In more than one scenario, yes.
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MARVEL Mini-Land at EPCOT?
- Thread starter HoraceHorizons
- Start date
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
Woah.
I knew the parks weren't doing fantastically prior to Potter, but I didn't know it was THAT serious. Though granted my first visit to USO was in 2016, and it seemed to be a thriving level of attendance by then.
I'm assuming given their expansion plans that Comcast has actual sustained faith in USO now.
Comcast do, but it was GE back in the mid to late 2000s who were the majority share holder. Potter was a last ditch, everything in the ring attempt to turn the resort around.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
Yeah I know it has changed hands a couple of times. But I figured that Comcast would just sell USO off to someone else again rather than consider closure and demolition. Unless there were no takers or something. It's hard to think today that just a few years prior the park was struggling so badly. REALLY turned things around. I'm glad they seem motivated now.
Then again, i've witnessed an apparently perfectly healthy theme park get destroyed even without a good reason. My old home in Nashville TN had a park called Opryland USA, owned by Gaylord Entertainment. They demolished the park in the late 90s for a shopping mall (incidentally in an era when malls were already on the decline). Apparently it was still plenty profitable and popular. The CEO of Gaylord Entertainment (whom did not make the decision to close it as it was before he joined the company) said he has no clue why it was closed and has called it a huge mistake and negatively affected their nearby Opryland Hotel...
Absolutely true. Vortex turned off. Fire effects turned off. Minimal Ln2 in use. Single track MIB even at peak.
tomast
Well-Known Member
Fire effects are being turn off everywere latetly, The mummy is another example
Tim Lohr
Well-Known Member
What? I think you're still mad that I keep proving you wrong all the time
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I’m thankful you shot down that nonsense talk about gondolas and you were the only one right about the Beauty and the Beast ride coming to the France Pavilion.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
I'm sure more news will come up during next years D23 Expo.
Haymarket2008
Well-Known Member
I’m pretty confident in thinking that Marvel will probably be the focus of next year’s D23. All the details of the land will almost assuredly be announced. (I hope that the other domestic announcements concern Epcot.....)
So far that’s only a cosmetic makeover.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
And it will somehow cost €427,628,924.47.
UO has to perform regular upkeep on the Marvel themed area as per the contract, IIRC. Ultimately, I agree. Comcast wants 100% of Sky, and things like the Marvel theme park rights are a pittance against the value of that company. They may not agree to an immediate relinquishment, but I can see the contract being amended to put a final end date for reversion (amongst other assets being transferred, etc.). That would also give UO time to consider a replacement attraction. In the larger scheme of things, those rights are a small price to pay for their parent company to replicate its business model internationally.
It's a really good thing they didn't. The success of the parks were one of the highlights of Comcast's last quarterly report, and really highlights why they are being so aggressive in expanding in Orlando. I was watching TheTimTracker on YouTube, and he was doing a room tour at Cabana Bay in one of the towers overlooking Volcano Bay. The view was absolutely stunning. UO has been kind of off of my radar, but after seeing that, now I'm really considering taking a trip there in the next year or two. That gives me considerable reason to be excited for what will come next with their new park by Lockheed Martin.