Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[Brian G.]

The Captain Cacao stuff/merch feels forced like the (whatever their name is) Jollywood icon lol

Feel free to capitalize on that with merch/etc., but let fans discover it organically first.

This is an awful take… wtf? Lmao

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The Captain Cacao stuff/merch feels forced like the (whatever their name is) Jollywood icon lol

Feel free to capitalize on that with merch/etc., but let fans discover it organically first.

Glutton for punishment after everyone laughed at you on Alicia’s discord for this “take”?

 

[Tbad556]

Theme park fans: We never get original content these days. Everything is IP. Sigh.

Theme park fans: Cute original character(s)/merch in a fully original land is bad...?

 

[Allison]

The Captain Cacao stuff/merch feels forced like the (whatever their name is) Jollywood icon lol

Feel free to capitalize on that with merch/etc., but let fans discover it organically first.

We’re not seriously complaining about a cute stuffed teddy bear, right?

 

[UniversalRBLX]

This is an awful take… wtf? Lmao

I have a hot take. I'm sure it's an unpopular take, but I stand by it. I'm not afraid to reveal my opinion.

Glutton for punishment after everyone laughed at you on Alicia’s discord for this “take”?

Everyone? Like 4 people? Sorry I have opinions that oppose a few people?

Theme park fans: We never get original content these days. Everything is IP. Sigh.

Theme park fans: Cute original character(s)/merch in a fully original land is bad...?

Original content is different than creating something for the sake of merchandising. I have no problems with the bear, I just prefer for fans to find it organically over having a boatload of merchandise ready to sell.

 

[Tbad556]

Original content is different than creating something for the sake of merchandising. I have no problems with the bear, I just prefer for fans to find it organically over having a boatload of merchandise ready to sell.

So they can only make original characters if they don't monetize it? That's silly and basically asking to never get original things. This is the type of stuff that makes me feel like theme park fans just refuse to be happy sometimes, man.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Glutton for punishment after everyone laughed at you on Alicia’s discord for this “take”?

Boy I really need to get on Discord at some point

Also - is it really that much merch? I saw a plush bear and a bag.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

So they can only make original characters if they don't monetize it? That's silly and basically asking to never get original things. This is the type of stuff that makes me feel like theme park fans just refuse to be happy sometimes, man.

Let fans find it organically and then monetize off of it... like Lil Boo & Earl the Squirrel. Let the fans make it popular first, not Universal.

I just think forcing it like Ollie from Jollywood Nights from the start is the wrong direction.

Edit: I love theme parks. That's why I take part on this forum and discords daily. Just because I have an opposing belief, doesn't make me unhappy towards the parks.

 

[Brian G.]

I have a hot take. I'm sure it's an unpopular take, but I stand by it. I'm not afraid to reveal my opinion.

It's a bad opinion.

How is it forced? People have only found out about it because TMs are sharing the images. Universal hasn't pushed any marketing for it.

Original content is different than creating something for the sake of merchandising. I have no problems with the bear, I just prefer for fans to find it organically over having a boatload of merchandise ready to sell..

What's the difference if the end goal is monetizing it?

@Tbad556 beat me to the rest...

I'm starting to genuinely think you just say things to get a rise out of people.

 

[Tbad556]

Let fans find it organically and then monetize off of it... like Lil Boo & Earl the Squirrel. Let the fans make it popular first, not Universal.

I just think forcing it like Ollie from Jollywood Nights from the start is the wrong direction.

Did they make a big forced announcement about the bear that I missed or something? I've only seen an Attractions Magazine post and TMs raving about how cute he is. It seems pretty organic to me.

This also implies that diehards haven't whined about Lil Boo merch for like 5 years straight now despite them apparently doing that one "the right way".

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Let fans find it organically and then monetize off of it... like Lil Boo & Earl the Squirrel. Let the fans make it popular first, not Universal.

I just think forcing it like Ollie from Jollywood Nights from the start is the wrong direction.

Edit: I love theme parks. That's why I take part on this forum and discords daily. Just because I have an opposing belief, doesn't make me unhappy towards the parks.

But on the subject of Lil Boo - people trash Universal for having "too much" Lil Boo merch. (despite there really not being that much)

 

[UniversalRBLX]

It's a bad opinion.

How is it forced? People have only found out about it because TMs are sharing the images. Universal hasn't pushed any marketing for it.



What's the difference if the end goal is monetizing it?

@Tbad556 beat me to the rest...

I'm starting to genuinely think you just say things to get a rise out of people.

Forced since they have a line of merchandise ready to go from the start.

An opposing opinion will always get people to discuss things... that's why forums exist.

But on the subject of Lil Boo - people trash Universal for having "too much" Lil Boo merch. (despite there really not being that much)

Yes, there's a balance to maintain. I don't hate Lil Boo, but last year it became a bit too much.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Forced since they have a line of merchandise ready to go from the start.

An opposing opinion will always get people to discuss things... that's why forums exist.


Yes, there's a balance to maintain. I don't hate Lil Boo, but last year it became a bit too much.

Yeah I definitely HARD disagree - but like you said, I guess it's why this site exists. lol

So just spitballing - what do you think the best course of action would have been here?

 

[mccgavin]

Let fans find it organically and then monetize off of it... like Lil Boo & Earl the Squirrel. Let the fans make it popular first, not Universal.

I just think forcing it like Ollie from Jollywood Nights from the start is the wrong direction.

Edit: I love theme parks. That's why I take part on this forum and discords daily. Just because I have an opposing belief, doesn't make me unhappy towards the parks.

The difference with Ollie is that he literally came out of nowhere, and he doesn't really have anything to do with the event he's a part of (also many people just don't like his design).

Captain Cacao is a part of the story of Celestial Park, and there's an entire candy shop that's themed to him and his story with Maya. I appreciate that Universal went out of their way to create unique stories and characters for Celestial Park when they didn't really need to. A handful of merchandise for a character in his own store is not overdoing it, especially since it sounds like much of the candy packaging is also specifically branded to this store and its characters.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Yeah I definitely HARD disagree - but like you said, I guess it's why this site exists. lol

So just spitballing - what do you think the best course of action would have been here?

Allow the fans to find and organically gain interest in the character, just like Lil Boo and Earl, and then capitalize on the merch. I just feel, again just my opinion, that is the more appropriate way to make a character popular and everlasting.

 

[devinp267]

Allow the fans to find and organically gain interest in the character, just like Lil Boo and Earl, and then capitalize on the merch. I just feel, again just my opinion, that is the more appropriate way to make a character popular and everlasting.

How is he not organically found? You can’t force people to spend money and he’s not required for admission to the preview. They have not pushed that bear.

 

[Brian G.]

Allow the fans to find and organically gain interest in the character, just like Lil Boo and Earl, and then capitalize on the merch. I just feel, again just my opinion, that is the more appropriate way to make a character popular and everlasting.

Well it’s a good thing you’re not in charge of these decisions, because yikes.

 

[Allison]

Allow the fans to find and organically gain interest in the character, just like Lil Boo and Earl, and then capitalize on the merch. I just feel, again just my opinion, that is the more appropriate way to make a character popular and everlasting.

So, by this definition then, Universal shouldn’t create any original characters with accompanying merchandise for their parks because that would mean they wouldn’t be found “organically”? In your opinion, they should only be posted about online by fans first before they’re deemed worthy of merchandise?

I can’t wrap my brain around this cause every way I’ve tried to figure it, it just reads like someone wanting to find something to complain about.

 

[nikem3]

So, by this definition then, Universal shouldn’t create any original characters with accompanying merchandise for their parks because that would mean they wouldn’t be found “organically”? In your opinion, they should only be posted about online by fans first before they’re deemed worthy of merchandise?

I can’t wrap my brain around this cause every way I’ve tried to figure it, it just reads like someone wanting to find something to complain about.

Universal is supposed to hide lore in a bush and then once a year release a single additional clue to the existence of this bear. And then after 12 years, release that it was a chocolate bear with a star over its eye the whole time and see the reaction of guests.

 

[Tbad556]

So, by this definition then, Universal shouldn’t create any original characters with accompanying merchandise for their parks because that would mean they wouldn’t be found “organically”? In your opinion, they should only be posted about online by fans first before they’re deemed worthy of merchandise?

I can’t wrap my brain around this cause every way I’ve tried to figure it, it just reads like someone wanting to find something to complain about.

That's my biggest thing. Lil' Boo was an absolute lightning in a bottle situation. A small piece of (well-designed) scenic work that fans blew up into a thing. If that's how you expect original characters to be created, you will find yourself in an absolute drought of original content. It's not feasible to expect that to happen regularly.