Future of Dragon Challenge?

[JoeCamel]

Late to this party, but wanted to chime in.

I could easily Universal and JK having a stand off about the dragon challenge area.

I would bet anything under the sun that Universal would vastly prefer something along the lines of a tame ride. There has clearly been a strong push/compromise to incorporate thrill rides with minimal height requirements that the entire family can ride regardless of age or height.
48" is a pretty massive height requirement. If you're lucky, you have a kid at 6 that can barely fit (like mine)- were tall. But most will be 8 or so. Same with 42"- you might have a 4 year old there but most will be 6. So those 4 and 5 year old kids- that are prime "wand" age- might not be attending the park until they are 6, 7, 8, etc. Or even worse- they wait until their youngest is tall enough. So that oldest kid might be 10, 11, 12.
Universal knows this. They know where their draw is. And they know that those 30-40 year old parents with young kids are dying to Instagram those kids donning their wands and robes.

JK is much more concerned with integrity versus universal capitalizing on younger families and that critical spending demographic.

So I could see Uni wanting a slow family ride while Jk wants something much more intense. I think we get something in the middle more like Kong. Obviously not that ride or tech but that idea- still very intense and "scary" but no height requirement.

I'd prefer something more intense with a decent height requirement (and my youngest is 3)- but I'd be surprised if they did.

The only way I see an expansion and the money spent on Their largest represented property is if they can make more money from it. And youngins are the key.

According to the way I read the survey I just did they really want a piece of that younger market. It started with a MK commercial :curse:!!

Either that or they are building a dossier on me. I haven't used my AP since early December:look:

 

[Andysol]

According to the way I read the survey I just did they really want a piece of that younger market. It started with a MK commercial :curse:!!

Either that or they are building a dossier on me. I haven't used my AP since early December:look:

Really? I'd be interested in seeing that survey.

They have the rest of the market fully locked down- even moreso than Disney I think. But Disney has that nut.
I'm a Uni fanboy, but I still never recommend anyone go to it with kids under 42" because there isn't near enough. And it certainly isn't worth the price of admission for a 3 or 4 year old who can't even ride anything. So I totally get it if I'm universal.

Adults with kids who can afford the luxury vacations such as these typically spoil their children and buy all sorts of unnecessary crap- as well as stay on-site- in particular while they take Naps.


And to be completely biased here- you'll never see a picture cuter than my littlest kiddo when she was 2 years old in a Harry Potter robe (from etsy for $25 ) and a wand (also from etsy for $10) standing in diagon alley. Worth the trip right there.

 

[knoxmyers]

Whatever they do will be great I'm sure, I agree the sooner the better. I just really hope whatever it is, they make sure the seats are more rider friendly (all inclusive?). I contend that if one can ride Hulk and DC (which I can) I should be able to ride FJ and Gringotts (which I can't). Like or dislike as a whole, that is Kong's greatest feat IMO, everyone can ride.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Whatever they do will be great I'm sure, I agree the sooner the better. I just really hope whatever it is, they make sure the seats are more rider friendly (all inclusive?). I contend that if one can ride Hulk and DC (which I can) I should be able to ride FJ and Gringotts (which I can't). Like or dislike as a whole, that is Kong's greatest feat IMO, everyone can ride.

Not if you dont have arms.

 

[rcoasterdude]

I say do forbidden forest and end it there. Take our Dragon Challenge, add an indoor coaster, (i wish it could be exactly like Taron) themed to the blue car or whatever it is called (seriously just a mind boggle at this point) and a family interactive ride, and a great hall didninf experience to round it all out. Boom! You got everything you need. I don't believe you could do ministry of magic as a ride tbh. I think Fear Factor would be a much better spot for an inhouse IP (if that's even remotely possible anymore) and then start with your third theme park (no I will not be calling VB a theme park). Expand CityWalk with fun things like go karts, rope course, laser tag, indoor skydiviving, and cheaper places to eat as you have City walk completed for the next 5 years. Add the SLOP ride in the Toon Lagoon. Expand JP with either a roller coaster or dark ride, make lost continent something much better, like maybe a completely original IP and UNIVERSAL BEATS DISNEY

 

[LJGonz]

I say do forbidden forest and end it there. Take our Dragon Challenge, add an indoor coaster, (i wish it could be exactly like Taron) themed to the blue car or whatever it is called (seriously just a mind boggle at this point) and a family interactive ride, and a great hall didninf experience to round it all out. Boom! You got everything you need. I don't believe you could do ministry of magic as a ride tbh. I think Fear Factor would be a much better spot for an inhouse IP (if that's even remotely possible anymore) and then start with your third theme park (no I will not be calling VB a theme park). Expand CityWalk with fun things like go karts, rope course, laser tag, indoor skydiviving, and cheaper places to eat as you have City walk completed for the next 5 years. Add the SLOP ride in the Toon Lagoon. Expand JP with either a roller coaster or dark ride, make lost continent something much better, like maybe a completely original IP and UNIVERSAL BEATS DISNEY

I think the third park will include their last HP expansion. It would connect the train and would attract fans over their. A potter area in each park sounds and make sense.

Back in the summer of 2014 I went on my eighth grade class trip, and we went to uni. I went to uni at 10 and loved it. I never returned since that and was so exited to go for my class trip. I do remember riding DD for the first time when I was 10 and seeing some walls up for HP. I don't think I even knew what HP was back then, but boy did that change later on. During my class trip our last attraction was going to be the new FJ ride. I was exited to just ride DC and didn't even care about FJ. We ran from toon lagoon to HP and the moment I saw the castle lit up from the JP area I was struck. At that moment, I knew that I would love Harry Potter. I was so amazed that I specifically remembered that moment, and when I went back home I painted murels of the same picture I had in my head of the castle over and over again (I'm an artist so I paint). I remember riding FJ for the first time and I was just so in awe that it changed my whole perspective on universal. Ever since that trip I told my parents that we had to get annual passes every year to go to universal and we did. Harry Potter was the best thing that happened to uni and it embedded a moment in my brain forever. I will never forget the purple, pink, and blue lights on the castle at night. It was so amazing.

 

[Imperius]

I would put a lot of money on no Harry Potter being in the third park. Fantastic Beasts? Yes. Potter doesn't really fit thematically that far away.

 

[LJGonz]

Whatever they do will be great I'm sure, I agree the sooner the better. I just really hope whatever it is, they make sure the seats are more rider friendly (all inclusive?). I contend that if one can ride Hulk and DC (which I can) I should be able to ride FJ and Gringotts (which I can't). Like or dislike as a whole, that is Kong's greatest feat IMO, everyone can ride.

Actually I kinda agree with you. I'm 5'10" and I weigh around 176 so I'm pretty good considering I do cross fit; but over the past year or so my thighs have been getting really muscular. The lap bar for mummy and Gringotts aren't a problem, but a my legs do feel a little tight. I couldn't imagine how it feels for someone who is over weight. I really don't know how they could fix that problem.

 

[Andysol]

A vegan and a cross fitter walk into a bar...

I only know about it because they told everyone within two minutes.

:clap::bolt:

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Potter won't be leaving Universal at anytime. 20 years from now people will see the movie for the first time or read it and want to go to Universal. The same way how Disney films from before the 90s will always have children who watch it, potter will.

 

[LJGonz]

A vegan and a cross fitter walk into a bar...

I only know about it because they told everyone within two minutes.

:clap::bolt:

I'm pretty proud about it especially for my age. That's why.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Potter will stay North, no need to bring it to a new park.

Also, would it be possible for Uni to expand London to fear factor and include other non-HP films? ex) Doctor Who

Dragon Challenge, great ride but makes no sense in the potter universe. It's obvious the ride has been in the chopping block list after the introduction of the Hogwarts Express. You can see the train going backstage...

 

[Joel]

Potter will stay North, no need to bring it to a new park.

Also, would it be possible for Uni to expand London to fear factor and include other non-HP films? ex) Doctor Who

Dragon Challenge, great ride but makes no sense in the potter universe. It's obvious the ride has been in the chopping block list after the introduction of the Hogwarts Express. You can see the train going backstage...

Agreed, they did what they could THEME wise (don't kill me epcyc) when it was just Hogsmeade. With the HE came some unsightly sights.

 

[anihilnation]

Actually I kinda agree with you. I'm 5'10" and I weigh around 176 so I'm pretty good considering I do cross fit; but over the past year or so my thighs have been getting really muscular. The lap bar for mummy and Gringotts aren't a problem, but a my legs do feel a little tight. I couldn't imagine how it feels for someone who is over weight. I really don't know how they could fix that problem.

I often have that on Manta, where they push the restraint down too much, really crushes your legs.

 

[LJGonz]

Who else has had that moment on hulk or DC, where the lap bar is super loose but it just won't click and your panicking as you go up. But then midway up it click and it's like the fear of death was lifted off your chest. This happened to me on hulk last time. The bar was so loose that I honestly thought when it launched I would fly off the first element. But it clicked right before the launch and I was just thanking God.

 

[anihilnation]

Lol, I generally like my restraint on the looser side

 

[Scott W.]

Lol, I generally like my restraint on the looser side

On my last ride on Mako, I made sure that the restraint was one click less and it was terrifying but amazing.

 

[LJGonz]

Lol, I generally like my restraint on the looser side

On my last ride on Mako, I made sure that the restraint was one click less and it was terrifying but amazing.

I usually do 1-2 clicks off on the mummy, but on rides like DC and the hulk I will be having a panic attack the entire ride if I'm not suffocating.

 

[Mad Dog]

I would put a lot of money on no Harry Potter being in the third park. Fantastic Beasts? Yes. Potter doesn't really fit thematically that far away.

Yes, I agree. Plus having HP exclusively in IOA & the Studios will help keep a new park from cannibalizing IOA & the Studios park. It will almost force tourists to visit all three parks (not counting VB ) . But I could see the putting a Fantastic Beasts land in the new park, if the movie series stays popular. FB's different enough from the HP franchise that it wouldn't cannibalize the other two HP lands.

 

[LJGonz]

I've been thinking... If DC has metal detectors installed so no loose items come flying out of people's pockets (and they are strict about it) WHY THE HELL CAN'T THEY DUEL. I can have a penny in my pocket and they will tell you to take it off. Why do they have to add two negatives, when there can be a positive?