Harry potter at Island's of Adventure

[Original]

Just found an update on west coaster that Islands of adenture in Orlando will be adding a Harry Potter themed area at the back of the Lost Continent. Dueling Dragon's will also be included in this area as well! From the pictures looks like there will be Diagon Alley. It also says that there be a ride going in the Hogwarts castle their building!!! It look's super cool I just wish that we were getting it! Unfortunatley were not, but who knows maybe something similar in the near future? Here's the site!!! http://westcoaster.net/main.php?doc=updidx

[D.C.]

Yeah, a story was also run on News.com.au. Sounds VERY cool. I'm glad that this will be built at a park that will be able to give it the budget it deserves. Definately adds another reason to do the Orlando trip.

[Original]

Do you think maybe we could get something similar??? Here's the Universal's side of things!!! http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/index.html It look's spectacular, it looks massive and so real!!! No wonder it suppose to take them till 2009 to build, even though work is starting real soon!!!

[D.C.]

I don't think there's even a chance that Warner Bros. or Dreamworld could build something this extensive in their parks - considering the $AUS 1.22bn price. Also I hear JK Rowling is really selective in who she works with and she's apparently been involved in the design of this, so I doubt she'd allow a compromise for anything less epic than this. But it'd be nice, huh.

[Original]

True!!! But we had the exhibits!!!

[Adam]

This is pretty exciting news (and about time)! It's great to see they've decided to turn it into an entire new land rather than just a single standalone attraction. I think JK Rowling has made a good choice with Universal; in terms of innovation and theming they are second only to Disney. Can't wait until we see some construction photos later in the year. EDIT: There's a video on 'Orlando Sentinel' with someone from the Warner Bros. movie crew talking about the new attraction. Double EDIT: That video is on the official site too. Twenty acres! They are really pushing the idea of authenticity and quality: this is going to be great.

Edited June 1, 2007 by Adam

[Bussy]

While this is a great idea, what I can't understand, and haven't been able to understand is why they wait until Harry Potter (or the Matrix, or any number of movies) series have finished. While Harry Potter will be popular for some time still, this park is 2 years away, this park should have been planned and construction started around the time of the third book, not the seventh and last book in the series. For me this is a $1.22bn waste of money. "The Bus is now leaving for Potter Island, Western Australia"

[Richard]

Yeah I wouldn't go so far as to say a waste of money, because Harry Potter has shown time and time again that anything the franchise touches turns to gold. I would however agree that they're at least a few years too late to maximise their immediate returns. If this were unveiled a few years ago they would have been able to get so much mileage off the films, which leads me to think that perhaps the agreement between Universal and Warner Bros. was that it couldn't go ahead until the films were all completed. I also find the decision to make it part of Islands of Adventure a little puzzling. The park to date hasn't been an overwhelming financial success, for reasons largely to do with the fact that Universal Studios Resort as a whole can't compete with Walt Disney World. A third park, one themed to something as universally popular as Harry Potter could add so much to Universal and make it so much more of a destination. Evidently they don't feel that the infrastructure of IOA has To make this viable, they'll be predicting an attendance increase somewhere in the millions. Come 2010, the crowds at IOA will become very different indeed.

[Adam]

It's hardly too late. The sixth film isn't being released until the end of 2008. I'd say the launch of this new attraction will tie-in with the opening of the seventh and final movie; the most anticipated book/movie of the series. The seventh book itself has been the most pre-ordered book in history. It is also expected to supersede the previous novel in being the fastest selling book of all time. I guess turning Lord of the Rings into a ride would also be too late or a waste of money?

Edited June 5, 2007 by Adam

[Bussy]

Come off it, "these books are timeless", how many kids in 10 years will be reading Harry Potter, very few would be my guess. I can't knock the Harry Potter series, they have encouraged kids to read who may have been reluctant to read otherwise, however there are, have been and always will be book series that do this, when I was at school it was Paul Jennings and his short story books. Yes there have been very few books that have been anywhere near as successful as Harry Potter but that doesn't mean they will be popular forever, can you see people learning J.K Rowlings in 400 years time, Shakespeare style? "The Bus is now leaving for Shakespeare Crag, Tasmania"

[D.C.]

I think the movies alone will ensure the series has lasting appeal, even if no one reads the books any more. They appeal to a large demographic (kids and adults) and there's plenty of them similar to Indiana Jones and Star Wars at Disneyland. Plus hopefully the innovative attractions will speak for themselve and pull crowds just through their uniqueness. I think if a ride like Jurassic Park and The Mummy at Universal Studios can continue to be popular merely based on two or three films, a series like Harry Potter can too.

[Swanny]

I think if a ride like Jurassic Park and The Mummy at Universal Studios can continue to be popular merely based on two or three films, a series like Harry Potter can too.

You have a point there, DC, but I'd say quite a large part of the ride's success would be based on the actual thrill/enjoyment of the ride itself, rather than what movie it is based on.

[Richard]

Though I've not read any of the Harry Potter books, and only having seen bits of the films, I have little doubt as to the longevity of the franchise. Harry Potter will be a hugely profitable series until well after Universal have recouped their huge investment and made a bundle. The first major Star Wars theme park attraction (Star Tours) opened at Disneyland nearly five years after the last movie of the first trilogy and the last version opened close to a decade after. They've been consistently popular since.

can you see people learning J.K Rowlings in 400 years time, Shakespeare style?

Who knows what they'll be learning in 400 years time. For all anyone knows Baby Got Back will be regarded as classical music as predicted by Futurama. In the context of Universal Studios coughing up USD$1.22 billion to build this thing, I think looking at the popularity in anything greater than decades is pretty irrelevant. If today's slipping standards are anything to go by, I'd expect that studying Shakespeare plays will eventually be replaced by Pauly Shore movies.

[Gold Coaster]

You should, Richard. The movies are becoming better adaptations as the series go on but the books are always much better.