UO's future

[NemoRocks78]

Jim Hill posted this as part of his weekly "Why For?" article today....

Then Chug-A-Freeze chimes in with:

Hey Jim

Love the site. Reading about Disney is all well and good, especially for the upcoming anniversary. But -- to change things up -- how about talking about the Universal theme parks? More specifically what is future for the Universal parks since NBC took over and what is NBC planning to do to combat Disney's 50th marketing campaign? I know USH has a Fear Factor show planned for the summer, but what else does Universal have on tap?

Chug-A-Freeze

Hey, Chug-A-Freeze

To be honest, there's a lot of people in the theme entertainment industry who are kind of surprised that General Electric still owns the Universal Studio theme parks. Back when that mega conglomerate (Which owns NBC, MSNBC as well as dozens of other broadcast outlets) originally made the deal to purchase Universal, the joke out west was that "GE just made this deal so that it could own the 'Law & Order' TV franchise outright." That General Electric's plan then was to hang out the studio & its film library, but quickly sell off Universal's theme parks.

Well, it would appear that that version of the plan ultimately fell through. The scuttlebutt now is that -- after much hemming & hawing -- General Electric has decided that it will be hanging onto the Universal theme parks after all. More importantly, that GE is supposedly looking to make a sizable investment in the two parks that the company currently operates in Florida.

Among the ideas that are reportedly being knocked around right now is a replacement for the theme park's "Back to the Future: The Ride." This 15 year old simulator may soon be rethemed around the characters featured in the "X-Men" comic books. Among the concepts currently being kicked around for this proposed "X-Men" attraction is a scenario that would put Universal guests inside the infamous Danger Room during a mutant training session.

Over at Islands of Adventure, there's talk of Universal borrowing a page from Epcot. As in: Staging a night-time lagoon show that is so spectacular that people just have to stay in the theme park after dark in order to see it. As for the proposed theme of this IOA lagoon show ... Sorry. But that would be telling.

I will say this much, though: If all goes according to plan, this will be the first lagoon show at an Orlando area theme park that actually features guest interaction. That something that you -- the Islands of Adventure guest -- create during the day will play a crucial part in that night's show. (And -- no -- I'm not talking about something like DCA's "Luminaria." Where holiday cards that theme park guests drew up that day wound up being projected on big screens in the middle of the lagoon that night.)

Sorry, Chug-A-Freeze. But that's all I can really say right now. Other than this new IOA lagoon show could be up & running as early as the Summer of 2006. And -- if everything that's currently being talked about winds up in the final version of the show -- it'll definitely be worth a trip over to Universal in order to check this thing out.

VERY interesting....

 

[Brooke]

Back to the Future turned into X-Men? That doesn't make much sense to me. I know that X-Men was turned into a movie and all but X-Men belong at IOA...Plus aren't the X-Men movies 20th Century Fox? (if that has anything to do with an X-Men attraction being at Universal =/ ) I would love to see an X-Men attraction at IOA though if there's any room (Storm Force Accelatron doesn't count....) and I would also like to see Back to the Future be replaced if it's replaced with something good!

 

[TheHawK]

Lets see X-Men ride, Men in Black, and Fear factor
Anything thing to do with the idea of World Expo, no
But a replace meant for X-Men would be nice and a update of Earthquake

 

[dxwwf3]

Having X-Men in USF makes no sense whatsoever. It would just confuse people because all the other Marvel attractions are over at IOA. It would just be an absolute mess. How about UPDATING the Back To The Future ride? My gosh it's only one of the most popular film series of all time. IOA needs a new attraction more than Tyrone Biggums needs crack and they would put a X-Men attraction at USF? Gimme a break.

 

[CTXRover]

I agree an X-Men ride at USF is sort of dumb. If there was no IOA and an entire land
dedicated to Marvel Super Heroes, that would be one thing, but I'm sure they have to have other ideas they could use to either update or rehab the BTTF ride. They've already got an X-men thing at IOA anyways. BTTF is probably my least favorite ride at USF and one I rarely ever ride, so I wouldn't mind seeing a change...just not an X-men ride.

As for IOA and a fireworks show. It would be nice to have one every night. Their fireworks shows are good, but nowhere near as impressive as what Disney has been putting on for years. Given the tiny size of the lagoon, it would be hard to create something as impressive as Illuminations. Using more perimeter fireworks around the edge of the park could work as I've seen them do, but central lagoon level fireworks would have to remain minimal. I'd be curious though as to how a fireworks show could be "interactive" and still give a blow-out show each night. Sounds interesting.

 

[dxwwf3]

As for IOA and a fireworks show. It would be nice to have one every night. Their fireworks shows are good, but nowhere near as impressive as what Disney has been putting on for years. Given the tiny size of the lagoon, it would be hard to create something as impressive as Illuminations. Using more perimeter fireworks around the edge of the park could work as I've seen them do, but central lagoon level fireworks would have to remain minimal. I'd be curious though as to how a fireworks show could be "interactive" and still give a blow-out show each night. Sounds interesting.

Unless they aim the fireworks at the guests and you have to run, duck, and dodge the fireworks to escape, I don't see how they can create an "interactive" show nearly as exciting as Illuminations either.

 

[Legacy]

Lets see X-Men ride, Men in Black, and Fear factor
Anything thing to do with the idea of World Expo, no
But a replace meant for X-Men would be nice and a update of Earthquake

The "World Expo" idea in that section of the park was established because of Men in Black. That's why the exterior is a recreation of the Expo in New York.

And what did the Wild Wild West Stunt Show have to do with the World Expo. If it wasn't applied to the concept, than Fear Factor isn't applied to the concept.

X-Men won't happen, but at least it's a better idea than the Fast and the Furious.

 

[TheOneVader]

I agree in that the IoA lagoon would be a bad idea for any fireworks show, let alone an IllumiNations dominating one. It's going to be hard enough for Disney to top RoE down the road, let alone Universal.

 

[dxwwf3]

It's going to be hard enough for Disney to top RoE down the road, let alone Universal.

Well I don't think of ROE as being nearly as impressive as you might, I still agree with your statement. Especially considering how small that lagoon is. I would love to know exactly what they are considering doing though.

Now if Disney could just top the Original Illuminations.... :lol:

 

[TheOneVader]

Origial? Pfft. Reflections of Earth all the way! Woot! :sohappy:

I personally think RoE is better than any other fireworks show for a number of reasons. Where else can you go and see fireworks, fountains, lasers, spotlights, amazing music, a spinning globe television that opens up and shoots fireworks, and a barge that shoots fire 50ft into the air?

I don't see how you can top that, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Ralph Wiggum]

I've never gotten the whole ROE oe IL thing. fantasmic and wishes are what we like. a nightly fireworks thing would be a bad thing for UO. too much like WDW, and not up to par. it would show lack of imagination, and UO doesn't do that. they raise the bar.

 

[dxwwf3]

Origial? Pfft. Reflections of Earth all the way! Woot! :sohappy:

I personally think RoE is better than any other fireworks show for a number of reasons. Where else can you go and see fireworks, fountains, lasers, spotlights, amazing music, a spinning globe television that opens up and shoots fireworks, and a barge that shoots fire 50ft into the air?

I don't see how you can top that, but that's just my opinion.

We'll have to agree to disagree. Don't worry though, I'm the minority here. :wave:

 

[dxwwf3]

it would show lack of imagination, and UO doesn't do that. they raise the bar.

Sometimes they raise the bar and sometimes they don't even get close to the bar :lol:

 

[Michael72688]

I think you all should give Universal a chance. Who knows they might actually come up with something as good or better than something that Disney has! I could happen, especially if GE really starts to dumb some money into the parks

 

[dxwwf3]

I think you all should give Universal a chance. Who knows they might actually come up with something as good or better than something that Disney has! I could happen, especially if GE really starts to dumb some money into the parks

If they were using a lagoon the same size as Epcot's I would have more confidence in them. But hey we'll see what they can do. If they prove me wrong, I'll be the first one to admit it. It's not like I'm hoping they fail. I'm definately not anti-Universal.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

rather than fireworks or attraction reworking, how about some new additional attractions.

Sounds like inaction and penny pinching is infectious

 

[TheOneVader]

Just to make things clear, Michael, I'm not anti-Universal. In fact, I used to have annual passes there. But like dxwwf3 said, there just isn't much room for a fireworks show. It's going to be hard to create someting very imaginative in such a short space, and it obviously won't be completely original, considering Epcot has a nightly lagoon fireworks show as well.

 

[Michael72688]

I know your not anti-Universal, but I'm just trying to say maybe Universal is going to do something completely different from what we are expecting, and who knows maybe it's gonna be really cool

 

[MrDisney16]

Question: does anyone know how much bigger the lagoon at epcot is compared to ioa?

PS: Please don't yell at me if this has been asked like what's been happening in other treads. LOL
:lol:

 

[TheHawK]

People in the Universal section tend to me nice

Universal better make some news soon on a new attraction in IOA to compete with all whats going on in Disney. Hopefully it will be soon and something in the JP area