Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion (Opens 2014)

[Mitchiez]

This thread just gets more and more amusing. As much as I am a Harry Potter fan, this is completely unrealistic. I've given up on arguing the many factors halting this amazing expansion that's going to ruin their entire original concept, and just make a gaudy looking, good themed Harry Potter convention. Excuse my interpretation, but I'm sick of this thread popping up with this on going battle. So be my guest, and fantasize about Universal destroying one of their lands, to create a ruined Wizarding World. :rofl:

 

[TSSD]

This thread just gets more and more amusing. As much as I am a Harry Potter fan, this is completely unrealistic. I've given up on arguing the many factors halting this amazing expansion that's going to ruin their entire original concept, and just make a gaudy looking, good themed Harry Potter convention. Excuse my interpretation, but I'm sick of this thread popping up with this on going battle. So be my guest, and fantasize about Universal destroying one of their lands, to create a ruined Wizarding World. :rofl:

Thank you. Finally, someone besides me and Manta who realizes how stupid DA or London would be. Here's my idea. Take some JP land, convert it into FF. Take the Arabian part of LC, and expand Hogsmead to include the shrieking Shack, etc.

 

[VacationTalkRocks!]

Sorry for spamming but that's exactly what my ride idea is about I posted it here http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php?5564-My-Idea-for-the-WWOHP-Expansion

I guess great minds think alike.

I just read and posted on your thread. It sounds FUN. There's just so much they could do with an expansion. I for one hope it comes to be.

 

[mantaguy]

Thank you. Finally, someone besides me and Manta who realizes how stupid DA or London would be. Here's my idea. Take some JP land, convert it into FF. Take the Arabian part of LC, and expand Hogsmead to include the shrieking Shack, etc.

:faint: NNOOOOOOO!!! Spielberg and I would DIE! JP has not the short stick wit this entire situation. That islands needs refurb and addition, not more of it destroyed!

Ok now I'll calm down. As I've pointed out just taking the Arabian portion leaves Mythos, Fire Eaters, Poseidon, and its gift shop. Hardly an island.

 

[TSSD]

:faint: NNOOOOOOO!!! Spielberg and I would DIE! JP has not the short stick wit this entire situation. That islands needs refurb and addition, not more of it destroyed!

Not any ride land, just some unused useless land. Personally, I agree that JP needs refurb. Maybe when JP4 comes out?

Ok now I'll calm down. As I've pointed out just taking the Arabian portion leaves Mythos, Fire Eaters, Poseidon, and its gift shop. Hardly an island.

That needs refurb as well. As it is the only things in the Arabian section are Sinbad, the stupid carnival games, and the enchanted fountain, (Which should definitely be moved somewhere else). Not much in the land as is.

 

[mantaguy]

Not any ride land, just some unused useless land. Personally, I agree that JP needs refurb. Maybe when JP4 comes out?

There really isn't that much land there, and they would have to divert the lake to use it for HP.

 

[TSSD]

There really isn't that much land there, and they would have to divert the lake to use it for HP.

What lake? Do you mean the lagoon in the center of IOA? Cause they could just use the so-called "temporary" bridge to get across to FF.

 

[mantaguy]

What lake? Do you mean the lagoon in the center of IOA? Cause they could just use the so-called "temporary" bridge to get across to FF.

But the point of that bridge is so you can bypass the HP madness, not go right into it. And that's messing too much with the original layout, I don't like it.

 

[TSSD]

Sorry did I say temp bridge? Man, I'm stupid! I meant the bridge in the WW, after Hogsmeade.

 

[Roxy91]

Personally I agree with those who want expansion, but not DA. I mean I just don't understand why so many people are hoping for Diagon Alley. More shops and another roller coaster?? And as I and others have stated DA and Hogsmeade would look like exact counterparts! Imagine walking into the Wizarding World and seeing: long, cobbled street lined with shops and restaurants, off in the distance, towering iconic building housing main attraction, passing this and seeing yet another long, cobbled street lined with shops and restaurants, with a towering iconic building off in the distance, housing another main attraction! Just sounds silly to me. It would be like building another street behind Tower of Terror called Twilight Blvd with the Tower of Fear at the end.

As for Diagon Alley itself, there is a reason the creators chose Hogsmeade/Hogwarts instead for the original land. There just isn't that much to do in Diagon Alley - it's like a big shopping mall. A shopping mall and a bank (even magical) can only be so exciting, IMO.

As for the Gringotts coaster, :bored:
Do we really need another coaster when we already have Hippogriff and DC? In any expansion I would hope for a different type of attraction to add a little variety (such as a slow dark ride ala Haunted Mansion, special effects show, or just anything else besides another roller coaster). And this is without even considering what the story would be (taking a tour and then being attacked by a dragon?? Sounds familiar...)

This is not to say that there won't be a Diagon Alley expansion, just that I would much prefer something else.
The only way DA would work, IMO, would be if the WW took over the entire LC, the Greek section becoming Diagon Alley with the Arabian section getting its own separate HP theme so that DA was a good distance away from Hogsmeade. The problem with this is that the park starts to look like the Wizarding Islands of Adventure, considering it would have probably 3 times as many attractions and shops as the other lands. Which I guess they could make it work somehow (Harry and his friends have accidentally opened portals into 4 other dimensions?? )

 

[Mitchiez]

Personally I agree with those who want expansion, but not DA. I mean I just don't understand why so many people are hoping for Diagon Alley. More shops and another roller coaster?? And as I and others have stated DA and Hogsmeade would look like exact counterparts! Imagine walking into the Wizarding World and seeing: long, cobbled street lined with shops and restaurants, off in the distance, towering iconic building housing main attraction, passing this and seeing yet another long, cobbled street lined with shops and restaurants, with a towering iconic building off in the distance, housing another main attraction! Just sounds silly to me. It would be like building another street behind Tower of Terror called Twilight Blvd with the Tower of Fear at the end.

As for Diagon Alley itself, there is a reason the creators chose Hogsmeade/Hogwarts instead for the original land. There just isn't that much to do in Diagon Alley - it's like a big shopping mall. A shopping mall and a bank (even magical) can only be so exciting, IMO.

As for the Gringotts coaster, :bored:
Do we really need another coaster when we already have Hippogriff and DC? In any expansion I would hope for a different type of attraction to add a little variety (such as a slow dark ride ala Haunted Mansion, special effects show, or just anything else besides another roller coaster). And this is without even considering what the story would be (taking a tour and then being attacked by a dragon?? Sounds familiar...)

This is not to say that there won't be a Diagon Alley expansion, just that I would much prefer something else.
The only way DA would work, IMO, would be if the WW took over the entire LC, the Greek section becoming Diagon Alley with the Arabian section getting its own separate HP theme so that DA was a good distance away from Hogsmeade. The problem with this is that the park starts to look like the Wizarding Islands of Adventure, considering it would have probably 3 times as many attractions and shops as the other lands. Which I guess they could make it work somehow (Harry and his friends have accidentally opened portals into 4 other dimensions?? )

^ Which makes this whole hoopla unrealistic. They have enough Potter, for what it's worth. Of course it doesn't seem that way now, because you are waddling through people in the shops... but hey it just opened this summer. Of course it's going to be over crowded. But when that dies down, it'll be equavalent to the rest of the park's lands. Why can't you people see that just because it's Potter, and there's stuff to expand to, (which A, would be a complete and wrong disaster, and B, all the other lands have stuff to expand to as well) means that they would be stupid not to expand. They're making plenty of money, and they don't need more. They were set out to re-create the world of Harry Potter, which they did... and included most of the stuff everybody was expecting. They finished it, and it's successful. End of story.

 

[TSSD]

Personally I agree with those who want expansion, but not DA. I mean I just don't understand why so many people are hoping for Diagon Alley. More shops and another roller coaster?? And as I and others have stated DA and Hogsmeade would look like exact counterparts! Imagine walking into the Wizarding World and seeing: long, cobbled street lined with shops and restaurants, off in the distance, towering iconic building housing main attraction, passing this and seeing yet another long, cobbled street lined with shops and restaurants, with a towering iconic building off in the distance, housing another main attraction! Just sounds silly to me. It would be like building another street behind Tower of Terror called Twilight Blvd with the Tower of Fear at the end.

Finally, someone who realizes what I've been saying since the DA idea came up!

 

[JungleSkip]

They're making plenty of money, and they don't need more.

:rofl:

You really have no idea how companies work, do you?

 

[Mitchiez]

:rofl:

You really have no idea how companies work, do you?

They aren't typically stupid. They have plenty of better techniques of business, and I can assure you... expanding Potter is not one of them. Of course, everyone would think so because it's so popular right now. But that means nothing. Something is always popular when it's new, record breaking or not.

They value how they've been running their company all these years, so why would they change now just for Harry Potter? :doh:

 

[Roxy91]

^ Which makes this whole hoopla unrealistic. They have enough Potter, for what it's worth. Of course it doesn't seem that way now, because you are waddling through people in the shops... but hey it just opened this summer. Of course it's going to be over crowded. But when that dies down, it'll be equavalent to the rest of the park's lands. Why can't you people see that just because it's Potter, and there's stuff to expand to, (which A, would be a complete and wrong disaster, and B, all the other lands have stuff to expand to as well) means that they would be stupid not to expand. They're making plenty of money, and they don't need more. They were set out to re-create the world of Harry Potter, which they did... and included most of the stuff everybody was expecting. They finished it, and it's successful. End of story.

While I agree that some ideas here are going too far, to the detriment of the park as a whole, I can't agree with you in your view that WW couldn't benefit from a measured expansion. There is a middle ground here, where the WW gets a little more variety and space, but the other Islands still have room to breathe. That is why I am for an expansion centered around what is already there, instead of something like Diagon Alley which would basically be another central area in one land (like having two Main Streets).

--- Update ---

They aren't typically stupid. They have plenty of better techniques of business, and I can assure you... expanding Potter is not one of them. Of course, everyone would think so because it's so popular right now. But that means nothing. Something is always popular when it's new, record breaking or not.

They value how they've been running their company all these years, so why would they change now just for Harry Potter? :doh:

IMO you are underestimating the brand strength of HP.

 

[Mitchiez]

While I agree that some ideas here are going too far, to the detriment of the park as a whole, I can't agree with you in your view that WW couldn't benefit from a measured expansion. There is a middle ground here, where the WW gets a little more variety and space, but the other Islands still have room to breathe. That is why I am for an expansion centered around what is already there, instead of something like Diagon Alley which would basically be another central area in one land (like having two Main Streets).

I do believe that a minor expansion is possible. They need to improve Ollivanders, because that line is too long for anyone to even bother messing with. And I defiantly see new things brought to what they already have, because the contract stated they must include HP7 elements. But some of these ideas flying around, are getting very humorous to me.

IMO you are underestimating the brand strength of HP.

This is completely accurate, because I am one of the biggest HP fans out there. I got an annual pass to IOA to become a frequent guest... of course I could name the countless merchandise and souviniers I own from before and after WWoHP opened, but I'm pretty sure nobody cares. (Nor would I, if it were someone else.) But I am fully aware of the strength of HP, and a large scale Phase II expansion is just beyond unrealistic at this stage.

 

[JungleSkip]

They aren't typically stupid. They have plenty of better techniques of business, and I can assure you... expanding Potter is not one of them. Of course, everyone would think so because it's so popular right now. But that means nothing. Something is always popular when it's new, record breaking or not.

Harry Potter is possibly the single most popular franchise on the planet right now, save for possibly Star Wars. It is the best option they have. Nothing will bring more people in than more Potter, especially because Disney currently has the theme park rights to Star Wars.

You think they built the first phase of WWoHP for the fans? You're wrong. Sure, when they got the project going they wanted to make it as high quality as possible to not upset fans. But they did it because they knew they'd make a butt load of money with it. There's no other reason.

And by the time the next phase opens the newness will have worn off of the first one, and then they'll have a brand spanking new part to bring all those people back. They're not stupid. They know what they're doing, and we're all going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

--- Update ---

IMO you are underestimating the brand strength of HP.

Seriously undervaluing it.

 

[Mitchiez]

Harry Potter is possibly the single most popular franchise on the planet right now, save for possibly Star Wars. It is the best option they have. Nothing will bring more people in than more Potter, especially because Disney currently has the theme park rights to Star Wars.

You think they built the first phase of WWoHP for the fans? You're wrong. Sure, when they got the project going they wanted to make it as high quality as possible to not upset fans. But they did it because they knew they'd make a butt load of money with it. There's no other reason.

And by the time the next phase opens the newness will have worn off of the first one, and then they'll have a brand spanking new part to bring all those people back. They're not stupid. They know what they're doing, and we're all going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

--- Update ---



Seriously undervaluing it.

I'll enjoy this ride, when the announcement is made. Then you can come on to these forums, and spam my inbox with "I told you so".

 

[JungleSkip]

I'll enjoy this ride, when the announcement is made. Then you can come on to these forums, and spam my inbox with "I told you so".

Nah, that's not my style.

 

[Roxy91]

This is completely accurate, because I am one of the biggest HP fans out there. I got an annual pass to IOA to become a frequent guest... of course I could name the countless merchandise and souviniers I own from before and after WWoHP opened, but I'm pretty sure nobody cares. (Nor would I, if it were someone else.) But I am fully aware of the strength of HP, and a large scale Phase II expansion is just beyond unrealistic at this stage.

Your sarcasm here is a strawman as no one said anything about you as a Potter fan. That really has nothing to do with whether or not you are underestimating the popularity of the series.