Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[Casper Gutman]

Alicia's videos are always fantastic. Thanks for doing them!

I'm incredibly excited for EU, but it does sorta seem like all the lands except for Nintendo would benefit heavily from an additional ride at launch. Dragon in particular seems like it could use an indoor (or largely indoor) focal attraction, and the park as a whole seems like it could use a major water ride. Hopefully the Creature shows up pretty darn fast!

I also wish Universal didn't seem to translate "more family friendly" into "largely bare steel coaster."

 

[Alicia]

Alicia's videos are always fantastic. Thanks for doing them!

Thanks!

I also wish Universal didn't seem to translate "more family friendly" into "largely bare steel coaster."

To be fair we have no idea about theming for the coaster yet. It could be covered in rockwork for all we know, that just doesn’t show up on site plans. I’m very curious how it’ll turn out!

The site plan for the old theater had the front themed as a decrepit old building. Would be neat if the new coaster continued that theme, but with coaster track shooting out of holes in the structure.

 

[SkiBum]

Plus, Invisible Man could’ve been there and I wouldn’t even know it!)

Well played.

 

[shiekra38]

I'm still getting LC 1.0 vibes from this

Just with some darker energy and grander scale

A lot of this will be determined by the music or ambience that is played around the land

 

[belloq87]

While I'm pleased that it no longer appears the story of the land is that it's a cheesy tourist trap (if it ever was), I still don't think Universal needed to invent an entirely new town with no basis in the films. Those movies found a way to get Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Wolf Man all into the same town (several times), so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to incorporate even more of the characters.

As a huge Classic Monsters fan, I had hoped we were getting the Wizarding World approach of "you are walking into the movies" more than the "inspired by" take they seem to be going with. The latter may well work great for the average guest, but I hope there's stuff for fans like myself to appreciate, too.

 

[shiekra38]

While I'm pleased that it no longer appears the story of the land is that it's a cheesy tourist trap (if it ever was), I still don't think Universal needed to invent an entirely new town with no basis in the films. Those movies found a way to get Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Wolf Man all into the same town (several times), so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to incorporate even more of the characters.

As a huge Classic Monsters fan, I had hoped we were getting the Wizarding World approach of "you are walking into the movies" more than the "inspired by" take they seem to be going with. The latter may well work great for the average guest, but I hope there's stuff for fans like myself to appreciate, too.

I'd rather have the "inspired by" personally

I think the 1 to 1 technique worked for aspect of Wizarding World, but Universal needs to grow beyond that

I'm not sure the collective public has the images of "Frankenstein Village" seared into their brains like Hogsmeade either

The 1 to 1 made sense for HP

 

[belloq87]

I'm not sure the collective public has the images of "Frankenstein Village" seared into their brains like Hogsmeade either

Hence why I said:

The latter may well work great for the average guest, but I hope there's stuff for fans like myself to appreciate, too.

 

[Legacy]

While I'm pleased that it no longer appears the story of the land is that it's a cheesy tourist trap (if it ever was), I still don't think Universal needed to invent an entirely new town with no basis in the films. Those movies found a way to get Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Wolf Man all into the same town (several times), so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to incorporate even more of the characters.

As a huge Classic Monsters fan, I had hoped we were getting the Wizarding World approach of "you are walking into the movies" more than the "inspired by" take they seem to be going with. The latter may well work great for the average guest, but I hope there's stuff for fans like myself to appreciate, too.

It was never “cheesy” tourist trap. Fans just heard “tourist trap” and immediately thought Chester’s and Hester’s instead of Colonial Williamsburg (or more accurately Brân, Transylvania).

 

[Casper Gutman]

It was never “cheesy” tourist trap. Fans just heard “tourist trap” and immediately thought Chester’s and Hester’s instead of Colonial Williamsburg (or more accurately Brân, Transylvania).

To be fair, the term "tourist trap" is derogatory and carries negative connotations, cheesy being one of them. South of the Border is the quintessential "tourist trap."

 

[Legacy]

To be fair, the term "tourist trap" is derogatory and carries negative connotations, cheesy being one of them. South of the Border is the quintessential "tourist trap."

Not by definition. It’s strictly something that attracts tourists.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Alicia's videos are always fantastic. Thanks for doing them!

I'm incredibly excited for EU, but it does sorta seem like all the lands except for Nintendo would benefit heavily from an additional ride at launch. Dragon in particular seems like it could use an indoor (or largely indoor) focal attraction, and the park as a whole seems like it could use a major water ride. Hopefully the Creature shows up pretty darn fast!

I also wish Universal didn't seem to translate "more family friendly" into "largely bare steel coaster."

If we get the show from Shanghai for Dragon that definetly bumps up the area.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I feel we all often want an original idea, something creative can do on their own without copying and pasting the film…

And here we have it! Makes me even more excited to be honest.

 

[Alicia]

It was never “cheesy” tourist trap. Fans just heard “tourist trap” and immediately thought Chester’s and Hester’s instead of Colonial Williamsburg (or more accurately Brân, Transylvania).

Exactly. Which is why I used different language to describe it. Amazing some folks thought I was describing a completely different rumored village just by describing it with reverence rather than silly terms.

 

[shiekra38]

Hence why I said:

I think the Monsters ride alone will fill the gap you're concerned with

Exactly. Which is why I used different language to describe it. Amazing some folks thought I was describing a completely different rumored village just by describing it with reverence rather than silly terms.

I do like the idea of a town attracting tourists, doing tour of historic sites, in a hopes to boost the local economy, all while constantly glancing over their shoulder in fear

I'm sure after the hooplah of opening, we'll get some fun fanfic of the land from various places

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Exactly. Which is why I used different language to describe it. Amazing some folks thought I was describing a completely different rumored village just by describing it with reverence rather than silly terms.

Lots of people learning how rumors and info spread about projects.

 

[Alicia]

Lots of people learning how rumors and info spread about projects.

In doing this for awhile now, I really am just as fascinated by how rumors spread as the rumors themselves. It's deserving of its own coverage on its own I swear!

At the end of the day, I think it does us all some good to think of these types of discussions and reporting as entertainment journalism. Because until confirmed by Universal, or until we are walking into the lands for ourselves, this is just for fun.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

It was never “cheesy” tourist trap. Fans just heard “tourist trap” and immediately thought Chester’s and Hester’s instead of Colonial Williamsburg (or more accurately Brân, Transylvania).

So….what you’re describing is just a regular theme park land then

I actually thought the cheesy tourist trap angle would’ve been clever for THIS land specifically. That a bunch of tacky and overly friendly signs, shops, photo ops, etc. are actually hiding something sinister was a cool concept I thought…especially since playing the monsters straight or scary will almost assuredly not have the desired impact on the majority of guests, who will either be a.) largely unfamiliar or b.) not really scared by the monsters (pls don’t hate me @belloq87 ).

Honestly, the IPs they’re opening aren’t the hottest, with the exception of Nintendo which we’ll have seen plenty of by the time it opens here. It would’ve been smart to play with the presentation of the lands rather than just hoping people are really into the 100-year-old monsters, Harry Potter v.3, and How to Train Your Dragon…all IMO

 

[Killer Klown]

So….what you’re describing is just a regular theme park land then

I actually thought the cheesy tourist trap angle would’ve been clever for THIS land specifically. That a bunch of tacky and overly friendly signs, shops, photo ops, etc. are actually hiding something sinister was a cool concept I thought…especially since playing the monsters straight or scary will almost assuredly not have the desired impact on the majority of guests, who will either be a.) largely unfamiliar or b.) not really scared by the monsters (pls don’t hate me @belloq87 ).

Honestly, the IPs they’re opening aren’t the hottest, with the exception of Nintendo which we’ll have seen plenty of by the time it opens here. It would’ve been smart to play with the presentation of the lands rather than just hoping people are really into the 100-year-old monsters, Harry Potter v.3, and How to Train Your Dragon…all IMO

I mean from what I’ve seen the monsters have gotten more hype and discussion than I’ve seen for any of the other lands so I don’t agree that the monsters are a weak IP at all, especially with the teen/young adult crowd.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I mean from what I’ve seen the monsters have gotten more hype and discussion than I’ve seen for any of the other lands so I don’t agree that the monsters are a weak IP at all, especially with the teen/young adult crowd.

Theme park twitter and fan forums aren’t indicative of the general population, bro

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Almost everyone knows who Frankenstein is, not a hard sell.