Bringing Back Nostalgic Properties to Universal Parks?

[Parkscope Joe]

You might be overthinking this. My first visit to Universal Orlando was just a few years ago, and I never got to experience Back to The Future The Ride or Jaws. My desire to see them return with new attractions isn't based on memories of the original rides, but rather my love of the films they are based on.

Hey that's great, and I don't doubt folks like you exist. But if this was a majority, or hell a plurality, of folks visiting we'd be in a different situation right now.

 

[Mad Dog]

Hey that's great, and I don't doubt folks like you exist. But if this was a majority, or hell a plurality, of folks visiting we'd be in a different situation right now.

Yes. The past rides that people crave for, like Jaws/BTTF/Twister, were mostly walk ons their last couple of years. The once strong demand had disappeared. Perhaps a new version attraction of those IP's will generate demand, but in the case of their former theme park attractions, their time had come.

 

[mccgavin]

Hey that's great, and I don't doubt folks like you exist. But if this was a majority, or hell a plurality, of folks visiting we'd be in a different situation right now.

I honestly have no idea what you're trying to imply here. New people are visiting Universal Orlando all of the time. Given that Back to The Future and Jaws are some of the most beloved classic movies of all time, there is a demand for them beyond the niche park superfans.

Even if we never do end up getting another attraction, recent projects like Mega Movie Parade, Destination Hill Valley at USH, and Jaws 50th are showing there is still a noteworthy audience that cares about these properties.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I honestly have no idea what you're trying to imply here. New people are visiting Universal Orlando all of the time. Given that Back to The Future and Jaws are some of the most beloved classic movies of all time, there is a demand for them beyond the niche park superfans.

Even if we never do end up getting another attraction, recent projects like Mega Movie Parade, Destination Hill Valley at USH, and Jaws 50th are showing there is still a noteworthy audience that cares about these properties.

Universal learned that there is still value in their older IPs. Kicking off the parade with BTTF and going out and licensing Ghostbusters for the parade & nighttime show proves they're looking at it.

What other Universal-owned IPs are left for theme park use? Genuine question since the only IPs I can gather are (Mamma Mia!, SLOP for UOR, and Wicked). All the other IPs that can theoretically fit theme park use tend to be horror IPs.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I honestly have no idea what you're trying to imply here. New people are visiting Universal Orlando all of the time. Given that Back to The Future and Jaws are some of the most beloved classic movies of all time, there is a demand for them beyond the niche park superfans.

Even if we never do end up getting another attraction, recent projects like Mega Movie Parade, Destination Hill Valley at USH, and Jaws 50th are showing there is still a noteworthy audience that cares about these properties.

If more guests had feelings like you did, they'd have the justification to do more. That's all. The things you listed are either temporary events or amalgamations of things (parade with several properties, FFN with a handful of IPs, etc). I'd love to see a Jaws ride and a Back to the Future ride, too, but I'm willing to bet most guests, when they think of nostalgic properties, they probably think of Shrek.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

The distinction Joe brings up is something I hadn't thought much about. I like that they've been incorporating "classic" IPs, mostly meaning things like BTTF and Jaws that, besides being classic movies, are ingrained in my memories of what USF used to be. But it's sort of like Disney bringing out Powerline for 90s night, and not building a Goofy Movie ride. There's a lot they can do to give fans a chance to interact with those properties without the full commitment of building rides.

I'd love to see a new Jaws ride, but that's a tough nut to crack, and would require a lot of space to do right. So I understand if we're more likely to get new Coke Freestyle flavors instead.

BTW, I tried that Jaws flavor last weekend because I had unlimited drinks at the Informer event, and dear lord that was gross. Competed with the popping yogurt ball drink from Le Gobelet Noir for the worst sip of the trip.

 

[mccgavin]

If more guests had feelings like you did, they'd have the justification to do more.

Based on what? Even outside of the bubble of the Universal parks, BTTF, and to somewhat of a lesser extent, Jaws are frequent pop culture staples. While it isn't a "top" property like Mario, Potter, and Jurassic, it would be disingenuous to say the iconography from these films are recognizable and popular across multiple generations.

The things you listed are either temporary events or amalgamations of things (parade with several properties, FFN with a handful of IPs, etc).

I think you're a bit quick to discredit these offerings. Destination Hill Valley was the most substantial attraction at Fan Fest Nights, with a significant amount of work that went into it. They put significantly more effort into the Jaws anniversary event than they needed to. These are not insignificant, and indicates these properties are getting a positive response from guests.

I'd love to see a Jaws ride and a Back to the Future ride, too, but I'm willing to bet most guests, when they think of nostalgic properties, they probably think of Shrek.

Shrek is very comparable to BTTF and Jaws, just that it most highly appeals to a different generation of guests. It also deserves a proper attraction, but I don't feel that is particularly more or less likely than others. It's important to reiterate that Universal Classic Monsters just received an entire land, and probably less than 1% of guests have actually seen the films it is based on.

Culturally, there has been a stronger reliance on classic properties in pop culture than there has ever been before, so I think it's ill-advised to rule out speculation on these older properties. They shouldn't be discredited because a new attraction hasn't happened yet or isn't happening currently. We don't know if they are justified to do more, because frankly, we don't know what their future plans are.

 

[Jwhee]

If more guests had feelings like you did, they'd have the justification to do more. That's all. The things you listed are either temporary events or amalgamations of things (parade with several properties, FFN with a handful of IPs, etc). I'd love to see a Jaws ride and a Back to the Future ride, too, but I'm willing to bet most guests, when they think of nostalgic properties, they probably think of Shrek.

Universal is still leveraging these brands with FFN and Parade/ fireworks. Park wide events, not just for niche fandom appeal. They're using them in flagship (Destination Hill Valley) experiences, park-wide entertainment (parade and fireworks) because the demand is still there.

Jaws and BTTF are cultural landmarks with cross-generational appeal. Mega Movie summer has a delorean and Shark on the promo images. England is allegedly getting a BTTF ride. Crazy to me that people are trying to insinuate that these properties don’t deserve new attractions.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

I think you're a bit quick to discredit these offerings. Destination Hill Valley was the most substantial attraction at Fan Fest Nights, with a significant amount of work that went into it. They put significantly more effort into the Jaws anniversary event than they needed to. These are not insignificant, and indicates these properties are getting a positive response from guests.

Don't put too much stock into what I think, since my friends and I lingered at Moe's too long and missed the last tram out to Hill Valley, but that installation didn't strike me as being too expensive. The wow factor seemed to come mostly from the pre-existing location and the performances of the actors. Not saying the performers or scenic embellishments were cheap, but I doubt they compare to building a permanent ride.

Shrek is very comparable to BTTF and Jaws, just that it most highly appeals to a different generation of guests. It also deserves a proper attraction, but I don't feel that is particularly more or less likely than others. It's important to reiterate that Universal Classic Monsters just received an entire land, and probably less than 1% of guests have actually seen the films it is based on.

I wonder if Dark Universe and the rumored BTTF ride in the UK are examples of things that can get approval as supporting attractions in a brand new park, but would struggle to get greenlit as standalone offerings. But I know there's been speculation about BTTF taking over Supercharged (an idea I was initally excited for, even if it meant re-using the tunnel simulator, but have since soured on after my most recent experience in said tunnel simulator). Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I wonder if Dark Universe and the rumored BTTF ride in the UK are examples of things that can get approval as supporting attractions in a brand new park, but would struggle to get greenlit as standalone offerings.

This is also something I think about a bit, what they can they get approval for. Which then comes back to "what does the general public want"?

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I wonder if Dark Universe and the rumored BTTF ride in the UK are examples of things that can get approval as supporting attractions in a brand new park, but would struggle to get greenlit as standalone offerings.

Not every attraction has to be Potter-caliber IP. There are only a few IPs of that scale, and the majority of them are already represented in theme parks. Outside of Lord of the Rings, James Bond, and maybe Mission: Impossible, there's not much left out there for major film franchises.

Sure, you need a major IP or two for approval, but everything else can be a supporting role.

Thinking ahead of USF's future... what IP replaces Supercharged if not Ghostbusters or BTTF? Godzilla? Can't imagine we stick with Fallon long-term, what IP eventually replaces it? Can't imagine USF stays in its current condition for long.

I think Disneyland has done a masterful job at blending legacy & new IPs within the park. The park would have lost its charm if they had replaced Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, etc., but would have also lacked appeal with modern audiences if it weren't for Indiana Jones and Star Tours.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think, in the year of 2025, the general public would absolutely respond well to standalone attractions based on Jaws, BTTF, Ghostbusters, and Shrek.

 

[Rhian]

The Back to the Future ride needed to go. I understand why the Jaws ride went. I really like that Universal is willing to kill its sacred cows.

I agree with this to some degree however doing so also means some of the park's identity is worn away; the state of Studios specifically has been a topic of discussion and debate in another thread, and I think part of that has been because they've lost some of those older/key attractions. They helped set the base tone for the park and with almost all of them gone now it feels like something missing.

While Diagon Alley is a great addition I don't quite feel the same towards Gringotts as I did Jaws despite multiple rerides. If Universal brought back Jaws with a new ride system and its skippers at some point I'd be all for it.

Disney's advantage here is its size. They've been able to add new attractions without taking out the old for a lot longer so the "nostalgia" talked about here can be relived for much longer and shared with future generations easily, further continuing a ride's legacy and longevity.

Thankfully Epic has room to grow so we'll be able to enjoy its current attractions for much longer than we've had Jaws, GB, BTTF while embracing the new as the park expands. If Universal ever builds another Jaws/BTTF/etc. I'd expect it to stay for a long time.

BTW, I tried that Jaws flavor last weekend because I had unlimited drinks at the Informer event, and dear lord that was gross.

Ha, I gave it a try earlier this week and thought it wasn't bad.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

Not every attraction has to be Potter-caliber IP. There are only a few IPs of that scale, and the majority of them are already represented in theme parks. Outside of Lord of the Rings, James Bond, and maybe Mission: Impossible, there's not much left out there for major film franchises.

Sure, you need a major IP or two for approval, but everything else can be a supporting role.

Thinking ahead of USF's future... what IP replaces Supercharged if not Ghostbusters or BTTF? Godzilla? Can't imagine we stick with Fallon long-term, what IP eventually replaces it? Can't imagine USF stays in its current condition for long.

I think Disneyland has done a masterful job at blending legacy & new IPs within the park. The park would have lost its charm if they had replaced Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, etc., but would have also lacked appeal with modern audiences if it weren't for Indiana Jones and Star Tours.

I don't mean to seem like I don't want new rides for these properties. I really do. I'm watching POVs of that Mack boat ride at Futuroscope and salivating over the idea of that being used for Jaws like everybody else. Jaws in particular, if paired with a dynamic ride system like that, is something I could see being popular for years to come. Sharks are evergreen, and Uni owns the rights to the best one.

I just meant that assuming a seasonal event means we'll get an E-ticket is a bit like thinking "Race through Joliet" will replace Fallon because the Blues Brothers have a street show. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic in thinking these classics will get relegated to entertainment-offerings only, especially since there's smoke building around their return.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think, in the year of 2025, the general public would absolutely respond well to standalone attractions based on Jaws, BTTF, Ghostbusters, and Shrek.

As I look through the IP catalog of what's readily available out there for Universal to utilize in a theme park setting, the list is quite small excluding "legacy" IPs. There's not many in-house evergreen IPs out there in Universal's library not used at the parks currently.

I just meant that assuming a seasonal event means we'll get an E-ticket is a bit like thinking "Race through Joliet" will replace Fallon because the Blues Brothers have a street show. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic in thinking these classics will get relegated to entertainment-offerings only, especially since there's smoke building around their return.

Universal historically has not been very nostalgic as a company (mainly due to changing corporate hands so often), but they have found a somewhat stable parent company that is willing to give the parks the freedom to do whatever as long as the cash flows through. An IP being represented in a seasonal event is not an indication that a ride will be automatically built, but it does show that internally it's an IP with value.

If you look at the remaining major multi-billion dollar franchises out there for in-park use, the majority remaining are Paramount IPs (Nickelodeon mostly) and video games like GTA and Call of Duty (which I doubt happens at the parks as an attraction). All other IPs are snatched by Disney and (unfortunately) Six Flags.

I'd include Mattel, but they are looking to expand their physical presence.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

As I look through the IP catalog of what's readily available out there for Universal to utilize in a theme park setting, the list is quite small excluding "legacy" IPs. There's not many in-house evergreen IPs out there in Universal's library not used at the parks currently.

Universal historically has not been very nostalgic as a company (mainly due to changing corporate hands so often), but they have found a somewhat stable parent company that is willing to give the parks the freedom to do whatever as long as the cash flows through. An IP being represented in a seasonal event is not an indication that a ride will be automatically built, but it does show that internally it's an IP with value.

I agree with your points, but think it's a bit of an exaggeration to say Comcast lets the parks do whatever they want. The Today Cafe is pretty nice, but I doubt that was some creative's passion project.

I think Comcast sees the parks not just as their own reliable revenue stream, but also as a way to build equity in their transmedia properties. I agree that, at this point, they should use this power to boost "classic" IPs. But I also don't think we should rule out attractions from current properties that the company wants to push, even if they haven't earned billions at the box office. I don't know what's up with The Bad Guys, but I didn't know much about my good friend Toothless before this year either.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think they all (Comcast/Universal Studios/Universal theme parks) learned their lesson when they let the film people dictate the synergy and process that ended up creating the woeful Fast & Furious attraction. That was a major 'costly' and creative mistake, admitted to by Creative Eexecutive Thierry Coup, and I would think the theme park executives and Creative now have the final word on attractions, with only appropriate input from the upper echelons.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

But I also don't think we should rule out attractions from current properties that the company wants to push, even if they haven't earned billions at the box office. I don't know what's up with The Bad Guys, but I didn't know much about my good friend Toothless before this year either.

What are some of their current inhouse IPs not currently utilized at the parks? Wicked?

 

[rabbitsmoon]

I think they all (Comcast/Universal Studios/Universal theme parks) learned their lesson when they let the film people dictate the synergy and process that ended up creating the woeful Fast & Furious attraction. That was a major 'costly' and creative mistake, admitted to by Creative Eexecutive Thierry Coup, and I would think the theme park executives and Creative now have the final word on attractions, with only appropriate input from the upper echelons.

I'm not sure this squares with the idea that the Supercharged experiences only go away once another F&F-branded ride is waiting in the wings, but I really hope you're right! We can all be thankful they've righted the ship with their creative approach, regardless of the how properties get chosen.

What are some of their current inhouse IPs not currently utilized at the parks? Wicked?

Wicked would be chief among them, with an evergreen IP, demographic variance, merchandise potential, and clear ability to be franchised to multiple destinations. Plus I cried a bunch when I watched it. Plus I don't think they're stopping at 2 movies.

I also wouldn't rule out any of their current or upcoming animated properties. Comcast ain't Disney, but it's still a strength of theirs compared to other media conglomerates. So while The Bad Guys made about half of the first HTTYD, it's a very different box office era, and maybe they really like the streaming numbers, or maybe the sequel grows.

There's always room for surprises, like the way John Wick went from moderate success to mega-IP for Lionsgate. Maybe Uni pulls a Terminator, and successfully transition M3gan from slasher killer to Sci-Fi hero. Maybe next year's Spielberg movie or Jordan Peele movie breaks out and becomes that year's Sinners.

I'm not sure how likely those above things are, though, and I agree with you overall. They've pursued IP exploitation so aggressively that the well's getting a bit dry! Might as well give it a go with some older stuff. But the same summer where they've thrown up Jaws decorations, they're also doing M3gan flash mobs. I'm guessing we'll get a bit of both going forward.

 

[themeparkpalooza]

I feel like BTTF could work as a new E ticket because the original ride was an okay themed motion simulator. Going 88 mph - or feeling like you are - on a track/path and physically feeling like you're traveling to different times in the DeLorean... on a well themed 4-5 minute coaster ride... that's something Universal could use the success of Mummy, Hagrid, Hiccup and DK as 'story coasters' to take to the next level.

Couple it with a Hill Valley 2015 mini land... I think it'd be a huge hit.

I feel like Ghostbusters is a simple enough shoot em up/interactive dark ride concept, that it'd be a draw as long as it's good.

JAWS would be trickier - something like Pirates in Shanghai would be cool for simulating a whirlpool before a shark attack.

A Shrek land is a no brainer - so much nostalgia, a lot of ride/shop/food concepts from Singapore to draw from, potential for new concepts as well.

If they're good, people will ride or watch! I'd rather see new concepts for timeless IPs rather than trying to force a ride or show out of M3GAN or Pitch Perfect just because.