Nintendo partnering with Universal to make attractions.

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Walls went up in KidZone and then right back down for Mario. They were ready to build it and then decided it would be better to use it as an anchor for the new park. Mario + DK were designed to fit both Osaka and perfectly over KidZone. Universal likely didn’t have time to completely redesign the land and hit the opening they wanted for the new park.
Those walls were for Pokémon.
 

Jabbas

Well-Known Member
When you bring the Mario world into the real world, I think inevitably it's going to have a plasticy look to it. That's just the nature of the property. Disney could've and should've done a much, much better job with TSL but the Toy Story IP is sort of the same way. Some elements of the land look really good, others I'm afraid are looking cheap to my eye.

Regardless, I think we can all agree that USJ won't be the home of the most beautiful new castle of 2020.
EP1T5QtUYAAd3Ql

(Beauty and the Beast Tokyo E-ticket facade. Opening this year.)

My what NFL could've been.

Makes me friggin sick. Peach’s castle better be amazing!
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Florida is getting a clone of Osaka. What it lacks in horizontal space may be made up in vertical space.

It is kind of lame that Universal has committed to just lifting whole lands and dropping them into different contexts. It does seem odd that Despicable Me will have the most variety in the form of its lands.

I think repeating lands/rides across countries is reasonable, the vast majority of Americans won't visit Japan, most Brits who go to Florida won't ever go to Universal in Japan either.

The cut and paste between California and Florida feels unnecessary though as most Americans have easy access to both coasts. There are a few that seem worth repeating (Hogworts for example) but Transformers really didn't need to come to Florida.
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
The cut and paste between California and Florida feels unnecessary though as most Americans have easy access to both coasts. There are a few that seem worth repeating (Hogworts for example) but Transformers really didn't need to come to Florida.

You might be surprised by how few Americans will make the trip to both coasts. We still haven't been out West. Most people I know, if they have visited both parks, it's either a one-time deal or they relocated. Do we have access? Yes. Is it easy access? That's subjective. Florida is easier, so...
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I think repeating lands/rides across countries is reasonable, the vast majority of Americans won't visit Japan, most Brits who go to Florida won't ever go to Universal in Japan either.

The cut and paste between California and Florida feels unnecessary though as most Americans have easy access to both coasts. There are a few that seem worth repeating (Hogworts for example) but Transformers really didn't need to come to Florida.
It’s not really an issue of how many people visit both but imposing constraints that no longer exist and repeating compromises that are no longer necessary in the design.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
It’s not really an issue of how many people visit both but imposing constraints that no longer exist and repeating compromises that are no longer necessary in the design.

You mean the size and similar issues that for example, meant that the Star Wars land was shaped to fit Disneyland and then replicated for Flordia?
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
You mean the size and similar issues that for example, meant that the Star Wars land was shaped to fit Disneyland and then replicated for Flordia?
Yes. In this case the land was designed to fit into Universal Studios Japan so that is why the Mushroom Kingdom is so tight and a major backdrop for the Donkey Kong coaster is a massive painted flat on the side of the Mario Kart building. Those constraints don’t exist at Epic Universe. They could have done a more open space for Mushroom Kingdom, they could have done a more realized backdrop for the coaster.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Yes. In this case the land was designed to fit into Universal Studios Japan so that is why the Mushroom Kingdom is so tight and a major backdrop for the Donkey Kong coaster is a massive painted flat on the side of the Mario Kart building. Those constraints don’t exist at Epic Universe. They could have done a more open space for Mushroom Kingdom, they could have done a more realized backdrop for the coaster.

Personally I don't mind the idea of smaller walkways for the Mushroom Kingdom if they are all themed properly, but I do agree in general that yes when things are cloned they should be done properly to fit the park they are going into.
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
If you're building a real world Mushroom Kingdom, there are two approaches they could take.

1. Translate the video game world into the real world. Take inspiration from every Mario game and create something that feels both "real world" and "fantasy". For instance, make Peach's castle look beautiful like that Beauty and the Beast castle, complete with elegant Mushroom Kingdom-style landscaping in front of it. Have aesthetically pleasing vistas and sightlines that compliment each other well but also have floating boxes and all that so it's unmistakably Mario.

2. Attempt to recreate literally stepping into the video games, but specifically the classic (and new retro style) 2D games so you're unmistakably "inside the video game." Also attempt to even recreate the computer graphics look by using smooth textures on building materials and heavy color saturation.

Obviously they went with option 2, and my fear all along has been that it will look cramped, cluttered, and tacky. What we're seeing under construction doesn't do much to sway my concern. I think a good example for comparison would be the Little Mermaid ride at MK. The exterior and queue line are a nice mix of fantasy and "real world". Then you board the ride and it attempts to recreate the animated look, and the result is plastic-y and tacky.

Like, imagine if they made a Legend of Zelda area and instead of the visuals seen in Twilight Princess or Breath of the Wild, we get blocky castles and flat hills and landscapes "because that's what the classic games looked like." I wish they already were building a Zelda area, because then I would have a better feel for whether or not they understand what people want to see in video game lands.
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
Personally I don't mind the idea of smaller walkways for the Mushroom Kingdom if they are all themed properly, but I do agree in general that yes when things are cloned they should be done properly to fit the park they are going into.
Yeah, while I completely understand saving money by copying/pasting, Hogsmeade was designed to retrofit in half of the existing Lost Continent area. Copying and pasting it, as is, into the other parks meant that the same issues such as cramped walkways, Forbidden Journey's very visible show building, and the dreadful locker room for Forbidden Journey came along with it. A severely missed opportunity to fix and improve these issues. They even copied and pasted the entrance for Dragon Challenge. I mean... that's very lazy.
 
Last edited:

Mike S

Well-Known Member
If you're building a real world Mushroom Kingdom, there are two approaches they could take.

1. Translate the video game world into the real world. Take inspiration from every Mario game and create something that feels both "real world" and "fantasy". For instance, make Peach's castle look beautiful like that Beauty and the Beast castle, complete with elegant Mushroom Kingdom-style landscaping in front of it. Have aesthetically pleasing vistas and sightlines that compliment each other well but also have floating boxes and all that so it's unmistakably Mario.

2. Attempt to recreate literally stepping into the video games, but specifically the classic (and new retro style) 2D games so you're unmistakably "inside the video game." Also attempt to even recreate the computer graphics look by using smooth textures on building materials and heavy color saturation.

Obviously they went with option 2, and my fear all along has been that it will look cramped, cluttered, and tacky. What we're seeing under construction doesn't do much to sway my concern. I think a good example for comparison would be the Little Mermaid ride at MK. The exterior and queue line are a nice mix of fantasy and "real world". Then you board the ride and it attempts to recreate the animated look, and the result is plastic-y and tacky.

Like, imagine if they made a Legend of Zelda area and instead of the visuals seen in Twilight Princess or Breath of the Wild, we get blocky castles and flat hills and landscapes "because that's what the classic games looked like." I wish they already were building a Zelda area, because then I would have a better feel for whether or not they understand what people want to see in video game lands.
No fear there as they’d likely do the same as Mario and Donkey Kong and use the more modern games as a base. In the case of Zelda it would very likely be Breath of the Wild since not only is it the best selling game in the series but it’ll also have a direct sequel.
 

JT3000

Well-Known Member
The cut and paste between California and Florida feels unnecessary though as most Americans have easy access to both coasts.

Oh yes, the west coast is just a hop and a skip away. It always makes for such a nice, relaxing day trip. Sometimes I like to take the boat out and stop by Hawaii for a few hours. :hilarious:
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Oh yes, the west coast is just a hop and a skip away. It always makes for such a nice, relaxing day trip. Sometimes I like to take the boat out and stop by Hawaii for a few hours. :hilarious:

If both parks have different attractions then that means twice as many different places to vacation to!
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom