Universal's New Park/Site B Blue Sky Thread

[fryoj]

Classic dark rides are extremely boring though.

We went to DL for 3 days and skipped a lot of the classic Disney dark rides, and only did most of the rest once.

 

[quinnmac000]

I didnt say "be" Magic Kingdom, I said compete with. You can still have fun rides with low-to-no height limits.

And that would still only be a part of the overall offerings at the new park. ]

Height limits are created by the ride manufacturer not Universal and even then aren't the same ride manufacturer doesn't even enforce those standards in overseas countries. (aka I saw a 2 year on Intamin Wooden Coaster that based on the restraints would have at minimum 48 inch requirement in the US)

Strollers are a huge waste of space as they take up real estate and crowd walkways. I'm glad they don't cater as well as the fact that attractions for those under 36 inches in the long run ends up being a negative ROI for most theme parks as its a money pit that doesn't attract new people into the park.

 

[Legacy]

Right. Like, DreamWorks and Illumination have good properties, but they're just not gonna draw like Disney's nostalgia driven ones do. I also don't want to see slow moving dark rides for things like HTTYD or KFP. Doesn't make any sense.

I could see both working as slow-moving boat rides... Granted, that ride system works with anything.

I love Winnie the Pooh at MK. I think Cat in the Hat is dreck. The thing that saves "classic" rides is 1) cohesive variety in the scenes and 2) visual stimulation. Pooh works because you don't go more than 15 seconds without a new scene or bit or effect grabbing your attention. CitH has long sections with a single, fairly static scene.

Almost any decent IP can support that if the designers are creative enough to provide that.

 

[Frank Drackman]

Yeah, nobody wants a park of Haunted Mansions. But a few spread here and there can't hurt and it also helps with simply taking a break/rest out of your day. No Universal rides currently are peaceful to where you can just take a nice little break, aside from Hogwarts Express. But with HE, you end up in a different park, so it's not something you can ride simply for relaxation purposes too often.

I think w/ HE, you could board again and end up back where you started...might be easier and a better 'break' than trying to ride the high in the sky trolley.

I have a tough time understanding 'classic dark ride'. I mean Snow White was a carnival ride so sure Pooh (WDW version) is better...but something like ET (to me) is more enjoyable than Peter Pan, it at least feels like a longer ride...I guess due to the scene above the city in ET, I tend to compare it to PP at WDW as it just feels like they were both catering to the same audience w/ those two rides.

 

[graspthesun]

I think w/ HE, you could board again and end up back where you started...might be easier and a better 'break' than trying to ride the high in the sky trolley.

I have a tough time understanding 'classic dark ride'. I mean Snow White was a carnival ride so sure Pooh (WDW version) is better...but something like ET (to me) is more enjoyable than Peter Pan, it at least feels like a longer ride...I guess due to the scene above the city in ET, I tend to compare it to PP at WDW as it just feels like they were both catering to the same audience w/ those two rides.

You have to leave the ride and then re-queue. This is usually a non-issue in the off season, but it's not like a real theme park railroad that you could ride on all day.

 

[Nick]

I think w/ HE, you could board again and end up back where you started...might be easier and a better 'break' than trying to ride the high in the sky trolley.

I have a tough time understanding 'classic dark ride'. I mean Snow White was a carnival ride so sure Pooh (WDW version) is better...but something like ET (to me) is more enjoyable than Peter Pan, it at least feels like a longer ride...I guess due to the scene above the city in ET, I tend to compare it to PP at WDW as it just feels like they were both catering to the same audience w/ those two rides.

You have to leave the ride and then re-queue. This is usually a non-issue in the off season, but it's not like a real theme park railroad that you could ride on all day.

Exactly.

When I say just riding something to take a break, I mean different types of attractions such as...

...People mover, the MK Railroad, a boat ride like Living with the Land, Gran Fiesta, etc that generally have low waits. Or maybe an omni-mover like HM, LM, Buzz or people-eating AA Shows like American Adventure, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress. The Circle-Vision 360 shows also help in Epcot and are enjoyable.

All of those are very passive experiences (exception of Buzz), but they help to add variety to a theme park. Yes, only one of those things I listed was built in even the last 30 years, but simply having them in the parks helps so much with pacing out your day.

 

[Viveen]

I hope we get a secret life of pets ride, if it’s not going into Shrek I hope we get in the new park

 

[JungleSkip]

I could see both working as slow-moving boat rides... Granted, that ride system works with anything.

I love Winnie the Pooh at MK. I think Cat in the Hat is dreck. The thing that saves "classic" rides is 1) cohesive variety in the scenes and 2) visual stimulation. Pooh works because you don't go more than 15 seconds without a new scene or bit or effect grabbing your attention. CitH has long sections with a single, fairly static scene.

Almost any decent IP can support that if the designers are creative enough to provide that.

Sure, they COULD work as slow-moving boat rides...but why would you waste properties like that on a slow moving boat ride?

 

[Disneyhead]

Sure, they COULD work as slow-moving boat rides...but why would you waste properties like that on a slow moving boat ride?

Shrek's Swamp is the only DreamWorks boat ride pitch I have heard.

 

[Legacy]

Sure, they COULD work as slow-moving boat rides...but why would you waste properties like that on a slow moving boat ride?

Personally? Dragon and Panda deserve multiple attractions.

Dragon
- Family inverted
- Slow boat (themed to Viking ship) where guests go from Berk (city, training arena, valley) to one of the dragon islands in search for one of the tertiary characters. Think ET, structurally, at a grander scale
- Dumbo spinner themed to a dragon nursery
- "Thrilling" dark ride featuring a battle for Berk (added later)

Panda
- Family coaster
- "Journey of the Dragon Warrior" omnimover that retells the first movie
- Teacup spinner themed to Ping's Noodle House
- Stunt-show

There's a quarter of your park right there.

 

[JungleSkip]

Personally? Dragon and Panda deserve multiple attractions.

Dragon
- Family inverted
- Slow boat (themed to Viking ship) where guests go from Berk (city, training arena, valley) to one of the dragon islands in search for one of the tertiary characters. Think ET, structurally, at a grander scale
- Dumbo spinner themed to a dragon nursery
- "Thrilling" dark ride featuring a battle for Berk (added later)

Panda
- Family coaster
- "Journey of the Dragon Warrior" omnimover that retells the first movie
- Teacup spinner themed to Ping's Noodle House
- Stunt-show

There's a quarter of your park right there.

See. for me, the boat ride and the omnimover aren't necessary and seem like overkill, but that's just me

 

[quinnmac000]

I would said rides that retell the movie add nothing unless done creatively because you already know the story.

A theme park land is to add supplemental material that enhances the source material in my opinion.

 

[Scott W.]

I would said rides that retell the movie add nothing unless done creatively because you already know the story.

A theme park land is to add supplemental material that enhances the source material in my opinion.

I can’t like this enough. There’s also a craft to the story telling to make it a continuation of the story people know and to also allow people with zero knowledge know exactly who’s who and what is happening.

 

[Nick]

I would said rides that retell the movie add nothing unless done creatively because you already know the story.

A theme park land is to add supplemental material that enhances the source material in my opinion.

I agree there should be an original element, but I also don't agree with your assessment that they add nothing because we "know the story". Hell, I don't even know the story of Kung Fu Panda or HTTYD never mind your average tourist.

Rides like that are good for advertising the BRAND. They make you interested in the IP and think "maybe I should check out the movie". Again, they should have an original twist and not be a retelling, but boat rides/omni-movers serve their purpose and have high hourly capacities. Not sure why so many seem to be against them.

 

[Alicia]

I want something Trolls...

Can't stop the feelin'... So just dance, dance, dance, come on!

 

[JungleSkip]

I agree there should be an original element, but I also don't agree with your assessment that they add nothing because we "know the story". Hell, I don't even know the story of Kung Fu Panda or HTTYD never mind your average tourist.

Rides like that are good for advertising the BRAND. They make you interested in the IP and think "maybe I should check out the movie". Again, they should have an original twist and not be a retelling, but boat rides/omni-movers serve their purpose and have high hourly capacities. Not sure why so many seem to be against them.

You can still have high hourly capacity without using a boring boat ride or omnimover. At the very least, if we have to go that route, go with something like Shanghai Pirates that can do more than float in one direction

 

[Nick]

I want something Trolls...

Can't stop the feelin'... So just dance, dance, dance, come on!

Agreed.

Trolls is also one of the highest selling toy brands in the world. Could make for a fun family attraction.

 

[JungleSkip]

Agreed.

Trolls is also one of the highest selling toy brands in the world. Could make for a fun family attraction.

Everyone wants a SING AA show, and I definitely would rather have Trolls. Sing was fine, but Trolls was really good.

 

[Nick]

You can still have high hourly capacity without using a boring boat ride or omnimover. At the very least, if we have to go that route, go with something like Shanghai Pirates that can do more than float in one direction

Obviously you can, but I also don't want another park like USF where everything seems like the same thing (screens, in that case).

Every good park needs variety. If you think it's a boring ride you don't have to ride it, but attractions like that are good to have. And who says that a boat ride wouldn't have tech like that?

Everyone wants a SING AA show, and I definitely would rather have Trolls. Sing was fine, but Trolls was really good.

I'm just gonna come out with it - Sing sucked. I struggled to get through it after multiple attempts just so I could have an opinion of it. It was something, but that's about all it was.

Trolls had a lot of heart.

 

[JungleSkip]

Obviously you can, but I also don't want another park like USF where everything seems like the same thing (screens, in that case).

USF seems so samey because too many of the rides are stationary simulators. I agree there should be differentiation in ride systems, but boat rides and omnimovers are so 1970.

Every good park needs variety. If you think it's a boring ride you don't have to ride it, but attractions like that are good to have. And who says that a boat ride wouldn't have tech like that?

I just want to see Universal continue to push the envelope. Using ride systems from the 70s is just not what I want to see.