Smurf Attraction?

[emilykawaii123]

I am frequently sent surveys from Universal about advertising and more minor things, but today I was sent a survey pitching ideas for dark rides based on The Lorax and The Smurfs, each with one ride based more on the original source material and the other based on the not-so-impressive CG movies. I managed to get a screenshot of one for the smurfs. This is the pitch for the former type of ride. The first paragraph for both the smurfs and lorax were nearly identical

 

[Eckert]

I'd love to see the pitch for The Lorax ride. While this seems nice, The Smurfs is a dated franchise.

 

[emilykawaii123]

The pitch for the book-based Loax ride was very much as I would imagine a ride adaptation of the 1970-something cartoon and the actual ride rather reminded me of Peter Pan's Flight. The movie based ones were rather awful, shoehorning in the movie-only characters with their celebrity voices. The other Smurf one involved a subway train ride through time and space, to which I replied "lolwhut".

 

[JPH]

Suspended ride, over a forest, with a scene near the end that repeats your name. I know the perfect location for this!

 

[BJCool]

The description undoubtedly makes the idea a replacement for E.T. Not that it is any sort of guarantee that it will ever happen, though.

 

[emilykawaii123]

I can't imagine that they would replace one of few family rides in USO. I think that the lorax ride is far more likely, especially considering what little there is for children at IOA.

 

[IzzyB]

I posted all of the descriptions in the stash earlier today.

As I said in there, I don't see these as replacements for ET since the lorax would only make sense in IOA.

 

[JungleSkip]

The description undoubtedly makes the idea a replacement for E.T. Not that it is any sort of guarantee that it will ever happen, though.

I don't necessarily agree. They just built the Sesame Street ride in Singapore with a hanging ride vehicle, and I'd be really surprised if they separated a Seuss attraction from SL.

 

[BJCool]

I don't necessarily agree. They just built the Sesame Street ride in Singapore with a hanging ride vehicle, and I'd be really surprised if they separated a Seuss attraction from SL.

That part I wholeheartedly agree with. But The Smurfs can go anywhere in Studios, not that I want them to though.

 

[tiredoldspook]

Years ago, Kings Island and Kings Dominion Had Smurf rides and Attractions.

 

[sharkygoddess]

Oh this is GREAT! My oldest is terrified of smurfs! The fun I shall have tormenting him!!!

 

[mahnamahna]

Oh this is GREAT! My oldest is terrified of smurfs! The fun I shall have tormenting him!!!

I guess the Smurfs ride survey got very poor reception, so ET is getting an upgrade instead! :thumbs: this ride would have been more irritating than "It's a Small World"!!!!

 

[Hatetofly]

Years ago, Kings Island and Kings Dominion Had Smurf rides and Attractions.

Wasn't Smurf Mountain turned into Volcano at Kings Dominion? Why am I thinking that?

 

[Rwberger]

You're correct, HTF. The original volcano structure at Kings Dominion actually had two rides built into it. A Smurf ride on the upper level and a rowboat-based dark ride at the base. There's no trace of the Smurfs left, but they did leave one of the old boats on display. Needless to say, The Volcano one of a kind custom coaster is a much better use of the space. There are almost always huge lines for it.

 

[Quint]

Since this IP is of Belgian origin, I'd like to hear some site members from Europe weigh in on this. How relevant is this franchise to Europeans? Please think about this from the perspective of a child 10 years or younger.

 

[John321]

I'd love to see the pitch for The Lorax ride. While this seems nice, The Smurfs is a dated franchise.

I've always thought it would be cool to have a Lorax water ride even though I'm not a huge fan of the movie. But like it was already mentioned I don't see them splitting up a Seuss attraction.

 

[Shadow Carelli]

Wasn't Smurf Mountain turned into Volcano at Kings Dominion? Why am I thinking that?

Because the only proper way to dispose of a Smurf is to kill it with fire :sneaky:

 

[rhino4evr]

I think my main problem with the Smurfs idea is that it will be based off thsoe awful new movies instead of the original cartoon.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

I don't think the Smurfs hold any more relevance to popular culture today than ET does really. If they want to add Smurfs in a new building, then fine. But replacing ET with Smurfs is just replacing an old ride for no reason.

If they want to replace ET, I think they'd be better off with something like SpongeBob. Hell, I think the whole Kidzone should be torn down and replaced with a Bikini Bottom area for kids. A SpongeBob dark ride for the family wouldn't be a bad idea. I see SpongeBob advertised with Universal a lot but the only SB theming they really have is one gift shop lol.

 

[mahnamahna]

I don't think the Smurfs hold any more relevance to popular culture today than ET does really. If they want to add Smurfs in a new building, then fine. But replacing ET with Smurfs is just replacing an old ride for no reason.

If they want to replace ET, I think they'd be better off with something like SpongeBob. Hell, I think the whole Kidzone should be torn down and replaced with a Bikini Bottom area for kids. A SpongeBob dark ride for the family wouldn't be a bad idea. I see SpongeBob advertised with Universal a lot but the only SB theming they really have is one gift shop lol.

With the new Smurfs movies, and the merchandise sales of them, they're sadly more viable than ET... glad it's not replacing ET though! But I wouldn't mind seeing the Smurfs take Fievel's spot: tear down the old playground, build a new Smurfs Village play area with maybe a walkthrough and a flat ride - more than enough Smurfs presence in any one park.

I can't see USF building a whole Bikini Bottom at this point... there's no rumors of it coming to fruitation... all we've heard is Smurfs so far. That'll change over the next few months, but right now we don't even know what Comcast has planned for the whole KidZone area