Universal Orlando (Studios/IOA/Epic Universe) : General Discussion

[John]

Every ride in that image looks incredibly retro - looks like there's a round up and a monster in there too. BPB had one of each from the late 60s until the 90s/2000s.

All three rides shown would have looked very out of place in a newly built park, unless the monster was a Schwarzkopf Monster II or III (which would have been awesome).

 

[Sam]

2015/2016 - King Kong 360º 3D / Skull Island - Rumor - (10/22/13) Interesting new information has come to light regarding the new proposed Kong attraction from brief chats with HateToFly and another source. Remember everything is subject change of course while they work out the final design and budget limitations, so nothing has been finalized. That said, lets talk about what is envisioned so far.
It looks like they will be trying to fill up the entire available space open to them immediately to the left of the Thunder Falls Terrace restaurant down the pathway towards the current Jurassic Park archway. Speaking of which… I’m not sure if the inclusion of a Skull Island into the Jurassic Park ‘island’ will require this archway to be moved down closer to Thunder Falls or if they are planning on possibly renaming the island to something that might fit the overall theme of the two different IPs (Intellectual Properties). For example, the proposed Universal park in Dubai had a whole land with a Kong style theme to it called Epic Adventures, complete with a clone of Dueling Dragons except the coasters would be themed as giant bats. Anyway… what to rename the island is a headache for another day…
As previously hinted at by HateToFly, the entrance to the attraction will be themed as the ruins to some kind of temple, directing the flow of guests into the dark themed interior space. Much like the interior of the Revenge of the Mummy queue, it appears that the loading platform for the ride will be on a different level from that of the rest of the queue, though I’m unsure if the guests will flow up to it or descend down to the awaiting vehicles.
While I’m unsure of the exact theme to be used here for the vehicles themselves… they will be large in terms of capacity, and linked together in pairs. In terms of capacity only, imagine something the size of the two-car trains used on Disney’s Great Movie Ride, but likely themed up to look more like giant off-road safari trucks. Also, much like the old Jaws ride, the word is that you will be taken into Skull Island by a driver / guide who will help keep you alive.
From the sound of things the initial portion of the ride will take place outdoors, leaving the temple ruins and heading off into the jungle of Skull Island briefly before you come across the giant wall meant to keep Kong and the other nasty beasts inside, which will probably look similar to the one seen in the movie. Beyond this point is still a bit of a mystery however… so we’ll wait and see what else pops up.

Sounds amazing, and the perfect antidote to Disney's Avatarland with the E-Ticket attraction being a flight sim. (yawn)

 

[Pixie-Ro]

2015/2016 - King Kong 360º 3D / Skull Island - Rumor - (10/22/13) Interesting new information has come to light regarding the new proposed Kong attraction from brief chats with HateToFly and another source. Remember everything is subject change of course while they work out the final design and budget limitations, so nothing has been finalized. That said, lets talk about what is envisioned so far.
It looks like they will be trying to fill up the entire available space open to them immediately to the left of the Thunder Falls Terrace restaurant down the pathway towards the current Jurassic Park archway. Speaking of which… I’m not sure if the inclusion of a Skull Island into the Jurassic Park ‘island’ will require this archway to be moved down closer to Thunder Falls or if they are planning on possibly renaming the island to something that might fit the overall theme of the two different IPs (Intellectual Properties). For example, the proposed Universal park in Dubai had a whole land with a Kong style theme to it called Epic Adventures, complete with a clone of Dueling Dragons except the coasters would be themed as giant bats. Anyway… what to rename the island is a headache for another day…
As previously hinted at by HateToFly, the entrance to the attraction will be themed as the ruins to some kind of temple, directing the flow of guests into the dark themed interior space. Much like the interior of the Revenge of the Mummy queue, it appears that the loading platform for the ride will be on a different level from that of the rest of the queue, though I’m unsure if the guests will flow up to it or descend down to the awaiting vehicles.
While I’m unsure of the exact theme to be used here for the vehicles themselves… they will be large in terms of capacity, and linked together in pairs. In terms of capacity only, imagine something the size of the two-car trains used on Disney’s Great Movie Ride, but likely themed up to look more like giant off-road safari trucks. Also, much like the old Jaws ride, the word is that you will be taken into Skull Island by a driver / guide who will help keep you alive.
From the sound of things the initial portion of the ride will take place outdoors, leaving the temple ruins and heading off into the jungle of Skull Island briefly before you come across the giant wall meant to keep Kong and the other nasty beasts inside, which will probably look similar to the one seen in the movie. Beyond this point is still a bit of a mystery however… so we’ll wait and see what else pops up.

Sounds amazing, and the perfect antidote to Disney's Avatarland with the E-Ticket attraction being a flight sim. (yawn)

If Snorin' is anything to go by... :

Very excited by all these developments, although they had better not do anything to spoil my beloved Jurassic Park!

 

[Danny]

The Hogwarts Express is now being placed onto the track:

 

[Dave]

2015/2016 - King Kong 360º 3D / Skull Island - Rumor - (10/22/13) Interesting new information has come to light regarding the new proposed Kong attraction from brief chats with HateToFly and another source. Remember everything is subject change of course while they work out the final design and budget limitations, so nothing has been finalized. That said, lets talk about what is envisioned so far.
It looks like they will be trying to fill up the entire available space open to them immediately to the left of the Thunder Falls Terrace restaurant down the pathway towards the current Jurassic Park archway. Speaking of which… I’m not sure if the inclusion of a Skull Island into the Jurassic Park ‘island’ will require this archway to be moved down closer to Thunder Falls or if they are planning on possibly renaming the island to something that might fit the overall theme of the two different IPs (Intellectual Properties). For example, the proposed Universal park in Dubai had a whole land with a Kong style theme to it called Epic Adventures, complete with a clone of Dueling Dragons except the coasters would be themed as giant bats. Anyway… what to rename the island is a headache for another day…
As previously hinted at by HateToFly, the entrance to the attraction will be themed as the ruins to some kind of temple, directing the flow of guests into the dark themed interior space. Much like the interior of the Revenge of the Mummy queue, it appears that the loading platform for the ride will be on a different level from that of the rest of the queue, though I’m unsure if the guests will flow up to it or descend down to the awaiting vehicles.
While I’m unsure of the exact theme to be used here for the vehicles themselves… they will be large in terms of capacity, and linked together in pairs. In terms of capacity only, imagine something the size of the two-car trains used on Disney’s Great Movie Ride, but likely themed up to look more like giant off-road safari trucks. Also, much like the old Jaws ride, the word is that you will be taken into Skull Island by a driver / guide who will help keep you alive.
From the sound of things the initial portion of the ride will take place outdoors, leaving the temple ruins and heading off into the jungle of Skull Island briefly before you come across the giant wall meant to keep Kong and the other nasty beasts inside, which will probably look similar to the one seen in the movie. Beyond this point is still a bit of a mystery however… so we’ll wait and see what else pops up.

Sounds amazing, and the perfect antidote to Disney's Avatarland with the E-Ticket attraction being a flight sim. (yawn)

Wasn't the e-ticket on Avatar rumoured to be a variation on the Vekoma booster bike concept?

 

[Sam]

General Park News - (11/13/13) Great news this week from ParkScope, confirming the previous rumor from HateToFly, that a new projection system is coming to The Simpsons Ride.

General Park News - (11/13/13) Great news this week from ParkScope, confirming a few rumors that have been running online for the past coupe of weeks. They have discovered permits detailing new projection systems are coming to improve the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction.

The best in the world is about to get better.

 

[Sam]

Christmas 2015 - The Lorax - May Be Dead - (11/24/13) A couple of interesting tweets came out over the weekend from HateToFly regarding possible future Islands of Adventure attractions. One claimed that the rumored Lorax dark ride plans pending for Seuss Landing were shelved, while the other claims that a May 2016 opening date was put on the planning calendar for the new Kong attraction planned to go in next to the Thunder Falls restaurant inside Jurassic Park.
Of course now I’m curious where the rumored JP themed coaster for 2015 may fit (or not) into all this as well.

I didn't even know there was a dark ride planned for Seuss Landing! It's a shame if it's been shelved as it's the weakest area of the park, and a great new family dark ride would compliment the park's existing line-up really nicely.

 

[Dan.B]

Ah, at last, Seuss Landing getting some attention

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

As excellent at IOA is I would say it is still too thin on the ground attractions wise.

I would say these are the attractions suitable for adults:

Incredible Hulk
Spiderman
Doctor Doom's Fearfall
Ripsaw Falls
Popeye Rapids
River Adventure
Forbidden Journey
Dragon Challenge
Flight of the Hippogriff
Poseidon
The Cat in the Hat

There isn't really anything for adults in Seuss Landing and Jurassic Park desperately needs another major attraction. Logically they should get rid of Poseidon and use that last bit of Lost Continent for a Seuss Landing themed coaster but it would be a great loss because the theming is exceptional in that area.

 

[Alastair]

As excellent at IOA is I would say it is still too thin on the ground attractions wise.

I would say these are the attractions suitable for adults:

Incredible Hulk
Spiderman
Doctor Doom's Fearfall
Ripsaw Falls
Popeye Rapids
River Adventure
Forbidden Journey
Dragon Challenge
Flight of the Hippogriff
Poseidon
The Cat in the Hat

There isn't really anything for adults in Seuss Landing and Jurassic Park desperately needs another major attraction. Logically they should get rid of Poseidon and use that last bit of Lost Continent for a Seuss Landing themed coaster but it would be a great loss because the theming is exceptional in that area.

They should just get rid of Lost Continent altogether IMO. It feels like a leftover from the pre-HP IOA - too small an area to be considered an area almost. I hope they go ahead with the rumoured third HP expansion in the years to come and expand it to encompass Lost Continent - because at the moment it basically just serves as a pathway that people walk through to get to HP.

 

[Danny]

Orlando United's @hatetofly posted what appears to be an expansion plan for Universal:

Key notes to land use,

Over 3 Million Sq Ft of Retail Space
Over 10,000 Hotel Rooms
Nearly 7,000 Time Share Units (Think DVC)
Attraction Space of 300 Acres
36 Holes of Golf
Partnership with Rosen College to include 1000 students and over 400 Sleeping Quarters

Project LUPA as it appears to be called, seems to be in very early stages of planning, but more information can be found here.

 

[BigAl]

The park doesn't need more Harry Potter though. Diagon Alley ought to be the last major HP development, otherwise most of the two parks will be dedicated to one IP.


Lost Continent, though I enjoyed Poseidon's Fury and the area's theming, does need to be changed.

Universal are apparently interested in Lord of the Rings, but they had people scouting Toon Lagoon for that proposal. Losing Toon Lagoon would be a real shame as both of the attractions there are great, imo. Lord of the Rings could take what's left of Lost Continent as there's still a significant amount of space left there (more than there will be for the proposed Skull Island for behind Thunder Falls Terrace across the other side of the park). Then the proposed Seuss Landing expansion could be built behind One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (where the park builds it's Grinch Christmas show... thing).

I liked Seuss Landing as an area, and small children seemed to as well. The Cat in the Hat dark ride is something they could update as it seemed a little dated to me, and much of the area needs repainting. I also think the theming inside the Circus McGurkus Stoo-Pendous Cafe needs sorting as I noticed various bits and bobs in there which were either not working or had been removed).


The Studios side should look at building a ride on the vacant plot of land to the side of the Simpsons Ride and the Men in Black: Alien Attack ride as there's space there for three more rides the size of MiB and there'd be space left over still. There's also the huge show building to the side Spiderman in IoA that could serve as expansion to either Marvel Island or Toon Lagoon as well.


Anyway, that expansion plan sounds great! A number of us have suggested Universal building a little further down the road before. It's a huge site and surely something to get Disney worried about, no?

Can't wait to find out more about this!

 

[Danny]

Choo Choo, it's testing time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-vuM1QQppw#ws

 

[Dave]

Don't recall the scene in the book or film when the train drives past air conditioning units... But fair enough

 

[DiogoJ42]

I wonder if they will be including the old horrible covered area in front of Kings Cross? It may now be a thing of the past, but it was there in the film.

 

[Alastair]

AFAIK you won't be able to see out of the windows on the train. The windows will just be screens that show some scenes from the movie presumably.

 

[Andrew]

AFAIK you won't be able to see out of the windows on the train. The windows will just be screens that show some scenes from the movie presumably.

I've heard that they will show scenes (not sure if they're brand new like the scenes for Forbidden Journey were or whether they are just clips from the movie) but you won't be able to see out of any of the windows. There are rumours of Dementor attacks and things like that on the train.

 

[Danny]

The windows will be screens that will show [I believe six] variations of journeys, and supposedly two night time sequences for use when the park is open after hours.

I'll have a look for the leaked specifications again at some point, but the dementor sequences will involve the glass panels in the door frosting over, the temperature dropping dramatically and the use of leg ticklers.

It might be incredibly ugly to look at behind the scenes, but it sounds like an exceptional experience on the inside.

 

[DiogoJ42]

I wish people would stop calling them leg "ticklers". "Calf whips" or "pain inflictors" would be more accurate.

 

[Sam]

2014 - Citywalk Changes - Under Construction - (12/6/13) According to a couple of Screamscape sources, the new gothic looking building under construction at the former Latin Quarter location may be much more exciting than what I had previously thought. Instead of a new mexican food restaurant... how would you feel about the opening of a Jekyll and Hyde Club: Restaurant and Bar, like the famous one in New York City at Times Square? (Click here to see the Jekyll & Hyde website) This may be what is on the way and might be announced next week in Citywalk.

More information about the brand here.