None of that will ever happen unless somehow Dudley/the Jay Ward cartoons become relevant again with some sort of revival. At this point what's there is what we'll have until it's replaced with another IP.
Future of Toon Lagoon
- Thread starter Galaxy Defender
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- Jul 24, 2018
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Whoa, really? I forget where, but I had heard a little while back that the Popeye and Betty Boop merch sell pretty well.
I guess it's self-explanatory when the Gasoline Alley has basically just generic Universal stuff.
I think those things sell "relatively" well. A really good, fresh IP would sell more. Just like I'm sure they sold a bunch of merchandise in Merlin Woods and Jaws, but Potter outsells ALL of it.
- Jul 24, 2018
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True. I often wonder what the next-best selling IP is at the resort. Obviously Potter is no. 1, but I always wonder no. 2. I'd lean toward Jurassic Park, but maybe Marvel.
Lord of the Rings I'm sure would sell a ton.
Wrong. it's iVillage Live mugs
- Jul 24, 2018
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Considering about 1/3 of the Hello Kitty store in USF is dedicated to Betty Bopp merch, id tend to agree.
Betty Boop has her own store under her character cutouts to the right of Comic Strip Cafe. Popeye has a huge section of the big store across from it. (Scooby Doo and SpongeBob help fill the rest of that store, and Illumination/Dreamworks merch can be found at Whatsamatta-U.)
I think the main purpose of stores like Gasoline Alley is to offer generic shirts, towels and flip flops to people walking by who got soaked on the rides. The inside shops are for the land specific merch.
- Jul 24, 2018
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Whatsamatta-U has effectively become a SLOP store, lol. I've been in the Popeye section but I don't think I've even stepped foot in the Boop store.
I haven't either, but it's pretty much a clone of the shop attached to Hello Kitty at USF inside there.
And while What-U started as only SLoP, it has branched out to carry Trolls and other properties from the two animation companies. Decor remains all SLoP though...
...Unintended "Branch" pun for Trolls, ha. Haha.
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Ah, I haven't been in What-U for a while I think. Or at least haven't looked around. That's usually my designated "walk in after Dudley to get super cold and feel really good" store.
TL certainly isn't hemorrhaging money if that's what people are getting at
- Aug 7, 2018
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I really could just see this being a hobbit/LOTR themed land. Shire makes sense and could work with total immersion in the land and that speculated raft ride. Take over Toon Lagoon Theatre and Dudley’s to make a massive Indy like dark ride. IOA could use 2 massive rides like this after another coaster opens in JP. Would diversify the lineup there even more!
No, but it's not doing the type of money a LotR land would do either, which is what I was getting at.
But it goes down to this, what kind of one of a kind LOTR merch would the the land sell to make it worth while....especially since I can get a LOTR style ring for 5 dollars on Amazon. Plus ad in licensing fee and WB/Tolkien merch cut...Universal owns Jay Ward so its money is going back to them and Kings syndicate rights are pretty cheap.
Star Wars has been merchandising it's brand since the beginning and yet even though you can get cheap lightsabers at Walmart or buy a droid, practically every spot is filled for Savi's and Droid Depot each day and the Den of Antiquities has an array of items that are appealing.
I'm sure they could think of a few things to charge a bunch of money for.
Obviously... I wasn't suggesting they green light and fast track for an opening next month.
- Jul 24, 2018
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