Universal Studios Beijing (Now Open)

[quinnmac000]

And like that, @Drew just booked a ticket to Beijing.

Wasn't that already known because I'm for sure someone saying earlier that Beijing would actually get the slot cars instead of what we have since they weren't getting Nintendo?

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Wasn't that already known because I'm for sure someone saying earlier that Beijing would actually get the slot cars instead of what we have since they weren't getting Nintendo?

The only thing confirmed in interviews for Beijing, was Hogsmeade. And Drupercharged was accidentally leaked by one of the actors at the Hollywood Premiere.

This is the first time it's coming from the horses mouth.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

How many attractions rides and roller coaster do you guys think universal Beijing will get

Hogsmeade should have 2 already present with Forbidden Journey and Hippogriff, Panda should have an attraction of some kind, there seems to be a Sci-Fi themed version of Hulk, along with a Transformers presence, you have Waterworld, you have Drupercharged (F&F), and Minions in some way.

Not to mention, it seems that Beijing has some sort of Jurassic World attraction, presumably Gyrospheres.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

I wonder if the Beijing Hogsmeade will also get the Whatever that they're building in Islands of Adventure.

 

[Paulio]

Not to mention, it seems that Beijing has some sort of Jurassic World attraction, presumably Gyrospheres.

I really wonder what the JW area really looks like, it looks like they require to be a lot bigger, maybe 20 to 25 acres of land?

 

[GAcoaster]

I wonder if the Beijing Hogsmeade will also get the Whatever that they're building in Islands of Adventure.

I was thinking the same thing. Always cheaper to clone something and buy in bulk.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I really wonder what the JW area really looks like, it looks like they require to be a lot bigger, maybe 20 to 25 acres of land?

Orlando's is about 13.5 acres, Osaka is about 10 acres, and Singapore is about 7.

I would think they don't need 20 acres for Jurassic.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

I was thinking the same thing. Always cheaper to clone something and buy in bulk.

First rule of government spending: why build one when you can have two for twice the price?

 

[GAcoaster]

First rule of government spending: why build one when you can have two for twice the price?

 

[brianlo]

My excitement for this project died off about 2 years ago when everything original was drastically scaled back. Including some unique Chinese-slanted cultural attractions.

The good? Panda, a concerted despicable me area (as long as Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is changed- ?doubtful), Jurassic World (hopefully with a unique attraction that this park is hinging on).

The bad? Drupercharger, Transformers with a hilariously lazily overlaid Hulk (I presume the layout is different), Hogwarts with the 4th useless installation of Flying Unicorn, Waterworld.

^Yes, none of those apart from Drupercharger are actually bad, but it just reeks of laziness. Sort of the way Hong Kong Disneyland was very lazy (albeit also under built) and largely suffered for it. This is no Shanghai Disneyland, it's not even up to snuff with Singapore for a unique take from the looks of things. Universal is too content at building plug and play franchise parks. Disney has previously established that is a terrible model.

 

[Paulio]

Orlando's is about 13.5 acres, Osaka is about 10 acres, and Singapore is about 7.

I would think they don't need 20 acres for Jurassic.

I mean for a land-based attraction JW. I don't really think JP really needs another water ride for example. Having on land requires more room for practical dinosaurs and action.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I mean for a land-based attraction JW. I don't really think JP really needs another water ride for example. Having on land requires more room for practical dinosaurs and action.

That's not entirely true.

They could make it a compact, indoor/outdoor dark ride by about two acres, and they wouldn't need to make it huge. I think that's where you waste space, rather than using it to the best of it's abilities.

 

[quinnmac000]

My excitement for this project died off about 2 years ago when everything original was drastically scaled back. Including some unique Chinese-slanted cultural attractions.

The good? Panda, a concerted despicable me area (as long as Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is changed- ?doubtful), Jurassic World (hopefully with a unique attraction that this park is hinging on).

The bad? Drupercharger, Transformers with a hilariously lazily overlaid Hulk (I presume the layout is different), Hogwarts with the 4th useless installation of Flying Unicorn, Waterworld.

^Yes, none of those apart from Drupercharger are actually bad, but it just reeks of laziness. Sort of the way Hong Kong Disneyland was very lazy (albeit also under built) and largely suffered for it. This is no Shanghai Disneyland, it's not even up to snuff with Singapore for a unique take from the looks of things. Universal is too content at building plug and play franchise parks. Disney has previously established that is a terrible model.

The park still is going to be 30% Chinese and the investment in this park is still $15 billion dollars. This is just concept stuff just like those Nintendo Plans that leaked.

Also want to point out they had Volcano Bay in the concept art but Beijing winters are brutal which means they would most likely put it indoors which is why I'm thinking this is concept design rather than final.

 

[JaySalahi]

The Last Knight didn't do that big in China, and Age of Extinction was in a bit of a decline from Dark of The Moon.

Not 100% true

Transformers Dark of the Moon (3) China - 7/21/11 $56,000,000 33.9% $165,100,000 9/4/11

Transformers Age of Extinction (4) China 6/27/14 $92,000,000 28.8% $320,000,000 Final

Transformers The Last Night (5) China 6/23/17 $119,682,298 52.3% $228,842,508 7/23/17



Transformers 4 is the 3rd highest grossing American Movie of all time in China

Transformers 5 is actually the 4th highest grossing American movie of all time in China


Used box office mojo and List of highest-grossing films in China - Wikipedia

 

[brianlo]

The park still is going to be 30% Chinese and the investment in this park is still $15 billion dollars. This is just concept stuff just like those Nintendo Plans that leaked.

Also want to point out they had Volcano Bay in the concept art but Beijing winters are brutal which means they would most likely put it indoors which is why I'm thinking this is concept design rather than final.

Is it? I have seen no references to anything unique to the park from a cultural perspective in the last few years. I believe originally there were two Chinese areas and both were cut out. Unless we are counting Panda.

I'd love to be wrong of course.

VB I assume is just a placeholder as well. Like how their second park placeholder was just Universal Orlando.

 

[zg44]

The park still is going to be 30% Chinese and the investment in this park is still $15 billion dollars. This is just concept stuff just like those Nintendo Plans that leaked.

Also want to point out they had Volcano Bay in the concept art but Beijing winters are brutal which means they would most likely put it indoors which is why I'm thinking this is concept design rather than final.

Yeah, given the estimated spend, I assume a lot of these are just placeholder images. Given how much money is involved in this project, there's enough money there to re-design everything in USF/IoA for larger imitations.

 

[quinnmac000]

Is it? I have seen no references to anything unique to the park from a cultural perspective in the last few years. I believe originally there were two Chinese areas and both were cut out. Unless we are counting Panda.

I'd love to be wrong of course.

VB I assume is just a placeholder as well. Like how their second park placeholder was just Universal Orlando.

From the mouths of people who are part of the project...

Coming soon: Universal Studios Beijing | In the Fold

As well as Beijing tourism council just last year...

In a March 2017 interview with “Beijing Business Today,” Duan Qiang, Chairman of Beijing Tourism Group, an investor in the Universal Studios resort, shared that it is being designed to cater to Chinese sensibilities, with an estimated 35% of the park’s design based around local culture. Two recent deals by Comcast subsidiary NBCUniversal, under which Universal’s studio and theme park divisions operate, will play a key role in the direction the park takes with its attractions.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

As a little thing to bring up, with the budget increase, it sounds like the goal for UB is to improve attractions already being implemented, but also adding in completely new experiences along the way.

Bigger Than Disney: Budget Doubles for Universal’s Beijing Park - WSJ

And to add from the visuals, Panda, Minions, and Transformers is now officially confirmed.

 

[Brian G.]

It has come to our attention that the recently released images for Beijing are confidential and have been deleted. So with that - please do not post them on our forums again.

Ignoring the request is an automatic ban.

Thank you for understanding.

 

[Magic-Man]

Small question about that unknown coaster in the back of the original concept art.

Is that a launched flying coaster? The layout does seem kinda odd from what we can see.