Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[Gnome]

- edit - double post -

[undercoverunicorn13]

Just a question but why is everybody not wanting Kong now? I'm excited for Nintendo Land to I'm just also excited for Skull Island....

 

I just find it funny how yesterday everyone was excited for Kong and now it's like old news ...

[805Andrew]

How did I miss this news this morning??!! This is probably the best theme park announcement I've ever heard. I've been wanting a Nintendo theme park for years and finally Nintendo is finally coming to theme parks. Nintendo could warrant a new, separate gate in every Universal property worldwide. There's so many rides they could go off of Mario alone: Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Mushroom Kingdom, etc. Plus they could have whole lands based off of Donkey Kong Country, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon. The possibilities are endless! I hope Japan and Orlando get separate Nintendo gate parks (well, at least Japan) and if Hollywood doesn't have room for a second gate (which they probably won't) they should bulldoze the whole upper lot that isn't been sanctioned off for Harry Potter for a new Nintendo Land.

 

When can they start construction?

[megametal]

Have a King Wart Vs. Bowser and Princess Daisy Vs. Princess Peach rap battle with costumed characters. (OK, I'm kidding.)

 

People keep bringing up Mario, but I'd prefer Hulk be rethemed to Metroid! Turn Dr. Doom's Fear Fall into a Donkey Kong ride.

[p-sychiatrist]

People keep bringing up Mario, but I'd prefer Hulk be rethemed to Metroid!

 

While I would love this, I'm not sure if Metroid is recognized in pop culture well enough to warrant a full attraction. Samus is probably more famous from Smash Bros. these days, but Mario is so iconic that he's bigger than gaming itself, easily on the same level (not historically of course) as Mickey Mouse or the marvel heroes. And again, I don't think Nintendo land will be a simple reskinning of Marvel Super Hero land, but if it is there will be at least 1 or 2 major brand new attractions. There's no way Miyamoto would settle for less than Potter-scale effort on his most beloved characters.

 

Either way I can't wait!!!!!!

[Woodie Warrior]

Whats the likelihood this replaces Marvel island? Its essentially become stagnated and it represents an old marvel from decades ago rather then the new and current generation of Marvel.

 

Some one else mentioned converting the hulk into a bowser coaster. I just imagine them turning the tunnel into one of those Mario pipes

Like I mentioned earlier, I really hope this doesn't happen. Spiderman is my favorite attraction in Orlando and I don't think it could be easily replaced with any new theme. Toon Lagoon and KidZone would be better places to put in Nintendo attractions.

[nannerdw]

The possibility of Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota music playing as I'm walking through a theme park... umm, yes please

 

Also, this announcement is just begging for a photoshop contest.

[Jew]

Holding on to a property just to keep your competitor from having it isnt necessarily an effective strategy when there is a cost associated with it (beyond apparent monetary costs). Again, the marvel heroes that uni currently have represent what they looked like at the end of the 90's compared to what they have evolved to today. At some point it would make sense to cut their loss, let disney have the theme park rights to the property, and then Uni can revamp and redevelop that real estate in a way that will drive attendance to the park and keep islands of adventure relevant

 

I really don't think it's that simple.

 

You could argue Universal reaps the benefits of having the only Marvel character based theme park attractions on the East Coast because of the popularity of the cinematic universe. Spiderman is still a popular ride. Hulk is still a popular ride. I imagine the retail store is still doing good business selling merch associated with all the Marvel characters. I don't think Universal is by any means desperate to get rid of their exclusive rights to theme park attractions associated with Marvel characters, even if they have to work based on the comic books and not the movies.

 

At some point that real estate may very well become more valuable as another IP (such as Nintendo), but with UO/IoA still riding high on the back of Harry Potter...I don't think it's urgent for them to dump the valuable license unless it is a deal they can't refuse. The rest of Lost Continent would go before revamping Super Hero Island IMO.

 

On the flip side of all that, you could argue Disney is losing more by not being able to fully capitalize on the cinematic universe at WDW.

 

So really it comes down to...who blinks first.

[Mrlittle]

Just a question but why is everybody not wanting Kong now? I'm excited for Nintendo Land to I'm just also excited for Skull Island....

 

I just find it funny how yesterday everyone was excited for Kong and now it's like old news ...

 

I'm sure a lot of us are still excited for Kong. But of course we also heard rumors and saw construction going on already. This Nintendo announcement was out of nowhere it seems. Plus it's freaking Nintendo. They might as well retheme Kong into Donkey Kong because holy crap that would be awesome.

[MIAfan88]

I wouldn't mind Pokemon battle themed shows. I second the Star Fox themed coaster with a barrel roll and themed go karts.

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

This is so exciting! Anything Pokemon themed, I'm totally there!

[colinx]

The Incredible Hulk could be rethemed to "The Incredible Shulk".

[nannerdw]

The Incredible Hulk could be rethemed to "The Incredible Shulk".

That sword design would make a pretty badass lift hill tunnel indeed

[DirkFunk]

Those Marvel characters that Universal "wants to get rid of" have a new film that's already made $700 million dollars, and the movie has been in release worldwide for about 10 days. The overwhelming about of rumor mongering about Universal getting rid of Marvel comes from ardent, hyper orthodox Disney nerds dreaming about getting the characters in DHS, not the guys typically breaking Universal junk. Universal has rights to the characters in *perpetuity* and it makes more sense for them to expand on it and upgrade given how outrageously popular they are vs. the price they pay for the IP than to rip it out and pay someone else for their's. Last I checked, Universal doesn't own Nickelodeon, Simpsons, Potter, Seuss, or Nintendo, do they?

 

Now, you want to talk about tired old IPs in the park that Nintendo could replace; You guys realize Fievel is still in Universal Orlando, right? And Curious George? And Barney the Dinosaur? Who wants to take bets that those end up getting chopped down before Marvel leaves IOA? Cash only. DirkFunk doesn't play.

[A.J.]

To add to this, they would seriously have to pull a rabbit out of their hat to replace Spiderman. For one thing, they just spent all that time and money re-doing all of the animations for it, and unlike Popeye, Dudley Do-Right and Woody Woodpecker, everyone knows who Spiderman is.

 

As a gut reaction, if I were to get rid of an Orlando land for Nintendo IP attractions, it would be either Toon Lagoon or the rest of the Lost Continent in Islands, or the Kids' Zone in the Studios.

[undercoverunicorn13]

Just a question but why is everybody not wanting Kong now? I'm excited for Nintendo Land to I'm just also excited for Skull Island....

 

I just find it funny how yesterday everyone was excited for Kong and now it's like old news ...

 

I'm sure a lot of us are still excited for Kong. But of course we also heard rumors and saw construction going on already. This Nintendo announcement was out of nowhere it seems. Plus it's freaking Nintendo. They might as well retheme Kong into Donkey Kong because holy crap that would be awesome.

 

I see your point... I just wish that IOA had enough space to add Kong and re-theme Toon Lagoon by adding new rides and retheming the water rides. I really hope that they keep Ripsaw Falls and Rat Barges both if they re-theme the area and add like 1 or 2 new ones. They just have two awesome water rides in that area they hopefully keep.

[Nrthwnd]

...This Nintendo announcement was out of nowhere it seems. Plus it's freaking Nintendo!!!

 

Fixed.

[cfc]

Just a question but why is everybody not wanting Kong now? I'm excited for Nintendo Land to I'm just also excited for Skull Island....

 

I just find it funny how yesterday everyone was excited for Kong and now it's like old news ...

 

I'm sure a lot of us are still excited for Kong. But of course we also heard rumors and saw construction going on already. This Nintendo announcement was out of nowhere it seems. Plus it's freaking Nintendo. They might as well retheme Kong into Donkey Kong because holy crap that would be awesome.

 

Yep--it's not like Kong was all that big a secret.

[Garet]

Someone just tweeted this to us! lol

 

Makes me wonder with the announcements so close together, if they waited to see how the Kong announcement went first. If Kong had got a lot of people talking about Universal, would we have seen this announcement come later once the Kong talk died down?

[Jew]

It was most likely announced today to coincide with Nintendo's first quarter earnings call.

[Bag_O_Laughs]

You can definitely feel the world coming out of the recession. In the past few years there's been a lot of building and announcements of new partnerships and new rides.

 

[chargersmichael]

While I do love that Universal is planning something with Nintendo, I don't see it replacing Marvel at all. I honestly see them doing something with the whole kid zone over at Universal Studios aimed more towards families with a great indoor ride as well as little outdoor kid rides in the area.

[jedimaster1227]

^Given how productive of their brands Nintendo is (with the exception of one very bizarre film), I would agree. It has been rumored that Nintendo has been courted for years by various theme park chains (as well as individual operators hoping to partner with Nintendo to build their own parks) but they've never pulled the trigger until now... I'd imagine the level of quality and immersion behind Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade was probably a convincing factor in showing the Nintendo executives that their brands can be brought to life in a way that is respectful, immersive, innovative and worthy of the names which have made their company so successful for so many years.

 

This arrangement can only benefit both parties--there is no downside to be seen here.

[SigilX]

I definitely see Marvel Superhero Island becoming a Nintendo themed area, maybe even combining with Toon Lagoon to create a big island.

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

We'll be hearing this in the near future: "As we continue to provide excellent attractions for our guest, 2018 is going to be a great year. 'Donkey Kong VS King Kong: The Ultimate Battle' will be unlike any other attraction! Come to face with both apes as your fully immersed in a world full of excitement and wonder." This is all from my imagination so take it as you wish!