Theme_Park_Insider
05-03-2010, 11:10 AM
By Timothy Bernardi: As the opening day for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/) approaches, I have been hearing more and more chatter about how Universal Orlando’s newest attraction will affect Walt Disney World. Will the inevitable stampede of guests heading to Islands of Adventure (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/universal's_islands_of_adventure/) have an impact on the attendance numbers at the Disney parks? Are the WDW powers that be feeling a little nervous?
This topic of conversation reminded me about a newspaper ad that appeared in the Orlando Sentinel almost twenty years ago. It was June 7, 1990 and Universal Studios Florida was welcoming its first visitors. That day a full page ad announced “Welcome Universal Studios Florida. What’s good for tourism and entertainment is good for Central Florida.” At the bottom of the ad was a picture of Mickey Mouse and the logo for Walt Disney World.
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/art/news/sentinel-ad-wdw-usf.jpg
I’ve always felt it was a bit simplistic to regard Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando as competitors. I never believed that consumers took an “either/or” approach to visiting the Orlando theme parks.
Nor do I believe that the Potter attractions will have any significant impact on Disney’s success. Indeed, according to the Themed Entertainment Association’s recently released 2009 Global Attraction Attendance Report (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201004/1895/), if the new Potter attractions actually doubled attendance at IOA, the number would still fall short of Walt Disney World’s least attended park – Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Having said that, there is no denying that Disney executives have always had a degree of curiosity about the attractions designed and built by the team at Universal Creative. A healthy dose of media attention was invested the day Michael Eisner strolled into IOA to experience the Amazing Adventures of Spider Man (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/universal's_islands_of_adventure/the_amazing_adventures_of_spider-man/). Several years ago I ran into Tony Baxter at an IAAPA convention in Atlanta. Noticing my Men In Black: Alien Attack (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/universal_studios_florida/men_in_black_alien_attack/) construction team shirt he told me he’d ridden the attraction three times and was impressed.
However, while the Disney team has every reason to be impressed (indeed maybe even humbled) by the work of Universal Creative, I’m not sure that they feel even remotely intimidated by the arrival of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I’d even go so far as to say that the Disney company is probably pleased about the attention the Potter attractions are drawing to the region.
In fact, I think it would be wise for Disney to play the same card again and take out another advertisement in the local paper. I’m almost certain they have a picture of Mickey dressed in wizard garb, don’t they?
Timothy Bernardi (thcreative) is the author of the manuscripts 'Name Tags' and '7097-050719' (the first and second part of the Theme Park Trilogy). He is currently developing 'Building the Building: A Young Person's Guide to Commercial Construction Project Management.'
More... (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201005/1907/)
This topic of conversation reminded me about a newspaper ad that appeared in the Orlando Sentinel almost twenty years ago. It was June 7, 1990 and Universal Studios Florida was welcoming its first visitors. That day a full page ad announced “Welcome Universal Studios Florida. What’s good for tourism and entertainment is good for Central Florida.” At the bottom of the ad was a picture of Mickey Mouse and the logo for Walt Disney World.
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/art/news/sentinel-ad-wdw-usf.jpg
I’ve always felt it was a bit simplistic to regard Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando as competitors. I never believed that consumers took an “either/or” approach to visiting the Orlando theme parks.
Nor do I believe that the Potter attractions will have any significant impact on Disney’s success. Indeed, according to the Themed Entertainment Association’s recently released 2009 Global Attraction Attendance Report (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201004/1895/), if the new Potter attractions actually doubled attendance at IOA, the number would still fall short of Walt Disney World’s least attended park – Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Having said that, there is no denying that Disney executives have always had a degree of curiosity about the attractions designed and built by the team at Universal Creative. A healthy dose of media attention was invested the day Michael Eisner strolled into IOA to experience the Amazing Adventures of Spider Man (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/universal's_islands_of_adventure/the_amazing_adventures_of_spider-man/). Several years ago I ran into Tony Baxter at an IAAPA convention in Atlanta. Noticing my Men In Black: Alien Attack (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/universal_studios_florida/men_in_black_alien_attack/) construction team shirt he told me he’d ridden the attraction three times and was impressed.
However, while the Disney team has every reason to be impressed (indeed maybe even humbled) by the work of Universal Creative, I’m not sure that they feel even remotely intimidated by the arrival of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I’d even go so far as to say that the Disney company is probably pleased about the attention the Potter attractions are drawing to the region.
In fact, I think it would be wise for Disney to play the same card again and take out another advertisement in the local paper. I’m almost certain they have a picture of Mickey dressed in wizard garb, don’t they?
Timothy Bernardi (thcreative) is the author of the manuscripts 'Name Tags' and '7097-050719' (the first and second part of the Theme Park Trilogy). He is currently developing 'Building the Building: A Young Person's Guide to Commercial Construction Project Management.'
More... (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201005/1907/)