All things Universal Studios Hollywood

[Rich T]

A-What in this artwork says this is a Universal park and not Six Flags or Nickelodeon Universe?

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B-Very expensive? It will be to go to this park.

C-Who said anything about big-budget dark rides? I mentioned dark rides, but they don't have to be big-budget.

Yes, we all know it's made for kids and have known since they announced it. The question is, what is special about this park? Nothing. There isn't anything here you can't experience at a Six Flags or Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. If there wasn't a Universal sign on the front, how would you know it's a Universal park?

Photos don’t mean much until we see the final results, but — y’know, all those areas are places I would have loved when I was a small child.

I think this will probably be a very pleasant IP-based little locals park for parents to take their small kids to. No more, no less. I think it stands a good chance of being more impressive than a Lego Land or Peppa Pig park. Those 2 brands are its competition. That is its audience.

It’s an experiment for Universal. I wish them luck. It’s not a project of any interest to me (park fans lamenting its attraction lineup is the most amusing part of all this) and, frankly, I wish that investment money could have gone toward UOR and USH.

Seriously: Do you really want Universal to spend MORE money on this kiddie park?

 

[Phroobar]

A-What in this artwork says this is a Universal park and not Six Flags or Nickelodeon Universe?

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B-Very expensive? It will be to go to this park.

C-Who said anything about big-budget dark rides? I mentioned dark rides, but they don't have to be big-budget.

Yes, we all know it's made for kids and have known since they announced it. The question is, what is special about this park? Nothing. There isn't anything here you can't experience at a Six Flags or Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. If there wasn't a Universal sign on the front, how would you know it's a Universal park?

It looks like DCA 1.0.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Seriously: Do you really want Universal to spend MORE money on this kiddie park?

It’s part of a larger strategy to try and drastically reduce costs. It’s been a mess of a project but it could very well end up being seen as a model for future projects at the other resorts.

 

[coffeefan]

Crazy drop in attendance for USH in 2024. Guess SNW was front loaded …

A 10% drop is crazy! USH needs to add more new things for people to do. Fan Fest was a step in the right direction. The FF coaster will be popular, although I probably won't ride it.
It seems like some of the attractions they closed were better than SNW for the park.

 

[denyuntilcaught]

A 10% drop is crazy! USH needs to add more new things for people to do. Fan Fest was a step in the right direction. The FF coaster will be popular, although I probably won't ride it.
It seems like some of the attractions they closed were better than SNW for the park.

That, plus I think the word has been out for a while that they seriously, seriously dropped the ball on the Mario Kart attraction. A miscalculation in its finest sense. The rest of the land is fine, and as a fan of the franchise, I personally really enjoyed it, but the ride sucked and without Donkey Kong, absolutely not worth a repeat visit.

Now the F&F coaster will pull be back in, for sure.

 

[mickEblu]

That, plus I think the word has been out for a while that they seriously, seriously dropped the ball on the Mario Kart attraction. A miscalculation in its finest sense. The rest of the land is fine, and as a fan of the franchise, I personally really enjoyed it, but the ride sucked and without Donkey Kong, absolutely not worth a repeat visit.

Now the F&F coaster will pull be back in, for sure.

Not that I disagree but the thing always has 90 minute waits at USH. First timers flocking over there? As a pass holder it’s not part of our rotation at all.

 

[Phroobar]

It seems like some of the attractions they closed were better than SNW for the park.

What attractions they closed were better than SNW? Animal Actors?

 

[coffeefan]

What attractions they closed were better than SNW? Animal Actors?

Not a 1 to 1 comparison, just better overall for the park. USH to me is at its best when it leans into movie experiences and movie magic. So to that end, yeah the animal actors show fits that, but so did Backdraft, ET, BttF, Terminator etc.

I grew up on gaming, so I like Nintendo a lot. I just think they should've saved it for a second park in California and made a proper land and better ride.

 

[Phroobar]

Not a 1 to 1 comparison, just better overall for the park. USH to me is at its best when it leans into movie experiences and movie magic. So to that end, yeah the animal actors show fits that, but so did Backdraft, ET, BttF, Terminator etc.

I grew up on gaming, so I like Nintendo a lot. I just think they should've saved it for a second park in California and made a proper land and better ride.

I wouldn't call any of those better than SNW. Back draft was just a pyro show. ET was a weird dark ride but Mario Kart is a better weird dark ride. The Mummy is a better use for the building. Terminator was extremely dated. Even more so when Arnold was governor. BTTF just became the Simpsons so it's not really gone. Animal Actors and the special effects show where shadows of their former selves. What I really miss is the Conan Show. That kind of show isn't pc anymore. I miss the castle theater but the new coaster is a great trade off.

 

[MK-fan]

I wouldn't call any of those better than SNW. Back draft was just a pyro show. ET was a weird dark ride but Mario Kart is a better weird dark ride. The Mummy is a better use for the building. Terminator was extremely dated. Even more so when Arnold was governor. BTTF just became the Simpsons so it's not really gone. Animal Actors and the special effects show where shadows of their former selves. What I really miss is the Conan Show. That kind of show isn't pc anymore. I miss the castle theater but the new coaster is a great trade off.

Yes but in terms of quality, I personally think many of USH’s replacements have been at best subpar compared to what was there before regardless if it gets more crowd flow. This accounts for Terminator/DMMM, Kongfrontation/Kong 360, BTTF/Simpsons and ET/ROTM.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I grew up on gaming, so I like Nintendo a lot. I just think they should've saved it for a second park in California and made a proper land and better ride.

They did save it for a new park and didn’t bother to improve the ride.

 

[Rich Brownn]

That, plus I think the word has been out for a while that they seriously, seriously dropped the ball on the Mario Kart attraction. A miscalculation in its finest sense. The rest of the land is fine, and as a fan of the franchise, I personally really enjoyed it, but the ride sucked and without Donkey Kong, absolutely not worth a repeat visit.

Now the F&F coaster will pull be back in, for sure.

Mario was dictated by Nintendo to be both a shooting ride and family friendly. If they had made it fast at least one of those would have been impossible.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Mario was dictated by Nintendo to be both a shooting ride and family friendly. If they had made it fast at least one of those would have been impossible.

Bull. Test Track has the same height requirement as Mario Kart.

 

[denyuntilcaught]

Mario was dictated by Nintendo to be both a shooting ride and family friendly. If they had made it fast at least one of those would have been impossible.

Well what they made was a subpar attraction, unfortunately. Not to mention, Mario Kart without speed just seems to be violating a key storytelling principle - content dictates form.

 

[mickEblu]

Mario was dictated by Nintendo to be both a shooting ride and family friendly. If they had made it fast at least one of those would have been impossible.

With a 40 inch height requirement Super Mario Kart is not very family friendly. For reference, RSR, BTMRR and Space Mountain all have the same requirement. A slow moving shooter ride should have had no height requirement.

 

[mickEblu]

So when is Universal going to finally announce some of the new attractions they have in store for USH? I don't have my ear to USH rumor mill as much as I do with Disney.

 

[Phroobar]

So when is Universal going to finally announce some of the new attractions they have in store for USH? I don't have my ear to USH rumor mill as much as I do with Disney.

Well the area next to the Mummy they dug out of hillside is utility event space kind of like USO has for tents and food festivals.


We don't know what this will be

 

[Phroobar]

Train testing has begun.

 

[Phroobar]

I should have went to this last night at the Puente Hills Mall. (Twin Pines Mall) for the Back to the Future 40th anniversary. They had a lot of cars and cosplay along with celebrity signings.

 

[Professortango1]

Train testing has begun.

Well....that looks....like something.

Universal has removed the fun unique things and put in...an ugly coaster without any visual appeal or storytelling.