EDIT -
LOL I just realized my count was off and we already have a permit for SS 22 (Poppy). Regardless, take the two images and combine them and you can see a possible solution.
So… I know people are trying to figure out where the 12th house will be, and I like the ideas I’m seeing.
But my gut tells me, it’s going to be a soundstage. And while that feels… insane… considering what it could mean for queues, I have been told they have a plan. That plan requires creative thinking for the houses and queues. For houses, I think it means traditional entrances and exits from the soundstages may change. There are MULTIPLE doors to each. Nothing says the doors we’ve always entered have to be the same this year.
And, well, I think I figured out a couple of solutions for queues.
The first queue solution is something we’ve seen before—a soundstage queue. Now, I’m trying to remember the specifics of this in the past, but I’m certain they queued TWO houses in one soundstage (I’m pretty sure that was in soundstage 21). So… that saves a lot of queue space.
The SECOND idea is something new… and that is actually queuing for a soundstage house inside its own soundstage. It’s based what they did for Screamhouse in 2002, which saw a full switchback in front of the house facade. Now, if a house in a larger soundstage (like 25, which can fit two houses) is oriented with the facade to the middle of the soundstage, you can actually put several switchback inside the soundstage AND in front of the facade (similar to Sprung 2, but inside). NOW, we’re saving space.
The next issue is house portals. We know we have houses in 23, 24, and 25. Traditionally, 22 or 21 would be used. BUT, there are a couple of soundstages that have been used in the past that open up some options: 19 and 20.
Now, one of those has been by creative the last few years for attraction research testing (like Mario Kart), but I don’t recall which. But, I believe that capability is moving (or has moved) to the South Campus (Epic). Why? Because both of those soundstages are listed as available for rent on the Production website (maybe they always were, but I’m rolling with this theory). Why does that matter? Because if Universal uses soundstage 19, there can be a house portal at Minion Mayhem.
View attachment 24462
This is just a mock up, but you can you can see where there is still space for more queue as necessary. This also leaves portions of the breezeway open for the casts.
BUT even if 19 or 20 isn’t available and they go with 22 (ol’ reliable) using the soundstages for queues fixes a lot of potential problems that may not actually exist.
View attachment 24463
Just food for thought.