King Kong's Future

[Jon Fu]

The Transformers glasses do have security sensors that will set off alarms/signals if the glasses are taken out of the building (similar to store theft sensors).

Only Florida has that.

 

[Allen The Actor]

I was told that ours have that when the ride opened here by people on here as well as by team members. You sure?


Hell, aren't there even signs after unloading that say that alarm will ring if you take the glasses out of the building?

 

[Jon Fu]

I was told that ours have that when the ride opened here by people on here as well as by team members. You sure?


Hell, aren't there even signs after unloading that say that alarm will ring if you take the glasses out of the building?

Yes.

 

[Chris]

I am also quite sure that Orlando implemented the chip in the glasses and Hollywood has yet to do that.  It is a costly upgrade and Hollywood hasn't taken the bait.

 

[Miss Betty Juice]

I was told that ours have that when the ride opened here by people on here as well as by team members. You sure?

Hell, aren't there even signs after unloading that say that alarm will ring if you take the glasses out of the building?

It's a scare tactic, that's all. Like beware of dog for a house without one. All about appearances.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Gotcha! Thanks Adri

 

[sickle_claw]

It's a scare tactic, that's all. Like beware of dog for a house without one. All about appearances.

Well, people tend to listen more if they believe there are consequences...otherwise people would just be putting them in their pockets, etc. 

So the tour glasses don't have the sensors...I wonder if Universal deliberately makes these as cheaply as they can to avoid losing too much when they inevitably get lost.

 

[Imdbman]

Let's step back for a minute and look at the reality of the situation before we start making grandiose statements about the success of King Kong in Florida.

First off, Universal hasn't even announced King Kong yet to the general public, nor have they given any hint as to what type of attraction Kong could be. Simply put, no one but Universal has any clue as to what type of figures they're expecting. That's a fact. No one on this forum can definitively predict how well Kong will perform, if they even announce such an attraction anytime soon.

Second, let's look at the logistics of having Fast and Furious and Kong 360 on the same tour. Ideas based on this stream of logic - for now - will be more sound since it's an actual problem Universal will face once Fast and Furious opens in 2015. How do they deal with two types of projection technologies? Will they upgrade 360 to bring it on par with Fast and Furious, or will they scrap the Kong building and attraction altogether? Or God forbid will they have guests carry two pairs of 3D glasses?

Let's start basing our predictions from there and see what happens.

True that Universal hasn't officially announced details about it.  Although it is confirmed!  I remember reading a post on Twitter through someone else that he or she knew another guy who worked for Universal, who indeed confirmed the new Kong with an animatronic Kong.  ThemeParkInsider has even seen the blueprints so this is all true!  This all sounds quite promising, so I'm in no doubt that Orlando's version will beat the crap out of Hollywood's, but it certainly won't be a crazy phenomenon like Wizarding World as it sounds like it's only one attraction within the Jurassic Park land.

The surrounding stages would not be a bad location at all for Kong. They could make it work better over there.

Maybe they could consider Kong for Soundstage 28, but I honestly think they could simply expand or remodel the current 360 building on Hollywood's Tour.

 

[Allen The Actor]

They won't expand or upgrade the current Kong. And Orlando's Kong would never fit on Soundstage 28, they'd need all the lower lot soundstages next to Jurassic Park to fit Kong.

I don't think there will be a Kong animatronic based on what I've seen.

 

[JaySalahi]

Any talk of them redoing the Kong ride is honestly ludicrous. We might as well be talking about them rebuilding Back to the Future. Its honestly really not how theme parks work and from a management perspective makes no sense. It would be amazing though. 

New projectors however is of course a different story. 

 

[Allen The Actor]

^ it's not totally ludicrous, trust me, especially with the route Universal Studios Hollywood has been taking recently. The Expansion Plan is pretty massive, and it's actually changing all the time and being improved, with Stage 28's removal being proof.

And comparing it to rebuilding BTTF is not a valid comparison, and that's coming from a BTTF fan. Trust me. At this point, you gotta have an open mind towards anything at USH within reason.

I don't think they would redo the current Kong beyond projector upgrades. I genuinely feel that if all goes well, Universal will consider bringing Orlando's Kong here and repurposing our current Kong with a different theme.

But let's obviously wait till Kong opens in Orlando. But knowing what I know and seeing what I've seen, I'm crossing my fingers

 

[JaySalahi]

^ it's not totally ludicrous, trust me, especially with the route Universal Studios Hollywood has been taking recently. The Expansion Plan is pretty massive, and it's actually changing all the time and being improved, with Stage 28's removal being proof.

And comparing it to rebuilding BTTF is not a valid comparison, and that's coming from a BTTF fan. Trust me. At this point, you gotta have an open mind towards anything at USH within reason.

I don't think they would redo the current Kong beyond projector upgrades. I genuinely feel that if all goes well, Universal will consider bringing Orlando's Kong here and repurposing our current Kong with a different theme.

But let's obviously wait till Kong opens in Orlando. But knowing what I know and seeing what I've seen, I'm crossing my fingers

No it is. Im sorry. No theme park EVER has done anything like that.

Why spend another over 150m to demolish a ride and rebuild it just better in a different place? Why? Its a terrible business decision. You already have a kong ride. 97% of the people will see an advertisement and go, didn't they already have a Kong ride? The opportunity for truly new merchandise or franchise is taken away. Its pointless. You would not see the same attendance increase or increase in sales like you would if a another new franchise came. 

I love your enthusiasm but lots of things you post are dream world thinking, you have to step back and put your self in the shoes of the one running the company. 

If Jurassic World is a massive hit would they tear down JP and build a new ride no, 0% chance. Same with Kong or anything else at this point. The ride is 4 years old lol. 

I mean comparing tearing down a 100 year old sound stage on a lot that is the least used out of the major studios , that is located right next to the theme park is not really that astounding or anywhere equal to this Kong situation. 

 

[Allen The Actor]

It's not dream world thinking. I'm not one of those random fans who posts random crap for the sake of being looked upon highly as an insider. I never claimed anything is coming 100% or stating anything outrageous. All I'm saying (and I'm guessing you missed it...multiple times) is that BASED ON INSIDE INFO THAT I KNOW, a new Kong for us isn't completely far fetched. I'm not going to go into details about that. It's not something confirmed or 100% on the table, let's wait for Kong to finish in Orlando. Your points are valid, but again, you don't know my point of view or inside info bud...i knew about multiple projects in Orlando and Hollywood years in advance, such as our Despicable Me Project....the irony in your post is I'm actually seeing this from the perspective of the ones running the company.

Like I said...just keep an open mind. Nothing confirmed, nothing denied.

You being so hard headed is as silly as someone as being stuck in dream world, which I'm not. I'm simply saying there's good possibilities of this happening, not confirmed, nor denied. People thought Wizarding Word was impossible here. Take it easy my friend...

Also, you obviously didn't fully read my post. I never suggested our "original" Kong 360 3D be demolished at all. Anywhere. I suggested that they could very easily retheme it IF they out Kong elsewhere. If they were to add a new Kong on the lower lot, it'd be AFTER 2016. Probably 2018 or later. That would be a whole 8 years after our Kong 360 3D opened, and by then the new Skull Island film will have been one years old.

There's multiple ways they can promote and market a new Kong ride in Hollywood if it were to happen.

Again, I don't want it to sound like it's something confirmed or some definite plan. All I'm saying is keep an open mind about it. I'm usually the level headed fan on this forum that brushes off wild claims of others, so I know where you're coming from.

But at this point anything is possible if we just wait.

Here are the benefits to adding a hypothetical new Kong ride to the park:

1. Development and design for the ride is finished, space and budget just has to be allocated, be it in the tram garage space or the lower lot. It would fit fantastically in either location

2. New Skull Island movie will be released which will help tie into the new ride and help with marketing, etc. Kong 360 3D will be "old" by then (by Universal standards.) If there's room for improvement, Universal will do it.

3. It'd be a massive new stand alone attraction for the park and add capacity, unlike the 360 3D animation which is just part of the tour.

4. I never suggested get rid of the Kong 360 3D building. It's essentially a box with screens and motion platform for the trams. With the Kong entrance rethemed and with a new ride film, they could essentially pull a BTTF -> SIMPSONS transition and have a "new" animation.

Again, these are just very strong "what ifs" based on inside info I know. As Jon said, let's wait till everything finishes in Orlando. No need to put my information down so negatively.

Also, when I mentioned Stage 28, I simply was referring to the fact that Universal's Expansion Plan is very fluid at this point and that it may hold more surprises in the immediate future....

 

[William]

So the tour glasses don't have the sensors...I wonder if Universal deliberately makes these as cheaply as they can to avoid losing too much when they inevitably get lost.

Absolutely. They'd undoubtedly lose a fortune if they utilized the same glasses used for TF/DM. When you're on the Studio Tour, those glasses are in guests' possession for an hour minimum. With careless park-goers, reckless children, etc., it's wisest to choose cheaply made glasses for that kind of attraction.

Anyway, back on topic.

While I do agree that the idea as a whole of Kong's presence rising in the park seems relatively outer-worldly, do keep an open mind. Potter coming to our park and our iteration of Minion Mayhem trumping Florida's are both valid points supporting the idea of "expect the unexpected." Be receptive of each other's thoughts, and refrain from being hostile.

 

[Ryan]

I am also quite sure that Orlando implemented the chip in the glasses and Hollywood has yet to do that.  It is a costly upgrade and Hollywood hasn't taken the bait.

Officially from what I know, Hollywood had the option to install the RFID chip but denied upon seeing the cost. One rumor amongst the staff was that the chips were already installed and the tech could be turned on by the flick of a switch but that's completely untrue as the technology for the alarm system isn't even in the building.

The signs were placed there in case the chip tech was installed... and they stayed for the exact same reasons Adri stayed, as a way to pressure people into not stealing the glasses.

In the early days of TF, we treated attempted theft in the attraction as a security measure, akin to shoplifting. Not sure how strict they are nowadays. On my last ride as a TM one of my coworkers asked me if I wanted to keep one but I decided against it. With Minion Mayhem now out, they're a dime a dozen.

Also they are totally going to just use the same glasses on the tour. It'd be ludicrous if they tried otherwise.

 

[Jon Fu]

Your points are valid, but again, you don't know my point of view or inside info bud...i knew about multiple projects in Orlando and Hollywood years in advance, such as our Despicable Me Project....the irony in your post is I'm actually seeing this from the perspective of the ones running the company.

Just because you know a bit of inside information doesn't mean you possess the perspective of those running the park. Unless you're Larry Kurzweil or his management team, that's really an unfair statement to make as a rebuttal against Jay's points.


As a general reminder, everyone has the right to challenge anyone on this forum. We welcome active discussion and anything anyone posts is game to criticism or critique. Act accordingly.

 

[Allen The Actor]

*sigh* not what I meant by the perspective comment at all........I'm not even gonna back up what I meant cuz I know it'll just get ripped to shreds again lol.

There's a difference between a conversation and rebuttal and just completely putting down someone's information as "dream world" and flat out saying "no, impossible". But whatever.

 

[Freak]

Just because you know a bit of inside information doesn't mean you possess the perspective of those running the park. Unless you're Larry Kurzweil or his management team, that's really an unfair statement to make as a rebuttal against Jay's points.

As a general reminder, everyone has the right to challenge anyone on this forum. We welcome active discussion and anything anyone posts is game to criticism or critique. Act accordingly.

Diagon Alley is being built on top of Despicable Me. It's happening cuz I got sources. GET EXCITED EVERYONE.

-Signed, Jim Hill

*sigh* not what I meant by the perspective comment at all........I'm not even gonna back up what I meant cuz I know it'll just get ripped to shreds again lol.

There's a difference between a conversation and rebuttal and just completely putting down someone's information as "dream world" and flat out saying "no, impossible". But whatever.

While I do think Jay has a valid point, I don't think anything is impossible from what Universal has been doing lately. It's pretty apparent that they want our park to be like Orlando.

Something else to also consider is Fast and the Furious. I know the previous incarnation is a lesser example here, but the point I'm getting to is the same concept. Do you think the GP acted confused and thought, "Don't they already have a Fast and Furious attraction on the tour?" It's all about marketing. If they can market it in a certain way, they can get the point across that it's a new ride.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Diagon Alley is being built on top of Despicable Me. It's happening cuz I got sources. GET EXCITED EVERYONE.

-Signed, Jim Hill

While I do think Jay has a valid point, I don't think anything is impossible from what Universal has been doing lately. It's pretty apparent that they want our park to be like Orlando.

Something else to also consider is Fast and the Furious. I know the previous incarnation is a lesser example here, but the point I'm getting to is the same concept. Do you think the GP acted confused and thought, "Don't they already have a Fast and Furious attraction on the tour?" It's all about marketing. If they can market it in a certain way, they can get the point across that it's a new ride.

The Jim Hill thing gave me a much needed laugh, thank you! (He thought Wizarding World would replace T23D at one point lol)

And exactly. The new F&F is a terrific example to what I meant, as well as the countless Mummy themed experiences Universal had all over the park (maze, spinning tunnel, Coaster). In all advertising, they always either showed guests hanging from a Tour Tram, or were very vague on TV and never showed the attraction. Universal can very easily promote a new Kong as an all new mega ride in the future, especially with a new Kong movie.

Also, when I mentioned I'm looking at it from a management point of view, I'm not saying that literally...Jay said my posts on the forum are "dream world" and that "you have to look at it all through the eyes of the ones in charge" or whatever, and I'm simply saying that it's exactly what I did. You can "put yourself in their place" with common sense without literally knowing or being in management, that's where you misunderstood me Jon.

I had one very simple point. Keep an open mind to anything at this point coming to Hollywood within reason. Universal wants to make USH a resort and a much better park than it currently is. They will improve or add experiences. I was in the "no Diagon Alley" boat. Well guess what? While I'm ridiculously skeptical, I'm open to the thought of it being a possibility now. Anything is possible with the right budget and space allocation.

So please, while I'm not saying agree with me, I am hoping at least that everyone be open to the idea of anything happening at this point.

 

[Freak]

I had one very simple point. Keep an open mind to anything at this point coming to Hollywood within reason. Universal wants to make USH a resort and a much better park than it currently is. They will improve or add experiences. I was in the "no Diagon Alley" boat. Well guess what? While I'm ridiculously skeptical, I'm open to the thought of it being a possibility now. Anything is possible with the right budget and space allocation.

So please, while I'm not saying agree with me, I am hoping at least that everyone be open to the idea of anything happening at this point.

So....Diagon Alley really is being built on top of Despicable Me?