So, yesterday's chatter about Universal did get me thinking a little about the subject of lands. Universal doesn't exactly have a core set of lands to it like the Disney castle parks, so in a way there is a bit more variety to exactly what sorts of lands you could put in. Well, I've done a little thinking on the topic and I have a few stray thoughts:
- I like USF's approach of starting off with Production Central, but I feel like you could lean more into the "behind the scenes" idea with it. So, I could see the Hollywood Backlot. Much like how Main Street USA works as a slightly more grounded space before stepping into the grand fantasies throughout a Disney castle park, this would have the look of a bustling studio backlot, serving as a good transition space before guests enter the world of the movies.
- Horror has always been a part of Universal's legacy, so I'd love to see something embracing that legacy. While Universal definitely has plenty of horror classics over the years (The Thing and Jaws leaps to mind, along with some of the more notable Blumhouse films), probably the most accessible IP to use for land theming would be the classic Universal Monsters, perhaps calling this Gothic landscape the Monster Hills.
- For a more kid-friendly area, Universal has some solid options. Illumination is quickly recognizable thanks to Despicable Me, but DreamWorks Animation offers a ton of options (from movies to TV shows to even the old Jay Ward cartoons). Personally, I'd lean more general and go with an animation-devoted land known as Cartooniversal.