I mentioned this on a similar thread, but I think it bears repeating, and I do love repeating myself, so here goes...
Part of Universal's dillemma, something they need to constantly invest & re-invest in conquering, is the fact that, in today's market, many of their attractions are based on films that are no longer really considered "classic."
I'm 37. I am and always have been a big movie goer/couch potato. I grew up watching (and in many cases, re-watching) many of the movies around which Universal has built its original Orlando theme park. Most folks around my age probably have as well. But what about their children? Heck what about people 8, 10, 12 years younger than us? HAVE they all seen Back to the Future? Twister? Beetlejuice? Blues Brothers? Jaws (even though I'm sure they can understand what the movie is about)? Heck, I have nieces that have never even seen E.T.!
And out of all those young'uns (or younger-than-me-'uns) who HAVE seen these movies, do they LOVE those movies? Would they watch them again and again, no matter how many other entertainment options they have available? Would they feel the same way about films based on other, more recent films, like Men in Black or the Mummy? And 10 years from now, how outdated will the Jimmy Neutron and Shrek attractions be?
A major factor Disney has going for them is the idea that their attractions are based on stories and characters that are still popular. I know their re-release schedule has changed somewhat with the advent of DVD, but there are still certain movies that will be re-relased theatrically every 7-10 years. They will keep re-releasing their movies on the home video format du jour, only to then take them off the market a few months later to enhance their emotional value ("gotta get it now!"). More than any other studio, "disney" is your go-to brand name when it comes to getting presents for kids, and many children have impressive libraries of many of the movies upon which Disney bases some of their biggest attractions. Plus, many "original" attractions not based on movies or retrofitted to include them (like HM and PotC).
Sure, there are some "wild cards" in the mix. Personally, I think one day they're gonna take a big hit for continually forcing Stitch upon us. But a large chunk of their rides will be based on movies every child will have, and will give their children some day. Because I don't think the same thing can be said for Universal's lineup of attractions, they either have to focus more on the experience as oppsoed to the tie-in (and admittedly, Revenge of the Mummy does a GREAT job of that), find characters that ARE perennial (like Marvel SUper-Hero Island in IoA), or update attraction areas even more to constantly have rides based on newer hit movies. They could possibly be layered upon existing technologies (the way "Dinosaur" in Animal Kingdom utilizes the same technology and track of the Indiana Jones ride at DL). You know, this year's Back to the Future can be next year's "Shaun of the Dead: Experience It!" or the following years' "Evan Almighty: Storm's a-Brewin'!" and the simulator can remain the same and the action can be chorepgraphed around it. But that's the situation Universal faces- not having enough attractions based on franchises loved by oncoming generations of movie-goers.
