(Rumor) New Potter Attraction to Replace Fear Factor Live?

[Andysol]

Except, FB is visiting iconic, real locations. 1920s Paris is the same principal behind World Showcase and the Studios - cities with attractions, stores, and restaurants that fit those cities.

Build Paris with MoM and Newt's Suitcase. Then build a neighboring Beauxbatons with a "History of the Wizarding World" attraction, you have a fantastic world that blends the old and new.

Agreed. DisneySea has 1920s-1940s New York City and it’s arguably the best themed land in the world.

As long as they make the land a showcase, they can throw a FB ride in it easily.

 

[JungleSkip]

It would be just as much a drop ride as Hagrid's is. A single element doesn't pigeonhole a ride.

I mean, people were saying "like Tower of Terror", which is more or less just a drop ride.

 

[Legacy]

I mean, people were saying "like Tower of Terror", which is more or less just a drop ride.

I think it's a situation where they want something that allows an "elevator" ride vehicle to move more than up and down. Because ToT does that, it's the only thing theme park fans can compare it to.

I mean, I can see a MoM ride that's 3-4 stories tall, but pretty wide (similar to the Simpsons footprint). The RV moves up/down, left/right, and can spin (to create forward/back). Basically taking the endless hallway scene and 4th Dimension scene from ToT. That's it though. It wouldn't be a drop tower (though it may have a drop).

 

[brianlo]

The Ministry ride has been long scooped by the new park, so it's all a bit unfortunately moot.

Unless they really do both London and Paris' ministry.

 

[CyborgDinosaur]

The Ministry ride has been long scooped by the new park, so it's all a bit unfortunately moot.

Unless they really do both London and Paris' ministry.

Last I checked, we don't have any confirmation that Fantastic Beasts is going to be in the new park, let alone that it's going to feature a Ministry of Magic ride. I think it's still fair game to speculate that they might build a MoM attraction in Universal Studios.

 

[devinp267]

I’m not sure how much room they have back there to mess around with but if they could squeeze a great show in there plus a TOT style ministry elevator ride I would take back my “too much Potter” comment

I understand the too much potter argument. In honesty though potter completely changed universal orlando forever, they owe it to the boy wizard.

 

[shiekra38]

I understand the too much potter argument. In honesty though potter completely changed universal orlando forever, they owe it to the boy wizard.

IMO there is no such thing as too much Potter.....As long as Universal holds themselves to the same standards with their own properties

 

[RFRees]

IMO there is no such thing as too much Potter.....As long as Universal holds themselves to the same standards with their own properties

There's possibly an upper threshold but I agree, I don't think they're near it yet.

Many people come to IOA/USF specifically for Potter (I know some), some even call it the "Harry Potter theme park" and assume it's an entire theme park. Realistically, HP could have been an entire theme park, and if that's true, with Diagon+Hogsmeade, they're only about a third of the way there. (Financially, it makes sense to spread the HP IP throughout their parks to force multiple ticket purchases.)

We're considering Nintendo in all three parks (Mario-UFW, Pokemon-USF, Zelda-IOA)... To think the IP which changed the theme park industry and is Universals biggest cash cow deserves less than Nintendo, I believe, is very silly.

 

[fryoj]

The only danger is that, at some point, the Potter fad will diminish. I'm all for adding more Potter myself, but what happens in 10 or whatever years and people don't care any more? You lose your cash cow and have half a park that needs rethemed.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I think something like Potter takes longer to die off. Im not saying it can't, but with 3 more fantastic beats movies, this franchise will at least remain relevant for awhile to come. Id say you're looking at more like 20 years for it to truly die off. Even then, the Potter in the parks are some of the most iconic in all of theme parks in the world, so I don't suspect Potter to die for Universal anytime soon at all.

 

[RFRees]

The only danger is that, at some point, the Potter fad will diminish. I'm all for adding more Potter myself, but what happens in 10 or whatever years and people don't care any more? You lose your cash cow and have half a park that needs rethemed.

This risk could happen with any franchise. Disney is also taking a chance on Star Wars and Avatar. Universal is taking a chance on Nintendo and possibly DreamWorks, took a chance on a Jurassic Park, etc

HP has been around for twenty years and is one of the biggest IPs in history (if not the biggest). It's possible the HP franchise hasn't even hit the peak of it's success... We don't know the future.

But I would argue against the idea that it needs to be rethemed after the fad dies... Even if popularity dies out, it doesn't mean the attractions are bad and need to immediately go away. Many rides stick around for decades, which are based on IPs which may no longer have any cultural relevance.

 

[fryoj]

This risk could happen with any franchise. Disney is also taking a chance on Star Wars and Avatar. Universal is taking a chance on Nintendo and possibly DreamWorks, took a chance on a Jurassic Park, etc

HP has been around for twenty years and is one of the biggest IPs in history (if not the biggest). It's possible the HP franchise hasn't even hit the peak of it's success... We don't know the future.

But I would argue against the idea that it needs to be rethemed after the fad dies... Even if popularity dies out, it doesn't mean the attractions are bad and need to immediately go away. Many rides stick around for decades, which are based on IPs which may no longer have any cultural relevance.

There's a difference between a ride and 20+ acres of park space. You can keep a ride like ET going for a long time on nostalgia because it doesn't take up a lot of space, but if an IP loses popularity, you can't leave it taking up 15+% of your park. I'm not saying it's coming any time soon, Just saying theres a danger to tying up more and more space for a single IP.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

There's a difference between a ride and 20+ acres of park space. You can keep a ride like ET going for a long time on nostalgia because it doesn't take up a lot of space, but if an IP loses popularity, you can't leave it taking up 15+% of your park. I'm not saying it's coming any time soon, Just saying theres a danger to tying up more and more space for a single IP.

Theres always an inherent risk when doing anything. But if creatives went in with this mindset, we'd never get like anything. No Hogsmeade, Diagon, Star Wars, Pandora, etc. I see your point but I don't think the concern is really there for franchises like Harry Potter and Star Wars.

 

[Brian G.]

The only danger is that, at some point, the Potter fad will diminish. I'm all for adding more Potter myself, but what happens in 10 or whatever years and people don't care any more? You lose your cash cow and have half a park that needs rethemed.

The movies will be rebooted by then. Potter ain't going anywhere.

 

[Mad Dog]

The movies will be rebooted by then. Potter ain't going anywhere.

Potter is the 'perfect' theme park IP. Everything clicks.....So Universal should use it to it's fullest extent....And it's good to see that Universal has gotten to the point where they're doing new things every year, even if it's just night show upgrades. I thought they were leaving money on the table when they'd go three or four years with nothing new on Potter.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I'll say it again, all the new stuff, new parks and resorts, are pretty much because of Potter. Im not asking for Universal to become a Harry Potter theme park (although id love one) but anyone who is asking for no more Potter I think ultimately does not realize the impact Potter has not only had on Universal Orlando/Hollywood itself but also theme parks in general.

 

[Spaulding]

The only danger is that, at some point, the Potter fad will diminish. I'm all for adding more Potter myself, but what happens in 10 or whatever years and people don't care any more? You lose your cash cow and have half a park that needs rethemed.

The people who grew up reading and watching Potter will have kids by then and they will pass the appreciation for the franchise onto the next generation.

 

[Mike S]

There's possibly an upper threshold but I agree, I don't think they're near it yet.

Many people come to IOA/USF specifically for Potter (I know some), some even call it the "Harry Potter theme park" and assume it's an entire theme park. Realistically, HP could have been an entire theme park, and if that's true, with Diagon+Hogsmeade, they're only about a third of the way there. (Financially, it makes sense to spread the HP IP throughout their parks to force multiple ticket purchases.)

We're considering Nintendo in all three parks (Mario-UFW, Pokemon-USF, Zelda-IOA)... To think the IP which changed the theme park industry and is Universals biggest cash cow deserves less than Nintendo, I believe, is very silly.

Nintendo is different. Three Harry Potter lands are three Harry Potter lands. Three Nintendo lands are Mario, Pokémon, and Zelda.

See the difference?

 

[JungleSkip]

The people who grew up reading and watching Potter will have kids by then and they will pass the appreciation for the franchise onto the next generation.

Yea. Like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc, Potter is a cultural touchstone that won’t be going anywhere for a long time

 

[fryoj]

The movies will be rebooted by then. Potter ain't going anywhere.

Me and the wife have that discussion every now and then. It's a tough one. People love those movies. Rebooting risks pissing off the fan base. Much like the prequel SW trilogy. The question is do they continue to expand the stories or try to redo the original books? A true reboot could be huge, but is still risky.