Diagon Alley USH

[Freak]

I'm hearing we will be getting a modified version of Hogwarts Express with our rumored version of wagon Alley... Let's see how this works out. 

I will take a modified version of Hogwarts Express over none at all. I figured we would get it somehow. 

 

[Allen The Actor]

I agree that the biggest thing that is iffy about Diagon Alley is that it IS just one ride while the rest of the land takes up an incredible amount of space and land, which is such a luxury at USH. However, the other argument is that just like Hogsmeade, the land, stores, and facades are an attraction in and of itself. It's more than just about a ride. The entire land is an experience.

So while yes, the amount of space Diagon Alley could take up would equal a few Transformers sized rides, I'd rather have a massive immersive experience like Diagon Alley than a random collection of little rides without any cohesion to the area in theme, etc.

As a Potter fan, I'm still torn about wanting Diagon Alley here. I'd love it and be in heaven, but I do kinda wish they first reserved some space for other franchises and attractions as well.

 

[HereWeGo]

I know the chances are low but I think it would be really cool if instead of Diagon Alley we got the Ministry of Magic or something like that. That way both coasts would have completely different HP experiences.

 

[Wesker69]

I always felt like the Hogwarts Express photo-op would make the perfect ride/attraction facade/entrance... but the last thing the park needs is ANOTHER simulator attraction haha...

You can still have a massive immersive experience with a random collection of rides, just make sure they are part of the overall theme. Look at Disney for example... multiple rides that are all different (more or less), but are part of the same theme of that particular land.

The only thing that really makes Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley an "immersive experience" attraction itself is... 1- being an uber fan of that IP, 2- interactive wands. Otherwise, the crowds will pretty much kill any enjoyment the scenery provides. Of course, you also have the park guests that don't care how pretty it all looks, they just want to ride the rides.

And yea.. as I said before, I feel like Universal made a mistake by building DA in Orlando & a Hogsmeade duplicate. They should've built it here. Orlando is going to become a Harry Potter park if all of the unnecessary rumored expansions happen. Instead of building Ministry of Magic or something else in Orlando, they could be providing Hollywood with something NEW. This would also entice people to visit both coasts... something that is becoming less & less of a thing to do with everything being cloned.

 

[k_peek_2000]

God forbid USH get something that isn't already in existence at Universal Orlando or won't be cloned there at some point (aka- "PETS"). 

As much as I agree. That is unfortunately the Comcast business model for Universal Parks.

 

[Allen The Actor]

That's the (smart) modern business model for Disney as well, at least most of the time. I'm a massive theme park, Disney, and Universal fan but I also don't have the means to travel to Florida. Neither do 90% of other people here, and probably the same thing with Florida residents coming to California. Heck, I know people who have NEVER been to Disney or Universal or haven't in more than a decade, and they live here. So some of you really need to come out of that mentality that cloning attractions is bad and cheap and that the corporations are being unimaginative in creating new rides. It's smart and allows a greater amount of guests to experience something amazing, even if it's identical or similar. Yeah, we can all be a bit protective and selfish of our unique rides but we need to open our minds a bit. Plus, this isn't new, that's been a business model for theme parks for decades...

 

[Wesker69]

That's honestly a weak excuse to use in regards to defending the cloning of rides/attractions. The truth is that the parks charge way too much which hinders people from going to other parks in other states or even locally. As for people who have never been to the parks & live locally, again, its either not in their budget or it just isn't their thing..

And cloning IS bad & cheap nowadays. It ranks right up there with making every new ride/attraction screen-based (usually in 3D). At least when Disney cloned their rides/attractions for the other parks, they made an effort (most of the time) to have each experience unique to that particular park. Universal, thanks to Comcast, just wants to have every park be practically 100% duplicates. At least that is what it seems like. Its all about making the least amount of effort only to raise the prices.

And that is the main reason why cloning is looked down upon... it all circles back to the price scalping.. Besides, as I (and a few others have said before), it would be completely stupid (and total overkill) to duplicate a land in a park as small as USH that would only add one new ride. Yay more shops & dining! We're paying to go to an outdoor "Mall of America"...

 

[Allen The Actor]

Um...that's a weak excuse? Ok, talk to me when you'll pay for my vacation to Florida...

Theme parks have always been a luxury. You're saying it's the park's fault for charging too much? Do you realize how much goes into creating, sustaining, designing, and operating a theme park? It's also a business. They're about making money. You forgot to factor in the cost of travel and absolutely everything else that goes along with planning a vacation. Your post really irks me, not gonna lie. You're making a lot of unfair assumptions about the parks. Lots of people can't afford theme parks or cross country vacations. And if something is popular on one coast, what's wrong with bringing it elsewhere? Some "clones" are improved upon or different due to space or artistic reasons. Not all of Universal's "clones" are the same either. The proof is Earthquake, both iterations of Kong, ET to a certain extent, our Jurassic Park, Mummy, and Despicable Me.

You seem to keep missing the point, since you think my "excuse" was "weak", so I'll repeat it: a huge portion of theme park guests won't or simply can't travel to other parks. I doubt Nancy Whatsherface from Oklahoma or Greg Randomguy from Palm Springs cares that Transformers is also available as a clone in Florida when they only have the means to travel to USH. You were blessed to be able to. Now think about 90% of the public for a second who aren't massive theme park fans, travel aficionados, or financially flexible.

-___-

 

[Ryan]

It took me up to two years to scrimp and save to head out to Florida for six days last year for the first time in nine years, and I'm a gigantic theme park fan.

Very little people outside the theme park fan community travel to both parks, and when they do, it's very rare. Case in point: when WDW first opened, the idea was to create "Thunder Mesa" with the Pirates-esque Western River Expedition as part of a "Magic Kingdom Phase 2"... however the east coasters who flocked down there were disappointed to learn that the Pirates ride they enjoyed so much from their former "once-in-a-lifetime" LA trips that concluded with Disneyland wasn't available in the more convienent location. Thus, WED produced a Pirates clone two years later and shelved WRE.

As much as some will instantly go the pointing the finger at the numerous unique things that Florida has, all we have to do is dig into the histories of Disney and Universal and realize that the companies have always tried to bring over the same experiences, and have just simply failed to do so. There's never, ever really been a "this is unique to Florida and we're going to keep it that way because this needs something unique to attract more guests". It's never been that simple. EPCOT Center famously went through a decade of corporate hand-wringing before Eisner finally announced its equivalent was coming to Disneyland in the same area as DCA... just prior to that Eisner was trying to strike a deal to also bring the Disney-MGM park to Burbank. Animal Kingdom does come close, although their park does feature a WDW version of Indiana Jones and an update to the Matterhorn. The main reason why the Disney company hasn't tried to bring DAK over to Anaheim is pretty easy: it's enormous, and it's not very popular compared to the other parks. 

And Universal... well Universal has been doing this stuff ever since USF first opened. That park was basically just a series of expanded tram animations and clones. Hell, in 2014 we finally got a version of their opening-day Hannah Barbera attraction. This is nothing new in the slightest. There are no weak or lame or stupid excuses. The parks do this because people want them nearby. That is why ultimately there are no midwestern Disney or Universal parks today: it's bifurcated by coast, by market. Anything else is overkill. (see the demise of DisneyQuest Chicago) There's a Disney resort in Japan, and a Universal one. Not two. It will soon be the same with China (since Hong Kong is not a part of Mainland China). 

Besides... we'll always have the Starway. UOR ain't ever gonna take that away from us! 

 

[Allia]

They can clone all they want if it means bringing Diagon Alley here!

 

[Inspire2_Ride]

As great as it would be to get Diagon Alley for USH, I feel like it would be to late. Like the excitement about Harry Potter would be kind of dead. Than again there are those new movies coming out. But I just can't help feeling that the interest would be less than it would if it were opened a few years back. Especially when it would be going against the renovated Star Wars at Disney Parks. 

 

[Aaron]

Harry Potter is a timeless franchise that will always draw a crowd. Money speaks and the large merchandising sales in Orlando more than justify the lands being ported over here. 

 

[Inspire2_Ride]

^ True. I really hope it lasts long. 

If it is suppose to come here by 2018 or 2019 (according to members that theorized that) shouldn't they building it like now?

Somthing that large is going to need time. And I know USH Hogsmeade came up pretty fast, but Diagon Alley has different complexities, like the facades, train and station. If USH even incorporates the Hogsmeade Express. It seems like this has had to been in the plans like two years ago, for it to be at Universal in three years.

Well, maybe I'm just overthinking and underestimating what they can really do.   

 

[Chris]

Its amazing how there is no such thing as a "local" in Orlando.  It is a tourist state and all of the Floridian theme park fan base is mostly from upstate travelers.  On the contrary, its the exact opposite in California.  I think that is also why the Platinum Disney Annual pass is only sold here in California and not in Florida.

I met more people from Los Angeles in Orlando than any other domestic destination.  LOL

 

[Aaron]

Looks like another article has been released discussing the possibility of Diagon Alley coming to the park. Their rendering on where the land will be placed is really... off. We are a few months out of Hogsmead opening and people are still getting the layout wrong!


http://www.hypable.com/harry-potter-diagon-alley-expansion-universal-hollywood/

 

[k_peek_2000]

What a joke of an article.

 

[Ryan]

Rather awkward thing to say when they mentioned literally THIS THREAD as a source... but okay.

But yea it's.... not going where WaterWorld is. That is very clear.

 

[Chris]

At least they did mention that our forums speculate the Lower Lot theory.

I have no doubt it would ever fit over Waterworld.

 

[Opie]

Anyways... as much as I adore the Harry Potter universe, it's a Warner Bros property and we're already paying homage to it and benefiting from it with Hogsmeade. I don't want to see SO much precious real estate of the Hollywood park going to a franchise that already exists within the park. It's an entirely different story with Orlando, because they're working with what seems like infinite space. That's not an issue in Florida, it's a BIG issue here.  

Marvel is a Disney property and yet is prominent in Universal's IOA due to the east coast contract. Bottom line is that Universal is going to put in whatever will sell tickets and draw crowds, and in this case they have a proven winner with Diagon Alley that they have a unique ability to offer. It's not about homage -- it's about revenue. And Hollywood is an ideal place for featuring such a towering motion picture franchise. I personally would love to USH offer a unique new world under the HP license, but they save in development costs by deploying what they've already created.

 

[Chris]

WIth the lack of revenue and the high costs of building anything in California, I can see why all rides will be tested first in Orlando before they make their way to Hollywood.  The exception would be F&F Supercharged...however, I think we still have the cheaper version.

I don't see any risks being taken in Hollywood.  They will want to keep things to what works before they risk placing something that doesn't.

Then I will contradict myself with SLoP and Waterworld!  LOL