Holy mother of awesome, its confirmed!

[thokecin]

I'm glad its getting updated,it wont beat the new Harry Potter land at IOA though.

I think Garryz is right. Disney does have the real estate to expand. But I disagree with you Disney's Folly. I think that as Universal picks up more attractions like HP and the admission prices keep going up at WDW I think yo'll see a few jump ship. We are talking about doing a Universal only trip next year. We can stay with family in Orlando, hit Universal for a week AND get their meal plan for all five of us for less then one total day at Disney.

Disney is still my favorite but sometimes you have to vote your wallet.

I've traveled to the World loyally for 25 years and less frequently to DL and DW since I was 18 months old and I totally agree with Ohiodisneydad While on a school board convention 5 years ago we stayed on property at Universal. My family hit the parks as I attended the convention by day at parks by night. I was very impressed. What initially hit me was their young children's area. The imagineering of these attractions was head over heels better than Fantsyland which has not kept up with imagineering times. I nostalgically love Fantsyland however lets face it many are not 21st century imagineering that Universal has created.
Thinking Disney has finally realized this. I was never impressed with the 21st Century Pooh attraction that Disney is capable of, look at Splash Mountain they can do it.

As Disney continues to close pavilions like Wonders of Life it puts more stress on the few great attractions like, Test Track and Soar'n. I can't endure MS, Nemo while great for the little ones, was fine once, Imagination ruined, it does leave some extra time now to visit the very economically friendly Universal. Sea World has also tossed their hat now into the ring as a to hit venue. I have learned to like AK however there still is not enough to hold my family more than 4-5 hours making park hopper passes necessary. While I enjoyed Fantasmic that too you must donate wasted time securing a place to sit. Disney has the ability to fix the seating for Fantasmic yet has chosen not to do that. They cut performances making it more difficult. The Movie Ride and Indian Jones have needed a revamp for a while.

Disney has gone substantially over the CPI in raising their room and admission rates. Food and water costs have hit the ridiculous range. And why we pay exorbitant amount of money for buffet, cheap breakfast foods under a heat lamp.

Since we have about 4 years to wait for Fantasyland (if not delayed) I think you might see more of us at least splitting our time between Universal and Disney both for variety and some financial relief.

I agree with you on the trends. But I think they can get years out of Harry Potter and so does Universal or they wouldn't be putting the kind of money into the attraction. I have never been to Universal. I have been to City Walk and it was interesting. We are going to do a Universal heavy trip in the next couple of years.

I think Disney is always going to remain on the top but I think this major rehab of FantasyLand shows that the powers to be realize they have to do something. Every other park in central FL is stepping up. Disney can't afford to rest on its laurels. I'm excited for this. Our trip next week is our last Disney for two years. These new plans gives us something to get more excited for!

I have been to WDW, Universal, and Sea World and I really just don't feel that U and SW are on par with WDW. I've lived my entire life just outside Cincinnati, OH and we have a pretty big amusement park- King's Island. We had annual passes for several years growing up, so I've been there probably 50-75 times. It's what most amusement parks are- long lines for big thrill rides. You get to ride maybe 5 things in a day- if you're there from open to close. There is very little theming on the rides themselves, if any at all, and zero theming in the queue areas. U and SW, to me, have a very similar feeling. Slightly better than a regular amusement park, but still not on par with WDW. I left both with a general feeling of ambivalence and a strong desire to get to WDW for the rest of the vacation.

To me, the reason that WDW will continue to outdraw U and SW perpetually is the target audience- small children. Disney's main park, MK, and a large portion of the entertainment in the other parks is based upon children's animated films. Children are engrossed by animated films because of the bright colors, the music, and the playful characters. Children want to be a part of the world of the characters. Parents want to make their children happy and see them smile. Where do a majority of FL-vacationing parents take their children to accomplish this? WDW. My mom was a Mousketeer. She took a trip to Disneyland when she and my father were first married. They took us to WDW when my brother and I were young. My wife and I went twice before we had kids (she went countless other times growing up). We took our son last year and are now 2 months away from taking him back along with his 1.5 year old sister, my brother, my nephew, and my mother-in-law. Why? Because we were all hooked as kids and our kids will now be hooked. It's a perpetual cycle that Disney continuously feeds with new animated films.

Does WDW have correctable issues? Sure...and I agree that the announced Fantasyland expansion plans and Star Tours refurb are steps in the right direction. I just don't think that Harry Potter is going to be the panacea that Universal thinks it will be.

I can also understand the economics of going to U and SW instead of WDW. But that begs the question- why are the costs of admission so much less? To keep the business afloat and profit margins where they should be, expenses would have to be proportionately lower. Expenses that are tied to rides, attractions, and employees. I think the extra cost of WDW is the amount that does toward creating the "magic".

I'm sure as my kids get a little older, we'll probably head to U and SW just for variety, but I can't see us making it a point to go there over WDW.

For the record, I'm not a U and SW hater, I just didn't enjoy them as much as I do WDW. Also, I love the Harry Potter books and movies and do want to see HP world at some point. I'm just not counting down the days until it opens so that I can make a bee-line to the gates.

[ohiodisneydad]

I have been to WDW, Universal, and Sea World and I really just don't feel that U and SW are on par with WDW. I've lived my entire life just outside Cincinnati, OH and we have a pretty big amusement park- King's Island. We had annual passes for several years growing up, so I've been there probably 50-75 times. It's what most amusement parks are- long lines for big thrill rides. You get to ride maybe 5 things in a day- if you're there from open to close. There is very little theming on the rides themselves, if any at all, and zero theming in the queue areas. U and SW, to me, have a very similar feeling. Slightly better than a regular amusement park, but still not on par with WDW. I left both with a general feeling of ambivalence and a strong desire to get to WDW for the rest of the vacation.

To me, the reason that WDW will continue to outdraw U and SW perpetually is the target audience- small children. Disney's main park, MK, and a large portion of the entertainment in the other parks is based upon children's animated films. Children are engrossed by animated films because of the bright colors, the music, and the playful characters. Children want to be a part of the world of the characters. Parents want to make their children happy and see them smile. Where do a majority of FL-vacationing parents take their children to accomplish this? WDW. My mom was a Mousketeer. She took a trip to Disneyland when she and my father were first married. They took us to WDW when my brother and I were young. My wife and I went twice before we had kids (she went countless other times growing up). We took our son last year and are now 2 months away from taking him back along with his 1.5 year old sister, my brother, my nephew, and my mother-in-law. Why? Because we were all hooked as kids and our kids will now be hooked. It's a perpetual cycle that Disney continuously feeds with new animated films.

Does WDW have correctable issues? Sure...and I agree that the announced Fantasyland expansion plans and Star Tours refurb are steps in the right direction. I just don't think that Harry Potter is going to be the panacea that Universal thinks it will be.

I can also understand the economics of going to U and SW instead of WDW. But that begs the question- why are the costs of admission so much less? To keep the business afloat and profit margins where they should be, expenses would have to be proportionately lower. Expenses that are tied to rides, attractions, and employees. I think the extra cost of WDW is the amount that does toward creating the "magic".

I'm sure as my kids get a little older, we'll probably head to U and SW just for variety, but I can't see us making it a point to go there over WDW.

For the record, I'm not a U and SW hater, I just didn't enjoy them as much as I do WDW. Also, I love the Harry Potter books and movies and do want to see HP world at some point. I'm just not counting down the days until it opens so that I can make a bee-line to the gates.

I too am just minutes away from Kings Island! Your mom was a Mouseketeer? Dude that's awesome! Disney is the king of theme park as opposed to just another amusement park, which is where I lump everyone else. Maybe not a fair assessment but it fits for me. The difference in the Queue lines at WDW is amazing compared to others. The queue lines there are part of the attraction not just a necessity. My cousin wants us to come down next year for a Universal only trip. We are going to talk it over and may give it a try.

[thokecin]

I guess I misused the term Mousketeer. I meant she was part of the "Club" that watched the Mousketeers on TV when she was a small child, not an actual child/actor that appeared on the show.

I'm not saying Universal or Sea World are bad experiences, they just reminded me too much of standing in long lines at Kings Island with nothing in the queue to keep your mind occupied.

[ohiodisneydad]

I'm not saying Universal or Sea World are bad experiences, they just reminded me too much of standing in long lines at Kings Island with nothing in the queue to keep your mind occupied.

I've never been to either so I can comment. I'll take everyone's word for it

[Nemoxoxo]

ya, im excited ahah. extremely excited. so is my entire family.

[horchata]

Looks sooo awesome