Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[Parkscope Joe]

I know I'm being annoying by constantly stating this, but I'm still putting odds that this has also changed. At least their original pre-Olympics 2020 statement. Maybe late 2020, maybe spring 2021?

I'll gladly, gladly eat my words though!

Maybe, but I'll stick by what they're saying yet. Universal hasn't had to refresh their opening dates as much as Disney has.

 

[shiekra38]

Could we see Nintendo moved to the new park to coincide with its opening and a new fresh land come to Kidzone in 2020?

 

[Mike S]

Could we see Nintendo moved to the new park to coincide with its opening and a new fresh land come to Kidzone in 2020?

If they were smart about it Mario would open in USF followed by a second Nintendo land (Pokémon) opening with the third park. Big surge for Mario followed by another surge for the third park plus the benefit of people having to buy multi park tickets if they want to see all of Nintendo.

The Switch has created a huge resurgence in Nintendo’s popularity and they should capitalize on it, especially Pokémon.

 

[Scott W.]

If they were smart about it Mario would open in USF followed by a second Nintendo land (Pokémon) opening with the third park. Big surge for Mario followed by another surge for the third park plus the benefit of people having to buy multi park tickets if they want to see all of Nintendo.

As somebody not clued up that well on Nintendo, wouldn't Mario be their big draw?

 

[Mike S]

As somebody not clued up that well on Nintendo, wouldn't Mario be their big draw?

Mario is the biggest but Pokémon is a close second with Zelda as a more distant third. This is why I believe Pokémon should be at the new property surrounded by other big new things. Mario would ensure many people still go to USF for something big and new rather than the parks simply cannibilizing each others attendance.

 

[shiekra38]

As somebody not clued up that well on Nintendo, wouldn't Mario be their big draw?

Yeah, Mario is the icon for all things Nintendo

I believe it is smart for them to have a guaranteed draw to the new park

@Mike S I was there for a little while, but now I'm thinking the opposite of what you said would be more practical...Mario and Friends in Site B

Pokemon in IOA or Studios

I feel Illumination may be a better fit for studios..

 

[Mike S]

Yeah, Mario is the icon for all things Nintendo

I believe it is smart for them to have a guaranteed draw to the new park

@Mike S I was there for a little while, but now I'm thinking the opposite of what you said would be more practical...Mario and Friends in Site B

Pokemon in IOA or Studios

I feel Illumination may be a better fit for studios..

The Mario plans are already drawn up for USF and ready to go. They could have a Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley one two punch by going with these plans. Then of course also get Zelda ready for IoA.

Illumination should be at the front of the Studios where it pretty much already is.

 

[fryoj]

If they were smart about it Mario would open in USF followed by a second Nintendo land (Pokémon) opening with the third park. Big surge for Mario followed by another surge for the third park plus the benefit of people having to buy multi park tickets if they want to see all of Nintendo.

The Switch has created a huge resurgence in Nintendo’s popularity and they should capitalize on it, especially Pokémon.

Nintendo as a brand is not like Potter. With Potter, the fans want to see everything because it's all the same story. Nintendo stories aren't connected. A Mario fan isn't automatically a Pokemon fan. A Pokemon fan isn't automatically a Zelda fan. Sure there are people who are fans of all things Nintendo, but they are the minority. If someone is going to make a trip specifically for Mario, they probably won't plan another one a couple years later just because Pokemon opens.

 

[Magic-Man]

There's still the whole Nintendo partnership quote in the Universal 2018 notes from a couple weeks ago, otherwise I'd say that Nintendo isn't coming anytime soon. But with the possible 2021 opening date speculation, we could possibly get MoM and Nintendo in back to back years (regardless of which Nintendo property), and then all resources after that will go to the new park. No matter what Uni. does, there's almost no chance of them messing this up.

But maybe the reason the construction hasn't started yet is because they might be trying to reroute the Donkey Kong Land entrance. It was kinda out of the way. They might make another entrance and exit near ET.

 

[Mike S]

Nintendo as a brand is not like Potter. With Potter, the fans want to see everything because it's all the same story. Nintendo stories aren't connected. A Mario fan isn't automatically a Pokemon fan. A Pokemon fan isn't automatically a Zelda fan. Sure there are people who are fans of all things Nintendo, but they are the minority. If someone is going to make a trip specifically for Mario, they probably won't plan another one a couple years later just because Pokemon opens.

And yet the overlap of fans for Mario and Pokémon would still be huge.

This has to be the only place on the Internet where I’ve seen people downplay Pokémon.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

And yet the overlap of fans for Mario and Pokémon would still be huge.

This has to be the only place on the Internet where I’ve seen people downplay Pokémon.

Actually, I think Pokemon has a shot to upstage Mario, but that I do think that with the Illumination/Nintendo deal that there would be more pressure to get Mario done right for the parks, and that he could be expanded upon further to not just include what's being offered as apart of the original Nintendo World, but also to bank on the upcoming Illumination film project.

While the case could also be made for Pokemon, Mario may be a safer bet to open your new park off of, encase if Pokemon doesn't do well as a film (looking at Warcraft right now).

 

[Mike S]

Actually, I think Pokemon has a shot to upstage Mario, but that I do think that with the Illumination/Nintendo deal that there would be more pressure to get Mario done right for the parks, and that he could be expanded upon further to not just include what's being offered as apart of the original Nintendo World, but also to bank on the upcoming Illumination film project.

While the case could also be made for Pokemon, Mario may be a safer bet to open your new park off of, encase if Pokemon doesn't do well as a film (looking at Warcraft right now).

The Pokémon movie coming out should really have no bearing on what they build as a land as the movie is Detective Pikachu, a spin-off story that has almost nothing to do with what the main games are about. I also think Mario shouldn’t really take elements from the movie either.

To expand on what I originally said the fact that Mario is the bigger franchise is just further proof it should be in USF. As I said before it’ll be a big grand new thing that could still attract people to that park after the big shiny new park opens. I don’t know why people act like it would need the biggest Nintendo franchise to be successful unless you think all the other IPs they would go with are so subpar that all the weight rests on what they do with Nintendo.

A park potentially containing Lord of the Rings, Jurassic World, DreamWorks, etc. could survive having Pokémon instead of Mario.

 

[Scott W.]

And yet the overlap of fans for Mario and Pokémon would still be huge.

This has to be the only place on the Internet where I’ve seen people downplay Pokémon.

I think all the games not being connected is actually a huge plus to the resort as it allows for individual lands in individual parks with zero connection to each other.

 

[Mike S]

I think all the games not being connected is actually a huge plus to the resort as it allows for individual lands in individual parks with zero connection to each other.

That’s what people have been saying from the start. The only argument right now is which park gets which IP.

 

[Disneyhead]

I could see site B getting both Mario and Pokemon.

But not in the same park.

 

[Alicia]

I could see site B getting both Mario and Pokemon.

But not in the same park.

Boom goes the dynamite.

 

[Imperius]

I could see site B getting both Mario and Pokemon.

But not in the same park.

Hold on. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?!?

 

[Alicia]

There’s been reports that Universal has told the city they’re planning to build 2 parks, along with hotels, entertainment, etc, when looking for zoning approval.

 

[devinp267]

Now don't yall start tonight.. it's too late

 

[Paulio]

That’s what people have been saying from the start. The only argument right now is which park gets which IP.

Usually, Mario and his pals, Pokemon, and Legend of Zelda are the only recognizable Ips to be in the park. I could see Mario at Universal Studios Florida, then Zelda at Islands of Adventure and the rest would go into the 3rd theme park. It would create guests the reasons to go to three parks just to experience and guaranteed to make Universal and Nintendo money. The 3rd park I believe would have more Pokemon, maybe a deeper Mario series attraction, and for less iconic Nintendo attractions.