What does USF need the most before Epic Universe opens?

[Mad Dog]

Before they built those apartments I thought they were going to expand back there

I'm sure they wished a cash strapped owner never did that. Perfect expansion pad.

 

[Nico]

Are we getting to the point that this park needs a billion + remodel like DCA?

 

[JungleSkip]

Are we getting to the point that this park needs a billion + remodel like DCA?

lol no

People *hated* DCA 1.0. USF is a good park that needs a few spots of love

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

DCA 1.0 was way worse than USF is in its current state. It really just needs a family friendly dark ride (SLOP would be perfect) and a second high-profile IP land on the caliber of Epic Universe. So maybe at most half a bil?

Still would leave the park with problems, but even DCA had blindspots after its expansion (Hollywood, Paradise Gardens Park)

EDIT: If there's one thing we've learned from Potter, it's that a single highly immersive land with the right balance of interactivity to attractions can justify a half-day or even a full day at the parks. USF doesn't have to be a perfect park, and likely won't be without major alterations to the attraction lineup, but if it can provide variety and provide tourists with incentives to add extra days onto their vacation, then it will be a successful park in Universal's eyes.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Are we getting to the point that this park needs a billion + remodel like DCA?

People need to remember what DCA looked like in 2001. Hollywood was a complete dud, half the food venues ended up closing, a good chunk of the park was budget themed, and a lot of attractions were copies of old things from WDW. Disney advertised sitting in farm equipment and looking at plants as an ATTRACTION.

 

[BlueHorizon]

As has been said many times, I think it just purely needs a better attraction balance. As a passholder, when I go to the park, I sometimes find that I can't really spend all day there because there are only 4 attractions where I'm not staring at a screen (Mummy, MIB, ET, RRR), and I can't really ride RRR more than once. I don't mind screen attractions, but having 7 of them in one park ( Minions, Shrek, Fallon, F&F, Gringotts, Simpsons, Transformers), some with similar ride systems, is just too much. I can only ride so many screen attractions before I am worn out. At this point I think any attraction using practical effects will help immensely, and I think the Bourne show will be a hit. But I think at least one screen attraction, preferably Minions or Shrek, needs to be replaced with a practical one asap.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

As has been said many times, I think it just purely needs a better attraction balance. As a passholder, when I go to the park, I sometimes find that I can't really spend all day there because there are only 4 attractions where I'm not staring at a screen (Mummy, MIB, ET, RRR), and I can't really ride RRR more than once. I don't mind screen attractions, but having 7 of them in one park ( Minions, Shrek, Fallon, F&F, Gringotts, Simpsons, Transformers), some with similar ride systems, is just too much. I can only ride so many screen attractions before I am worn out. At this point I think any attraction using practical effects will help immensely, and I think the Bourne show will be a hit. But I think at least one screen attraction, preferably Minions or Shrek, needs to be replaced with a practical one asap.

Ya, I expect Bourne to help this park a lot.
Add in SLOP, you park is already significantly more diverse. While Fallon and Minions are similar rides, the attractions themselves are vastly different due to the queue experiences. Also would really help the opening of the park to not have 3, 3-D screen motion based rides out of the gate would be nice.

But, USF is nowhere near DCA 1.0. It just needs one of its screen attractions replaced with something practical, and kid zone needs to be replaced. Thats really not a bad position to be in, but its still has noticeable holes at the moment.

 

[JungleSkip]

I think people hoping for SLOP are out of luck, personally. The sequel did not do well at all.

 

[Happytycho]

Are we getting to the point that this park needs a billion + remodel like DCA?

I'd say yes, but not for exactly the same reasons.

At DCA, the remodel was simply because the park sucked. At USF, it's a combination of areas that need a redo for quality reasons (Kidzone, FFL, screenz overload) and the fact that two of the other major rides - Mummy and MIB - will likely be reaching their replacement cycle around the same time that such a remodel could be possible (after Epic Universe opens).

 

[Mad Dog]

One thing to remember. USF has already witnessed an almost complete overhaul since 2003. Not many theme parks get overhauled that much so quickly. I would think Kidzone, and maybe Fear Factor, are about it for a while. You can't change everything in a park every 10-15 years. That's not business economics viable.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I think people hoping for SLOP are out of luck, personally. The sequel did not do well at all.

Im in the hopeful, but not expecting crowd. I can't help but recognize its a perfect addition for this park and its placement in the park, but I don't believe we've heard they made 2 versions of this ride, just that a version was fitted for the Shrek building. Idk though Universal is going to want something opening for 2022 to keep people interested in their parks the year before EU opens. We shall see

 

[JungleSkip]

One thing to remember. USF has already witnessed an almost complete overhaul since 2003. Not many theme parks get overhauled that much so quickly. I would think Kidzone, and maybe Fear Factor, are about it for a while. You can't change everything in a park every 10-15 years. That's not business economics viable.

I think as long as the parks are doing well, Comcast will continue to invest. I don't see any reason why things won't be continually changing at USF. KidZone, FFL, Mummy, and MIB all get changed in the next decade, if I'm a betting man. And Simpsons probably will as well.

 

[Happytycho]

One thing to remember. USF has already witnessed an almost complete overhaul since 2003. Not many theme parks get overhauled that much so quickly. I would think Kidzone, and maybe Fear Factor, are about it for a while. You can't change everything in a park every 10-15 years. That's not business economics viable.

As far as I'm concerned, 2003 was a pretty long time ago - it's closer to when the park opened than it is to today. By the time Epic Universe opens in 2023, MIB will be 23 years old, Shrek will be 20 years old, Mummy will be 19 years old, Simpsons will be 15 years old but with a ride system that's 31 years old, and Kidzone . . . will still be in desperate need of replacement for multiple reasons.

I think as long as the parks are doing well, Comcast will continue to invest. I don't see any reason why things won't be continually changing at USF. KidZone, FFL, Mummy, and MIB all get changed in the next decade, if I'm a betting man. And Simpsons probably will as well.

I agree 100%. I just believe replacing that much stuff within the 2023-2030 time period sounds far more like a billion+ remodel than

USF is a good park that needs a few spots of love

 

[Scott W.]

I'm sure they wished a cash strapped owner never did that. Perfect expansion pad.

At least they managed to buy back some of the land they sold for EU.

 

[Mad Dog]

As far as I'm concerned, 2003 was a pretty long time ago - it's closer to when the park opened than it is to today. By the time Epic Universe opens in 2023, MIB will be 23 years old, Shrek will be 20 years old, Mummy will be 19 years old, Simpsons will be 15 years old but with a ride system that's 31 years old, and Kidzone . . . will still be in desperate need of replacement for multiple reasons.


I agree 100%. I just believe replacing that much stuff within the 2023-2030 time period sounds far more like a billion+ remodel than

and....those are baby ages compared to WDW, especially MK, attractions.

 

[Nick]

As far as I'm concerned, 2003 was a pretty long time ago - it's closer to when the park opened than it is to today. By the time Epic Universe opens in 2023, MIB will be 23 years old, Shrek will be 20 years old, Mummy will be 19 years old, Simpsons will be 15 years old but with a ride system that's 31 years old, and Kidzone . . . will still be in desperate need of replacement for multiple reasons.


I agree 100%. I just believe replacing that much stuff within the 2023-2030 time period sounds far more like a billion+ remodel than

And by the time they've completely replaced all of those, it'll be about time to seriously think about F&F and at the very least update Fallon. The man WILL age. HRRR will need a retrack or... something at some point. It needs it now if you ask me.

But once the park has reached it's max potential, I think we seriously need to look at the Sound Stages (at least a few of them) as being on the block for attraction space. Hell, you don't even have to remove one of the real sound stages to get a new ride in in that back section.

Remove SS33, which is considered an events building and isn't a real sound stage anyway. Build a similar building over at EU since the park will be right next to the convention center and then use the SS33 plot for a ride.

and....those are baby ages compared to WDW, especially MK, attractions.

WDW relies more on nostalgia and has many original rides. Universal has pretty much nothing that is "theme park original" (non-reliant on IP) besides Poseidon's Fury and HRRR. Look at Universe of Energy and Great Movie Ride - parts stopped being produced and Disney decided to get rid of the rides. Or you could look at an older removed (and beloved Disney attraction) - Horizons. It was only open for just over 16 years old when it closed for good (and seasonal part of that time). Why did it close? The ride lost it's sponsor first of all. Disney then didn't want to pay for the maintanance on an attraction they felt was redundant with SSE also in the same park.

The length of a ride's life means nothing, especially when you have a land-locked park like USF is or are rich with land like WDW is.

 

[Mad Dog]

WDW relies more on nostalgia and has many original rides. Universal has pretty much nothing that is "theme park original" (non-reliant on IP) besides Poseidon's Fury and HRRR. Look at Universe of Energy and Great Movie Ride - parts stopped being produced and Disney decided to get rid of the rides. Or you could look at an older removed (and beloved Disney attraction) - Horizons. It was only open for just over 16 years old when it closed for good (and seasonal part of that time). Why did it close? The ride lost it's sponsor first of all. Disney then didn't want to pay for the maintanance on an attraction they felt was redundant with SSE also in the same park.

The length of a ride's life means nothing, especially when you have a land-locked park like USF is.

'the length of a ride's life means nothing'....yes....that's what I was inferring.

 

[Nick]

'the length of a ride's life means nothing'....yes....that's what I was inferring.

Yes, but you are meaning something different by it. 20 years old at MK is nothing whereas 20 years old at USF means time to go (or at least think about it). It's just the way it is because USF has so little room for expansion.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yes, but you are meaning something different by it. 20 years old at MK is nothing whereas 20 years old at USF means time to go (or at least think about it). It's just the way it is because USF has so little room for expansion.

When WDW does expansions it's usually the same way Universal does, namely replace an existing attraction with a new one. So space is a secondary requirement. It's all on an individual ride basis....Some people here think a park should tear nearly all their rides down and replace them every decade. Heh, most of those rides the super fans hate are liked by the real people in the general public. Well, basic economics tells you that a business isn't going to tear everything down and replace them, and then do it again a few years down the road. Sure USF will make a 'few' changes in the next few years, with emphasis on 'few'....not everything.

 

[Nick]

When WDW does expansions it's usually the same way Universal does, namely replace an existing attraction with a new one. So space is a secondary requirement. It's all on an individual ride basis....Some people here think a park should tear nearly all their rides down and replace them every decade. Heh, most of those rides the super fans hate are liked by the real people in the general public. Well, basic economics tells you that a business isn't going to tear everything down and replace them, and then do it again a few years down the road. Sure USF will make a 'few' changes in the next few years, with emphasis on 'few'....not everything.

I mean, yes and no.

Even coming up on 50 years old, MK still has plenty of expansion room (some that is being used right now for Tron). As does Epcot and DAK. DHS even has a decent amount of expansion room if Disney chooses to use space correctly. Hitting 30 this year, there's only one plot really available for expansion at USF outside of tearing down the sound stages which I think is a last resort option. Same thing with IOA. Very few actual expansion plots left (one of the last major areas that was underused is now being used for the JP Coaster). IOA has a few areas for redevelopment, but really no expansion space.

It's just facts that USF and IOA are running on a finite amount of land and both are almost built out as far as usable land. Not all of the land is being used best though, which is why replacements need to continue to happen at USF. This park was truly a complete mess before Comcast took over and while it's much better, it still has a long ways to go. And there WILL be technical expansion because (for example) once they decide what to do with Kid Zone, that will add rides that people actually care about and that section of the park will be relevant. Replacing is not bad, especially when what you're replacing is poor to begin with.