The Old KidZone Thread

[TheMackMachine]

I have a bad feeling that DM:MM will suffer the same fate as Shrek 4-D. The attraction opened between the first and second movie, and thus the attraction doesn't follow the direction of the series.
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HEY! Welcome back Josh!

We know they were making DM2 while creating this ride. I believe that when this ride was being developed, they wanted something that separated this ride from the movies. In the first Despicable Me movie, the focus was on Gru and the girls. In Despicable Me 2 (which I really enjoyed), the focus is on Gru and Lucy. The played a great supporting role in the movies, but here on the ride, they are now the main focus.

Also, can we say that the 1 year anniversary could have happened after the second movie? I think this ride has more flexibility in terms of story than Shrek 4D.

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

That doesn't make sense. I would love to see a Bikinni Bottom and eat at the krusty Krab.

It's done with Universal being a jumbled mess. With random attractions in random places. Springsfield and D.A are going to make universal a more cohesive park.

What doesn't make sense? Despicable Me is popular enough to have a Kidz themed land somewhere else in the park. I'm not saying that's exactly what I want but to me its not crazy.

 

[grizzlybarely]

HEY! Welcome back Josh!

We know they were making DM2 while creating this ride. I believe that when this ride was being developed, they wanted something that separated this ride from the movies. In the first Despicable Me movie, the focus was on Gru and the girls. In Despicable Me 2 (which I really enjoyed), the focus is on Gru and Lucy. The played a great supporting role in the movies, but here on the ride, they are now the main focus.

Also, can we say that the 1 year anniversary could have happened after the second movie? I think this ride has more flexibility in terms of story than Shrek 4D.

Thanks for the welcome! Good to be back

I haven't seen DM2 yet, but I'm really looking forward to it, especially if it helps to see where the attraction falls in the timeline of the DM series. I just read that a Minions spin-off is planned that will be set in the 1960's; not that it will affect the DM timeline since the movie will not center around Gru.

I think an attraction's location in a timeline gets a little more grace than other aspects because attractions are allowed to take guests to other times and spaces. The bottom line is that the story of DM:MM works better than Shrek 4-D's story. I think in both cases they were not ready to reveal the direction of the series, so they chose stories that would not disrupt the series.

 

[floridakid]

What doesn't make sense?

Having a ride in one area and a themed land in another area, when they're both a part of the same franchise. It just doesn't make any sense.
There is no Forbidden Journey in Toon Lagoon, while the rest of Hogsmeade sits where it currently does, and for good reason. It doesn't make sense.

However, the Despicable Me franchise doesn't stop at DM2.. so it could be a very smart decision to expand DM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minions_(film)

 

[Frank Drackman]

I think Minion Mayhem takes place before the second movie. A lot of what is in the queue seems to be inspired by the shorts on the DVD of the first movie. One of the shorts has an inspection coming from the adoption agency, the girls and the Minions get the house a little more kid friendly...that is where the tennis balls get placed on sharp objects, knights become flower pots, stuff like that.

In another short, we learn of the minions love for bananas (and even apples, though I've never attempted to tempt a minion with an apple).

I know Gru's lab is under the house, but maybe we will learn something from the minion movie that will help create a place for a minion land away from Gru's lab? (As in they could do something just minion related I would think)

Anyway, I'm not sure what they make in the lab now, but the ride seems consistent w/ the first movie, Gru's work in the 2nd film was different, but it could have changed again since the 2nd film....and it is a big lab with many different areas, so who knows?

 

[shiekra38]

Wouldn't mind seeing SSFL make it to the new Uni water park..and possibly third gate

 

[Shadow Carelli]

What about an AVL themed ride? The ride vehicle could be Lucy's car which can both go underwater and fly? It could make use of E.T's ride system should the beloved attraction be neglected of a deserving refurbishment.

 

[blue180]

I agree with everyone...Despicable Me has become a gem for Universal. This franchise has unlimited potential, and I really hope they use it. I understand people feel that Spongebob or whatever crap is better, but this is what is current with the younger generation, and even the older generation to be honest. Its a classic hit that appeals to everyone.

I would love to see them incorporate it more into the park. They would be silly not too!

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Yeah, they missed an opportunity to put it in Kidzone. Even though I think the movie is eh, a dark ride through the labs would be great.

 

[canobie#1]

I'd rather see bikini bottom than minion land. It's more popular and DM:MM is just going to end up like the other two rides in it's place before it.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I agree with everyone...Despicable Me has become a gem for Universal. This franchise has unlimited potential, and I really hope they use it. I understand people feel that Spongebob or whatever crap is better, but this is what is current with the younger generation, and even the older generation to be honest. Its a classic hit that appeals to everyone.

I would love to see them incorporate it more into the park. They would be silly not too!

I definitely agree. I thought Dispicable me should have replaced ET with a new ride system and turn that area into a True, modern Kids Zone area. Current characters are dated to most of the new generation. Def not enough draw IMO.

 

[canobie#1]

Despicable me is just going to pass by like every other animated movie. Spongebob has been with us for years and is still one of the most popular (if the not the most) tv shows for kids out there. And when you say it's "not modern", check again pal. Everyone who is cool knows who spongebob is.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Despicable me is just going to pass by like every other animated movie. Spongebob has been with us for years and is still one of the most popular (if the not the most) tv shows for kids out there. And when you say it's "not modern", check again pal. Everyone who is cool knows who spongebob is.

Im referring too the Kidzone already in place. Woody, curious George, etc. I didn't mention Spongebob in my post.:blank:

 

[canobie#1]

I was responding to the quote you had in your post.

 

[TomTheRiddle]

Despicable me is just going to pass by like every other animated movie. Spongebob has been with us for years and is still one of the most popular (if the not the most) tv shows for kids out there. And when you say it's "not modern", check again pal. Everyone who is cool knows who spongebob is.

Despicable is setting up one of the strongest franchises Universal has had in years. Go to the parks, the number of Minions you see around is crazy. The merchandise sells itself. With the box office presence that DM2 is giving right now, its not just any animated movie. Its here to stay for a while. Especially with the new Minions movie planned in 2 years. It's not going to last forever, but its not just going away in a few months.

 

[blue180]

Despicable me is just going to pass by like every other animated movie. Spongebob has been with us for years and is still one of the most popular (if the not the most) tv shows for kids out there. And when you say it's "not modern", check again pal. Everyone who is cool knows who spongebob is.

this is a ridiculous statement. For example, look at Shrek and Madagascar...or Ice Age. Those are still heavily involved. Despicable Me is the best thing to happen to Universal in a while. They are already planning a "Minion" movie for 2014, like the post above stated. Don't discount this potential. I believe it has more mass appeal, and more marketing potential then Spongebob.

 

[Clive]

I love how whenever a major new property takes off and demonstrates it has legs and major pull, there's always a group of people who deride it and claim it's just going to "die off" or "pass" because it's a "fad." It happened with Potter, and here we are again with Despicable Me. (Not suggesting the latter is in the same league as the former, but they're both extremely lucrative/popular brands ATM.)

Despicable Me 2 just crushed the box office - 142 million dollars domestic over 5 days. That's a HUGE opening, and it doesn't even include international grosses. The film reportedly cost 80 million to make, and if you assume there was a 100 million marketing budget, the film is already in the black. I was hesitant about a Minions spinoff, but it sounds like it's going to be worth it. I haven't seen "2" yet, but if it's as good as I'm hearing I wouldn't mind seeing Despicable Me 3, either.

As for the theme parks... the notion that Uni would add Despicable Me stuff to KidZone is just silly. There's no way they would separate the experiences like that (and no, Potter is not a valid comparison, they're two different geographical locations in separate parks that are connected by an E-Ticket ride.) Minion Mayhem is an excellent ride (though I too worry a bit about the plot's longevity as someone else noted, it may succumb to the Shrek 4D tonal issue). However, my main beef with is not its scale - I think it works for the property, and I don't think we were ever going to get a dark ride. The issue is the capacity - Despicable Me is stupid popular now, it's at the front of the park, and the ride has a comparably tiny capacity. This is resulting in those 100 minute lines we're routinely seeing this summer. That's a problem that I don't know how they're gonna solve long term as the Minions only increase in popularity.

Sure sucks to be in the Disney offices right now, huh?

 

[Shadow Carelli]

Despicable is setting up one of the strongest franchises Universal has had in years. Go to the parks, the number of Minions you see around is crazy. The merchandise sells itself. With the box office presence that DM2 is giving right now, its not just any animated movie. Its here to stay for a while. Especially with the new Minions movie planned in 2 years. It's not going to last forever, but its not just going away in a few months.

The Minion Movie comes out next year, December 19th 2014.:wave:

 

[JungleSkip]

As for the theme parks... the notion that Uni would add Despicable Me stuff to KidZone is just silly. There's no way they would separate the experiences like that (and no, Potter is not a valid comparison, they're two different geographical locations in separate parks that are connected by an E-Ticket ride.) Minion Mayhem is an excellent ride (though I too worry a bit about the plot's longevity as someone else noted, it may succumb to the Shrek 4D tonal issue). However, my main beef with is not its scale - I think it works for the property, and I don't think we were ever going to get a dark ride. The issue is the capacity - Despicable Me is stupid popular now, it's at the front of the park, and the ride has a comparably tiny capacity. This is resulting in those 100 minute lines we're routinely seeing this summer. That's a problem that I don't know how they're gonna solve long term as the Minions only increase in popularity.

This is exactly while I see it as completely possible that there could and will be more Despicable Me in the park. Like you said, it's stupid popular and profitable. It's Universal's most profitable in-house property and it's most adaptable for theme parks aside from maybe Fast and Furious. I don't think there's any way, especially after this weekend, that Comcast and Uni don't leverage the property in a bigger way in Orlando.

Whether is a replacement for Shrek and the surrounding area or part of a redone KidZone, this isn't the end of DM in the park.

 

[Clive]

This is exactly while I see it as completely possible that there could and will be more Despicable Me in the park. Like you said, it's stupid popular and profitable. It's Universal's most profitable in-house property and it's most adaptable for theme parks aside from maybe Fast and Furious. I don't think there's any way, especially after this weekend, that Comcast and Uni don't leverage the property in a bigger way in Orlando.

Whether is a replacement for Shrek and the surrounding area or part of a redone KidZone, this isn't the end of DM in the park.

I could see some sort or ride maybe taking over Shrek. Expanding it to KidZone seems unwieldily and unfeasible. But what sort of attraction? You can't do a 3D show with moving seats, that's essentially what Minion Mayhem is. How do you differentiate it (plot/character-wise) from the existing ride, which is already pretty encompassing of the franchise? Is it wise long-term/thematically for the very front of the park to be wholly "Despicable Me" themed? Would a new Despicable Me ride actually draw enough new people since they've already advertised the hell out of the first Despicable Me attraction?

I'm not sure how they'll do it, but I agree we'll see more, especially with the merchandise selling so well. Maybe a permanent meet'n'greet facility in the short term? I know you can meet some of the characters when the parade does its "party zones" near Mel's occasionally, but I but people would love an opportunity to meet Gru/the girls/the minions anytime.