The Future of Springfield/Simpsons Ride (Hollywood)

[Wesker69]

Sometimes not everything needs to be backed by a theme

Hello Kitty. Make Springfield Hello Kitty's adventures through Universal IPs! They already have merch for it!!

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I still think the area should turn generic universal area like the plaza and the ride can still be used as a IP attraction. With fast and furious being there too now it would fit…. Sometimes not everything needs to be backed by a theme

This is kinda my prediction. I think after the coaster opens and there’s been ample time to celebrate it, they’ll announce Simpsons is going away. It’ll go the same way as Animal Actors and the FX show — complete tear down and a retrofitting of the foundation.

My personal wish for a replacement would be the Bourne stunt show. Maybe it makes Water World redundant but I think they could co-exist. You turn the area into a “Universal” area centered on the coaster, the show, and the studio tour. Keep the food courts and re-theme them into original properties — like you said, they don’t need to be “Jason Bourne Burgers” or something, just fun original concepts that match the “experience the movies” energy of the area.

 

[Wesker69]

Doc Brown's Fried Chicken

 

[TheUniC6]

This is kinda my prediction. I think after the coaster opens and there’s been ample time to celebrate it, they’ll announce Simpsons is going away. It’ll go the same way as Animal Actors and the FX show — complete tear down and a retrofitting of the foundation.

My personal wish for a replacement would be the Bourne stunt show. Maybe it makes Water World redundant but I think they could co-exist. You turn the area into a “Universal” area centered on the coaster, the show, and the studio tour. Keep the food courts and re-theme them into original properties — like you said, they don’t need to be “Jason Bourne Burgers” or something, just fun original concepts that match the “experience the movies” energy of the area.

I think the Simpsons Ride plot would be a better fit for some sort of dark ride like pets, albeit on a much larger scale than a show like Borne.

 

[Jake S]

I think attaching an IP to the food court makes a big difference to both the People That Care About Money and to the guests who want at least a semblance of a unique experience. I'm absolutely more likely to grab a "themed" chicken sandwich than something from a "generic" food kiosk, and I don't think I'm alone.

Obviously, there are great examples of non-IP food and bev at both Universal and the Disney parks, but I don't think that's something Universal is willing to give up on just because they give up the Simpsons IP.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I think attaching an IP to the food court makes a big difference to both the People That Care About Money and to the guests who want at least a semblance of a unique experience. I'm absolutely more likely to grab a "themed" chicken sandwich than something from a "generic" food kiosk, and I don't think I'm alone.

Obviously, there are great examples of non-IP food and bev at both Universal and the Disney parks, but I don't think that's something Universal is willing to give up on just because they give up the Simpsons IP.

The prices people pay for Butter Beer and Nintendo drinks/food pretty much prove this


My thoughts are while F7F will be generic...I'm very much fine with a themed land next to it.....if they made it more a generic land with each food location and the ride with good theming then it could work. But I see them wanting a new exciting land to draw people in......I would loveeee a BTTF and Jaws themed restaurants but no idea if that makes as much sense as more Potter or another IP just taking over the simpsons area

 

[Wesker69]

The prices people pay for Butter Beer

I feel personally attacked ....and now I want butterbeer

would loveeee a BTTF and Jaws themed restaurants

- Cafe 80's "Outtatime"
- Amity Seafood Grill
(BRING BACK THE HANGING SHARK PHOTO-OP!!!!)

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I think attaching an IP to the food court makes a big difference to both the People That Care About Money and to the guests who want at least a semblance of a unique experience. I'm absolutely more likely to grab a "themed" chicken sandwich than something from a "generic" food kiosk, and I don't think I'm alone.

Obviously, there are great examples of non-IP food and bev at both Universal and the Disney parks, but I don't think that's something Universal is willing to give up on just because they give up the Simpsons IP.

I definitely see your point, but I think you can (and sometimes should) theme something and not have it tied to IP. Think Epic Universe and the restaurants in Celestial Park. These places appear to be heavily themed but they’re not branded to a movie franchise. No reason something similar couldn’t happen with this food court if the park went this direction. It’d also give them an opportunity to re-concept the actual food itself, which I would personally welcome.

This is obviously all hypothetical but forcing an IP onto something that doesn’t have a natural fit sometimes feels arbitrary, don’t you think? These restaurants will be essentially across the way from the F&F coaster, but other than the occasional Corona joke, does food really have a role in the franchise? They should just find ways to make it work because it’s popular? “Lettie’s Lettuce Wrap”? A Shaw Family British pub? There’s no creativity in that at all.

 

[highdefrex]

(BRING BACK THE HANGING SHARK PHOTO-OP!!!!)

Not to derail the thread, but this is something I'm lowkey surprised they haven't brought back. They could straight up lightly theme some little nook or corner anywhere to be "Amity" with the shark hung up and call it a day. Put it outside the Studio Store where the Mummy car is or where the Studio Tour drops off or... It's such an easy (and iconic) photo op that I still can't believe it never came back.

But anyway, I digress. Back to Simpsons.

 

[Freakenstein]

Yeah I mean I could see it being a movie area tbh. I like the idea of an amity food stand( for the hotdog/ pizza), docs chicken coming back, add an 80s cafe/bar for moes.

 

[Wesker69]

Think Epic Universe and the restaurants in Celestial Park.

BLUE DRAGON PLEASE!!! (I'd even take it in Citywalk)

This is obviously all hypothetical but forcing an IP onto something that doesn’t have a natural fit sometimes feels arbitrary, don’t you think? These restaurants will be essentially across the way from the F&F coaster, but other than the occasional Corona joke, does food really have a role in the franchise? There’s no creativity in that at all.

"Marty, you're not thinking 4th dimensionally! When you arrive in 2028, those issues won't even be there!"

Tokyo Drift offers up Japanese dining. If I wasn't lazy, I'd list all the different countries with each movie for an "International Food variety option" that could takeover "Fastfood Blvd"

 

[Jerroddragon]

I definitely see your point, but I think you can (and sometimes should) theme something and not have it tied to IP. Think Epic Universe and the restaurants in Celestial Park. These places appear to be heavily themed but they’re not branded to a movie franchise. No reason something similar couldn’t happen with this food court if the park went this direction. It’d also give them an opportunity to re-concept the actual food itself, which I would personally welcome.

This is obviously all hypothetical but forcing an IP onto something that doesn’t have a natural fit sometimes feels arbitrary, don’t you think? These restaurants will be essentially across the way from the F&F coaster, but other than the occasional Corona joke, does food really have a role in the franchise? They should just find ways to make it work because it’s popular? “Lettie’s Lettuce Wrap”? A Shaw Family British pub? There’s no creativity in that at all.

I think the big difference at least to me is that area feels epic and beautiful

Like a team worked hard to design this beautiful none IP land

USH space is limited so you can't do much epicness unless they go very Vertical and because of space you can't really do these big open area's that allow you to just be like wow this looks so cool





I think it would be great if Universal did redo the theming around F7F and behind the Plaza area....They could enclose the meet and greet area for the characters more and maybe even then have characters out in the rain if they wanted. Redo the Mexican restaurant to be themed to a Classic Universal film and add theming and maybe use the space that is currently a cart to be a throw back to another old movie you can't fit anywhere else.

 

[Freak]

I think whatever replaces Springfield will probably not be an overall IP that will blanket all of the food places….I could see a variety of IPs being themed at the restaurants.

As someone brought up, I wouldn’t mind Cletus’ be replaced by Doc Brown’s fried chicken. Would t mind Krusty Burger being themed to “80’s Cafe” or the pretzel stand be called “Snack to the Future”

Actually, screw it. Just retheme Springfield to Hill Valley. But seriously, I was thinking one or two restaurants being. BTTF themed and then having a Jaws-themed seafood place or something.

 

[Wesker69]

Give me a seafood restaurant & theme it to ......JAWS 19!!

Redo the Mexican restaurant to be themed to a Classic Universal film

Except the Mexican quick-service behind Plaza actually fits with the Fast & Furious franchise.. so there's your classic Universal film (and by classic, I mean a derailed train wreck after Furious 7)

 

[chris.g]

Real talk they'll probably make this a new New York themed section of the park (because why not have 2) and they'll demolish Simpsons for Race through new York, lol.

 

[Wesker69]

they'll demolish Simpsons for Race through new York, lol.

Don't you wish that evil upon our park.. the last thing they need is a Jimmy Fallon mini-land featuring that & Studio Tour

 

[Clive]

I'd be very, very surprised if Fallon came to USH at this point.

 

[Jerroddragon]

lollllll

Yeah we have a better chance of that area being a Minions area over New York.

Like why waste space in this park on such a nothing burger?

 

[Freak]

Real talk they'll probably make this a new New York themed section of the park (because why not have 2) and they'll demolish Simpsons for Race through new York, lol.

Ain't. No. Way.

If this really is what they're going for....there is absolutely no way they tear down the Simpsons Ride just to build another simulator ride from the ground up. I just....refuse to believe that. There is no freaking way. If they actually give this ride yet another half-@$$ed overlay to Fallon (Which would make more sense considering the Simpsons/BTTF format would work better for the "Race Thru New York" setting), then I get the impression that this would be a placeholder until they have a better idea to maximize the space.

Realistically, I see this space being used for the Bourne Show. It would kinda work with F&F being right there and the Tour being right there as well. I don't know how the GP would react to a ride being replaced with a show, but the park is at a place now where I think they can get away with it. An aging, now uncomfortable simulator ride getting replaced from a high-end stunt show would not be a bad replacement.

Better yet, if we're gonna turn Springfield into a New York street....replace the Simpsons Ride with a Ghostbusters ride!

 

[chris.g]

Im just speculating i really don't know what's coming