The Future of Lost Continent

[Legacy]

I’ve talked about this in the Epic Universe expansion thread (where I still think it’s more applicable): any Oz/Wicked land is going to predominantly be Emerald City. Every place that you could, would want to visit in Oz is accessible from the Emerald City. The universally recognizable set piece is the Emerald City with the Wizard’s Tower, and a hot air balloon (in the Emerald City).

If (big big if I don’t necessarily see) Wicked is coming to Lost Continent, you likely just getting a ride. That’s it. But, that ride will go through important regions of Oz that apply to both Wizard of Oz and Wicked—Muchkinland and Winkie Country/Kiamo Ko—plus a slight detour to Shiz.

Even with Harry Potter, Universal saw fit to build its lands around city/towns near the school… not the actual school.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

I feel dust off the Omnimover Pokémon Safari concept and we have our main ride. Tons of AAs, young ones can get on, probably more a 5-7 min ride if it’s the main one plus a show, this feels right to me.

Pokemon is a complete foreign language to me so I would be down for this. But would fans be satisfied?

I’ve talked about this in the Epic Universe expansion thread (where I still think it’s more applicable): any Oz/Wicked land is going to predominantly be Emerald City. Every place that you could, would want to visit in Oz is accessible from the Emerald City. The universally recognizable set piece is the Emerald City with the Wizard’s Tower, and a hot air balloon (in the Emerald City).

If (big big if I don’t necessarily see) Wicked is coming to Lost Continent, you likely just getting a ride. That’s it. But, that ride will go through important regions of Oz that apply to both Wizard of Oz and Wicked—Muchkinland and Winkie Country/Kiamo Ko—plus a slight detour to Shiz.

Even with Harry Potter, Universal saw fit to build its lands around city/towns near the school… not the actual school.

A wise choice ESPECIALLY if it were to replace LC--there's a magic school right next to it after all.

 

[Skipper Justin]

If they ever do Wicked, you know they aren’t doing Shiz. I’m a huge Wicked fan and I never had a doubt that they wouldn’t do Shiz.

 

[quinnmac000]

Truthfully speaking if we really are being honest, the IP replacing LC doesn't really matter. From Epic Universe early IP discussions etc....when the park finally came out the most excited attractions and the most liked lands changed. It goes back to every single discussion on this board were people argue about the IP but really the main thing is the attractions and what is coming. If the attraction is well designed and fun, they can make it Labubu and everyone will be okay with it despite not liking the IP.

So I hope whatever comes here is an attraction worth of the park and brings so many exciting and cool elements that it is an amazing experience.

 

[captainmoch]

I don't exactly think One Piece is getting a permanent presence in a Universal park anytime soon but it's wild how theme park forums will look at some of the most profitable media franchises of the past 30 years and think "I don't personally care or know much about this so it must be niche." I personally think One Piece has more cultural relevance than Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald at bare minimum.

 

[Jake S]

I'm sure someone has spent more time thinking about this than I have, but isn't part of what's happening here that monoculture is well and truly dead? When The Wizard of Oz was released everyone was aware of it. It had an enormous breadth in addition to the depth that comes with generations of super fans.

We're not creating very many widely-known or widely-appreciated pieces of art anymore, which is why you see the three big companies that make crap go back to the same crap over and over again. It's hard to find an IP with the kind of reach Jurassic Park, Star Wars or Marvel has.

What we do have are many properties that have significant depth. That's how you end up with video games making billions of dollars that are not widely known in the way Superman is. Those properties can, obviously, still be very successful theme park attractions but I think a couple things happen here:

• If you're unfamiliar with a property, it's easy to dismiss it without recognizing how popular it is with the people who love it
• If you're one of the people who loves a property like this, it can be easy to get defensive and claim the first person is living under a rock

I think in reality we're just looking at a new normal. There are extremely ubiquitous properties, like Pokemon, that do not have a significant theme park presence. But more and more, and you're seeing this at seasonal events, these parks are going to try to accumulate properties that have super fans who will shell out big money to eat themed food and buy merchandise.

 

[kingcooger]

Truthfully speaking if we really are being honest, the IP replacing LC doesn't really matter. From Epic Universe early IP discussions etc....when the park finally came out the most excited attractions and the most liked lands changed. It goes back to every single discussion on this board were people argue about the IP but really the main thing is the attractions and what is coming. If the attraction is well designed and fun, they can make it Labubu and everyone will be okay with it despite not liking the IP.

So I hope whatever comes here is an attraction worth of the park and brings so many exciting and cool elements that it is an amazing experience.

This is my main thing anymore too.

Give me a cool looking land, with decent food (bonus points for great food), and at least one great ride (bonus points for multiple great rides), and I will be happy.

To me this is the winning strategy.

Put it like this, I don’t like Avatar, but I liked Pandora.

 

[nikem3]

Give me a cool looking land, with decent food (bonus points for great food), and at least one great ride (bonus points for multiple great rides), and I will be happy.

This is how I feel. I've always said I would love a sci-fi area at Universal, but know they don't have a ton of large IPs related to that. Blade runner is a smaller IP but give me a cool neon city to explore and I'd be excited.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'm sure someone has spent more time thinking about this than I have, but isn't part of what's happening here that monoculture is well and truly dead? When The Wizard of Oz was released everyone was aware of it. It had an enormous breadth in addition to the depth that comes with generations of super fans.

We're not creating very many widely-known or widely-appreciated pieces of art anymore, which is why you see the three big companies that make crap go back to the same crap over and over again. It's hard to find an IP with the kind of reach Jurassic Park, Star Wars or Marvel has.

What we do have are many properties that have significant depth. That's how you end up with video games making billions of dollars that are not widely known in the way Superman is. Those properties can, obviously, still be very successful theme park attractions but I think a couple things happen here:

• If you're unfamiliar with a property, it's easy to dismiss it without recognizing how popular it is with the people who love it
• If you're one of the people who loves a property like this, it can be easy to get defensive and claim the first person is living under a rock

I think in reality we're just looking at a new normal. There are extremely ubiquitous properties, like Pokemon, that do not have a significant theme park presence. But more and more, and you're seeing this at seasonal events, these parks are going to try to accumulate properties that have super fans who will shell out big money to eat themed food and buy merchandise.

Yes, that says it, big time.

 

[kingmantis]

Regarding whether One Piece is popular enough or not, Universal does actually have some data on how it performs in the park.

Whether it actually shows up or not, I'm more impressed that One Piece actually leapfrogged this high into the rumor mill. The Netflix live action doesn't hurt, but those Fan Fest Nights GSATs/Merch sales must have been astronomical if it's now a potential bluesky replacement.

 

[Legacy]

Regarding whether One Piece is popular enough or not, Universal does actually have some data on how it performs in the park.

Whether it actually shows up or not, I'm more impressed that One Piece actually leapfrogged this high into the rumor mill. The Netflix live action doesn't hurt, but those Fan Fest Nights GSATs/Merch sales must have been astronomical if it's now a potential bluesky replacement.

I’m not surprised. Anytime a anime IP gets mentioned as a possibility in anyway as related to Universal, there are fans who drive the conversation about the appropriateness of that IP. We saw the exact same thing with HHN and Demon Hunter. The increased conversation doesn’t actually validate any of the “rumor.” Sometimes, the rumor is a misinterpretation of something else. The logical arguments against the rumored IP become irrelevant in the face of the conversation.

Again, Universal has yet to install a permanent anime attraction IN JAPAN. They just introduced anime into the fringes of an event centered around Western IPs in Hollywood. And even if Hollywood saw a rush for One Piece merch during Fan Fest, I don’t think we’ve seen a flood of new One Piece merch in Orlando. An increased merch presence is normally an indicator that an IP is getting considered (Secret Life of Pets, anyone?)

It wouldn’t take much to create a dedicated anime store in any park to gauge the medium as a singular draw for fans (and more easily cycle through IPs tests). Throw in some unique, kawaii versions of other Universal IPs to draw other interest and try and find crossover. But the anime merch Orlando has put out hasn’t even sold enough to justify that sort of test bed yet.

I am exceedingly doubtful Universal would do a permanent anime/manga-IP-based attraction in Orlando before they’ve attempted one anywhere else. None of the indicators that would say Orlando is actively interested in anime as an expanded push are there. One Piece as a Universal land is a fun thought experiment, and would probably bear some weight as a Toon Lagoon replacement, but I still think we’re 15-20 years from seeing that in Orlando.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I do think Anime is a strong contender for being a part of a Japanese-themed area for USF where it can be featured as part of broader themed area. The MIB store has been selling Anime for a few years now and doesn't appear too popular.

Back to Lost Continent, I'd love for USF to get the bulk of investment and love the idea of Lost Continent being split between Hogsmeade & Seuss. Expand Hogsmeade to include more shops/dining (it needs the space) and a stunt show at the former Sinbad. Grinch coaster in Poseidon will provide a fantastic family addition and year round Grinch presence.

 

[quinnmac000]

Again, Universal has yet to install a permanent anime attraction IN JAPAN. They just introduced anime into the fringes of an event centered around Western IPs in Hollywood. And even if Hollywood saw a rush for One Piece merch during Fan Fest, I don’t think we’ve seen a flood of new One Piece merch in Orlando. An increased merch presence is normally an indicator that an IP is getting considered (Secret Life of Pets, anyone?)

It wouldn’t take much to create a dedicated anime store in any park to gauge the medium as a singular draw for fans (and more easily cycle through IPs tests). Throw in some unique, kawaii versions of other Universal IPs to draw other interest and try and find crossover. But the anime merch Orlando has put out hasn’t even sold enough to justify that sort of test bed yet.

I am exceedingly doubtful Universal would do a permanent anime/manga-IP-based attraction in Orlando before they’ve attempted one anywhere else. None of the indicators that would say Orlando is actively interested in anime as an expanded push are there. One Piece as a Universal land is a fun thought experiment, and would probably bear some weight as a Toon Lagoon replacement, but I still think we’re 15-20 years from seeing that in Orlando.

They do have a permanent anime attraction-- Detective Conan 4-D Live Show: Jewel Under the Starry Sky. Additionally I would argue One Piece Summer is a permanent fixture just seasonal in nature like HHN...as it has happened every summer for over the past ten years.

Additionally if USF is supposed to be world class destination being guests in from around the world...anime is universal. Half the worldwide users of Netflix are watching anime. And based on merch movement in Orlando, it rarely reflects the trends in the rest of the world (Hello Kitty flopping in Orlando but thriving in Cali, Jack thriving in Florida but Hamikuma thriving all around the rest of the globe)

https://about.netflix.com/en/news/anime-for-every-fan-fueling-new-era-global-fandom

With over 50% of global Netflix members watching anime, the genre is reaching more audiences around the world than ever before. That was clear at the recent Anime Expo 2025, where we previewed our upcoming slate. Netflix is building a home for every kind of anime fan, from the curious newcomer to the lifelong superfan. In 2024 alone, anime was viewed over 1B times on Netflix, with viewership tripling over the past five years.

The main issue for Universal is rights as anime rights are convoluted and messy as well as which anime to represent. Additionally, is there enough interest in solo ips and combining and doing a shonen jump land instead of just a singular IP. Do they do Demon Slayer due to the fact it is the hottest series right now and the last film is the highest grossing japanese film internationally? Do they do One Piece since it has a live action with a diverse cast? Do they go old school and do dragon ball z and sailor moon?

 

[Legacy]

They do have a permanent anime attraction-- Detective Conan 4-D Live Show: Jewel Under the Starry Sky. Additionally I would argue One Piece Summer is a permanent fixture just seasonal in nature like HHN...as it has happened every summer for over the past ten years.

Additionally if USF is supposed to be world class destination being guests in from around the world...anime is universal. Half the worldwide users of Netflix are watching anime. And based on merch movement in Orlando, it rarely reflects the trends in the rest of the world (Hello Kitty flopping in Orlando but thriving in Cali, Jack thriving in Florida but Hamikuma thriving all around the rest of the globe)

https://about.netflix.com/en/news/anime-for-every-fan-fueling-new-era-global-fandom

The main issue for Universal is rights as anime rights are convoluted and messy as well as which anime to represent. Additionally, is there enough interest in solo ips and combining and doing a shonen jump land instead of just a singular IP. Do they do Demon Slayer due to the fact it is the hottest series right now and the last film is the highest grossing japanese film internationally? Do they do One Piece since it has a live action with a diverse cast? Do they go old school and do dragon ball z and sailor moon?

Fair. I completely forgot about Detective Conan. And I’m not saying anime doesn’t explicitly belong at Universal Orlando as they are a world-wide destination. But, we are seeing more “global region” development of “Universal Studios Experiences” as a brand which allows more testbeds and targeted use of IPs so Florida doesn’t necessarily have to cater to every market’s key interests.

Your point about Sanrio is hugely relevant as it’s a good example of how Florida’s demographics didn’t align with the “obvious” Japanese IP. If anything, that experience is likely to push Orlando further away from dedicating a land to an anime.

 

[nikem3]

If Orlando really wanted to get a feel for how those animes would do, you could easily bring a version of Fan fest to Orlando with an expanded anime area. Replace the Star Trek or DnD experience with something related to one of those animes and see the response.

Honestly, it wouldn't be a bad idea to test market though fan fest for those different parks.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

It's funny that, when you look at just the IPs spread between IOA and USF, you might easily conclude that Pokemon should go into IOA for balance. Between Minions and Dreamworks, USF currently has the more appealing little-kid properties by far (leaving aside execution here, though I'm an unreprentant Villain-Con-enjoyer).

Maybe someone who actually visits these parks with kids could give a better perspective on this, but I don't think more kids-focused stuff at IOA is a bad idea. While I agree with everyone here that IOA has the stronger lineup overall, are its kids offerings actually worse than USF?

 

[UniversalRBLX]

It's funny that, when you look at just the IPs spread between IOA and USF, you might easily conclude that Pokemon should go into IOA for balance. Between Minions and Dreamworks, USF currently has the more appealing little-kid properties by far (leaving aside execution here, though I'm an unreprentant Villain-Con-enjoyer).

Maybe someone who actually visits these parks with kids could give a better perspective on this, but I don't think more kids-focused stuff at IOA is a bad idea. While I agree with everyone here that IOA has the stronger lineup overall, are its kids offerings actually worse than USF?

I'd argue IOA is the better kids park as there are more ride attractions and better play areas (mainly Camp Jurassic). I think both parks would benefit from more attractions for kids overall (and why I'm so insistent on more family-friendly additions to the parks).

 

[GA-MBIT]

If it's between Pokemon and any other Japanese / Anime-adjacent IP, the choice is Pokemon. Nothing else comes anywhere close. That will be our first anime IP in a stateside park.

 

[Alicia]

If Pokemon was going to go to USF where Simpsons is, but Simpsons isn’t closing for 3 more years (even if contract not extended), perhaps The Pokemon Company (and Universal) don’t want to wait that long?

Either way, IOA stays winning.

 

[TheUniC6]

If Pokemon was going to go to USF where Simpsons is, but Simpsons isn’t closing for 3 more years (even if contract not extended), perhaps The Pokemon Company (and Universal) don’t want to wait that long?

Either way, IOA stays winning.

Plus you can do far more with Pokemon in the LC plot than Springfield.