I know I would.
If you were a theme park fan (or Harry Potter fan), living in or near Southern California, wouldn't you want a Harry Potter theme park near you, at Universal Studios Hollywood?
I really know that I would. (Universal Hollywood is the closest theme park to my house, and as you probably know by now, I crave me some of that Butterbeer.)
Obviously, there are contracts and rights issues that will determine whether Universal can bring Harry Potter to its other theme parks. But beyond the work the lawyers do, there will be logistical issues, as well.
When Universal bought its property for an Orlando theme park, it learned a lesson from Disney, and bought more land than it needed for a single park. While Universal didn't buy nearly as much property as Disney did when it built Walt Disney World, Universal obtained more than enough space to develop a second theme park (which became Islands of Adventure - home of the Wizarding World), with plenty of room between attractions for future expansion.
But that's not the case back in Hollywood, at Universal's original theme park. Universal developed its Los Angeles-area property as a movie studio in the 1910s, later adding a Studio Tour and then a theme park around the tour's entrance at the top of a mountain on the studio property. There's simply no significant open space for expansion within or next to the theme park on Universal's property. If Universal wants to develop a new attraction for its Hollywood theme park, it must replace an existing facility within the park.
So... what goes if Harry Potter is to move in? What would you do to bring Harry Potter to Universal Studios Hollywood?
Let's take a look from an aerial view:
You're looking at the upper lot of Universal Studios Hollywood. The large white half-circle to the right is the Gibson Amphitheater (which, technically, is not part of the theme park). The blue space below it and to the left is the water tank in the Waterworld show theater. Below that in the photo is CityWalk - the large structure in the lower right corner is the movie theater complex. (Hold your mouse over the photo and you should get pop-up labels.)
At the end of CityWalk, in the lower right corner of the photo, partially obscured by a palm tree shadow, is the Universal globe. The pale red pathway that leads up and slightly to the right from there is the entrance to the theme park. The large fan-shaped building in the middle on the left side of the photo is the Terminator 2: 3-D theater.
If you look above the T2 plaza, you'll see a dark shadow over some green space. That's because the T2 plaza is built on top of the Frankenstein parking structure that hangs off the side of this mountain. It's the plaza/parking structure that's casting that shadow over what's actually the Jurassic Park ride on the lower lot. The Revenge of the Mummy building is just above that, in the upper left corner of the photo. Those blueish lines you see emerging from there - first up and to the right, then down and to the right, are the Starway escalators heading back up to the upper lot, where they end just between The Simpsons Ride (on the right) and the Special Effects Stage in the old Castle Theater (on the left).
That's what we're working with here. If you want to find space for a Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you've got to replace something on this map.
My two choices? Ditch either the amphitheater on the right, or the Terminator 2 plaza on the left.
Personally, I'd choose to redevelop the T2 plaza. Why? First, I think the Terminator franchise is less valuable to Universal going forward than continuing to offer a 6,000-seat live music venue. Plus, the T2 plaza's already well placed for a British-themed attraction. There's some London street scenery just to the right of the T2 plaza that could be repurposed, as Universal Orlando repurposed its existing Lost Continent to help develop its Wizarding World.
I'm proposing that the Hollywood version of Harry Potter be different than the Orlando version, and that it should be Diagon Alley, set in London, rather than the Hogsmeade village built in Orlando. In this plan, the current T2 building would become the site for an Escape from Gringotts ride, inspired by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The Leaky Cauldron would stand at the entrance to this new land, serving Butterbeer and other English-themed fare from Orlando's Three Broomsticks. (The Leaky Cauldron probably would be a retheme for the existing International Cafe.) Shops would include Ollivander's, Flourish & Blotts (and the exit to the Gringotts ride) and Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
There's a room Universal uses as a banquet hall behind the House of Horrors, just to the lower right of the T2 plaza, that could be repurposed as a Borgin & Burkes dark magic theater, at the end of Knockturn Alley, to provide a second attraction in this smaller Wizarding World.
The upside for this plan would be the creation of a complementary attraction to the Orlando Wizarding World, giving Harry Potter fans a reason to visit a second Universal theme park, rather than a duplication that wouldn't draw fans from across the country and across the Atlantic. The downside would be the exclusion of the iconic Hogwarts Castle and the already-famous Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. But if Universal Creative could create a ride of similar quality in Gringotts, I don't think that exclusion would cripple this project.
So, what do you think?
Do you think Universal should try to bring Harry Potter to Hollywood?
If you do, do you think Universal should keep the Hogsmeade theme, or try instead Diagon Alley (or something else)?
If you want to see Harry Potter in Hollywood, which current USH attractions should it replace?
I'd love to hear your plans, in the comments.
Previously on Theme Park Insider: More "What would you do?"
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I think a perfect spot would be the area taking up the Gibson Amphitheatre AND Waterworld AND Shrek 4D! I'd move Shrek 4D over to the T2 building and retheme that entire area. That would make the Harry Potter area huge and breathe new life into this park. I think the park would be changed for the better.
Having seen Waterworld numerous times in both Hollywood and Singapore, in my view it's kind of a dated show now. I realise that Waterworld soaks up a lot of guests, but maybe they could consider a Harry Potter live action show replacement?
But yeah, I'd love to see Universal add it there, and in Japan and Korea, too.
Not to go off on a tangent, but I wonder where other countries' wizarding schools were in the Harry Potter universe? There was a crowd sign in the Quidditch world cup scene in HP4 that suggested America's school was in Salem, Mass. (Nice touch, BTW.) But one presumes there would be wizarding schools elsewhere in the world.
I would love for HP to arrive on the West Coast. Maybe have a slightly different version? I'm not sure how, but find a way to make it different enough to make people want to go to both parks? As old as Jaws is in Orlando, I appreciate how different and entertaining it is compared to the Hollywood version.
The park desperately needs it.
I have high hopes for the Terminator ride being something like Spider Man at Islands of Adventure, but until they step up their game, the park is not worth going to.
I live in Tampa, so the only reason for me to travel to Universal Hollywood is if there are different attractions. For this reason I agree with Mr. Niles that a different experience of Harry Potter would be a good idea.
I also like the idea of creating a new, unique, American wizarding school. Think of all the American fanboys that would go nuts for something new from the series, imagined by J.K. Rowling and designed by Universal Creative. You could even give it a cheeky name, like Ghouliard.
Alternate plan, remove Waterworld. It was a terrible movie but a pretty good stunt show. No matter how good the stunt show is, it can't redeem an unpopular movie and quite frankly has had a very long, long run for such a poor source material.
The idea of making it Diagon Alley is a winner, Robert.
If it is too confusing to understand, please ask for a better explanation.
Then I think the Terminator 2: 3D in Hollywood and Orlando can be replaced with an Avatar atraction like the one that is being rumored currently.
It specifically states in Universal's contract with Warner Brothers Films that only in the ORLANDO resort can Harry Potter-themed leisure attractions be built. And even then, the contract is only for films 1-4. Universal are not allowed to include anything from the later films, not even the soundtracks, in the WWoHP until an option to expand the WWoHP is taken up by both parties.
(I would highly suggest this option has already been taken up, seeing as it is simply a money-making machine)
J.K. specifically demanded Universal Orlando Resort as it was the main (only) Universal resort that BRITONS visit frequently, and this was a key factor in her decision (ultimatum).
Much like Universal's deal with Marvel which allows it to use characters ONLY in Orlando and Japan, Universal's deal with the Harry Potter franchise is solely for Orlando.
And for the record, if you're talking about expansion of WWoHP at IOA, then it is written into the contract that further attraction(s) built must utilise films 5-7.
Quite simply, the park is going downhill. Nobody cares about USH anymore. It is making a loss for Universal, and it would make good business sense to shut the park down and plow all their money and resources into A) Universal Orlando (third gate, water park, at least 2 new resort hotels, plus new rides at IOA and USF) and B) Universal Studios Japan.
Universal Studios Hollywood, and the planned Universal Studios in Dubai and South Korea should be shelved.
We can see from Universal Singapore and that the business is simply not there any more, and also from Hong Kong Disneyland. If a resort has a worldwide reputation (such as WDW or UO) then people will travel long distances to be there. Why do we need 3 Universal Studios parks within a 7hr flying radius (SIN-OSAKA-SEOUL)? One would be sufficient.
There was a reason Universal pulled out of Port Aventura in Spain, and I hope to see them do likewise with shabby parks like USH some time soon.
They would have to tear down the parking structure and either reinforce it or build up more hill where it is.
As much as I hate to say it, they really need to just shut down for a year or two. It would give them plenty of time to rework everything and figure out what they want to do with the land. (Condos, CityWalk, Theme Park, Movie Studio, etc.)
We all know that will never happen though, as they would rather have a mediocre park and the revenue it generates than to close for a few years and reopen as a park on par with DL.
It seem intersting to me that USH is really what USO and DHS is trying to emulate: a real live movie studio! I was very impressed with USH and I feel that too many attractions would muddle up its charm.
It's Yogi Berra logic - nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded.
While USH doesn't draw in the locals for repeat visits the way Disneyland and Magic Mountain do, it hauls in visitors by the bus- and plane-load, and ask anyone in the industry which they'd rather have, a million locals or a million out-of-town visitors? They'll take the more lucrative out-of-towners every single time.
If Universal wants to pay the money to build a Wizarding World at USH, I have every confidence that it would be able to make all necessary legal arrangements with Warner Bros and Jo Rowling to proceed.
That said, yeah, this is a creative thought exercise. The siting issues at USH might be too much for Universal Creative and Universal's budget to overcome in developing a first-class west coast version of the Wizarding World. I'd give this less than 50/50 of ever happening.
But I sure do find it fun to think about. ;^)
That being said, I wouldn't want to remove Water World because of how awesome the stunt show is... USH needs as many attractions as it can get.
Perhaps you missed the title: "What Would You Do?", not "What Will They Do?"
I might be in a minority!
Though, the logicial location seems sound!
@ 82.9.115.58 - You sound knowledgeable but without proof of your claims, you're another anonymous poster trying to sound like an expert but being condescending in the process. Your IP comes back to the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Odd, your rudeness is more on par with France.
I do like the idea of the American Campus of the Wizarding World. I'm not as familiar with the books or the movies to be honest as I can't recall many characters' names, but I do enjoy the fantasy world of HP. Almost an expanded universe... as long as it's not like Star Wars and George "I think everything looks better in CGI because I say so" Lucas. I love Star Wars, but there's something soul-less about the newest three movies as well as the inexplicable Unleashed games.
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