I definitely agree. A large issue with narrative for screen-based attractions is how they usually follow this formula. I think that's a major reason why I enjoy Flight of Passage so much. It's all about the atmosphere, and while there is conflict, it doesn't dominate the entire experience.
@@PoseidonEntertainment also flight of passage is the most groundbreaking and immersive screen ride ive ever been on. you can literally feel the banshee breathing and the smells of all of the environments. I can actually feel my stomach drop with flight of passage, no other screen ride has done that for me.
Let me tell you. I remember when IOA was just a diorama in the original USO King Kong (RIP) queue. It gave me the chills every time I’d see it and I couldn’t believe it was happening. I worked my very first job in Jurassic Park at IOA. I’ll always have a special place for IOA in my heart (along with the OG Dueling Dragons). So it’s really, truly heartbreaking to see big chunks of both parks fall into a state of disrepair. But I digress… I think with advancements in robotics, Orlando parks in the future will reinvest in rides with cheaper/better animatronics - and maybe one day human actors will become more incorporated as well, as the GP seek out more tactile, analog experiences. The old T2 now Jason Bourne require human actors that are just as, if not more important than the show’s special effects. I see attractions with this dynamic making a big comeback someday. As things like VR/AR expand, and our reliance on screens at home continues to be a (sad) fact-of-life, people will crave these getaways to be truly immersed in experiences that give a real life effect. Unfortunately Disney (of course) has already morphed this approaching trend into the ridiculously expensive Galactic Starcruiser… but this type of thing will have to go widespread (and cheaper) if they want people to keep shelling out 100s if not 1000s to come to their parks. Lastly, these parks would be sooo much better if they weren’t line items on the ledgers for massive corporations, hands down. You’d think with all the money on either side it wouldn’t be an issue but that’s exactly the problem. They’re only motivated by revenue and fueling their individual ecosystems. They also don’t really have to fight smaller parks because of “must-sees” like Harry Potter or Cinderella’s Castle, plus their overall parent org finances. The parks are being treated like little more than a plaything for IP advertisements. Truly wow’ing guests is now an afterthought behind getting in the guests’ bank accounts, and then cost cutting everywhere possible. That’s a real problem between both Universal and Disney parks. Hopefully we are at the start of a great renaissance. I’m both frustrated and patiently optimistic for the future of Orlando’s key parks. Sorry so long. Awesome video and channel!
I'm optimistic about where Universal is going though. They didn't have to put in the Velocicoaster, but it seems like a genuine artistic effort, even if themed to Jurassic World. I certainly take your point that IPs are often simply dropped in because they can do so, as Fast and Furious serves as the best example. However, Universal seems to have acknowledged the poor feedback from attractions like these and appears to be in the beginning of its own revitalization.
@@PoseidonEntertainment definitely agree with you there. I think Universal does seem to have more heart at this time, and hopefully all the feedback from F&F, RRR, and so many screen based rides has definitely turned them in the right direction. Epic Universe and next steps from here will paint a fuller picture for sure!
@@PoseidonEntertainment not only generally in Italy, but Portofino houses themselves are painted like that. That's why DisneySea Miracosta has painted details too (not to say Universal and Disney used this as an excuse to save some bucks).
@@PoseidonEntertainment It's actually authentic to the real life Portfino! All the buildings have painted on details, which are actually examples of trompe l’oeil, an optical illusion technique that is comparable to forced perspective. The Portofino recreation that's in Tokyo DisneySea also uses this.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I always hold the hope that someday in my lifetime maybe Six Flags would lose the rights to Looney Toons and DC Comics so Warner Bros would make a deal with Universal and bring them to the parks. I look at Toon Lagoon and worry its much too Outdated now as the Popeye animated project was cancelled, Betty Boop has a cult following and alot of Comic Strip style characters that are shown are very unknown. Now I know sometimes bringing things just because they're more modern is a bad thing as it can age a ride quicker than the older attraction. But I was thinking if like I said Six Flags didn't renew their contract or Warner bought them out, Toon Lagoon could transition into a Hannah Barbera Avenue as their iconic characters are still relevant imo. Looney Toons and Tom and Jerry having their own crazy attractions. You might think what about Scooby Doo? I have thought on it and while it'd be cool to just add into it, I feel due to its use of monsters, it'd transition well into its own smaller area honestly. I'd love to ride a Haunted Mansion style dark ride where your vehicle is a mini mystery machine with a lovely spooky ambience with fog machines and dark blue/green lighting for night time. Again its just a dream but one I've always wished would come true. From my suspicious I think Toon Lagoon might become Spongebob attraction which I think would be a waste as it'd date itself after the generation who grew up on Spongebob grew up. Scooby Doo due to its constant franchise reboots is a better choice and would give the meet and greets a permanent home finally instead of just the street.
I honestly didn't know half the stuff you were talking about in Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon were even a thing. Growing up with an annual pass, while my family had the ability to go around the park slowly and take our time, we also were doing all the major attractions first and foremost, never really taking the time to meander. Afterall, we had the annual passes because they were cheap enough, we lived close by, and those attractions we went to were the whole point of going to the parks, not even as a kid was I all that interested in running around the park pushing buttons and whatnot, I wanted to go on the rides. Sometime around 2005 is when we could no longer afford them, and I've only been to Universal's parks twice, maybre three times, but I can't remember. Also, I don't know anything in Toon Lagoon other than Popeye, Betty Boop, and Hagar the Horrible, and even then, only one has a ride, the other two are set dressing. It hasn't been until recently that I've actually watched a number of Popeye's cartoons, Betty Boop is just kind of a staple of at least American Pop Culture with her design that it can be seen anywhere and recognized despite most not knowing much about her, and occasionally as a kid, I went through the comics section of a newspaper and saw Hagar every now and then, that's it. I've also just never been much of a fan of 60s character designs, which seem to be the most prevalent in Toon Lagoon with Dudley being the one with a ride. I'm not saying get rid of the land, the rides are great, but even as a kid going to the park in the late 90s and early 2000s, it was not of much interest since I didn't know what I was looking at most of the time because it was way before my time, and that time continues to fall further into obscurity, so it may need some updating with more relevant characters added in, maybe one with a ride. There's a certain amphitheater inbetween Marvel and Toon that I've literally never seen anything used for or even scheduled, let's take that out and add another Toon attraction. I've learned that Islands of Adventure is actually primarily themed around different books and sources of reading material, and that's a neat concept, but I am notoriously bad about reading anything, so the park lived and died off the themed lands based off visual representations that were either baked into the material like Marvel and Seuss, or were made into movies like Jurassic Park and now Harry Potter, and all four of those seem to be things that will live on for a long time still, but Toon Lagoon has always been something I've just walked through in order to get to Popeye and then Jurassic Park despite still fitting the concept of the park. In regards to your thoughts on The Lost Continent, ugh, that was one of my favorite sections of the park. While not based off anything specific, the theming was spectacular. I do regret never riding Dueling Dragons as a child and have completely missed out on ever riding it, but Poseidon and Sinbad were the best! Sinbad was designed to be cheesy and it certainly appealed to me. It was in the same vain as Clyde & Seymour out at SeaWorld. Fun physical comedy in a pulp adventure, and I was sad to hear it had closed. I hope Poseidon is truly getting a refurbishment and not going anywhere because going from room to room and going on a treasure hunt with curses and traps was always fun. And then that final section with the tunnel of water and the room on the other end collapsing and opening up into this gigantic battle between the forces of good and evil, I LIVE FOR IT! I was so disappointed to see it was closed when relatives were down here in September. I also love that talking fountain in the area, and I'm glad he's still in operation. I have no disdain for Harry Potter coming in and taking half the land, the parts I cared most for still existed, plus the rides for Harry Potter are also pretty rad, I just hope that the half of The Lost Continent that's still around can make a comeback. As for Universal proper, yeah man, too many screens, not all of them bad, but I don't get the thrills as much as I could. Personally, I find the Simpsons to be a pretty fun ride as they are taking shots at all of Orlando's Parks and noting at how silly it is that we go to these things for entertainment. Gringott's was a big disappointment because not only did it not look or act anything like the cars in the movie, but on top of that, you kept going from screen to screen while the actual coaster portions of the ride were in complete darkness. Honestly, I feel it was a mistake to try and tie it in with the preexisting story from The Deathly Hallows because the ride seems to be more focused on making that tie in happen instead of just having a fun indoor coaster like Revenge of the Mummy. I found Transformers to be fun, but since we used the express pass, I feel like I missed out on some key info as to what the point of the ride was. Conversely, Fast and Furious has the exact opposite problem because all express pass does is put you int eh exposition room earlier, and I still didn't know what was happening on the actual ride anyway. Race through New York is a fun ride, but like you said, it suffers from being in a park with so many other screen attractions. And Minions is just Jimmy Neutron which was just Hanna Barbera, and I'll never be mad about it. E.T. needs some serious love because it broke my heart we didn't get any exposition on the ride or have our names taken for E.T. to say them at the end. Even without that, the ride should have still been more fun than it was, and it's because so much has slowed down or stopped working. I've heard Spielberg demands this ride stay or he'll pull from doing anything with Universal ever again, and good, I don't think it should go, but it needs help. Ironically, E.T. needs his help, not ours. Regardless, the Universal parks will always be my preferred parks in Orlando should I ever get the chance to go. While I haven't been to Disney's parks as often and don't harbor childhood nostalgia by having had an annual pass like I did Universal, the times I have gone, I've always been a little annoyed at how things go during the day and only when I'm done do I think, "You know, I did have fun today." When I've been to Universal, it's always been fun the whole day, and ever since I was last there in September, I've been having the itch to return.
Funny thing is comic strips are still a thing. And there are some really good ones out there. I'm 49 so I recognized a lot more of it than you probably did and in some ways I'm an old 49 who spent a lot of her youth around more adults than children. But I'd love to see IPs like Opus (or Bloom County) or Pearls Before Swine or Get Fuzzy which are all still relevant in the funny pages (as my uncle used to call them).
Yes to your point on Poseidon's Fury! It is just a great adventure walkthru. The mystic fountain is one of my favorites. It's just a simple comedy show that I can not stop watching. In 2019, She-Ra had a photo spot next to Mythos. That area by the water is always empty but it has great views plus you get to be under Atlas.
personally, i haven’t been to universal studios, but the way you described suess’ landing and toon lagoon makes me want to visit them. i absolutely LOVE when they get creative and put attention to even the smallest details that usually people wouldn’t even notice unless they look closer (some examples: the witty comic lines and the fish that squirts water at you when you throw a coin). and i agree, i truly hope they refurbish and maintain the quality of these places.
When talking about Universal abandoning/neglecting areas of the park, you missed the great opportunity to talk about production alley. Since MGM had a section for dedicated productions Universal probably thought that they had to do it themselves. This aspect of the park didn’t get much use for park guests after the tram tour closed and Nickelodeon Studios was carrying that whole area on its back with its active productions and walking tour until production stopped in 2004 and the studio closing its doors the following year. Blueman Group took its place and Universal put millions into renovating the old nick production building, however the Blueman Group had announced that they would leave the park in early 2020. Despite all of that some movies, commercials and shows have been getting filmed their on occasion in recent years and one of the soundstages was turned into Dave School. In my opinion I think Universal should just completely rebuild that area to make something new or create a better studio facility. I know Nick Studios has its fans though I think Nick will never return to filming in Florida let alone building a new headquarters there.
My main takeaway from this video is that once Epic Universe is done (since that's understandably where the money's going right now), Universal needs to spend some serious time and money giving the rest of the resort the ol' spit and polish to match. I'm ready to see the resort be a huge game changer in Orlando!
Fair analysis of the overuse of screens at the universal parks. Also it is interesting how Universal has allowed several of their themed lands to die rather than make periodic additions. Disney may have been more neglectful of only Dino Land and Tomorrowland. Unlike Disney, Universal has been quick to dispose of most of their original attractions or perhaps they were of lesser value. Universal does not have a solid core of "classic" fantasyland dark ride attractions.
i enjoy the simpsons ride itself, but the springfield land is so terrible and messes with the overall theme of the park, which is supposed to be popular cities like new york, london, and los angeles. i think they should definitely rebuild the simpsons land as a different city (tokyo would be perfect imo).
My biggest problem is the desperate need they have to constantly modernize. With Disney, you have the stuff that will never leave. Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Small World will never leave, but with Universal, there isn’t anything like that. I haven’t been in about 10 years, and I’m not going back soon. My parents aren’t interested because they remember rides like Back to the Future and Jaws that don’t exist anymore and don’t care for the newer IP’s. Me? I don’t care about their newer movies or Harry Potter, so I don’t have a reason either. I just don’t get why they need to be constantly updating.
In the early 90's I discovered Disney and Universal Florida. It was great for a while, but it has become a chore for those of us who enjoy a slower pace. Our next trip will be Sea World and Legoland, skipping the BIG attractions altogether. I totally agree with your opinions, by the way.
I did enjoy SeaWorld up until they reopened. It was just a nice relaxing place to grab a beer and ride a few coasters while exploring the aquariums. Those parks have become so poorly mismanaged though, that the experience and the subsequent clientele have made it unpleasant.
@@jilldaubresse5873 i would definitely recommend giving universal another chance. we found it to be the most laid back and pure fun amusement park we have been to
Another well done video. I agree with you on most points, except The Simpsons. I love the theming of that entire Springfield area because I love the show. But yes, walking around and just experiencing the areas of Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon is at times something I enjoy more than rides.
The disrepair in areas like Dr. Seuss, remind me of Mickey’s ToonTown at Disneyland. That area always has chipping/fading paint, broken effects, and unappealing attractions.
I agree that there are some serious flaws for Universal. As a specific complaint I certainly agree that screen based attractions is the biggest flaw. As a broader issue, I find that Universal parks lack and cohesive theme or message. Perhaps you could argue that this means they have variety but I also think the parks feel random and incoherent. Individual lands may be excellent but they don't feel like they have any central emotion. Now to be fair, few parks apart from Disney, Busch Gardens/SeaWorld, Europa-Park and Efteling really excel at having a unifying theme. Even the castle parks would could be described as being random in their theming but they still have a cohesiveness due to the overall park layout and the type of inspiring sense of magic that (typically) permeates those parks. On a more specific note, I know I'm weird for saying this but I'm a HUGE fan of the old Dudley Do-Right cartoons and everything else that came out of Rocky and Bullwinkle. But I find Ripsaw Falls to be underwhelming. The drop is great, as is the mountain. And I understand that they were deliberately going for a minimalist look but I find the show scenes to be lackluster. I really think they could have done a lot more with the dark ride sequences.
When I road it in Nov of 2021 it was ROUGH riding. It popped me in the back pretty hard at least twice even though I was trying to plan for it having been already popped in the back at the beginning of the Jurassic Park lift hill earlier in the day. I'll never get on either of those again until I've heard they've been refurbished.
I both agree and disagree with thematic cohesion. I believe that Islands still maintains its theme of literature, even if you have to stretch to fit the Jurassic World theming of the Velocicoaster in. The only real exception would be Kong. While the theme of the Studios is movies, it's largest issue is that it doesn't have a thesis statement to illustrate this, in the way that the Great Movie Ride did for Disney MGM Studios. That being said though, I think that the movie "theme" of the park is better presented than in the new iteration of Disney's Hollywood Studios, as at least Production Central works as a generic theme to illustrate "hey, this is about movies". I will also agree with Ripsaw Falls and Popeye as well. The animation of the figures does seem to be an intentional stylistic choice, but Ripsaw is certainly not the best themed log flume out there. I would definitely put all iterations of Splash Mountain over it, as well as the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knotts. That being said, I at least appreciate the theming of the ride, even if its execution could have been better.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I certainly agree that Disney's Hollywood themed parks (DHS, DCA, WDS) are a total jumble now. I have no idea what those parks are supposed to be about. DCA wasn't great when it opened but it seemed to at least make sense as a park. Disney-MGM Studios was quite a good park (albeit a small one) when they still had the backlot tour and the Great Movie Ride. And in this respect the Universal parks have those parks all beat. But those parks (with the exception of WDS) at least USED to have character and meaning. And as much as Disney is determined to ruin EPCOT, the original EPCOT Center had real meaning and character. So that's what I mean by cohesion. Universal struggles in this regard but that doesn't mean Disney is getting it right. In fact, I'd say Universal has been slowly righting the ship in this regard while Disney wants to destroy the cohesion it became famous for (unless it promotes a popular IP.)
As a socal resident, USH is at the very bottom of the theme park list for these very reasons. Harry Potter world would have been an ok start of there was an actual ride. SMW is cool to look at but lacking accessibility and the thrill factor. MAYBE when the f&f coaster opens I'll give it a shot but man not only is that theme park anemic, but I the standby wait times are the worst of any park in the area.
You are exactly right. I went to the original Universal Studios a couple weeks ago. I haven't been since the late 90s. It was so bad. To many screen rides. I felt like every ride was a screen ride. Most of them needed new movies or screens. I was very disappointed in it. I felt as if I wasted my money and time. The park was so.much better with the older rides.
I had an interview at Universal a little over 4 years ago and they asked me what my favorite attraction in the park was. I answered ET. I didn't get the job.
What about the Jason Bourne ride? The gimmick of that is a theatre play mixing together a huge screen and practical effects, and you're not supposed to be able to tell which is which.
Like you said maybe after they get rid of shreck they can one maybe retheme kid zone, two start from scratch again, three retheme some things and keep some things the same, after that if they are making Poseidon fury better, open that or maybe even open it before they work on kid zone. Then they open epic universe, and if they still haven't done kidzone they can then do that, and maybe after that they can give more attention to Seuss landing, E.T. and other areas. I mean yes while I do like woody woodpecker, I do think it is a good idea to change that area and make it a but more popular
I believe that both Studios and Island of Adventure need to rework some of its eras to fit in something more modern but also fitting for each land. One idea I had is putting a Pokemon themed area with a major and unique roller coaster would be great to give Studios something as major as Island of Adventure while still fitting in with Studios for being based on the Anime/Films. For Islands of Adventure I would replace the Dr. Suess area with Hyrule as Zelda, while not literature, fits with the theme of adventure more than Dr. Suess does. That and Dr. Suess has always been one of the least interesting areas of Islands of Adventure, and it would give Zelda a place to hang out while leaving plenty of room for a larger expansion for other Nintendo properties in Epic Universe.
Screens can be a good way to add to an experience: rides that use a mixture of physical sets and screens are usually the best rides out there. The problem is when you make the screen the main ride and have no physical sets which as you pointed alot of Universal rides do. I think the complaints about how bad Fast and Furious is really got to the top brass at the company which is why you see them heading in a different direction now
Speaking of Comic Strip Cafe and being horrible with food. NEVER ORDER THEIR CHINESE!! I honestly hated how they cooked their noodles, but that was the rest of the cash I had that day to spend at universal so I ate like 3/4s of it so I didn’t stay hungry the entire evening. I thought their food was alright until that dinner.
I think another major issue we must bring up is their lack of care for Universal Hollywood. You look at Japan and Orlando they each of good amount of unique rides you can find only there Japan: Hollywood Dream, the Flying Dinosaur, Space Fantasy plus removed rides from the American parks like Jaws and Terminator 2 you compare that to Hollywood: Jurassic World Ride, a Kung Fu Panda 4D show, and Secret Life of Pets. That leaves only 2 unique rides of their own and with Orlando possibly bring in Secret Life of Pets to their park what is the point of going to the Hollywood park. Couldn't they remove one of these ride you can find at Orlando for a thrill coaster like they did for Japan or focus on bring unique dark rides that can only be found at Hollywood it is bad practice to not care for another park that could bring you more revenue especially one next to Disney's first park. Even looking at Beijings park the have in entirely unique Jurassic ride, and completely unique Kung Fu Panda themed land and a unique family minion themed coaster. The same can be said for Paris.
I hate the new Hulk queue. It feels like “a Hulk” now instead of “The Hulk”, and the weird thing is Hulk is the one character Universal has free range with. They could’ve added as much Banner as they want, and they completely removed him. 😢
"Transformers is so poorly paced that it's difficult to understand what's happening the first few times around. Characters are just screaming out the names of other transformers as they appear because there's no time to process the action." Sounds like a ride that properly captures the Bayformers experience.
Honestly while I'm not the biggest fan of Bayformers I completely agree which is why I enjoy the ride. It feels Like I'm in an overblown action sequence from one of the movies. The use of screens sorta adds to that, it's not my favorite ride but I enjoy it for what's meant to be a Michael Bay movie in ride form.
The “cheaply painted on” detailing at Portofino is actually an authentic reproduction of the real Portofino in Italy, which uses the same trompe l’oeil style to represent brickwork and detail on their buildings. The resort is a literal scale model of the real location in Italy. The only other resort on Universal property that commits to its theme this much is Cabana Bay. Portofino is far and away the best premium hotel - amazing ambiance, commitment to detail, and multiple amazing dining options. Only downside is that it’s the farthest to walk from.
It doesn't lookvgreat tho tbh, I've been to several Italian cities and universals resort doesn't really carry the atmosphere. The other thing is that Portofino is characterized by the setting on the Amalfi coast, and obviously they can't recreate that at universal. I think it's still a great resort but theme wise probably my least favorite
What annoys me most is fast and furious was the perfect opportunity for another fast paced mini coaster like the mummy. Instead of following that path they opted for yet another screen
To be fair to universal and I’m not trying to shill. But fast and furious is designed exactly how it is supposed to be. It’s a high volume attraction, the reason why that’s there instead of another mummy type ride is to get more guests out of other ride lines. Could it be better yes but they need a high Capacity ride there.
They get a lot of guests complaining that they can't ride roller coasters because physics. Screen rides accommodate all shapes and sizes which opens them up to most guests. I guess you can't please all of the people all of the time.
@@ladyjane8855 I doubt many would be complaining if they were making both standard rides and accessible, family-friendly screen rides. The problem is that they're making everything a screen ride, including rides like Gringott's and Kong that are certainly not suitable for all guests. That's just saving money.
The problem with fast and the furious is that they didn't replace the ride Fast and the furious was replacing but just modified the old ride to accommodate for the new attraction. making screens cost a heck of a lot less than completely retracking the attraction to make a new ride.
Screens aren't the problem, it's how you integrate the screen into the attraction that makes it what it is. Transformers vs Spider-Man, Spider-Man wins due to it having some actual physical set-pieces so it makes it feel more realistic. One of the best-executed screen rides seems to be the new Jurassic World ride in Bejing since it doesn't over-rely on the screens to tell its narrative and has animatronics to help flesh out the feeling that you're really there.
Why would outside of USA be talked about tbh when majority of people can't go to those places not mention those countries are way more advanced than the u.s. tech wize
@@mischievouskittycrafts6598 Umm.. Because if they work well outside the U.S., then it's not hard to copy the same ride systems and put them into U.S. parks. I mean, Universal is opening Super Nintendo Land both in Hollywood and Epic Universe and the rides they're adding are just carbon copies of the rides from Japan. And tech level means nothing if they're going to be using the same tech and ride systems at each individual park. I mean, the animatronic they used in the Jurassic World ride in Beijing is the same animatronic they used at the Jurassic World water ride in Hollywood.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Another ride that also seems to decent job of integrating the screen and physical set-pieces into the attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at the Shanghai Disneyland Park.
@@bjvincent8786 Having ridden Battle for the Sunken Treasure, it’s the best Pirates ride out there and I’d like to see it brought into the US Disney parks.
Agreed. Though it would take more than 15 or so years of Disney making zero changes and continuing to head down hill until Universal even gets close to surpassing them. Disney World is just too big and has too many lands to spend time in.
Honestly, no theme park is perfect. But, I think there certainly should be a balance between how any company makes money, and pleasing it’s guests. And compared to Disney, universal has definitely been a guest pleaser... for the most part.
Somewhat sadly, yeah. It makes me feel bad since Disney has been a big part of my life, but they really don't care anymore, and are just doing away with everything that made them once good, preferring lazier alternatives. It's good to see that universal is doing amazing in their place though, what with the new attractions and even lands they've added to their parks in recent years. Until disney actually does something good for once now, I don't think I'll really go back.
@@greninjaguy5264 things like that are cyclical. Maybe a decade from now you’ll be saying “ Disney is awesome and universal is a let down, the new ceo only cares about how fast comcast internet is”
At the very least, the company seems to recognize some of the major issues and is working to rectify them. That in itself speaks volumes about where they're going, even if it's going to take a while to fix.
@@PatThePerson I don't see how calling out the current management for their worse than poor decisions is cynical. Cynical would be, "I doubt Disney parks will ever be as good as they once were." I do think Disney can come back but they need to gut their upper management, acknowledge the poor choices made, and lay out how they plan on fixing those things. Removing Chapek will be the first nearly insurmountable challenge.
Universal adding a Mount Crumpet to Suess Landing sounds like an amazing idea. Not only would it help to revitalize Suess Landing and possible get Universal to spend some money fixing the rest of the land, but the Grinch is an IP that is both popular and has stood the test of time. My only concern would be if going with the Jim Carry adaptation, which I assume they would do, would clash with the rest of the land. Either way, Universal should definitely jump on this opportunity.
@@coreymason7017 That is true. I’ve never been to Universal myself, but Dr. Seuss is something that they should definitely be looking into revitalizing, considering that Illumination’s the Grinch made just over half a billion dollars at the box office. I’m not saying they should base this off of that version, but it’s proof that interest in Dr. Seuss still exists.
Based on how hard they were pushing Grinch themed merchandise at the beginning of November it seems like a smart idea to me. I'm not convinced they would do the Carey version of Grinch as the movie is largely forgotten these days and the original cartoon is still well loved and the version of choice for all of the merch that Universal is selling.
I'd bet they'd just go with the Illumination version of the Grinch instead. Less nostalgic but those renditions of the characters would slot in to that section of the park a lot more easily. It could be Florida's equivalent of that Secret Life of Pets ride, except it's a coaster that goes through physical sets within the mountain instead of a dark ride
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 now I agree with you but I also don’t because I know I can’t be the only one watching the live action grinch regularly between November and December 😭😭
The problem with the Transformers Ride is exactly one of the same major problems the movies have - it's just a bunch of shit thrown at you on the screen.
I didn't even bother when my mom told me how loud it was since I've seen several of the movies. I have enough health issues when trying to do all the theme park rides without getting a headache from a mediocre ride of an IP I have almost no interest in.
I think the ride just doesn’t excite as much as it should because it’s basically a clone of Spider-Man. If you’ve ridden Spider-Man your whole life and then rode transformers for the first time exited for the experience idk how you could leave feeling fulfilled. And even the climax of the ride centers on the same theme, dropping from a building. Never have been a fan of transformers since my first ride for this reason
The thing is, I look at screens pretty much all day, every day. Screens are so ubiquitous in every single thing we do in our lives, and when I pay that high disney money (ostensibly as a vacation; a break from looking at screens all the time), I want to see something spectacular that I would never be able to see in my day-to-day life. Idc how advanced it may be, at the end of the day, screens are just screens. They are not "magical" things for us to see at this point in 2021. You know what I can't go see every day? Massive animatronics, highly detailed physical sets, places I could only dream of being able to physically experience. For the most part, screens are generally the lazy way of making an attraction. Make Disney have practical sets for dark rides again!
i agree which is why i love love love walking through Toon Lagoon and adore the ET ride and teh CAt in the Hat (even if things 1 and 2 give me nightmares now)
@@CDRachelsauthorofMMroman-ee4ci I’ve only been to Universal Orlando once and ET was probably my second favorite ride there by a good bit. For me it goes 1. Forbidden Journey (pretty sure Hagrid’s would be number one on my list, but we actually waited in line for Hagrid’s for a long time and the ride ended up going down and never opened back up didn’t get to ride) and 2. ET. A more accurate list for me (had i ridden Hagrid’s) would probably be 1. Hagrid’s 2. Forbidden Journey and 3. ET. Either way, that ride stands out to me, especially in such a screen-heavy park. What’s sad is that I doubt very seriously that that ride will last beyond the 2020s unless they have some big remake of et that sparks a new generation of fans or something like that. I’ve personally never even seen the movie, but everything about that ride was just awesome. The ride vehicles, the scenery, the smell (just has that sort of old building smell that I liked lol, it just makes it feel like the historic opening day attraction that it is), the length, all of it was really really cool. It is like a better, longer version of the Peter Pan ride at Disney. I always feel underwhelmed by the like 90 second Peter Pan ride, but ET was just like a more fun, longer version of that and i very much enjoyed it. It will be really sad whenever that ride gets the axe. There’s no way they’ll keep it for much longer.
@@STSGuitar16 it will stay because Spielberg has it in contract: "you take away ET, I take away Jurassic park and jaws". That's why it's still around, because no one wants to eff with Spielberg
The ride seems to devolved from the franchise other than the first film though. The premise is simply "protect the AllSpark" and batter everyone with as much action as possible. Granted, it does a good job of putting you right into those action scenes, but never gives you time to breath or process anything.
@@PoseidonEntertainment as a person who likes the transformers franchise and the bay movies specifically way more than they deserve, i think the most common 'issue' with the movies themselves is that they are hard to follow and difficult to remember. i've watched the first 3 a lot and still have trouble completely recounting the plots. the movies basically only ever had 1 clear, engaging and memorable fight scene in the second film. so yeah, that sounds about right for a ride derived from the movies, even just the first!
For likely at least the next five years, if not decade, it just seems like Universal is on the up trend, while Disney is down. I think it will be more glaring once Uni’s Epic Universe opens (a serious potential contender to be DisneySea-level theming) and while Disney try’s to focus on low cost rethemes, attraction reskins, and upsell park’s experiences.
I wouldn't hazard to say that Epic will reach Disney Sea levels of theming because that's just such an incredibly high standard to reach, but I do anticipate that it should still be pretty mind-blowing. Just Super Nintendo World itself continues to astound.
Um have you been to the original Universal Studios Park recently? That shouldn't be allowed to call it self a theme park. There is more immersment in a county fair. I was there recently it was terrible. The rides are all the same. Just seemed like Universal was being cheap. Im not sure what up trend you are referring to. Disneys Pandora? Star Wars land? What has Universal done recently? Jurassic Park and Hagrid are great rides but what did they do to improve the atrocity that is the original Park? All I have to say is Fast and Furious.....thats all you need
@@bryanwood8334 did you watch the video? He covers all that. The similarity of screen based rides is the first criticism. The upward trend is from the overall success both Harry Potter lands and the new VelociCoaster. Read up on Epic Universe. It’s going to open in 2025 and be incredible.
@@bryanwood8334 Outside of SW:GE, which I’ll admit looks great and Rise of the Resistance is amazing (but sadly has hardly any characters and land kinetics), Disney seems to be going head first back to the Pressler days. The Pixar Pier retheme, arguably Tower of Terror Guardians retheme (which maybe considered a draw - nice indoor retheme; terrible exterior retheme) and Avengers Campus, which one could fairly argue has a worse shooter attraction experience below even Six Flags Justice League and Legoland Ninjaro. Also, while the Fast and Furious Orlando experience is fairly a ‘Super Star Limo’-level Universal park embarrassment, it could be argued that Fast and the Furious experience is far superior to Disney’s regional mall/county fair -level embarrassment that is Ant-Man and Wasp Nano Battle at Hong Kong Disneyland. Much of the recent Disney park highlights, like Pandora, Star Wars and CarsLand were approved by Iger; in the early part of the Chapek era, what has Bob approved that Disney has coming out beyond 2023 that looks better than Universal’s Epic Universe?
@@bryanwood8334 The expanded Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom was underwhelming (don't get me started on the Ariel ride) and I'll probably be dead before Tron and Guardians opens. Meanwhile, Universal has built Hagrids, Velocicoaster, etc using new technology while simultaneously building a whole new theme park - something Disney should have done 10 years ago to deal with the high crowd levels. The opinion that Universal is trying harder is perfectly justified. No doubt Disney will continue building hotels and increasing ticket pieces while cutting guest services.
Universal doesn't have the benefit of "Universal Adults". Compared to Disney, each property is it's own thing. Universal is more focused on selling you the individual IPs rather than the company brand.
I don’t always agree with your points or opinions HOWEVER, the sheer quality of your videos and dedication to giving a point plenty of time to dive into keeps me coming back!
This! Considering Disney fans are typically optimistic (me) and he has intense pessimistic takes, I tend to disagree with a lot but keep coming back because they are rational and reasonable takes tbh and great video quality/editing
@@Pollo.a.la.crema. yea if Im being honest the extremely negative takes kind of help me balance my opinion out. He's a bit much with the negative takes BUT perhaps Im a bit too optimistic and I find myself much more balanced in my opinions on the parks
To those of us who are not prisoners of nostalgic Disney trips from our youth, your videos are fantastic. Disney leadership is obsessed with profit margins. The used the pandemic as an excuse to take away almost all complimentary benefits of staying on property or coming to the parks. I still go to Disneyworld, but the "magic" is definitely gone.
I still go because I appreciate the many classic attractions. I love Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth among many others, but I cannot deny that other experiences have really turned me off. I rarely find myself going to Hollywood Studios because of how little interests me, and the two things that do always have ridiculously long waits.
Hey, I definitely am prisoner to my nostalgia, but I've just gotten more realistic about the fact that Disney doesn't want to provide the kind of experience that I'm nostalgic for. These videos are pretty cathartic, actually.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I’m new to the channel, and I love your honesty. My family goes to Disneyland every winter and I am also a sucker for all the classic rides. I’ve never been to Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom so it’s interesting to hear your opinion on that. I really hope Disney will start listening to us fans and supporters instead of profit margins.
You make a lot of good points although I do feel Universal is trying much harder than the other parks at moving in the right direction. I expect Epic Universe to deal a major blow to Disney unless they step up their game substantially.
I agree. Disney is currently putzing around with no substantial response to this park. People often cry out that Tron and Guardians are how Disney will stay competitive... but no.
All good points. The one thing I can’t agree with you on is your stance on Cat in the Hat. Absolute blasphemy! With its degradation and neglect over the years, that ride has become a black mark on the resort. If we’re talking the Cat from like 10+ years ago then I’m with ya all the way, but now no shot! But you know what, if you’re still able to enjoy it despite that then more power to ya champ
I believe that the storytelling of the attraction is fundamentally sound, but I agree that it's lack of maintenance holds it back. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I think it's one of the best attractions created by Universal.
As someone with motion sickness, half the rides at Universal are unridable to me. The screens give me an instant headache. I’d still go back to Universal before I went back to Disney, there’s just more to do. And I can’t help but feel dirty giving money to Disney, lol.
Dude, so glad to see you address this. Those "universal shill" commenters simply do not understand the points you make since you aren't sugar-coating the disney problems rn. They interpret those non-praising points as you hating disney, therefore you must be a "universal shill" in their eyes, when the opposite is true. You clearly have a passion for disney parks, and because of that, you just don't like seeing them go the way they're going now and wish disney would return to its former glory. Great stuff as always!
I am a Universal Shill so I love these videos giving Universal its much deserved spotlight. (I especially love Florida as that's the only one I've been to and easily beats the others)
Disney has switched their branding to just being a big store that people like to go to and buy, when it was once a family destination. They have out priced families and are focused in the wealthy and single non-married couples. They really need to figure it out soon.
I've been having these same discussions with friends, and as a Team Member, I agree with these points. I think guests would love a revamped Lost Continent with new attractions, or something taking the place of Sinbad. The closing of Shrek is actually quite exciting to me (No offense to Shrek fans) because we get to see something new for USF. I personally LOVE the creative and financial direction the company is moving in. I think that Universal is very much aware of improvements that need to be made. It just might take some time is all.
I agree. I like Shrek as a property, but it really is better to replace it. I also agree that the company seems to be moving in a more positive direction.
Personally, I'd love to see Universal Creative crank out a few solid dark rides. There's been a heavy focus on the Harry Potter & Jurassic World IP's lately. It'd be nice to see them dip into other franchises & create something family friendly that isn’t a thrill ride or coaster. A few examples: 1.) I’d love to see some sort of dark ride in the essentially abandoned Toon Lagoon theatre at the edge of the land. I’ve brainstormed a high budget Scooby-Doo haunted castle dark ride in that plot of land. Universal has the rights to the character & it’d be nice to see him used for something other than meet & greets. 2.) KidZone needs to go that’s for sure. There were originally plans for a SpongeBob Squarepants themed land at Universal Beijing that was cancelled in favour of Kung-Fu Panda & I think that would be a worthy replacement. The character still remains popular & I believe it has staying power. 3.) Poseidon’s Fury should probably be replaced. Imagine a high budget mythological themed dark ride. Imagine something you’d see at Efteling in that spot. Haha I got way too “imagineery” yet again. My apologies & great video as per usual!
I think these are pretty solid ideas. I agree that Universal does need some more dark rides, and I would like to see them move away from thrills for a bit actually. Something slow-paced but well-detailed would really help round their parks out.
They are going to remove it after the deal with the simpsons runs out, in like 2027 I think, but ET, men in black, Simpsons and the kids area/ show area will all be demolished for a Pokémon land
@@ellistemlak6154 Spielberg has played hardball with Universal when they wanted to remove it in the past, threatening to never work with them again. Seems to be enough of a threat to keep them in line
Screens on larger rides should be there to enhance the experience, not to be the experience, done well on Forbidden journey, Spiderman, and Disney used a few screen on Dinosaur’s last update that work well. It’s also fair enough to use it when you have limited land to be able to make what must be a slower moving ride feel more exciting, only when done well of course. Then with 4d theatres, Disney definitely do them a bit better by adding something other than just the screen - bugs life animatronics, muppets animatronics, and laugh floor interactivity. Universal have been in a stage where they use extensive screens to save on costs. After however many years they realise that guests don’t rate the rides as highly and then go back go intensive physical sets. Disney are doing this a bit at the moment. I find Disney spends a lot more money than Universal for similar or lesser quality new attractions (compared to the new physical-theming-intensive Universal rides). Toy story land cost a similar amount to Hogsmeade, and is quite certainly a worse land.
You make good points here. It's also astounding to me what Disney continues to spend as well. All that money just for a Toy Story themed version of Paradise Pier? I can't even conceive why so much money is being wasted.
@@PoseidonEntertainment IMO it just shows that you care and want to see them do better. I'm a Universal fanboi and I'm always critical of them when they do nonsense like F&F or Rockit...but then praise them when they do Veloci. Luckily, I feel guest feedback goes a longer way at Universal
Screen based rides are headache inducing experiences. Having them slightly supporting physical attractions can be great. Have it be the main aspect is just painful
I see what Nintendo did with the screens and AR, the tech supports the physical area (that and Nintendo's a game based company, they love their focus on gameplay
The Simpsons Land in Hollywood was a welcomed addition. The food and drinks there are good and both Krusty Burger and Cleatus's Chicken have a well themed covered eating area. It might be tiny and not super immersive since Hogwrts towers over the land but it is one of the better parts of USH.
I see you're not the only person to point this out to me. I haven't been to USH but I will likely go sometime next year. I'm interested to see how it works there.
@@largol33t1 fun fact, the duff beer sold at the Simpsons world is a micro brew made SPECIFICALLY for the park, and ONLY the park! Which is a big deal to me. I'm a big ipa and beer fan, and this detail is very cool for myself and my husband!
It’s funny because one of my old teacher told me that her husband was actually an architect in Seuss Land! I think they did a great job there, it looks really immersive.
I think it's funny that Universal recognizes that E.T. is a classic ride that many love but they don't do anything about it. Hopefully after The Mummy gets its big refurbishment, E.T. comes next. Also, I think screens can be good when used properly like other people said. Where I take issue is when almost every ride in the park is a simulator of some form. I like a good variety of attractions in parks and Universal Studios is pretty terrible at it. I'd say out of all of the big Florida theme parks (Considering I haven't been to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens yet. Those places don't seem to appeal to me too much), Universal Studios Orlando is by far the weakest because of its overly repetitive ride selection. Islands is much better, but yeah it needs some serious TLC.
In my opinion, the problem with screen rides is that I can get the same thing locally. The eye knows when something isn't physical, even in 3D, so it always is a bit unfulfilling to step out of a screen attraction knowing you spent precious vacation time on an experience you could get at home. Especially with the IP-based rides like Transformers. If you want to watch Transformers, just visit a movie theater or watch the latest one at home. Buffering is a lot shorter than the lines, lol. Something like Fantasmic at Disney is at least somewhat unique, but I'm still not going to feel totally satisfied if I spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to visit the parks, just so I can watch a short film.
@@2Namii You're right. There's never anything exactly like it. I guess I just meant that, to me, for hundreds or thousands of dollars I'm not really impressed with a screen and a couple add-ons. To me personally, it's not worth it so I DO feel unsatisfied walking out
@@the-inatorinator i agree. i can handle a couple of screen rides, if they are very good. but yeah i know what you mean, they can be very underwhelming
I like this video, most of the points you made here are very true and valid. I especially agree with the neglected lands like Seuss landing, toon lagoon, Kidzone, etc. The only one i disagreed with was with Rip Ride Rockit. I found it to be very thrilling and fun. I sat in the back btw, Each pop into the brake runs gave excellent ejector, the bottom of the first drop and the weird oval turn thing (I forgot it’s name) at before the final brake run gave very strong positives back there. I also liked the music selection. Aside from that, great video!
I think that's also another opinion I'm in the minority with. I would just rather Universal tear down the ride and replace it with a Gerstlauer or something.
@@PoseidonEntertainment My friend and I rode it back in September, and perhaps yes it's a minority thought, but we 100% agreed it was rough and a head rattler compared to the butter smooth Velocicoaster. Park employees even made it a point to us to mention how *smooth* the new coaster was and that it *wouldn't* make you sick from head rattling turns. I can sometimes get motion sickness from rides, and the rip-rocket was the worst offender of all the coasters, whereas Hagrid's and Velocicoaster my main feeling after the ride was exhilaration (and my soul returning to my body after Velocicoaster!)
Hopefully the day will be saved when my plumber boy shows up. Another problem is the time it takes to build these projects. I was in 8th grade when the Mario project was announced and I’m now in my second year of college and they just finally broke ground a few weeks ago. They go PRETTY slow.
I’m a little confused why you never mentioned the extra space of Fear Factor Live that can be used and the possible refurbishment of MIB since its equipment has degraded for a while; however, I’m happy to see you make another great video! Keep up the good work!
Men in Black isn't the best state, but I don't think it's in desperate need of refurbishment like other attractions. Perhaps it'll get there, but appears to be in decent working order for now.
@@PoseidonEntertainment If you think MIB is in a not so great state, Check out Duel at alton towers, then compare it when it was the Haunted House. HUGE DOWNGRADE!!!
Great video as usual! I’ve always said that Toon Lagoon is the best land in the park for the reasons you mentioned, and I can most definitely agree that it and Suess Landing need some sorts revitalization (that isn’t a retheme of the area like a lot of people seem to suggest). My biggest problem personally that I’ve found with Universal (Orlando especially) is the live character entertainment, which has seemed to lack ever since the parks opening. The park originally had a plethora of streetomsphere characters and performers roaming the park, entertaining and greeting guests of all ages. However, a surprising amount of these characters have been retired altogether, (especially over the past few years) for seemingly no reason or explanation. It’s really made for a less lively park I feel
The Simpsons ride is a very sore point for me because it replaced Back to the Future. While the ride itself did date horribly, the theming of the inside was great and matched the idea of it being an experimental facility. The movie hasn't dropped out of being relevant since it's considered an all-time classic film, so I think they should be willing to knock down the Simpsons area and build a new BTTF themed ride, maybe even expand it to an easier to refit exploration of a mixture of classic and contemporary coming of age and adventure films such as BTTF, Goonies.. a sorta Great Movie Ride that has a mixture of detailed sets with animatronics and real character actors. The ability to alter the different movie themed sound stages could give the ride a more evergreen nature to it, tapping into the way that life seems to be an adventure for kids. If they figure out a way to make the soundstages swappable, it gives the opportunity to bring back specific popular configurations to allow for visceral blasts of nostalgia decades into the future.
The idea for a Universal version of a "Great Movie Ride" would be great for the Studios. Bringing back classics like Jaws, Kong and Earthquake would be a great inclusion in something like this. However, I think it's very much something that would work well as a trackless dark ride. I believe I saw an image of a leak a while ago for a Universal Monsters themed attraction that would have been trackless, sending riders through drive-in screens and into classic Universal monster films. That seems like an interesting idea that could recycled into an attraction exploring other Universal films, including a physical manifestation of Back to the Future this time.
Personally, in an Asian perspective. Disney theme parks are awesome in Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong! Universal’s new Beijing park and Osaka are gems, Singapore is quite a let down though. I think theme parks in The US being abit older aren’t as polished both in the soft and hard products compared to their Asian counterparts.
Universal's inability to maintain their parks has been an ongoing issue for 20+ years. Its bothered me enough to not renew my annual pass over the years. As a manager of retail establishments it boggles my mind to allow one part of your 'building' to fall down while maintaining other parts at a clearly higher level. All aspects of your property represent your company's message to paying customers. If it looks old, damaged and worn down then you are telling your customer you don't care, therefor why should they? Nothing pulls me out of an event like a company telling me my enthusiasm levels are too high as they clearly don't give a shit. It's sad.
Great video, your points are quite valid I feel. The Simpsons is a jarring visual blight on both Universal Studios parks and the reliance on screens is disappointing. But, as you point out, they seem to have identified the screen issue and are working to rectify that impression with each new ride. Now if they'd only pour some $$$ into repairing/replacing the more neglected areas.
They really need to ditch some of these IPs for better rides and attractions. They need to learn to let go. Except for ET, that's quite literally in the contract
Random tip for folks interested in Volcano Bay: me and a friend went in early December. It's Florida so it was still great weather, and the park was so quiet we could go on whatever we liked for the whole day. Absolutely bonkers rides. That water coaster is terrific. Honestly, the drop slides are the worst thing. Absolutely outstanding water park which has understandably severe issues with crowds.
Really balanced and fair analysis on Universal. As someone who only went to Universal Hollywood as such I have a much higher "simulator ride" ratio. One thing I wish people talked about is how the stories in these Universal Rides don't suit the medium. What I mean is rides like Transofrmers and Forbidden Journey are written where the characters treat the rider like a big hero (Optimus even says that our bravery helped saved the world) however the actual ride events always places us as the subject of needing rescuing. We didn't DO anything amazing outside of staying alive and most likely our presence made the events more difficult.
It was apparently rumored that Kid Zone was about to be demolished (save E.T. and Animal Actors) to be replaced with Super Nintendo World. There were even construction walls up, but the rumor continues to posit that the decision was made last minute to move it to Epic.
E.T. Will never be removed. When jaws closed they threw away the orca boat which was an original from the movie. When Spielberg found out and saw it chopped up in a dumpster behind the studio, he threatened Universal saying if they ever closed E.T. he would never make another movie with them and would only work with Disney from now on. So they came to an agreement and it's in a contract that if E.t. ever closes Spielberg will refuse to make another movie for them
I continue to watch your videos based upon an unbiased analysis of Disney and Universal. Harping on the problems Disney management has crested isn’t indicative of you being a Universal fanboy, but rather identifying why Disney has broadly declined and Universal has started to work its way towards the top. Another great video! Keep up the great work!
The cat in the hat ride is one of my favorite to go on with my friends. We call it a horror ride because how the characters look and act. The animatronics eyes are mostly white since the pupil paint has just worn off. It’s just a huge fever dream and me and my friends just scream every time the cat and the things come out.
After working at USH (An experience I'll always treasure) during the opening of the new Starbucks just before Wizarding World opened, I would say one of the biggest hurdles holding back Universal Theme Parks is that they refuse to invest meaningfully in their hourly employees, and in making sure those employees have all the staffing and tools that they need to do their jobs. Corporate was (and still is) notorious for being cheap, and nickle&diming both their guests and their employees. Thank goodness for the unions fighting for employee rights, because that's what made working at USH so enjoyable. That, and I felt the shift leads and mid-level management supported me more at that job than at any job I've ever worked in the last 20 years. Unlike at Disneyland, USH mid-management cares about their employees and takes care of their needs to the extent that their corporate overlords allow (like previously stated, what holds them back is corporate being cheap).
I think it's more about using IP correctly instead of just slapping IP onto something simply for the sake of having a ride based off of the IP. The new Spider-Man ride in California, for example, could have been based on any IP and still would have been the same experience because nothing about that ride makes it uniquely Spider-Man. This is essentially the problem with Fast and the Furious Supercharged. When you think of that franchise, party bus and not really moving doesn't come to mind and because of that, it's why it's so hated. The other difference is that Disney is all too eager to make new rides and experiences quickly so they can capitalize on that IP without thinking the ride through and making sure the experience is the right fit for said IP.
Universal has always been about IP from the start. The marketing slogan of early Universal Studios Florida was something like "Ride the Movies!" and was always intended to be a studio park. Perhaps Islands isn't movie themed, but is still an excellent park that still maintains the thematic cohesion that it started with. With the exception of the Velocicoaster, everything in the park is still based around literature and the IP tie-ins only just work to reinforce that theme. Meanwhile, Epcot is about representing optimism for the future and celebrating different cultures. How does Guardians of the Galaxy or Frozen tie into that?
Universal has almost been heading in the opposite direction of Disney in this regard over the last couple decades, weirdly enough. Universal initially centered their theme park operations completely around showing guests how their movies were made. It was only when Islands of Adventure opened that they stepped away from IPs to create themed areas unattached to them, and now with their resorts, Volcano Bay, and (possibly) Epic Universe they seem to be willing to create experiences that are unattached to selling the properties they own (and, even then, they don't own Harry Potter, Dr. Seuss, The Simpsons, Marvel, or Nintendo, so a lot of the parks' more recent IP-based attractions and lands feel less like Universal trying to sell itself as a brand and more like Universal is trying to live up to other companies' creations with genuinely immersive experiences). Meanwhile, Disney is adding barely anything to their parks that's separate from selling something they made or acquired in the past. Even Disney's resort room refurbs cannot escape the inevitable addition of Disney characters, even though their themes stood separate from any Disney IPs when those resorts were constructed.
I personally like Universal better than Disney World, but I agree the screens are starting to take over and it's a bit much. That being said I love a few of the screen rides, it's just becoming a near constant thing with newer rides. Veriocoaster and the Moterbike Adventure are good examples of newer rides amazing rides not using a screen.
After just recently being at Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando, all the screen rides seemed stale. All the newest rides at Universal and Disney were great, it's definitely a matter of updating the oldest properties and some retheming is definitely needed
They also don't have good food. The simpsons food is interesting but overall terrible. Compare that to cookie strolls and the multiple back to back foodie events near the holidays with Disney.
The Simpson's food court is essentially cafeteria quality food. I'm fine with that, because the quick-service locations in Islands are pretty terrible in comparison. I'm not necessarily unhappy with cafeteria food in theme parks other than the price, but it's just what I expect.
I'm really happy to see some love for the different cartoony areas in IoA. They do not get enough love and simply wonderfully detailed areas. I'm of the same opinion that it doesn't matter how familiar modern guests are with these properties. The characters have classic legacies and are presented in eye catching ways. The attractions are great and that's what matters. I have to strongly disagree with your opinion on The Simpsons. I'm a hardcore Simpsons fan, so I am biased, but I absolutely love walking through the Springfield area. It's small but it's a dream come true for this fan. Yes, it's tacky and full of eye sores, but that's exactly how it's presented in the show. Heck, when they built the actual Simpsons home, the colors were so freaking bright, I can see why they got rid of it. The Simpsons are a tacky bunch. I honestly see no difference in how this area affects the park. It's just as cluttered and uneven as the World Expo section for MIB, the Minions area, San Francisco with it's mixed Earthquake/Jaws/FF themeing, and Kids Zone. Plus, when you're there for HHN, there's so much themeing left out during the day that anything normally intrusive just kind of blends together. Yes, I also miss BTTF. It was a classic attraction based on a modern classic film series. However, I think Universal did a great job with their replacement. The queue and briefing rooms had to remain the same, so I know there's a reason that Krustyland has so many rooms to it, but that didn't bother me because, as tacky as you may find it, there's so many fun jokes and characters everywhere you look. There is always something to keep one distracted in line and even during the pre-show. Plus, there's a bunch of BTTF callbacks. The ride wasn't even reprogrammed with new movements. Our vehicle travels the exact same path the DeLorean did. So what I'm saying is, since Universal didn't bulldoze the ride, they needed a new skin for BTTF's bones, and I think they did a good job. The only issue I have is the look of the current rise vehicle. Did we really need the tail fins or whatever they are? It makes it pretty telling that this car used to have a different design, but whatever. I've gotten used to that aspect at this point.
You make some pretty solid points in defending it. I would still rather see it all replaced, tearing down the land and showbuilding for the attraction in favor of something new and truly spectacular, but I see your point of view.
I think your screen-ride point was accurate but not just due to the pacing issue. Guests want to ride a ride to immerse themselves in the fantasy world from their favorite films - not to re-watch their favorite films while being shuffled around. Practical effects and animatronics are king.
Thank you!! for mentioning how low quality the food is at Universial, me and some buddies got into a conversation about how they need to hire a new culinary team or hire one if they dont. They only reason I want to go to Dinsey now is the food, Universal wins on every other point
Whenever we go to FL my family makes it a priority to go to Universal Studios Island of Adventure, the other universal park has too many 3D parks that arent too exciting and Disney is a second thought.
I wonder how much of the ride pacing issue varies by age. Generally, younger people seem able to take in visual information more quickly than older people (perhaps in part trained by video games). I note that movie editing has sped up action sequences over the years.
I would probably be considered young and I've certainly played my share of video games. When I bring people on Transformers who haven't experienced it before, the consensus seems to be that it's overwhelming. I understand what's happening, but I've been on it an unknowable number of times.
A lot of what you're seeing now at Universal Orlando is a direct cause of Epic Universe. When Disney or Universal begins the process of a new gate, everything else suffers. Moreso at Disney, of course, where they are trying to please stockholders more than guests, but even Universal has to cut corners when there are major expenditures. That said, I don't begrudge paint issues. Keeping things vibrant in Florida is not a realistic task. Epic Universe is already having a major effect on what's happening in the current parks. With Nintendo going into EU, it's affected both KidZone and Lost Continent. Had they started Super Nintendo World when they had originally planned, it probably would have opened this summer and they would've started work on transforming Lost Continent into Zelda and Pokémon would have been the big draw of EU. Even after sending Mario & company to EU, the planned opening date of 2023 bumped up against the deadline of the Nintendo contract, forcing Universal to fast-track plans for the Zelda and Pokémon lands to have SOME Nintendo attractions before the deadline. Nintendo apparently agreed to an extension - due to the pandemic and, most likely, Nintendo wanting Mario to open first - meaning the new Nintendo lands have been pushed so far back that they could no longer afford to keep ignoring either area as much as they have been (hence, the sudden appearance of the DreamWorks area and Poseidon's refurbishment... the level of commitment to these band-aids suggest Pokémon will be next and Zelda will probably wait until after that opens). EU also affects them in other areas. The other big for-sure for USF has always been the Ministry of Magic in the Fear Factor area. But EU stole that idea and now, apparently, USF will be getting a much cheaper VR experience with necessary updates to Mummy and Supercharged, the type of things these parks focus on when a new one is in the construction phase. Toon Lagoon was also supposed to get a DreamWorks makeover - the entire reason they bought DreamWorks was to have access to better animation IPs - but there have been hints that EU might have more of a DreamWorks presence than just Dragon. As for Springfield, you are definitely in the minority on this one. People love the land and love the ride which, unlike Transformers, tells a good, UNDERSTANDABLE story. Yeah, the Back to the Future people whine about it, but they are rewriting history. The ride told a good story but the film quality was awful, far too blurry and not in sync with the car movements, two things that cannot be said about its replacement. Also, it was always a walk-on before it was retired, while the Simpsons has maintained its popularity 13 years later, due in large part to it being funny. BttF certainly was not getting these lines when it went away after 14 years in Hollywood and 16 years in Orlando. You are spot on about the food, though. After IOA opened, Universal was insistent on maintaining food quality throughout the parks and hotels, and they've definitely been dropping that ball. The Springfield stuff has been surprisingly good, but other counters outside the Wizarding World definitely have their issues. That said, I had better meals at Toothsome and the NBC Sports place than I did at Cowfish, which may have served us the worst fries we have ever eaten. Does Universal have issues? Of course it does. But it is certainly doing more for guests than Disney is, or has been doing for decades.
I've heard a lot of this information before, but where does it come from? I'm not saying you're wrong, but a lot of rumors surrounding Universal have seemed to have turned out to be untrue and I imagine you wouldn't be sharing this if you had signed an NDA.
I've only been to Islands Of Adventure once, shortly after it opened, and I'd hate to think that Seuss' Landing and Toon Lagoon would both eventually succumb to neglect. Exploring the former area was one of the true highlights of that trip.
I love Harry Potter but universal is overly reliant on that IP I really want them to branch out like giving kids zone a pokemon retheme would be great and I really want them to bring back ghostbusters with an E-ticket ride
Honestly it's because they are the Walmart of theme parks. I spent years living in Atlanta going to SFOG almost annually (even had the season pass a couple of years) and they are the weakest major amusement parks I have ever been in. 1. The theming is terrible. Even in the best themed parts of the park (the DC areas) it is completely blown away by Busch Gardens/Sea World parks and comparing it to Universal or Disney is like comparing HS football to the NFL. 2. Janitorial services are substandard. They don't keep the parks clean enough and it's a real problem. The Bat Cave loading que for Batman the Ride is literally covered in years and years of chewing gum. 3. The parks are often not very attractive with not enough shade and way too much asphalt. This is an area that similarly priced Busch Gardens just completely destroys them in. 4. The food is horrific and just as overpriced as any other theme park. I've tried just about every area and every type of food at SFOG and with the exception of funnel cake everything I've ever eaten there was just revolting. 5. The patrons at SFOG were just trashy with way too many roving gangs of kids bouncing basketballs all over the park or obese rural kinfolk who's family tree didn't fork enough. Now that's not to say I didn't have a good time in Six Flags or that they don't have some good coasters, but I shop at Walmart too and I think just as little of them as I do of Six Flags.
Great video as always! While I have not been to Universal Studios I feel topics like (to screen or not to screen) and/or (IP vs. Non-IP) in attractions be it Universal or Disney. They all follow the same rule as other things in life: excess is not good and I think screens can become a crutch that designers go to when actually doing it for real or with audio- animatronic would be too difficult. I think screens are a good thing when used appropriately, and I have no objection to using them to depict something that would be impractical to do with practical effects. However, screens will never give the same experience as a ride that is all practical effects for example imagine the ride "It's A Small World" without the animatronic dolls but existing on only 3D screens. For motion simulators and interactive attractions, screens make sense, but for everything else I would rather have a practical set with limited screen usage. Practical effects, make you feel like you are in the middle of the action, with screens, no matter how well they are blended into the scene, I've always felt I was watching the action from the sidelines. Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones Adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean if these rides were simply screens they would be average rides instead of being the best in the world. I guess to sum it up for me it not an argument for screens or not screens and/or IP vs. Non-IP in attractions; the argument is how ride developers must use the technology at their disposal to make for the most compelling ride experience possible. This may include practical effects or it may include screen effects, but it's the balance that makes it work. I have ridden rides that used all animatronics that bored me to death, and I have ridden rides with all screens that fell flat.
My wife and I just stayed on site at Cabana Bay for 4 nights and visited the two theme parks and waterpark in October. Having been to the two parks before but never having ridden Hagrids or Velocicoaster, I was blown away by how amazing they were! I've always loved various attractions throughout the parks like the Mummy, Spiderman, ET, Jurassic Park, and Forbidden Journey because they have such great theming. My wife and I didn't even bother riding Despicable Me, Race Through New York, or the Simpson's Ride because they are all simulators though. We did Fast and Furious because there was no wait and it was comical how bad it was. The new Bourne show was unlike anything we had ever seen before and is an excellent show addition. Volcano Bay is easily the best water park I've been to and the amount of theming and effort that went into it is astonishing. Overall Universal Orlando is a fantastic theme park destination and their recent investments have been showing awesome improvement. I see a bright future for them!
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The plot of so many rides is "This is a normal tour of- OH NO SOMETHING HAS GONE HORRIBLY WRONG!" I wish they'd try something new.
lmao literally. except velocicoaster which is crazy because it’s the only jurassic park thing that has ever turned out right
I definitely agree. A large issue with narrative for screen-based attractions is how they usually follow this formula. I think that's a major reason why I enjoy Flight of Passage so much. It's all about the atmosphere, and while there is conflict, it doesn't dominate the entire experience.
This. It feels like it's trying to be meta but it comes off as lazy.
@@PoseidonEntertainment also flight of passage is the most groundbreaking and immersive screen ride ive ever been on. you can literally feel the banshee breathing and the smells of all of the environments. I can actually feel my stomach drop with flight of passage, no other screen ride has done that for me.
The only ride that has that I kinda of like with that story is jimmy neutron one
Let me tell you. I remember when IOA was just a diorama in the original USO King Kong (RIP) queue. It gave me the chills every time I’d see it and I couldn’t believe it was happening. I worked my very first job in Jurassic Park at IOA. I’ll always have a special place for IOA in my heart (along with the OG Dueling Dragons). So it’s really, truly heartbreaking to see big chunks of both parks fall into a state of disrepair. But I digress…
I think with advancements in robotics, Orlando parks in the future will reinvest in rides with cheaper/better animatronics - and maybe one day human actors will become more incorporated as well, as the GP seek out more tactile, analog experiences. The old T2 now Jason Bourne require human actors that are just as, if not more important than the show’s special effects. I see attractions with this dynamic making a big comeback someday.
As things like VR/AR expand, and our reliance on screens at home continues to be a (sad) fact-of-life, people will crave these getaways to be truly immersed in experiences that give a real life effect.
Unfortunately Disney (of course) has already morphed this approaching trend into the ridiculously expensive Galactic Starcruiser… but this type of thing will have to go widespread (and cheaper) if they want people to keep shelling out 100s if not 1000s to come to their parks.
Lastly, these parks would be sooo much better if they weren’t line items on the ledgers for massive corporations, hands down. You’d think with all the money on either side it wouldn’t be an issue but that’s exactly the problem. They’re only motivated by revenue and fueling their individual ecosystems. They also don’t really have to fight smaller parks because of “must-sees” like Harry Potter or Cinderella’s Castle, plus their overall parent org finances. The parks are being treated like little more than a plaything for IP advertisements. Truly wow’ing guests is now an afterthought behind getting in the guests’ bank accounts, and then cost cutting everywhere possible. That’s a real problem between both Universal and Disney parks.
Hopefully we are at the start of a great renaissance. I’m both frustrated and patiently optimistic for the future of Orlando’s key parks. Sorry so long. Awesome video and channel!
I'm optimistic about where Universal is going though. They didn't have to put in the Velocicoaster, but it seems like a genuine artistic effort, even if themed to Jurassic World. I certainly take your point that IPs are often simply dropped in because they can do so, as Fast and Furious serves as the best example. However, Universal seems to have acknowledged the poor feedback from attractions like these and appears to be in the beginning of its own revitalization.
@@PoseidonEntertainment definitely agree with you there. I think Universal does seem to have more heart at this time, and hopefully all the feedback from F&F, RRR, and so many screen based rides has definitely turned them in the right direction. Epic Universe and next steps from here will paint a fuller picture for sure!
Portofino is a GREAT hotel in my opinion many buildings in Italy actually have details painted onto them
Even the bricks? I couldn't get over how cheap it looked.
@@PoseidonEntertainment budget cuts are not that new
@@PoseidonEntertainment not only generally in Italy, but Portofino houses themselves are painted like that. That's why DisneySea Miracosta has painted details too (not to say Universal and Disney used this as an excuse to save some bucks).
@@PoseidonEntertainment It's actually authentic to the real life Portfino! All the buildings have painted on details, which are actually examples of trompe l’oeil, an optical illusion technique that is comparable to forced perspective. The Portofino recreation that's in Tokyo DisneySea also uses this.
@@nonsensology Whelp, I feel foolish.
Universal's parks and resorts are much more enjoyable than Disney's "Death by a Thousand Cuts" approach.
Overall yes, but I still would like to see a lot more money coming to Toon Lagoon or Seuss Landing.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I always hold the hope that someday in my lifetime maybe Six Flags would lose the rights to Looney Toons and DC Comics so Warner Bros would make a deal with Universal and bring them to the parks. I look at Toon Lagoon and worry its much too Outdated now as the Popeye animated project was cancelled, Betty Boop has a cult following and alot of Comic Strip style characters that are shown are very unknown. Now I know sometimes bringing things just because they're more modern is a bad thing as it can age a ride quicker than the older attraction. But I was thinking if like I said Six Flags didn't renew their contract or Warner bought them out, Toon Lagoon could transition into a Hannah Barbera Avenue as their iconic characters are still relevant imo. Looney Toons and Tom and Jerry having their own crazy attractions.
You might think what about Scooby Doo? I have thought on it and while it'd be cool to just add into it, I feel due to its use of monsters, it'd transition well into its own smaller area honestly. I'd love to ride a Haunted Mansion style dark ride where your vehicle is a mini mystery machine with a lovely spooky ambience with fog machines and dark blue/green lighting for night time.
Again its just a dream but one I've always wished would come true.
From my suspicious I think Toon Lagoon might become Spongebob attraction which I think would be a waste as it'd date itself after the generation who grew up on Spongebob grew up. Scooby Doo due to its constant franchise reboots is a better choice and would give the meet and greets a permanent home finally instead of just the street.
I honestly didn't know half the stuff you were talking about in Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon were even a thing. Growing up with an annual pass, while my family had the ability to go around the park slowly and take our time, we also were doing all the major attractions first and foremost, never really taking the time to meander. Afterall, we had the annual passes because they were cheap enough, we lived close by, and those attractions we went to were the whole point of going to the parks, not even as a kid was I all that interested in running around the park pushing buttons and whatnot, I wanted to go on the rides. Sometime around 2005 is when we could no longer afford them, and I've only been to Universal's parks twice, maybre three times, but I can't remember.
Also, I don't know anything in Toon Lagoon other than Popeye, Betty Boop, and Hagar the Horrible, and even then, only one has a ride, the other two are set dressing. It hasn't been until recently that I've actually watched a number of Popeye's cartoons, Betty Boop is just kind of a staple of at least American Pop Culture with her design that it can be seen anywhere and recognized despite most not knowing much about her, and occasionally as a kid, I went through the comics section of a newspaper and saw Hagar every now and then, that's it. I've also just never been much of a fan of 60s character designs, which seem to be the most prevalent in Toon Lagoon with Dudley being the one with a ride. I'm not saying get rid of the land, the rides are great, but even as a kid going to the park in the late 90s and early 2000s, it was not of much interest since I didn't know what I was looking at most of the time because it was way before my time, and that time continues to fall further into obscurity, so it may need some updating with more relevant characters added in, maybe one with a ride. There's a certain amphitheater inbetween Marvel and Toon that I've literally never seen anything used for or even scheduled, let's take that out and add another Toon attraction. I've learned that Islands of Adventure is actually primarily themed around different books and sources of reading material, and that's a neat concept, but I am notoriously bad about reading anything, so the park lived and died off the themed lands based off visual representations that were either baked into the material like Marvel and Seuss, or were made into movies like Jurassic Park and now Harry Potter, and all four of those seem to be things that will live on for a long time still, but Toon Lagoon has always been something I've just walked through in order to get to Popeye and then Jurassic Park despite still fitting the concept of the park.
In regards to your thoughts on The Lost Continent, ugh, that was one of my favorite sections of the park. While not based off anything specific, the theming was spectacular. I do regret never riding Dueling Dragons as a child and have completely missed out on ever riding it, but Poseidon and Sinbad were the best! Sinbad was designed to be cheesy and it certainly appealed to me. It was in the same vain as Clyde & Seymour out at SeaWorld. Fun physical comedy in a pulp adventure, and I was sad to hear it had closed. I hope Poseidon is truly getting a refurbishment and not going anywhere because going from room to room and going on a treasure hunt with curses and traps was always fun. And then that final section with the tunnel of water and the room on the other end collapsing and opening up into this gigantic battle between the forces of good and evil, I LIVE FOR IT! I was so disappointed to see it was closed when relatives were down here in September. I also love that talking fountain in the area, and I'm glad he's still in operation. I have no disdain for Harry Potter coming in and taking half the land, the parts I cared most for still existed, plus the rides for Harry Potter are also pretty rad, I just hope that the half of The Lost Continent that's still around can make a comeback.
As for Universal proper, yeah man, too many screens, not all of them bad, but I don't get the thrills as much as I could. Personally, I find the Simpsons to be a pretty fun ride as they are taking shots at all of Orlando's Parks and noting at how silly it is that we go to these things for entertainment. Gringott's was a big disappointment because not only did it not look or act anything like the cars in the movie, but on top of that, you kept going from screen to screen while the actual coaster portions of the ride were in complete darkness. Honestly, I feel it was a mistake to try and tie it in with the preexisting story from The Deathly Hallows because the ride seems to be more focused on making that tie in happen instead of just having a fun indoor coaster like Revenge of the Mummy. I found Transformers to be fun, but since we used the express pass, I feel like I missed out on some key info as to what the point of the ride was. Conversely, Fast and Furious has the exact opposite problem because all express pass does is put you int eh exposition room earlier, and I still didn't know what was happening on the actual ride anyway. Race through New York is a fun ride, but like you said, it suffers from being in a park with so many other screen attractions. And Minions is just Jimmy Neutron which was just Hanna Barbera, and I'll never be mad about it. E.T. needs some serious love because it broke my heart we didn't get any exposition on the ride or have our names taken for E.T. to say them at the end. Even without that, the ride should have still been more fun than it was, and it's because so much has slowed down or stopped working. I've heard Spielberg demands this ride stay or he'll pull from doing anything with Universal ever again, and good, I don't think it should go, but it needs help. Ironically, E.T. needs his help, not ours.
Regardless, the Universal parks will always be my preferred parks in Orlando should I ever get the chance to go. While I haven't been to Disney's parks as often and don't harbor childhood nostalgia by having had an annual pass like I did Universal, the times I have gone, I've always been a little annoyed at how things go during the day and only when I'm done do I think, "You know, I did have fun today." When I've been to Universal, it's always been fun the whole day, and ever since I was last there in September, I've been having the itch to return.
Funny thing is comic strips are still a thing. And there are some really good ones out there. I'm 49 so I recognized a lot more of it than you probably did and in some ways I'm an old 49 who spent a lot of her youth around more adults than children. But I'd love to see IPs like Opus (or Bloom County) or Pearls Before Swine or Get Fuzzy which are all still relevant in the funny pages (as my uncle used to call them).
Yes to your point on Poseidon's Fury! It is just a great adventure walkthru.
The mystic fountain is one of my favorites. It's just a simple comedy show that I can not stop watching.
In 2019, She-Ra had a photo spot next to Mythos. That area by the water is always empty but it has great views plus you get to be under Atlas.
I was looking for a comment about lost conintent, ill be heartbroken if they get rid of the area.
personally, i haven’t been to universal studios, but the way you described suess’ landing and toon lagoon makes me want to visit them. i absolutely LOVE when they get creative and put attention to even the smallest details that usually people wouldn’t even notice unless they look closer (some examples: the witty comic lines and the fish that squirts water at you when you throw a coin). and i agree, i truly hope they refurbish and maintain the quality of these places.
When talking about Universal abandoning/neglecting areas of the park, you missed the great opportunity to talk about production alley.
Since MGM had a section for dedicated productions Universal probably thought that they had to do it themselves. This aspect of the park didn’t get much use for park guests after the tram tour closed and Nickelodeon Studios was carrying that whole area on its back with its active productions and walking tour until production stopped in 2004 and the studio closing its doors the following year. Blueman Group took its place and Universal put millions into renovating the old nick production building, however the Blueman Group had announced that they would leave the park in early 2020.
Despite all of that some movies, commercials and shows have been getting filmed their on occasion in recent years and one of the soundstages was turned into Dave School. In my opinion I think Universal should just completely rebuild that area to make something new or create a better studio facility. I know Nick Studios has its fans though I think Nick will never return to filming in Florida let alone building a new headquarters there.
My main takeaway from this video is that once Epic Universe is done (since that's understandably where the money's going right now), Universal needs to spend some serious time and money giving the rest of the resort the ol' spit and polish to match. I'm ready to see the resort be a huge game changer in Orlando!
Fair analysis of the overuse of screens at the universal parks. Also it is interesting how Universal has allowed several of their themed lands to die rather than make periodic additions. Disney may have been more neglectful of only Dino Land and Tomorrowland.
Unlike Disney, Universal has been quick to dispose of most of their original attractions or perhaps they were of lesser value. Universal does not have a solid core of "classic" fantasyland dark ride attractions.
i enjoy the simpsons ride itself, but the springfield land is so terrible and messes with the overall theme of the park, which is supposed to be popular cities like new york, london, and los angeles. i think they should definitely rebuild the simpsons land as a different city (tokyo would be perfect imo).
My biggest problem is the desperate need they have to constantly modernize. With Disney, you have the stuff that will never leave. Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Small World will never leave, but with Universal, there isn’t anything like that. I haven’t been in about 10 years, and I’m not going back soon. My parents aren’t interested because they remember rides like Back to the Future and Jaws that don’t exist anymore and don’t care for the newer IP’s. Me? I don’t care about their newer movies or Harry Potter, so I don’t have a reason either. I just don’t get why they need to be constantly updating.
In the early 90's I discovered Disney and Universal Florida. It was great for a while, but it has become a chore for those of us who enjoy a slower pace. Our next trip will be Sea World and Legoland, skipping the BIG attractions altogether. I totally agree with your opinions, by the way.
I did enjoy SeaWorld up until they reopened. It was just a nice relaxing place to grab a beer and ride a few coasters while exploring the aquariums. Those parks have become so poorly mismanaged though, that the experience and the subsequent clientele have made it unpleasant.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Awww, that's too bad. We were counting on the smaller parks to be a good substitute to the Big Ones.
@@jilldaubresse5873 i would definitely recommend giving universal another chance. we found it to be the most laid back and pure fun amusement park we have been to
Another well done video. I agree with you on most points, except The Simpsons. I love the theming of that entire Springfield area because I love the show. But yes, walking around and just experiencing the areas of Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon is at times something I enjoy more than rides.
I think any refurb to the remaining Lost Continent area isn't going to come until after Epic is done.
I wouldn't think so either. Especially with Poseidon going through a refurbishment currently, it seems like it's staying around for a while.
The disrepair in areas like Dr. Seuss, remind me of Mickey’s ToonTown at Disneyland. That area always has chipping/fading paint, broken effects, and unappealing attractions.
I agree that there are some serious flaws for Universal. As a specific complaint I certainly agree that screen based attractions is the biggest flaw. As a broader issue, I find that Universal parks lack and cohesive theme or message. Perhaps you could argue that this means they have variety but I also think the parks feel random and incoherent. Individual lands may be excellent but they don't feel like they have any central emotion. Now to be fair, few parks apart from Disney, Busch Gardens/SeaWorld, Europa-Park and Efteling really excel at having a unifying theme. Even the castle parks would could be described as being random in their theming but they still have a cohesiveness due to the overall park layout and the type of inspiring sense of magic that (typically) permeates those parks.
On a more specific note, I know I'm weird for saying this but I'm a HUGE fan of the old Dudley Do-Right cartoons and everything else that came out of Rocky and Bullwinkle. But I find Ripsaw Falls to be underwhelming. The drop is great, as is the mountain. And I understand that they were deliberately going for a minimalist look but I find the show scenes to be lackluster. I really think they could have done a lot more with the dark ride sequences.
When I road it in Nov of 2021 it was ROUGH riding. It popped me in the back pretty hard at least twice even though I was trying to plan for it having been already popped in the back at the beginning of the Jurassic Park lift hill earlier in the day. I'll never get on either of those again until I've heard they've been refurbished.
I both agree and disagree with thematic cohesion. I believe that Islands still maintains its theme of literature, even if you have to stretch to fit the Jurassic World theming of the Velocicoaster in. The only real exception would be Kong. While the theme of the Studios is movies, it's largest issue is that it doesn't have a thesis statement to illustrate this, in the way that the Great Movie Ride did for Disney MGM Studios. That being said though, I think that the movie "theme" of the park is better presented than in the new iteration of Disney's Hollywood Studios, as at least Production Central works as a generic theme to illustrate "hey, this is about movies".
I will also agree with Ripsaw Falls and Popeye as well. The animation of the figures does seem to be an intentional stylistic choice, but Ripsaw is certainly not the best themed log flume out there. I would definitely put all iterations of Splash Mountain over it, as well as the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knotts. That being said, I at least appreciate the theming of the ride, even if its execution could have been better.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I certainly agree that Disney's Hollywood themed parks (DHS, DCA, WDS) are a total jumble now. I have no idea what those parks are supposed to be about. DCA wasn't great when it opened but it seemed to at least make sense as a park. Disney-MGM Studios was quite a good park (albeit a small one) when they still had the backlot tour and the Great Movie Ride. And in this respect the Universal parks have those parks all beat. But those parks (with the exception of WDS) at least USED to have character and meaning.
And as much as Disney is determined to ruin EPCOT, the original EPCOT Center had real meaning and character. So that's what I mean by cohesion. Universal struggles in this regard but that doesn't mean Disney is getting it right. In fact, I'd say Universal has been slowly righting the ship in this regard while Disney wants to destroy the cohesion it became famous for (unless it promotes a popular IP.)
As a socal resident, USH is at the very bottom of the theme park list for these very reasons. Harry Potter world would have been an ok start of there was an actual ride. SMW is cool to look at but lacking accessibility and the thrill factor. MAYBE when the f&f coaster opens I'll give it a shot but man not only is that theme park anemic, but I the standby wait times are the worst of any park in the area.
You are exactly right. I went to the original Universal Studios a couple weeks ago. I haven't been since the late 90s. It was so bad. To many screen rides. I felt like every ride was a screen ride. Most of them needed new movies or screens. I was very disappointed in it. I felt as if I wasted my money and time. The park was so.much better with the older rides.
I had an interview at Universal a little over 4 years ago and they asked me what my favorite attraction in the park was. I answered ET. I didn't get the job.
You had snot on your sleeve and that made for a bad 1st impression.
What about the Jason Bourne ride? The gimmick of that is a theatre play mixing together a huge screen and practical effects, and you're not supposed to be able to tell which is which.
Like you said maybe after they get rid of shreck they can one maybe retheme kid zone, two start from scratch again, three retheme some things and keep some things the same, after that if they are making Poseidon fury better, open that or maybe even open it before they work on kid zone. Then they open epic universe, and if they still haven't done kidzone they can then do that, and maybe after that they can give more attention to Seuss landing, E.T. and other areas.
I mean yes while I do like woody woodpecker, I do think it is a good idea to change that area and make it a but more popular
A Loony Tunes retheme of Toon Lagoon could help revive the space.
I believe that both Studios and Island of Adventure need to rework some of its eras to fit in something more modern but also fitting for each land. One idea I had is putting a Pokemon themed area with a major and unique roller coaster would be great to give Studios something as major as Island of Adventure while still fitting in with Studios for being based on the Anime/Films.
For Islands of Adventure I would replace the Dr. Suess area with Hyrule as Zelda, while not literature, fits with the theme of adventure more than Dr. Suess does. That and Dr. Suess has always been one of the least interesting areas of Islands of Adventure, and it would give Zelda a place to hang out while leaving plenty of room for a larger expansion for other Nintendo properties in Epic Universe.
Screens can be a good way to add to an experience: rides that use a mixture of physical sets and screens are usually the best rides out there. The problem is when you make the screen the main ride and have no physical sets which as you pointed alot of Universal rides do. I think the complaints about how bad Fast and Furious is really got to the top brass at the company which is why you see them heading in a different direction now
Speaking of Comic Strip Cafe and being horrible with food. NEVER ORDER THEIR CHINESE!! I honestly hated how they cooked their noodles, but that was the rest of the cash I had that day to spend at universal so I ate like 3/4s of it so I didn’t stay hungry the entire evening. I thought their food was alright until that dinner.
That's exactly what I ordered a few years ago. The dragon plate or something along that line? Ironically the meal was "comically" bad.
I like rockit 🤷♂️
I think another major issue we must bring up is their lack of care for Universal Hollywood. You look at Japan and Orlando they each of good amount of unique rides you can find only there Japan: Hollywood Dream, the Flying Dinosaur, Space Fantasy plus removed rides from the American parks like Jaws and Terminator 2 you compare that to Hollywood: Jurassic World Ride, a Kung Fu Panda 4D show, and Secret Life of Pets. That leaves only 2 unique rides of their own and with Orlando possibly bring in Secret Life of Pets to their park what is the point of going to the Hollywood park. Couldn't they remove one of these ride you can find at Orlando for a thrill coaster like they did for Japan or focus on bring unique dark rides that can only be found at Hollywood it is bad practice to not care for another park that could bring you more revenue especially one next to Disney's first park.
Even looking at Beijings park the have in entirely unique Jurassic ride, and completely unique Kung Fu Panda themed land and a unique family minion themed coaster. The same can be said for Paris.
I hate the new Hulk queue. It feels like “a Hulk” now instead of “The Hulk”, and the weird thing is Hulk is the one character Universal has free range with. They could’ve added as much Banner as they want, and they completely removed him. 😢
i am not giving free advice now,, but lot can be done to reenergieze these tired thakela marela themeparks..
"Transformers is so poorly paced that it's difficult to understand what's happening the first few times around. Characters are just screaming out the names of other transformers as they appear because there's no time to process the action."
Sounds like a ride that properly captures the Bayformers experience.
Honestly while I'm not the biggest fan of Bayformers I completely agree which is why I enjoy the ride. It feels Like I'm in an overblown action sequence from one of the movies. The use of screens sorta adds to that, it's not my favorite ride but I enjoy it for what's meant to be a Michael Bay movie in ride form.
I’m not liking your comment because it’s at 69, but I agree with you
Yeah and that's why it's a baller ride
i’ve never seen a singular transformers movie but i absolutely adore the ride it’s so crazy that it’s good
The “cheaply painted on” detailing at Portofino is actually an authentic reproduction of the real Portofino in Italy, which uses the same trompe l’oeil style to represent brickwork and detail on their buildings. The resort is a literal scale model of the real location in Italy. The only other resort on Universal property that commits to its theme this much is Cabana Bay. Portofino is far and away the best premium hotel - amazing ambiance, commitment to detail, and multiple amazing dining options. Only downside is that it’s the farthest to walk from.
And not to mention- the 3 pools alone to choose from puts this hotel at the top tier!
I didn't love it. It had limited food options and the room wasn't anything too amazing.
It’s only about a 12-15 minute walk which isn’t too bad at all.
YEs
It doesn't lookvgreat tho tbh, I've been to several Italian cities and universals resort doesn't really carry the atmosphere. The other thing is that Portofino is characterized by the setting on the Amalfi coast, and obviously they can't recreate that at universal. I think it's still a great resort but theme wise probably my least favorite
What annoys me most is fast and furious was the perfect opportunity for another fast paced mini coaster like the mummy. Instead of following that path they opted for yet another screen
To be fair to universal and I’m not trying to shill. But fast and furious is designed exactly how it is supposed to be. It’s a high volume attraction, the reason why that’s there instead of another mummy type ride is to get more guests out of other ride lines. Could it be better yes but they need a high Capacity ride there.
They get a lot of guests complaining that they can't ride roller coasters because physics. Screen rides accommodate all shapes and sizes which opens them up to most guests. I guess you can't please all of the people all of the time.
@@ladyjane8855 I doubt many would be complaining if they were making both standard rides and accessible, family-friendly screen rides. The problem is that they're making everything a screen ride, including rides like Gringott's and Kong that are certainly not suitable for all guests. That's just saving money.
The problem with fast and the furious is that they didn't replace the ride Fast and the furious was replacing but just modified the old ride to accommodate for the new attraction. making screens cost a heck of a lot less than completely retracking the attraction to make a new ride.
It’s so bad especially considering FAF is their biggest IP in recent years
Screens aren't the problem, it's how you integrate the screen into the attraction that makes it what it is. Transformers vs Spider-Man, Spider-Man wins due to it having some actual physical set-pieces so it makes it feel more realistic. One of the best-executed screen rides seems to be the new Jurassic World ride in Bejing since it doesn't over-rely on the screens to tell its narrative and has animatronics to help flesh out the feeling that you're really there.
I agree, and I thought about mentioning it but I doubt we'll see the ride outside of Beijing.
Why would outside of USA be talked about tbh when majority of people can't go to those places not mention those countries are way more advanced than the u.s. tech wize
@@mischievouskittycrafts6598 Umm.. Because if they work well outside the U.S., then it's not hard to copy the same ride systems and put them into U.S. parks. I mean, Universal is opening Super Nintendo Land both in Hollywood and Epic Universe and the rides they're adding are just carbon copies of the rides from Japan. And tech level means nothing if they're going to be using the same tech and ride systems at each individual park. I mean, the animatronic they used in the Jurassic World ride in Beijing is the same animatronic they used at the Jurassic World water ride in Hollywood.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Another ride that also seems to decent job of integrating the screen and physical set-pieces into the attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at the Shanghai Disneyland Park.
@@bjvincent8786 Having ridden Battle for the Sunken Treasure, it’s the best Pirates ride out there and I’d like to see it brought into the US Disney parks.
I think that the key is this:
-Universal is headed in the right direction.
-Disney is headed in the wrong direction.
True
yup
Like disney over here with genie+, magic keys, and increasing prices like thats not what we want!
@Peter Parker plus the Spider-Man ride at Universal is 1,000,000 tines better than the one at Disney
Agreed. Though it would take more than 15 or so years of Disney making zero changes and continuing to head down hill until Universal even gets close to surpassing them. Disney World is just too big and has too many lands to spend time in.
Honestly, no theme park is perfect. But, I think there certainly should be a balance between how any company makes money, and pleasing it’s guests. And compared to Disney, universal has definitely been a guest pleaser... for the most part.
Somewhat sadly, yeah.
It makes me feel bad since Disney has been a big part of my life, but they really don't care anymore, and are just doing away with everything that made them once good, preferring lazier alternatives.
It's good to see that universal is doing amazing in their place though, what with the new attractions and even lands they've added to their parks in recent years.
Until disney actually does something good for once now, I don't think I'll really go back.
@@greninjaguy5264 things like that are cyclical. Maybe a decade from now you’ll be saying “ Disney is awesome and universal is a let down, the new ceo only cares about how fast comcast internet is”
At the very least, the company seems to recognize some of the major issues and is working to rectify them. That in itself speaks volumes about where they're going, even if it's going to take a while to fix.
@@PatThePerson I don't see how calling out the current management for their worse than poor decisions is cynical. Cynical would be, "I doubt Disney parks will ever be as good as they once were." I do think Disney can come back but they need to gut their upper management, acknowledge the poor choices made, and lay out how they plan on fixing those things. Removing Chapek will be the first nearly insurmountable challenge.
@@Robert-jz7hq Michael 23 didn't write "cynical", he wrote "cyclical."
Universal adding a Mount Crumpet to Suess Landing sounds like an amazing idea. Not only would it help to revitalize Suess Landing and possible get Universal to spend some money fixing the rest of the land, but the Grinch is an IP that is both popular and has stood the test of time. My only concern would be if going with the Jim Carry adaptation, which I assume they would do, would clash with the rest of the land. Either way, Universal should definitely jump on this opportunity.
I don’t think it would clash too much as that version of the grinch is a meet and greet and a show during grinchmas.
@@coreymason7017 That is true. I’ve never been to Universal myself, but Dr. Seuss is something that they should definitely be looking into revitalizing, considering that Illumination’s the Grinch made just over half a billion dollars at the box office. I’m not saying they should base this off of that version, but it’s proof that interest in Dr. Seuss still exists.
Based on how hard they were pushing Grinch themed merchandise at the beginning of November it seems like a smart idea to me. I'm not convinced they would do the Carey version of Grinch as the movie is largely forgotten these days and the original cartoon is still well loved and the version of choice for all of the merch that Universal is selling.
I'd bet they'd just go with the Illumination version of the Grinch instead. Less nostalgic but those renditions of the characters would slot in to that section of the park a lot more easily. It could be Florida's equivalent of that Secret Life of Pets ride, except it's a coaster that goes through physical sets within the mountain instead of a dark ride
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 now I agree with you but I also don’t because I know I can’t be the only one watching the live action grinch regularly between November and December 😭😭
The problem with the Transformers Ride is exactly one of the same major problems the movies have - it's just a bunch of shit thrown at you on the screen.
I didn't even bother when my mom told me how loud it was since I've seen several of the movies. I have enough health issues when trying to do all the theme park rides without getting a headache from a mediocre ride of an IP I have almost no interest in.
Honestly the ride is pretty on brand with the crappy movies.
I think the ride just doesn’t excite as much as it should because it’s basically a clone of Spider-Man. If you’ve ridden Spider-Man your whole life and then rode transformers for the first time exited for the experience idk how you could leave feeling fulfilled. And even the climax of the ride centers on the same theme, dropping from a building. Never have been a fan of transformers since my first ride for this reason
The thing is, I look at screens pretty much all day, every day. Screens are so ubiquitous in every single thing we do in our lives, and when I pay that high disney money (ostensibly as a vacation; a break from looking at screens all the time), I want to see something spectacular that I would never be able to see in my day-to-day life. Idc how advanced it may be, at the end of the day, screens are just screens. They are not "magical" things for us to see at this point in 2021.
You know what I can't go see every day? Massive animatronics, highly detailed physical sets, places I could only dream of being able to physically experience. For the most part, screens are generally the lazy way of making an attraction.
Make Disney have practical sets for dark rides again!
i agree which is why i love love love walking through Toon Lagoon and adore the ET ride and teh CAt in the Hat (even if things 1 and 2 give me nightmares now)
@@CDRachelsauthorofMMroman-ee4ci I’ve only been to Universal Orlando once and ET was probably my second favorite ride there by a good bit. For me it goes 1. Forbidden Journey (pretty sure Hagrid’s would be number one on my list, but we actually waited in line for Hagrid’s for a long time and the ride ended up going down and never opened back up didn’t get to ride) and 2. ET.
A more accurate list for me (had i ridden Hagrid’s) would probably be 1. Hagrid’s 2. Forbidden Journey and 3. ET. Either way, that ride stands out to me, especially in such a screen-heavy park.
What’s sad is that I doubt very seriously that that ride will last beyond the 2020s unless they have some big remake of et that sparks a new generation of fans or something like that. I’ve personally never even seen the movie, but everything about that ride was just awesome. The ride vehicles, the scenery, the smell (just has that sort of old building smell that I liked lol, it just makes it feel like the historic opening day attraction that it is), the length, all of it was really really cool. It is like a better, longer version of the Peter Pan ride at Disney. I always feel underwhelmed by the like 90 second Peter Pan ride, but ET was just like a more fun, longer version of that and i very much enjoyed it. It will be really sad whenever that ride gets the axe. There’s no way they’ll keep it for much longer.
@@STSGuitar16 it will stay because Spielberg has it in contract: "you take away ET, I take away Jurassic park and jaws". That's why it's still around, because no one wants to eff with Spielberg
@@charlesintune ahhh I didn’t know that. That’s great to hear! Long live ET! Such a cool ride
bring back the REAL RIDES AND MAKE IT REALISTIC, MAKE IT BIGGER BADDER, AND BETTER
'the transformers ride is confusing' i think honestly thats just an issue with the source material in this case NBFJKDSHBJKSD
The ride seems to devolved from the franchise other than the first film though. The premise is simply "protect the AllSpark" and batter everyone with as much action as possible. Granted, it does a good job of putting you right into those action scenes, but never gives you time to breath or process anything.
@@PoseidonEntertainment as a person who likes the transformers franchise and the bay movies specifically way more than they deserve, i think the most common 'issue' with the movies themselves is that they are hard to follow and difficult to remember. i've watched the first 3 a lot and still have trouble completely recounting the plots. the movies basically only ever had 1 clear, engaging and memorable fight scene in the second film. so yeah, that sounds about right for a ride derived from the movies, even just the first!
For likely at least the next five years, if not decade, it just seems like Universal is on the up trend, while Disney is down. I think it will be more glaring once Uni’s Epic Universe opens (a serious potential contender to be DisneySea-level theming) and while Disney try’s to focus on low cost rethemes, attraction reskins, and upsell park’s experiences.
I wouldn't hazard to say that Epic will reach Disney Sea levels of theming because that's just such an incredibly high standard to reach, but I do anticipate that it should still be pretty mind-blowing. Just Super Nintendo World itself continues to astound.
Um have you been to the original Universal Studios Park recently? That shouldn't be allowed to call it self a theme park. There is more immersment in a county fair. I was there recently it was terrible. The rides are all the same. Just seemed like Universal was being cheap. Im not sure what up trend you are referring to. Disneys Pandora? Star Wars land? What has Universal done recently? Jurassic Park and Hagrid are great rides but what did they do to improve the atrocity that is the original Park? All I have to say is Fast and Furious.....thats all you need
@@bryanwood8334 did you watch the video? He covers all that. The similarity of screen based rides is the first criticism.
The upward trend is from the overall success both Harry Potter lands and the new VelociCoaster. Read up on Epic Universe. It’s going to open in 2025 and be incredible.
@@bryanwood8334 Outside of SW:GE, which I’ll admit looks great and Rise of the Resistance is amazing (but sadly has hardly any characters and land kinetics), Disney seems to be going head first back to the Pressler days. The Pixar Pier retheme, arguably Tower of Terror Guardians retheme (which maybe considered a draw - nice indoor retheme; terrible exterior retheme) and Avengers Campus, which one could fairly argue has a worse shooter attraction experience below even Six Flags Justice League and Legoland Ninjaro.
Also, while the Fast and Furious Orlando experience is fairly a ‘Super Star Limo’-level Universal park embarrassment, it could be argued that Fast and the Furious experience is far superior to Disney’s regional mall/county fair -level embarrassment that is Ant-Man and Wasp Nano Battle at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Much of the recent Disney park highlights, like Pandora, Star Wars and CarsLand were approved by Iger; in the early part of the Chapek era, what has Bob approved that Disney has coming out beyond 2023 that looks better than Universal’s Epic Universe?
@@bryanwood8334 The expanded Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom was underwhelming (don't get me started on the Ariel ride) and I'll probably be dead before Tron and Guardians opens. Meanwhile, Universal has built Hagrids, Velocicoaster, etc using new technology while simultaneously building a whole new theme park - something Disney should have done 10 years ago to deal with the high crowd levels. The opinion that Universal is trying harder is perfectly justified. No doubt Disney will continue building hotels and increasing ticket pieces while cutting guest services.
Universal doesn't have the benefit of "Universal Adults". Compared to Disney, each property is it's own thing. Universal is more focused on selling you the individual IPs rather than the company brand.
Makes sense for a company called “universal”
I don’t always agree with your points or opinions HOWEVER, the sheer quality of your videos and dedication to giving a point plenty of time to dive into keeps me coming back!
This! Considering Disney fans are typically optimistic (me) and he has intense pessimistic takes, I tend to disagree with a lot but keep coming back because they are rational and reasonable takes tbh and great video quality/editing
@@Pollo.a.la.crema. yea if Im being honest the extremely negative takes kind of help me balance my opinion out. He's a bit much with the negative takes BUT perhaps Im a bit too optimistic and I find myself much more balanced in my opinions on the parks
To those of us who are not prisoners of nostalgic Disney trips from our youth, your videos are fantastic. Disney leadership is obsessed with profit margins. The used the pandemic as an excuse to take away almost all complimentary benefits of staying on property or coming to the parks. I still go to Disneyworld, but the "magic" is definitely gone.
I still go because I appreciate the many classic attractions. I love Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth among many others, but I cannot deny that other experiences have really turned me off. I rarely find myself going to Hollywood Studios because of how little interests me, and the two things that do always have ridiculously long waits.
Hey, I definitely am prisoner to my nostalgia, but I've just gotten more realistic about the fact that Disney doesn't want to provide the kind of experience that I'm nostalgic for. These videos are pretty cathartic, actually.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I’m new to the channel, and I love your honesty.
My family goes to Disneyland every winter and I am also a sucker for all the classic rides.
I’ve never been to Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom so it’s interesting to hear your opinion on that.
I really hope Disney will start listening to us fans and supporters instead of profit margins.
You make a lot of good points although I do feel Universal is trying much harder than the other parks at moving in the right direction. I expect Epic Universe to deal a major blow to Disney unless they step up their game substantially.
I agree. Disney is currently putzing around with no substantial response to this park. People often cry out that Tron and Guardians are how Disney will stay competitive... but no.
All good points. The one thing I can’t agree with you on is your stance on Cat in the Hat. Absolute blasphemy! With its degradation and neglect over the years, that ride has become a black mark on the resort. If we’re talking the Cat from like 10+ years ago then I’m with ya all the way, but now no shot! But you know what, if you’re still able to enjoy it despite that then more power to ya champ
I believe that the storytelling of the attraction is fundamentally sound, but I agree that it's lack of maintenance holds it back. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I think it's one of the best attractions created by Universal.
As someone with motion sickness, half the rides at Universal are unridable to me. The screens give me an instant headache. I’d still go back to Universal before I went back to Disney, there’s just more to do.
And I can’t help but feel dirty giving money to Disney, lol.
Dude, so glad to see you address this. Those "universal shill" commenters simply do not understand the points you make since you aren't sugar-coating the disney problems rn. They interpret those non-praising points as you hating disney, therefore you must be a "universal shill" in their eyes, when the opposite is true. You clearly have a passion for disney parks, and because of that, you just don't like seeing them go the way they're going now and wish disney would return to its former glory. Great stuff as always!
I am a Universal Shill so I love these videos giving Universal its much deserved spotlight. (I especially love Florida as that's the only one I've been to and easily beats the others)
Disney has switched their branding to just being a big store that people like to go to and buy, when it was once a family destination. They have out priced families and are focused in the wealthy and single non-married couples. They really need to figure it out soon.
Because you’re not allowed to criticize Disney without being a shill for their competition.
I've been having these same discussions with friends, and as a Team Member, I agree with these points. I think guests would love a revamped Lost Continent with new attractions, or something taking the place of Sinbad. The closing of Shrek is actually quite exciting to me (No offense to Shrek fans) because we get to see something new for USF. I personally LOVE the creative and financial direction the company is moving in. I think that Universal is very much aware of improvements that need to be made. It just might take some time is all.
I agree. I like Shrek as a property, but it really is better to replace it. I also agree that the company seems to be moving in a more positive direction.
Personally, I'd love to see Universal Creative crank out a few solid dark rides. There's been a heavy focus on the Harry Potter & Jurassic World IP's lately. It'd be nice to see them dip into other franchises & create something family friendly that isn’t a thrill ride or coaster. A few examples:
1.) I’d love to see some sort of dark ride in the essentially abandoned Toon Lagoon theatre at the edge of the land. I’ve brainstormed a high budget Scooby-Doo haunted castle dark ride in that plot of land. Universal has the rights to the character & it’d be nice to see him used for something other than meet & greets.
2.) KidZone needs to go that’s for sure. There were originally plans for a SpongeBob Squarepants themed land at Universal Beijing that was cancelled in favour of Kung-Fu Panda & I think that would be a worthy replacement. The character still remains popular & I believe it has staying power.
3.) Poseidon’s Fury should probably be replaced. Imagine a high budget mythological themed dark ride. Imagine something you’d see at Efteling in that spot.
Haha I got way too “imagineery” yet again. My apologies & great video as per usual!
I think these are pretty solid ideas. I agree that Universal does need some more dark rides, and I would like to see them move away from thrills for a bit actually. Something slow-paced but well-detailed would really help round their parks out.
Hey, at least we still have ET, and hopefully Universal plans to keep that ride forever.
Yeah.
Besides, they'd have to face the wrath of speilburg if they do.
They’ll likely have ET for Spielberg’s lifetime.
They are going to remove it after the deal with the simpsons runs out, in like 2027 I think, but ET, men in black, Simpsons and the kids area/ show area will all be demolished for a Pokémon land
@@ellistemlak6154 Spielberg has played hardball with Universal when they wanted to remove it in the past, threatening to never work with them again. Seems to be enough of a threat to keep them in line
If only they could give it a refurbishment so all the effects work properly.
No park is perfect, but Disney is on a downfall while Universal is on an upswing.
Screens on larger rides should be there to enhance the experience, not to be the experience, done well on Forbidden journey, Spiderman, and Disney used a few screen on Dinosaur’s last update that work well.
It’s also fair enough to use it when you have limited land to be able to make what must be a slower moving ride feel more exciting, only when done well of course.
Then with 4d theatres, Disney definitely do them a bit better by adding something other than just the screen - bugs life animatronics, muppets animatronics, and laugh floor interactivity.
Universal have been in a stage where they use extensive screens to save on costs. After however many years they realise that guests don’t rate the rides as highly and then go back go intensive physical sets. Disney are doing this a bit at the moment.
I find Disney spends a lot more money than Universal for similar or lesser quality new attractions (compared to the new physical-theming-intensive Universal rides). Toy story land cost a similar amount to Hogsmeade, and is quite certainly a worse land.
You make good points here. It's also astounding to me what Disney continues to spend as well. All that money just for a Toy Story themed version of Paradise Pier? I can't even conceive why so much money is being wasted.
People just don't understand the concept that you can like something while pointing out its flaws
It's interesting how a lot of people seem to take personal offense when I criticize Disney.
@@PoseidonEntertainment IMO it just shows that you care and want to see them do better.
I'm a Universal fanboi and I'm always critical of them when they do nonsense like F&F or Rockit...but then praise them when they do Veloci.
Luckily, I feel guest feedback goes a longer way at Universal
Screen based rides are headache inducing experiences. Having them slightly supporting physical attractions can be great. Have it be the main aspect is just painful
I agree. Have you ever ridden one of these when one "eye" of the films were out? I thought I was having an aneurism on Transformers.
I see what Nintendo did with the screens and AR, the tech supports the physical area (that and Nintendo's a game based company, they love their focus on gameplay
Sad with ET. I haven’t been there in a while. I really really hope they don’t get rid of it. That ride is iconic.
Completely agree, most of us stare at screens all day long. Theme parks should be an escape from that.
The Simpsons Land in Hollywood was a welcomed addition. The food and drinks there are good and both Krusty Burger and Cleatus's Chicken have a well themed covered eating area. It might be tiny and not super immersive since Hogwrts towers over the land but it is one of the better parts of USH.
I see you're not the only person to point this out to me. I haven't been to USH but I will likely go sometime next year. I'm interested to see how it works there.
@@largol33t1 fun fact, the duff beer sold at the Simpsons world is a micro brew made SPECIFICALLY for the park, and ONLY the park! Which is a big deal to me. I'm a big ipa and beer fan, and this detail is very cool for myself and my husband!
Toon lagoon is my favorite part of islands of adventure and its so sad to see it falling apart 😢 😥😓
It’s funny because one of my old teacher told me that her husband was actually an architect in Seuss Land! I think they did a great job there, it looks really immersive.
I agree. It's strange architecture often goes overlooked but I appreciate what it's trying to do.
I like this term "New Disney" and how they refuse to listen
I think it's funny that Universal recognizes that E.T. is a classic ride that many love but they don't do anything about it. Hopefully after The Mummy gets its big refurbishment, E.T. comes next.
Also, I think screens can be good when used properly like other people said. Where I take issue is when almost every ride in the park is a simulator of some form. I like a good variety of attractions in parks and Universal Studios is pretty terrible at it. I'd say out of all of the big Florida theme parks (Considering I haven't been to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens yet. Those places don't seem to appeal to me too much), Universal Studios Orlando is by far the weakest because of its overly repetitive ride selection.
Islands is much better, but yeah it needs some serious TLC.
In my opinion, the problem with screen rides is that I can get the same thing locally. The eye knows when something isn't physical, even in 3D, so it always is a bit unfulfilling to step out of a screen attraction knowing you spent precious vacation time on an experience you could get at home.
Especially with the IP-based rides like Transformers. If you want to watch Transformers, just visit a movie theater or watch the latest one at home. Buffering is a lot shorter than the lines, lol. Something like Fantasmic at Disney is at least somewhat unique, but I'm still not going to feel totally satisfied if I spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to visit the parks, just so I can watch a short film.
I'm sorry but you can't get a screen ride experience at home... not even with vr
@@2Namii You're right. There's never anything exactly like it.
I guess I just meant that, to me, for hundreds or thousands of dollars I'm not really impressed with a screen and a couple add-ons. To me personally, it's not worth it so I DO feel unsatisfied walking out
@@the-inatorinator i agree. i can handle a couple of screen rides, if they are very good. but yeah i know what you mean, they can be very underwhelming
I like this video, most of the points you made here are very true and valid. I especially agree with the neglected lands like Seuss landing, toon lagoon, Kidzone, etc. The only one i disagreed with was with Rip Ride Rockit. I found it to be very thrilling and fun. I sat in the back btw, Each pop into the brake runs gave excellent ejector, the bottom of the first drop and the weird oval turn thing (I forgot it’s name) at before the final brake run gave very strong positives back there. I also liked the music selection. Aside from that, great video!
I think that's also another opinion I'm in the minority with. I would just rather Universal tear down the ride and replace it with a Gerstlauer or something.
@@PoseidonEntertainment My friend and I rode it back in September, and perhaps yes it's a minority thought, but we 100% agreed it was rough and a head rattler compared to the butter smooth Velocicoaster. Park employees even made it a point to us to mention how *smooth* the new coaster was and that it *wouldn't* make you sick from head rattling turns. I can sometimes get motion sickness from rides, and the rip-rocket was the worst offender of all the coasters, whereas Hagrid's and Velocicoaster my main feeling after the ride was exhilaration (and my soul returning to my body after Velocicoaster!)
@@NutsAndThighs I don’t think it’s better than velocicoaster. That punches it to death
@@NutsAndThighs I just think it’s a solid and underrated coaster
Hopefully the day will be saved when my plumber boy shows up. Another problem is the time it takes to build these projects. I was in 8th grade when the Mario project was announced and I’m now in my second year of college and they just finally broke ground a few weeks ago. They go PRETTY slow.
I’m a little confused why you never mentioned the extra space of Fear Factor Live that can be used and the possible refurbishment of MIB since its equipment has degraded for a while; however, I’m happy to see you make another great video! Keep up the good work!
Men in Black isn't the best state, but I don't think it's in desperate need of refurbishment like other attractions. Perhaps it'll get there, but appears to be in decent working order for now.
@@PoseidonEntertainment If you think MIB is in a not so great state, Check out Duel at alton towers, then compare it when it was the Haunted House. HUGE DOWNGRADE!!!
Great video as usual! I’ve always said that Toon Lagoon is the best land in the park for the reasons you mentioned, and I can most definitely agree that it and Suess Landing need some sorts revitalization (that isn’t a retheme of the area like a lot of people seem to suggest).
My biggest problem personally that I’ve found with Universal (Orlando especially) is the live character entertainment, which has seemed to lack ever since the parks opening. The park originally had a plethora of streetomsphere characters and performers roaming the park, entertaining and greeting guests of all ages. However, a surprising amount of these characters have been retired altogether, (especially over the past few years) for seemingly no reason or explanation. It’s really made for a less lively park I feel
The Simpsons ride is a very sore point for me because it replaced Back to the Future. While the ride itself did date horribly, the theming of the inside was great and matched the idea of it being an experimental facility.
The movie hasn't dropped out of being relevant since it's considered an all-time classic film, so I think they should be willing to knock down the Simpsons area and build a new BTTF themed ride, maybe even expand it to an easier to refit exploration of a mixture of classic and contemporary coming of age and adventure films such as BTTF, Goonies.. a sorta Great Movie Ride that has a mixture of detailed sets with animatronics and real character actors. The ability to alter the different movie themed sound stages could give the ride a more evergreen nature to it, tapping into the way that life seems to be an adventure for kids.
If they figure out a way to make the soundstages swappable, it gives the opportunity to bring back specific popular configurations to allow for visceral blasts of nostalgia decades into the future.
The idea for a Universal version of a "Great Movie Ride" would be great for the Studios. Bringing back classics like Jaws, Kong and Earthquake would be a great inclusion in something like this. However, I think it's very much something that would work well as a trackless dark ride. I believe I saw an image of a leak a while ago for a Universal Monsters themed attraction that would have been trackless, sending riders through drive-in screens and into classic Universal monster films. That seems like an interesting idea that could recycled into an attraction exploring other Universal films, including a physical manifestation of Back to the Future this time.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I'm still yet to be sold on trackless rides as the majority of them feel like empty rooms with flat, animated walls.
@@alphaxion Which do you have in mind? I feel that Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Symbolica are examples of how to utilize trackless vehicles effectively.
Personally, in an Asian perspective. Disney theme parks are awesome in Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong! Universal’s new Beijing park and Osaka are gems, Singapore is quite a let down though.
I think theme parks in The US being abit older aren’t as polished both in the soft and hard products compared to their Asian counterparts.
Universal's inability to maintain their parks has been an ongoing issue for 20+ years. Its bothered me enough to not renew my annual pass over the years. As a manager of retail establishments it boggles my mind to allow one part of your 'building' to fall down while maintaining other parts at a clearly higher level. All aspects of your property represent your company's message to paying customers. If it looks old, damaged and worn down then you are telling your customer you don't care, therefor why should they? Nothing pulls me out of an event like a company telling me my enthusiasm levels are too high as they clearly don't give a shit. It's sad.
Great video, your points are quite valid I feel. The Simpsons is a jarring visual blight on both Universal Studios parks and the reliance on screens is disappointing. But, as you point out, they seem to have identified the screen issue and are working to rectify that impression with each new ride. Now if they'd only pour some $$$ into repairing/replacing the more neglected areas.
They really need to ditch some of these IPs for better rides and attractions. They need to learn to let go.
Except for ET, that's quite literally in the contract
Random tip for folks interested in Volcano Bay: me and a friend went in early December. It's Florida so it was still great weather, and the park was so quiet we could go on whatever we liked for the whole day.
Absolutely bonkers rides. That water coaster is terrific. Honestly, the drop slides are the worst thing.
Absolutely outstanding water park which has understandably severe issues with crowds.
Really balanced and fair analysis on Universal. As someone who only went to Universal Hollywood as such I have a much higher "simulator ride" ratio. One thing I wish people talked about is how the stories in these Universal Rides don't suit the medium. What I mean is rides like Transofrmers and Forbidden Journey are written where the characters treat the rider like a big hero (Optimus even says that our bravery helped saved the world) however the actual ride events always places us as the subject of needing rescuing. We didn't DO anything amazing outside of staying alive and most likely our presence made the events more difficult.
I was confused why Poseidon/Dr Seuss/and Kid Zone weren't rebranded with the Nintendo deal.
It was apparently rumored that Kid Zone was about to be demolished (save E.T. and Animal Actors) to be replaced with Super Nintendo World. There were even construction walls up, but the rumor continues to posit that the decision was made last minute to move it to Epic.
Universal Hollywood’s Simpson’s Land is much better. It’s better constructed and there’s more detail to see and do. I agree with your point.
I haven't been to Hollywood, so I know little about their iteration. I should find myself there sometime next year though.
The screens are an issue. For people who get motion sickness from the screens on simulators, there are hardly any rides they can enjoy.
I find it incredibly hilarious how the monitors in the queue for Shrek 4D still advertise that the original Shrek is available on VHS in the gift shop
E.T. Will never be removed. When jaws closed they threw away the orca boat which was an original from the movie. When Spielberg found out and saw it chopped up in a dumpster behind the studio, he threatened Universal saying if they ever closed E.T. he would never make another movie with them and would only work with Disney from now on. So they came to an agreement and it's in a contract that if E.t. ever closes Spielberg will refuse to make another movie for them
source?
I continue to watch your videos based upon an unbiased analysis of Disney and Universal. Harping on the problems Disney management has crested isn’t indicative of you being a Universal fanboy, but rather identifying why Disney has broadly declined and Universal has started to work its way towards the top. Another great video! Keep up the great work!
I wouldn't say that I'm unbiased as I throw in a lot of opinion, but I appreciate the sentiment.
The cat in the hat ride is one of my favorite to go on with my friends. We call it a horror ride because how the characters look and act. The animatronics eyes are mostly white since the pupil paint has just worn off. It’s just a huge fever dream and me and my friends just scream every time the cat and the things come out.
After working at USH (An experience I'll always treasure) during the opening of the new Starbucks just before Wizarding World opened, I would say one of the biggest hurdles holding back Universal Theme Parks is that they refuse to invest meaningfully in their hourly employees, and in making sure those employees have all the staffing and tools that they need to do their jobs. Corporate was (and still is) notorious for being cheap, and nickle&diming both their guests and their employees. Thank goodness for the unions fighting for employee rights, because that's what made working at USH so enjoyable. That, and I felt the shift leads and mid-level management supported me more at that job than at any job I've ever worked in the last 20 years. Unlike at Disneyland, USH mid-management cares about their employees and takes care of their needs to the extent that their corporate overlords allow (like previously stated, what holds them back is corporate being cheap).
I just don’t understand everyone’s issue with Disney using too much ip, when every single attraction at universal is based on ip
I think it's more about using IP correctly instead of just slapping IP onto something simply for the sake of having a ride based off of the IP. The new Spider-Man ride in California, for example, could have been based on any IP and still would have been the same experience because nothing about that ride makes it uniquely Spider-Man. This is essentially the problem with Fast and the Furious Supercharged. When you think of that franchise, party bus and not really moving doesn't come to mind and because of that, it's why it's so hated. The other difference is that Disney is all too eager to make new rides and experiences quickly so they can capitalize on that IP without thinking the ride through and making sure the experience is the right fit for said IP.
Yup
Universal has always been about IP from the start. The marketing slogan of early Universal Studios Florida was something like "Ride the Movies!" and was always intended to be a studio park. Perhaps Islands isn't movie themed, but is still an excellent park that still maintains the thematic cohesion that it started with. With the exception of the Velocicoaster, everything in the park is still based around literature and the IP tie-ins only just work to reinforce that theme. Meanwhile, Epcot is about representing optimism for the future and celebrating different cultures. How does Guardians of the Galaxy or Frozen tie into that?
Universal has almost been heading in the opposite direction of Disney in this regard over the last couple decades, weirdly enough. Universal initially centered their theme park operations completely around showing guests how their movies were made. It was only when Islands of Adventure opened that they stepped away from IPs to create themed areas unattached to them, and now with their resorts, Volcano Bay, and (possibly) Epic Universe they seem to be willing to create experiences that are unattached to selling the properties they own (and, even then, they don't own Harry Potter, Dr. Seuss, The Simpsons, Marvel, or Nintendo, so a lot of the parks' more recent IP-based attractions and lands feel less like Universal trying to sell itself as a brand and more like Universal is trying to live up to other companies' creations with genuinely immersive experiences). Meanwhile, Disney is adding barely anything to their parks that's separate from selling something they made or acquired in the past. Even Disney's resort room refurbs cannot escape the inevitable addition of Disney characters, even though their themes stood separate from any Disney IPs when those resorts were constructed.
I think it’s the overuse of IP. I’d like to think Disney to be more balanced between originality and IP.
I personally like Universal better than Disney World, but I agree the screens are starting to take over and it's a bit much. That being said I love a few of the screen rides, it's just becoming a near constant thing with newer rides. Veriocoaster and the Moterbike Adventure are good examples of newer rides amazing rides not using a screen.
The transformers ride is just a worst version of the amazing spiderman
After just recently being at Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando, all the screen rides seemed stale. All the newest rides at Universal and Disney were great, it's definitely a matter of updating the oldest properties and some retheming is definitely needed
Bruh you make Rip Ride Rockit sound way worse than it is lol
They also don't have good food. The simpsons food is interesting but overall terrible. Compare that to cookie strolls and the multiple back to back foodie events near the holidays with Disney.
The Simpson's food court is essentially cafeteria quality food. I'm fine with that, because the quick-service locations in Islands are pretty terrible in comparison. I'm not necessarily unhappy with cafeteria food in theme parks other than the price, but it's just what I expect.
I'm really happy to see some love for the different cartoony areas in IoA. They do not get enough love and simply wonderfully detailed areas. I'm of the same opinion that it doesn't matter how familiar modern guests are with these properties. The characters have classic legacies and are presented in eye catching ways. The attractions are great and that's what matters.
I have to strongly disagree with your opinion on The Simpsons. I'm a hardcore Simpsons fan, so I am biased, but I absolutely love walking through the Springfield area. It's small but it's a dream come true for this fan. Yes, it's tacky and full of eye sores, but that's exactly how it's presented in the show. Heck, when they built the actual Simpsons home, the colors were so freaking bright, I can see why they got rid of it. The Simpsons are a tacky bunch. I honestly see no difference in how this area affects the park. It's just as cluttered and uneven as the World Expo section for MIB, the Minions area, San Francisco with it's mixed Earthquake/Jaws/FF themeing, and Kids Zone. Plus, when you're there for HHN, there's so much themeing left out during the day that anything normally intrusive just kind of blends together.
Yes, I also miss BTTF. It was a classic attraction based on a modern classic film series. However, I think Universal did a great job with their replacement. The queue and briefing rooms had to remain the same, so I know there's a reason that Krustyland has so many rooms to it, but that didn't bother me because, as tacky as you may find it, there's so many fun jokes and characters everywhere you look. There is always something to keep one distracted in line and even during the pre-show. Plus, there's a bunch of BTTF callbacks. The ride wasn't even reprogrammed with new movements. Our vehicle travels the exact same path the DeLorean did. So what I'm saying is, since Universal didn't bulldoze the ride, they needed a new skin for BTTF's bones, and I think they did a good job. The only issue I have is the look of the current rise vehicle. Did we really need the tail fins or whatever they are? It makes it pretty telling that this car used to have a different design, but whatever. I've gotten used to that aspect at this point.
You make some pretty solid points in defending it. I would still rather see it all replaced, tearing down the land and showbuilding for the attraction in favor of something new and truly spectacular, but I see your point of view.
I think your screen-ride point was accurate but not just due to the pacing issue. Guests want to ride a ride to immerse themselves in the fantasy world from their favorite films - not to re-watch their favorite films while being shuffled around. Practical effects and animatronics are king.
Thank you!! for mentioning how low quality the food is at Universial, me and some buddies got into a conversation about how they need to hire a new culinary team or hire one if they dont. They only reason I want to go to Dinsey now is the food, Universal wins on every other point
I’ve been to both I think universal is a much better place than Disney
Whenever we go to FL my family makes it a priority to go to Universal Studios Island of Adventure, the other universal park has too many 3D parks that arent too exciting and Disney is a second thought.
I wonder how much of the ride pacing issue varies by age. Generally, younger people seem able to take in visual information more quickly than older people (perhaps in part trained by video games). I note that movie editing has sped up action sequences over the years.
I would probably be considered young and I've certainly played my share of video games. When I bring people on Transformers who haven't experienced it before, the consensus seems to be that it's overwhelming. I understand what's happening, but I've been on it an unknowable number of times.
A lot of what you're seeing now at Universal Orlando is a direct cause of Epic Universe. When Disney or Universal begins the process of a new gate, everything else suffers. Moreso at Disney, of course, where they are trying to please stockholders more than guests, but even Universal has to cut corners when there are major expenditures. That said, I don't begrudge paint issues. Keeping things vibrant in Florida is not a realistic task.
Epic Universe is already having a major effect on what's happening in the current parks. With Nintendo going into EU, it's affected both KidZone and Lost Continent. Had they started Super Nintendo World when they had originally planned, it probably would have opened this summer and they would've started work on transforming Lost Continent into Zelda and Pokémon would have been the big draw of EU. Even after sending Mario & company to EU, the planned opening date of 2023 bumped up against the deadline of the Nintendo contract, forcing Universal to fast-track plans for the Zelda and Pokémon lands to have SOME Nintendo attractions before the deadline. Nintendo apparently agreed to an extension - due to the pandemic and, most likely, Nintendo wanting Mario to open first - meaning the new Nintendo lands have been pushed so far back that they could no longer afford to keep ignoring either area as much as they have been (hence, the sudden appearance of the DreamWorks area and Poseidon's refurbishment... the level of commitment to these band-aids suggest Pokémon will be next and Zelda will probably wait until after that opens).
EU also affects them in other areas. The other big for-sure for USF has always been the Ministry of Magic in the Fear Factor area. But EU stole that idea and now, apparently, USF will be getting a much cheaper VR experience with necessary updates to Mummy and Supercharged, the type of things these parks focus on when a new one is in the construction phase. Toon Lagoon was also supposed to get a DreamWorks makeover - the entire reason they bought DreamWorks was to have access to better animation IPs - but there have been hints that EU might have more of a DreamWorks presence than just Dragon.
As for Springfield, you are definitely in the minority on this one. People love the land and love the ride which, unlike Transformers, tells a good, UNDERSTANDABLE story. Yeah, the Back to the Future people whine about it, but they are rewriting history. The ride told a good story but the film quality was awful, far too blurry and not in sync with the car movements, two things that cannot be said about its replacement. Also, it was always a walk-on before it was retired, while the Simpsons has maintained its popularity 13 years later, due in large part to it being funny. BttF certainly was not getting these lines when it went away after 14 years in Hollywood and 16 years in Orlando.
You are spot on about the food, though. After IOA opened, Universal was insistent on maintaining food quality throughout the parks and hotels, and they've definitely been dropping that ball. The Springfield stuff has been surprisingly good, but other counters outside the Wizarding World definitely have their issues. That said, I had better meals at Toothsome and the NBC Sports place than I did at Cowfish, which may have served us the worst fries we have ever eaten.
Does Universal have issues? Of course it does. But it is certainly doing more for guests than Disney is, or has been doing for decades.
I've heard a lot of this information before, but where does it come from? I'm not saying you're wrong, but a lot of rumors surrounding Universal have seemed to have turned out to be untrue and I imagine you wouldn't be sharing this if you had signed an NDA.
I've only been to Islands Of Adventure once, shortly after it opened, and I'd hate to think that Seuss' Landing and Toon Lagoon would both eventually succumb to neglect. Exploring the former area was one of the true highlights of that trip.
I love Harry Potter but universal is overly reliant on that IP I really want them to branch out like giving kids zone a pokemon retheme would be great and I really want them to bring back ghostbusters with an E-ticket ride
I like popcorn
"Pivoting towards six flags experience."
Idk why but that made me chuckle, poor six flags, always gets dunked on.
Honestly it's because they are the Walmart of theme parks. I spent years living in Atlanta going to SFOG almost annually (even had the season pass a couple of years) and they are the weakest major amusement parks I have ever been in.
1. The theming is terrible. Even in the best themed parts of the park (the DC areas) it is completely blown away by Busch Gardens/Sea World parks and comparing it to Universal or Disney is like comparing HS football to the NFL.
2. Janitorial services are substandard. They don't keep the parks clean enough and it's a real problem. The Bat Cave loading que for Batman the Ride is literally covered in years and years of chewing gum.
3. The parks are often not very attractive with not enough shade and way too much asphalt. This is an area that similarly priced Busch Gardens just completely destroys them in.
4. The food is horrific and just as overpriced as any other theme park. I've tried just about every area and every type of food at SFOG and with the exception of funnel cake everything I've ever eaten there was just revolting.
5. The patrons at SFOG were just trashy with way too many roving gangs of kids bouncing basketballs all over the park or obese rural kinfolk who's family tree didn't fork enough.
Now that's not to say I didn't have a good time in Six Flags or that they don't have some good coasters, but I shop at Walmart too and I think just as little of them as I do of Six Flags.
Great video as always! While I have not been to Universal Studios I feel topics like (to screen or not to screen) and/or (IP vs. Non-IP) in attractions be it Universal or Disney. They all follow the same rule as other things in life: excess is not good and I think screens can become a crutch that designers go to when actually doing it for real or with audio- animatronic would be too difficult. I think screens are a good thing when used appropriately, and I have no objection to using them to depict something that would be impractical to do with practical effects. However, screens will never give the same experience as a ride that is all practical effects for example imagine the ride "It's A Small World" without the animatronic dolls but existing on only 3D screens. For motion simulators and interactive attractions, screens make sense, but for everything else I would rather have a practical set with limited screen usage. Practical effects, make you feel like you are in the middle of the action, with screens, no matter how well they are blended into the scene, I've always felt I was watching the action from the sidelines. Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones Adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean if these rides were simply screens they would be average rides instead of being the best in the world. I guess to sum it up for me it not an argument for screens or not screens and/or IP vs. Non-IP in attractions; the argument is how ride developers must use the technology at their disposal to make for the most compelling ride experience possible. This may include practical effects or it may include screen effects, but it's the balance that makes it work. I have ridden rides that used all animatronics that bored me to death, and I have ridden rides with all screens that fell flat.
My wife and I just stayed on site at Cabana Bay for 4 nights and visited the two theme parks and waterpark in October. Having been to the two parks before but never having ridden Hagrids or Velocicoaster, I was blown away by how amazing they were! I've always loved various attractions throughout the parks like the Mummy, Spiderman, ET, Jurassic Park, and Forbidden Journey because they have such great theming. My wife and I didn't even bother riding Despicable Me, Race Through New York, or the Simpson's Ride because they are all simulators though. We did Fast and Furious because there was no wait and it was comical how bad it was. The new Bourne show was unlike anything we had ever seen before and is an excellent show addition. Volcano Bay is easily the best water park I've been to and the amount of theming and effort that went into it is astonishing. Overall Universal Orlando is a fantastic theme park destination and their recent investments have been showing awesome improvement. I see a bright future for them!
I still definitely think the Studios is quite weak, but I am optimistic that it will change for the better.