Old Theme Park Rumors Discussion

[Parkscope Joe]

So after yesterday's showing of how rumors are easily created, I was wondering what old theme park rumors you remember from back in the day that never happened. I remember the CAVE ride system Villains ride that would replace GMR and the constant rumors a permanent haunt was coming to USF.

 

[Brian G.]

Van Helsing

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Van Helsing

Transformers was actually replacing Jaws.

 

[Viator]

Avatar was taking over T23D at Universal Hollywood.

 

[Mad Dog]

A zillion , or two zillion, Kid Zone replacement rumors.....Smurfs, Pokemon, Star Trek etc. , Nintendo (almost, with a last minute relocation)

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Off the top of my head...

Jonas Brothers RNR
Arendelle Toontown Replacement
A billion Tomorrowland replacements

It's kind of hard to think of salient older ones since a lot of the historical rumors were confirmed to actually be in development. Van Helsing, Pokémon, Zelda, Lorax trackless, SLOP trackless, Atlantis Submarine Voyage, Fire Mountain, trackless Villain-Con, Iron Man IOA, all the dropped Jurassic concepts, all of those have some kind of corroboration via permits or concept art. The rumor is more so whether these projects were in blue sky or active development.

 

[Cygnus]

The Universal water park being named WonderSea Island and potentially having actual rides and a Spongebob area...

 

[GA-MBIT]

I think a few of these were legitimately planned and some may be a bit more recent, but here are some that I remember flying around over the years. Crazy to think that the DHS and New Fantasyland redos are around 10 years old.

- Monsters Inc. suspended coaster based on the Door System Chase scene.
- Dumbo revamp of Barnstormer for New Fantasyland Storybook Circus.
- Game of Thrones house at HHN29
- A ton of Disney Channel RnRC rethemes. PerceptiveCoot threw out Jonas Brothers, but I recall Hannah Montana also being a big rumor.
- Carsland at Hollywood Studios
- Wreck It Ralph VR replacing Stitch
- Wonders of Life, just generally haha.

 

[Scott W.]

Van Helsing

It was ridiculous. Like Universal would ever use a KUKA arm for a ride in the expansion pad between Jurassic Park and Lost Continent. Not to mention, Universal would never build a land like this after the failed Classic Monsters reboot.

 

[Clive]

I mean, wasn't Van Helsing real until the film bombed?

 

[GAcoaster]

The Lost island taking over TSI or Discovery Island.

 

[Scott W.]

I mean, wasn't Van Helsing real until the film bombed?

A 'Van Helsing' Robocoaster for Islands of Adventure?

Industry rumor mills are buzzing that IOA will counter Disney's Expedition Everest in 2006 with a Robocoaster attraction in the park's Lost Continent area.

www.themeparkinsider.com

 

[Nick]

- Kong replacing Disaster
- Paint The Night to WDW about a million times
- Velocicoaster plot was rumored going to get an RMC at one point
- Brazil to Epcot
- The many projects Disney has actually announced and then cancelled.
- Speedway retheme to TRON and going electric
- Tokyo BATB ride to come to France Pavilion (this was in serious contention and Rat won out)

Avatar was taking over T23D at Universal Hollywood.

This was definitely a real thing. Disney beat them out by offering Cameron a land. Sort of a reverse Potter.

 

[Rideguy70]

Westcot and Port Disney in Long Beach

 

[frank_1991_]

Indoors cars land at DHS
Soarin coming to DLP
The original rivers of light parade concept.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Some others:

• The original: Haunted Mansion at DL was too scary so DIsney had to close it to redo it hence the delay
• Mission:Space is just a Superman SFMM clone with turns
• Fire Mountain (real!) and Villain Mountain (also real!)
• Various incarnations of Beastley Kingdomme
• WWE hall of fame/restaruant at UOR
• Australia in DAK with Soarin

 

[Cygnus]

Regarding Smuggler's Run:


and then from IOACentral:

 

[Captain Tragedy]

Regarding Smuggler's Run:
View attachment 18465

and then from IOACentral:
View attachment 18466

Love the Ice Cold Takes: Theme Park Edition

 

[shiekra38]

and then from IOACentral:
View attachment 18466

For the record Universal didn't build a "stupid" HP Coaster...it's actually quite brilliant...so he was kind of right

Also I wish Jimmy was correct about the Smuggler's Run coaster


Also Also, anyone remember when Transformers was going to be a year round haunt?

 

[Brian G.]

I mean, wasn't Van Helsing real until the film bombed?

Yeah. I guess this thread was meant for rumors that were more cold takes than actually possible.