Let's play being head of Universal Creative...

[TheUniC6]

Don't want to continue today on a bad note, so for the sake of posterity, positivity, and gaining a sense of the scope of Universal's expansion, I'm going to post all the projects Universal is rumored to undertake within the next ten years.

2024:
Dreamworks Land (USF)
New Nightime Show (USF)
New Daytime Parade (USF)
Donkey Kong Jungle (USJ)
Detective Conan Theater Show (USJ, T2 Replacement, First Anime Attraction)
Minion Land (USS, opening next year per interview with Chris Meledandri)

2025:
F&F Coaster (USH)
Epic Universe (11 rides, 3 shows, 14 dining locations w/o kiosks)
Universal Horror Unleashed (Area 15 Vegas Attraction)

2026:
Universal Kids Resort (12+ rides, 7 distinct themed areas)
Great Hall Dining Experience (EU)
Super Nintendo World (USS)

2027:
Zelda Land (IOA)

2028:
Simpsons Replacement
LA Olympics USH addition

2030-2032:
Universal Studios Great Britain

Indeterminate Timeline
USJ Spider-Man Replacement
USJ Backdraft Replacement
Nintendo Expansion at EU
Monsters Expansion EU (Possible Creature from the Black Lagoon)

I'm going to guess a Simpsons replacement will be the 2028 addition to USH. Maybe a land on the lower lot replacing 16-24 and Mummy as well. But I personally think that highly coveted Lower lot expansion won't be until 2030 at the earliest.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

USF needs a lot more attention.

Aesthetically and the content itself.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Don’t want to spread out speculation talk too much throughout the forums, but feels like a good time to revive this thread a little. Mods if you disagree, send this post elsewhere.

With Epic Universe now about a year away, along with Dreamworks, new parade, and nighttime shows to be announced soon, if you are a die hard Universal fan it’s not that crazy to start looking post Epic Universe.

Some trusted insiders on here lately have been hinting at closures of HRRR, possibly Simpsons, as well as already EU expansions planned and rumored.

Knowing this forum, I assume you’re all gonna throw attention at USF, as I would too. If all were up to me, this is the timeline I’d love to see for the resort for the next several years:

2026: Fast and Furious coaster replaces HRRR, Great Hall dining experience at Epic Universe.

2027: Pokémon land replaces all of Springfield

2028: Luigi’s Mansion expansion at EU, Omnimover shooter ride preferred

2029: VB expansion

2030: Zelda at IOA


That all feels reasonable, beyond that I’d assume Potter expansion at USF or EU will become priority, I’d love a retheme of Toon Lagoon eventually, but outside SpongeBob I’m not sure what would replace that yet.

What do we all think, and what would you do if you had all the control over next few years? Let’s try to keep this conversation big picture, rather than focusing on big or small things we aren’t enjoying about the parks right now.

 

[Tyc00n96]

Don’t want to spread out speculation talk too much throughout the forums, but feels like a good time to revive this thread a little. Mods if you disagree, send this post elsewhere.

With Epic Universe now about a year away, along with Dreamworks, new parade, and nighttime shows to be announced soon, if you are a die hard Universal fan it’s not that crazy to start looking post Epic Universe.

Some trusted insiders on here lately have been hinting at closures of HRRR, possibly Simpsons, as well as already EU expansions planned and rumored.

Knowing this forum, I assume you’re all gonna throw attention at USF, as I would too. If all were up to me, this is the timeline I’d love to see for the resort for the next several years:

2026: Fast and Furious coaster replaces HRRR, Great Hall dining experience at Epic Universe.

2027: Pokémon land replaces all of Springfield

2028: Luigi’s Mansion expansion at EU, Omnimover shooter ride preferred

2029: VB expansion

2030: Zelda at IOA


That all feels reasonable, beyond that I’d assume Potter expansion at USF or EU will become priority, I’d love a retheme of Toon Lagoon eventually, but outside SpongeBob I’m not sure what would replace that yet.

What do we all think, and what would you do if you had all the control over next few years? Let’s try to keep this conversation big picture, rather than focusing on big or small things we aren’t enjoying about the parks right now.

I think that timeline seems reasonable. If you want to go beyond that, Fallon, Supercharged and the entirety of MIB + FF would all be ripe for future expansion as well. Also does anyone know if Transformers has a licensing contract end date like Simpsons? All 3 rides would be pretty old by the 2030s using designs from the early TF movies.

 

[IzzyB]

Don’t want to spread out speculation talk too much throughout the forums, but feels like a good time to revive this thread a little. Mods if you disagree, send this post elsewhere.

With Epic Universe now about a year away, along with Dreamworks, new parade, and nighttime shows to be announced soon, if you are a die hard Universal fan it’s not that crazy to start looking post Epic Universe.

Some trusted insiders on here lately have been hinting at closures of HRRR, possibly Simpsons, as well as already EU expansions planned and rumored.

Knowing this forum, I assume you’re all gonna throw attention at USF, as I would too. If all were up to me, this is the timeline I’d love to see for the resort for the next several years:

2026: Fast and Furious coaster replaces HRRR, Great Hall dining experience at Epic Universe.

2027: Pokémon land replaces all of Springfield

2028: Luigi’s Mansion expansion at EU, Omnimover shooter ride preferred

2029: VB expansion

2030: Zelda at IOA


That all feels reasonable, beyond that I’d assume Potter expansion at USF or EU will become priority, I’d love a retheme of Toon Lagoon eventually, but outside SpongeBob I’m not sure what would replace that yet.

What do we all think, and what would you do if you had all the control over next few years? Let’s try to keep this conversation big picture, rather than focusing on big or small things we aren’t enjoying about the parks right now.

I think waiting until 2030 for a shuttered land to be replaced is too far out. I would do Pokemon after Zelda and Luigi's last.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

My favorite part about this timeline is the VB expansion. I think with all the talk of future expansion and changes.. VB has kinda fallen to the side in people's minds. They need to keep that looking and feeling just as great as the other parks!

 

[UniversalRBLX]

It'll be very interesting to see what happens over the next few years. Ideally, Universal will probably be incentivized to work on multiple projects at the same time... I just can't think of a good reason outside exclusivity rights to hold back Pokemon.

LC not having anything until 2030 to me is inexcusable. That'll be 7 years from the closure of Poseidon's.

 

[TheUniC6]

It'll be very interesting to see what happens over the next few years. Ideally, Universal will probably be incentivized to work on multiple projects at the same time... I just can't think of a good reason outside exclusivity rights to hold back Pokemon.

LC not having anything until 2030 to me is inexcusable. That'll be 7 years from the closure of Poseidon's.

If Pokemon debuts in 2027 maybe if they work fast enough on the construction, Zelda can be the 2029 addition for IOA.

 

[Brian G.]

It'll be very interesting to see what happens over the next few years. Ideally, Universal will probably be incentivized to work on multiple projects at the same time... I just can't think of a good reason outside exclusivity rights to hold back Pokemon.

LC not having anything until 2030 to me is inexcusable. That'll be 7 years from the closure of Poseidon's.

Gonna be honest - LC should be low on the totem pole. IOA is strong enough to shoulder the load for the short term. I know "best laid plans.." and all that but there was a time when Universal was hoping to ride Poseidon into a post-EU world and not have this gap.

 

[TheUniC6]

Gonna be honest - LC should be low on the totem pole. IOA is strong enough to shoulder the load for the short term. I know "best laid plans.." and all that but there was a time when Universal was hoping to ride Poseidon into a post-EU world and not have this gap.

Versus IOA which has gotten two great coasters, USF has been starved of true large scale additions. I fully support the attention being on USF for the next two things in the pipeline post EU.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Gonna be honest - LC should be low on the totem pole. IOA is strong enough to shoulder the load for the short term. I know "best laid plans.." and all that but there was a time when Universal was hoping to ride Poseidon into a post-EU world and not have this gap.

I agree, Pokemon is 100% a higher priority (USF in general), I just can't process having to wait until 2028-2030 for anything at Lost Continent, which is why I'm hoping both projects are tackled somewhat simultaneously.

With that said, if we're still looking at a handful of years until any work gets done in LC... can we at least get some entertainment in the park?

Edit to add context: If we don't get anything in LC until 2028... it would be a full decade since Sinbad's closure.

 

[Brian G.]

I agree, Pokemon is 100% a higher priority (USF in general), I just can't process having to wait until 2028-2030 for anything at Lost Continent, which is why I'm hoping both projects are tackled somewhat simultaneously.

With that said, if we're still looking at a handful of years until any work gets done in LC... can we at least get some entertainment in the park?

Edit to add context: If we don't get anything in LC until 2028... it would be a full decade since Sinbad's closure.

Oh, I think they'll have multiple projects going - which is why I think LC will be later on in the timeline.

Especially when you consider they still have to make sure EU and VB get their share, too.

 

[IzzyB]

Gonna be honest - LC should be low on the totem pole. IOA is strong enough to shoulder the load for the short term. I know "best laid plans.." and all that but there was a time when Universal was hoping to ride Poseidon into a post-EU world and not have this gap.

I personally think having an entire land shuttered that you have to walk thru is not a good look for another 5+ years. They really should at least put a show in the theater of some kind. It would really help with capacity during busy times. I think that could be a quick thing they could have up in a year if they really tried to put a stop gap in there.

 

[Brian G.]

I personally think having an entire land shuttered that you have to walk thru is not a good look for another 5+ years. They really should at least put a show in the theater of some kind. It would really help with capacity during busy times. I think that could be a quick thing they could have up in a year if they really tried to put a stop gap in there.

They would have to re-do the Sindbad stage. That makes no sense for a very short-term band-aid.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

If anything, enjoy LC now before it’s under construction walls in 2/3 years and just use it as a place to enjoy some shade, drinks, and the genuine good food they have in that area.

 

[belloq87]

It's a bit of a catch-22. I don't think Lost Continent should continue to be vacant indefinitely. But I also think USF needs a lot more attention than IOA, and I would prioritize several larger projects there.

Now, ideally, Universal could/would service big projects at both parks at the same time.

 

[Brian G.]

It's a bit of a catch-22. I don't think Lost Continent should continue to be vacant indefinitely. But I also think USF needs a lot more attention than IOA, and I would prioritize several larger projects there.

Now, ideally, Universal could/would service big projects at both parks at the same time.

That's basically my line of thinking.

Problem is, per TomFoolery, that USF is about to get a few big project - so that's where the trade-off is.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Ultimately, IOA holds Forbiden Journey, Hagrid’s, Velocicoaster, and Spider-Man. That’s anchor attractions for the resort as a whole all in 1 park, it can handle the wait for Zelda imo.

 

[belloq87]

Problem is, per TomFoolery, that USF is about to get a few big project - so that's where the trade-off is.

We'll see, of course.

Unless there's more going on that hasn't been hinted at, I don't think a (presumably lightly-themed outdoor) coaster and "Pokemon by 2030" (whatever that's going to be) should preclude additional projects (both at IOA and USF).

Six years is a long time for those to be the only significant things happening at both parks.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I think if attendance at IOA flags, they'll punt something over to the Toon Lagoon Theater, but I don't expect attendance at IOA to flag.

My only really qualm about the timeline (and some people are probably gonna hate me for this), is that I don't think a VB expansion in and of itself would be big enough to warrant taking up an entire year. It's probably on the scale of importance as the Great Hall to be honest, especially if it's just like two additional slide towers. It's not like the expansions to Disney water parks (when those used to happen), were advertised as the resort's yearly additions.

So I guess my timeline would be...

2025: Nothing of note.
2026: Great Hall and RRR replacement, start on Zelda
2027: Luigi's Mansion (I think if they have plans, they start working on this later this year, especially if we're just talking about a show building and a courtyard. Maybe it's a really expansive courtyard with some play structures that connects to both Mario and Donkey so we don't have to deal with the DK dead-end).
2028: Pokémon (USF defenders rejoice)
2029: Zelda opens
2030: Eh, idk second Potter ride at EU or new Dragons ride at EU, depending on the success of respective new entries.