Diagon Alley USH

[k_peek_2000]

I think USJ will be the first park to get Nintendo . Most likely we won't see Nintendo come To USH around 2020

That seems to be what most folk think. Japan will get the first version, then the states will come later.

 

[Alexshow.]

If its by a week or two that Japan gets it first and then Orlando, possibly; but I can't see Japan getting it first, even if it is the homeland of Nintendo.


Back to the topic of hand (that's what the Nintendo topic is for..), Diagon.

 

[Allen The Actor]

I think the fact that Comcast just took a majority stake in USJ and also pledged expansion, and Nintendo is from Japan, I feel that we'll see construction start ASAP over there on Nintendo. But that doesn't mean that it'll affect our timelines.

 

[Jonathan]

My money is on Diagon first, followed by Nintendo. Just a guess.

 

[Al2020]

It's just very difficult to know where exactly Diagon Alley could be built . The lower lot needs a lot of work to be done !!!!

 

[Red Carpet]

One place that seems like a good location for a big land in the future is here.

 

[k_peek_2000]

There is plenty of land in that spot though the elevation change in the middle could be problematic. You also need to figure out how to get guests behind Forbidden Journey, the Studio Tour and City Walk to a London facade without breaking theme...

 

[Al2020]

One place that seems like a good location for a big land in the future is here.

That would be the perfect space for Diagon Alley !!!!!

 

[Imdbman]

The Lower Lot is such a mess and the theming is not on par with the current Upper Lot, so it would be a delight to see Diagon Alley there.  Many people also don't like taking the Starway and Shrek is being surrounded completely by Potter theming.  A Hogsmeade station would be a perfect repurposing of the Shrek building.  It's such an eyesore to see the Panda Express and Despicable Me themed store, plus the Universal Experience is being knocked down.  I compared that area to Diagon Alley on Google Maps and I wonder if they can repurpose the NBC Universal/ Panda Express area as London and maybe part of Diagon Alley.  With the current Soundstage 28 knocked down and 4 adjacent Soundstages next to the Lower Lot rumored to be knocked down, they could easily make room for more of Diagon Alley and Gringotts.

Oe big problem with this is that they already have a "Baker Street" themed area in the Upper Lot and it may be slightly strange to have two "Londons" in the park unless they connect them/ correlate them somehow.

Potential USH Space for Diagon Alley:

Florida's Diagon Alley:

 

[Alexshow.]

It was said by ParkscopeJoe on the OU forums (and multiple sources here on USHForums) that Diagon will not be over at SS28, due to 28 being the rumored location for TSLoP.

 

[Imdbman]

It was said by ParkscopeJoe on the OU forums (and multiple sources here on USHForums) that Diagon will not be over at SS28, due to 28 being the rumored location for TSLoP.

Really!? Interesting, maybe the other soundstages excluding S28.  Remind me, what's TSLoP?

 

[raffman]

I honestly think the mummy and what ever is behind it is going to be the place to put it. Waterwold to small and a cluster ****. Stuido tour...well that's just to small and will break theme. So yeah for me the mummy location makes sense

 

[DeliciousOatmeal]

Really!? Interesting, maybe the other soundstages excluding S28.  Remind me, what's TSLoP?

The Secret Life of Pets

 

[Chris]

Screams cape is saying that plans are on for Diagonal as we've heard. Apparently, they're wanting it to replace Water World, according to Screamscape. They also want to open it in 2018.

I'm excited, but not a fan of the location. That would mean no Hogwarts express.

I believe that DA is coming to USH... my bets are on Lower Lot and in place of the Mummy.  However, I also slightly believe we will not get the Hogwarts Express option although I really think that we need it!

 

[RyanTTD]

I still think that Falls Lake, War of The Worlds, Whoville, and Bates Motel/Psycho House are not long for this world.

That is the perfect place for Diagon Alley and if you demolish Waterworld you would have enough space for the Hogwarts Express station and possibly room for another attraction for Hogsmeade.

 

[Wesker69]

You bite your blasphemous tongue! The Bates Motel/Psycho house have been relocated twice on the backlot, pretty sure that they'd relocate them a 3rd time rather than demolishing.

And honestly, you forget one key thing about Falls Lake... they still use it for filming. Its not going anywhere anytime soon unless they decide to use it for another new attraction for the Studio Tour.

Also, they just built Supercharged, they're not going to wipe out those 4 areas of the backlot just to build DA after having just spent a crap ton of money for a crappy new studio tour attraction.

 

[RyanTTD]

You bite your blasphemous tongue! The Bates Motel/Psycho house have been relocated twice on the backlot, pretty sure that they'd relocate them a 3rd time rather than demolishing.

And honestly, you forget one key thing about Falls Lake... they still use it for filming. Its not going anywhere anytime soon unless they decide to use it for another new attraction for the Studio Tour.

Also, they just built Supercharged, they're not going to wipe out those 4 areas of the backlot just to build DA after having just spent a crap ton of money for a crappy new studio tour attraction.

Universal would not have to touch Supercharged. There is enough room for both DA and SC to co exist.

As for filming, aside from the Tom Hanks movie that was filming there recently, when was the last time you've seen Falls Lake used for filming? For the past 3 or 4 years that area has been mostly used for tram storage and offices for all  the construction projects throughout the park.

Remember, it wasn't that long ago that Universal was willing to bulldoze that entire area for residential housing. Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they expand the theme park into that area.   

A theme park land that operates 365 days a year has to have more value than a portion of the backlot that sits un used most of the year.

 

[HereWeGo]

If DA is coming to USH, how long of a gap do you think they would put between the opening of Hogsmead in April and the announcement that DA is coming? Would they wait a full year before officially saying they're going forward with it? If they want to open it by 2018 (which isn't impossible but I doubt it would be built that soon) they would need to start construction pretty soon, wouldn't they?

 

[RyanTTD]

I'd say 15 months out from grand opening is when Universal would make an announcement. With Orlando they made the announcement for the land in Dec 2013.

I don't think it will be like 2011 where we got the announcement almost 5 years before opening simply because back then the Evolution Plan had yet to be approved.

I think it would awesome if they took a page from Apple and during media day in April pull a "one more thing" and announce it then.

 

[Karas]

I don't think it will be like 2011 where we got the announcement almost 5 years before opening simply because back then the Evolution Plan had yet to be approved.

Technically it was leaked... They formally announced it in 2013, like you said.

If DA is coming to USH, how long of a gap do you think they would put between the opening of Hogsmead in April and the announcement that DA is coming? Would they wait a full year before officially saying they're going forward with it? If they want to open it by 2018 (which isn't impossible but I doubt it would be built that soon) they would need to start construction pretty soon, wouldn't they?

I've heard Universal is aiming for a 2018-2019 release date to counter Star Wars land when it officially opens. That's a pretty doable time table given how fast Hogsmeade shot up from Gibson. It also depends on how long until they (finally) close Waterworld and alleviate the space around it as well. Say, if they close it in early Fall, and given that the first rendition took two and a half years, 2018-19 sounds about right.