The Old KidZone Thread

[natespf]

I'm trying to catch up here, but Uni does not need to catch up to Disney's number of kiddie attractions. Uni's core audience are the people that have been choosing them over Dis already. So I see it more as branching out to reach wider audiences. Throwing in a few more kiddie rides is a good start, but definitely not enough at this point. They also need a blow your socks off family ride in each park, not kiddie rides but something grandma can take the baby on. I believe they have the skills required to make a ride that teens and adults would enjoy (and no height restrictions) that tells a great story. Ideally a family with a young kid, a teenager, and one more kid in between should have enough for everyone (even mom and dad). This also means balancing in med-thrill rides like the JP coaster.

I also think a separate DM area in USF sounds a little silly. But a DM area in a water park... just thinking about the merchandising... $$$ all I can say.

 

[Shadow Carelli]

2017 is many years out when you think of the number of things that will be done between now and then. Also, since they don't even have an IP yet, it might not be 2017. Also, keep in mind by 2017 how many DM movies will be out by then? 3 maybe 4? Then on top of that the water park is projected 2016 before 2017. Everything points to water park for DM vs. Kidzone.

2017 is the year that DM 3 comes out as well as Minions in 2015.

 

[BamaToTheBone]

They're putting Harry Potter in two separatee parks, why not two different locations in the Despicable Me universe in two separate locations in one park? The theme park isn't right not door to Gru's house in the movie, so it would make sense for it to be elsewhere in the park. You just have to change your concept of spatial reasoning a bit.

I would be. I think they will use the DM property in a new water park and that would be brilliant because it will get people to go to a water park that might not normally go. So they can expand on the IP, but not have the crazy weirdness of it being in the same park in two places.

I mean most of the insiders are talking about water park and DM and none that I know have talked about putting it into kidzone. Not to mention kidzone is MANY years out and they want to capitalize on DM IP sooner.

 

[shiekra38]

They're putting Harry Potter in two separatee parks, why not two different locations in the Despicable Me universe in two separate locations in one park? The theme park isn't right not door to Gru's house in the movie, so it would make sense for it to be elsewhere in the park. You just have to change your concept of spatial reasoning a bit.

Great point! A minion island or whatever (depending on where they take the film) would be perfectly fine with me...

 

[Felipe]

Tick-tock, everyone.

Tick-tock.

Everything I heard about it will make people happy.

Yeah, that's putting it mildly.

WONDERFUL to hear

Also, I can safely say move on from Nickelodeon. Not gonna happen.

Are you speculating in terms of attractions? Because, even though we have another "Krusty" establishment near-by, I think Universal would be fools not to put a Krusty Krab over the current KidZone Pizza sooner or later. That would be a cash Blue Whale!

I know that people say that you can't split up IP's over two areas (how about Harry Potter though). But I think a DM Minions area would be a huge success. They're going to do a Super Silly Minion area in Hollywood, and there's a larger area available in Kidzone. Maybe even a Minion D or E attraction also. At least two more movies coming up for this "extremely popular" franchise. DM Minions plus a refurbished ET would be an unqualified success in my opinion.

They're putting Harry Potter in two separatee parks, why not two different locations in the Despicable Me universe in two separate locations in one park? The theme park isn't right not door to Gru's house in the movie, so it would make sense for it to be elsewhere in the park. You just have to change your concept of spatial reasoning a bit.

You guys bring up an interesting point. While Minions are a part of Despicable Me, they're also about to have their own spin-off... So a separate, strictly-Minion land should not be out of the question or realm of possibility...

 

[JungleSkip]

Are you speculating in terms of attractions? Because, even though we have another "Krusty" establishment near-by, I think Universal would be fools not to put a Krusty Krab over the current KidZone Pizza sooner or later. That would be a cash Blue Whale!

I'd say this is all up in the air. I could see Storepants biting the dust when KidZone goes under the knife.

 

[Felipe]

I'd say this is all up in the air. I could see Storepants biting the dust when KidZone goes under the knife.

I will say, although Storepants is quite new and quite nice, it's SO weirdly placed there... I actually wouldn't mind for all of KidZone to be bulldozed and seeing a new layout come to it, even if Storepants bites the dust with everything else. Universal is only doing bigger and better things with each new project, so why not.

I can understand the restraint they had to have with Potter 1.0, being such a gamble at the point they were, financially, then... but Despicable Me and SpongeBob, proven to be pretty successful franchises, were also really underutilized and restricted / land-locked, in my opinion. It's like they were still in that mind set. I'm sort of wishing SpongeBob would have been the replacement for Neutron, and Despicable Me, with a fleshed out Minion land, should have been saved to take over KidZone instead.

At least with Springfield and Diagon Alley they show how they are going bigger, more aggressive, and more immersive, so the future only looks brighter and brighter.

 

[ReelJustice]

I almost wonder if Storepants was a proof of concept to show that the model works outside of Potter.

 

[Cheezbat]

I'm in agreement with many here that Kidzone should bite the dust and the area should have something for everyone. I know on my first visit to Universal, my family was not remotely interested in checking out Kidzone, thinking it was more or less a little kiddie playland. ET was as far as we got over there. As a park that doesn't have ridiculous amounts of land for expansion, I'd make the best use possible for whatever I was adding. Gotta maximize space for the crowds!

 

[jtsalien]

You guys bring up an interesting point. While Minions are a part of Despicable Me, they're also about to have their own spin-off... So a separate, strictly-Minion land should not be out of the question or realm of possibility...

Personally, I think the Minions movie could very possibly be a disappointment. The heart of both movies was Gru and the kids. I think its a pretty big game to assume that a DM movie can work without them. Maybe a water play area and small kids attraction would be different, but I'd be wary of making a major investment into just that one part of the franchise.

 

[tielo]

As I said before a Super Silly Fun Land or Minion layer or whatever could fit nicely on the other side of the street of the shop of the Despicable Me ride. Shrek takes up 2 large cinema's. The one closest at DM could be demolished or repurposed. They could even go beyond that and demolish the Monster Café to create even a larger area. The whole façade for the DM ride could be made into the street like they do in USH. So IF Universal wanted to they could go all out with the Despicable Me franchise.

Surely there could be a stand added at the waterfront opposite the transformer ride to serve the signature drink for Transformers but I don't think a whole restaurant is needed.

 

[JungleSkip]

I will say, although Storepants is quite new and quite nice, it's SO weirdly placed there.

Storepants is certainly nice, but it was also most likely an incredibly inexpensive change for the store. As for its odd placement, I have a feeling it was done as a stop gap measure. They took a store that was probably severely underperforming and made it successful for a few years until they figure out what they're actually going to do with the land.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Personally, I think the Minions movie could very possibly be a disappointment. The heart of both movies was Gru and the kids. I think its a pretty big game to assume that a DM movie can work without them. Maybe a water play area and small kids attraction would be different, but I'd be wary of making a major investment into just that one part of the franchise.

Really? I think the minions blow that stuff out of the water.

 

[JungleSkip]

Whether the movie is any good or not, Minion Movie will still probably make gobs and gobs of money

 

[ReelJustice]

It's important to note that the Minion movie will feature another villain as the main character. It actually has more potential than the very disappointing DM2. They'll actually have to try this time.

 

[jtsalien]

Whether the movie is any good or not, Minion Movie will still probably make gobs and gobs of money

Absolutely, because the brand is already established. But as of right now, there's no other immersive Minion-centric land to build since they already blew their load on Grus lab. Would they do something with the "evil" Minions or something from the yet to be released movie? Idk.

 

[IzzyB]

I still think they put Minions in the new water park. What is the best way to attract families to water parks that would not normally go? A great and attracting IP.

 

[JungleSkip]

I still think they put Minions in the new water park. What is the best way to attract families to water parks that would not normally go? A great and attracting IP.

I think that's their best course of action. It remains to be seen if they take it.

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

It's important to note that the Minion movie will feature another villain as the main character. It actually has more potential than the very disappointing DM2. They'll actually have to try this time.

DM2 wasn't disappointing at all. It made 368 mill domestically alone and had good reviews from critics and fans...http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/despicable_me_2/

 

[OrlandoParks]

List of possibility:
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: #2 Made $260,851,927
Smurfs: #2 made $71,017,784 domestically although they are making a Smurfs 3 that will be released August 14, 2015
Hotel Transylvania: Very successful in box office more than doubling its budget .Sequel to be released on September 25, 2015
RollerCoaster Typhoon: Movie based on game to be made
Popeye: Movie based on famous character to be released in 2015

And Despicable Me 3 to be released on June 30, 2017 :wave: