I’m not expecting Pokemon to be much bigger than what I described a mini-land getting. Here’s why:
A “land” should be able to support two or more unique, “featured” rides (whether they’re built or not) that are true to the IP. By featured, I basically mean “not a flat” - so a dark ride, simulator, or non-kiddie coaster. Flats, playgrounds, and shows can fit anywhere, so don’t count as “features.” We see that with Mushroom Kingdom- Mario Kart and Yoshi are feature rides. Diagon Alley supports Gringotts AND Ministry of Magic. Hogsmeade has Hogwarts and the Dark Forest. New York and Hollywood could have dozens of rides.
So... what about Pokemon? At first glance, it fits. But it doesn’t really. The immediate Pokemon ride is a “safari” or “snap” dark ride. It’s the best way to feature the Pokémon themselves, while matching the gentile, slower-paced tone of the games. That’s one featured ride. What’s your other one though? We can say “roller coaster,” but that’s not something that matches the tone of the IP (game or show) really at all. A battle arena show isn’t a ride. Flats or playgrounds aren’t “features” either.
DK faces a similar and opposite problem. A coaster is perfect. But what else can you do for that IP’s feature. A dark ride doesn’t really fit the IP.
For comparison, HTTYD (Berk) actually aligns narratively with Pokemon. It’s kids becoming friends with monsters. Thematically, though, they’re very different. Dragons has epic battles, soaring flights, speed, and personal danger. A coaster fits because of of riding dragons. A dark ride works in the same way as a Pokemon safari ride OR a battle like Spider-Man. That’s why Berk would get a land versus Pokémon’s mini-land.
I disagree that Pokemon can't be support a full land but I can see where you are coming from as thinking from UC perspective with a baseline knowledge of Pokemon, it will force it to be solely a mini land
I think the main reason Pokemon will be relegated to a mini-land is because the first thing people over the age of 18 think of when it comes to Pokemon is Pokemon snap game. Additionally the other thought that comes to people's mind was oh pokemon has a safari zone, lets have a Pokemon safari.
But if you play the game and watch the shows and the movies, there are multiple "ride" elements across the board that fit pokemon that people forget about such as the fact in both the game and shows people ride on Pokemon to fly, surf, move across the land fast, etc. Additionally, even within those games due to the fact they are set in the world, they have things such as subs (Hoenn Region), rockets (Also Hoenn region), trains (Johnto and Kalos), bikes and skates (almost every region) and boats (Kanto, Kalos, and Hoenn) which can be evolved in a way that can help encompass a land. You really don't need to relegate Pokemon to just a simple dark ride when it can have so much more in E-ticket ride attractions.
Poké Ride (Japanese:
ポケモンライド Pokémon Ride) is a custom practiced in the
Alola region where certain
Pokémon are trained as Ride Pokémon to help people travel or perform other tasks. Different Ride Pokémon have strengths suiting them to different tasks. An institution called Alola Transit appears to be involved in the administration of Ride Pokémon. They are a common means of travel in Alola.
There is your story supported coaster/coasters/boat ride/etc.
Then going into it, there are Pokemon towns with Roller Coasters and rides and attractions as part of the gym such as Nimbasa City in the Unova region.
Nimbasa serves as the heart of leisure and entertainment. Nimbasa City is well known for its grand-scale landmarks such as the Musical Theater, Gear Station, Big Stadium and Small Court, Battle Institute, and the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel and amusement park..
The biggest thing with Pokemon is there are towns created that aren't in any mainline games like Ryme City. There are towns and cities made just for the anime. Some towns are made for festivals, some are huge entertainment areas, you have the huge resorts. Universal has a lot of leeway to create something in their image that doesn't necessarily have to fit the mold but will be distinctively Pokemon and still be considered canon.
Now the reason why I think Universal will just do a mini-land is because I don't think anyone currently working knows Pokemon like that well as in seen every single episode, played every game including the spin-offs, seen every movie etc. The land will likely just be a Pokemon Center with a pick your starter element, a Pokemon show of some kind, and a Snap Safari ride. With Potter, it was a lot simpler because you essentially go and read 7 books, watch 8 movies, read the side novels (History of Magic, FB and where to find them, Quidditch book), and read Pottermore and that's almost the entirety of HP canon until the next set comes out. I feel that most of the staff in UC who help with this project likely are Gen 1 and Gen 2 players so their perception of what can be done will be limited unless the Pokemon Company comes in and forces them to go bigger.
Now if I was in charge, I would just tell Universal to create their own city in a new "region" made just for the parks and ask to see if the Pokemon Company will assist in making an online one-off episode to highlight it. Make it a huge tourist town with a huge range of Pokemon due to its unique location consisting of 5 different geographic features and biomes. (Mountains, Tropical Beach, Dense Forests, Deserts, Caves, Planes). This makes it a huge place for a trainer who wants to get a lot of different types of pokemon easily. The town also due to the location has become a hit entertainment resort with the biggest Pokemon festival as well as the greatest Pokemon battles.
Ride Attractions you now that would fit the story and the Pokemon IP now you can do a snap safari ride through the different biomes and even within that one giant attraction you can combine the show building with another ride where the guests are riding on Pokemon (using AAs as the coaster vehicle similiar to Yoshi AA ride vehicle for Yoshi Island or using water pokemon like Lapras as a boat and ride on it). You can add a walk through throw a poke ball attraction to catch Pokemon using Balloon AAs with rapid deflate and inflate capability and projection mapping. Then you can add your flats of course to build things out.
E-ticket: Safari/snap/walkthrough
D-ticket: Riding on Pokemon
C-ticket: Family flats
Now you have your attractions to support your land. Add in the Battles Shows and the Pokemon Contest show. You have a full fledged land fitting the story and the IP.