- Aug 8, 2018
- 1,391
- 1,750
As an Orlando park fan I definitely understand being spoiled especially by Universal but sometimes it’s comes off as entitled and oblivious that they have other parks.
Villain-Con Minion Blast (General Discussion)
- Thread starter Nick
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- Dec 28, 2009
- 371
- 859
I'll say that for what it is, I like the way the sound stage looks by itself and I'm sure it'll be great once all the little details are added in. On the other hand though I think some of the frustration with Universal's approach seems to be (and someone touched on this) the seemingly random minimum standard in which an attraction/land is built.
When MM was initially built, it worked for what it was. Now that they're adding this ride and creating a "land" (or mini-land) I think the expectation for how cohesive and themed the area is as whole greatly increases. For sure stand-alone attractions are hit and miss with how much is invested for theming and design (F&F vs. Kong vs. Transformers) but Universal has certainly been leaning heavily on a higher standard for lands. Considering that this is also in the front of the park and sets the tone for guests entering and leaving the park, it's natural to want to have it done well.
Yes it's true that Universal built themselves into a corner but it's also true that they could have bulldozed the whole building and create something custom than retrofitted. And before anyone mentions "but costs!" also remember we're talking about a company that is definitely not hurting for money in the way the average person would (less profit? sure. going broke soon? no.), other people in charge of financials just don't allocate funds for that—Universal has to work with what they're given for the fiscal year, and we've seen when they've skimped in one area to plus something elsewhere. Simultaneously they also just increased AP fees again, so it's sort of expected for guests to want to see that reflected in the parks. (This is a whole other, multi-faceted discussion though; not for this thread.)
On a practical level it's also right in front of the park which may have limited what they could do in the area without massive disruptions that really may not have been worth building a "better" attraction in the needed time frame. They probably didn't want to do the EPCOT thing although it's not like they would've taken as long to complete the build.
It could also be plans were based on how much life MM's ride system has left and are saving up for a future replacement at that time or maybe they'll knock all of it down in like 10 years when it finally keels over, so they may not want to put a huge amount of resources on this; we don't know the long term plans here either.
All that said, my overall expectation has settled around this area being about equal to the Simpsons area. Oddly enough they both started out in a similar fashion: An old ride system where the themed land was built around it.
P.S.: I'll mention again that I do wish they actual entrance plaza was freshened up. Maybe they'll do that right before EU opens?
One way I was thinking was that the turns would be between scenes, allowing guests to take a break and be attentive to the turning. I'm not expecting street racing levels of drifting here but it all depends on how fast the walkway is moving and how sensitives some guests may be.
When MM was initially built, it worked for what it was. Now that they're adding this ride and creating a "land" (or mini-land) I think the expectation for how cohesive and themed the area is as whole greatly increases. For sure stand-alone attractions are hit and miss with how much is invested for theming and design (F&F vs. Kong vs. Transformers) but Universal has certainly been leaning heavily on a higher standard for lands. Considering that this is also in the front of the park and sets the tone for guests entering and leaving the park, it's natural to want to have it done well.
Yes it's true that Universal built themselves into a corner but it's also true that they could have bulldozed the whole building and create something custom than retrofitted. And before anyone mentions "but costs!" also remember we're talking about a company that is definitely not hurting for money in the way the average person would (less profit? sure. going broke soon? no.), other people in charge of financials just don't allocate funds for that—Universal has to work with what they're given for the fiscal year, and we've seen when they've skimped in one area to plus something elsewhere. Simultaneously they also just increased AP fees again, so it's sort of expected for guests to want to see that reflected in the parks. (This is a whole other, multi-faceted discussion though; not for this thread.)
On a practical level it's also right in front of the park which may have limited what they could do in the area without massive disruptions that really may not have been worth building a "better" attraction in the needed time frame. They probably didn't want to do the EPCOT thing although it's not like they would've taken as long to complete the build.
It could also be plans were based on how much life MM's ride system has left and are saving up for a future replacement at that time or maybe they'll knock all of it down in like 10 years when it finally keels over, so they may not want to put a huge amount of resources on this; we don't know the long term plans here either.
All that said, my overall expectation has settled around this area being about equal to the Simpsons area. Oddly enough they both started out in a similar fashion: An old ride system where the themed land was built around it.
P.S.: I'll mention again that I do wish they actual entrance plaza was freshened up. Maybe they'll do that right before EU opens?
What about people with balance issues or vertigo? You made me think about how people may be able to handle straight paths fine but the curves may throw people off, especially if they're attention is elsewhere. I don't have balance problems so I can't speak on that but I'm interested if anyone with problems like that and how they might fair going through something like this.
One way I was thinking was that the turns would be between scenes, allowing guests to take a break and be attentive to the turning. I'm not expecting street racing levels of drifting here but it all depends on how fast the walkway is moving and how sensitives some guests may be.
I prefer having unique things at each park instead of copy/pasted rides and lands. They could all have the same franchises but as long as each implementation of them in the parks is different I wouldn't mind all that much.
- Jan 30, 2013
- 2,012
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I do wonder if there would have been less online frustration if they left Monsters alone, or even chose a different IP. I think you’re right on about the inclusion of the cafe has shifted expectations into that of a “mini land.”I'll say that for what it is, I like the way the sound stage looks by itself and I'm sure it'll be great once all the little details are added in. On the other hand though I think some of the frustration with Universal's approach seems to be (and someone touched on this) the seemingly random minimum standard in which an attraction/land is built.
When MM was initially built, it worked for what it was. Now that they're adding this ride and creating a "land" (or mini-land) I think the expectation for how cohesive and themed the area is as whole greatly increases. For sure stand-alone attractions are hit and miss with how much is invested for theming and design (F&F vs. Kong vs. Transformers) but Universal has certainly been leaning heavily on a higher standard for lands. Considering that this is also in the front of the park and sets the tone for guests entering and leaving the park, it's natural to want to have it done well.
Yes it's true that Universal built themselves into a corner but it's also true that they could have bulldozed the whole building and create something custom than retrofitted. And before anyone mentions "but costs!" also remember we're talking about a company that is definitely not hurting for money in the way the average person would (less profit? sure. going broke soon? no.), other people in charge of financials just don't allocate funds for that—Universal has to work with what they're given for the fiscal year, and we've seen when they've skimped in one area to plus something elsewhere. Simultaneously they also just increased AP fees again, so it's sort of expected for guests to want to see that reflected in the parks. (This is a whole other, multi-faceted discussion though; not for this thread.)
On a practical level it's also right in front of the park which may have limited what they could do in the area without massive disruptions that really may not have been worth building a "better" attraction in the needed time frame. They probably didn't want to do the EPCOT thing although it's not like they would've taken as long to complete the build.
It could also be plans were based on how much life MM's ride system has left and are saving up for a future replacement at that time or maybe they'll knock all of it down in like 10 years when it finally keels over, so they may not want to put a huge amount of resources on this; we don't know the long term plans here either.
All that said, my overall expectation has settled around this area being about equal to the Simpsons area. Oddly enough they both started out in a similar fashion: An old ride system where the themed land was built around it.
P.S.: I'll mention again that I do wish they actual entrance plaza was freshened up. Maybe they'll do that right before EU opens?
What about people with balance issues or vertigo? You made me think about how people may be able to handle straight paths fine but the curves may throw people off, especially if they're attention is elsewhere. I don't have balance problems so I can't speak on that but I'm interested if anyone with problems like that and how they might fair going through something like this.
One way I was thinking was that the turns would be between scenes, allowing guests to take a break and be attentive to the turning. I'm not expecting street racing levels of drifting here but it all depends on how fast the walkway is moving and how sensitives some guests may be.
I prefer having unique things at each park instead of copy/pasted rides and lands. They could all have the same franchises but as long as each implementation of them in the parks is different I wouldn't mind all that much.
- Jul 24, 2018
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I think a comparison to Simpsons is pretty spot-on, especially if they theme the food booths.
PS: I also hope the entrance area is changed up a bit - I have ideas for this, but this isn't the thread for that lol
- Dec 28, 2009
- 371
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I'm prefacing this by saying this might be too much Minions:
Minions should have taken over Rockit and instead it's the Minions taking over a radio station. Instead of picking your own song, they'll play different snippets of songs throughout the ride while the Gru's kids try to do their raido show and you can see what's happening on the screen in front of you. There's no need to build show scenes if the coasters have screens built-in. Totally throwing that at the wall obviously but something like that could be done with it? I'm not sure how well receive a giant banana on the lift hill would be received though.
I also think if they just went ahead and took over the small building next to the left of Villain-Con and turned that area into a playground and entrance (add some shade while you're at it) it would've felt more complete. Ideally it would have looked something like:
Renovate the gift shop and the little corner food place across from it (I think it's quick serve?) and it would've made the transition here a lot smoother between leaving and entering the park.
I think Universal trying to straddle this part of the park between keeping the "studios" theme going while trying to provide immersive land results in this weird mix of the two that doesn't land right since they're not committing to it one way or the other. They may not call it a mini-land but it sort of feels like one even if Universal is just short of calling it that.
This area's always been a little awkward to walk through and it doesn't look like they're going to address it any time soon. It's shaping up to be a decent addition that will liven up the area that was otherwise dull in comparison but to me it doesn't feel as complete as it could be.
- Dec 3, 2020
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Minions is not a compatible theme for a fairly intense coaster IMO. They just don't target the same demographics at all. Putting screens on coaster trains is also something I don't see ever happening in the way you described. I also think having a playground that close to the park entrance would be a pretty bad first impression, no matter what property it's themed to.
- Apr 30, 2017
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I think it’s very true that the level of theming that was acceptable for Mayhem, a single ride built under a previous regime after one hit film, is not as palatable for a “mini-land” based on a major in-house property that has remained popular across more then a decade. Actually, how “mini” is it, really? It’s one of only two IPs in the park to receive more then one attraction… how does the size compare to Diagon?
If they were intent on keeping the soundstages, perhaps Universal could have leaned into it and created Minion Studios, putting Minion figures all over the soundstages and converting the cafe into a collection of Minion movie sets around the Minion commissary, complete with lots of in-jokes and Easter eggs. This might have alleviated some of the sense of half-measures, of forcing in the Minion Village from the other parks when it clashes with the soundstages.
I also think it’s worth remembering that, a few years ago, there were three major, large-scale area overhauls that we’d been anticipating for years: KidZone, the entry plaza, and Simpsons. Two of those major projects are now largely off the table for the foreseeable future, the areas having been redone in a relatively lackluster manner. When Fallon proved forgettable, no biggie, it squandered the potential of a very small bit of the park. Blast, however, isn’t just replacing Shrek, it’s replacing all the potential of a redesigned entry. It’s a scaled down version of the disappointment fans felt with the MGM redo, in which a park that had needed a massive redesign for more then a decade received not the three major new lands that were planned and actually began construction but one new land and a kiddie area.
- Dec 28, 2009
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Oh I agree it's definitely not a match for that IP, I was just blue skying within the confines of what's being done here: Retrofit existing rides to make a cohesive area/land. I know it's not like they're going to tear down the coaster either, but it does result in a ride that feels further isolated from everything else. If the entrance to Rockit were any more tucked away it would rival the opening to Diagon Alley.
Generally it's an awkwardly designed area no matter how you cut it; any solutions to try and smooth that over is going to be cumbersome.
To my screen comment, I was referring to the ones already built into the coaster where you make song selections, not new ones in front of guests or something. Again, it was barely a minute of plotting that one out, I admit it was a bad idea.
Right now the first thing you see when entering the parks are the gift shop and the restaurant on the right that I swear somehow feels abandoned and not. It's a very dead zone and the park doesn't feel like it starts until you take a right towards Bourne or get to where MM is. I'm not saying it had to be a playground, my point was more that if they went all in and just claimed that whole area from the start for expansion and fully committed to a Despicable Me land there probably would have been a better flow from the entrance to here.
I'll have to see the final result but layout appears like it flows better coming from the direction of Fallon than coming from the entrance of the park. If the Cafe and the little town facade and meet 'n greet was closer to the entrance instead it would probably have been an improvement.
- Aug 7, 2018
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I’d love a more “full throttle” land for lack of a better term. However, from a business standpoint? I 100% get it.
They initially boxed themselves in, but now they’re making a more “mid” investment in 2 spots that were dead money and will now bring enormous profits. I think this all makes totally sense.
They initially boxed themselves in, but now they’re making a more “mid” investment in 2 spots that were dead money and will now bring enormous profits. I think this all makes totally sense.
- Jan 30, 2013
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Agreed! Engagement went up in Kidzone with just moving the Donkey meet and greet and Dreamworks destination. I can’t wait to see Kidzone when it’s done, right now I can’t get a firm image in my mind. I hope they take advantage of the opportunity they have.
Minion Studios would be super cute.
If they could move the entrance to RRR to behind the Universal Studios Store, then MM closer to the middle of the building, you could retheme the front to Hollywood and bring RRR into Hollywood and then have your Minions Land. Admittedly 2 more half-measures, but it is what it is.
If they could move the entrance to RRR to behind the Universal Studios Store, then MM closer to the middle of the building, you could retheme the front to Hollywood and bring RRR into Hollywood and then have your Minions Land. Admittedly 2 more half-measures, but it is what it is.
- Jul 24, 2018
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I think the KZ re-do is being forgotten with the complaints about Minions. We're about to get a whole new land in Studios lol
- Jan 30, 2013
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Honestly, I dont think it’s forgotten. I think some people have completely written it off. I’ve said it before, probably in the Kidzone thread, but “retheme” has negative connotations for some. I’m hoping some interest builds as we see visible changes to the land. Right now, the dirt isn’t inspiring much confidence or buzz.
But at the end, what we’re getting will be definitely better than what we had.
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- Jul 24, 2018
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I think "retheme" was definitely the wrong word. I mean, most of the land was flattened.
KidZone, improved IP-usage aside, sounds like it's going to be mostly a one-for-one swap in terms of the scale of the offerings.
That's why some people, including myself, are underwhelmed by it (based on what we've been told so far). It seems like it's going to be, functionally, the same land, just with more relevant properties.
That's why some people, including myself, are underwhelmed by it (based on what we've been told so far). It seems like it's going to be, functionally, the same land, just with more relevant properties.
- Jul 7, 2015
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This doesn't make any sense considering that, again, Universal has literally done exactly that. ET is the only remaining attraction from opening day at USF... people beg for new Jaws/BTTF attractions all the time but saying one of Universal's biggest IPs deserves something better is ridiculous?
Yeah, I'm not sure how anyone could seriously think Minions is guaranteed to be there forever.
It's not hard to imagine Universal possibly considering Illumination (which includes DM/Minions) as a replacement for KidZone before Nintendo (and then Dreamworks) came into the picture.
I'm sure this will be a decent attraction. The location will always be a downside though.
Kidzone will be for Kids....It's understandable there's not a lot of buzz on the forum. The posters here, with a few exceptions, aren't a KidZone audience, for the most part.
There are plenty of things "for kids" that adults can also enjoy, though.
Then it’s not for kids, it’s for everyone.
I don't think I buy that distinction, frankly. Something for everyone, inherently, is also for kids.
I guess I just don't know what the advantage is of intentionally designing a land that is only for kids. I can't think of any other such land at UO or WDW that I'd classify that way.
