Lower Lot Redesign

[chris.g]

Completely agree we'd never get any of these. Classic Monsters is a possibility, but the day time crowd might not be the most warmed up to it.

 

[rageofthegods]

Completely agree we'd never get any of these. Classic Monsters is a possibility, but the day time crowd might not be the most warmed up to it.

I could see them slightly sanitize it. Less HHN UCM and more theremin and Ed Woods. Maybe with a funny-scary dark ride in Dracula's Castle, a la Haunted Mansion.

 

[GhostHost85]

So with the reaveal of Epic Universe Orlando we can now re-speculate on what will happen to the LL! I'm gonna guess we eventually get:

• Classic Monsters Land
  
• Slimmed down version of Fantastic Beasts / Ministry of Magic Paris
• Slimmed down version of HTTYD

Unless of course they decide to add a second park to Hollywood in which case probably all goes to the new park.

Thoughts?!

As long as they keep Mummy and we get Classic Monsters Land, I will be really happy. I rather any space that might be used for more Potter or HTTYD in the Lower Lot be used for making Nintendo and Classic Monsters Land bigger instead.

 

[mitsuramos]

As much as I love Harry Potter, I am still failing to see how a Fantastic Beasts area would be remotely interesting, it's not "unique" enough despite it being from the same franchise. :/

 

[Legacy]

Really? Why?

I'd say Classic Monsters is the most likely personally.

The land that is most likely to get cut if the money is tight, is not the most likely land to get cloned.

Especially when you already have Hogsmeade.

 

[rageofthegods]

I guess Trolls/How to Train Your Dragon makes sense for when Simpsons rights run out. Our Diagon Alley, could still be on the docket too. I'm still holding hope that Classic Monsters shows up in some form in the lower lot, if only because they are such important icons and I'm such a horror nut.

 

[GhostHost85]

Since many of the classic Universal Monsters movies were filmed on the Studio Backlot, there really is no better fit for the park then the Classic Monsters Land. It would also help balance things out since the Upper Lot has been going towards mostly small kid friendly attractions lately (outside Forbidden Journey and Walking Dead). That leaves the Lower Lot to focus on more thrilling attractions.

 

[Milo S]

I'm not too jazzed about USH incorporating Nintendo into their theme park. There is a possibility that the park could become too cramped and overcrowded with more I.P.'s, and they only have so much space to work with before impeding on their own production facilities (which is already starting to happen). Universal is not Disneyland, and they shouldn't try to be.

But if they do make a Nintendo attraction, I'd much rather see it go on the upper lot--as one person on this topic noted--in place of the Special Effects Stage and Animal Actors show. On the Lower Lot, in that construction area where Stage 28 was, I'd much prefer to see them recreate Main Street from Jurassic World, with the Innovation Center at the head.

That area is right in front of the Jurassic World Ride, and it would be a great opportunity for USH to not only focus on a brand that is entirely their own, but to somewhat recreate what Florida has with a full-blown Jurassic area. They could move the Raptor and Triceratops Encounters over to it, and that would free up the Lower Lot's walking space. Plus, it's a project that wouldn't require tons of annual maintenance like a regular attraction would.

Expanding on something that's already there is a smarter way to spread out growing park attendance, instead of drawing in more guests with something totally unnecessary and overcrowding a park that's already very small.

 

[Jamesh22]

I love a bit of armchair imagineering, but you realise they are halfway through building SNW on the lower lot already yes?

Don't worry, there is still plenty of space for expansion on the LL, they haven't taken out even half the soundstages they plan to yet (over behind Mummy and next to Transformers)

 

[foodstampsFTW]

Why is this it's own thread.

 

[Brian G.]

Why is this it's own thread.

and fixed.

 

[Milo S]

I love a bit of armchair imagineering, but you realise they are halfway through building SNW on the lower lot already yes?

Don't worry, there is still plenty of space for expansion on the LL, they haven't taken out even half the soundstages they plan to yet (over behind Mummy and next to Transformers)

The fact that some people are cool with USH tearing down more of its soundstages makes me wonder if they really understand what makes USH unique from other parks.
And yes, I'm aware they're making progress with Super Nintendo World. I just don't think it was the best choice given the type of park it is.
Again, they're trying to be like Disney, and they don't have to. They have their own unique identity.

 

[chris.g]

The fact that some people are cool with USH tearing down more of its soundstages makes me wonder if they really understand what makes USH unique from other parks.
And yes, I'm aware they're making progress with Super Nintendo World. I just don't think it was the best choice given the type of park it is.
Again, they're trying to be like Disney, and they don't have to. They have their own unique identity.

Except the average guest could care less, especially since most guests will never even get to go through the interior of a working movie studio at USH... Uni is not trying to be like Disney, in fact, one could argue it's the other way around. Although SNW is an IP focused land, its design and concept are completely unique and original to a theme park.

 

[Stryker]

The fact that some people are cool with USH tearing down more of its soundstages makes me wonder if they really understand what makes USH unique from other parks.
And yes, I'm aware they're making progress with Super Nintendo World. I just don't think it was the best choice given the type of park it is.
Again, they're trying to be like Disney, and they don't have to. They have their own unique identity.

How can anyone be against theme park expansion, especially when this will start to make USH a full day park? They already built new soundstages that replaced the ones they tore down. When they tear more soundstages down for future park expansion, new ones will be built at Park Lake. USH will continue to be unique from other parks.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

The fact that some people are cool with USH tearing down more of its soundstages makes me wonder if they really understand what makes USH unique from other parks.
And yes, I'm aware they're making progress with Super Nintendo World. I just don't think it was the best choice given the type of park it is.
Again, they're trying to be like Disney, and they don't have to. They have their own unique identity.

I mean, it isn't like they aren't building new soundstages. They just built 5 in the span of a few years (and with more counting by the time LA2028 rolls around in the eastern portion of the backlot).

USH is already vastly unique, in various manners not even counting the Studio from the others. And would you really think that they'd not use the biggest "Get" they've gotten since Potter to their full advantage?

 

[Milo S]

How can anyone be against theme park expansion, especially when this will start to make USH a full day park? They already built new soundstages that replaced the ones they tore down. When they tear more soundstages down for future park expansion, new ones will be built at Park Lake. USH will continue to be unique from other parks.

I'm not against theme park expansion. They're expanding, there's nothing I can do about it. But building a Main Street with an Innovation Center is a way better idea than building a Nintendo Land, which just feels like a random add-on

 

[chris.g]

^ SNW is not the end of the Lower Lot's redesign, so your wishes may in fact get answered eventually.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I'm not against theme park expansion. They're expanding, there's nothing I can do about it. But building a Main Street with an Innovation Center is a way better idea than building a Nintendo Land, which just feels like a random add-on

You are speaking in the sense that SNW will be the last thing added to the Lower Lot.

Nintendo for Hollywood was always planned, it merely changed from one side of the Lower Lot to another. And that there will be more stuff added for that section of the park in the future.

 

[Milo S]

Except the average guest could care less, especially since most guests will never even get to go through the interior of a working movie studio at USH...

And that's what sucks about having to appeal to theme park consumers.
I've never been inside a working soundstage either, but I appreciate what they are and the legacy they have at USH. If they have to go, replace it with something that suitably fits Universal's legacy (Jurassic Park/World is a lasting brand, so an Innovation Center makes more sense).

SNW just seems like an obvious attempt to draw families in and increase ticket sales, which yes I know, that's what they want, I get it. But in the near future, USH may turn into a completely different park, and it won't even look or feel like USH anymore.

If that happens, no one should act surprised.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

And that's what sucks about having to appeal to theme park consumers.
I've never been inside a working soundstage either, but I appreciate what they are and the legacy they have at USH. If they have to go, replace it with something that suitably fits Universal's legacy (Jurassic Park/World is a lasting brand, so an Innovation Center makes more sense).

SNW just seems like an obvious attempt to draw families in and increase ticket sales, which yes I know, that's what they want, I get it. But in the near future, USH may turn into a completely different park, and it won't even look or feel like USH anymore.

If that happens, no one should act surprised.

Once again though, it's not like Universal's ditching away their studio for the park. As I mentioned, they've been adding new soundstages and production facilities next to the Channel/Courthouse Square; and there are active plans to add more soundstages to replace the older soundstages in the eastern end of the lot.

And to step into a can of worms, Nintendo is one of the biggest brands/companies in the industry. They aren't owned by Universal, but Nintendo isn't exactly something to scoff off about in the terms of relevancy for the entertainment industry and with culture in some regards.

There's a huge precedent with a company like Nintendo being open in relations with Universal, especially given their notoriety in being gunshy to bring in outer-parties to come in and collaborate with them.

Universal Hollywood's always been a place of evolution and change. And it isn't like they are going to strip the lot away of it's studio history. And that they're working more than ever, juggling with the studio and theme park, to allow both to live alongside eachother. But with gains come losses, in my own personal view-point.