Future of Toon Lagoon

[TheAlaskanBullworm]

At this point I can’t remember, when was the last somewhat reliable rumor/source for SpongeBob taking over toon lagoon at some point? It seems an obvious replacement on paper but are there any details out there like the original contract status for simpsons?

 

[Mad Dog]

At this point I can’t remember, when was the last somewhat reliable rumor/source for SpongeBob taking over toon lagoon at some point? It seems an obvious replacement on paper but are there any details out there like the original contract status for simpsons?

There's never been a reliable rumor. Dudley Ripsaw and Popeye are still there. Just lots of fantasy dreaming.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

At this point I can’t remember, when was the last somewhat reliable rumor/source for SpongeBob taking over toon lagoon at some point? It seems an obvious replacement on paper but are there any details out there like the original contract status for simpsons?

There's never been anything solid, just pure fan speculation & blue sky dreaming.

I think it's quite clear that modern park goers don't understand Toon Lagoon as the IPs are outdated/irrelevant and the attractions are water rides that soak guests. Easy for most guests to skip.

 

[TheUniC6]

The perfect Bikini Bottom background loop exists - the Battle for Bikini Bottom soundtrack!

I have fond memories of BFBB. The soundtrack that would work here would be the one used when you were in the main BB hub.

 

[RFRees]

I appreciate the dedication SpongeBob fans have. But, I don't see how the IP would warrant a large land expansion at Universal.

1) It's third party. If we look at recent third party partnerships, we see Nintendo, Pokemon, and Potter. Can anyone point to any objective measures which demonstrates the SpongeBob IP comes anywhere close to one of these other third party IPs?

2) The IP is not as relevant as it was. SpongeBob's last movie (2025) was profitable only due to its relatively low budget; it didn't even get close to breaking $100 million domestic ($69 million). This makes it the worst performing SpongeBob theatrical release by far, and that's before adjusting for inflation. SpongeBob's entire theatrical run made only $5 million more than FNAF 2's opening weekend (~$65 million), or just $1 million more than Wicked For Good's opening day+previews ($68 million), and those two movies weren't even the best performing movies of the year (#20 and #6, SpongeBob is way down the list).

3) What demographics does SpongeBob 'add' that Universal doesn't already have covered? I could easily see an argument made for low performing third party IP if say, it brought in a specific country's population, or it appealed to Gen Z girls, or something Universal doesn't already have. But isn't SpongeBob's core audience (American male Gen z/millennials) already covered with IPs like Transformers, DreamWorks, Marvel, SNW / Pokemon, etc?

I'm certainly open to being wrong about this.

 

[DOOMBOT]

It certainly doesn't seem like a priority IP for the Orlando teams at this moment in time.

I do believe that had the industry been in the right place when Spongebob was at its' peak of popularity in the 2000s to mid 2010s, a Bikini Bottom land would have been a definite game changer expansion. A perfectly natural evolution from the prominent but scattered way the Nicktoons were represented at UOR prior to that point, an IP with an undeniably iconic visual and sonic identity, popular characters that families would wait in line to meet, and a merchandising / F&B powerhouse that would've returned the investment essentially immediately. I consider it one of those great big missed-opportunity theme park lands like Middle Earth and (until very recently) Pokemon.

For a TV show, and especially a kids show, Spongebob has remained remarkably relevant and influential. Even incredibly successful and at-their-time popular kids media like The Wiggles, Ben 10, Blues Clues, High School Musical haven't really kept up the pace as the decades wear on, but Spongebob is still here with us, to the extent that UDX is currently making an entire land based on the show for their smaller-scale Kids park. I think that last point is certainly worth discussion, if nothing else. Clearly, someone somewhere at UDX sees some amount of remaining life left in the IP.

Spongebob might currently be closer to where the Simpsons was when it got its' UOR land - a decent bit past its' prime, but with enough gas in the tank for a while longer.