Should Universal Parks be more Nostalgic?

[Scott W.]

BTTF is not timeless. Going 25 years into the future of 2015 was always going to be a serious issue story wise. This goes for anything that looks to the future, Tomorrowland, Carousel of Progress, Terminator.

Edit: I only found out a few days ago that Heather in the ride and Spike from BTTF2 are played by the same actress.

 

[Mad Dog]

The past, is important to remember. However, it shouldn't mean we should always, look to it.

CineCele, was dedicated in a sense to what you see in the park, with most of what's there already being in USF..However, it also looks towards the Future, in a way that I would look more closely at.

The future for Universal is huge, in many ways. And while I like the past, and find it great for Disney; it has never been a thing for Universal when you think of the past, for all of the parks and not just Orlando.

Yes. And to accentuate that opinion, I would add that Universal only gives passing reference to anniversary milestones. The "Future" has always been their MO, not "Back to the Future". Yes, they have those passing references (BTTF M&G etc.) but they're only window dressing, not the main building.

 

[Disneyhead]

I have always been perplexed as to why Universal doesn't have Frankenstien, Dracula, Wolfman, Mummy, and Creature from the Black Lagoon out there everyday doing M&Gs. Most people don't have a clue about the history of Universal Studios even after spending a day in the parks. After a day in the Disney Parks you know exactly who and what the Disney brand is all about.

 

[s8film40]

So what that meant was they needed to keep adding “new” attractions to keep the locals interested while also advertising their “new ride” to try to steal a day or two from tourists vacations. Because of that philosophy and the fact they were land-locked, it never really allowed nostalgia do even grab a footing.

Things are different now, and they’ll be massively different when site 2 opens. I expect to see a bit more “nostalgia” now. HP certainly will be. My young kids, when they have kids, will take my future grandchildren there and love it. Same with Nintendo.

That's an interesting way of looking at it and I suppose if Universal continues the trend of removing old attractions to make way for new ones without leaving some for nostalgia then they're kind of living in the past and haven't really adapted to their new future. I agree though the time has come for them to start looking at things a little differently, hopefully they can change those mindsets they've had for the past several years.

BTTF is not timeless. Going 25 years into the future of 2015 was always going to be a serious issue story wise. This goes for anything that looks to the future, Tomorrowland, Carousel of Progress, Terminator.

BTTF was never supposed to be an accurate depiction of the future. It's a comedy first and sci-fi second. In that way the 2015 stuff still holds up quite well and it really is pretty timeless. In fact in some ways it works even better knowing how 2015 actually turned out. From a sci-fi perspective they actually make an effort to showcase the theory of alternate timelines by making it a major plot point. So it does fit into our reality if you want to go that route by simply being a different timeline.

 

[Andysol]

Quick semi-related subject change-

Since IPs seem to be the only thing any park does anymore, what IP could be added that would have nostalgia now or 30 years from now?

Star Wars, as an example, will be a new land but have loads of nostalgia immediately. HP fit that bill as well.

Looking at UOR of past, certain attractions which were amazing were never going to be timeless. BTTF, ghostbusters, marvel, even JP (at the time). Feifel, Barney, etc were fads of the time. Those clamoring for nostalgia but also wanting Berk (HTTYD) or Gongmen city (Kung Fu Panda) are counterintuitive. Both could be great, but neither will generate nostalgia.

For me- I say wizard of Oz would invoke that response. Something that has held up 80 years is a no brainer.
Star Trek really wouldn’t and I don’t even know if LoTR would- although I think the latter would be the best IP they could possibly get for a land.
Nintendo will.

Any other ideas?

 

[belloq87]

This "Is BACK TO THE FUTURE timeless?" question is an interesting one. From a narrative and aesthetic stnadpoint, it is absolutely "dated." It's rooted in the 1980s, and obviously its comical depiction of the "future" in the sequel does not reflect reality in any way (though it was never meant to).

However, the first is one of the greatest movies ever made. It's certainly a far better movie (with greater staying power) than pretty much any of the ones currently represented inside USF other than E.T.

 

[s8film40]

Any other ideas?

I think the strongest most iconic IP's Universal has is BTTF, Jurassic Park and the Universal Monsters.

However, it's one of the greatest movies ever made. It's certainly a far better movie (with greater staying power) than pretty much any of the ones currently represented inside USF other than E.T.

While E.T. is very iconic and I personally love it I think BTTF has more rewatchability and has stayed far more relevant. BTTF is on television all the time.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Maybe. I'm just attempting to convey how it feels to me sometimes.

I view it this way: I loved Tapestry of Nations, Timekeeper, and Cranium Command. Their removal had nothing to do with their quality or my love of them. They are products added and removed to keep things modern and up to date in the parks. Their removal doesn't diminish my love for them and neither should Jaws, BTTF, or Kong do that for you at USF.

-----

Despite going to USF several times I never got to ride Jaws, it was always down for maintenance, closed to save money, or broken. It is objectively still a great ride, even with the issues. But would I take a huge land with two rides over one ride that experiences constant downtime? Hell yeah.

It should also be noted that in the 80s Disney faced a huge nostalgia trap in their parks and movies division: rereleases and old attractions went from being modern to antiquated to the point of being nearly taken over by green mailers. Eisner came in and made changes, bringing in new movies and attractions. At this point Disney made a choice: Fantasyland would remain but be updated. Star Wars was added and Adventures Through Inner Space removed. Many other changes were proposed but not made, including Muppets in the Lincoln theater and Young Indiana Jones on the train. Disney went from being outdated to come fully around to retro on some of its attractions.

But USF is not Disneyland, it's not a themed park like Disneyland, it's a movies park. Instead compare USF to DHS, a park that has removed and updated constantly based on hit movies and tv. Don't just rewatch The Great Movie Ride, rewatch Martin's long form, hours long opening day/year coverage see what the park used to be. USF stalled for years while DHS evolved, and now USF has rocketed past DHS to the point DHS had to shut down half the park (and still has miles to go)!

 

[Viator]

I have always been perplexed as to why Universal doesn't have Frankenstien, Dracula, Wolfman, Mummy, and Creature from the Black Lagoon out there everyday doing M&Gs. Most people don't have a clue about the history of Universal Studios even after spending a day in the parks. After a day in the Disney Parks you know exactly who and what the Disney brand is all about.

I thought Orlando has at-least Dracula and The Monster?

I know Hollywod has Dracula, The Monster, and Mummy, so that'd be perplexing if Orlando didn't at-least have the first two that Hollywood has.

 

[Jwhee]

The people saying BTTF is "not timeless" because 2015 happened 3 years ago and their representation of the year wasn't accurate must be very confused as to what we're talking about when we say the word "timeless"

No sh!t it's physically an outdated movie.. So is ET, Snow White, Cinderella, Jurassic Park.. the list goes on. With that said, out of all the Universal films BTTF is easily up there in the top 5 of most iconic. Meaning.. When you say "Back To The Future" people will know what you're talking about and they'll imagine time travel and a delorean. It still has a MASSIVE fan base.

Bewilders me how Universal will build and open attractions in the years of 2018/2019 based off of crap like Jimmy Fallon and Jason Bourne while BTTF is arguably one of the most iconic and most well known film franchises of all time.

Universal just opened a new Curious George attraction overseas. George is much in the same boat as Back To The Future. Older IP but still a very iconic staple in pop culture. Although BTTF is much more iconic than George is.

 

[Magic-Man]

While I see BTTF making a return someday, that's the only old franchise (other than ET) I'd be fine with having in any of the parks. Nostalgia is great for the older generation, but it means nothing to the younger generation. As part of that younger generation, I'm completely fine with what Universal is doing.

 

[quinnmac000]

Nostalgia dies out..

That's the issue. Universal IPs that people are clamoring to bring back haven't been redone or remade or made relevant again in anyways. They haven't made a Jaws movie or some revival to bring people who don't know into the know. BTTF is the same thing. There isn't this revival spirit where the public interest is actually there.

Universal just opened a new Curious George attraction overseas. George is much in the same boat as Back To The Future. Older IP but still a very iconic staple in pop culture. Although BTTF is much more iconic than George is.

Curious George has been around over 75 years with them still making movies, tv shows, and books about the monkey...that's why its got an attraction. When was the last BTTF related piece of media that was popular made? Also its not the Jimmy Fallon Ride, its the tonight show ride probably with the expectation to change it to a future host when Jimmy retires.

 

[belloq87]

I view it this way: I loved Tapestry of Nations, Timekeeper, and Cranium Command. Their removal had nothing to do with their quality or my love of them. They are products added and removed to keep things modern and up to date in the parks. Their removal doesn't diminish my love for them and neither should Jaws, BTTF, or Kong do that for you at USF.

-----

Despite going to USF several times I never got to ride Jaws, it was always down for maintenance, closed to save money, or broken. It is objectively still a great ride, even with the issues. But would I take a huge land with two rides over one ride that experiences constant downtime? Hell yeah.

It should also be noted that in the 80s Disney faced a huge nostalgia trap in their parks and movies division: rereleases and old attractions went from being modern to antiquated to the point of being nearly taken over by green mailers. Eisner came in and made changes, bringing in new movies and attractions. At this point Disney made a choice: Fantasyland would remain but be updated. Star Wars was added and Adventures Through Inner Space removed. Many other changes were proposed but not made, including Muppets in the Lincoln theater and Young Indiana Jones on the train. Disney went from being outdated to come fully around to retro on some of its attractions.

But USF is not Disneyland, it's not a themed park like Disneyland, it's a movies park. Instead compare USF to DHS, a park that has removed and updated constantly based on hit movies and tv. Don't just rewatch The Great Movie Ride, rewatch Martin's long form, hours long opening day/year coverage see what the park used to be. USF stalled for years while DHS evolved, and now USF has rocketed past DHS to the point DHS had to shut down half the park (and still has miles to go)!

These points are all well said, and I recognize them.

My love for the old attractions has never diminished, but how I view USF today, overall, has diminished. When I look at the attractions lineup, and compare the IPs (not even the attractions themselves) in the park today to the IPs in the park of the past, there's no question one roster appeals to me far more than the other.

But I also know I'm just one person, and Universal can't make decisions to cater just to my tastes. It would just be nice to be thrown a bone every once in a while.

 

[s8film40]

BTTF is the same thing. There isn't this revival spirit where the public interest is actually there.

There definitely is a revival spirit around BTTF. At least once a month I see someone sharing a fake story about remaking or adding to the BTTF franchise. I’m sure Universal would kill to put out some new movies or something to take advantage of that. The problem is it’s not up to them, the producers have the final say and they feel that the trilogy stands on its own and doesn’t need to be remade or added to. I agree with this, but I don’t think it makes a theme park representation that much less relevant. Theme park attractions have to be a careful balance of what will have staying power and not be just a passing fad. New isn’t always best as it can fall out of public favor very quickly. These are permanent structures after all you can just tear down and rebuild your park every five years. Sometimes something like BTTF is a safer bet than let’s say F&F. In 10 years which one will people remember?

 

[Scott W.]

Here's a relatively rare photo of BTTF outside Mel's Drive In for a little nostalgia.



I think Jaws and Kongfrontation would still be relevant today, maintenance aside. They work so well because they’re a continuation of the story that can work in any year.

BTTF could have worked if they just kept changing the year of Hill Valley in the future. Every 5 years they add another 5 years, ride it today and you're visiting Hill Valley in 2045. If anybody asks why the future year changed, simply explain that Marty, Doc Brown, Biff or Doc's time travel team changed the past and all these technological advances didn't happen. It's an easy fix with an easy explanation given how the future changing because of the character's actions was a major plot point.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The people saying BTTF is "not timeless" because 2015 happened 3 years ago and their representation of the year wasn't accurate must be very confused as to what we're talking about when we say the word "timeless"

No sh!t it's physically an outdated movie.. So is ET, Snow White, Cinderella, Jurassic Park.. the list goes on. With that said, out of all the Universal films BTTF is easily up there in the top 5 of most iconic. Meaning.. When you say "Back To The Future" people will know what you're talking about and they'll imagine time travel and a delorean. It still has a MASSIVE fan base.

Bewilders me how Universal will build and open attractions in the years of 2018/2019 based off of crap like Jimmy Fallon and Jason Bourne while BTTF is arguably one of the most iconic and most well known film franchises of all time.

Universal just opened a new Curious George attraction overseas. George is much in the same boat as Back To The Future. Older IP but still a very iconic staple in pop culture. Although BTTF is much more iconic than George is.

I believe BTTF should be in the parks more than it is, the movie revolves around a ride vehicle and is open to unlimited options for a ride. But it's not and additions need to be looked at compared to what it's replacing: Fallon, while I'd argue at this moment is more popular than BTTF, replaced Twister. Which replaced Ghostbusters.

These points are all well said, and I recognize them.

My love for the old attractions has never diminished, but how I view USF today, overall, has diminished. When I look at the attractions lineup, and compare the IPs (not even the attractions themselves) in the park today to the IPs in the park of the past, there's no question one roster appeals to me far more than the other.

But I also know I'm just one person, and Universal can't make decisions to cater just to my tastes. It would just be nice to be thrown a bone every once in a while.

I wonder how much that is growing up with the properties vs what others are growing up with now.

 

[Brian G.]

The people saying BTTF is "not timeless" because 2015 happened 3 years ago and their representation of the year wasn't accurate must be very confused as to what we're talking about when we say the word "timeless"

No sh!t it's physically an outdated movie.. So is ET, Snow White, Cinderella, Jurassic Park.. the list goes on. With that said, out of all the Universal films BTTF is easily up there in the top 5 of most iconic. Meaning.. When you say "Back To The Future" people will know what you're talking about and they'll imagine time travel and a delorean. It still has a MASSIVE fan base.

Bewilders me how Universal will build and open attractions in the years of 2018/2019 based off of crap like Jimmy Fallon and Jason Bourne while BTTF is arguably one of the most iconic and most well known film franchises of all time.

Universal just opened a new Curious George attraction overseas. George is much in the same boat as Back To The Future. Older IP but still a very iconic staple in pop culture. Although BTTF is much more iconic than George is.

The allure of BttF was, obviously, the time travel.

It doesn't mean the movie isn't good anymore, but anything that takes place in the future is always going to have an end date (i.e. Tomorrowland, Epcot moving away from tech and future stuff).

Looking at some movies in its simplest form - with E.T, it's still an adorable alien on the run. With Jaws, a huge shark in the water. BttF is about a teen time traveling in a cool car.

Hill Valley 1955 is not interesting and 2015 Hill Valley is dated. The characters could come back, but Marty isn't a hip teenager anymore and Doc has expectedly lost a step with age. IMO, the charm that would make it a Back to the Future ride wouldn't be there. It ultimately would just be a time travel ride.

 

[JawsVictim]

All I want is a Bruce animatronic in the lagoon. Is that so much to ask for?

 

[belloq87]

I wonder how much that is growing up with the properties vs what others are growing up with now.

I mean, I’m sure that’s a small part of that, but I would also argue that PSYCHO, THE BIRDS, GHOSTBUSTERS, JAWS, and BACK TO THE FUTURE are objectively better movies than any of the ones currently represented in the park. By quite a margin. And I think the critical consensus would back me up on that.

I also believe we need to make a distinction between "popular" and "better." Are DESPICABLE ME and TRANSFORMERS and FAST & FURIOUS currently more "popular" than some of the movies I mentioned above? Certainly. Are they "better" movies? No way.

So while it certainly makes sense for Universal to want to capitalize on what is currently popular (and I support them doing that), I don't think that always needs to come fully at the expense of the truly great properties in their back catalogue.

 

[Scott W.]

I mean, I’m sure that’s a small part of that, but I would also argue that PSYCHO, THE BIRDS, GHOSTBUSTERS, JAWS, and BACK TO THE FUTURE are objectively better movies than any of the ones currently represented in the park. By quite a margin. And I think the critical consensus would back me up on that.

I also believe we need to make a distinction between "popular" and "better." Are DESPICABLE ME and TRANSFORMERS and FAST & FURIOUS currently more "popular" than some of the movies I mentioned above? Certainly. Are they "better" movies? No way.

So while it certainly makes sense for Universal to want to capitalize on what is currently popular (and I support them doing that), I don't think that always needs to come fully at the expense of the truly great properties in their back catalogue.

I think this is a different debate about whether a good IP makes a good attraction.