I’ve held my tongue on this topic for long enough... let’s get real here!
USH has 6 rides right now... Despicable Me, FJ, Hippogriff, Mummy, Simpsons, Transformers.... that’s the lineup!
Tram is nice but i’m not throwing it in the ride lineup. Walking dead is a haunted house, not a ride....and Panda is a show.
Don’t let universal amp up the ride section of their website/app with these offerings as they know, as well as we do, that a lot of these are closer to shows than they are rides.
Allowing USH to use some of those attractions as “rides” this puts the tally on the entire park at 11 rides on their app. (this includes Olivanders as a ride, and super silly fun land..oh brother!)
IOA, by contrast, has 21 listed rides on their app and OH, guess what.... I checked out USO and they list Olivanders on their app as a show! Talk about USH being a little ride self conscious.
Yes, you can all argue an issue on the size of the park vs IOA and YES, SLOP and World are on the way... but this still only puts Universal at a total of 8 ride offerings. Has universal improved? Of course! Is USH approaching the most ride offerings they have ever had? Absolutely, they are passing it! But this is a different time in theme parks...
Everything is bigger and better. Universal is not competing with lower tier parks and still trying to find their way in the industry and make a name. That time is long behind them!
It’s Universal and it’s Disney. That’s it. DL currently has over 22 ride offerings and this is without ROTR yet to be added. Counting the “rides” on the app actually puts you in the mid to late 30’s but I did my best to only count true “rides.” And OH, if you happen to forgot, right across the road at DCA, you can find another 10 rides with Marvel still on the way. The actual attraction offering lists over 25 options, but again, did my best to narrow in on “Rides.” This puts DLR at 32 ride offerings and over 65+ total attraction offerings.
Why on earth would somebody, with 1-3 days in LA, choose to go to USH with 8 rides over DLR with over 30+ to choose from. Many of the 30 (at least 16) arguably being E-Tickets!
I’m a USH fan, don’t get me wrong. And that’s why I’m passionate about this! They are moving forward but at the same time, this feels like a losing battle due to space, poor IP and ride system decision, Disneyland putting on the gas, etc!
I have no doubt USH will continue to thrive and guests from across the globe will always throw their money at them but I don’t think there will be any question in the minds of theme park enthusiasts, who is “winning LA.”
Oh what could have been if USH
had Spider-Man instead of Transformers.... but that’s another topic.
Now, I know someone is going to sarcastically say “Dustin what would you do in Universal’s situation” and honestly, I don’t know! It’s not my job to study their obstacles, land, spacing, IP issues, budget, etc.. BUT, If I had my own BlueSky Dream Scenario, ill do my best to appease those of you that feel so inclined to hear what I have to say. This scenario is one where recently built things don’t matter if the they are now on the chopping block and this will also be kinda funky on spacing because that’s not my forte...... so this is what I would do.
UPPER LOT:
Despicable Me and super silly fun land out for a massive inclosed E-Ticket. New building size could be massive. If it’s done in top and bottom levels with queue on one and ride on other, space is massive for a great ride here. You leave SLOP, you move play area to new location close by and you still have everything you need to satisfy parents and children and the park gains a desperately needed advanced E-Ticket.
Special effects show gets the axe here and another must-level attraction goes in. This will also take out some simpsons offerings in front of the show (taco truck, etc) but let’s do it. This will be a shooter in the style of MIB. Another attraction for the young ones so that’s we can build more thrill rides as we progress. IP will be whatever makes sense.
Simpsons gets demolished and reworked. Keep the IP (idc tbh) all I know is that there is too much space being obtained by an old ride system here. This entire area can be leveled and house a very entertaining new and more thrilling ride that isn’t so screen based and more based on thrills and practical elements. It’s desperately needed in UScHreens.
Tram area reworked and moved, figure out how to put hagrids in this area.
Upper lot complete. New Upper is as follows:
New E-Ticket In Despicable area, New Simpson’s, Forbidden Journey/Flight, Hagrids, Waterworld, Panda, Animal Actors, new MIB style shooter, Walking dead and SLOP. 7 real rides on the top now, alone.
If that’s not the perfect upper, what is?
LOWER LOT:
Jurassic World, Mummy, Transformers, Mario Kart, (diagon if space allows) if no room for diagon, literally anything that will fit. Even moving special effects back down here if need be from the removal up top for the new shooter ride.
This puts USH at 11 true rides which is still a far cry from Disney’s offerings but I think this makes the park much more competitive as most of these offerings are now state of the art and have more to offer. Let me know your thoughts.