The Future of The Simpsons Ride/Springfield (Orlando)

[TheUniC6]

I remember reading something shortly before MK debuted in Japan there was an interview where they mentioned the ride was built on and powered by a video game engine. The idea is that they can updated the AR visors with elements from future MK releases. They even mentioned holiday overlays.

I bring this point up as considering how massive the Pokemon franchise is, they should at the very least design the ride where the media can be constantly refreshed to incorporate elements from the most recent releases in the franchise like the Netflix shows for example.

 

[GA-MBIT]

I remember reading something shortly before MK debuted in Japan there was an interview where they mentioned the ride was built on and powered by a video game engine. The idea is that they can updated the AR visors with elements from future MK releases. They even mentioned holiday overlays.

I bring this point up as considering how massive the Pokemon franchise is, they should at the very least design the ride where the media can be constantly refreshed to incorporate elements from the most recent releases in the franchise like the Netflix shows for example.

With how consistent and ever-growing the lineup of Pokemon is, it would probably be in both companies best interest to future proof the theme park and allow for some changes/additions to be made as future Pokemon generations are released.

I would hope that that future-proofing would not take away from the possibility of more practical sets and animatronic figures, in lieu of more easily swappable AR Figures or digital screens. I also hope that if they do go down the path of future-proofing the attractions in that way, that they actually use that capability at any point in the future. The idea is worrying in the same way any "Black Box" / Swappable theme attraction worries me, because swapping themes is a lot of effort and usually doesn't ever actually happen. It's like, pretty much just Star Tours and the VR Void attractions when those existed.

 

[TheUniC6]

With how consistent and ever-growing the lineup of Pokemon is, it would probably be in both companies best interest to future proof the theme park and allow for some changes/additions to be made as future Pokemon generations are released.

I would hope that that future-proofing would not take away from the possibility of more practical sets and animatronic figures, in lieu of more easily swappable AR Figures or digital screens. I also hope that if they do go down the path of future-proofing the attractions in that way, that they actually use that capability at any point in the future. The idea is worrying in the same way any "Black Box" / Swappable theme attraction worries me, because swapping themes is a lot of effort and usually doesn't ever actually happen. It's like, pretty much just Star Tours and the VR Void attractions when those existed.

To me the idea of a black box type attraction Pokemon should be would involve practical set pieces and animatronics mixed with large curved canvases to projection map the media onto. Those canvases are what would be updated with new elements from the Pokemon franchise. Considering how big the Pokemon company is, they would be more than willing to fund updates for the attraction.

 

[Jake S]

Considering how big the Pokemon company is, they would be more than willing to fund updates for the attraction.

two things:

1. that doesn’t sound like most big companies I’m familiar with

2. the pokemon company is, if nothing else, extremely unpredictable. i have no confidence in predicting what they’re going to do next week, let alone a decade down the line.

 

[Mike S]

With how consistent and ever-growing the lineup of Pokemon is, it would probably be in both companies best interest to future proof the theme park and allow for some changes/additions to be made as future Pokemon generations are released.

I would hope that that future-proofing would not take away from the possibility of more practical sets and animatronic figures, in lieu of more easily swappable AR Figures or digital screens. I also hope that if they do go down the path of future-proofing the attractions in that way, that they actually use that capability at any point in the future. The idea is worrying in the same way any "Black Box" / Swappable theme attraction worries me, because swapping themes is a lot of effort and usually doesn't ever actually happen. It's like, pretty much just Star Tours and the VR Void attractions when those existed.

Just make Pokémon Snap into an actual ride and remove the camera. Have the most famous current Pokémon as actual animatronic figures and use background screens to showcase others. Heck, randomize the screen Pokémon to the point where technically every Pokémon is in the ride but you won’t see every Pokémon on every ride. Extreme repeatability baby lol

Basically imagine Na’vi River Journey exactly how it is now, but add in some actual creature AAs in the foreground.

 

[Mike S]

I’m starting to think the Simpsons area won’t be enough to support this.

The Pokemon Company retail sales for 2023 were $10.8 Billion

The License Global’s Top Global Licensors Report has been published for 2024 and it has revealed that The Pokemon Company made $10.8 Billion in retail sales for 2023. The report revealed that The…

mynintendonews.com

This could easily be a repeat of Hogsmeade.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I’m starting to think the Simpsons area won’t be enough to support this.

The Pokemon Company retail sales for 2023 were $10.8 Billion

The License Global’s Top Global Licensors Report has been published for 2024 and it has revealed that The Pokemon Company made $10.8 Billion in retail sales for 2023. The report revealed that The…

mynintendonews.com

This could easily be a repeat of Hogsmeade.

What about Springfield + Animal Actors + the sprung tent area?

 

[Mike S]

What about Springfield + Animal Actors + the sprung tent area?

That’s what I’d do.

 

[Disneyhead]

What about Springfield+ Sprung Tents+ MiB?

 

[Mike S]

What about Springfield+ Sprung Tents+ MiB?

Is this knowledgeable teasing or just speculation?

 

[belloq87]

What about Springfield+ Sprung Tents+ MiB?

 

[IzzyB]

What about Springfield+ Sprung Tents+ MiB?

I don't like anything where MIB goes away.

 

[Disneyhead]

Is this knowledgeable teasing or just speculation?

Speculation.

I don't like anything where MIB goes away.

But with Pokémon. Most likely being a shooter type attraction, that would 2 side by side.

 

[Mike S]

Speculation.

But with Pokémon. Most likely being a shooter type attraction, that would 2 side by side.

Why it needs to be a shooter is beyond me

 

[Imperius]

Why it needs to be a shooter is beyond me

“Shooter” as in snap or “shooting” poke balls. Makes perfect sense.

 

[belloq87]

But with Pokémon. Most likely being a shooter type attraction, that would 2 side by side.

If Pokemon is going to be heavily screen/AR-based, getting rid of an entirely physical dark ride shooter to make room for it would be a huge step back.

If Pokemon is also going to be a heavily physical dark ride, well, the park needs more of them, even if they're right next to each other.

In either scenario, the park is not improved by MIB's exit.

 

[TheUniC6]

What about Springfield + Animal Actors + the sprung tent area?

If they go with this combo I will hedge a guest the Pokemon E ticket/ride would take over the Simpsons ride plot and expand into the sprung tent area, while AA can become a stage show or smaller D ticket ride for the land/

 

[Mike S]

“Shooter” as in snap or “shooting” poke balls. Makes perfect sense.

What’s wrong with just doing a Safari Zone, Safari.

I interact with video games all the time. Let me be a passive observer in the theme park ride format where the world is brought to life. I don’t need or want everything to be interactive which is just one of the reasons I think I’ll prefer Donkey Kong Mine Carts over Mario Kart.

The land can be interactive all they want.

 

[IzzyB]

Speculation.

But with Pokémon. Most likely being a shooter type attraction, that would 2 side by side.

Hey I love shooters, I am good with that. I don't want a good physical set dark shooter to go away for something that will have more screens/AR personally. I feel they could be very different experiences and live next to each other.

 

[Gartooth]

I may get some flak for this but I dont think Pokémon at USF is a winning combination. Pokémon is just about one of the largest franchises left that has been untapped in the world of theme parks, that there's so much money to be made if you do it right and they should put their A-game into this.

I agree USF needs a big ticket draw because it will look a bit lacking compared to EU and IOA. But the layout of that park is just too weird to fit another large cohesive land for an IP as massive as Pokémon and do it justice. Pokémon going into the narrow strip of land that is currently Springfield has always felt too small time when it should get a highly themed area as immersive and mindblowing to see in person as Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World.

I do think they could've done this right had Pokémon taken over Kidzone and been an enclosed land, but that ship has sailed with it becoming DreamWorks.