Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[JungleSkip]

You are right on that part, call it paranoia, but I started reading and hearing some rumors that lands could get cut at opening day in order to keep costs down because of Cough cough, are those baseless claims?

"Monsters would be the first thing cut, if need be" was what was told to me even before COVID.

I don't think that will happen, but it is what it is

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

You are right on that part, call it paranoia, but I started reading and hearing some rumors that lands could get cut at opening day in order to keep costs down because of Cough cough, are those baseless claims?

Baseless in the sense that we've heard nothing to validate those concerns. Yet a valid concern given the storied history of theme park budget cuts following a crisis within the concerned company or country.

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

"Monsters would be the first thing cut, if need be" was what was told to me even before COVID.

I don't think that will happen, but it is what it is

Big F

 

[JungleSkip]

Big F

You're assuming they're cutting something. My guess is the delay until 2025-26 (or whatever) is so they don't have to do so.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Big F

I think the biggest “rumor” is maybe some shows are cut from lands, don’t think any rides are cut. I’m a big show guy so that’d suck if true though but again, nothing to prove it. Natural to think budget cuts happen if they plan to move forward with a new park quickly

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Budget cuts should be expected from any new project, especially after an economic downturn.

With that said, the severity of cuts will depend if Universal plans on investing into their current parks, specifically USF, after or before EU. Fortunately for them Diagon is strong enough to attract attendance.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Budget cuts should be expected from any new project, especially after an economic downturn.

With that said, the severity of cuts will depend if Universal plans on investing into their current parks, specifically USF, after or before EU. Fortunately for them Diagon is strong enough to attract attendance.

I understand I personally want it, but wouldn’t cloning SLOP for USF make the most sense for a pre EU project, if there were to be one? I just assume since most work is done it’d be an easier decision to make, could continue the draw, helps the park anyways, I just don’t see how this doesn’t happen but idk, maybe it’s more expensive than I’m realizing. This is just the only thing I can see happening before EU if EU projects don’t get moved over to the existing parks.

 

[Legacy]

The addition of features for the ride would not help it either, it would still be The Forbidden Journey 2.0 in my eyes.

Monsters is what I am foaming at the mouth for.

I understand your point, but this flip makes me chuckle.

Then it's for Adults and a small percent of teens that are aware of the Monsters?
Last time I checked the general audience for Theme parks were people of ages 4-17, which makes it the underdog by far.

Except it’s not 4 year olds paying for the trip. It’s their 20-30 year old parents who know who the Monsters are who ultimately decide where the family goes for their vacation. The land is for them. Besides, even if that statistic is correct, Universal’s target (kid) audience hues older, 8-20.

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

I understand your point, but this flip makes me chuckle.

Except it’s not 4 year olds paying for the trip. It’s their 20-30 year old parents who know who the Monsters are who ultimately decide where the family goes for their vacation. The land is for them. Besides, even if that statistic is correct, Universal’s target (kid) audience hues older, 8-20.

The age range you have there is probably a bit more accurate than my source, but you can't ignore the fact that Monsters is probably the least anticipated by the GP, which could turn around though, for better or worst.

 

[Neo]

I feel like that is one of the problems, that the monsters won't be dumbed down, but accurate depictions of there originals takes. Remember, Count Chocula and Hotel Transylvania aren't scary, only watered down versions of what we supposedly are getting in EU. People will either know what they are getting themselves into, or they will know maybe that's something they won't be interested in. Or not really have a good idea, which may get the GP confused as what kind of Universal Monsters they are dealing with here.

First off, I'm not trying to start fights or say you're wrong, just engaging in conversation and giving my own personal opinion. And as you'll see in my Harry Potter tidbit to follow, I'm VERY much in the minority in a lot of things

If they are the classic monsters, kids aren't stupid. They watch the Scooby Doo cartoons and then the live action movies and they get the characters. They watch Lego Starwars movies/holiday specials and the Clone Wars cartoon and the regular movies and they get the characters are different...yet the same. They know who Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster are. They'll recognize the characters and in a themepark there's not going to be anything too "intense" as far as scariness or violence. Do they know they tale of Frankenstein and the little girl by the water? Of course not, but it doesn't matter. If a guy in a cloak has fangs, it's dracula. If they have a flat head and bolts in their neck it's Frankenstine's Monster, if it's a fish waslking upright on 2 legs, it's the Creature, if it's a wolfman...then it's Wolfman. They'll get it and understand it instantly. Maybe they'll say, "Why does Frankie look like that?" But they'll get it.

I've never read a Cat in the Hat book, seen a Minions movie, watched more than 20min of a Harry Potter movie, etc. Does it mean I don't enjoy those rides or lands? Not at all. I was DYING to see Harry Potterland when it first opened and couldn't wait to do Hagrid's even though I don't really care about the IPs. I know them and respect them, but just not my cup of tea. Same with Lord of the Rings, not interested in the movies or books at all....but if Universal opened a land for it, I'd be front and center dying to see what they did and how awesome the rides are.

As someone already perfectly said, they aren't necessarily relevant, but they're timeless. At some point, the Minions movies will stop being made and the people who are fans of them will grow up and it will be irrelevant and they're re-do Jimmy Newtron yet again. The monsters will ALWAYS be universally recognized (see what I did there?) by people of all ages and nationalities and are a great addition to a themepark.

 

[Legacy]

The age range you have there is probably a bit more accurate than my source, but you can't ignore the fact that Monsters is probably the least anticipated by the GP, which could turn around though, for better or worst.

The GP still doesn’t know what’s coming to the new park. I’d wager the majority of the GP doesn’t fully grasp a new park is even coming.

But, beyond that, let’s look at:

IoA - JP was THE draw. It was the S-class IP. Seuss and Marvel were B-class while Lost Continent, not having an IP, was a low C-class.

Animal Kingdom - This is an odder park. Pretty much, the only “IP” it had for itself at opening was Lion King. Tough to be a Bug and Dinosaur both predated their IPs. The big draw was generic - “animals.”

MGM Studios - At opening, it had Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid. Those were its big IPs. Star Wars and Indiana Jones, though big, weren’t as big a draw for the target market.

Universal Studios - The big draw at opening? Nickelodeon Studios. Really. Kids going to Nickelodeon was the bread and butter of the place. Most kids had no clue about the other IPs, apart from Jaws, which wasn’t really open, and BttF opened a year later (it then became the secondary draw).

VARIETY is key. Variety is what enables a park to appeal to the broadest range of guests. No aspect of the GP is homogeneous with regard to interest in a property. Let’s look at it this way.

SNW - Broadest target. Aimed at 6 to - 45. Great for attracting families regardless of ages.
Harry Potter - Smaller range, but still fairly broad. Aimed at 15 - 35. Good for families with teens who grew up with the books.
Dragons - Broadly accessible, but FOR kids. Target is 3 - 12, but viable to marketing to 3 - 30.
Monsters - Looking at the target ages, there’s a massive range missing, which is older than 45. So, older parents and grandparents. That’s what Monsters is for. It’s for them.

 

[jarmor]

Ummm, I dunno about a flying broomstick ride that won't actually feel as if I am on a broomstick. I think they should keep that type of ride stuck in our imagination as it is incredibly hard to create a RV that won't make me feel i'm on a regular RV and not a broom.

 

[Legacy]

Ummm, I dunno about a flying broomstick ride that won't actually feel as if I am on a broomstick. I think they should keep that type of ride stuck in our imagination as it is incredibly hard to create a RV that won't make me feel i'm on a regular RV and not a broom.

Unless it’s a broom in a room that you straddle like FoP.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

If Comcast delays the park to 2025-2026, I don't see them sitting around for 4-5 years after VelociCoaster. 2022 will be a good attendance year with the pandemic behind us (hopefully) and Tron/GOTG at WDW, but I expect 2023 to be a weak attendance year without new attractions. That potential issue would be much worse in 2024 if neither resort has anything new. Something has to open.

 

[Scott W.]

If Comcast delays the park to 2025-2026, I don't see them sitting around for 4-5 years after VelociCoaster. 2022 will be a good attendance year with the pandemic behind us (hopefully) and Tron/GOTG at WDW, but I expect 2023 to be a weak attendance year without new attractions. That potential issue would be much worse in 2024 if neither resort has anything new. Something has to open.

Universal builds quick and the resorts are in fairly good shape with the recent additions.

I could see SLOP being a good addition for USF and the expansion for VB is a quick addition and always a good ace up their sleeve.

As much as I’d love to see the parks bounce back this year, I don’t see mandatory mask use stopping until next year at the earliest regardless of how good the vaccine rollout is.

I can see 2022 being a bouncing year and with everybody being locked up for 2020 and potentially the first half of 2021, people are going to want to book that special vacation to makeup for lost time.

While things look bleak now, I think Orlando has a promising future.

 

[Legacy]

VelociCoaster and Bourne will be able to get the parks through 2023. 2024 may need an investment. The majority of people still won’t be interested or able to travel for a while.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I’m one sample size and if it feels safer I absolutely will be returning sooner, but from a tourist perspective, I don’t see my traveling to Orlando specifically until 2023/2024. I feel generalizing? That’s likely where more people are at for a theme park vacation

 

[Joe]

Last time I checked the general audience for Theme parks were people of ages 4-17, which makes it the underdog by far.

I really can’t process the rest of this thread until I address this. What in the world??!!??? Last time you checked? So never? Also is the upper age range being your age just a coincidence or???

 

[Scott W.]

VelociCoaster and Bourne will be able to get the parks through 2023. 2024 may need an investment. The majority of people still won’t be interested or able to travel for a while.

I'm getting tempted to book flights for September and that will be the longest period I've been away from Orlando since I was 4. Orlando is going to have a ton of new things to do and a few of my friends who tend to go to Orlando as much as I do are in the same boat. Most are looking at booking their next trip for 2022. Hagrids, Bourne and VelociCoaster is a huge reason to visit UOR.

I think 2023 will need an addition and Universal easily have 10 months to see what direction the crowds are going and get something ready to go.

 

[ImaginerdMike]

Then it's for Adults and a small percent of teens....
Last time I checked the general audience for Theme parks were people of ages 4-17, which makes it the underdog by far.

Um.... no?