Harry Potter Theme Park

First topic message reminder :

Well, it's been confirmed. There is going to be a Harry Potter theme park, at Universal Studios.

Here's the link to the TLC article:

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/#article:9918

What does everyone think about this? I'm in two minds about it, to be honest. On the one hand, it could be very very cool if done well, but on the other hand it's commercialisation of a book series we love, and is that a good thing?

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Ahh, thank you so much Mel. xD

And yeah, it was lots of fun but it would be better if it had been a little less crowded. (:

I have a phobia of crowds, personally...

But for the magical world of HP? Anything is possible.

Yeah, it was pretty crowded...not anywhere near as bad as the first month though....

Oh that would have been torture, I think. Gosh. Yikes! Glad to have missed it...

Yeah (: Come in a couple of years and you should be fine xD

Haha I shall have money to burn by then, hopefully :D

Yeah, cause it'll probably still be super pricy. Ten dollars for a choclate frog? >.<

Ehhhh NOOOOOOOOO. AND I have to think about the exchange rate D:

Ooo, true that. Good luck with all of that... =/

I'll try not to panic too much

-sigh of relief- I have finally written all about this in my blog. It took me long enough but I did it in the end -feels proud of self-

Isn't that ridiculous???? I guess there was a fair amount of chocolate but ten was still too pricy in my opinion....

Exaggeration is a key point of life. *nods wisely*

Hahaha, hopefully they'll have dropped the prices by the time you guys get to go...though, maybe not since an expansion to it is being considered?

Clicky over here!

So it's actually probably better y'all didn't go right away...cause I doubt my parents will let me go back.

Ooooh. Wicked :D Can't wait!

I wonder what they'd add. O.o

Things so awesome our feeble minds cannot even begin to comprehend it.

Hahha, WOOT WOOT. I would hope they would add another ride or two though....cause I think they'd be running out of shops soon...though Fred and George's shop would be cool to have!

Ooh yeah. But they had Zonkos... which wasn't really described in the books, I guess, so it was easier to interpret how they liked.

Yeah, and then they didn't have to have all the magical things that they have no idea how to make. Hahaha

Alas. The flaw of the Muggle world is the lack of magic

:D rofl

That'd be awesome. Espicially if they were things like Hogwarts: A History or Gilderoy Lockhearts books....I'd buy out the whole store so fast. xD

Agreed. But a bookstore would be such a cool thing to have.

They should build Gringotts. O.o

Mmm, true. Though they do have Ollivanders but probably just because that's just such a good attraction...

Aw man a bookstore would be sooooo wicked!

Right?? They should make the Shrieking Shack. O.o

Ohhh, I didn't know that! That was clever of them.

Don't know why there would be a wand shop in Hogsmeade though... I mean, most of the people who buy wands are 11 year olds, and they have to go to Diagon Alley to buy all their other school stuff, so they wouldn't go to Hogsmeade for 'em. As well as that, Hogsmeade is quite far away and cut off. They make most of their money there from the school, I'd bet (hence the candy store and the joke shop) - and kids don't need to buy wands after they've been to Diagon Alley. Also Hogsmeade is more of a tourist spot, and tourists don't buy wands on vacation unless it's perfectly necessary.

And I don't think Ollivander would separate some of his wands for a second shop... what if he goes to get the right wand - but then it's in the other shop?? I don't see the sense.

Makes for a good attraction. But doesn't make sense.

stephy wrote:

Well the shop is kinda there for those students who (like Ron XD) broke their wands.

I thought someone would make this argument. ^.^

Yes, some students break their wands: but they are the VAST minority. Ron's wand broke because it was old, and damaged already. It was destined to break. I don't think the shop would do enough business to stay open on anomalies such as this, even on the very few people who would buy wands there.

And as for the vanishing cabinet... well, I can't say it wouldn't work, but it's a lot of trouble to go to.

Well, let's also not forget that getting a wand is a major thing in Harry Potter and they couldn't leave that out of the theme park experience so they were bound to come up with a reason for it being in Hogsmeade to ensure that fans would get to see it.

But if we're on the whole topic of Hogsmeade being too far away, there is always Floo Powder to rely on to get you there quickly so I can't see that being too big of a deal for wizards.

Perhaps.

I still think it would be a financial disaster for Ollivander though. ^.^

Yeah, I do agree that I can't see him having a second shop but it's still nice that they put it in and it was probably the best reason they could come up with. (;

Alas that it isn't real.

But yeah, it works in this context

Indeed. It's a pretty shop. And it connects with Flourish and Blotts so those people kept coming through the secret doorway to cut the line into there. Hahaha

Oooh.

Man I'd really like to go when there's much less people. I hate crowds...

^^That quote from that article is referring to where in the actual Theme Park it is not to where it would be located bookwise....

or maybe I'm missing your point and you knew that. Hahaha.

I don't know, I still think it's silly for there to be a wandstore in Hogsmeade...

To my mind it doesn't make sense; what if you get a substandard wand 'cause there's a smaller selection in Hogsmeade? I'd rather there be one store, with all the wands, so I know I'm getting the right wand.

That's why everyone buys their wand from Ollivander's - there's no comparison.

But I see your points. People like to invest... so a business venture for Ollivander isn't so out-there.

I do agree that it's silly for a wandshop to be in Hogsmeade just becasue it's so easy for wizards to travel long distances with no effort...but the demand for Ollivanders at the theme park was probably just to much for them to ignore.

Oh yeah I won't argue with that

Different bag of fish, that is

Hahhaa, that's an awesome expression. Different bag of fish. xD