Villain-Con Minion Blast (General Discussion)

[Jwhee]

Also hilarious we have a recreation of the Hollywood Bowl inside of NY.

Between this and the ET/SpongeBob situation, seems like the current management either doesn’t care, or isn’t thinking ahead about the overarching theme of the parks

Was the entrance always called “entrance” on the map? Or is that new too?

 

[Nick]

Also hilarious we have a recreation of the Hollywood Bowl inside of NY.

Between this and the ET/SpongeBob situation, seems like the current management either doesn’t care, or isn’t thinking ahead about the overarching theme of the parks

Not only is New York to the stage right and left of the bowl, but oddly directly in front of the theater, “New York” is interrupted by another land with Minion Land running down that stretch.

 

[Brian G.]

Also hilarious we have a recreation of the Hollywood Bowl inside of NY.

Between this and the ET/SpongeBob situation, seems like the current management either doesn’t care, or isn’t thinking ahead about the overarching theme of the parks

Was the entrance always called “entrance” on the map? Or is that new too?

Or… they are in midst of adjustments and things aren’t going to make sense at the present moment until said adjustments are made.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Between this and the ET/SpongeBob situation, seems like the current management either doesn’t care, or isn’t thinking ahead about the overarching theme of the parks

Neither, I think USF is just in an awkward stage right now where it can't get the resources it needs with EU sucking everything up.

After 2025, I think USF is looking for some major work including significant, hopefully, refurbs and who knows what in F&F/Springfield, Fear Factor theater, etc.

 

[Nick]

To the question of if the entrance area was called “entrance”, no, it was Production Central.

 

[SpatulaShack]

Transformers makes sense, should have been done from the start, but I thought they would just "Skull Island" Rockit lol

They should have absolutely done this and just called that area Music Plaza. HILARIOUSLY foolish to label this ride as part of New York with Minion Land sitting in the middle of it and with Hollywood in the name? WTF? Who is in charge lately? Can we bring some adults back in? It seems like the kids are running the asylum.

 

[Nico]

They should have absolutely done this and just called that area Music Plaza. HILARIOUSLY foolish to label this ride as part of New York with Minion Land sitting in the middle of it and with Hollywood in the name? WTF? Who is in charge lately? Can we bring some adults back in? It seems like the kids are running the asylum.

Just to ground the conversation, this is just for the label on the map. It doesn’t really effect how we experience the land. I know there are certain projects that have created inconsistency in general place making, but the remaining pieces are ripe for larger future projects. I really just think it’s a timing thing. Universal has not shown any sign of stopping, they just can’t do it all at the same time. Maybe I’m just an optimist.

 

[SpatulaShack]

Just to ground the conversation, this is just for the label on the map. It doesn’t really effect how we experience the land. I know there are certain projects that have created inconsistency in general place making, but the remaining pieces are ripe for larger future projects. I really just think it’s a timing thing. Universal has not shown any sign of stopping, they just can’t do it all at the same time. Maybe I’m just an optimist.

I think the fact that it's just a label on the map makes it even more egregious because it costs zero dollars and requires zero effort (other than using your brain for 2 seconds) to change the name of that area to something that makes sense (Hollywood Bowl or Music Plaza). It just shows someone, somewhere is an absolute fool and no one even cares. If these are the decisions being made on things like this what is happening elsewhere?

 

[Nico]

I think the fact that it's just a label on the map makes it even more egregious actually because it costs zero dollars to change the name to something that makes sense. It just shows they're fools if anything. If these are the decisions being made on things like this what is happening elsewhere?

Spatula if you were in charge, how would you divide everything up? I don’t really have any particular concept in mind.

 

[Brian G.]

I think the fact that it's just a label on the map makes it even more egregious because it costs zero dollars and requires zero effort (other than using your brain for 2 seconds) to change the name of that area to something that makes sense (Hollywood Bowl or Music Plaza). It just shows someone, somewhere is an absolute fool and no one even cares. If these are the decisions being made on things like this what is happening elsewhere?

Did we have the same energy when Twister was in New York? Just sayin'

 

[Jwhee]

Did we have the same energy when Twister was in New York? Just sayin'

no, but that wasn’t called “Wakita Oklahoma Twister: Ride it Out”

With their logic of roping HRRR into NY, they could’ve very well roped it into “Minions Land”

 

[Magic-Man]

I think the fact that it's just a label on the map makes it even more egregious because it costs zero dollars and requires zero effort (other than using your brain for 2 seconds) to change the name of that area to something that makes sense (Hollywood Bowl or Music Plaza). It just shows someone, somewhere is an absolute fool and no one even cares. If these are the decisions being made on things like this what is happening elsewhere?

You're taking this way too seriously. A label on a map doesn't affect the guest experience in any way, shape, or form. Rockit already travels through New York. If you really want it to make sense, consider the Hollywood part of Hollywood RIP Ride Rockit to be the name of the music label.

 

[Jwhee]

You're taking this way too seriously. A label on a map doesn't affect the guest experience in any way, shape, or form. Rockit already travels through New York. If you really want it to make sense, consider the Hollywood part of Hollywood RIP Ride Rockit to be the name of the music label.

While I understand what you’re saying, the thematic lands are important for the overall respect to the art of theme parks. It’s what makes them different than a Six Flags. With this relaxed opinion of it being “just a label,” why not include Fast and Furious as apart of Diagon Alley since they’re next to each other ?

And with those saying this is a temporary building block- I sure hope so. But no where on the rumor mill do I see the Music Plaza being demolished. Rockit? Probably within the next 5-7 years.

*I think what makes this so harsh on the theme is the fact that the ride has Hollywood in the name and the stage looks like the Hollywood Bowl. That could be why something like Twister in NY was never really frowned upon too much

 

[Brian G.]

no, but that wasn’t called “Wakita Oklahoma Twister: Ride it Out”

With their logic of roping HRRR into NY, they could’ve very well roped it into “Minions Land”

Splitting hairs, though. Twister still took place in Wakita. Central Park in NY is a part of Hollywood. The FFL Stage/Wild West Stunt show was also part of Amity at one point.

USF is a hodge podge for better or worse... and right now, it's gonna have some outliers as they start transitioning to USF's future.

 

[Casper Gutman]

There are pretty major theming problems with Minion Avenue, but they don’t have to do with the Hollywood Bowl, which is reasonably unobtrusive. If people are upset about lines on the map (and yes, it is indicative of larger issues at the resort even if it’s only a minor manifestation), Uni could just group the coaster and Bowl into a mini land could Music City USA or some such.

PS: Twister didn’t take place in Oklahoma if I recall, it explicitly took place in a production soundstage, so having it be part of Production Central was thematically appropriate.

PPS: checked an old map and I’m wrong, it’s listed in New York despite being contiguous to Production Central. So that’s goofy, even if the geography of the park made it feel more logical.

 

[Alicia]

This park has always been like this, as we’ve discovered through this conversation. I’ve never thought of it as good or bad. Its just Universal Studios Florida.

IOA was intended to be more immersive with more cohesive lands separated by bridges (at first anyway). And Epic Universe takes it to the next level by not even being able to see other lands when your inside of a land via Diagon style cutting them off from the rest of the park.

The theme park industry is evolving, but that doesn’t mean we have to burn down the old ones and start over either.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I think the fact that it's just a label on the map makes it even more egregious because it costs zero dollars and requires zero effort (other than using your brain for 2 seconds) to change the name of that area to something that makes sense (Hollywood Bowl or Music Plaza). It just shows someone, somewhere is an absolute fool and no one even cares. If these are the decisions being made on things like this what is happening elsewhere?

It’s a little more complicated than that, though. The themed area designations are probably more important internally than they are to guests. It’s how staffing is organized, where projects are referenced, and in general just how things have been labeled for years. Changing that on a map is one thing, but actually changing venue/location names is a bigger effort than I think you’re giving it credit for. They could just slap a new name on the map and call it a day, but then there’s continuity issues with how TMs are referring to something for guests. I think the stage is probably particularly tough because third-party acts have to book it/refer to it in contracts, schedules, etc.

 

[Tbad556]

This park has always been like this, as we’ve discovered through this conversation. I’ve never thought of it as good or bad. Its just Universal Studios Florida.

IOA was intended to be more immersive with more cohesive lands separated by bridges (at first anyway). And Epic Universe takes it to the next level by not even being able to see other lands when your inside of a land via Diagon style cutting them off from the rest of the park.

The theme park industry is evolving, but that doesn’t mean we have to burn down the old ones and start over either.

This is a lovely way to put it. You can even find traces of USF’s messiness in the opening few years’ maps. Dynamite Nights Stunt Spectacular was listed in the San Francisco/Amity section of the map despite being based on Miami Vice and the same goes for Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue and Wild Wild West Stunt Show (correct me if any of those shows justified their location).

 

[Alicia]

This is a lovely way to put it. You can even find traces of USF’s messiness in the opening few years’ maps. Dynamite Nights Stunt Spectacular was listed in the San Francisco/Amity section of the map despite being based on Miami Vice and the same goes for Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue and Wild Wild West Stunt Show (correct me if any of those shows justified their location).

And Animal Actors was a part of World Expo land before KidZone was created... which is likely what's happening in a couple places around the park now.

 

[JungleSkip]

I'm truly flabbergasted how many people care what imaginary land line is drawn around attractions at a park.