An 'Attraction' Every Year?

[Jon Fu]

We've heard from a good source that Universal is planning to open an 'attraction' every year - leading up to the opening of Harry Potter.


While this seems very plausible, we have to be careful with what Universal defines as an attraction. With what we've heard, it could be something as simple as a tiny playground or as elaborate as a new ride or show.


We're talking something that can range from Dino Play to Despicable Me.


What are your thoughts?

 

[Allen The Actor]

As much as i wish this was a new ride every year, it most likely will be new little shows or playgrounds, or something similar to Disney's "limited time magic" thing but on a yearly bases. Although, ideally it SHOULD be a ride, or maybe it'll be a new studio tour "ride" segment replacing Fast and Furious or being added somewhere on the lot. The "Vision" plan showed new studio tour attractions, so hopefully they'll start on that!

 

[BernardMesa]

If they end up doing that park idea, would that be considered an attraction?

 

[UniversalFan]

I know Orlando is doing that.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Orlando is taking "new attraction per year" to a new level haha.

And no, i doubt the park would be advertised.

What i think would've been a smart move was to move the Flintstone carnival to the coke soak area and retheme it to the amusement park Gru and the girls visited in the movie. And THEN use the "western/central park" area PLUS the old Flintstone area foe an even larger expansion pad.

 

[Jon Fu]

If there's anything to consider a possible "attraction" this year, it would be Central Park and whatever they plan on using the small stage space that will go with it. Let's remember: they consider the Blues Brothers R&B Show to be something legitimate enough to display on the Studio Directory, so this could easily count. 

First off, welcome!


Great point. I can't stress that enough. What Universal considers to be an attraction may not coincide with our typical use of the term, so we're treading on this internal announcement rather lightly.


But on the possible expansion of the Studio Tour and Universal Vision- that's an interesting observation. I'm not exactly sure what they could use, but I'm wondering whether or not they're content with what they currently have given the success of King Kong 360 - 3D. If they do indeed add something to the tour, would it be as grand as King Kong? For all we know, it could be another "Skull Island"/Parting of the Red Sea as the next "big" thing. Plus, where exactly could they find land on the backlot that wouldn't upset the studio?

 

[BernardMesa]

They could always replace the mummy tunnel. I mean I think it's okay but nothing to brag about. And maybe the Fast and the Furious part. but it seems like Universal just doesn't want to let go of that franchise.

 

[Allen The Actor]

A couple of the spots for a new tour attraction seemed to show one behind or near the Simpsons building, and one somewhere also close. I don't remember where, if someone can pull up the latest Vision plan pic, we can see where they marked a couple new Tour stops. One, i think, WAS indeed the mummy tunnel as a replacement.

 

[Allen The Actor]

And yeah, Universal and Disney always have different definitions of "attraction". With Disney, it's their Limited Time Magic promotion or other little activities/mini shows, and Universal has the same, whether it's that Character Bash thing they had on the lower lot during Transformers construction, or like Bob Dylan said, the Blues Brothers.

 

[Miss Betty Juice]

An attraction in theme park lingo is anything from and including rides, mazes, walk-through exhibits, and shows, no matter how big or small on scale. (Parades count as their own category of entertainment typically, weird as that may seem, since many of them are limited according to season while the other things tend to stick around a little longer). So they could put up any of those things, slap it on the map, and consider it one. 

 

[Jonathan]

Do you think they move Blues Brothers to the stage in the park. Then they can go to town on the old victoria station/House of Horrors/Blues Brother area and turn that into a new attraction?

 

[Jon Fu]

Do you think they move Blues Brothers to the stage in the park. Then they can go to town on the old victoria station/House of Horrors/Blues Brother area and turn that into a new attraction?

Hmm. That's an interesting thought. They seem reluctant to get rid of House of Horrors though. That entire location would have been my next choice for Despicable Me.

 

[BernardMesa]

Any idea as to when Universal might confirm stuff or have some kind of press event? 

 

[Chris]

I am interested to see if the DeLorean will be announced before DM.  I would not expect to see DM announced until March or April. Who knows, will there be a Superbowl ad this year?

 

[Allen The Actor]

I doubt the DeLorean would get any publicity unless they built an ENTIRE showroom to showcase all the picture cars. That would actually be pretty awesome. Imagine a nice sized showroom with the picture cars, and a facade or couple set pieces from the movie great for pics! Although it would take up too much space.

Do you guys think the fire will delay DM at all?

 

[Miss Betty Juice]

Fire probably helped more than it hurt. One less thing to tear down! (Half-way kidding on that.)

The DeLorean would at least get some publicity on the website and in the park when it's ready.

 

[Allen The Actor]

As a film fan, I've always been DISGUSTED by the way Universal has let so many of its picture cars rot away, when they always pretend to have pride in them. Or i always hate how they've NEVER auctioned off segments of previous rides

 

[Jon Fu]

Much of the news that we get from the park smacks of idealism and estimations.

So in other words, what management hopes to achieve is usually very different from the actual outcome. Just because management tells employees that this is what they're planning to do doesn't automatically translate into reality. Think of the Despicable Me rumor for example. We've heard from very good sources that early 2013 is the park's target date, but in reality, who knows? They're working against some pretty tough limitations and restrictions at this point that make that estimate very implausible.

Same notion goes for this rumor as well. It's a target that could or could not translate well into reality. But we do know this is what management is hoping to do with the park from this point on. Question is whether or not they can act on it.

I'm not sure if this is obvious or not, but this is exactly the reason why we're not that big on rumors. It's one thing to discuss them (like we have done now), but it's another ballgame to spread them like what other sites have done. We just recently created a rumor page so the industry gets an explicit idea of what our perspective on the park truly is. Lots of fluff out there right now, and we're not in the business to contribute to it. 

 

[Jon Fu]

You mean early 2014 right? Unless we live in RollerCoaster Tycoon world, where an attraction can be built literally overnight! 

We're hearing 'early' 2013.


Yeah, I didn't believe it either, but we have a great source. From what we've heard, they definitely want to try to get it out by Summer 2013 at the latest. Not sure the fire is going to affect anything though.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Universal is the living version of roller coaster tycoon. They will have built a massive E ticket transformers ride in Florida in a YEAR. I think they can do despicable me in half a year.