King Kong Speculation Thread

[Andy]

so off the bat it will cost more than FJ...but will continuously have to employ live actors, maintain unprecedented animatronics, and keep up with the largest and most advanced vehicles on property? They'd be creating a money pit.

It sounds cool, albeit expensive. It just seems a little too good to be true. They demolished another classic (with arguably more merchandise appeal) to make room for a proven IP and to cut down on huge operational costs just a couple of years ago. Why, I wonder, are they repeating that model?

I can assure this attraction would be WAY different than the old Kong. Not to mention were talking Universal here, not Disney. These guys don't pay $100 bucks for a hammer... I guess time will tell though. Hey if I'm wrong whatever, at least you guys had something cool to talk about :thumbs:

 

[TylerDurden]

I can assure this attraction would be WAY different than the old Kong. Not to mention were talking Universal here, not Disney. These guys don't pay $100 bucks for a hammer... I guess time will tell though. Hey if I'm wrong whatever, at least you guys had something cool to talk about :thumbs:

I'm not trying to call you out or predict you're wrong...I love having stuff to discuss. It just seems really odd. But you're right, Universal's a different park so we sure will see.

In any case, I suppose that even if the property does lack draw, it can't *not* make money because of all the traffic it'll get just from HP. Even if people aren't coming to see Kong, they're coming in droves to see Potter and will stop along the way. Maybe the whole marketing strategy is to give people coming for Potter a reason to come back. It'll be interesting to see how this all pans out.

EDIT: But the money pit attraction I was referring to wasn't the original Kong, but Jaws

 

[Cupcakes]

One of the biggest things that made Kongfrontation such a huge money pit was the fact that it had an extremely unreliable ride system, so that's obviously something Universal would avoid doing when making a new Kong attraction.

 

[Felipe]

Thanks for the clarifications, HTF! :thumbs:

MIA: Finally you have the rider abduction. Yes its happening, but I never said where, when, or how. I will say this though, their will be NO contact of any effect, harness, or mechanics coming into contact with the RV nor the actor. I will also go as far as saying when it happens, its going to catch you completely off guard...

Trapdoor?

Hey if I'm wrong whatever, at least you guys had something cool to talk about :thumbs:

Exactly and to that!

 

[DufflesMcGee]

When you say EMV vehicle, do you mean something what we will be riding on, or something that is just there i the queue? Im confused on the indian Jones special effects, only indiana jones i know of is in DHS. This one sounds like a ride you are talking about. Then you talk about the great movie ride, which I havent seen in a long time, but where you have actual people in RVs driving? So which do we ride in, the RV or EMV? or both? lol


MIA: Finally you have the rider abduction. Yes its happening, but I never said where, when, or how. I will say this though, their will be NO contact of any effect, harness, or mechanics coming into contact with the RV nor the actor. I will also go as far as saying when it happens, its going to catch you completely off guard...

So by this you mean your guide will be abducted. If there is no contact whatsoever then how does this work?

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I'm not trying to call you out or predict you're wrong...I love having stuff to discuss. It just seems really odd. But you're right, Universal's a different park so we sure will see.

In any case, I suppose that even if the property does lack draw, it can't *not* make money because of all the traffic it'll get just from HP. Even if people aren't coming to see Kong, they're coming in droves to see Potter and will stop along the way. Maybe the whole marketing strategy is to give people coming for Potter a reason to come back. It'll be interesting to see how this all pans out.

EDIT: But the money pit attraction I was referring to wasn't the original Kong, but Jaws

Nostalgia will bring millions to see kong

 

[UNIrd]

$100-$150 million sounds perfect. Universal can do incredible stuff for that kind of money.

Speaking of other iconic film characters that debuted in the 1930's, what's the budget for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train these days? Are you guys also scratching your heads over why Disney would invest in that property, a film which hasn't even seen a direct-to-video sequel in 80 years? Or are you clutching your Happy plushies as we speak?

 

[Cupcakes]

Speaking of other iconic film characters that debuted in the 1930's, what's the budget for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train these days? Are you guys also scratching your heads over why Disney would invest in that property, a film which hasn't even seen a direct-to-video sequel in 80 years? Or are you clutching your Happy plushies as we speak?

That's not really a fair comparison though since Snow White is a part of the Disney Princesses brand, a franchise which makes billions every year...

 

[Andy]

When you say EMV vehicle, do you mean something what we will be riding on, or something that is just there i the queue? Im confused on the indian Jones special effects, only indiana jones i know of is in DHS. This one sounds like a ride you are talking about. Then you talk about the great movie ride, which I havent seen in a long time, but where you have actual people in RVs driving? So which do we ride in, the RV or EMV? or both? lol


MIA: Finally you have the rider abduction. Yes its happening, but I never said where, when, or how. I will say this though, their will be NO contact of any effect, harness, or mechanics coming into contact with the RV nor the actor. I will also go as far as saying when it happens, its going to catch you completely off guard...

So by this you mean your guide will be abducted. If there is no contact whatsoever then how does this work?

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Nostalgia will bring millions to see kong

Something like this just not as aggressive a ride profile and much similar to the level of theming...

[video=youtube;COc50rgFkOw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COc50rgFkOw[/video]

 

[JungleSkip]

Sorry. Not even UC can pull off giant convincing AAs in a ride that size for under 200 mill. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but there's no way that happens

 

[badlactose]

Thanks for the info, HTF!

The ride really does sound spectacular.

Regarding the 'abduction' effect, I agree with Felipe; I immediately thought of a trapdoor.
Maybe the driver will 'abandon' the passengers in fear during a Kong attack and step off the ride vehicle to hide in a crate. Hey presto, the guide disappears into a trapdoor, while Kong picks up the crate and hefts it into the air?

 

[DufflesMcGee]

No, Comcast wants to do something unprecedented. The real abduction of a live cast member.

I wouldnt be surprised if they use KUKU robotic arms to capture the guide with the use of lasers, GPS, some kind of tracker which will tell the arm where to grab the guide.

 

[JungleSkip]

No, Comcast wants to do something unprecedented. The real abduction of a live cast member.

I wouldnt be surprised if they use KUKU robotic arms to capture the guide with the use of lasers, GPS, some kind of tracker which will tell the arm where to grab the guide.

Good one.

 

[DufflesMcGee]

Good one.

A man can Dream
Included in these dreams is a third gate

 

[Cupcakes]

Nostalgia will bring millions to see kong

I think you're overestimating the power of nostalgia a bit there. Sure, nostalgia can bring in a certain chunk of people, but millions? Doubtful.

A man can Dream
Included in these dreams is a third gate

A third gate actually isn't beyond the realm of possibility...

 

[Andy]

Sorry. Not even UC can pull off giant convincing AAs in a ride that size for under 200 mill. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but there's no way that happens

My ace in the hole Skip, Ace in the hole :sneaky:

 

[Jymmymack]

We're getting real, real outlandish with the abduction scenarios

Let's take a more rational approach guys. It's got to be something that can fit in the budget of a ride that has multiple AAs and an EMV ride system. It's going to be simple, cost-efficient, but theatrical.

 

[JungleSkip]

My ace in the hole Skip, Ace in the hole :sneaky:

Trust me, I will love to be wrong. But I don't see them being able to pull off CONVINCING AAs with a budget that low.

 

[TylerDurden]

Sorry. Not even UC can pull off giant convincing AAs in a ride that size for under 200 mill. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but there's no way that happens

If FJ was under 100 million, it included 0 giant animatronics, 50% sets, only a few of which were realized to 360 degrees, and a castle queue. As well as a never before seen ride system.

Now for a comparable price, we are looking at a modified version of an expensive ride system, a never-before-seen "abduction" effect, a temple queue, 100% 360 degree full sets, AND at least one gigantic animatronic ape.

Should this come to fruition, I would imagine that something would have to get cut to keep the budget at just over $100 million

 

[ChrisFL]

what if they re-use the old Kong AA's and "plus" them a bit?

What happened to those old AA's anyway? do we know where they are?

 

[Jymmymack]

If FJ was under 100 million, it included 0 giant animatronics, 50% sets, only a few of which were realized to 360 degrees, and a castle queue. As well as a never before seen ride system.

Now for a comparable price, we are looking at a modified version of an expensive ride system, a never-before-seen "abduction" effect, a temple queue, 100% 360 degree full sets, AND at least one gigantic animatronic ape.

Should this come to fruition, I would imagine that something would have to get cut to keep the budget at just over $100 million

Well he said it was below $200, but significantly higher than $100. That implies to me somewhere in the $130-$150 range.

And since when has the abduction been labeled as a never before scene crazy effect??? We're blowing that out of proportion based on the things WE'RE hyping.

In fact, there are other humans on Skull Island who like to abduct people to sacrifice to Kong...