Epic Universe Expansion Speculation

[TheUniC6]

Easily a worse timeline for the resort as a whole.

Because SNW was meant to be the anchor for EU to draw people in. You take that away, what other family friendly IPs could you have to anchor EU to draw people in? Not much.

 

[Alicia]

Giant plain walls around SNW wouldve stood out as weird in USF more than Epic.

Also, KidZone was actually the backup plan for SNW when it was being designed in its final form. They knew they were tied up in court over being allowed to build the park and likely have a timetable for the Nintendo contract, so USF was going to be a last resort plan—cause they did really want Nintendo to anchor the new park.

 

[fryoj]

I do wonder if we'll see the facial recognition used actively in future rides? Imagine something ET saying your name but you never used the boarding pass, it just recognized you on sight. Which also sounds really creepy now that I write it out.

If we don't eventually get a huge tower with Sauron's eye that will shine a beam of light and follow you around, we riot!

 

[belloq87]

A look into an alternate, better timeline for USF.

It's one of the biggest "What if...?" moments that I can think of in the park's history.

Easily a worse timeline for the resort as a whole.

Only if you believe Epic wouldn't have been built without it.

Because SNW was meant to be the anchor for EU to draw people in. You take that away, what other family friendly IPs could you have to anchor EU to draw people in? Not much.

I think you could have gone a couple of different ways. You could swap in one of the two rumored Nintendo lands slated for the existing parks: Pokemon and Zelda.

Or, going in a different direction, you make the full court press for the LORD OF THE RINGS theme park rights and bet on that as your primary draw for Epic Universe. Perhaps then tweaking the attraction composition of the HTTYD land to skew just slightly younger to offset what would be a more adult-skewing LOTR land.

Or, since Nintendo would be on the KidZone plot in this scenario, you do basically the E-ticket version of DreamWorks land in the new park.

Giant plain walls around SNW wouldve stood out as weird in USF more than Epic.

Considering all the good I think it would have instantly done for the park's attraction roster, this would have been easy to overlook.

 

[Magic-Man]

Easily a worse timeline for the resort as a whole.

Not really. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for Epic, but I wish that Nintendo/Potter went into USF and that Isle of Berk went into IOA. Monsters is really the only land that wouldn't have happened at either of the other parks. Epic Universe is exciting but (hot take incoming) kinda unnecessary.

 

[Mad Dog]

Not really. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for Epic, but I wish that Nintendo/Potter went into USF and that Isle of Berk went into IOA. Monsters is really the only land that wouldn't have happened at either of the other parks. Epic Universe is exciting but (hot take incoming) kinda unnecessary.

Unpopular opinion yes, but I've thought the same. I liked that small campus feel with everything within walking distance. I would have preferred the building up of the present two parks...But, I'm sure, we're in the minority by far.....Epic will certainly be an excellent park. But I'll still stay at the present resort and spend the vast majority of my time there. For me, Universal is more than just the theme parks. It's the totality of the close knit resort with so much to do besides just the parks.

 

[Legacy]

Not really. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for Epic, but I wish that Nintendo/Potter went into USF and that Isle of Berk went into IOA. Monsters is really the only land that wouldn't have happened at either of the other parks. Epic Universe is exciting but (hot take incoming) kinda unnecessary.

Monsters, for a bit, was considered to replace MiB (from my understanding).

 

[Magic-Man]

Monsters, for a bit, was considered to replace MiB (from my understanding).

Wonder what that would have looked like? I'm guessing just the manor and some smaller buildings on the other side of the pathway.

 

[IzzyB]

Unpopular opinion yes, but I've thought the same. I liked that small campus feel with everything within walking distance. I would have preferred the building up of the present two parks...But, I'm sure, we're in the minority by far.....Epic will certainly be an excellent park. But I'll still stay at the present resort and spend the vast majority of my time there. For me, Universal is more than just the theme parks. It's the totality of the close knit resort with so much to do besides just the parks.

I think the 3rd gives more revenue and that we would never get these lands without that additional revenue. As a fan of course having these lands in existing parks would be best and cheaper, but I don't think we ever see 4 of these 5 lands if the new park isn't built. I think we get SNW in Studios, but I don't think any of the other lands go into the other parks.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think the 3rd gives more revenue and that we would never get these lands without that additional revenue. As a fan of course having these lands in existing parks would be best and cheaper, but I don't think we ever see 4 of these 5 lands if the new park isn't built. I think we get SNW in Studios, but I don't think any of the other lands go into the other parks.

Maybe MOM attraction too. There was a lot of solid talk about that also for Fear Factor area...but not the whole Paris land, of course. ....Nintendo was a for sure though. ...And, Lost Continent would probably have started construction with a new IP......Ultimately, Epic is probably the wise business decision since it's situated to 'extend' vacations, thus more revenue.......and, Epic will ultimately get it's own expansions since there's lots of space reserved for them....Universal thus becomes a bit more like WDW....but, myself, I prefer the compact present resort, all together in one walkable spot. Makes for a nice leisurely, lots to do if you want when you want, vacation.

 

[Mike S]

I love how some people continue to pretend like Mario and Donkey Kong going to USF and opening much sooner and Pokémon going to Epic for that parks opening would’ve been some kind of huge mistake. Both IPs are pretty much equal in terms of video game popularity and when it comes to overall popularity Pokémon actually wins by a country mile. This would’ve been a non issue if this was the plan they went with.

The only downside would’ve been potentially no expansion space for Luigi’s Mansion.

 

[kingcooger]

Maybe MOM attraction too. There was a lot of solid talk about that also for Fear Factor area..

On this, wasn't the rumor for the MOM attraction the VR one, NOT the grand one we are currently getting?

Based on the size of the showbuilding, I do not think it would fit in the FF space.

 

[Alicia]

On this, wasn't the rumor for the MOM attraction the VR one, NOT the grand one we are currently getting?

Based on the size of the showbuilding, I do not think it would fit in the FF space.

The first iterations were trackless rides, but would not have had the room for the massive Ministry of Magic atrium and fireplace entry queue had it been built next to Diagon Alley.

The VR thing was an idea that came later and would’ve been set elsewhere in the Potterverse.

 

[Scott W.]

The first iterations were trackless rides, but would not have had the room for the massive Ministry of Magic atrium and fireplace entry queue had it been built next to Diagon Alley.

The VR thing was an idea that came later and would’ve been set elsewhere in the Potterverse.

The showbuilding is a perfect fit for Supercharged and with some creative problem solving, you could probably make the preshow work leading into Diagon Alley.

I wonder how much of the preshow is just trying to explain why you've went from 1920s Paris to 2000s London.

In my ideal build out of the parks.

Kidzone becomes a fully fledged Spongebob land.
MOM is put into USF and Potter is removed from EU.
Potter becomes Far Far Away Land or LOTR

 

[Alicia]

I wonder how much of the preshow is just trying to explain why you've went from 1920s Paris to 2000s London.

Absolutely 0%

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I do not think most guests will care about this, at all.

 

[IzzyB]

The showbuilding is a perfect fit for Supercharged and with some creative problem solving, you could probably make the preshow work leading into Diagon Alley.

I wonder how much of the preshow is just trying to explain why you've went from 1920s Paris to 2000s London.

In my ideal build out of the parks.

Kidzone becomes a fully fledged Spongebob land.
MOM is put into USF and Potter is removed from EU.
Potter becomes Far Far Away Land or LOTR

Spongebob isn't nearly as popular as Dreamworks for the target age of Kidzone and they have to pay for the IP, right?

 

[mccgavin]

Spongebob isn't nearly as popular as Dreamworks for the target age of Kidzone and they have to pay for the IP, right?

I don't know about that. From what I've seen, it seems that SpongeBob has maintained its popularity, even with a younger audience. Shrek is just about as old as SpongeBob, and Kung Fu Panda has been around for a decade and a half now. It also still consistently makes the list of highest grossing media franchises to this day.

 

[gravityfalls]

Spongebob is a Nickelodeon/Paramount property. So Universal does have to pay some sort of licensing fee.
The current plan is for a Spongebob land as part of the new Universal Kids resort in Texas.

 

[IzzyB]

I don't know about that. From what I've seen, it seems that SpongeBob has maintained its popularity, even with a younger audience. Shrek is just about as old as SpongeBob, and Kung Fu Panda has been around for a decade and a half now. It also still consistently makes the list of highest grossing media franchises to this day.

I know from my kids and what they like, what merchandise you see in stores, clothing, etc. The target age of Kidzone is the under 10 crowd. If it was higher the offerings would be more and they are not. Most over 10 year olds are not playing in playgrounds, riding that coaster, or seeing that show unless they have younger siblings. The under 10 crowd clothing doesn't really have spongebob. Honestly I don't know any parents who let their under 10 year old watch Spongebob. I know I don't. My kids only have access to it on vacation and it is the only time I allow them to watch it. It isn't something talked about in their friend groups either. Now trolls? Yep. Kung Fu Panda? Absolutely. They love and want to watch all the new movies. My daughter RUSHED home from camp and was upset she had to pick up brother after camp on Monday to see Trolls released on Netflix. I agree Shrek is an older property not as popular in that crowd.

Again, it isn't the popularity overall, it is the popularity for the specific age group targeted for that area.

Mix in they have to pay for one property and not the other, it makes sense the direction they went.