Universal’s 5th Park rumor

[Legacy]

I read on TvTropes somewhere that AFAIK apparently Universal planned to build that said 3rd park somewhere in the mid-2000s, but because of budget problems they had to shelve it, and it had “disastrous consequences”, is there any source for that?

The budget issues resulted in them selling all of the land that was supposed to be the third park. Basically, everything was initially much closer, as the resort would have straddled Turkey Lake Road. It also included an 18-hole golf course on-property where Dr. Phillips is, as Universal planned to donate land on the corner of Turkey Lake and Sand Lake roads, while also paying to build the new Dr. Phillips High School.

The Dr. Phillips conversations were reported in Orlando Sentinel at the time, and the total property plans were shown in a model in the IoA Preview Center.

 

[RFRees]

Those were all issues before Epic was ever built- so the argument could have been made before epic. So you you rather have had the epic lands fill those spots in USF/IOA vs being their new park in Epic?

Funny because that's exactly what would have happened:

• MoM rumored to have replaced FFL
• SNW rumored to have replaced KidZone
• Berk rumored to have replaced LC

Monsters and Celestial were the only two which wouldn't have gotten built at all. Though even Monsters may have been based on an old idea from Creative to build a Van Helsing Kuka attraction in LC expansion space, before the Potter deal got signed.

 

[Legacy]

Funny because that's exactly what would have happened:

• MoM rumored to have replaced FFL
• SNW rumored to have replaced KidZone
• Berk rumored to have replaced LC

Monsters and Celestial were the only two which wouldn't have gotten built at all. Though even Monsters may have been based on an old idea from Creative to build a Van Helsing Kuka attraction in LC expansion space, before the Potter deal got signed.

I remember hearing, during the pandemic when the certainty of Epic was less certain, a plan that put Monsters Unchained where MIB is…

 

[RFRees]

I remember hearing, during the pandemic when the certainty of Epic was less certain, a plan that put Monsters Unchained where MIB is…

I wouldn't mind a Kuka ride coming to USF, but very glad Monsters got a whole land world.

 

[Frankenstein79]

I think to beat Disney you have to beat them at their own game. Magic Kingdom seems to be the 1 park that has kept them consistently ahead. Lately though Disney has seemed to open the door with their ill advised destruction of Frontierland.

If Universal could do a castle park like MK, but “Plus it” and do it even better… then they could win the war. Afterall families have been what has kept Disney ahead of Universal. They’ve already got the thrill junkies and horror fans. It’s time to move onto the next phase… the families.

 

[Jake S]

I think to beat Disney you have to beat them at their own game.

Okay, but Universal isn't going to do that. It's shown no interest in trying to steal away the Families With Very Young Kids demographic. If Disney loses its grip on this demographic, it will be due to price ... and uh, Universal isn't exactly cheap! These people will simply stop going to theme parks and do something else with their money.

 

[GAcoaster]

They may never beat Disney, but they will continue to errode their monopoly on the young kid demographics. Watching the Wicked premier, they could make huge inroads with the younger set...

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Okay, but Universal isn't going to do that. It's shown no interest in trying to steal away the Families With Very Young Kids demographic. If Disney loses its grip on this demographic, it will be due to price ... and uh, Universal isn't exactly cheap! These people will simply stop going to theme parks and do something else with their money.

I said this on another thread, I think the “main” Universal parks (USF, IOA, Epic, etc.) make it a point NOT to focus on the really young demographic, and that I think I read somewhere that the new Texas park was sort of a “test” to get those younger people ready for the “main” parks when they grow up.