Anything new coming???

[johnvree]

We go to Orlando every August. We've been alternating between WDW and UO (including SW and BGT). We just got back from WDW, so that means next year is Universal. I haven't followed any Universal forums in over a year because we were in WDW mode. Now that we are thinking about Universal again for next year, I've been surfing UO again.

I have to say, there doesn't seem to be a lot going on for Universal nowadays. Maybe we are spoiled by WDW, which seems to add every year. This year, for example, we experienced Expedition Everest, Stich, Soarin', Turtle Talk with Crush and Lights, Motor, Action for the first time. I can't find anything new planned for next summer for Universal though. The only new attraction appears to be the ride that opened in Seuss Landing (which really isn't new, just newly opened). Is that all that's new??? Anything planned for next summer?

 

[kcnole]

Well IOA just got the High in the sky Seuss Trolley ride this year. It's nothing special, sort of their version of the TTA. USF just closed down Back to the future for an as of yet unnamed ride to take its place. There's a lot of rumors that it will be based on the Simpsons. I still find that hard to believe for this location and think they've got something else up their sleeves, but that's simply my gut. There are other rumors that Jimmy Neutron will be leaving the park in the next few years and that the Simpsons would go there, but so far none of those are substantiated.

 

[CTXRover]

Back to the Future is closing within a month for an undisclosed new attraction. More than likely, it will involve a new video and appopriate themeing to update the ride to something more modern while utilizing the ride system that is already in place (think Jimmy Nuetron overlay to the old Hanna Barberra ride). What it will be though is still unknown. Rumors suggest Simpsons, Fast and the Furious or Transformers. Depending on how fast they can do the overlay, this may or may not be ready by next August.

They opened the High in the Sky Suess Trolley train ride this summer at IOA, as you mentioned. Nothing to write home about, but does add a little something to the land.

USF also premiered their new Universal 360: A cinesphere Spectacular. Its a night-time lagoon show using 4 large globes in which clips of Universal films are projected on, accompanied by projections on surrounding buildings and some occasional fireworks. I imagine they will bring that back next summer, but it only ran through early August this year.

They've added Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant and a new Coconut club to Citywalk.

Other than that, nothing else new at Universal over the past year and nothing besides the BTTF re-do in the current pipeline.

 

[kcnole]

I just got my Universal AP newsletter. They're going to be running various versions of Universal 360 through Halloween Horror Nights and also the last two weeks of December during the Macy's and Grinchmas events.