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Disney Playing catch up with Universal... Potter Disney's biggest mistake in 20 years...
- Thread starter CinematicFusion
- Start date
DC0703
Well-Known Member
The demographic is nowhere near that limited. For one thing, it's growing in a big way with girls, despite the classic stereotype:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/06/12/women-50-percent-gaming-audience/2411529/
It's still very popular with kids and adults older than 30 game frequently. I'm 38 and play games all the time. Most of my friends/family that are my age or older do as well. Many have games they play themselves as well as others they play with their kids.
Also note that many games are crossing over into movies, books and other media, which means the audiences will grow among people who don't play games.
Don't write off a video game themed park - it wouldn't mean you'd be playing actual games. The theming and stories in games could make for some incredibly whimsical attractions.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Guess we'll just wait and see if/when this park is announced. It'll probably be stunning either way if what whylightbulb said ends up being true.
Gomer
Well-Known Member
I’m not advocating an entire 8 bit park or anything, but I think an 8 bit ride or 2 could have great appeal. Just like I’ve always thought a steamboat willy ride done in immersive B&W would be cool, entering a fully realized 8 bit video game could be an astounding attraction if done right. Attractions are all about entering worlds that you can’t in reality. And an 8-bit video game is world that many people (even those too young to have played them in their proper time)could find appeal in being transported to because it is so foreign and unattainable in reality. I would line up to enter a pac-man game, but that’s just my opinion.
As a general rule of thumb, I think that anything that was popular when I was in elementary school that is just as relevant now to the kids in my elementary school meets the definition of wide appeal.
Mario is even bigger now than he was when I was a kid. (Though Luigi seems to be the personal favorite of more kids.)
Its multi-generational appeal and distinct visual style, plus possibilities for unique food and merchandise, make it an obvious choice, should Nintendo want to go in that direction. (Can you IMAGINE a Mario Kart-style ride??)
And yes, Zelda and Pokemon are the other two requirements. Zelda is where they would really make a killing in upscale merchandise and collectibles.
Regarding the "can't overshadow Potter" angle, it's not consistent with Rowling's M.O. or how Universal has operated since Potter exploded in 2010. Since then, the Simpsons have been given MORE of a presence in the parks, they've brought in the Transfomers, and - shhh! it's a secret! - the Minions are actually the most in-demand IP at the resort. The only thing longer than the line for that ride is the line in the gift shop!
Mario is even bigger now than he was when I was a kid. (Though Luigi seems to be the personal favorite of more kids.)
Its multi-generational appeal and distinct visual style, plus possibilities for unique food and merchandise, make it an obvious choice, should Nintendo want to go in that direction. (Can you IMAGINE a Mario Kart-style ride??)
And yes, Zelda and Pokemon are the other two requirements. Zelda is where they would really make a killing in upscale merchandise and collectibles.
Regarding the "can't overshadow Potter" angle, it's not consistent with Rowling's M.O. or how Universal has operated since Potter exploded in 2010. Since then, the Simpsons have been given MORE of a presence in the parks, they've brought in the Transfomers, and - shhh! it's a secret! - the Minions are actually the most in-demand IP at the resort. The only thing longer than the line for that ride is the line in the gift shop!
Pieter
Member
I can see it now, Dad's pulling the family towards the Classic Game land while son is pulling everybody towards the Action Land. And don't forget daughters you will want to go to the land where they have Dance Party or dress up game themed attractions. And everybody can come together for Mario type land where they have a Mario Cart type of ride. Sounds like a winner.
Tony Perkis
Well-Known Member
Personally, I'd like to see an interactive ride based on GTA. It'll be like I'm the one actually stealing cars and running over hookers!
mahnamahna101
Well-Known Member
Umm... video games aren't limiting? There's tons of franchises they could choose from... and since LOTR has an online MMO, they could even fit Middle Earth.
If anything, I'd say the literature theme is more limiting than video games. Books aren't as popular anymore, and there isn't that many huge franchises to base attractions on once you remove Potter. Twilight, Hunger Games, Fault in Our Stars... not happening. LOTR and Roald Dahl are the only IPs that could work for literature at this point. Jules Verne/H.G. Wells would just be too similar to Disney.
Just using Nintendo's library, Warcraft and LOTR would be more than enough for a satisfying 3rd gate
Not to mention it would give Universal a chance to bring interactivity/immersion to the next level.
Video games haven't peaked yet... they've just begun and the possibilities are endless.
Nintendo has a library of characters/franchises that rivals Disney... it's a genius move to include them in a theme park, especially as they continue to mature.
That's what the older folks don't get... video games are growing and growing. They won't stop, either. They're becoming more and more four-quadrant with each passing year. More importantly, Mario, Pikachu, Sonic and Pac-Man are recognized by almost everyone.
Plenty of unique merch to sell, environments to bring to life... original IPs are nice, but a few big IPs would be great to anchor the 3rd gate.
mahnamahna101
Well-Known Member
Hello Kitty has a mini-land at Universal Japan... and video games are a little more accessible for a theme park than a kitten who's a snappy dresser
man, I sound 60 years older than I actually am!
mahnamahna101
Well-Known Member
IOA got 8 million if you're going by attendance... USF got 7 million. But both have room to increase attendance by 50-60% if they continue the pace they're at and continue expanding capacity. Add in the 3rd gate and water park/theme park hybrid... not too far from WDW.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Willy Wonka's chocolate factory would be an amazing addition. A total gold mine with potential food and beverage sales, even more so than Harry Potter. And I think Universal would be safe using Jules Verne and H.G. Wells in Orlando since the only Disney parks that really use those types of concepts anymore are Disneyland Paris and Tokyo DisneySea.
mahnamahna101
Well-Known Member
The only way I'd want Jules Verne and H.G. Wells in IOA is if Disney paid Universal gobs of money for the theme park rights to Marvel in Orlando AND agreed to fund whatever replaces Marvel. A steampunk themed area replacing MSHI could be great... never going to happen, but stiil!
Wonka was actually proposed as a LC replacement... pretty sure more Potter or more Seuss were in the cards too. Lost Continent should just get reimagined in the 3rd gate - start from scratch and build a full-scale area with more than two shows.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
There will be no getting rid of MSHI. I will not give up one of my favorite rides. I like Spider-Man where he is
Willy Wonka taking over LC would be great though and Harry Potter could always expand into the land currently taken up by Dragon Challenge. Maybe Jules Verne and H.G. Wells could take over Toon Lagoon. Just a thought.mahnamahna101
Well-Known Member
OkThere will be no getting rid of MSHI. I will not give up one of my favorite rides. I like Spider-Man where he is
if LOTR went into the 3rd gate and some toons got transferred to the 3rd gate and USF... a steampunk land replacing Toon Lagoon could be really good. It'd allow provide a better transition between Marvel and Kong than the current area.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
Video game themed lands are a non-starter at theme parks for many reasons....a majority of which has to deal with the issue of having potentially LESS interactivity than the video game itself.
Also, I'm still not buying the supposed increased numbers of female video game players is...a lot of that is dealing with things like facebook and smartphone games, and don't lend themselves to theme parks well unless its Angry Birds.
Also, I'm still not buying the supposed increased numbers of female video game players is...a lot of that is dealing with things like facebook and smartphone games, and don't lend themselves to theme parks well unless its Angry Birds.
mahnamahna101
Well-Known Member
Well, that's where creativity comes into play... Universal Creative and even WDI would have to let their imaginations run wild. Technology is changing all the time in theme parks, so what once seemed impossible will certainly be doable. It's a challenge for any theme park resort willing to strive to innovate in everything they do.
I'm pretty sure FJ, Indiana Jones Adventure, Spidey, Gringotts, and even something like HM or POTC would have seemed impossible to ever happen when Disneyland first opened in 1955.
Besides, "it's kind of fun to do the impossible" was a mantra of the guy who started it all. Park/attraction wide interactivity is certainly achievable if theme park designers put their mind to it.
DC0703
Well-Known Member
Interactivity has nothing to do with it at all actually. Just because the source is a game, that doesn't mean that everything related to the characters has to be in game form. Modern video games have iconic characters and running storylines just like anything else. I can't see any reason why Star Wars would make for a decent theme park zone, but Mass Effect (or any other space themed video game series) would not. Both are essentially the same type of thing. Mario is just as much of an icon as many Disney characters, especially to younger generations.
Any character or story that has a following has the potential to be a great theme park ride with the right imagineer behind the drawing board.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
If you're counting Simpsons and Minion Mayhem, I think you have to count Test Track 2.0 and Star Tours 2.0
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
What's silly here is that you took the best part of New Fantasyland (the visuals) and compared them to Harry Potter. The reason why people don't like New Fantasyland is because it didn't include a "wow" attraction. Visually it's on par with Potter, it's just that the people on here are probably more in line with Potter's demographic.If you can't see why someone might plausibly be more excited by this:
(CAUTION: DIAGON ALLEY PHOTOS HIDDEN IN SPOILER TAGS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED)
than this:
by this:
than by this:
this:
than this:
by this:
than this:
and by this:
than by this:
then I simply don't know what to say. It is completely valid and reasonable to be excited about Universal's new expansion, regardless of what anyone else (including Disney) is doing in their parks.
PS: I made as grand an effort as I could to find the most attractive photos of both locations to avoid demonstrating a bias. I have a lot of love for both of the projects pictured in this post, but I would argue that one is certainly more immersive than the other.