KidZone Replacement Rumors & Speculation (Pt 2)

[Alicia]

They haven’t even actually announced this phase yet.

 

[Brian G.]

It's not that it "has to be" a one-to-one alternative.

It's that Universal had a chance to do a lot of good for the park with a single project, but they've now decided to very slowly piecemeal their way through improving USF (if that's even how they view it), and given what else is on their plate (EU, eventually returning attention to IOA because it will be that park's "turn" for new things), it's going to take a long, long time to address everything that I think needs to be addressed in USF.

Nobody else seems to feel a sense of urgency about any of that, and that's fine! But I do.



I'd feel much more confident about such a thing if Universal had said "This is just the first part of a larger reimagining of the area."

But they haven’t even said a thing about anything

 

[belloq87]

They haven’t even actually announced this phase yet.

But they haven’t even said a thing about anything

I consider this a de facto announcement:

If you mean they haven't explicitly laid-out what's coming in the area, then sure. And if, at that time, they hint toward something beyond this initial "phase," then I will stand corrected.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Everyone knows diagon alley was de facto announced December 2, 2011.

 

[Brian G.]

I consider this a de facto announcement:

If you mean they haven't explicitly laid-out what's coming in the area, then sure. And if, at that time, they hint toward something beyond this initial "phase," then I will stand corrected.

Which says nothing other than KidZone is leaving and something is coming. Nothing about actual plans.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Isn't this kind of exciting, though? We're a little over a year away from a whole new area of the park, and we know basically nothing.

A year before Hagrid's opened we basically knew the entire layout of the ride.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Isn't this kind of exciting, though? We're a little over a year away from a whole new area of the park, and we know basically nothing.

A year before Hagrid's opened we basically knew the entire layout of the ride.

That'll probably change within a few months.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

But they haven’t even said a thing about anything

Imagine Kidzone just closes… with no immenent replacement.

Would be such a tease… so poetic for this land.

 

[fryoj]

Imagine Kidzone just closes… with no immenent replacement.

Would be such a tease… so poetic for this land.

I want it to go behind walls and then reopen next year with no changes.


Also, I like to watch the world burn.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Imagine Kidzone just closes… with no immenent replacement.

Damned if you damned if you don't.

 

[jarmor]

Was I the only one totally against SNW replacing KZ? It was rumors swirling about a new park and I was just adamant they would not waste a perfect opportunity to have SNW be a flagship IP for it. I was "that guy" on the park's FB page (under everyones comment that said SNW was replacing KZ)speaking from my chest that it was not gonna happen. I am soo glad it's not happening lol.

 

[Alicia]

Was I the only one totally against SNW replacing KZ? It was rumors swirling about a new park and I was just adamant they would not waste a perfect opportunity to have SNW be a flagship IP for it. I was "that guy" on the park's FB page (under everyones comment that said SNW was replacing KZ)speaking from my chest that it was not gonna happen. I am soo glad it's not happening lol.

I mean it was happening for KidZone, until it wasn’t.

But they definitely wanted to have it in the new park more, there was just a concern they weren’t going to get legal permission to start building the park yet.

Yea, it’s going to make a great anchor for Epic. They need the big draw to start, no doubt.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I mean on one hand, I'm sad that SNW didn't go into KidZone because it probably would have opened what.. 1 or 2 years ago?

On the other, building it from the ground up VS fitting it into an existing space is best longterm. I just can't imagine how weird that corner of the park would have looked lol

 

[shiekra38]

I just can't imagine how weird that corner of the park would have looked lol

Well, consider USH and there's your answer

Personally, I don't hate it

Anyone preaching that Universal Studios Florida is somehow thematically consistent and SNW would have broken that is kinda goofy me

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I mean on one hand, I'm sad that SNW didn't go into KidZone because it probably would have opened what.. 1 or 2 years ago?

On the other, building it from the ground up VS fitting it into an existing space is best longterm. I just can't imagine how weird that corner of the park would have looked lol

The plans for the EU version and the USF version are pretty similar.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The plans for the EU version and the USF version are pretty similar.

Per @tommyhawkins and @Alicia EU is ~40k sq ft larger with bigger dining and walking areas.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Per @tommyhawkins and @Alicia EU is ~40k sq ft larger with bigger dining and walking areas.

Yes, that's why I mentioned pretty similar. The bare bones of it all would have been identical with the exception of a few enhancements to fit into EU's layout.

 

[Alicia]

Per @tommyhawkins and @Alicia EU is ~40k sq ft larger with bigger dining and walking areas.

Epic's plans for SNW are about 46,500 sq ft larger than Japan's. A big chunk of the difference is for TM areas on the lower level between Peach's Castle and Toadstool Cafe though, so I averaged the number down as that section is not much of interest to us.

I do believe the former KidZone plans and current Epic plans for SNW are nearly identical though. Like, the only changes are where some of the utility hookups are. Layout is literally just reorientated and plopped down elsewhere after being originally designed for Studios. Why waste all those design dollars?

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Well, consider USH and there's your answer

Personally, I don't hate it

Anyone preaching that Universal Studios Florida is somehow thematically consistent and SNW would have broken that is kinda goofy me

Oh no I'm not saying that - it would have just felt.. strange for a while. Coming around the corner from Springfield and being greeted by a big warp pipe, a Spongebob store and a small skinny path leading to ET, lol

 

[anihilnation]

Epic's plans for SNW are about 46,500 sq ft larger than Japan's. A big chunk of the difference is for TM areas on the lower level between Peach's Castle and Toadstool Cafe though, so I averaged the number down as that section is not much of interest to us.

I do believe the former KidZone plans and current Epic plans for SNW are nearly identical though. Like, the only changes are where some of the utility hookups are. Layout is literally just reorientated and plopped down elsewhere after being originally designed for Studios. Why waste all those design dollars?

It is easy to forget how much space is needed for TM/backstage stuff, or even for maintenance bays etc. I think in the past they did not give stuff like that a lot of thought, so older attractions don't have that much of a TM breakroom, but newer attractions often do. You also need a lot of backstage roads and walkways, as well as access for emergency personnel. Dinning places too, a lot of them have to serve TMs as well, so that requires extra space too. Then there is storage for both merchandise and food and beverage. Hangars for all sorts of stuff. Wardrobe, which is huge; and a wide variety of TM services. Back of house is really complex, and can be quite bewildering to say the least lol.