Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[SharkTums]

^I agree. This just seems like another similar unicorn and fairy merchandising opportunity. Are there at least Coke Products in the Tolkien Universe!?!?

[cfc]

^I'm sure Coke is some sort of magical elixir that all the elves drink.

 

Hell, Moses drank coke!

 

Edited January 3, 2013 by cfc

[Sir Clinksalot]

As a HUGE fan of both, I think they are different enough to work ... maybe not in the same park though.

 

Here's my issue with Universal getting this over Disney. Unlike HP where you could build Hogwarts and Diagon Alley and you will get a pretty good feel for the franchise since much of the stories take place there, with Middle Earth there are so many different locations they could draw from.

 

Middle Earth should probably be it's own dedicated park other then trying to place them in the existing parks. I'm not sure how much room there is at USO, is there room there for a 3rd park or a major expansion for Middle Earth (not just taking over an existing land like they did with HP)? I would think WDW in particular would have more room to do something like this. But I'm not sure.

 

The real issue would be USH. There isn't room for HP let alone HP and Middle Earth. They would seriously have to build another park somewhere for that to work.

 

There is a lot of Farmland in Camarillo they could use.

 

But IF this is true. I think it's fair to say Disney dropped the ball again. I mean, could you imagine Disney controlling both Star Wars and LOTR/Hobbit?

[SharkTums]

But IF this is true. I think it's fair to say Disney dropped the ball again. I mean, could you imagine Disney controlling both Star Wars and LOTR/Hobbit?

 

Come on! Aren't there enough horrible losers already at Disney??? Don't dump more on us please!!!!

[Sir Clinksalot]

^

[Someotherguyuser]

If Universal does make a Middle Earth/LotR land, I'm just curious as to what kind of ride it would be. Would it be an E-Ticket flume ride, like Pirates and Malestorm on a grander scale? That's pretty much the only kind of ride I can see playing out for this kind of franchise. I think it would be neat to see Universal's take on this sort of attraction. It'd be great to see Universal do something that has a lot of animatronic and set detail heavy attractions that Disney always does. I just hope Universal doesn't have a scene in the ride where your boat will stop in front of a screen and jerk around. I think Universal has enough of those kind of attractions.

 

Also, Clinksalot, in regards to the space issue, they can get rid of Popeye and Dudley. As much as I love the Dudley-Do-Right flume ride, I wouldn't cry to much if they got rid of it for a Lord of the Rings attraction.

 

EDIT: Whaaaaa--- my post has a mind of its own! I meant to say Lord of the *Rings*!

 

DOUBLE EDIT: No, I'm trying to say Lord of the R- oh, nevermind.

Edited January 3, 2013 by Someotherguyuser

[Erik Johnson]

^ I would vote for the Slingshot a Hobbit carnival game.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^

 

The Slingshot car could be in the shape of an eagle.

[cfc]

^ I would vote for the Slingshot a Hobbit carnival game.

 

Don't forget a Dwarf Toss (hey, it's in the movie).

[robbalvey]

Two things....

 

1. The word filter MAKES this entire discussion!

 

2. As someone who has ZERO interest in either Potter or LOTR franchises, all I ask for is this: Please make decent rides where I don't need to know every aspect of the story before going into it. As someone who has been on dark rides and themed attractions all over the world where the language isn't even in English, I was able to understand what was happening in those rides more than I could Forbidden Journey. I just find that ride very confusing, and that's my biggest issue with Wizarding World. I don't know anything about Spider-Man or Transformers either, but I felt those rides were a GOOD example of how I didn't need to have watched all the movies or read the comics prior to going into it, and I still understood what was going on. Even Twister, I get it, there's a tornado going on. Didn't need to see the movie to understand it.

 

So in short - Please make rides that are *slightly* less nerdy so they appeal to a wider audience.

 

Thank you!

 

--Robb

Edited January 3, 2013 by robbalvey

[bottom_feeder_13]

I personally think that Lord of the Rings just wouldn't translate very well into a theme park since it takes place over such a vast area and only has one or two good starting points for attractions. I also wouldn't really want a Lord of the Rings area just because I feel it would be a tacky rendition of a really amazing story.

[Barge84]

This doesn't do a whole lot to get me excited. I enjoyed the LOTR movies, but beyond that I don't have a huge desire to visit Middle Earth. There's definitely a huge fan base out there that they could draw from, but I agree with others that Potter and LOTR are way too similar.

 

Does it bother anyone else that the media still refers to Wizarding World as it's own theme park after being open for almost 2 1/2 years?

[Wes]

While I don't think LOTR would be good for a theme park land, Hobbit Hole hotel rooms would be awesome!

[RCT3Bross]

I must say that Middle Earth has some amazing spots and architecture that I would like the see in real life. Also I believe you can make great rides with the theme. That said the idea doesn't get me exited. If they are going to build this I need to make a judgment on the concept art.

[cfc]

While I don't think LOTR would be good for a theme park land, Hobbit Hole hotel rooms would be awesome!

 

Hobbits also like good food and beer.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ And pipe weed!!!

[darklingscribe]

I could see Shelob's lair being a great subject for a dark ride.

[SoCalCoasters]

Bilbo Baggins and the Unexpected Journey, a new Kuka Darkride coming to a Universal Park new you.

 

Has a good ríng to it, no?

[cfc]

They should have an audience participation game show: "Riddles in the Dark with Gollum." Winners get to leave when the show's over, while Gollum gets to eat the losers.

[DisWiz]

When I read this I thought I had recalled that Disney had gotten the rights several years ago. But in doing some searches I am not bringing up anything. Does anyone else remember talks of this happening? (I thought it was around the time that Universal secured HP).

[DenDen]

Here's to hoping the Lord of the Rings has plenty of lockers.

[RoCo]

I second the Shelob dark ride idea. That was one seriously horrifying, badass spider. (And I'll admit that the big spider encounter in Forbidden Journey made me scream like a little girl every time I rode that thing.)

 

Has a good ríng to it, no?

 

I see what you did there.

[Wes]

When I read this I thought I had recalled that Disney had gotten the rights several years ago. But in doing some searches I am not bringing up anything. Does anyone else remember talks of this happening? (I thought it was around the time that Universal secured HP).

 

No.

[Her0ofLime]

YES! I LOVE Lord Of The Rings! (Made it small JUST for the filter) And I LOVE The Hobbit! (We should make the word filter change The Hobbit to The Hob-Hobb-Bitty-bitty-bit)

Edit: Rethought this a bit, and I definintly think with Harry Potter already here, it wouldn't mix well. Also, the Toilken WB relationship? Yeah, that's bullcrap.

[jedimaster1227]

I actually believe that the WB/Tolkien Estate stuff is plausible. The Tolkien Estate has been known to be extremely rigid with their property and how it is handled, on par with if not even more so than JK Rowling on Harry Potter. Rowling would likely serve as a great reference for Universal on such talks, because she can easily affirm that she's had creative control, gotten everything she wanted and more out of her work with Universal and the projects have all racked in serious cash despite being very faithful to the intellectual property it is based on.

 

I see this acquisition as a win for Universal (if it happens), but not as big of one as Harry Potter was. While the Lord of the Rings franchise has time on its side and a huge following, it has never be as accessible as Potter was. I read The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings in elementary school in addition to the first five Harry Potter books, and the difference in difficulty and accessibility were clear--I preferred the latter reading, despite liking the content of the Tolkien books more. The movies have certainly helped with that more, but the books haven't helped the franchise in the same way that the paper version of Potter did as compared to the movies (in the case of Potter, both were insanely successful and continue to be).

 

I personally would be thrilled to see the world of Middle Earth brought to life somewhere in Orlando. I'm not the biggest fan of the franchise enough to know the difference between Erebor and Moria, but I have enjoyed the movies and feel like another immersive realm can be formed from this property. I think that the franchise has legs beneath it because of the time behind it, as well as the continued exposure ahead of it in the form of the two additional Hobbit movies, along with the rumored additional films based on The Silmarillion and other stories from within the Tolkien Estate.

Edited January 3, 2013 by jedimaster1227