King Kong Speculation Thread

[JungleSkip]

With all the issues its had over the years, I'm sure there'd be a long line of people at Creative willing to burn Dudley to the ground.

It's a shame Dudley never got a chance to be what it was originally designed to be. But at this point it's better to cut the losses and move on

 

[Cheezbat]

I could see a replacement attraction in Dudley's place, but Popeye is just way too good to get rid of. No rapids ride compares. It had better stay.

Oh, and by removing Dudley, I think they should add a flume style attraction to Studios. It needs a water ride big time.

 

[shiekra38]

Despite the odd theme choice, I actually find Toon Lagoon quite impressive. The area is interactive and fun, with photo ops out the wazoo, and I am always impressed by how they manage to make the music flow in the area, with each comic strip getting a few lines in the same song.
Obviously, though, it is the weakest by popular opinion (aside from MAYBE LC, just because it has no rides or IP connections), and suffers from being too water-oriented, especially when immediately next to the premier water ride on the resort.
I would miss TL, but wouldn't be resistant to a potential retheme. My only issue is what to do with the rides currently there? Both are good rides that could be great with new theming and animatronics. I just wish we could airlift entire rides and space them out better through the resort.

It is a fun land with some unique elements...those elements are just outdated though..and most of them aren't marketable anymore minus Popeye..Seriously, without the land some of those characters would remain in the unknown...that's not good for Universal's image

 

[mainejeff]

I think, when we do see a change, that the majority of the land will be demolished, with only Popeye getting a retheme. That's just a guess on my part, however.

Agreed.

 

[Marni1971]

I think, when we do see a change, that the majority of the land will be demolished, with only Popeye getting a retheme. That's just a guess on my part, however.

That's pretty much a plan from what I was told.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

TL is just not relevant to the target market anymore.....newspapers are dying or dead, and unfortunately the comics are a big part of that.

Not everything at Universal needs to be "hip" and new. Dudley and Popeye are two of the more fun unique rides at the resort. The whole area looks neat and has a different feel to it. I think it could use another attraction, but I really hate the idea of shutting it down. Especially if it just for the sake of updating it with some hip. If it were up to me, I'd demolish the theater and take that land combined with that atrocity of a games area between TL and Marvel to add a new attraction and more photo-ops with chances to get wet.

 

[shiekra38]

Not everything at Universal needs to be "hip" and new. Dudley and Popeye are two of the more fun unique rides at the resort. The whole area looks neat and has a different feel to it. I think it could use another attraction, but I really hate the idea of shutting it down. Especially if it just for the sake of updating it with some hip. If it were up to me, I'd demolish the theater and take that land combined with that atrocity of a games area between TL and Marvel to add a new attraction and more photo-ops with chances to get wet.

Yes, but they do need to be recognizable...i.e. Kong is a classic, but very recognizable

 

[JungleSkip]

That's pretty much a plan from what I was told.

I saw you say you weren't much of a fan of that plan. Still feel that way?

Not everything at Universal needs to be "hip" and new.

There's a difference between "hip" and "anyone having a clue what this is". The vast majority of people don't know who Dudley Do Right is. Hell, I only have vague memories thanks to the cartoons running on Nick at Night when I was a kid.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Not everything at Universal needs to be "hip" and new. Dudley and Popeye are two of the more fun unique rides at the resort. The whole area looks neat and has a different feel to it. I think it could use another attraction, but I really hate the idea of shutting it down. Especially if it just for the sake of updating it with some hip. If it were up to me, I'd demolish the theater and take that land combined with that atrocity of a games area between TL and Marvel to add a new attraction and more photo-ops with chances to get wet.

there is a difference between being "Hip" and being relevant.
what good is having something in the park that most people don't know about or just don't care.

you say "hate the idea of shutting it down. Especially if it just for the sake of updating it with some hip." but I hate even more that some things are left in the parks for nostalgia's sake, when they aren't relevant anymore. Twister should have gone away a Long time ago. That movie was not even That big when it came out, it was big, but it wasn't like this amazing story or anything.

Sometimes I am baffled that they took away King Kong, Back to the Future and now Jaws but Twister is still standing there. Seriously how many hardcore Twister fans are out there? i mean is that ride even that good? how come is still here???

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

there is a difference between being "Hip" and being relevant.
what good is having something in the park that most people don't know about or just don't care.

you say "hate the idea of shutting it down. Especially if it just for the sake of updating it with some hip." but I hate even more that some things are left in the parks for nostalgia's sake, when they aren't relevant anymore. Twister should have gone away a Long time ago. That movie was not even That big when it came out, it was big, but it wasn't like this amazing story or anything.

Sometimes I am baffled that they took away King Kong, Back to the Future and now Jaws but Twister is still standing there. Seriously how many hardcore Twister fans are out there? i mean is that ride even that good? how come is still here???

Well, I will say that while I think Twister is an excellent movie, I also think that some rides (like Twister) are kept there more because they're good rides and people don't even necessarily have to have heard about the movie in order to understand and enjoy the ride, and I think that with Dudley while people may not know about the actual IP it still wouldn't be any different than Splash Mountain, and people will ride it because they'll think it's a fun-looking ride, regardless of what the characters are.

 

[Cwoolboy]

I know I'm not the popular opinion here, but I think Dudley should stay.

 

[TylerDurden]

there is a difference between being "Hip" and being relevant.
what good is having something in the park that most people don't know about or just don't care.

you say "hate the idea of shutting it down. Especially if it just for the sake of updating it with some hip." but I hate even more that some things are left in the parks for nostalgia's sake, when they aren't relevant anymore. Twister should have gone away a Long time ago. That movie was not even That big when it came out, it was big, but it wasn't like this amazing story or anything.

Sometimes I am baffled that they took away King Kong, Back to the Future and now Jaws but Twister is still standing there. Seriously how many hardcore Twister fans are out there? i mean is that ride even that good? how come is still here???

King Kong was largely taken out because of technical difficulties and how costly it was to operate and maintain after all of its issues. Same with Jaws, and add to that the fact that it's being replaced by a gold mine. Back to the Future has less "hardcore fans" than you think...it operated at half-capacity for almost a year before its closure, plus the actual ride itself was difficult on those with the smallest bit of motion sickness. Meanwhile Twister is a large-capacity show that is reliable and gets good numbers/customer satisfaction ratings.

In theme parks it's not quite as simple as leaving open the most popular rides. There are a lot of issues to consider when running these things. Really, the popularity of the IP a ride is based on only matter in its first couple of seasons of operating, for marketing purposes. After that, the ride develops a reputation of its own and its popularity is mostly based on the merits of it as a ride rather than a piece of fandom. And with Twister, it's success as a theme park show (not a movie) is too great to warrant its removal.

 

[shiekra38]

King Kong was largely taken out because of technical difficulties and how costly it was to operate and maintain after all of its issues. Same with Jaws, and add to that the fact that it's being replaced by a gold mine. Back to the Future has less "hardcore fans" than you think...it operated at half-capacity for almost a year before its closure, plus the actual ride itself was difficult on those with the smallest bit of motion sickness. Meanwhile Twister is a large-capacity show that is reliable and gets good numbers/customer satisfaction ratings.

In theme parks it's not quite as simple as leaving open the most popular rides. There are a lot of issues to consider when running these things. Really, the popularity of the IP a ride is based on only matter in its first couple of seasons of operating, for marketing purposes. After that, the ride develops a reputation of its own and its popularity is mostly based on the merits of it as a ride rather than a piece of fandom. And with Twister, it's success as a theme park show (not a movie) is too great to warrant its removal.

Great example would be Mummy...who was watched the movie lately? Bring up the coaster at Universal though and everyone will tell you they love it...I beleive Kong will work the same way...he is recognizable in pop-culture and the ride will no doubt be iconic and build a reputation itself.

 

[UNIrd]

King Kong was largely taken out because of technical difficulties and how costly it was to operate and maintain after all of its issues. Same with Jaws, and add to that the fact that it's being replaced by a gold mine. Back to the Future has less "hardcore fans" than you think...it operated at half-capacity for almost a year before its closure, plus the actual ride itself was difficult on those with the smallest bit of motion sickness. Meanwhile Twister is a large-capacity show that is reliable and gets good numbers/customer satisfaction ratings.

In theme parks it's not quite as simple as leaving open the most popular rides. There are a lot of issues to consider when running these things. Really, the popularity of the IP a ride is based on only matter in its first couple of seasons of operating, for marketing purposes. After that, the ride develops a reputation of its own and its popularity is mostly based on the merits of it as a ride rather than a piece of fandom. And with Twister, it's success as a theme park show (not a movie) is too great to warrant its removal.

Perfectly said. I totally agree. And I'm a hardcore Twister fan, attraction and movie, so take that.

 

[jtsalien]

I know I'm not the popular opinion here, but I think Dudley should stay.

I love Dudley. Always will. I will miss the hell out of it when it's gone. But I still can recognize it's a steaming pile and blemish on the park's image. It's done way to cheaply, so much so it even goes beyond the cartoon's original feel. And the effects are not only broken, but just bad and lame. It's fun. It's a great thrill ride. But it's fate is sealed.

 

[Plastic Person]

Only at a park as elaborate as Islands of Adventure would a ride even as aesthetically pleasing as Dudley be deemed a 'steaming turd'.

 

[youhow2]

This guy^. Much Agree.


No one is saying Dudely is or TL is Bad... But it might be better for IOA as a whole to remove for something that will make people go 0_0. And that's what Uni has been doing lately. Making people go 0_0.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Well, I will say that while I think Twister is an excellent movie, I also think that some rides (like Twister) are kept there more because they're good rides and people don't even necessarily have to have heard about the movie in order to understand and enjoy the ride, and I think that with Dudley while people may not know about the actual IP it still wouldn't be any different than Splash Mountain, and people will ride it because they'll think it's a fun-looking ride, regardless of what the characters are.

well Milla4Prez66 was talking about how Universal is replacing stuff with just "Hip" new things, which is not really the case because there are a lot of Hip new things that they could bring to the park but they havent replace everything yet.

King Kong was largely taken out because of technical difficulties and how costly it was to operate and maintain after all of its issues. Same with Jaws, and add to that the fact that it's being replaced by a gold mine. Back to the Future has less "hardcore fans" than you think...it operated at half-capacity for almost a year before its closure, plus the actual ride itself was difficult on those with the smallest bit of motion sickness. Meanwhile Twister is a large-capacity show that is reliable and gets good numbers/customer satisfaction ratings.

In theme parks it's not quite as simple as leaving open the most popular rides. There are a lot of issues to consider when running these things. Really, the popularity of the IP a ride is based on only matter in its first couple of seasons of operating, for marketing purposes. After that, the ride develops a reputation of its own and its popularity is mostly based on the merits of it as a ride rather than a piece of fandom. And with Twister, it's success as a theme park show (not a movie) is too great to warrant its removal.

that's interesting, thank you for posting.

 

[rhino4evr]

I like Dudley too, but I could see why it may need to go. For one, the park already has 3 water rides. DD is probably the least impressive of the three. It's also falling apart, and really feels like a "cheaper" version of Splash Mountain. The characters are not recognizable to 90% of americans, which is another problem. When you compare it to the other areas in the park, Potter, JP, Seuss, Marvel..these are all huge recognizable franchises that more importantly sell lots of merchandise. I would imagine any kid would rather have a Spiderman, dino, Potter, or even Seuss t-shirt then a Popeye one.

 

[mainejeff]

I love Dudley. Always will. I will miss the hell out of it when it's gone. But I still can recognize it's a steaming pile and blemish on the park's image. It's done way to cheaply, so much so it even goes beyond the cartoon's original feel. And the effects are not only broken, but just bad and lame. It's fun. It's a great thrill ride. But it's fate is sealed.

Agreed. I love the ride as well......but it has obvious shortcomings and seems to be a maintenance nightmare.