Villain-Con Minion Blast (General Discussion)

[JungleSkip]

Yea, the reason this is what it is is because it needed to fit in itty bitty living space.

Plus we got some great new food options with it. I do wish we could have gotten the freeze ray flat ride from Japan or the splash pad area from USH as well. Would have really completed the “land”.

That being said, once DreamWorks land opens next year, this park will be much more desirable for the kids

 

[Andysol]

Yea, the reason this is what it is is because it needed to fit in itty bitty living space.

Plus we got some great new food options with it. I do wish we could have gotten the freeze ray flat ride from Japan or the splash pad area from USH as well. Would have really completed the “land”.

That being said, once DreamWorks land opens next year, this park will be much more desirable for the kids

If they kill HRRR and the stage, they really have a chance to flesh out that area even more.

But that’s another thread for another (hopeful) day.

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

We do not need physical props in every ride. Toy Story Mania has next to zero if you don’t count the queue and people LOVE that experiance .

This is new, it is fresh, and after the game issues are resolved y’all are gonna end up loving it.

Give it some time and let it go.

 

[Dustin]

It would also be great in USH because it is tiny, family friendly, and most importantly, high capacity. You could maybe even put it in the Walking Dead space without affecting HHN?

i mean i’m open to it. i’ve always said our park needs a shooter and have since told myself that mario kart is the “shooter”… if we get a real one with this in a currently unused spot, i’m i’m.

 

[Freak]

It would also be great in USH because it is tiny, family friendly, and most importantly, high capacity. You could maybe even put it in the Walking Dead space without affecting HHN?

I agree that it would fit perfectly in TWDA, HOWEVER, in this case, it would add another screen attraction, which is not what the park needs. Besides, it’s a decent HHN venue.

I think if this debuted in USH, reactions would be less mixed, but that's the importance of context.

Eh I don’t know. I think they will be more negative. Pretty sure the GSATs are very much against screen rides at USH? In fact I heard one of the complaints from Mario Kart was that it was another screen ride. What do you think the GP would think of this?

i mean i’m open to it. i’ve always said our park needs a shooter and have since told myself that mario kart is the “shooter”… if we get a real one with this in a currently unused spot, i’m i’m.

If there were mostly actual sets then maybe. I would rather have a real shooter ride like a Ghostbusters or Luigi’s Mansion ride. I would argue this is the last thing USH needs: another freaking screens ride. But it would fit perfectly in TWDA and would add park capacity so I’m sure USH management is spinning the wheels in their heads.

 

[wutisgood]

1200

I wouldn't consider 1200 high capacity.

If this ride was not too much money to make I would support Comcast putting it in other parks as long as they are making other more major additions as well.

Disney is way under capacity in part because they have no idea how to make an affordable ride anymore. They have basically given away an entire park of capacity to universal because of this. Even for an e ticket velocicoaster looks like a steam compared to the guardians ride. While I like both, I think the velocicoaster level rides would get universal a better return on investment than one guardians.

 

[belloq87]

could they have expanded the budget, taken a bit longer, and built a solid Minion’s dark ride using the SLOP ride as a reference?

Yes.

Not only is this attraction more accommodating than Pets

There's no reason Universal couldn't have designed a ride in the general spirit of SLOP that wasn't also saddled with its (bizarre and unfortunate) accessibility issues.

 

[Dustin]

I agree that it would fit perfectly in TWDA, HOWEVER, in this case, it would add another screen attraction, which is not what the park needs. Besides, it’s a decent HHN venue.

Eh I don’t know. I think they will be more negative. Pretty sure the GSATs are very much against screen rides at USH? In fact I heard one of the complaints from Mario Kart was that it was another screen ride. What do you think the GP would think of this?


If there were mostly actual sets then maybe. I would rather have a real shooter ride like a Ghostbusters or Luigi’s Mansion ride. I would argue this is the last thing USH needs: another freaking screens ride. But it would fit perfectly in TWDA and would add park capacity so I’m sure USH management is spinning the wheels in their heads.

I know where you are coming from and my thought has always been MIB more than anything for the shooter we need. I’m just talking what we can get at this point. Obviously not ideal but we got to do what we got to do at this point. I haven’t been on this ride obviously yet but at the end of the day, screens or not, I couldn’t see this being anything less than a + for USH

 

[Casper Gutman]

I think if we’re thinking of the future of USF, and what our hopes are, this attraction honestly fits perfectly.

Right now to me it doesn’t really fit and feels like a park of a lot of the same-same vibes.

Replace Simpsons with a new land with a dark ride, change Supercharged, add a dark ride in Kidzone, new show in FF plot… but that’s all probably 10 years down the road. Ultimately this is fine.

Blast is fine as a proof-of-concept for the family parks or the Vegas HHN thing and as a sort of pop-up attraction in a space that doesn't really fit it but that Uni doesn't want to rebuild from the ground up at the moment. But if it's still here in six years, let alone ten, that's a very bleak future for the Studios.

As for accommodating attractions, I really don't understand praising Blast for that, since it replaced an attraction which was equally, if not slightly more, accommodating. If folks think its better on its merits then Shrek, great! But being more accommodating or making the park more accommodating overall can't be among those merits.

 

[Evan]

Standard wheelchairs are fine. Users in electric wheelchairs must transfer first to ride.

View attachment 19240


Not only is this attraction more accommodating than Pets, which we need more of, they clearly have faith in it, as there are already rumors it will be cloned at the other Studio parks.

Just because they have faith in it, doesn’t mean it will last and become a classic attraction deserving of that faith. I am sure whoever signed off on Supercharged had great intentions, but the result is… what it is.

I also think SLOP could easily be redesigned without the ridiculous ride vehicle and restraints.

I totally get that it’s a fun experience, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect more. I don’t feel like we should settle for less with the top, premiere theme park companies. Give me the best you can do.

 

[Andysol]

As for accommodating attractions, I really don't understand praising Blast for that, since it replaced an attraction which was equally, if not slightly more, accommodating. If folks think its better on its merits then Shrek, great! But being more accommodating or making the park more accommodating overall can't be among those merits.

I’m sure it’s praised because they could have done something not accommodating.

What I don’t get is @Alicia “The park needs more accommodating rides” comment and if she has any insight there internally.
Do they actually need more accommodating attractions?

I’m all for more people of different shapes being able to ride whatever. But need?

Need /=/ want

 

[Nico]

I’m sure it’s praised because they could have done something not accommodating.

What I don’t get is @Alicia “The park needs more accommodating rides” comment and if she has any insight there internally.
Do they actually need more accommodating attractions?

I’m all for more people of different shapes being able to ride whatever. But need?

Need /=/ want

I think accommodating may be doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I always thought of it more as a “lower height restriction” type of thing. The park does need that.

 

[Tbad556]

I think accommodating may be doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I always thought of it more as a “lower height restriction” type of thing. The park does need that.

It’s accommodating for both height and weight reasons making it a win-win for accessibility.

Anyhow, I won’t be able to check this out for at least a week, but my main initial take is that this’ll crush in the GSATs despite the endless screens debate and won’t go anywhere anytime soon because it’s an easy win for the park. It’s a C-ticket designed for a small space and also being used as a testing platform for other ventures both in and outside of the parks which once again makes it a win. By no means does this scream Supercharged. There’s some serious hyperbole in here hah. And I say this as someone whose dream park would be a bunch of Jaws/Kongfrontation esque attractions. Personal taste does not equate to a success or failure.

 

[Nico]

It’s accommodating for both height and weight reasons making it a win-win for accommodation.

Anyhow, I won’t be able to check this out for at least a week, but my main initial take is that this’ll crush in the GSATs despite the endless screens debate and won’t go anywhere anytime soon because it’s an easy win for the park. It’s a C-ticket designed for a small space and also being used as a testing platform for other ventures both in and outside of the parks which once again makes it a win. By no means does this scream Supercharged. There’s some serious hyperbole in here hah.

Totally! Sorry that’s what I meant by accommodating doing “heavy lifting”. It’s doing both!

 

[Tbad556]

Totally! Sorry that’s what I meant by accommodating doing “heavy lifting”. It’s doing both!

Gotcha! All good!

 

[Brian G.]

It’s accommodating for both height and weight reasons making it a win-win for accessibility.

Anyhow, I won’t be able to check this out for at least a week, but my main initial take is that this’ll crush in the GSATs despite the endless screens debate and won’t go anywhere anytime soon because it’s an easy win for the park. It’s a C-ticket designed for a small space and also being used as a testing platform for other ventures both in and outside of the parks which once again makes it a win. By no means does this scream Supercharged. There’s some serious hyperbole in here hah. And I say this as someone whose dream park would be a bunch of Jaws/Kongfrontation esque attractions. Personal taste does not equate to a success or failure.

Also - wheelchair friendly. It may not be a need, necessarily but it’s definitely a strength.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Also - wheelchair friendly. It may not be a need, necessarily but it’s definitely a strength.

I'm curious to see a wheelchair on the ride.

 

[Nick]

I’m sure it’s praised because they could have done something not accommodating.

What I don’t get is @Alicia “The park needs more accommodating rides” comment and if she has any insight there internally.
Do they actually need more accommodating attractions?

I’m all for more people of different shapes being able to ride whatever. But need?

Need /=/ want

This is an attraction that kids can actually go on as long as they can stand up and it also is wheelchair friendly. The only other rides in the park that have no height requirement are K&K and Hogwarts Express (and I don't exactly think of that as a ride as much as a mode of transport). Aside from shows like Animal Actors, Bourne, and Horror Makeup after that, there's not a lot to do for extremely young kids which many families are disappointed by when they visit. Most kids can probably do ET and Fallon as well, but that's really it in the park.

So to answer your question, yes, this was needed.

 

[GAcoaster]

No matter the reception for the ride, it appears to already be selling tons of food and merchandise. In the grand scheme of things that makes it a success to Universal.

Most people seem to like it, and it's something new and different. I think it's a win.

 

[Scott W.]

I'm going to hit an opposing viewpoint on the lack of physical sets and props.

The fact they are minimal physicals sets means Universal can overlay and add in new scenes overnight which can lead to more randomization depending on the day you arrive vs the ride being the same everyday as well as holiday overlays etc. This is also soft opening.....which means they are still working on the ride to improve things they are just letting guests be part of the testing phase. Who knows how much things will change between now and the official opening.

I applaud Universal on making an attraction that is accessible to almost all guests with no issues. I also applaud them for making a ride that actually puts people in the action versus the same old something goes wrong scenario that is there go to for most rides these days.

I like the holiday overlay idea. Throw a HHN overlay onto it and the public will love it.

Just because they have faith in it, doesn’t mean it will last and become a classic attraction deserving of that faith. I am sure whoever signed off on Supercharged had great intentions, but the result is… what it is.

I also think SLOP could easily be redesigned without the ridiculous ride vehicle and restraints.

I totally get that it’s a fun experience, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect more. I don’t feel like we should settle for less with the top, premiere theme park companies. Give me the best you can do.

Even the people working on Supercharged knew it was a dud before opening.