Upgrading Universal

[MickeyMouse10]

Much like Epcot, Universal Studios has lost it’s way. Some of the things they have been adding have been great (Harry, The Simpsons). But they have unnecessarily gotten rid of many of their classics (Jaws, Back to the Future, King Kong) when they could have just added to the park. With my new plan I’d bring King Kong back to where it belongs and later down the road if I did a new version of Islands’ I’d take out the shoehorned King Kong. It is not only a subpar attraction, but it’s also based on one of the worst versions of the Big Ape.

 

[celluloid]

I don't think the Peter Jackson version is one of the worst versions of the big ape. It is one of the most succesful versions.

The 70s remake is actually what most of the original Kongfrontation was based on. Thank goodness it stood(and legendary stands) on its own as one of the greatest dark rides ever created.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Gru: the World’s Greatest Villain
----- (trackless ride, similar to runaway railway)
----- (Get a tour of Felonius Gru’s home, the self proclaimed greatest Villain, Father, Husband, and Secret Agent. You are very lucky because on this tour you will see areas that many people don’t see. … Well those that still living are aloud to see. The other inhabitants of Gru’s abode are his odd yellow-colored Minions, Dr. Nefario and his girls Margo, Edith and Agnes. Who may or may not be with him by their own choice.)

Minion’s Mayhem
----- (rollercoaster, similar to rip, ride, rockit)
----- (The minions have taken control of rip ride rockit and are playing the songs with their vocals. You can even purchase a music video with their performance after the show is over, which also has your onride video.)

Sing: The Musical
----- (stageshow, replaces bourne identity)
----- (See all of the talent on stage performing their greatest hits. They are giving it their all because you the visitors are then aloud to vote. To see who is the world’s Animal Idol.)

Sing: The Search for the Next Animal Superstar
----- (dark ride, similar to under the sea)
----- (See all of the talent on stage performing their greatest hits. They are giving it their all because you the visitors are then aloud to vote. To see who is the world’s best Animal Idol.)

The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
----- (dark ride, similar to ush version)
----- (Rethemed stage area, this would be clone of the ush version. Both the interior and exterior, which would help it fit with the nearby New York area.)

Restaurants

Illumination Cafe, Weiner Kingdom and Harry’s Bar

 

[MickeyMouse10]

I don't think the Peter Jackson version is one of the worst versions of the big ape. It is one of the most successful versions.

The 70s remake is actually what most of the original Kongfrontation was based on. Thank goodness it stood(and legendary stands) on its own as one of the greatest dark rides ever created.

I think that it was a success financially because of King Kong and Peter Jackson's name recognition. The effects for the dinosaurs and unrealism (he would have crushed that lady) is why it is not highly regarded by many. There's a reason why it never got a sequel.

 

[celluloid]

I think that it was a success financially because of King Kong and Peter Jackson's name recognition. The effects for the dinosaurs and unrealism (he would have crushed that lady) is why it is not highly regarded by many. There's a reason why it never got a sequel.

Those are your gripes with it, but critically and financially it is the only other besides the original to do well.

It did not get a sequel because, well....Son of Kong is the only real way to go with it and Peter Jackson was not interested. I don't think anyone wants a "King Kong Lives" situation.

What versions do you consider successful? Rick Baker did what he could but the 70s version is definitely...70s.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Those are your gripes with it, but critically and financially it is the only other besides the original to do well.

It did not get a sequel because, well....Son of Kong is the only real way to go with it and Peter Jackson was not interested. I don't think anyone wants a "King Kong Lives" situation.

What versions do you consider successful? Rick Baker did what he could but the 70s version is definitely...70s.

Everyone has an opinion, but the simple fact is that it was rebooted right away with a new Kong. Thus it's relevance seems to have waned a tremendous amount. So I think it would be better to just move on from it.

I never liked the attraction's setup anyways. I think it's only suitable for a tram tour like over in Hollywood. It makes less sense as a standalone.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Ghostbuster Blaster
----- (shooter, similar to midway mania)
----- (Retheme of Men in Black put to the right of Jimmy Fallon. However it would be more similar to Toy Story’s version than it’s predecessor. With screens and stationery vehicles in place of spinning ones. You join the Ghostbusters and become an honary member. Because they finally admit they are too old to kick ghost butt. Blast ghosts to gain the legendary teams approval.)

Ecto-1: Saving New York
----- (motion simulator, similar to jimmy fallon)
----- (Retheme of Jimmy Fallon, which shows the ghostbusters racing around the city. Trying to find ghosts that have escaped their Ghost Containment Unit. All you can do is hold on as Venkman and the gang destroy specters… and a lot of New York.)

Kongfrontation
----- (rollercoaster, similar to the mummy)
----- (Retheme of The Mummy, which combines the two attractions that occupied the area. I’d base this attraction on the 1933 classic version of King Kong. The new theming would give it more of a New York feel, that it has sorely missed since it became The Mummy. Near the end you go by King Kong as he holds onto the Empire States Building.)

Restaurants

Don Corleones’ Restaurant (Godfather themed table service), Finnegan’s and King Dong (sells large hot dogs)

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense
----- (drop ride, similar to great movie ride and tower of terror)
----- (The attraction would take a look at Alfred Hitchcock classics like Rear Window, Psycho and North by Northwest. But would end appropriately with the movies Saboteur and finally Vertigo. With a deliberate emphasis on Acrophobia towards the end. Hitchcock himself spins a tale of a man whose obsessed with a woman. Whose life has been left in agony because of his intense fear of heights.)

The Birds
----- (rollercoaster, similar to rock n rollercoaster)
----- (Alfred Hitchcock tweets about a town that gets ravaged by a flock of birds. Who just one day decided they’ve had enough. Throughout the ride it presents the fear known as Ornithophobia, which is a fear of birds. The loading area would look like a San Francisco pier, like in the film. While the vehicles themselves would look like a boat. The attraction goes forward and then once it comes to the room of the black flock of ravens it goes backwards.)

The Fast and The Furious: Overdrive
----- (drift coaster, rumored concept)
----- (The new type of coaster that is rumored for Fast and Furious (in another park) would allow for the capabilities of sliding. If it was put in Orlando as well it would be a major upgrade over it’s former attraction. Which has been a pimple on the buttock of Universal Studios since it’s opening.)

Restaurants

Silhouette, Toretto’s Garage (“Where you’re treated like family”) and Trolley Car Treats

 

[DisneyFan32]

View attachment 644166

View attachment 644182View attachment 644181

Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense
----- (drop ride, similar to great movie ride and tower of terror)
----- (The attraction would take a look at Alfred Hitchcock classics like Rear Window, Psycho and North by Northwest. But would end appropriately with the movies Saboteur and finally Vertigo. With a deliberate emphasis on Acrophobia towards the end. Hitchcock himself spins a tale of a man whose obsessed with a woman. Whose life has been left in agony because of his intense fear of heights.)

View attachment 644169

The Birds
----- (rollercoaster, similar to rock n rollercoaster)
----- (Alfred Hitchcock tweets about a town that gets ravaged by a flock of birds. Who just one day decided they’ve had enough. Throughout the ride it presents the fear known as Ornithophobia, which is a fear of birds. The loading area would look like a San Francisco pier, like in the film. While the vehicles themselves would look like a boat. The attraction goes forward and then once it comes to the room of the black flock of ravens it goes backwards.)

View attachment 644170

The Fast and The Furious: Overdrive
----- (drift coaster, rumored concept)
----- (The new type of coaster that is rumored for Fast and Furious (in another park) would allow for the capabilities of sliding. If it was put in Orlando as well it would be a major upgrade over it’s former attraction. Which has been a pimple on the buttock of Universal Studios since it’s opening.)

Restaurants

Silhouette, Toretto’s Garage (“Where you’re treated like family”) and Trolley Car Treats

I can't wait you will gonna have Back to the Future comeback soon.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Hope this doesn’t interfere with locations use as houses for Halloween Horror Nights.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

The Ministry of Magic
----- (motion based 3D dark ride, similar to jurassic world adventure beijing)
----- (After taking polyjuice potion you are transformed into Ministry of Magic workers. Because you are so famous it was the only way to not be recognized. You have to enter the ministry and break into Umbridge’s office, because she has blocked all communication to the Wizarding World and prevented Harry from contacting Sirius. So in order to do so you must find her office, but Death Eaters throw a monkey wrench into the plans. To get escape them Hermione casts a spell on the elevator, which transports you all over the building.)

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Dracula: The Prince of Darkness
----- (omni mover, similar to haunted mansion)
----- (Venture through the castle at Carfax Abbey. Which is decorated in years of cobwebs and dust. You get the pleasure of meeting it’s owner Dracula and his children of the night, who unfortunately for you want to suck your blood.)

Frankenstein
----- (dark ride, similar to snow white's scary adventure)
----- (See the birth of the monster and his rejection at his father’s hands, Victor Frankenstein. Which causes him to flee into the woods, where he finally finds a friend. But even that seems doomed because his friend is blind and doesn’t know he’s a monster. Rejected again he then seeks revenge against his creator and any other human that gets in his way.)

The Creature from the Black Lagoon
----- (boat ride, similar to jaws)
----- (Much like the original Jaws attraction you board a touring boat. But instead of visiting a quaint fishing village your skipper takes you into the jungle. So even though it follows as similar script as Jaws, it has more of an atmospheric look akin to Jungle Cruise. The Skipper tells you a story of the creature, but brushes it off as just an old wise tale. The villagers nearby know it is true, but our skipper doesn’t. He thinks that the villagers are idiots that maybe drinking too much. But your skipper and his passengers soon find out it is true.)

Restaurants

The Wolf’s Den (indoor forest), The Underground (themed to the mausoleums in Bride) Lightning Bolts Brewing Company (lab) and Artifacts (museum)

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Homer and Barney’s Springfield Tours
----- (dark ride, similar to secret life of pets)
----- (Tour the town of Springfield in the Simpsons car. Similar to the beginning of the episodes, but with more characters throughout the attraction. See all of the local landmarks and … unusual residents. You may even spot a breakout at the Springfield Prison.)

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

View attachment 644968

View attachment 644967

Homer and Barney’s Springfield Tours
----- (dark ride, similar to secret life of pets)
----- (Tour the town of Springfield in the Simpsons car. Similar to the beginning of the episodes, but with more characters throughout the attraction. See all of the local landmarks and … unusual residents. You may even spot a breakout at the Springfield Prison.)

Um.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

The Kidzone area could be easily demoed and transformed into a new land themed to some of their classic attractions. It could be done pretty cheaply as well. Universal Studios only needs to really build 2 new attractions to put alongside the mainstay E.T. attraction, which has been there since the beginning.

E.T.
----- (dark ride, keep it as is)
----- (There’s no need to change it, all it really needs is some TLC. I love the classic feel of the whole attraction. The only thing I can think of that it badly needs is improvements in the animatronics. Sometimes they don't move as fluidly as the newer versions.)

Back to the Future
----- (slot car ride, similar to test track)
----- (My "Back to the Future" attraction idea would be a slot car thrill ride. And be more similar to Test Track in Epcot than it's previous incarnation. Because the original Bttf ride is way too much like it's nearby replacement and also Universal already has enough screen based rides. (Doc) Brownie points if they can make it go 88 miles per hour and blaze fire.)

Jaws
----- (boat ride, similar to jurassic world)
----- (The tour idea would be reused in brand new attraction. But it would only be on the sound system this time, there is no longer a skipper. Kinda like what they did with Living with the Land at Epcot. The attraction would be more like Jurassic World over in Hollywood than it’s predecessor. With the use of screens and realistic animatronics.)

Restaurants

E.T.’s Closet, Cafe 80’s, Quints, Amity Island Candy Company and Oceanside Arcade

 

[PrinceCharming617]

Gru: the World’s Greatest Villain
----- (trackless ride, similar to runaway railway)
----- (Get a tour of Felonius Gru’s home, the self proclaimed greatest Villain, Father, Husband, and Secret Agent. You are very lucky because on this tour you will see areas that many people don’t see. … Well those that still living are aloud to see. The other inhabitants of Gru’s abode are his odd yellow-colored Minions, Dr. Nefario and his girls Margo, Edith and Agnes. Who may or may not be with him by their own choice.)

It does feel like Universal is really dropping ball with their attractions at the front of the park. Shows and 3D rides based on old tech is a BIG no no. They've got no excuse either, Production Central doesn't have a main street area. It's just ill used boxes with very little for the eyes.

You got to lead with a great attraction like Magic Kingdom does in Adventureland. Make a friggin boat ride Universal. It's not that hard, Disney's been doing it for almost 70 years. Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise make Shrek and Despicable Me look like amateur hour.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

I think Universal has been trying to be different than Disney. Which is a mistake because if you're going to be the best you should learn from them. By just marketing to mostly thrill seekers they limit their market. Disney doesn't do that, they want everyone's money.

 

[comics101]

View attachment 644970

The Kidzone area could be easily demoed and transformed into a new land themed to some of their classic attractions. It could be done pretty cheaply as well. Universal Studios only needs to really build 2 new attractions to put alongside the mainstay E.T. attraction, which has been there since the beginning.



View attachment 644971

E.T.
----- (dark ride, keep it as is)
----- (There’s no need to change it, all it really needs is some TLC. I love the classic feel of the whole attraction. The only thing I can think of that it badly needs is improvements in the animatronics. Sometimes they don't move as fluidly as the newer versions.)

View attachment 644972

Back to the Future
----- (slot car ride, similar to test track)
----- (My "Back to the Future" attraction idea would be a slot car thrill ride. And be more similar to Test Track in Epcot than it's previous incarnation. Because the original Bttf ride is way too much like it's nearby replacement and also Universal already has enough screen based rides. (Doc) Brownie points if they can make it go 88 miles per hour and blaze fire.)

View attachment 644973

Jaws
----- (boat ride, similar to jurassic world)
----- (The tour idea would be reused in brand new attraction. But it would only be on the sound system this time, there is no longer a skipper. Kinda like what they did with Living with the Land at Epcot. The attraction would be more like Jurassic World over in Hollywood than it’s predecessor. With the use of screens and realistic animatronics.)

Restaurants

E.T.’s Closet, Cafe 80’s, Quints, Amity Island Candy Company and Oceanside Arcade

This is such an incredible idea. What a great concept. I love everything about this.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

This is such an incredible idea. What a great concept. I love everything about this.

Thanks man, I love the classics. I would love to see them bring these movies back in some form or another. It could also make Universal a ton of money.

 

[MagicKingdom4Ever]

I think Universal has been trying to be different than Disney. Which is a mistake because if you're going to be the best you should learn from them. By just marketing to mostly thrill seekers they limit their market. Disney doesn't do that, they want everyone's money.

Finally, someone understands. Thank you.