DreamWorks Land (General Discussion) - Opening June 14, 2024

[OrlLover]

In my opinion Universal has been strategically spending their money the last couple of months. Taking previously outdated or underutilized areas and turning them into cash cows as well as breathing life into them.

Yes the investment is cheap and might have mixed results but ultimately it’s good for the interim until the BILLION dollar park down the street is complete.

Also the various refurb and sprucing up projects around USF are really making a difference. It’s the flagship location so it needs to be looking right when the new property debuts.

 

[Mad Dog]

In my opinion Universal has been strategically spending their money the last couple of months. Taking previously outdated or underutilized areas and turning them into cash cows as well as breathing life into them.

Yes the investment is cheap and might have mixed results but ultimately it’s good for the interim until the BILLION dollar park down the street is complete.

Also the various refurb and sprucing up projects around USF are really making a difference. It’s the flagship location so it needs to be looking right when the new property debuts.

Yes, it doesn't always take a new D or E attraction to reinvigorate an area. Springfield is the perfect example, restaurants/bar/flat ride/ entertaining add ons and facades. A lot of bang for a buck, and still a solid area after ten years that does well in food/beverage/merchandise sales even with an aging D/E ride.

 

[OrlLover]

Yes, it doesn't always take a new D or E attraction to reinvigorate an area. Springfield is the perfect example, restaurants/bar/flat ride/ entertaining add ons and facades. A lot of bang for a buck, and still a solid area after ten years that does well in food/beverage/merchandise sales even with an aging D/E ride.

Now we have to see what they have planned for 2024 as far as entertainment goes. Hopefully some good new shows.

 

[Mad Dog]

Now we have to see what they have planned for 2024 as far as entertainment goes. Hopefully some good new shows.

Guessing just a replacement parade, a replacement former Barney theater show, and a replacement lagoon show. Their history on the outdoor theater shows is abysmal, so I'm not counting on anything in the former Fear Factor building. Hope I'm wrong though....They've saved a lot of money in the past year or two having all that stuff shut down. There should be funds galore with all the record profits on top of those 'temporary' closings savings. . Not counting Potter night show and PF (permanent) over at IOA.

 

[Nico]

Guessing just a replacement parade, a replacement former Barney theater show, and a replacement lagoon show. Their history on the outdoor theater shows is abysmal, so I'm not counting on anything in the former Fear Factor building. Hope I'm wrong though....They've saved a lot of money in the past year or two having all that stuff shut down. There should be funds galore with all the record profits on top of those 'temporary' closings savings. . Not counting Potter night show and PF (permanent) over at IOA.

@Mad Dog - genuine question. Are you being facetious about the “funds galore”? I can’t tell because you listed three big expenditures for one park in that post as well.

 

[Mad Dog]

@Mad Dog - genuine question. Are you being facetious about the “funds galore”? I can’t tell because you listed three big expenditures for one park in that post as well.

Yes, they haven't had to spend that operating money for a couple years since they shut them down. The rumored new parade and shows will only be replacing what had been there previously. If those reopen next summer, it'll be three years with no parade expense, three years with no show in the outdoor theater, and two years with no show in the former Barney theater, and one year with no lagoon show (hurricane issues). That surely saved a lot on operating expenses. All that stuff was shut down unexpectedly in the middle of a fiscal year, so it must have been budgeted for. ...And, Comcast/Universal has already bragged in their quarterly reports that they made record profits at USF last year....They definitely ain't hurtin.

 

[Casper Gutman]

@Mad Dog - genuine question. Are you being facetious about the “funds galore”? I can’t tell because you listed three big expenditures for one park in that post as well.

Mad Dog got here first, but the parade should have been replaced a while ago. Even giving them a pass on the lagoon show, they’ve got three immense theaters which have been sitting vacant for years, an entire shuttered land in IoA, and (I believe) no nighttime show in IoA. If this were Disney, fans would be (rightfully) frothing at the mouth about all that, but Universal gets a pass, largely because of EU… although historically, when a themed resort is building a new park they also build a significant attraction or two in existing parks to manage crowds. Uni doesn’t want to do that, fair enough. But it’s also fair to say the parks are running with a lot of cuts that impact the guest experience and some of those savings should be reinvested in the current parks.

 

[Brian G.]

Mad Dog got here first, but the parade should have been replaced a while ago. Even giving them a pass on the lagoon show, they’ve got three immense theaters which have been sitting vacant for years, an entire shuttered land in IoA, and (I believe) no nighttime show in IoA. If this were Disney, fans would be (rightfully) frothing at the mouth about all that, but Universal gets a pass, largely because of EU… although historically, when a themed resort is building a new park they also build a significant attraction or two in existing parks to manage crowds. Uni doesn’t want to do that, fair enough. But it’s also fair to say the parks are running with a lot of cuts that impact the guest experience and some of those savings should be reinvested in the current parks.

No. We’re not doing the Disney v Universal crap. Putting the kibosh on that right now.

 

[Casper Gutman]

No. We’re not doing the Disney v Universal crap. Putting the kibosh on that right now.

There wasn’t meant to be any “Disney v Universal crap” in that post - that wasn’t even remotely my point. You can edit the mention of Disney out and it doesn’t change a thing.

 

[Brian G.]

There wasn’t meant to be any “Disney v Universal crap” in that post - that wasn’t even remotely my point. You can edit the mention of Disney out and it doesn’t change a thing.

Then don’t mention it. You can edit it yourself.

 

[Nico]

Mad Dog got here first, but the parade should have been replaced a while ago. Even giving them a pass on the lagoon show, they’ve got three immense theaters which have been sitting vacant for years, an entire shuttered land in IoA, and (I believe) no nighttime show in IoA. If this were Disney, fans would be (rightfully) frothing at the mouth about all that, but Universal gets a pass, largely because of EU… although historically, when a themed resort is building a new park they also build a significant attraction or two in existing parks to manage crowds. Uni doesn’t want to do that, fair enough. But it’s also fair to say the parks are running with a lot of cuts that impact the guest experience and some of those savings should be reinvested in the current parks.

I know I’m a broken record here, but they are investing in the existing parks. Currently. Even if we pretend Epic isn’t happening, we can’t argue that they are investing money in the parks. Would we prefer it was more? Sure. I want more too. Unfortunately, money isnt unlimited in capitalism.

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing. High level investment in the parks we love.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I know I’m a broken record here, but they are investing in the existing parks. Currently. Even if we pretend Epic isn’t happening, we can’t argue that they are investing money in the parks. Would we prefer it was more? Sure. I want more too. Unfortunately, money isnt unlimited in capitalism.

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing. High level investment in the parks we love.

If Epic weren’t happening, I think the lack of shows and shuttered island would loom a lot larger - not to mention, the Dreamworks and Minion Blast addition (not the Cafe, which is awesome) are often framed here as low-cost spruce ups in anticipation of EU.

BUT… Epic is happening. So patience on a lot of fronts is fair. If they get a parade and a nighttime show in the Studios next year, that’s a reasonable deal, although some initial movement on the Lost Continent would be very nice. But man, they HAVE to fill a couple of those stadiums pretty darn fast after EU opens.

 

[Nico]

If Epic weren’t happening, I think the lack of shows and shuttered island would loom a lot larger - not to mention, the Dreamworks and Minion Blast addition (not the Cafe, which is awesome) are often framed here as low-cost spruce ups in anticipation of EU.

BUT… Epic is happening. So patience on a lot of fronts is fair. If they get a parade and a nighttime show in the Studios next year, that’s a reasonable deal, although some initial movement on the Lost Continent would be very nice. But man, they HAVE to fill a couple of those stadiums pretty darn fast after EU opens.

Can’t speak to what they’ll do with the big theaters down the line, but it’ll be nice to see what comes in the former Barney building. I’m hoping for something new or at least further developed with cooler theming.

 

[HHN Maddux]

If Epic weren’t happening, I think the lack of shows and shuttered island would loom a lot larger - not to mention, the Dreamworks and Minion Blast addition (not the Cafe, which is awesome) are often framed here as low-cost spruce ups in anticipation of EU.

BUT… Epic is happening. So patience on a lot of fronts is fair. If they get a parade and a nighttime show in the Studios next year, that’s a reasonable deal, although some initial movement on the Lost Continent would be very nice. But man, they HAVE to fill a couple of those stadiums pretty darn fast after EU opens.

FWIW, I believe it was mentioned by one of our reliable people that the Toon Lagoon theater may be getting eyed for Waterworld.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Can’t speak to what they’ll do with the big theaters down the line, but it’ll be nice to see what comes in the former Barney building. I’m hoping for something new or at least further developed with cooler theming.

I’d put money on “dance party,” but that theater is one of the places I’ll buy the cries of “it’s not FOR you” - it’s a kids venue and I just hope they put some real effort into it. I also hope they have something as spooky as the old Barney statue to walk past in the dark on the way to the HHN houses.

PS to Maddux: I think literally every location in all three parks has been rumored for Waterworld at this point! I hope it doesn’t go there, because I’d love to see more Marvel.

 

[OLSinFLA]

FWIW, I believe it was mentioned by one of our reliable people that the Toon Lagoon theater may be getting eyed for Waterworld.

I woudn't think the space is large enough to include that. Its a pretty big theater, lagoon and backstage area

 

[Nico]

 

[Mad Dog]

Trees still there. That's good. Shade is needed in Florida. Toy Story Land could use some of that.

 

[DodgsonHere]

https://x.com/orlandoamusmnt/status/1692669516516347981?s=46&t=n-XLy-8f4Ixa-Fe_vvZJHg So this can’t be true right?

 

[Nico]

https://x.com/orlandoamusmnt/status/1692669516516347981?s=46&t=n-XLy-8f4Ixa-Fe_vvZJHg So this can’t be true right?

Foundations of the climbing bridge? Huge ass berm covered in trees to separate ET and Shrek? I think both are more likely than a rollercoaster.