Fantasyland Expansion

[Len90]

That article was interesting. I would really like to see them make positive changes to this project. I did like the fact that they never mentioned cutting the costs in the article. Instead they stated it could be a slight increase. I honestly think Disney is hurting since Harry Potter is a success for Universal.

[mindflipper]

That article was interesting. I would really like to see them make positive changes to this project. I did like the fact that they never mentioned cutting the costs in the article. Instead they stated it could be a slight increase. I honestly think Disney is hurting since Harry Potter is a success for Universal.

IMHO I think HP at USO IoA will only be a short-term blip in attendance; once the novelty wears off, things will return back to normal. Plus, it's not all "raves" from people who have been to HP so I think word of mouth may cause the short-term blip to end quicker.

[Len90]

Keep in mind it has been doing great for Universal. It is also the newest thing right now in the Orlando area. I know it is only a short lived hype that will die down, but it something that I think will take around 5 years to start dying out.

[mindflipper]

Keep in mind it has been doing great for Universal. It is also the newest thing right now in the Orlando area. I know it is only a short lived hype that will die down, but it something that I think will take around 5 years to start dying out.

I think it will die down before 5 years. I think the new Star Tours 2.0 when it opens will be the new latest hype, and the new Fantasyland Expansion after that.

I still think the Fantasyland Expansion needs another new ride besides the Little Mermaid. Hopefully this revision will add something else.

[elizabethswann]

That article was interesting. I would really like to see them make positive changes to this project. I did like the fact that they never mentioned cutting the costs in the article. Instead they stated it could be a slight increase. I honestly think Disney is hurting since Harry Potter is a success for Universal.

IMHO I think HP at USO IoA will only be a short-term blip in attendance; once the novelty wears off, things will return back to normal. Plus, it's not all "raves" from people who have been to HP so I think word of mouth may cause the short-term blip to end quicker.

It all depends, to be honest. There are a lot of hardcore HP fans that would go plenty of times so it will still keep the interest alive.

[Amy]

Keep in mind it has been doing great for Universal. It is also the newest thing right now in the Orlando area. I know it is only a short lived hype that will die down, but it something that I think will take around 5 years to start dying out.

I think it will die down before 5 years. I think the new Star Tours 2.0 when it opens will be the new latest hype, and the new Fantasyland Expansion after that.

I still think the Fantasyland Expansion needs another new ride besides the Little Mermaid. Hopefully this revision will add something else.

Most people have the attention span of a flea these days so I think they will flock like moths to a flame whenever something new is introduced. I'm betting that if a big enough celebrity would endorse the Beverly, you wouldn't even be able to get close to Club Cool for awhile

[wewantsdaredhead]

Most people have the attention span of a flea these days so I think they will flock like moths to a flame whenever something new is introduced. I'm betting that if a big enough celebrity would endorse the Beverly, you wouldn't even be able to get close to Club Cool for awhile

Now, that's funny, Amy!
Who could we get to endorse it? Renee Zelweger? She could pull off the "Beverly Face" without much problem.

[MadEye]

It all depends, to be honest. There are a lot of hardcore HP fans that would go plenty of times so it will still keep the interest alive.

Sure the HP fans will flock to it like there is no tomorrow but the average guest is what Universal needs. Opening day was a madhouse, not because of the rides/shops, but because of the stars who were there for the opening ceremony. Last time I was there (mid - late July, barely a month after the area opened) there were no lines to get into the land like the day it opened or the week or two after. Within a year it will die down. The average guest will see how small the area is and probably not make another trip to Uni for a long, long time...

[Future Guy]

I'm really encouraged by the talk of changes to the FL expansion. From what I've read, the new Parks & Resorts VP Tom Staggs wanted the project to have a little more of something for everyone, and that's an excellent philosophy.

[disneylizzy]

I'm really encouraged by the talk of changes to the FL expansion. From what I've read, the new Parks & Resorts VP Tom Staggs wanted the project to have a little more of something for everyone, and that's an excellent philosophy.

I wish that they would combine the FL expansion with an update to some areas of Adventureland or Frontierland.

I just hope that whatever they do, it doesn't push back the opening date.

[Esmeralda]

I haven't had a chance to get through the 27 or so pages in this thread, so I'll just post my quick thoughts and hope they're not a repeat.

Isn't it about time for a Mary Poppins E-Ticket dark ride?? The movie and stage show continue to be hugely popular, something I think Disney underestimates. There are so many ideas that could fit perfectly into the expanded Fantasyland and have universal appeal. Spit-spot!

[disneylizzy]

I haven't had a chance to get through the 27 or so pages in this thread, so I'll just post my quick thoughts and hope they're not a repeat.

Isn't it about time for a Mary Poppins E-Ticket dark ride?? The movie and stage show continue to be hugely popular, something I think Disney underestimates. There are so many ideas that could fit perfectly into the expanded Fantasyland and have universal appeal. Spit-spot!

I have thought this too - a ride where you board a carousel horse that takes you off into the movie would be awesome.

I think the reason why they have never done more w/ Mary Poppins is that they had a heck of a time making the movie b/c the author was not very flexible.
Quoting from Wikipedia:
"Walt Disney first attempted to purchase the film rights to Mary Poppins from P.L. Travers as early as 1938 but was rebuffed because Travers did not believe a film version of her books would do justice to her creation. For more than 20 years, Disney periodically made efforts to convince Travers to allow him to make a Poppins movie. He finally succeeded in 1961, although Travers demanded and got script approval rights. Travers objected to a number of elements that actually made it into the movie...."

They probably didn't want to work w/in those contraints again. Travers sounds like a PITA to me!

[MadEye]

I just hope that whatever they do, it doesn't push back the opening date.

As of right now, The Little Mermaid ride is still on schedule (most if not all of the foundation is done). Hopefully TLM and the Beauty are and The Beast Be Our Guest restaurant open together. Those are what I am most looking forward to that has been confirmed. We don't know what will change but I am waiting with excitement!

[Mr.ToadWildRider]

From what I've read and been told, the DisneyQuest version was developed by a gaming company, and wasn't connected to the VR project that was at EPCOT. VR project at EPCOT was not designed for multiple players - it was suppose to be a VR ride, so everyone was "solo" on the magic carpet.

I respectfully disagree with your information. I was in one of the "test flights" at EPCOT years and years ago and it's essentially the same game/system. In fact a quick Google search resulted in this article:

http://www.johnadamczyk.com/reel.html

Which provides (concerning "Aladdin VR (1994)"): "When the term Virtual Reality was hot, I was one of the key members of the group that made the best VR system at that time. We were drawing detailed painterly scenes at 60 fps, with stereo head-tracking HMD's, and little characters arguing about watermelons. Some of this footage shows a motion-capture system I implemented that allowed characters to be animated within the virtual world. We eventually allowed people to experience this attraction a Epcot Center in Florida in 1994. The system I co-created was later used in DisneyQuest attractions."


As for the IoA/UO talk, I consider myself a hardcore WDW fan but I feel too many of my peers really discount Universal and often actually malign it. I have to say Universal has impressed me as much if not more than WDW in the last several years. Maybe that's because of my age (26) where thrill rides add an extra flair to experiences but I'm still not certain WDI has come up with anything to top Spiderman. I'm sure people will counter with Toy Story Mania, which I LOVE, but I'm still more impressed by Spiderman- why? Because it's more immersive. Toy Story Mania is an interactive 3-d movie more so than an actual ride which intergrates real life special effects and motion/track design with 3-d effects which is what Spiderman is. TSM you spin and move, sure, but you don't see any 3-d during those periods, they're more just there to get you to the next screen where you then sit motionless. I have yet to see Harry Potter but I've heard that not only is the attraction itself awesome, but the queue is amazingly themed. And I know the Mummy ride which I'd still consider new-ish is also a great mix of various elements and awesome technology.

I'm actually glad Universal is really taking these leaps with their technology, ride design, and theming. I don't understand why so many Disney people hold true to "purist" beliefs (and I'm a shareholder!). I don't think Universal is just "hype" it's the real deal and i'm glad for that- maybe they'll spur WDW to try harder. Hopefully, some of that innoventiveness will translate in the upgraded Fantasyland and other future endeavors.

[mindflipper]

The castmember explained to me that Aladdin multi-player game was not the same Aladdin VR at EPCOT. I actually did the test flight as well. It was slow, stalled a few times, and was for solo flights, not a multi-player environment. Additionally, it wasn't really a game. However, that doesn't mean the VR system developed there orginally for Aladdin was redeployed for other VR uses at DisneyQuest.