Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[Sawyer15]

Im skeptical as to the bottom right land being explicitly How To Train Your Dragon themed. Why would you theme your largest land after a just-ended movie franchise without a major fanbase? Also is that Space Fantasy Center-Right attached to the hub?

 

[OLSinFLA]

Great Movie Ride?

Technically it had a track, just not visible

 

[JungleSkip]

Kong with regards to ride systems.

Kong really was not safe at all. Trackless, giant trucks with AA drivers is not all that normal.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

Trackless dark rides have their own set of challenges and limitations, but a good design team will work around that. There’s a reason both Symbolica and Beauty and the Beast (TDL) end with ballroom dancing scenes. That set-up utilizes the type of swirling, criss-crossing movement those rides do best, while placing you in a themed space that justifies the wide open layout needed for those types of maneuvers.

There are plenty of examples of rides that suffer from the “big empty box” syndrome. And if the design doesn’t pick up the slack, the limitations on the vehicles (vs. an EMV or something) can make for a boring ride. There aren’t a ton in Orlando, so it still seems exotic, but the trackless system is just another tool, and won’t wow on its own.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Kong and Furious being trackless doesn't really add to the experience....similar could be said for GMR/ToT.

Ratatouille and Antarctica (neither I've been on yet) are more about the benefit, where each ride car can do their own thing, and also provide a different experience if you ride a different car each time.

Pooh's Hunny Hunt, Mystic Manor (and from what I've seen, Symbolica at Efteling) are the top ones.

ToT's trackless comes in handy for keeping 2 upshafts going with one downshaft. However, it turned out too be too complex hence it was never repeated. Kong just reinforces the "live driver" aspect on the outside. It serves no purpose in F&F as far as I can tell.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Kong really was not safe at all. Trackless, giant trucks with AA drivers is not all that normal.

Fair. It is mostly a screen attraction though with the same 360 tunnel from Hollywood if I recall. So risky but not as much as the other projects I mentioned. Also one of the most impressive queue's in the resort.

 

[JungleSkip]

Fair. It is mostly a screen attraction though with the same 360 tunnel from Hollywood if I recall. So risky but not as much as the other projects I mentioned. Also one of the most impressive queue's in the resort.

"Screens" aren't a ride system. They're the media that the scenes in a ride is played out on.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

"Screens" aren't a ride system. They're the media that the scenes in a ride is played out on.

Yes but they are connected to the ride since the ride is synched with them and its the same 360 scene from Hollywood. Not as impressive as other projects imo, even though I absolutely love Kong and its theming.

 

[OrlLover]

There aren’t a ton in Orlando, so it still seems exotic.

Well three about to open in year or two.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Yes but they are connected to the ride since the ride is synched with them and its the same 360 scene from Hollywood. Not as impressive as other projects imo, even though I absolutely love Kong and its theming.

No, a ride system is what you ride on. Sean is right. Disagree with screens but the Kong ride system was not safe.

 

[jrn14]

This might seem a bit simple, but for a Universal Monsters Haunted House dark ride ... I think it would be so cool if you entered some kind of castle and using a trackless system they recreated the classic Scooby Doo Hallway Scene. Where you go into different doors that have different rooms with different monsters and scenes set up and then you come out back into the hallway and are taken to a different door or something along these lines. Like the below on a much larger level..

 

[Andysol]

Thanks for answering my question and I’m not saying Uni does a bad job at animatronics it’s just that Disney has been the coming out with such advanced ones lately.

Disney has in-house due to their scale/licensing and are certainly the industry leader; if for no reason other than the money they spend on them. They put a major emphasis on it. But they also subcontract out plenty, in particular their "less advanced" ones and even use the same companies as Universal (Creature Tech, Global Creatures, Garner).

Universal just hasn't spent the money. But when they do, you get really good ones like Kong.

Truthfully, as I've mentioned ad nauseum; Universal can't spend as much because they don't get the ROI. The number of rooms and attendance in Orlando alone are dwarfed. Vouple that with a significantly higher worldwide attendance and park presence for Disney, and it just isn't in Universal's cards to break the bank for animatronics. Disney can and does. I'd expect the third park to outshine IoA and USF and wouldn't be surprised to see a "showcase AA" appear like Yeti (RIP), Shaman, Hondo, BatB Japan, etc.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

@jrn14

 

[rocklobsterrr_85]

This might seem a bit simple, but for a Universal Monsters Haunted House dark ride ... I think it would be so cool if you entered some kind of castle and using a trackless system they recreated the classic Scooby Doo Hallway Scene. Where you go into different doors that have different rooms with different monsters and scenes set up and then you come out back into the hallway and are taken to a different door or something along these lines. Like the below on a much larger level..

If there is a ride based on Scooby Doo, this scene is practically guaranteed to be on the attraction. Scooby Doo already has a halfway decent trackless ride at the Warner Bros theme park (in Abu Dhabi I think) that basically follows the plot/formula of an episode of Scooby Doo. It definitely suffers from big empty box syndrome and has extremely basic figures but I’d say it’s the best ride at that park (which isn’t a high bar to pass btw), but back to my original point it does have the hallway scene. Only thing is that it’s just a screen. Universal basing a ride on that same concept of translating a Scooby Doo episode into real life imo is a pretty good idea, especially since the storyline and plot is basically already given to you. I’d just hope they expand on it both technologically and thematically. Maybe you’re entering some old spooky museum or something like that and get roped into the investigation as the monsters arrive?

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

No, a ride system is what you ride on. Sean is right. Disagree with screens but the Kong ride system was not safe.

Fair enough. Im not as familiar with the history of that ride system, but from what I could gather it seemed more or less of a clone from USH. Add Kong into the more innovative list then! Just shows even more how they aren't playing it totally safe throughout their resort.

 

[JungleSkip]

Fair enough. Im not as familiar with the history of that ride system, but from what I could gather it seemed more or less of a clone from USH. Add Kong into the more innovative list then! Just shows even more how they aren't playing it totally safe throughout their resort.

The only ride system I'd say they really phoned in was Fallon's. The only reason to go for that one instead of a Flying Theater or something similar is to save money

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

The only ride system I'd say they really phoned in was Fallon's. The only reason to go for that one instead of a Flying Theater or something similar is to save money

Ya agreed there. Fast and Furious too is a clone of Kong. But ya looking back and looking ahead, Universal I feel rn is more innovative than Disney. Just where things are currently at from my point of view.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

Well there are three about to open in year or two.

I know, and I expect them to be a dime a dozen all over the world to an even greater degree in the next decade. That’s why I’m ambivalent about whether or not UC utilizes the ride system here.

I think they have a great opportunity to iterate on many of the cool advancements and trends we’ve seen globally while strengthening the themed experience around those technologies. I hope they take some risks too, but tech ain’t everything.

 

[MrBlonde]

Something that Uni doesn't do year-round in the parks I'd like to see come in a big way would be a response to Cinderella's Royal Table or Be Our Guest, but with Universal Classic Monsters.

They do have scareactor dining for HHN and the Marvel dining at Cafe 4, but use their classic monsters for a year around space! You can have us "for dinner" with the Count, drink concoctions in the mad scientist's laboratory, eat fish from the Black Lagoon, etc. There's so much you can do as either a dinner show or just a highly themed dining experience.

 

[OrlLover]

Disney has in-house due to their scale/licensing and are certainly the industry leader; if for no reason other than the money they spend on them. They put a major emphasis on it. But they also subcontract out plenty, in particular their "less advanced" ones and even use the same companies as Universal (Creature Tech, Global Creatures, Garner).

Universal just hasn't spent the money. But when they do, you get really good ones like Kong.

Truthfully, as I've mentioned ad nauseum; Universal can't spend as much because they don't get the ROI. The number of rooms and attendance in Orlando alone are dwarfed. Vouple that with a significantly higher worldwide attendance and park presence for Disney, and it just isn't in Universal's cards to break the bank for animatronics. Disney can and does. I'd expect the third park to outshine IoA and USF and wouldn't be surprised to see a "showcase AA" appear like Yeti (RIP), Shaman, Hondo, BatB Japan, etc.

I absolutely agree with you.

I know, and I expect them to be a dime a dozen all over the world to an even greater degree in the next decade. That’s why I’m ambivalent about whether or not UC utilizes the ride system here.

I think they have a great opportunity to iterate on many of the cool advancements and trends we’ve seen globally while strengthening the themed experience around those technologies. I hope they take some risks too, but tech ain’t everything.

Yep that’s the cool thing about living in Florida and with it being home to both Universal and Disney as you do get some one of kind dark rides. I think they are going to go all out on this new park.