Epic Universe Expansion Speculation

[Collin]

Thank you for the non-answer. Knockturn is around because it's a part of Diagon, and that speaks for itself. This is more akin to "We need the Shrieking Shack!" during the Hogsmeade expansion talks.

What I'm trying to say is that Universal needs to be strategic with its space. We all agree that Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road are essential components of any Oz expansion.

For those advocating for the inclusion - again...Why? What attractions or activities would make its addition worthwhile other than "Hey, it's a known location in the book/play!"

Shiz Dining Hall, and Student Store for uniforms and stationery. There are boats in the movie so I think something themed to a field trip where you learn and see different flora and fauna of Oz would be cool. It would be one way to get some other locations if they don't want to build them in the land. The queue could take you through some of the classrooms and maybe even have a preshow with Dr. Dillamond. Also the Ozdust Ballroom is nearby so there's another thing that could be included as part of Shiz. A simple boat ride is something universal could use.

 

[Brian G.]

Shiz Dining Hall, and Student Store for uniforms and stationery. There are boats in the movie so I think something themed to a field trip where you learn and see different flora and fauna of Oz would be cool. It would be one way to get some other locations if they don't want to build them in the land. The queue could take you through some of the classrooms and maybe even have a preshow with Dr. Dillamond. Also the Ozdust Ballroom is nearby so there's another thing that could be included as part of Shiz. A simple boat ride is something universal could use.

That sounds great for Wicked/Oz theme park, but you're not gonna get that kind of dedicated space to Shiz in an expansion land.

 

[Palutena]

The usual primary issue with "the fans will never be satisfied without [literally basically everything from the series being represented]" is that that's true about just about any fanbase and ip/catalog of products. There was a time where it was routinely stated "Nintendo Fans" would not be satisfied with a Nintendo Land unless it not only had mario, zelda, pokemon, but also animal crossing, splatoon,metroid, kirby, star fox, fire emblem, etc etc. There are still places on the internet you can go where Nintendo fans will tell you this is the case too, cause most fans of a thing truly would prefer if thing they liked got a whole theme park to itself. There was a time people insisted not only should we have Jurassic Park at universal but also Jurassic World added as its own separate land in Epic Universe distinct from Jurassic Park in IOA.

This is to say compromises almost always have to be made largely cause theme parks are places that have to appeal to more than just superfans of specific franchises and also are limited by real world space. Inevitably fans usually accept reality and are relatively satisfied (or a land still knocks it out of the park with these compromises). Anyways, I've been following the Wicked-mania as someone who has never really engaged with the play or have read the book and have just seen the movie. Of the stuff from the movie and as close to "General Public" for this as a forum like this gets Emerald City stood out to me more than Shiz in terms of spaces that would be interesting as a theme park land. Outside of the library scene Shiz just felt like well, a fancy school and nothing in the movie at least drew me in as like "this is a school i want to go to". Also looking at videos of the current store for Wicked that exists I feel again a lot of what most people (and not superfans) want out of the "Shiz" part of this is already represented there in merch, food, a meet n greet of elphaba and glinda, and the replica of their room? Like maybe do something with the Ozdust ball but that could be done in a ride that "goes through the movie/play"?

 

[Alicia]

—The Simpsons are getting a land, it must include their house, right? Surely the Nuclear Power Plant then? Perhaps the elementary school? Really??! None of that in the land.

—That’s like where 90% of the stories take place!

Sure, but it’s not where the ride is set. Because the story calls for a framing device and then we can pass by those locations while on the ride.

—But just passing by will not do them justice, we need to be able to walk around the Simpsons house, it’s so iconic!!

 

[Collin]

—The Simpsons are getting a land, it must include their house, right? Surely the Nuclear Power Plant then? Perhaps the elementary school? Really??! None of that in the land.

—That’s like where 90% of the stories take place!

Sure, but it’s not where the ride is set. Because the story calls for a framing device and then we can pass by those locations while on the ride.

—But just passing by will not do them justice, we need to be able to walk around the Simpsons house, it’s so iconic!!

I get your point but those locations don’t lend themselves to having attractions built around them.

I’ve already said Universal can surely find a way to include other locations in clever ways if they don’t want to fully realize them.

But the expansion plot we are talking about at Epic has the space to include two locations if not three. It only gets tricky when you have to put Wicked in the current parks.

 

[TheUniC6]

FWIW, apparently there is a small group of people within WDI who have a vision for Simpsons at DHS Per WDWMagic.

Considering the metrics Disney uses to decide what IPs get lands at their parks stem from D+ views and merchandise potential, perhaps a Simpsons land might not be too far fetched.

 

[Legacy]

I get your point but those locations don’t lend themselves to having attractions built around them.

I’ve already said Universal can surely find a way to include other locations in clever ways if they don’t want to fully realize them.

But the expansion plot we are talking about at Epic has the space to include two locations if not three. It only gets tricky when you have to put Wicked in the current parks.

A nuclear plant doesn’t lend itself to an attraction?

You do realize there is nothing at Shiz, attraction-wise, that you can’t do in Emerald City. And the only uniquely Shiz thing you recommend (school uniforms) is a merch choice IDENTICAL to Hogwarts. Nothing critical to the musical requires a dining hall. In fact, the most important aspect of Gillikin as a city (again, where the Shiz school is located, is the Oz Dust. And that can easily exist in the Emerald City (just like Ollivander’s in Hogsmeade).

You think they couldn’t have boats in the Emerald City? You think they couldn’t have a Dillamond animatronic on a ride that starts in the Emerald City?

You think it wouldn’t be more impactful to see a CAGED Dillamond in the Emerald City?

Shiz, its whole vibe and aesthetic, is too similar to Potter. Emerald City? That’s a horse of a different color.

 

[quinnmac000]

They just need a grand reveal moment that hits people in the feels for the Emerald city and it will work out.


Within the Emerald City, Universal has the Oz Players who can put on mini versions of Wicked, the Wiz, Wizard of Oz on a stage in a fantasmic level show so you get two that they easily have access to performed and an original stage version of Wizard of OZ. Then a flying over Oz attraction d ticket and an e ticket n defying gravity indoor coaster combined the Monsters Unchained tech into a coaster car where you attack the wizard and the guards with the flying monkeys and Elphaba to save a character that is meaningful in Elphaba in part 2. Move Oz dust to a underground speakeasy bar within the city, set up a emerald shiz university store so people can still do their shiz university cosplay and try to do the what's this feeling choreo with the books which is bound to happen.

 

[belloq87]

The fact that much of this conversation might as well be in a foreign language to me again pushes me to advocate for Universal -- should they want to put WICKED in the parks -- sticking with the elements of WICKED that have the most crossover with big elements most people recognize from THE WIZARD OF OZ (i.e. the Emerald City, the yellow brick road, characters presented as close to their classic counterparts as the WICKED story and movie design choices allow for).

I don't see any way Universal would have another magic school at Universal Orlando (as a focal point of a land or attraction, anyway).

 

[DrStarlander]

I like the ideas of Wicked/Oz and LOTR as park lands but I think both may be too redundant with IPs and vibes already in Epic Universe (Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, Dark Universe)...these include castle-esque Euro aesthetic architecture, fantasy, magic, dragons, wizards.

(Not all these are shared among all five IPs but there are varying aspects in common, for example all five are arguably fantasy and all five have Euro-based architecture; several have wizards; several have dragons; several have magic. I realize they're each distinctive but in the realm of possible theme park lands they seem relatively adjacent compared to other options.)

I'd prefer the Epic expansion to be an IP that brings a totally different milieu to the park, like jungle or old west or ice-scape or futuristic or Asian or pirate.

My vote is for a 1960s Tokyo with an "epic" (the biggest show building ever!) action-packed dark ride attraction featuring massive (30-40 foot tall) animatronics of Godzilla, Megalon, Mothra battling it out with fire and lasers and bursts of sparks in a huge model city as we fly around them. Plus the land would have sushi, ramen, a pachinko parlor, cool Japanese merch and an amazing nighttime vibe with neon and illuminated signs. Having a very distinctive land like this will make the park feel bigger.

 

[Milo Davis]

Emerald city and the yellow brick road is the pitch. MAYBE a little bit of munchkin land. These are universally known visuals that draw people in - truely no one cares about visiting Shiz or the castle. A generic fantasy school and evil witch tower are a waste of space and would diminish the visual impact you need the road and city to be if this were to work.

 

[Milo Davis]

My vote is for a 1960s Tokyo with an "epic" (the biggest show building ever!) action-packed dark ride attraction featuring massive (30-40 foot tall) animatronics of Godzilla, Megalon, Mothra battling it out with fire and lasers and bursts of sparks in a huge model city as we fly around them. Plus the land would have sushi, ramen, a pachinko parlor, cool Japanese merch and an amazing nighttime vibe with neon and illuminated signs. Having a very distinctive land like this will make the park feel bigger.

This would never happen, I feel like the costs and rights would be too much of a mind farfanoogin - but this sounds incredible

 

[TheUniC6]

I like the ideas of Wicked/Oz and LOTR as park lands but I think both are too redundant with IPs and vibes already in Epic Universe (Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, Dark Universe)...gray stone, castle-esque structures, Euro-centric stories, dragons, wizards.

The Epic expansion needs an IP that brings a totally different milieu to the park, like jungle or old west or ice-scape or futuristic or Asian or pirate. My vote is for a 1960s Tokyo with an "epic" (the biggest show building ever!) action-packed dark ride attraction featuring massive (30-40 foot tall) animatronics of Godzilla, Megalon, Mothra battling it out with fire and lasers and bursts of sparks in a huge model city as we fly around them. Plus the land would have sushi, ramen, a pachinko parlor, cool Japanese merch and an amazing nighttime vibe with neon and illuminated signs. Having a very distinctive land like this will make the park feel bigger.

That's why I think Oz should go in IOA. Heck I could even see them fast tracking it over Zelda. But whether or not it would go in IOA would depend on whether or not Universal would think it would overlap too much with Potter.

 

[soilsigh]

Ok, so I've never read the books on Wicked, nor have I seen the play. My sister and mom have seen the play and they always talked very highly about it. Although, I have seen Broadway musicals like Assassins, Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, Avenue Q, and The Producers, nothing about Wicked ever attracted me to the story. I have seen Wizard of Oz as I was a film student and that movie did amazing things for color in film history. Plus, Judy Garland's song is some powerful stuff.

Just saw Wicked part 1 yesterday, and I was flabbergasted. Never expected to like it but was highly impressed by it. I understand people saying shiz university is not necessary. Prior to seeing the film, I would have said the same thing. If Universal could only build one, then yes it should be Emerald City. Yet, that wouldn't capitalize on the Wicked part 1 film, which is the reason we are even having this conversation now. Wizard of Oz has been around for 85 years and Universal hasn't been able to get the theme park rights for the film. I don't know if they even tried. I'm sure you all would know that answer.

If this themed land does come to fruition, it is going to be based off of the popularity of the Wicked movies. With the amount of money and popularity the movie is making I would think Universal would want to please the Wicked fans, same way they have pleased Harry Potter fans. As a first time watcher, it seemed to me based on my interest and the reactions of the audience watching the movie, the songs "popular" and the one in the library "dancing through life" are pretty iconic and seem ripe for small stage acts in the land. (apologize to the fans if those arent the names of the songs) Both of them occurring at shiz university. In fact, Most of the movie of Wicked part 1 takes place at shiz university. I would say 2/3 of the movie is at Shiz university. It seems strange that they would not capitalize on how well this movie is doing with its most used location.

Plus, I wouldn't mind seeing a version of this place in person. The spiraling walls in the library would make a great backdrop for a stage act. Ju

Just my two cents