Hello Kitty Expansion Rumors

[tankart150]

I feel like a Tokyo area featuring 1-2 Hello Kitty flat rides, Japanese quick & table service restaurants, shops based off Japanese culture and media, and a Godzilla inverted dark ride would be an actually pretty decent replacement for Springfield and World Expo together. But Hello Kitty getting anything more than that would be a terrible call.

MIB is the only reason I visit Universal.

 

[Teebin]

MIB is the only reason I visit Universal.

Are you serious?

 

[tankart150]

Are you serious?

Yes
I would be going to Walt Disney World otherwise. And I’m an annual pass holder there as well.
Although there are other great attractions that I go on like Spider-Man, Mummy, and T2 (RIP!)

 

[Imperius]

Don’t really care about Hello Kitty, but we can stop yelling for BTTF to come back. It’s not and it would be lazy if they did. They would have to reuse the old video since everyone from the movie is far past what they were then. I love BTTF, but it’s not coming back to Springfield.

 

[SeventyOne]

@SeventyOne knows things.

I know nothing. Well, I do know people ...

But seriously, all I posted before is all I heard. Replacement for Simpsons? I guess kinda jibes with what I was told, geography-wise. And even if the contract runs to 2027--hell, even if the show runs to 2027--the Simpsons IP is on its downward slope, in an aging, very rough ride. By contrast, HK has proven herself evergreen at this point.

Also I would take this as a tacit admission by UOR that they see Mario/Donkey Kong as a "boys" IP (tho despite having no evidence one way or the other I fully expect Badz Maru and Pochacco to show up in the land as well ... no judging, my best friend used to own a Sanrio store). HK could balance out the gender and age inequality.

So that's one. If we get confirmation on that HHN rumor, I might feel confident enough to drop the bigger bombshells Santa gifted me.

 

[jtsalien]

This makes sense for Japan. Not in the USA.

I don't want to live in a world where we can have Hello Kitty rides in Orlando but not Doctor Who.

 

[UNIrd]

This makes sense for Japan. Not in the USA.

Exactly. After this, we'd have to rebrand the park Universal Studios Japan East.

 

[quinnmac000]

Well Universal might as well cancel Nintendo land since people don't want Japanese IPs in the park.

 

[UNIrd]

Well Universal might as well cancel Nintendo land since people don't want Japanese IPs in the park.

No one said that. There is a relevancy we have to question about a whole Hello Kitty land in the domestic parks. But if the brand pushes merch, the brand pushes merch and that will be the true deciding factor.

 

[quinnmac000]

No one said that. There is a relevancy we have to question about a whole Hello Kitty land in the domestic parks. But if the brand pushes merch, the brand pushes merch and that will be the true deciding factor.

In 2014, when Sanrio celebrated Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary, the company ranked sixth on License! Global's list of Top 150 global licensors with $6.5 billion in retail sales. That wasn't far behind Mattel, at No. 5 with its $9 billion in retail sales. Both companies pale in comparison to Walt Disney Co., which topped the list with retail sales of $45.2 billion.

Hello Kitty, the global brand that's cute, flies and packs museums

If Hello Kitty is successful enough to host a convention in cali, Universal to build another one in Hollywood I'm pretty sure Universal knows better than most the success of the store. Just because when people are there, it seems empty doesn't mean they are pushing merch.

You ever wonder why the parks are now including Lunar New Year and why Kung Fu Panda is going to the dreamworks theatre first?

The lack of your interest doesn't equal no interest. Right now there is a continued upward wave of Asian pop culture interest in the United states.

 

[chewbacca1995]

I think Japan as a Springfield and MIB/Springfield expansion pad replacement/addition would work, but an entire Hello Kitty area with an E-ticket, flat ride and several dining locations (can't see the FFB/Duff area being removed entirely given the revenue they bring in?) would be overkill IMO.

An urban Japan setting (mixed with fantasy/sci-fi, of course) would be a better long-term decision on Universal's part since it won't be limited to one niche female-centric franchise.

A good Japan-based area might be:
Hello Kitty play area, store and 2 flat rides (carousel and balloon race) in part of Springfield expansion pad
Godzilla E-ticket in rest of expansion pad
Pokémon replaces Springfield (Simpsons Ride torn down for 10-minute, classic-style family dark ride), new Twirl n' Hurl style flat with various flying/legendary Pokémon added
New path to SNW built behind Pokémon dark ride (themed as a Mt. Moon walkthrough with interactive Pokémon encounters and Team Rocket mini-shows)

 

[quinnmac000]

I think Japan as a Springfield and MIB/Springfield expansion pad replacement/addition would work, but an entire Hello Kitty area with an E-ticket, flat ride and several dining locations (can't see the FFB/Duff area being removed entirely given the revenue they bring in?) would be overkill IMO.

An urban Japan setting (mixed with fantasy/sci-fi, of course) would be a better long-term decision on Universal's part since it won't be limited to one niche female-centric franchise.

A good Japan-based area might be:
Hello Kitty play area, store and 2 flat rides (carousel and balloon race) in part of Springfield expansion pad
Godzilla E-ticket in rest of expansion pad
Pokémon replaces Springfield (Simpsons Ride torn down for 10-minute, classic-style family dark ride), new Twirl n' Hurl style flat with various flying/legendary Pokémon added
New path to SNW built behind Pokémon dark ride (themed as a Mt. Moon walkthrough with interactive Pokémon encounters and Team Rocket mini-shows)

I agree its going to be a Japanese area with minilands. I think it would probably be a Hello Kitty Miniland with store, a restaurant and an area with multiple flat and small D ticket similiar to whats already done in Japan.

I think they would grab their Shonen Jump rights and add a Shonen Jump area with One Piece and DragonBall being represented and characters from other series for meet and greets.

Lastly, I think Universal would utilize rights of the Japanese properties they own.

I don't think they will touch Godzilla. Godzilla's rights are way more complicated as it has to go through Toho if they do Shin Godzilla but thats pure japanese cinema and if they do the WB version it has to go through Toho and Warner Bros. Nor do I think they would do Pokemon as I think they would save that for something bigger.

 

[Magic-Man]

What about Pacific Rim?

 

[Frank Drackman]

Hello Kitty already has a theme park in Japan.

Before I met my wife, I knew nothing of this brand, but she has loved it for like 30 years. I doubt the store does poorly.

It is a big IP loved by moms and their daughters. I could see UNI seeing this as a balanced family area if they were to have HK and Mario over there.

 

[zg44]

What about Pacific Rim?

Let's see how 2nd movie does first.

 

[captainmoch]

Well, if this is for a full Hello Kitty land, I don't think anything Universal could announce could possibly interest me less. And I like Hello Kitty. She's a cute and iconic character. But in no way does she support a full land at all.

 

[Disneyhead]

I'd like for HK to just take over Krustyland and Nintendo taking over Fast Food Blvd.

Remove the Simpson's show building, retheme the spinner, add a carousel where the banners are, and add an outdoor boat ride in the vein of Storybook Canal in Disneyland. Done.

 

[JoeCamel]

I'd like for HK to just take over Krustyland and Nintendo taking over Fast Food Blvd.

Remove the Simpson's show building, retheme the spinner, add a carousel where the banners are, and add an outdoor boat ride in the vein of Storybook Canal in Disneyland. Done.

But - but Moe's and Duff gardens??

 

[Disneyhead]

But - but Moe's and Duff gardens??

They'll be at Epcot.

 

[JoeCamel]

They'll be at Epcot.

Double the price for half the serving.......... sigh..........