.

This a great point and something I thought of the other day. I just don't know how much staying power the IP has and how much relevancy as well. It was huge for so long but now is just that movie you see on Freeform for an entire weekend.

 

[LJGonz]

I think they are going to have to get on with the Potter expansions if they are going to do them. We are 10 years since the last book came out, and 6 years since the last movie. Granted, FB stuff is an option, but for the main Potter story arc, there has to be a shelf life. Expansions of anything are diminishing returns as it is, but a 3rd or 4th expansion of a decade old story will only be worse. Potter has been the golden goose, and I am all for expansions, but at some point, they'll be better off doing something else.

This a great point and something I thought of the other day. I just don't know how much staying power the IP has and how much relevancy as well. It was huge for so long but now is just that movie you see on Freeform for an entire weekend.

I was thinking about this the other day as well. Every time I see the potter cast in an interview I see them even older. If JK only wants the HP actors in the rides, how will they be able to look like they did less than 6 years ago. Potter is amazing but like you said, there will be a point in which it will just seem odd to add a HP attraction. I feel like potter will always continue to amaze people as long as you go to unievrsal. Something like a new book series and a continuation of the potter series (which I think is taking place) needs to revive this HP slump.

 

[Imperius]

IMO, Potter has ridiculous staying power. It's popularity isn't going anywhere as people will bring their kids into it and so on.

 

[Frogki]

Put it this way - I will be incredibly upset in fifteen to twenty years time if I cannot take my own children to the Wizarding World. It is my Disney moment. I never dropped my jaw in awe of Cinderella's Castle, nor did I get giddy with joy over Pirates of the Caribbean. And this comes from a Disney dork as a kid. I have always loved theme parks, and I will continue to enjoy them for the remainder of my life. Disney was amazing to me as a kid, but the spark that so many feel for it comes from a deeply ingrained cultural love for the characters and stories it embodies. I will always love it - but Potter brought something to the table that was breathtaking for me. I do not believe it's power is unlimited but, at least for now, it is Universal's mouse.

 

[quinnmac000]

Wizarding world is very different than most theme park areas as its overly interactive with the wands. That's one thing that will always entertain people for years to come as long as they revamp and keep it updated with effects looking fresh. I think that will be the feature that keeps it going for years to come in theme park love along with its somewhat wonky architecture.

 

[Andysol]

Late to this party, but wanted to chime in.

I could easily Universal and JK having a stand off about the dragon challenge area.

I would bet anything under the sun that Universal would vastly prefer something along the lines of a tame ride. There has clearly been a strong push/compromise to incorporate thrill rides with minimal height requirements that the entire family can ride regardless of age or height.
48" is a pretty massive height requirement. If you're lucky, you have a kid at 6 that can barely fit (like mine)- were tall. But most will be 8 or so. Same with 42"- you might have a 4 year old there but most will be 6. So those 4 and 5 year old kids- that are prime "wand" age- might not be attending the park until they are 6, 7, 8, etc. Or even worse- they wait until their youngest is tall enough. So that oldest kid might be 10, 11, 12.
Universal knows this. They know where their draw is. And they know that those 30-40 year old parents with young kids are dying to Instagram those kids donning their wands and robes.

JK is much more concerned with integrity versus universal capitalizing on younger families and that critical spending demographic.

So I could see Uni wanting a slow family ride while Jk wants something much more intense. I think we get something in the middle more like Kong. Obviously not that ride or tech but that idea- still very intense and "scary" but no height requirement.

I'd prefer something more intense with a decent height requirement (and my youngest is 3)- but I'd be surprised if they did.

The only way I see an expansion and the money spent on Their largest represented property is if they can make more money from it. And youngins are the key.