Yesterday was my first visit to UO in months (Mardi Gras was my last), and I came away with two impressions significant to this topic--
- The scale of the construction for the new stuff in KZ is much more impressive in person than in pictures. I don't think most people realize how much space is there and how the makeover will fill that space with so much more than it had. Even if the number and types of actual "attractions" remains the same, the scale and density of new features will really change the whole thing for the better.
- Minion Land is a perfect example of how some really simple plussing and updating can go a LONG way. Similar to Kid Zone there's nothing really new about it (one attraction replaced another), but the food, the merchandise, the color, the LIFE added to that area went so far beyond what it could have been with just a new ride. Yesterday was a Thursday with HHN, but the stores and restaurants were busy and guests of all ages with varying degrees of exposure to the franchise were all enjoying the aspects of the land.
Universal has created a pretty successful blueprint for turning simple attractions and makeovers into more than they might appear on paper. I have confidence Dreamworks will do something similar as well as offer something aimed at younger guests that is noticeably lacking at the moment.