Universal Studios Hollywood: What Needs to be Done?

[JtnOrl]

Originally Posted by Zorro825

I've never been to Orlando so I dont know how big the Spider-Man ride is.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=2...02511&t=h&z=19

[MTdizzle94]

Replace the animal show and the Fear Factor show with a Marvel superhero show and maybe a show based on America's Got Talent where every 2 hours they choose 5 people to do a talent and the winner gets a prize like a annual pass or a gift basket.

Add a Curious George ride similar to Dumbo and the rides would look like colorful airplanes.

Also, a Madagascar darkride where Backdraft is and a Heroes-themed roller coaster somewhere over there.

And since NBC owns Bravo, a Project runway museum and Top Chef cafe?

[k_peek_2000]

Originally Posted by JerrodDRagon

^Spiderman has had 3 films (and more to come) But its the fact that the Spiderman ride is great. It was like w 3D dark ride, But I would like to see us get our own version of it, maybe based off the movies??? Have Venom, Sandman, Dok Ock, Green Goblin, New Goblin and maybe add some others from the comic's.

In case you didn't know. The Spider-man Ride opened years before the first live action movie was released.

[stitchon]

I think a Marvel team up version of Spiderman would work, featuring the movie versions of the heroes, as opposed to the comics, so put that where Coke Soak and the area behind it is; Move Shrek 4-D to the Fear Factor Live theater and add new preshow space to area next to it, turn the current Curious George Area back to Nickelodeon, but this time, call it Nickelodeon Production Plaza, and retheme the current play areas to Water Effects Co., Prop Warehouse, that sort of thing, demolish the Shrek building and add a Spongebob indoor wild mouse themed to boating school, like Paramount Parks originally was going to do, and a Danny Phantom ghost blasters dark ride, along with a replica of the Slime Geyser from Nickelodeon Studios in the center of the area, but with figures of past and present Nicktoons playing on the sides, swimming, floating, and doing things like that in the pool.
Remove Flintstones area and replace with new Shrek meet and greet area on one side, Nickelodeon on the other, add new Springfield themed facades to the current area surrounding The Simpsons Ride along with a Krusty Burger, use a partial section of the Wild West Stunt Show arena as a new western-themed food court, and replace area leftover with new western facades and tables.

[Jspider]

Originally Posted by stitchon

I think a Marvel team up version of Spiderman would work, featuring the movie versions of the heroes, as opposed to the comics, so put that where Coke Soak and the area behind it is; Move Shrek 4-D to the Fear Factor Live theater and add new preshow space to area next to it, turn the current Curious George Area back to Nickelodeon, but this time, call it Nickelodeon Production Plaza, and retheme the current play areas to Water Effects Co., Prop Warehouse, that sort of thing, demolish the Shrek building and add a Spongebob indoor wild mouse themed to boating school, like Paramount Parks originally was going to do, and a Danny Phantom ghost blasters dark ride, along with a replica of the Slime Geyser from Nickelodeon Studios in the center of the area, but with figures of past and present Nicktoons playing on the sides, swimming, floating, and doing things like that in the pool.
Remove Flintstones area and replace with new Shrek meet and greet area on one side, Nickelodeon on the other, add new Springfield themed facades to the current area surrounding The Simpsons Ride along with a Krusty Burger, use a partial section of the Wild West Stunt Show arena as a new western-themed food court, and replace area leftover with new western facades and tables.

wowzers talk about a Massive redo, it is really too bad the parks arn't more modular and supportive of the drag and drop method but sadly even the theater based attractions can't just be shuffled around like that (maybe if they all used the same basic design but that would eliminate the novelty of most 3D films)

I'm also pretty sure Universal has lost all Nickalodean rights and at this point the rights have gone to Cedar Fair while Nickelodean does it's own thing with a string of family resorts.

I also doubt that Universal would pay a ton of money to redo all of Spiderman JUST for Hollywood and like others have said it wouldn't fit in that location and if that is a parking garage (thinking back on it, this statment is probably correct) it would never hold that much weight

I do think they should consolidate their water play areas and simply move most of the Curious George/Nickaledean stuff into that corner and then see what other new ideas they could add to that area

As much fun as Danny Phantom is I don't know that it's ever had the recognition it could've (not even as much as Fairly Odd parants) it wouldn't be a great franchise to build a ride around (the ghosts would make good cameos it just wouldn't reach people much the show isn't even rerun much anymore) Men and Black already has teh engineering and owuld be better but will in no way fit

it does seem Universal is in a rather precarious crunch for space but I'd say they should start consolidating land and ridding themselves of redudnacy's so that when it's time for thier next attraction they can handle it well

[edge4004]

I would like to see Fear Factor replaced something more entertaining. In the perfect world, they'd tear the building down (and tear down the show area for the Animal Actors show) and build a ride there, but I don't think that'll happen. I'm hearing rumors that this the last summer for Fear Factor Live...hopefully USH can replace it with some sort of a stunt show (I like the Jason Bourne idea).

Maybe revamp some of the ride elements on the Studio Tour. After a few times, the encounter with King Kong just isn't exciting anymore. The whole Jaws bit does nothing for me...and the Fast and the Furious car thing just lacks punch...

USH just needs maybe two more additional rides (not replacing anything that's already there)...one dark ride and another thrill ride. But once again the issue would be space. If only they used the land the hand to its most potential...but there's alot of wasted space.

[Soulquarian]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this earlier...

USH will actually be tearing out quite a bit of the backlot tour to make room for housing and offices. It's about 125 Acres of land and it's being dubbed the "Vision Plan".

More info: http://www.screamscape.com/html/univ...ision_plan.htm

[Jspider]

Originally Posted by Soulquarian

I'm surprised no one mentioned this earlier...

USH will actually be tearing out quite a bit of the backlot tour to make room for housing and offices. It's about 125 Acres of land and it's being dubbed the "Vision Plan".

More info: http://www.screamscape.com/html/univ...ision_plan.htm

great gravytrain I forgot that this was going to happen

wow they're cutting out alot of their historic backlot area

if only the housing market in Cali would deflate more for a while but it's pretty clear Universal doesn't care at all about their Hollywood property

I'll admit it's fun to brainstorm ways to save Hollywood but the parks pretty much destined to tread water and become further and further second rate all the time

If Six Flags hits a good updraft expect them to outdo Hollywood at some point

Shuffling shows just isn't going to cut it if/when Disney ups it's game. Universal or Knotts could easily fail out of this market.

[CoasterMatt]

Originally Posted by sir clinksalot

The ONLY place at USH that would be big enough would be the Amphitheater, and they aren't going to close that.

According to the Vision plan, the Amphitheater IS going to go away, but there isn't a set date yet - with a smaller 3500 or so seat venue at the far end of CityWalk.

[CoasterMatt]

A big thing that has gotten in the way of Universal building any new attractions, is that when they had the last attempt at a master plan, the owners at that time didn't want to put up the time and more importantly money to go to work with the city and secure variances to build new facilities. So the park has been in effect stuck. The main reason for the Vision Plan, is to gain variances to build new facilities. The Vision Plan represents the full extreme of what the company wants to do with it's property over the next 25 years. They want to have the right to make major infrastructure changes to the park AND the studios, and in some cases, they're gonna ask for more and not build all of those things. The revamp of the Studio Backlot does more shifting of locations than actually removing - the Psycho House and Bates Motel for instance will be moving, but this isn't the first time for them either.

[EricMontreal22]

I know I need to get over it but I still can't believe they took away the ET Adventure (is it true that Spielberg was so upset he's told them not to remove the Florida version ever?) I like The Mummy, but had such a soft spot for ET I can't help thinking there coulda been some way to keep both

[Melonballer]

Bah. Just add some porcelain deer. Problem solved.

It's U.C.S. for me!

[stitchon]

That vision plan made sense when it was announced, now it looks stupid. It's clear Universal couldn't give a crap about Hollywood if they want to shave a portion of the backlot off.

[MTdizzle94]

I mentioned this before, but how about a Runway Swag Store/Museum and Quickfire Cafe based on popular Bravo shows "Project Runway" and "Top Chef." It could replace that Jurassic-Panda express-food court.

[timbabbcomedian]

Originally Posted by ALIASd

Bring back the greatest ride ever seen on the hills of Universal City:
the Victoria's Station railway car. This free ride was second only to Angels Flight in downtown Los Angeles.

"Buy a day, get a year free" is still one of the funniest lines around. At an annual promotions round-up in their "VIP Lounge" a few years back I'd once suggested to the USH western region rep that their next step would be the "we're picking you up at your home and bringing you here" campaign.

Ha! That's hilarious! After that will be the "You'll get in for free and we'll give you gas money" campaign

But what was the "Victoria's Station railway car?"