Blue Man Group Replacement Rumors

[shiekra38]

Just so you all know what kind of backstage space this place has: very little.

That video makes the theater look way bigger than it is as well

 

[Parkscope Joe]

That video makes the theater look way bigger than it is as well

The theater could run a profit at half capacity, a lot of times there would be a curtain drawn at the halfway point which is what most people saw.

 

[fryoj]

Could probably do a fairly cheap Dreamworks Theater overlay.

 

[shiekra38]

Could probably do a fairly cheap Dreamworks Theater overlay.

I would hope they'd replace Shrek first

 

[Legacy]

Two big issues with converting the Sharp Aquos into anything for the parks...

1) The Parks (I’m fairly certain) don’t own the space. It’s likely owned by Production which would have to sign over the space.

2) The bigger is that there is no mass thoroughfare from the park to the entrance and back. The path is just wide enough for small groups to exit and, because it goes under HRRR, it can’t actually get much wider to accommodate large crowds moving back and forth from the Studios. They’d also have to build new fencing (and ideally, landscaping) to close the off the path from CityWalk.

It’s not as simple as “It’s a park attraction now!”

 

[Tobias]

Two big issues with converting the Sharp Aquos into anything for the parks...

1) The Parks (I’m fairly certain) don’t own the space. It’s likely owned by Production which would have to sign over the space.

2) The bigger is that there is no mass thoroughfare from the park to the entrance and back. The path is just wide enough for small groups to exit and, because it goes under HRRR, it can’t actually get much wider to accommodate large crowds moving back and forth from the Studios. They’d also have to build new fencing (and ideally, landscaping) to close the off the path from CityWalk.

It’s not as simple as “It’s a park attraction now!”

Good points, realistically if they wanted to convert that into some sort of attraction, HRRR would have to go -and- most likely a major change to the park entrance. I know some who would love for that to happen, but I don't see Uni looking into that anytime soon with EU's restart on the possible horizon.

 

[WAJAS]

Two big issues with converting the Sharp Aquos into anything for the parks...

1) The Parks (I’m fairly certain) don’t own the space. It’s likely owned by Production which would have to sign over the space.

2) The bigger is that there is no mass thoroughfare from the park to the entrance and back. The path is just wide enough for small groups to exit and, because it goes under HRRR, it can’t actually get much wider to accommodate large crowds moving back and forth from the Studios. They’d also have to build new fencing (and ideally, landscaping) to close the off the path from CityWalk.

It’s not as simple as “It’s a park attraction now!”

2 is easily solved by placing the attraction entrance on the park-side of HRRR, so everyone is single file by the time they get to the narrow portion of the path anyways. That does introduce another problem. There would be 3 attraction entrances at approximately the same point of the path, and that point is already narrow itself and very close to the entrance.

I think a likely scenario is that nothing happens. It gets used for productions, HHN, etc. just like the other sound stages. If anything were to happen, it'd the ability to build at the NY facades.

 

[Legacy]

2 is easily solved by placing the attraction entrance on the park-side of HRRR, so everyone is single file by the time they get to the narrow portion of the path anyways. That does introduce another problem. There would be 3 attraction entrances at approximately the same point of the path, and that point is already narrow itself and very close to the entrance.

I think a likely scenario is that nothing happens. It gets used for productions, HHN, etc. just like the other sound stages. If anything were to happen, it'd the ability to build at the NY facades.

I’m actually less concerned about entering from the park than I am exiting. Crowds leaving somewhere instantly spread and stop. That’s where you’re going to run into issues.

But, assuming the space isn’t used by next year? It’s absolutely getting used for HHN.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I’m actually less concerned about entering from the park than I am exiting. Crowds leaving somewhere instantly spread and stop. That’s where you’re going to run into issues.

But, assuming the space isn’t used by next year? It’s absolutely getting used for HHN.

I was actually gonna say Grinchmas. That seems like a potentially perfect place to just -flat out- move the show. Saves up a soundstage as-well.

 

[RevFreako]

Despite the rumor of this happening because the parks “wanted the space,” I really think it was strictly a Cirque-sided business decision because of the pandemic. I can’t imagine Universal has “plans” for the spot at the moment.

This. Put me in the "lies empty/new corporate event space" camp.

 

[Jwhee]

TPU has a logical theory. Special Fx Show from USH replacing, entrance in Music Plaza. Show requires hardly any backstage space, will be interesting to see if true.

they can either put this building back in the park like it was 2006 and before, or make this new music plaza entrance. The old narrow pathway handled large crowds just fine.

 

[belloq87]

TPU has a logical theory. Special Fx Show from USH replacing, entrance in Music Plaza. Show requires hardly any backstage space, will be interesting to see if true.

Probably too similar to Horror Makeup Show.

Something along the same lines, but different enough, would be the "Lights! Camera! Action!" show from Singapore, which is the next evolution of the Backdraft/Twister concept.

 

[joelbryant11]

I always told myself I was going to give this show a try. Too bad it’s gone.

 

[Legacy]

I was actually gonna say Grinchmas. That seems like a potentially perfect place to just -flat out- move the show. Saves up a soundstage as-well.

There’s no clean path to get to the front of the venue from Islands. Hard Rock’s loading dock is in the way.

TPU has a logical theory. Special Fx Show from USH replacing, entrance in Music Plaza. Show requires hardly any backstage space, will be interesting to see if true.

they can either put this building back in the park like it was 2006 and before, or make this new music plaza entrance. The old narrow pathway handled large crowds just fine.

It can’t get accessed from Music Plaza, unless guests are entering “backstage.” That would require a complete rework of the building. HRRR is in the way of cutting around the front from the plaza.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

There’s no clean path to get to the front of the venue from Islands. Hard Rock’s loading dock is in the way.

It can’t get accessed from Music Plaza, unless guests are entering “backstage.” That would require a complete rework of the building. HRRR is in the way of cutting around the front from the plaza.

As a potential inquiry, could they reduce the capacity of the theater, and make way for a mostly complete indoor queue for a small show?

I'm curious about the subject, especially if they do a "quick & dirty" with low construction efforts to not pull too much away from EU.

 

[Legacy]

As a potential inquiry, could they reduce the capacity of the theater, and make way for a mostly complete indoor queue for a small show?

I'm curious about the subject, especially if they do a "quick & dirty" with low construction efforts to not pull too much away from EU.

The problem is the orientation of everything in the building. The entrance is “outside” the park. Anything from the Music Plaza requires, basically, flipping the whole thing around.


But, chatting about this with my wife (who was a BMG tech), that soundstage is “the most valuable property on the backlot.” It’s the only one with a connected locker room, green space, and offices. Any long term production will clamor for it. Don’t expect it to automatically become park space.

 

[Nick]

But, chatting about this with my wife (who was a BMG tech), that soundstage is “the most valuable property on the backlot.” It’s the only one with a connected locker room, green space, and offices. Any long term production will clamor for it. Don’t expect it to automatically become park space.

Yup, if they can't find a way to get a replacement, bigger productions would LOVE this soundstage. Now the green room in their is actually quite small, but it does have all of the works. 18 (BMG) is connects to a building that has the office spaces and Green room, etc, but another valuable thing is that it connects directly to 19, without having to go outside.

Productions tend to use 19, 20 and 21 most of the time right now (sometimes 25, too). By giving 18 to Productions, they can run with 18, 19 and 20 and then offer 21 as a last resort. This would benefit both Production and HHN as keeping 21 for them is probably something they'd like. I mean, maybe 18 would be used for HHN, but I just sort of doubt production would let that happen unless there's no productions scheduled for that time.

At the same time here, it'd be beneficial to put a show in there because it already has that lobby built. If this goes back to being a production facility rather than show venue, they are either tearing out that lobby for more soundstage space or they would shift and build offices, green room, etc where the lobby currently is.

 

[GAcoaster]

^ with enough money, anything is possible. And if the show going in can easily recoup its investment, all the better.

 

[Nick]

^ with enough money, anything is possible. And if the show going in can easily recoup its investment, all the better.

I didn't say anything that there was anything that wouldn't be possible, obviously with enough money you can do whatever you want, basically.

I do think that the preferred thing Universal would like to do though is replace it with another Third-party run show. Unless the area becomes part of the park again, I don't expect Universal to operate anything out of there unless they have a very unique idea. BMG never was overly popular and they were always basically giving tickets away to Team Members.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I didn't say it wasn't. And I do think that the preferred thing Universal would like to do is replace it with another Third-party run show. Unless the area becomes part of the park again, I don't expect Universal to operate anything out of there unless they have a very unique idea. BMG never was overly popular and they were always basically giving tickets away to Team Members.

We always got our tickets day of, no problems. Use the side exit at USF, grab some tix, head back to the hotel.