Universal's New Park/Site B Blue Sky Thread

[AlexanderMBush]

If they do something Sci-Fi for the third gate, I can really only see Metroid; BSG; Star Trek and Halo really do the justification to exist. It makes sense, as those are niche (but relevant enough) IP's that would get people's attention, as those IP's would be the more..easier Sci-Fi IP's to do something for highly themed attractions.

As for what the attractions would be?

Metroid: Interactive Shooting Dark Ride with a Mixture of AA's, Screenz, and practical effects
BSG: A version of the Singapore attraction but with more heavy theming to the upcoming film reboot
Star Trek: Simulator on the level higher than Star Tours (Current version of ST)
Halo: Immersive Dark ride with Animatronic Elites/UNSC Soldiers (Including Master Chief), heavy musion, Hyper-Realistic 3D Visuals from Blur Studios to match the Halo 2 Anniversary edition.

I can't see anything more mature than Halo or BSG in my opinion; and I think those would work out well for an full on Sci-Fi themed land, working with Nintendo, Microsoft Studios, Paramount and their own in-house team's for immersive but thrilling attractions in my opinion. Plus, it'd mix TV/Games/Films rather well, especially with BSG and Star Trek both having major TV and Movie works with Metroid and Halo fitting into the gaming perspective of it.

 

[quinnmac000]

If they do something Sci-Fi for the third gate, I can really only see Metroid; BSG; Star Trek and Halo really do the justification to exist. It makes sense, as those are niche (but relevant enough) IP's that would get people's attention, as those IP's would be the more..easier Sci-Fi IP's to do something for highly themed attractions.

As for what the attractions would be?

Metroid: Interactive Shooting Dark Ride with a Mixture of AA's, Screenz, and practical effects
BSG: A version of the Singapore attraction but with more heavy theming to the upcoming film reboot
Star Trek: Simulator on the level higher than Star Tours (Current version of ST)
Halo: Immersive Dark ride with Animatronic Elites/UNSC Soldiers (Including Master Chief), heavy musion, Hyper-Realistic 3D Visuals from Blur Studios to match the Halo 2 Anniversary edition.

I can't see anything more mature than Halo or BSG in my opinion; and I think those would work out well for an full on Sci-Fi themed land, working with Nintendo, Microsoft Studios, Paramount and their own in-house team's for immersive but thrilling attractions in my opinion. Plus, it'd mix TV/Games/Films rather well, especially with BSG and Star Trek both having major TV and Movie works with Metroid and Halo fitting into the gaming perspective of it.

You forget two of biggest Universal attractions were based off mature films i.e Jaws and Terminator and they survived much longer than their lighter IPs in Universal.

I see Universal using mature IPs...why to counteract the kid IPs of Dreamworks/Nintendo which undoubtedly will be in the park and Disney's new acquisitions which are more mature than their current stuff. The failure of the last Star Trek Film and the failure of Paramount suggests that Star Trek is done unless the new show is succesful. Metroid doesn't sell as well as other IPs and is dark and lacks merchandise compared to other IPs by other game companies.

Reason why I say Fallout is because it made $750 mill the first day it came out. It has food tie-ins. Its cute while at the same time dark. And it has merchandise potential with all the 50s theming.

Edit: Metroid does sell merchandise but mainly Amiibo. Outside that, its lacks the money making opportunities of other IPs.

 

[amityboattours]

It's been announced this morning that Universal are resurrecting the Gears of War movie, which I guess you can now potentially throw into the sci-fi mix.

 

[quinnmac000]

We are probably getting Oz but not the Wizard of Oz Oz but more GoT Westeros version of OZ. As there is now another Oz project in development from NBC Universal outside Wicked and Emerald City show.

 

[Stitch_101]

It's been announced this morning that Universal are resurrecting the Gears of War movie, which I guess you can now potentially throw into the sci-fi mix.

I would be wary of throwing any video game movie into the mix before it gets made. A lot of people made that mistake with Warcraft. Look how that turned out (domestically at least).

We are probably getting Oz but not the Wizard of Oz Oz but more GoT Westeros version of OZ. As there is now another Oz project in development from NBC Universal outside Wicked and Emerald City show.

Similar to my point above. The new show is untested. There is some early hype, but it could be a flop. If they do anything Oz related, it'll be based mainly on the books with them using the property as a cross promotional opportunity for Wicked and possibly the show, if it does indeed do well.

 

[Mike S]

Similar to my point above. The new show is untested. There is some early hype, but it could be a flop. If they do anything Oz related, it'll be based mainly on the books with them using the property as a cross promotional opportunity for Wicked and possibly the show, if it does indeed do well.

With GMR rumored to leave Disney maybe they can get the rights to the 1939 movie.

What most people know.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I would be wary of throwing any video game movie into the mix before it gets made. A lot of people made that mistake with Warcraft. Look how that turned out (domestically at least).

Similar to my point above. The new show is untested. There is some early hype, but it could be a flop. If they do anything Oz related, it'll be based mainly on the books with them using the property as a cross promotional opportunity for Wicked and possibly the show, if it does indeed do well.

We are probably getting Oz but not the Wizard of Oz Oz but more GoT Westeros version of OZ. As there is now another Oz project in development from NBC Universal outside Wicked and Emerald City show.

With GMR rumored to leave Disney maybe they can get the rights to the 1939 movie.

What most people know.

Personally, when it comes to Oz in my opinion; that, is a subject that may need to be left out of the parks to handle. Yes, it has a lot in common with LOTR and arguably GOT when it comes to that there are some very interesting ride possibilities with the IP. But much like GOT, LOTR, and especially for Oz; its a very problematic road in my opinion. There would be some certain things that would be called out in a negative light, and that there would be some things that would make it VERY hard to pull off.

Although, LOTR does have some more rather good opportunities in it's future, if WB can win that court case that has been said in the past; I can see them going instantly to Universal first, due to the roaring success in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

And for GoT; it's a very problematic subject due to that it'd be a potentially controversial move due to the having to cut down certain aspects that the show has been made famous for (the profanity, the visceral {not just in sexual manners, but the blood/gore/E.T.C.}, and the story being very hard to put into play).

Something @quinnmac000 mentioned was with Fallout. While it would work better than TES mind you, it's very..limited in a sense. Yes, there are various points in the timeline that you can pull and do into an area that wouldn't be too much for the children, but it lies within a possibly borderline situation to where they may need to be drastic changes to make it fit in, and I have enjoyed the series for what it is; and see the potential in there. Although that'd be something that could be discussed much more than I would anticipate.

And then Oz. It's too timeless. In my humble opinion, I can not see anyone touching that, MORE THAN LOTR MIND YOU, because of it being so hard to make it right. This is something I want to speak on; in my most honest opinion, that; is the biggest thing. If you tamper on what the original film that revolutionized cinemas in a way that was never done before, I have to implore people in that it's an IP that shouldn't be touched. Disney tried to do that IP TWICE and failed in cinemas, as USJ tried that too with a version of Wicked and a full mini-land; but it wasn't a success. And you can say for Japan in that case, it just doesn't make sense to have that type of IP over there.

I want to be proven wrong about that; but I can't see financial, nor critical gain that they could achieve when it comes to Oz in my opinion for a full on theme park land. It's my honest opinion, as I'll leave it on that.

 

[SeventyOne]

I have a hard time believing Universal will do a 4th any time soon. I feel there is so much that needs fixed in the 2 they have, that adding 2 more would just cause them to end up where Disney is in 10 or 15 years. I feel 3 is the perfect number until all their parks don't have flaws in them.

And I refuse to call VB their 3rd park. They can say whatever they want in their marketing, it is still a water park.

Agreed. DAK mainly succeeded in cannibalizing guests from the other 3 parks. Until Universal finds a way to extend vacations, 3 + VB is the absolute most they should do. And even the third is debatable.

 

[DoubleJ]

Agreed. DAK mainly succeeded in cannibalizing guests from the other 3 parks. Until Universal finds a way to extend vacations, 3 + VB is the absolute most they should do. And even the third is debatable.

The third is not debatable. It is necessary and needed. Unless of course you'd rather wait 4 hours for MIB. The fact that a new park WILL cannibalize the attendance at existing parks is a GREAT thing. Naturally it should also boost attendance resort-wide. DAK didn't have a very successful launch because people thought it was a zoo. Not because the market had reached maximum demand, as evidenced by the additional 10 million guests at WDW since DAK's launch. It's not about how many days of vacation a family can fill, it's about spreading the crowds around to ensure a good guest experience. At some point it becomes prohibitively more expensive to expand existing gates than to build a whole new one, bang-for-buck wise.

I don't think Uni will build a 4th gate soon (unless it's another water park, using Martin's interpretation, in which case it would be a fifth), but a third Uni gate and a fifth WDW gate are absolutely necessary within the next decade if both resorts want to maintain income growth rates and a non-terrible guest experience.

 

[deathcab4cutie]

i see more people skipping another day at Disney then being cannibalized from universal parks.That is unless Disney finishes star-wars land and all their other lands when uni opens the next park.

 

[DoubleJ]

i see more people skipping another day at Disney then being cannibalized from universal parks.That is unless Disney finishes star-wars land and all their other lands when uni opens the next park.

Disney will finish all their latest expansions before Uni opens their third.
Cannibalization of the other parks is inevitable and a good thing for guests and the company, as long as resort-wide attendance increases. Cannibalization of the other parks in the purpose of opening a new gate.

 

[UNIrd]

The third is not debatable. It is necessary and needed. Unless of course you'd rather wait 4 hours for MIB. The fact that a new park WILL cannibalize the attendance at existing parks is a GREAT thing. Naturally it should also boost attendance resort-wide. DAK didn't have a very successful launch because people thought it was a zoo. Not because the market had reached maximum demand, as evidenced by the additional 10 million guests at WDW since DAK's launch. It's not about how many days of vacation a family can fill, it's about spreading the crowds around to ensure a good guest experience. At some point it becomes prohibitively more expensive to expand existing gates than to build a whole new one, bang-for-buck wise.

I don't think Uni will build a 4th gate soon (unless it's another water park, using Martin's interpretation, in which case it would be a fifth), but a third Uni gate and a fifth WDW gate are absolutely necessary within the next decade if both resorts want to maintain income growth rates and a non-terrible guest experience.

Eh, I don't think US/IOA have that much a problem with dispersing crowds. Sure, they're breaking attendance records, but most people who come to the parks should expect to have to wait an hour for a ride here or there. Plus, US is currently down about 3 attractions (4 if you count FFL out for Bill & Ted), but those will be back online soon.

 

[DoubleJ]

Eh, I don't think US/IOA have that much a problem with dispersing crowds. Sure, they're breaking attendance records, but most people who come to the parks should expect to have to wait an hour for a ride here or there. Plus, US is currently down about 3 attractions (4 if you count FFL out for Bill & Ted), but those will be back online soon.

For now...in 10 years it'll be a vastly different story if they don't build another gate.

 

[quinnmac000]

Imagine a Hyper-themed theme park made of different lands in the vain of westworld where its 100% in character. Your admission is all inclusive as your money and cards are no good inside the park and you truly experience each and every land for what it truly is and you are just a character in that land.

 

[Teebin]

Imagine a Hyper-themed theme park made of different lands in the vain of westworld where its 100% in character. Your admission is all inclusive as your money and cards are no good inside the park and you truly experience each and every land for what it truly is and you are just a character in that land.

All-inclusive is an interesting idea... much like some cruise ships. Except what about gifts and take home clothing?

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Imagine a Hyper-themed theme park made of different lands in the vain of westworld where its 100% in character. Your admission is all inclusive as your money and cards are no good inside the park and you truly experience each and every land for what it truly is and you are just a character in that land.

A theme park where money and cards inside are no good. I can hear the theme park gods shuddering in fear.

Seriously, I would love the idea but I don't imagine the average theme park guest hopping from park to park would get into it.

 

[GAcoaster]

Much like the boutique experience of Discovery Cove. I think I mentioned the concept about 70 pages back...

 

[quinnmac000]

All-inclusive is an interesting idea... much like some cruise ships. Except what about gifts and take home clothing?

Some included with admission and the giant gift shop as you leave. But yes very much in the vein of @GAcoaster concept.

 

[Teebin]

Some included with admission and the giant gift shop as you leave. But yes very much in the vein of @GAcoaster concept.

Hmm. The only issue I see with it is that many like to pretend they aren't spending that much and just freak out in a month after they get home. I would think that one or more of the Orlando parks have toyed with the notion. I wonder what their conclusions were.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Hmm. The only issue I see with it is that many like to pretend they aren't spending that much and just freak out in a month after they get home. I would think that one or more of the Orlando parks have toyed with the notion. I wonder what their conclusions were.

I would wonder if those who toyed with the notion led to believe that it'd be a financial risk to do an ENTIRE theme park out of it, and that it very much leads to some potentially large issues that I think they may not be able to handle.

While yes, you could say it works for Discovery Cove; there is a reason to why it works for something like that. It's because that in the all too reality, I would consider Discovery Cove to not be a theme park or water park; but as a resort. Hell, they even say that clear and crystal in that it's NOT a theme park. Its also to worth note that it would cost extremely high, which would scare even normal park guests to seeing it; or, so I would think.

Its something that only select few could do; and for a company wanting the profit at large amounts in a given day, something like Discovery Cove would be unnecessary and wouldn't gain any financial worth in my opinion, where-as a full on theme park with hyperrealistic environments set to some of the most popular stories, IP's and even original content would work much better than that. I think whatever that UPR has in mind, beating Tokyo Disneysea would be a goal; and that is not how you would be able to do it.