Harry Potter at Universal

[Tony M]

The early buzz on the new Harry Potter movie is that it will be very good/good and could easily challenge Titanic for the top grossing movie of all time. I am sure that no reasonable theme park designer wanted to have a themed ride based on the most popular/highest grossing movie of all time(Titanic). It's theme did not really lend itself to a popular theme park attraction although I hear that the "Titanic" attraction in Orlando is good.
But if Harry Potter even lives up to half of it's hype, it will make for a very marketable theme park property.
Screamscape.com reports a rumor that a Harry Potter themed attraction may be coming to Universal. It also seems that Universal(and WB) have been working on some sort of theme park attraction idea for a couple of years based on the idea.
Anyone "in the know" want to spill the beans on where, when and what it will be?
Also, anyone have a wish for what it will be?
I wouldn't mind seeing it take over the old "Herc & Xena" building with a similar show, Special Effects/Audience participation.
Anyone else have any good ideas?
HAVE FUN

 

[MIB999999]

Just keep in near the Mystis Fountain so we watch it squirt all the Potter fans

 

[Tony M]

Splash!!!

HAVE FUN

 

[apanopio]

If you watched the Bill and Ted Halloween show, Harry Potter made an appearance...only he was high. Harry Pothead. He was a great surprise.

 

[robvia]

Nobody would spill the beans, even if they knew.

The game is out, it's geared towards kids, kinda like playing Mario on N64, but even easier.

I've read all 4 books, and now that I've seen the movie trailers, and played the game, it seems like some of the mystique has worn off. My boss said the same thing. It's kinda like you have this image in your mind of what you think it looks like, and now that's all changed.

I don't really agree with the idea of trying to make an attraction after a movie has come out. Paramount Kings Island in Ohio is building Tomb Raider (TR) the ride, and when it's done next year will anyone remember that movie? I didn't even see the movie.

If they want to make a Harry Potter ride, fine, but at least put a roller coaster on the end of it. I don't want another movie ride where you just sit in a car and look at stuff. Did you know when they go get HPs money, they ride down 100 stories under London in a cart, there's your ride idea.

 

[JonsMovies]

There have been rumors that the Hana Barbera ride may be closing. This could easily be turned into a simulator where u fly through the air on broomsticks with Harry. It'd be cheap and easy to put in.

 

[cressy]

Good. I hate that stupid ride.

 

[ksdave]

This isn't a Universal movie, it's DIS, but I'd love to see a ride based on Monsters, Inc. Particularly, the scene with the doors. That would be a ride!

 

[Tony M]

Many Attractions at Universal and IOA are based on Non-Universal Studios produced movies. Theme parks are allowed to buy the rights to an idea that has become a movie/TV program through another entity/studio. Universal features T-2:3-D(Carrolco), Twister(Warner Bros.) and Nickelodeon Studios while IOA features Marvel Comics characters. The new live-action Spiderman movie is produced by Sony and will have nothing to do with the current IOA Spiderman ride which is based on the Marvel Comic Books. Ditto on the X-Men Ride vs. the X-Men movie(s) and the HULK Coaster and the soon to be Hulk Movie.
Theoretically, if Pixar/Walt Disney Studios wanted to, they could sell the rights to the theme park ride/merchandise to Universal(Can you say "Stand-Up, Floorless Coaster"?). It won't happen though and we will probably get to ride a Disney ride based on the Monsters,Inc. "Door scene" that will be far less than the Imagineers dream up.
HAVE FUN

 

[IOAfan]

I have a couple ideas:

1) maybe a simulator ride based on Quidditch. Dodging bludgers and catching the Golden Snitch would be fun...if Hanna Barbera is closing, it would be the best building for such a ride, only change the layout so it looks like more magical and stuff. Maybe have the preshow explain what Quidditch is to all the muggles in the audience, or something like that...

2) maybe a walk-through attraction based on the battle scene between Harry and Professor Quirrell/Lord Voldemort...maybe a Circle 360 experience similiar to Poseidon's Fury...maybe have the preshow rooms represent the different enchantments Hermione, Ron, and Harry must pass before this scene...This could easily be the top attraction if Universal does it right. I wouldn't mind standing in long lines just to experience this attraction...

3) maybe a live-action show of some sort...Anything would suffice for this...

I have more ideas, but I don't have time to put them all down right now...

IOAfan

 

[IOATech]

Hanna is not closing.

 

[IOAfan]

Even if Hanna-Barbera isn't closing, I'm sure Universal will find some way to bring another simulator UO...

I have another idea...

How about a 3-D attraction (similar to T2:3D) based on the upcoming movie, Chamber of Secrets...Maybe based on the battle scene at the end between the Basilisk, Tom Riddle and Harry...

IOAfan

 

[TheSecondCook]

Actually, the upcoming hulk movie IS universal. As far as other attractions go, the reason why MIB and Twister exist in a Universal theme park, I imagine, is that they were Amblin/Steven Spielberg productions. He's of course, always had a good relationship w/ Universal (heck, he helped design IOA!!). Universal and Marvel cmae to an agreement for MArvel Superhero Island long before the rights to Spiderman landed in Sony's hands (Anyone who knows the lengthy legal history for the Spidey film rights knows what I'm talking about).

There's examples of cross liscencing all over Hollwood (Since when did Indiana Jones or Star Wars involve Disney?), so that doesn't mean something liek this can't, or won't happen.