Universal's New Park/Site B Blue Sky Thread

[IzzyB]

What would be up for sale would be their media company. Time Warner Cable is a different company. Comcast tried to buy them last year, but the FTC killed the deal because it would have given Comcast a monopoly because it would have given them 70% of all cable subscribers in the US.

Which is funny since cable companies basically have a monopoly since only one can service a neighborhood. It is getting better with FIOS and AT&T but that is not available in a ton of area. AT&T is coming to our neighborhood at some point, but their internet sucks butt. I wish we were getting FIOS which works with Tivo, but no such luck. So Brighthouse is basically my only option.

 

[captainmoch]

Blue sky idea time: Does anyone else think, if this park were to have some sort of sci-fi themed area (like Sci-Fi City), that Portal would make for a good attraction? I know it's not a super well-known/popular series, but I think some sort of inverted coaster/dark ride that uses actual sets to make it feel like you are actually racing through portals (With NO screens, to make it a more impressive/immersive/realistic effect.) would actually be really cool. And I'm not sure that it would really fit with the park now. (The only place I think would fit would be near MIB since that has two expansion pads next to it and Aperture Science could fit in with the loose "World Fair" theme.)

I'm not saying it needs to, is likely to, or even should happen, but I'm just saying it could make for a cool theme for a cool ride.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Time Warner the media company is up for sale. Not Time Warner Cable (who Comcast did try to buy last year). Common confusion.

 

[tielo]

DC LAND IS COMING Y"ALL. No but I hope COMCAST buys it so now all of the WB assets can be used in the parks including Game of Thrones.

Food option; floppy wiener stand.

 

[Disneyhead]

It would be hilarious if Comcast bought TW. Then the whole superhero/theme park legal thing gets even more ridiculous. Disney owns Marvel, which is at Universal. Comcast/Universal owns DC which is at Six Flags.

And I don't care who builds it, but I still want a heavily themed launched flyer themed to some flying superhero. Complete with onboard audio, and what the heck, VR Headset.

 

[tielo]

Blue sky idea for a sci-fi restaurant: please place this in the middle and I will eat there all the time!

 

[Mike S]

My idea of a park based on Legendary Kingdoms developed in the expansion thread and I'll put my further thoughts on it in here.

Universal's Legendary Kingdoms (or if there's a better name I'll go with that)

The lands would be Hyrule, Rivendelle, and Transylvania for those based on existing IP. For original concepts I thought it would be cool to take lost kingdoms from around the world. Atlantis would of course have to be included and then @quinnmac000 suggested the Chinese Empire and my thoughts went to Shangri La. Then I thought of the Mayan/Aztec Empire and, of course, El Dorado. Imagine, a whole land made to look like it's made of gold. Thoughts?

 

[captainmoch]

My idea of a park based on Legendary Kingdoms developed in the expansion thread and I'll put my further thoughts on it in here.

Universal's Legendary Kingdoms (or if there's a better name I'll go with that)

The lands would be Hyrule, Rivendelle, and Transylvania for those based on existing IP. For original concepts I thought it would be cool to take lost kingdoms from around the world. Atlantis would of course have to be included and then @quinnmac000 suggested the Chinese Empire and my thoughts went to Shangri La. Then I thought of the Mayan/Aztec Empire and, of course, El Dorado. Imagine, a whole land made to look like it's made of gold. Thoughts?

That's a good idea, although it does sound almost too IOA-ish. Then again, it's kind of hard to come up with a 3rd gate idea that isn't IOA/US-ish.

 

[martymcflyy85]

That's also a lot of castles....which is kinda cool.

 

[SeventyOne]

Then again, it's kind of hard to come up with a 3rd gate idea that isn't IOA/US-ish.

To me, this is the $64k question. Nobody coming to Orlando is giving up a day at MK, and many will still probably flock to Star Wars Park--er, whatever DHS becomes. I still think Universal needs something outside the traditional IP-filled theme park box to be compelling. Hell, I think even Eisner-era Disney realized this, but both their plans--a working studio with tours and a zoo on steroids*--bombed so they retreated back to their wheelhouse. Meanwhile, the one truly unique theme park built since 1982--Discovery Cove--is full at twice the price most days (admittedly with a fraction of the capacity).

I confess I don't have a clue what the next "killer app" in theme parks might be. But I truly believe Universal Creative is more ... well, creative than US/IoA but with Tolkien and SpongeBob.

* Probably worth noting that Disney rejected both villain and sports themed rehashes of MK/IoA as a fourth gate. Love AK or hate it, it's clear the park originally aspired to be some new hybrid of a zoo, museum and traditional theme park, with Beastly Kingdom as a sop to compete with IoA.

 

[JungleSkip]

But I truly believe Universal Creative is more ... well, creative than US/IoA but with Tolkien and SpongeBob.

UC may be more creative than that, but is that what the public wants? Or if you have enough beloved IP will the public show up anyway?

 

[Mad Dog]

I think you need a combination of the two in this day in age. Both a beloved IP and UC being out of the box creative. IP's are more important now than they were 25-30 years ago.

 

[captainmoch]

IPs are definately necessary these days, and a Universal third park is practically guaranteed to have them in some way. But I feel like making it only full immersive lands based off IPs would be a bad idea, as that's literally what IOA is and what US is starting to become. I hope Uni really blows us out of the water with something completely unique, unexpected, and different than just "Islands of Adventure 2."

 

[Nick]

It would be hilarious if Comcast bought TW. Then the whole superhero/theme park legal thing gets even more ridiculous. Disney owns Marvel, which is at Universal. Comcast/Universal owns DC which is at Six Flags.

And I don't care who builds it, but I still want a heavily themed launched flyer themed to some flying superhero. Complete with onboard audio, and what the heck, VR Headset.

I know you are very wildly speculating, but wouldn't Disney have a case to get the Orlando rights back for Marvel if DC was to be built here? It'd be a huge case of conflict of interests and I think Disney would have a really good chance at winning it.

 

[JungleSkip]

I know you are very wildly speculating, but wouldn't Disney have a case to get the Orlando rights back for Marvel if DC was to be built here? It'd be a huge case of conflict of interests and I think Disney would have a really good chance at winning it.

As long as Uni continued marketing Marvel to the degree the contract specifies, I'm not sure what Disney's case would be

 

[Talking Head]

But I truly believe Universal Creative is more ... well, creative than US/IoA but with Tolkien and SpongeBob.

Interesting that you think that. I feel like my faith in Universal's creativity has waned a bit.

However, I think the third gate would benefit from a new approach. But given UC's track record, not to mention the investment represented by a third gate (detached from the current resort, no less), I sorta doubt they'll do that.

Like we've seen with Marvel/Star Wars blockbusters, I think the third gate will stick to the successful formula, for better or worse.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I have to think, a goal that I have to think, is most likely; total immersion in the entire park. Its something that to me, hasn't been seen in a theme park in a long while; and it could be a really good thing, especially for the US park industry.

 

[captainmoch]

I have to think, a goal that I have to think, is most likely; total immersion in the entire park. Its something that to me, hasn't been seen in a theme park in a long while; and it could be a really good thing, especially for the US park industry.

The problem is... isn't this new plot really near Skyplex? That could really hurt the immersion for it to be towering nearby.

 

[Fatality]

I would love to see a highly themed, more "adult" theme park with not much of family focus.

 

[Bobharlem]

I would love to see a highly themed, more "adult" theme park with not much of family focus.

Las Vegas?