Fast and Furious: Supercharged and Men in Black: Alien Attack to be replaced soon?

WEDway Inc & Company LLC

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Serious discussions are going around regarding the future of both Fast and Furious: Supercharged and Men in Black: Alien Attack. Here's what's being talked about:
  • The Whole San Francisco area of Universal Studios gets revamped into London, as an annex to Diagon Alley. Fast and Furious: Supercharged would become a Knight Bus ride.
    • With this, I'm implying a removal of the wharf area, as well as rerouting the existing attraction's queue in to Diagon Alley.
  • Men in Black: Alien Attack would be turned into a new, more popular (hopefully) Fast and Furious attraction.
    • The ride system for this attraction is still being considered- right now, the two most likely candidates are a launched coaster by Intamin or Premier Rides, or a slot car ride system, similar to Test Track, Radiator Springs Racers, or Journey into the Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
 
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Coolbert

Well-Known Member
The main issues I have with this rumor:
  • Cost - This plan would require that both San Francisco and World Expo be leveled and new areas (more London and, presumably, either Tokyo or Los Angeles). I can't see this plan coming to fruition solely based on this alone.
  • Devaluing the Potter Brand - If the Knight Bus ride was to be a reskinned F&F, then it would likely have a similar story, just Potterfied, and the same main issue as it's predecessor (being another screen-based ride in a park that's full of them at the moment). This would most likely drag down the GP's faith in Universal. Also, I would imagine J.K. Rowling would not approve of this concept.
  • Men In Black - Not only is it a popular, efficient ride, but it's the only (major) interactive ride at the entire resort and it's (relatively) family friendly. They would probably need another interactive ride to fill it's place. In addition, it's the main weenie for the northern half of the park' It's directly visible from New York and has the most unique facade in the park to boot. Additionally, for the cruxes of the argument that MIB would be removed...
    • Ride System - It's antiquated and, supposedly, no longer being manufactured for, but this sets up a much larger dilemma with MIB's sister attraction. While the property is more profitable, The Cat in the Hat is not nearly as popular nor efficient as MIB, so it can be argued that MIB is the bigger priority to keep open. Also, using the parts from MIB as bench parts for CitH would only create further problems down the road, and wouldn't prevent the eventual necessary overhaul of the latter.
    • IP - It's considered dead and unprofitable, but I'd argue that there are many other attractions that use nonviable properties: Ripsaw Falls, Fievel, Barney, and RTNY. There are no "shortlist" replacements for these, yet MIB is being targeted?
In conclusion, this rumor is, from what I can tell, bunk.
 

WEDway Inc & Company LLC

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
For the record, I'm not pulling it out of my brain- it's a real idea that is actually being considered. To what extent, I'm not sure. I know the Cat in the Hat at Islands and Men in Black's ride systems are both getting harder to maintain, as the company is gone, so I think that plays into this a bit.
 

WEDway Inc & Company LLC

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The main issues I have with this rumor:
  • Cost - This plan would require that both San Francisco and World Expo be leveled and new areas (more London and, presumably, either Tokyo or Los Angeles). I can't see this plan coming to fruition solely based on this alone.
  • Devaluing the Potter Brand - If the Knight Bus ride was to be a reskinned F&F, then it would likely have a similar story, just Potterfied, and the same main issue as it's predecessor (being another screen-based ride in a park that's full of them at the moment). This would most likely drag down the GP's faith in Universal. Also, I would imagine J.K. Rowling would not approve of this concept.
  • Men In Black - Not only is it a popular, efficient ride, but it's the only (major) interactive ride at the entire resort and it's (relatively) family friendly. They would probably need another interactive ride to fill it's place. In addition, it's the main weenie for the northern half of the park' It's directly visible from New York and has the most unique facade in the park to boot. Additionally, for the cruxes of the argument that MIB would be removed...
    • Ride System - It's antiquated and, supposedly, no longer being manufactured for, but this sets up a much larger dilemma with MIB's sister attraction. While the property is more profitable, The Cat in the Hat is not nearly as popular nor efficient as MIB, so it can be argued that MIB is the bigger priority to keep open. Also, using the parts from MIB as bench parts for CitH would only create further problems down the road, and wouldn't prevent the eventual necessary overhaul of the latter.
    • IP - It's considered dead and unprofitable, but I'd argue that there are many other attractions that use nonviable properties: Ripsaw Falls, Fievel, Barney, and RTNY. There are no "shortlist" replacements for these, yet MIB is being targeted?
In conclusion, this rumor is, from what I can tell, bunk.

There's a couple of things I want to point out regarding what you said-
  • As for the cost, I have heard that the Knight Bus attraction would be Harry Potter-based reskin of Fast and Furious: Supercharged. The ride vehicles would be modified and the film would be updated, among other things, however, this would not require the demolition of San Francisco- rather, rethinking it into the London Suburbs. The same can't be said about MIB, which is correct in your statement.
  • Part of the issue, while not entirely the issue, is the F&F Theme. For such an action-based film, people don't like how the ride isn't very action-packed. Harry Potter, on the other hand, is popular because of the name. People will eat it up, even if it isn't the greatest ride. In my opinion, It'll be roughly as popular as Flight of the Hippogriff- with decent waits, but not Hagrid-level waits. Fast and Furious would ultimately become an action-packed attraction.
  • Men In Black's ride system, along with Cat in the Hat, are both dying, and a replacement is supposedly on the way for both, as far as I've heard. And the hope is that the Fast and Furious IP could bring more action to the region, including merchandising. Increased merchandising and fixing an aging ride system are both of the main reasons why MIB is being targeted, unlike the ideas you mentioned.
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
For the record, I'm not pulling it out of my brain- it's a real idea that is actually being considered. To what extent, I'm not sure. I know the Cat in the Hat at Islands and Men in Black's ride systems are both getting harder to maintain, as the company is gone, so I think that plays into this a bit.

Considered by whom? If you're saying it's being considered by Universal, what's the source for that info?
 

champdisney

Well-Known Member
If these plans are indeed plans that the company is overlooking, I wouldn’t count on any attractions at either of the Universal Florida parks to be touched until after Epic Universe opens publicly. Small modifications to existing attractions and refurbishments, sure. I just wouldn’t count on closures for newer things at least 4-5 years from now.
 

WEDway Inc & Company LLC

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
If these plans are indeed plans that the company is overlooking, I wouldn’t count on any attractions at either of the Universal Florida parks to be touched until after Epic Universe opens publicly. Small modifications to existing attractions and refurbishments, sure. I just wouldn’t count on closures for newer things at least 4-5 years from now.

I've heard several mumblings on the InsideUniversal Studios, a select number of projects are under consideration, primarily updates for KidZone in the Studios park and Seuss Landing in Islands. If these plans are indeed the case, that would alot for about 1 new addition for the years until 2024 when EU opens.

2021- Jurassic Park Coaster
2022- Seuss Update
2023- Kidzone Update
2024- EU
 

trr1

Well-Known Member
  • Men In Black's ride system, along with Cat in the Hat, are both dying, and a replacement is supposedly on the way for both, as far as I've heard. And the hope is that the Fast and Furious IP could bring more action to the region, including merchandising. Increased merchandising and fixing an aging ride system are both of the main reasons why MIB is being targeted, unlike the ideas you mentioned.
But ins't Spider man and Transformers the same ride system as M.I.B.?
 

JT3000

Well-Known Member
People on the InsideUniversal forums, who I presume are as accurate as insiders on this forum.

I think you're presuming too much. This 100% absolutely isn't happening, for numerous reasons. The idea of simply retheming an ill-conceived ride, and the entire area it's in, to a popular IP and expecting that to be a viable solution is probably the most laughable part. Supercharged failed for a reason, and its choice of theme was only a small part of it.

Who even wants to see "London Suburbs" as a theme park land? 🤨
 

WEDway Inc & Company LLC

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I think you're presuming too much. This 100% absolutely isn't happening, for numerous reasons. The idea of simply retheming an ill-conceived ride, and the entire area it's in, to a popular IP and expecting that to be a viable solution is probably the most laughable part. Supercharged failed for a reason, and its choice of theme was only a small part of it.

Who even wants to see "London Suburbs" as a theme park land? 🤨

You make valid points, and I see where you are coming from, however, it has been proven that just adding a popular IP, especially at Universal with Potter, you can make an attraction more popular. By no means is that all that they would do, I'd image the show scenes would be updated, as well as the way the screens are placed out, and the vehicles can see them. It would just be a semi-cheap addition to Diagon Alley, not unlike Flight of the Hippogriff at IOA. They essentially just don't want this attraction to be the only representation of the F&F IP in the park. Also, "London Suburbs" would just be incorporated to the existing London area, with dining and shops. In my opinion, however, this idea is a far stretch. I'm just reporting that it is an idea, not that it will actually happen.
 

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