The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hollywood

[Wesker69]

Yea, the lighting they were testing is for the media event on December 8th... They were playing the HP music in the land yesterday during the day.

Oh yea, forgot to post this earlier. In regards to the Universal Plaza photo the other day about installation of return time machines for WWOHP.... yea, that didn't happen.

 

[Allen The Actor]

I think the rose is off the bloom with this WWOHP the last movie was years ago and while it's great to have new stuff in the park I don't think this will have a huge turn out as they think people want new stuff fresh not thing based on a movies that was from 10 years ago while I see it having big crowds maybe in year one year two and three it's going to be seen and done it what's new and asking people to pay $299.00 for a pass that gives you any chance of coming more than once a year is crazy Universal Hollywood is putting a lot of stock in WWOHP far after the last movie was I just hope it doesn't backfire on them

Couldn't be farther from the truth or reality. Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon that is universally (heh) loved by all ages. The movies, books, merchandise, future spinoffs, the theme park lands and the fans will keep the love going forever. The hype for the land is massive. You have to remember only a tiny portion of the population can afford traveling to theme parks on both coasts.Even if Potter wasn't popular anymore, this is still a brand new massive & highly detailed magical land with one of the best rides every created. I don't think Universal has anything to worry about. Diagon Alley opened after the movies as well, as did Hogsmeade in Japan, where it altered the attendance forever for that park.

Them being cocky about their annual pass pricing and offerings is a slightly different story though. The crowds will come, no doubt. But they're going to have to figure out a better way to keep AP members happy and not be as offended as they are now.

 

[Jon Fu]

Yea, the lighting they were testing is for the media event on December 8th... They were playing the HP music in the land yesterday during the day.

Oh yea, forgot to post this earlier. In regards to the Universal Plaza photo the other day about installation of return time machines for WWOHP.... yea, that didn't happen.

^ I think they've prepped up infrastructure in that location. Wouldn't make sense to install inactive ticket machines.

 

[Wesker69]

Um... lets not let being an uber Potter fan cloud your judgment. Diagon Alley, while enjoyed by people everday, did NOT bring in the crowds that Universal expected last year. The hype for the land came & went in less than a month. They ended up having to allow the blocked out annual passes & employee comp tickets access to the park at the end of July instead of beginning of September. The hype & demand for Potter has not been present in Orlando for the past few years, except during the "Potter Celebration" event at the end of January.

Sure there is a demand for Potter by those that haven't experience it in Orlando over the past 5 years or Japan, but we really won't know what level of Pottergeddon will descend upon the park until next year. Its not too far fetched to believe the crowds will die after a year or so. People will come & experience everything, then demand something "new"... and USH's prices will definitely have an affect on that demand.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Um....nothing is clouding my judgment, thankyouverymuch. You can't expect opening day/week/month crowds every single day going forward. Obviously the "hype" dies down after a bit. Same thing happened with DCA. But attendance HAS changed in Japan and Florida (and DCA) due to the new investments.

Same thing has been slowly happening at USH ever since Kong opened. There were a few spikes and surges, but overall crowds have only been increasing with each new experience. Except for the rare days, it's never empty like it used to be. Potter will only further change that, times 100. Even if it's not as big or hyped as when it opened twice before, it'll forever change USH and attendance as we know it.

 

[William]

Let's drop the hostility, please. We can all express our differing opinions without being patronizing or derogatory.

 

[Red Carpet]

Since the Hollywood park is smaller than its Florida cousins, Potter could have a bigger impact here than in Florida.

 

[Jon Fu]

Except for the rare days, it's never empty like it used to be.

No, the park is still pretty empty during the off-season. It was practically empty in October and November.

 

[Jonathan]

Well, Wesker you're right to a certain extent about Diagon Alley. It didn't do as well as they had hoped, but it's not because of a lack of hype. Part of it has to do with the land opening mid way through summer. Along with the opening date of it being unknown till very close to opening. Attendance for the park went up a decent amount. People didn't have time to plan their vacations, so Universal did have to allow blockout days and employees. Attendance this year has been very steady and possibly could see an increase of a decent size.

Allen, at the same time, will Potter do well in Hollywood? Sure. But Universal Studios Hollywood still has problems with low crowds in the off season. You will get a modest bump in the off season with Potter. But it will not be Disney off season where there is no off season even on weekdays.

 

[Allen The Actor]

No, the park is still pretty empty during the off-season. It was practically empty in October and November.

Of course, but again, it's still very different compared to how it used to be overall, even when empty. Maybe that's just in my experience on empty days, not gonna argue.

I think USH will still have an off season of some sort even with Potter, I don't think USH will ever be like the Disneyland Resort or have similar crowd patterns, but again, my point was simply that it's gonna be a lot different than what we're used to, that's all. Potter is gonna be a game changer for Universal Studios HOLLYWOOD, for our tourists, locals, and fans, even if it won't be on the same level as Florida and Japan.

 

[Davidisallright]

I think the rose is off the bloom with this WWOHP the last movie was years ago and while it's great to have new stuff in the park I don't think this will have a huge turn out as they think people want new stuff fresh not thing based on a movies that was from 10 years ago while I see it having big crowds maybe in year one year two and three it's going to be seen and done it what's new and asking people to pay $299.00 for a pass that gives you any chance of coming more than once a year is crazy Universal Hollywood  is putting a lot of stock in WWOHP far after the last movie was I just hope it doesn't backfire on them

The last movie was 4 (gonna be 5) years ago, and there's Fantastic Beasts coming out next year. So the franchise is still popular. In fact, after reading the books (after watching the movies) dare I say it's the closest thing that we have to another Star Wars.

 

[unifreak]

Back during the summer of Jurassic (think Chris was also part of it) it was pure madness, was a blast to be part of it. Even with the land in the other parks and the age of the property. I am willing to bet we see the park at capacity on most days for quite sometime. I have heard recently capacity will be at 48,000 with the new space being opened. I wish the park luck with controlling the crowds. Much like the summer of Jurassic... I expect lots of chaos. Staffing is in place, but I doubt the departments are fully equipped to handle the surge.

 

[Alexshow.]

I would like what you said, Unifreak; but apparently I have ran a quota of liking people...hehe..


With that said though; it does make me think more on how the Lower Lot may be in hell next year, due to it only being a one way in-out situation. That being said,


We have about three days until the big announcement..and I can hardly contain myself.

 

[Allia]

Hogwarts selfie...probably a picture for the announcement next week! So excited!

-Allia

Sorry, it didn't attach!

View attachment 65

 

[Imdbman]

Amazing how much progress has happened from December 2014- December 2015:

Hogwarts in December 2014:

Hogwarts in December 2015:

I was also at the park today and started talking to an employee at Feature Presentation and he told me that Potter is "right around the corner" and that they are "ahead of schedule" and said January and February are likely opening dates for Potter.  He even said it will open in the "early early Spring."

I took these photos from Shrek:

And you can now see into the side street that will exit through the new arch where the "Brews and Stews" facade will go:

And a quick poke through the other opening in the same arch:

And Hagrid's hut looks complete (well it has to be at this point):

And the Greenhouse even had functioning fans and the "plants" inside:

And they were doing lighting testing throughout the land that night.  Hogwarts looks absolutely SPECTACULAR, and you can even see the lighting from CityWalk and the Jurassic Parking lot.

 

[Aaron]

Here's some shots I took while they were filming some press material in Hogsmead. The Hogwarts Express locomotive effects were in full swing, unfortunately my camera decided to die when it happened. 

 

[Imdbman]

Here's some shots I took while they were filming some press material in Hogsmead. The Hogwarts Express locomotive effects were in full swing, unfortunately my camera decided to die when it happened. 

I had just missed that part!  I noticed that there was an event on the park's Paris themed streets and I was wondering if that was for Potter somehow or a typical park Christmas event.

 

[Aaron]

I had just missed that part!  I noticed that there was an event on the park's Paris themed streets and I was wondering if that was for Potter somehow or a typical park Christmas event.

It wasn't Potter related. However I did catch a few Universal Creative members touring the park. 

 

[William]

The opening is just around the corner at this point. The day this land opens is the day I lose whatever sanity I still have left.

 

[Imdbman]

The opening is just around the corner at this point. The day this land opens is the day I lose whatever sanity I still have left.

Sure is, a park employee working at the Feature Presentation store said they are definitely ahead of schedule and suggested REALLY early Spring for opening.  So many of us are speculating March for the opening, but he said January or February is likely.  I also saw the back of the Three Broomsticks and the Forbidden Journey queue both lit up.  Also saw the train station lit up as well.  We're so close!!!