Disney Playing catch up with Universal... Potter Disney's biggest mistake in 20 years...

[DC0703]

It could be a fairly large draw if they use the right franchises (not sure if Sega, Microsoft, Namco, Capcom, Konami, and Nintendo would all agree to have their games appear in a single theme park).

A Nintendo theme would have the most mainstream appeal while you could potentially put WoW and LOTR in there as well.

WoW + LOTR + Mario + Pokemon + Zelda=must-see 3rd gate for me!

It would work since USF is movies/TV, while IOA is literature... helps differentiate.

Also, a genre/niche styled 3rd gate could work since ComicCon, MegaCon, geek culture, etc. is becoming more and more mainstream with each passing year. Maybe something like MK-style parks (Universal's variant could be a more thrills-based edition)?

Or something completely original. I would expect Universal to shoot for a unique, immersive design that provide the transformational experience that Potter does... but through the entire park.

Video games are the next frontier of IPs for attractions... and if Universal gets their hands on Nintendo, that would be Disney's biggest mistake.

I'm skeptical that they would be able to get Nintendo, as cool as that would be. Nintendo clutches their IPs way to closely to let any other company have a chance to make money with them.

Universal has prior links to Vivendi/Activision/Blizzard, so I wouldn't be surprised if those franchises could get a green light. WoW and Call of Duty would be covered there. (on second thought, despite its popularity, Call of Duty would be too violent, nix that)

Angry Birds and Minecraft have a following among kids. Maybe Sonic the Hedgehog (perfect for a rollercoaster). My guess, if something like this were to happen, Universal would contact a major distributor like EA and get access to their franchises.

 

[Mike S]

Nintendo and Universal don't really like each other all that much. Something about Universal almost bankrupting Nintendo over Donkey Kong.

I'm skeptical that they would be able to get Nintendo, as cool as that would be. Nintendo clutches their IPs way to closely to let any other company have a chance to make money with them.

Universal has prior links to Vivendi/Activision/Blizzard, so I wouldn't be surprised if those franchises could get a green light. WoW and Call of Duty would be covered there. (on second thought, despite its popularity, Call of Duty would be too violent, nix that)

Angry Birds and Minecraft have a following among kids. Maybe Sonic the Hedgehog (perfect for a rollercoaster). My guess, if something like this were to happen, Universal would contact a major distributor like EA and get access to their franchises.

Stranger things have happened. Who would've thought Nintendo and SEGA would become best friends one day and Sonic would be in Smash Bros.? I think Universal is in a very unique position because if they ever did have some kind of negotiation with Nintendo they could point to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as a symbol of their commitment to quality and staying true to the IP.

 

[Pieter]

I never even considered video games as the next IP, but that would be amazing. If UNI could make the right deals they could have a land that covers the classic Atari 2600 games that I grew up with all the way up to todays bestsellers. The ride possibilities are endless.

 

[mahnamahna101]

I'm skeptical that they would be able to get Nintendo, as cool as that would be. Nintendo clutches their IPs way to closely to let any other company have a chance to make money with them.

Universal has prior links to Vivendi/Activision/Blizzard, so I wouldn't be surprised if those franchises could get a green light. WoW and Call of Duty would be covered there. (on second thought, despite its popularity, Call of Duty would be too violent, nix that)

Angry Birds and Minecraft have a following among kids. Maybe Sonic the Hedgehog (perfect for a rollercoaster). My guess, if something like this were to happen, Universal would contact a major distributor like EA and get access to their franchises.

Angry Birds is already in a regional theme park, I believe and Minecraft would look really tacky regardless of how themed it is... but I agree that Nintendo might be too difficult. Still, if they managed to convince Rowling and Geisel to allow Potter and Seuss... with the right ideas and proposals, they could win Nintendo over if they basically gave them the final say creatively. Maybe just Mario and Pokemon? Really, those are the two mega-franchises from Nintendo. Of course, this is the idealistic Imagineer within speaking can't imagine Nintendo is worse than Christopher Tolkien as far as licensing.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Stranger things have happened. Who would've thought Nintendo and SEGA would become best friends one day and Sonic would be in Smash Bros.? I think Universal is in a very unique position because if they ever did have some kind of negotiation with Nintendo they could point to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as a symbol of their commitment to quality and staying true to the IP.

Agreed... the right ideas and vision could easily change Nintendo's mind. They don't seem like Christopher Tolkien and P.L. Travers to me... however, I could see them being skeptical similar to J.K. Rowling and Audrey Geisel.

The Mushroom Kingdom is a gold-mine waiting to happen... so is Middle Earth, but Mario is honestly a better shot than LOTR at this point for a 3rd gate. As long as it's the rumored DisneySea quality, I'm sure I'll love whatever Universal comes up with!

 

[Mike S]

Angry Birds is already in a regional theme park, I believe and Minecraft would look really tacky regardless of how themed it is... but I agree that Nintendo might be too difficult. Still, if they managed to convince Rowling and Geisel to allow Potter and Seuss... with the right ideas and proposals, they could win Nintendo over if they basically gave them the final say creatively. Maybe just Mario and Pokemon? Really, those are the two mega-franchises from Nintendo. Of course, this is the idealistic Imagineer within speaking can't imagine Nintendo is worse than Christopher Tolkien as far as licensing.

I could accept that Metroid probably wouldn't make the cut, but you can't leave out Zelda. Any deal would absolutely HAVE to include that gold mine franchise.

 

[DC0703]

Angry Birds is already in a regional theme park, I believe and Minecraft would look really tacky regardless of how themed it is... but I agree that Nintendo might be too difficult. Still, if they managed to convince Rowling and Geisel to allow Potter and Seuss... with the right ideas and proposals, they could win Nintendo over if they basically gave them the final say creatively. Maybe just Mario and Pokemon? Really, those are the two mega-franchises from Nintendo. Of course, this is the idealistic Imagineer within speaking can't imagine Nintendo is worse than Christopher Tolkien as far as licensing.

Well, you never know... they did make a Nintendo cereal in the 80s!

I did just come across this, so you may be onto something:

http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/8/5695992/nintendo-character-licensing-possibilities

I still would prefer the WoW theming though. I'd love to see a theme park feature night elf theming like the lanterns, tree houses and glowing lights.

 

[mahnamahna101]

I could accept that Metroid probably wouldn't make the cut, but you can't leave out Zelda. Any deal would absolutely HAVE to include that gold mine franchise.

For the sake of buying a Master Sword, no, it can't be... those three are the heavy-hitters

 

[Pieter]

Think of the classic games like Asteroids, Space Invaders, Centipede, Pac Man and so on. Just getting a few classic games would turn into awesome rides. A Centipede roller coaster or maybe a Pac Man dark ride of some sort. Then move on down to maybe a Halo ride or whatever is todays hot item.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Well, you never know... they did make a Nintendo cereal in the 80s!

I did just come across this, so you may be onto something:

http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/8/5695992/nintendo-character-licensing-possibilities

I still would prefer the WoW theming though. I'd love to see a theme park feature night elf theming like the lanterns, tree houses and glowing lights.

Well, that makes it easier on Universal - don't focus on LOTR, shoot for Koopas and Kremlings and WoW could top Pandora with a grand enough scale (like having more than 2 attractions...)

 

[seascape]

Agreed... the right ideas and vision could easily change Nintendo's mind. They don't seem like Christopher Tolkien and P.L. Travers to me... however, I could see them being skeptical similar to J.K. Rowling and Audrey Geisel.

The Mushroom Kingdom is a gold-mine waiting to happen... so is Middle Earth, but Mario is honestly a better shot than LOTR at this point for a 3rd gate. As long as it's the rumored DisneySea quality, I'm sure I'll love whatever Universal comes up with!

I think you miss an important point. Not everyone wants their IP in a park in which they are not primary IP. Which of these wonderful IP owners do you think are willing to play second fiddle to HP? That is why Disney never really had a shot at HP. The mouse and Disney IP would always come first. You can be sure that if Universal got the rights to LOTR it would require their IP to be primary and bigger than HP. That could cause problems with JKR and HP and the other IP owners who have contracts with Universal. The more outside IP Universal uses the more difficult it is to keep them all happy.

 

[mahnamahna101]

I think you miss an important point. Not everyone wants their IP in a park in which they are not primary IP. Which of these wonderful IP owners do you think are willing to play second fiddle to HP? That is why Disney never really had a shot at HP. The mouse and Disney IP would always come first. You can be sure that if Universal got the rights to LOTR it would require their IP to be primary and bigger than HP. That could cause problems with JKR and HP and the other IP owners who have contracts with Universal. The more outside IP Universal uses the more difficult it is to keep them all happy.

One thing though... Potter wouldn't be in the 3rd gate. LOTR or Nintendo would have the 3rd gate to themselves initially as far as top dog goes. Potter is going to be what draws people primarily to Universal... but the 3rd gate isn't going to have HP IMO. What can they do with it? Aside from additions to the current areas, anything else would be overkill.

LOTR is also made/owned by WB - the same studio that made HP. I'm sure J.K. Rowling wouldn't freak out, similar to how Stan Lee and Audrey Geisel didn't freak out when HP came to IOA.

The 3rd gate needs an anchor... Potter isn't happening there. So it's an open playing field for #1 fiddle

 

[seascape]

Neither of us know for sure what the JKR contact is. But I know she is smart. And I doubt she would let another IP become more important and if HP is more important that LOTR then I doubt they would sell Universal the rights. Also even if it were in a 3rd gate I still say that Universal would have to be very careful to make JKR happy because I know how smart she is and therefore I know there would have to be an out if Universal did anything to lower the importance of her baby. She thinks of HP just like PL Travers felt about Mary Poppins. Money was not the issue. Besides Universal will be spending most of their money over the next few years expanding HP in California and the rest of the world. And Unlike PL Travers she did not need to see anything.

 

[Cody5242]

A 3rd gate that could potentially have LOTR, Nintendo, Star Trek... the list goes on

Did I miss something about Nintendo and Universal. Seeing Nintendo at a Universal theme park would be weird in my opinion. And Nintendo as a company isn't doing so well right now but they are rebounding

 

[Bairstow]

To me this is the bigger problem than Potter going to Universal. For our family, the entire experience and ambience that Disney does so well (and I still think is better than Universal although I haven't seen Potter's addition yet) brings you back and makes Universal a "maybe" addition to the trip. But our last visit we noticed a decline in the quality and don't even get me started on the erosion of the fine dining experience thanks to the dining plan. We endured basically sitting in the family next to our table's lap at Chefs Le France, which in the 1990s never would have happened as the seating was less crammed, only halfway through the meal to endure their son vomiting everywhere and a mass cleanup which consisted of me trying to eat my entree with a bucket 4 inches from my foot…no apologies for our ruined dining experience mind you. I keep hoping Disney will bring the fine touches back, they WERE the best at them in their heyday.

Would monsieur like a fresh bucket?

 

[Quinnmac000]

Neither of us know for sure what the JKR contact is. But I know she is smart. And I doubt she would let another IP become more important and if HP is more important that LOTR then I doubt they would sell Universal the rights. Also even if it were in a 3rd gate I still say that Universal would have to be very careful to make JKR happy because I know how smart she is and therefore I know there would have to be an out if Universal did anything to lower the importance of her baby. She thinks of HP just like PL Travers felt about Mary Poppins. Money was not the issue. Besides Universal will be spending most of their money over the next few years expanding HP in California and the rest of the world. And Unlike PL Travers she did not need to see anything.

If you don't know whats in her contract why even bring up this comment about another thing being bigger than her IP. I don't think she cares. Her goal was to let people experience Harry Potter in a natural way in how she saw it herself. Not to stay number one.

 

[John]

I love the enthusiasm that surrounds the idea of video game IP in a third gate for Uni but just stop.....IMO it will never happen. Is there a large segment of society that plays video games? Yup....but there is a much larger one that doesn't.

 

[Cody5242]

Like I said on a previous thread, Universal needs to build a How to Train Your Dragon ride. Shrek shouldn't be the only Dreamworks franchise at Universal right now. They should of given Shrek it's own dark ride actually. Shrek 2 is still the highest grossing animated movie domestically

 

[Pieter]

I love the enthusiasm that surrounds the idea of video game IP in a third gate for Uni but just stop.....IMO it will never happen. Is there a large segment of society that plays video games? Yup....but there is a much larger one that doesn't.

Video game sales reached $15.39 billion in 2013. That's a large audience for guaranteed success.

 

[TalkingHead]

...only halfway through the meal to endure their son vomiting everywhere and a mass cleanup which consisted of me trying to eat my entree with a bucket 4 inches from my foot…no apologies for our ruined dining experience mind you. I keep hoping Disney will bring the fine touches back, they WERE the best at them in their heyday.

Moving you to another table or comping your meal or apologizing for the disgusting situation (a puke bucket next to your foot while you're at dinner?!) isn't something you should associate with the "fine touches" of old Disney.

It's what you should expect from your neighborhood Chili's or Outback. You'd get better service at Chick-fil-A!

For dessert, I would've been in line at Guest Services.