I just wanted to know if it was worth waiting till 2010 for all of the rides in WWOHP?

yes.

-filler-

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How would we know. We don't even know what the rides are going to be.

^ Ditto. All we have are just construction pics of box buildings. I didn't do Universal when I was in Orlando this year to catch up on all the Disney coasters. I usually do Universal like religion every Florida visit but with this unknown Harry Potter project I put it off. I'm not even a fan or read the books but I'm interested in waiting.

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Thrillnetwork Moderator - Sophomore Original sn: CHILLERLC1
The 2010 TN Coaster Draft: Now Underway Round Two
My first park of 2010: SFGADV 3/27/10

It's way too early to tell. We Know Dragons is staying but what else. I don't think we will have a clear picture of what they will be offering until mid next year.

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Michael C

I really don't care for Harry Potter, so I really won't care for it I'm sure... But I dunno, I think they'll pull off some neat theming and it shouldn't totally let down fans of the books or anything. I'm mostly worried about 5-10 years down the road when this Harry Potter thing dies down, are they going to have to re-theme the section again that soon?

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"For each path you walk down, there are several others you have to bypass. Maybe walking those paths would have made you happy, maybe they wouldn't have. You'll never know. Choose your path, walk it, and make the best of it."

I had the same worry from day one. The Books are done. There is a movie coming out next summer and one 2 years after that and again it's done. There are other fantasy series on the ground floor like Narnia, Spiderwick, and Twilight(books live different names). that dosn't include any series we don't know about. The area they had may have been generic but it had a fantastic look and a theme that could last.

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Michael C

^ & ^^ Exactly.

Call me anti-social, but I just don't fall for these "Popular for 3 years" fads that go around regarding books, movies, video games, etc...nor do I understand why the parks fall for them either.
From what I heard they had to take a lot of cool crap out to make room for this new Harry Potter world, and IMO they should have built something new instead of demolishing original theming. Because I thought IOA was awesome just how it was. Atleast Dueling Dragons is still there...

Call me Bias, but the insane number Harry Potter pulled make it not just a fad. All the other fantasy series are nothing compared to Harry Potters popularity, yes including Twilight. (the twilight series has sold over 20 million copies, HP has sold over 400 million) Harry Potter is to Books what Star Wars was to movies, people will still know Harry Potter 20 years from now.

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I'm a fan of Harry Potter, so I'm looking forward to this.
To correct Michael C, they actually have three more movies coming out, Deathly Hallows is being split into two movies.
Anyways, that's besides the point. I think this will stay relatively popular because wizards, dragons, and all the mythological creatures used in the books are ripe in every child's imagination. And 10-15 years down the road when kids are going into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, they might think "hey, this is really cool. Maybe I'll go read the books."
I'm pretty sure Universal and JK Rowling both thought of this when they started working on the project.

Just look at Disney parks. Movies like Snow White, Cinderella, and every movie with a princess are still popular and little girls are still wearing the dresses. Girls have their princess fantasies and boys have their dragons and wizards.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

I'll go to this new land, ride the attractions and probably won't notice half the things hidden in the place that relate to the book since I didn't read the series at all. I'll still want to see this finished product.

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Thrillnetwork Moderator - Sophomore Original sn: CHILLERLC1
The 2010 TN Coaster Draft: Now Underway Round Two
My first park of 2010: SFGADV 3/27/10

I think it will be worth it. Has Universal ever let us down on theming? If anything, that's one of their greatest fortes and can draw from the movies for concepts and ideas.

For those worrying about the 'passing' of HP, I don't think it will phase off so quickly as some people are thinking. A new Jurassic movie hasn't been released in 7 years, and the last book is over a decade old now and the Jurassic Park part of the park (pun is somewhat intended) is still there, going strong.

HP is a relateable story. Every kid wants to be a wizard, have spells that work. Heck, I even want a wand that can shoot of giant bolts and lights. Even if the movies are half-way through, the books will still be there, and people will still read them even if Daniel Radcliffe is 30 years old.

Now what I want Universal to give me is a Unicorn. The day Universal gives me a real unicorn is the day I get a season pass to IOA.

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ThrillNetwork Editor (past tense: lectricShark)
Never forget justice is what love looks like in public. -- OXFAM

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree 100% with edh.

We have no idea really what is going in there or how it will be. It make simply suck.

But like the stupid looking blockbuster from this past weekend, it will make money hand over fist.

I find it strange that it took them this long to decide to put a Harry Potter land in a park. I mean the first book alone was a huge hit, and when the first 2 movies or so were so huge you would have thought they'd have done something then.

Now the last book is what, a year old this summer? There's 2 more movies and that's it. No more franchise really.

I just wonder how long the popularity will last.

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Intimidator Racing in to Carowinds 3/27/2010!

I agree Wes. I think this new area will be a huge hit but it won't be for long. Universal waitied way too long to do something like this. This area should have opened 5 years ago but i'll give it 10 years before it has to be torn out and re-themed.

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This is with books there are always new books and new fads. 8-10 years ago R.L. Stine was the biggest thing with teens. Go back even further and you have the Hitchhikers Guide series and LoTR's. Something else will come out and Harry potter will be talked about in a different light. Yes there are 3 movies I forgot the last book would be 2 movies.

As for the JP area of IOA I don;t think the area dose well because of the theme I think it dose well because of the overall attraction. Is the JP area really any more popular then the Dino Digs are of Animal kingdom?

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Michael C

The only reason people walk through Dinoland is to get to Dinosaur. Same goes for IOA. People only walk through JP to get to River Adventure.

I'd say everything else in both areas is just boring and not worth anyone takeing an intrest in.

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So basically both areas need a face and attraction lift.

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Michael C

R.L. Stine is still writing Goosebump books. The only reason we don't hear much about them anymore is our age. We're both out of the age demographic the books are aimed at. Sally is even working on Goosebump themed rides, what does that tell you about their popularity? If a ride manufacturer and parks are willing to spend money on new rides with Goosebump themes, it must still be popular.

I really can't see the HP area getting less popular. Yes, the popularity in the books will no doubt decline from what it is now, but kids have big imaginations and will still read the books. Just reading the books and knowing there's a place where they can go see and live out their wizard fantasies will bring the families back to that area.

As for Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings, and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. those books aren't children's books. They aimed at a more young adult-teen-adult audience.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

Ok, well i say yes. I think this park is worth waiting for. Many HP fans are dieing just to see it. HP is the biggest Magical Series there is out there. Yes there may be alot of Twilight Saga readers (me one of them) But not everyone reads Twilight like they do HP. Hp has adults and kids of all ages reading it.

The main group reading Twilight is Girls, their moms, and The Gay community. Those people are the main readers of it. But Harry Potter floats through the air all day, every day. Every second that passes there is a kid some where drooling over how cool Harry Potter is and once they hear of this park they will nag their parents just to go. Even if they live on the other side of the US from the park.

I was beyond the age group of R.L. Stine even when it was popular. I was more of an age group that supported the Are you Afraid of the Dark. I do remember on my last trip to Disney that MGM had a Goosebumps attraction. they turned the Roger Rabit Acme factory into it. they also had a side area with a really crappy maze with some sound effects.

Now are they building a goosebumps attraction because it's still a popular medium or because they have seen a decline in popularity and are trying to revitalize the franchise by cross promoting the books, and video game with a ride.

I think my bigger point is this should have been done from the get go. They easily spend Millions Building a unique attraction that no one has. now they are spending millions more to rebrand the area to a franchise at the end of it's run. I'm sure it will always have a fan base. Just about every book series continues to gain new fans. But it's more of a question is will the area market itself for long or will it simply be a theme around rides, with rides really being what markets the area.

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Michael C

I think the HP themed area could (and probably will) be great even though the age of the story is getting up there. Spiderman is a huge hit at IOA and the height of his popularity was decades ago.

Anyway, my point is that even though HP is getting old, the area could be really good if they have some awesome innovative attractions.

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Jim says; "The Potential energy of the system at the height of the lift hill is equal to the Kinetic energy at the bottom of the hill...."
Jim's friends say; "Just shut up and ride it would you."

Do you really think Spider man would be as popular if it wasn't the high tech ride it is. Also The movies have a lot to do with it's popularity.

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Michael C

The thing I find with Spiderman, Hulk, and all those other superheros is the same with Harry Potter. Even if the height of their comic and movie popularity was years ago (not so much movies since so many are being made now), it's the whole superhero thing that draws kids, and families, in.

What little boy doesn't love superheros and wants nothing more to be one? Their comics could have been from 50 years ago and kids will still love superheros.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

First of all, It will be big. Millions and counting love harry potter. For all we know billions could love it. Harry Potter will always be in the minds of its fans and will forever be popular so Universal will not want to get rid of the park for years to come.

Actually I believe that the ride was there before the current movies. And as far as the high tech one of a kind thrill being the reason for its sucess was the whole point.

Creating a good ride with one of a kind thrill has the stuff to be wildly sucessful regardless of how old the theme is.

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Jim says; "The Potential energy of the system at the height of the lift hill is equal to the Kinetic energy at the bottom of the hill...."
Jim's friends say; "Just shut up and ride it would you."

I'm really looking forward to the new area. The thing is, with so many people being HUGE Harry Potter nerds, the area has to be perfect. One detail mess up and someone is going to notice it and be dissapointed. Therefore, Universal can not afford to slip up or cause budget cuts. It's quite an endeavor, but I think they'll pull through with it.

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Tim