I think people look at these properties as nostalgic but I see the IPs listed here as universal. The IPs before the early 2000s all benefited from being widely viewed by the general population of the US and the world. Streaming media didn't exist which helped silo people into generally watching similar content creating a knowledge base and love for certain IPs. Things like Jaws when it aired on channels that most people had in the states. Things like Back to the Future when it used to air on random Sunday/Saturday nights on NBC.
A great example for those in the USA is A Christmas Story back in the day near Christmas would run for 24 hours on TBS.
Now looking at it from a theme park lens, these IPs take people back to a simpler time. Back to a feeling that they may miss now and trying to find again. A feeling they may want to share with their family. I think the nostalgic IPs because of how accessible and how well known they are and even if you didn't watch them, you knew their relevance through culture. It really is why Universal is leaning into the ones they do have within their parks. Its also why i think even though Wicked the film is new....Oz still touches on that feeling a lot of people had and touches on a property that for Americans is very universal through the multiple renditions and variations (Wicked book/movie/musical, The Wiz (stage/film), Wizard of Oz (book/film/stage adaptation), Disney Oz films, etc)
Additionally, I think when we look at the attractions when Universal first came out, they were truly cutting edge unlike anything ever seen, so the wow factor and the inspiration when people were lot younger is missing now. They are extremely sanitized in ride experience today. Yes, there are many new attractions out there that are technologically more advanced but they miss the emotions people feel....Kongfrontation was terrifying when you think about the concept and what they were able to do back then. The original Jaws ride was crazy. Going to Disney...Alien Encounter was next level terrifying. The first set of Tower of Terror rides had the smell of burning metal and ozone and the walls sparked as you went up and down. I also think that's why Waterworld is one of the few attractions that continually survives because it meets the thrill and emotional aspects.
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I think
@Legacy is correct in the sense that when it comes to attractions, we are trained to look at it in a very narrow sense of roller coaster, dark ride, water ride, and traditional sit down theatre show making it hard for non action based IPs to be seen as viable for a theme park. Thinking outside the book is why even IPs we couldn't dare dream seen come to life is possible.
Universal creative took a famous mystery book series in Japan and transformed it into a 2 hour immersive show/meal at USJ this year and it was amazing with really good reviews and multiple people paying out of pocket to watch (one girl i met went roughly 11 times paying the upcharge fee of 7,500 yen, she was not the only one in the room who was a repeat attendee). Additionally they took a popular anime and transformed it into a 4 level 50/60 person escape room experience that also is roughly 2 hour experience which is much much much better than anything Universal Escape did with two IPs that have the strongest potential for awesome experiences. I mean a great stateside example of outside the box thinking would be the Hill Valley actors and reenactments during Fan Fest Nights (though I think Universal could do more and done it even better, the fans were happy and that is what matters)
An attraction just truly needs to be something you can't experience anywhere else, a experience that entertains you and provides you a quality moment for a set time. I also believe this is the way to bring nostalgic IPs back to the parks in fresh ways is not through major attractions but through one of a kind experiences that will respect the legacy when they came to the parks originally.
To add on to this, UDX knows more about what the GP wants than us random posters on a forum. They have market research and survey data to support their decisions, as it's a results-based business, and they want to succeed. This observation isn't meant to shut down discussion, but instead, maybe we should be looking outside the box more.
This may be true but usually market research and surveys focuses heavy on what consumers want without looking into why and how they want it. An good example is surveys asking about IPs...do you want to see this fantasy IP and IPs like it come to the park....to what level would you like to see them. They typically never ask why someone why they want to see the IP and what about that IP appeals to them. It misses critical elements as well as sociological/psychological factors for certain IPs that are why certain IPs are popular which could turn a good land to an amazing land appealing even more so to non fans.