Universal Studios Florida: What Do We Think About It?

[Legacy]

Kong, Earthquake, Jaws were the big 3 E, maybe over time turned D when it became Disaster and the park line up changed.

For marketing purposes, sure. But actually experiencing those attractions when the park opened, the true three E-Tickets were Kong, Jaws, and ET. ET was the only “all ages” dark ride, which marked it above Earthquake in popularity. Earthquake was 85% a show/walkthrough. Earthquake was also the OLDEST franchise in the park, that being the entity with the longest gap between new release and park opening.

Earthquake - 1974
Jaws - 1975 (Jaws the Revenge - 1987)
King Kong - 1976 (King Kong Lives - 1986)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Family Plots - 1976
ET - 1982
Hanna Barbera - Featured scenes had new releases in the 80s
Murder, She Wrote - 1984-1996

Earthquake was a D Ticket.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I disagree. That back line of attractions will be E-Ticket (Drift), E-Ticket (Mummy), Supercharged, E-Ticket (Gringotts). Transformers is a solid D. Men in Black is a D(+). The Simpsons replacement will inevitably be an E-Ticket (and, arguably, age is the only thing keeping it from be considered an E-ticket now.

The SF *spot* has never really been an “E-ticket” because it was smack between two true E-tickets. Earthquake was always a D. Supercharged was always more akin to a D in design (but its execution dropped it to C/B level). Execution and age are the only thIngs that make things feel imbalanced now. People forget that the Disney ticketing system was fluid. An “E-Ticket” today may not be an E-Ticket tomorrow.

Does UOR consider Transformers a D-Ticket internally? It's the park's 3rd most popular attraction based on wait-time & capacity data. Everything else I agree on, but I'm a bit shocked by Transformers being classified as a D-ticket.


Based on 2024 & 2025, the attraction ranks 3rd (including when Rockit was online).

*Data according to Touring Plans.


And yes, I agree that tickets change over time as people often forget.

I know Dreamworks land isn't that old, but do we believe it's here to stay for the next 15 - 20 years? That space, combined with animal actors, feels like it's underutilized. Last time we went, Shrek's playground had multiple slides/areas closed off and the splash area was under construction. That area just feels temporary/a placeholder

While I'd like to rip it all out and make a proper DreamWorks Land, I think we're stuck with it for at least a decade. There's unfortunately to many other areas to prioritize.

 

[Mad Dog]

Does UOR consider Transformers a D-Ticket internally? It's the park's 3rd most popular attraction based on wait-time & capacity data. Everything else I agree on, but I'm a bit shocked by Transformers being classified as a D-ticket.

View attachment 28832
Based on 2024 & 2025, the attraction ranks 3rd (including when Rockit was online).

*Data according to Touring Plans.


And yes, I agree that tickets change over time as people often forget.


While I'd like to rip it all out and make a proper DreamWorks Land, I think we're stuck with it for at least a decade. There's unfortunately to many other areas to prioritize.

One thing about Dreamworks as opposed to KidZone. When it was KidZone,, and I go to Universal a lot, it was almost always deserted/empty. Dreamworks gets a bit of a crowd. So that's an improvement.

 

[JohnHammondsCane]

Does UOR consider Transformers a D-Ticket internally? It's the park's 3rd most popular attraction based on wait-time & capacity data. Everything else I agree on, but I'm a bit shocked by Transformers being classified as a D-ticket.

View attachment 28832
Based on 2024 & 2025, the attraction ranks 3rd (including when Rockit was online).

*Data according to Touring Plans.


And yes, I agree that tickets change over time as people often forget.


While I'd like to rip it all out and make a proper DreamWorks Land, I think we're stuck with it for at least a decade. There's unfortunately to many other areas to prioritize.

Yikes. Looking at that list really drives home the lack of updates at USF, but also gives me hope that the park has the opportunity for an overhaul over the next 10-15 years.

On that list, feels like the following are staying:
HRRR Replacement (obviously)
Mummy
Gringotts
HE
ET
Transformers
Both Minions rides, because it seems like Universal prioritizes them in a lot of their advertisements
Dreamworks Land. -- Again, I just feel like this land is bland. Not incorporating a family dark ride somewhere was a whiff.

On the chopping block:
Simpsons rides (Wicked?)
Supercharged
Fallon?
MIB?
Fear Factor space (Diagon Expansion or could USF be eyeing a land being built where FF/MIB are? I'm talking 2035+ here)

 

[TheCodeMan95]

The Simpsons replacement will inevitably be an E-Ticket (and, arguably, age is the only thing keeping it from be considered an E-ticket now.

Now this is a hot take I can get behind. If they somehow were able to update the ride vehicles and screens, Simpsons would be an E-ticket.

 

[Mad Dog]

I only see Supercharged, and ultimately Simpsons depending on 2028 end or short contract extension, on the chopping block prior to 2032. Universal has too much to do between the three parks on expansion/replacements, and there's only so much money to go around.

 

[belloq87]

E-Ticket (Drift) ... Men in Black is a D(+).

The coaster will "draw" like an E... even if it will (probably) have the theme-work of a B. But then MIB certainly is an E in that comparison because it is markedly more ambitious in scope than an unthemed (we assume) coaster.

also gives me hope that the park has the opportunity for an overhaul over the next 10-15 years.

What's your rush?

Does UOR consider Transformers a D-Ticket internally? It's the park's 3rd most popular attraction based on wait-time & capacity data. Everything else I agree on, but I'm a bit shocked by Transformers being classified as a D-ticket.

If Spider-Man is considered an E (and of course it should be), then I think we probably have to consider Transformers an E, just to be fair (even though I think it's inferior to Spidey in every conceivable way).

While I'd like to rip it all out and make a proper DreamWorks Land, I think we're stuck with it for at least a decade. There's unfortunately to many other areas to prioritize.

It just needs a dark ride, and would probably be what I would prioritize after Superchaged and Springfield (in an ideal world, Transformers, Minion Mayhem, and VillainCon would all be next in line, but that's just not plausible or probable). Then the Fear Factor theater area.

Dreamworks Land. -- Again, I just feel like this land is bland. Not incorporating a family dark ride somewhere was a whiff.

Yep. Not putting a more traditional dark ride either here or Shrek's spot, after a decade of screen-based ride after screen-based ride, was a real missed opportunity to start correcting some park imbalances (that are still nowhere near being corrected).

 

[DOOMBOT]

Simpsons being in the '24/'25 Top 5 is such an indictment against USF. That's like ... really bad.

 

[TheUniC6]

I know Dreamworks land isn't that old, but do we believe it's here to stay for the next 15 - 20 years? That space, combined with animal actors, feels like it's underutilized. Last time we went, Shrek's playground had multiple slides/areas closed off and the splash area was under construction. That area just feels temporary/a placeholder

Or, do we think if Wicked is slated for Simpsons that Animal Actors would also be on the chopping block?

My longstanding hope is that if Springfield goes for wicked only AA gets lumped in for DW phase 2. If Shrek 5 does well, Universal Creative might want to consider more ways to leverage the ogre beyond a play set.

 

[belloq87]

Simpsons being in the '24/'25 Top 5 is such an indictment against USF. That's like ... really bad.

MIB only at 7 is troubling.

On the other hand, having Supercharged, VillainCon, Minion Mayhem, and Race Through New York all at the bottom is comforting.