The Future of The Simpsons Ride/Springfield (Orlando)

[Mad Dog]

I was checking out some airline forums and they are saying the decline has been vastly exaggerated and that there was growth in tourism from other countries.

Canada and Mexico did decline but not by much.

I wonder what the official numbers are for the Orlando market.

I've seen official numbers from Canada tourism and airline association groups on CNBC and the NY Times. They're generally around a 30% decline. I wouldn't trust a forum for numbers. Disney has made a couple official announcements in the past year. They said international tourism has substantially declined.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I've seen official numbers from Canada tourism and airline association groups on CNBC and the NY Times. They're generally around a 30% decline. I wouldn't trust a forum for numbers. Disney has made a couple official announcements in the past year. They said international tourism has substantially declined.

Orlando market isn’t contracting atm.

 

[Mad Dog]

Orlando market isn’t contracting atm.

Didn't say that. International tourism is down.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Didn't say that. International tourism is down.

I-94 Arrivals Program

Learn about U.S. visitor arrival data or ADIS I-94! This interactive data tool offers I-94 arrival statistics based on the visitor's country of residence (COR)

www.trade.gov

There ya go, click "addresses visted" on the graph.

 

[Mad Dog]

I-94 Arrivals Program

Learn about U.S. visitor arrival data or ADIS I-94! This interactive data tool offers I-94 arrival statistics based on the visitor's country of residence (COR)

www.trade.gov

There ya go, click "addresses visted" on the graph.

View attachment 27541

Looking deeper into that site. Figures are only through May 2025. The site states Canadian arrivals 1, 283,000 in May 2025 ...% change from
2024 minus 25.6 %......2025 YTD 7,061,907 down minus 16.8% from 2024 ...No figures for June or July yet. Recent business reports were the tourist decline had been accelerating this summer.

 

[belloq87]

Would you put a Simpsons replacement at a higher priority than Supercharged? I'm genuinely curious!

It depends on what the replacements might be. We have rumors, but we don't know.

With that said, I think the highest priority for USF should be to decrease the number of simulators relative to the total amount of attractions. If (hypothetically) Springfield's replacement involves a Pokemon dark ride and Supercharged's replacement is a BTTF simulator, I would actually say the Springfield replacement is more pressing (despite me personally wanting a BTTF attraction way, way more than a Pokemon attraction).

I would like to see both replacements happen by the end of the decade, in any case. Or at least be fully in the works (i.e. announced and/or under construction).

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

A large project is critical, dunno if it has to be Pokémon.

So what’s your next idea then?

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

UK probably will drain resources like Beijing did. Universal is getting a bit extended between UK, the kids parks, Horror attraction mini sites,
Japan,and now needing to update Epic pretty soon. Only going to be so much budget left for USO,IOA and USH. Those helicon expansion
days (2010 to 2015) at USO and IOA are probably history.

Well then there shouldn't be any "updates" to Epic. This meme comes to mind:

Spoiler: Rant

Anyway, I love that the state of Florida so vehemently supports a guy taking a wrecking ball to its biggest industry!

 

[Mad Dog]

Well then there shouldn't be any "updates" to Epic. This meme comes to mind:
View attachment 27546

Spoiler: Rant

Anyway, I love that the state of Florida so vehemently supports a guy taking a wrecking ball to its biggest industry!

Fortunately for USF, being the event park keeps it going. I wonder if they'll roll out a Summerfest for USF next year now that the
onus on Epic opening will be history. That's really their only event time gap.....and I know I've said it a zillion times. USF & IOA are like one huge park, especially since HE opened. 80% of all tickets are park hoppers according to Universal. One park's weakness is the other parks' strength and vice versa.
The main campus will be fine, I just don't think there's going to be the rapid new attraction schedule that so many posters expect. Just my opinion
though. I hope I end up reading it wrong. ....Epic needs expansion since it was underbuilt capacity wise. If Epic ends up with LOTR, the complaints about USF will go away. Universal loves their twofers (maybe UK LOTR will begat Epic LOTR).

 

[TheUniC6]

Fortunately for USF, being the event park keeps it going. I wonder if they'll roll out a Summerfest for USF next year now that the
onus on Epic opening will be history. That's really their only event time gap.....and I know I've said it a zillion times. USF & IOA are like one huge park, especially since HE opened. 80% of all tickets are park hoppers according to Universal. One park's weakness is the other parks' strength and vice versa.
The main campus will be fine, I just don't think there's going to be the rapid new attraction schedule that so many posters expect. Just my opinion
though. I hope I end up reading it wrong. ....Epic needs expansion since it was underbuilt capacity wise. If Epic ends up with LOTR, the complaints about USF will go away. Universal loves their twofers (maybe UK LOTR will begat Epic LOTR).

LOTR or a new portal is probably many years down the line IMO. The first logical expansion pad to fill out would probably be SNW.

 

[Mad Dog]

LOTR or a new portal is probably many years down the line IMO. The first logical expansion pad to fill out would probably be SNW.

Probably. or a second Potter attraction.