House of Horrors Replacement

[Allen The Actor]

It really IS massive. I agree, such a shame it partially blocks the view of the Universal Plaza Tower. I'm crossing my fingers something substantial will take residence within.

 

[alias8703]

It really IS massive. I agree, such a shame it partially blocks the view of the Universal Plaza Tower. I'm crossing my fingers something substantial will take residence within.

yeah there's no way (HOPEFULLY) that this is JUST a giant store! With a building that massive we have to assume there's something they aren't telling us! PLEASE LET IT BE MORE THAN A STORE! (Museum, Walk Thru SOMETHING) I was hoping maybe we'd get our own version of the Jimmy Fallon attraction snuck in there but I don't know if its THAT big... a guy can dream lol

 

[Wesker69]

^please tell me you're joking about that last part...

Its so awful what Orlando is doing with Twister soon. And we already have our own Jimmy Fallon attraction, its the Studio Tour.

 

[Alexshow.]

..could it be a possibility if they do a Joint-Venture with Maddame Thusands and do a walkthrough condensing some famous scenes of Universal films and make a walkthrough of it? They already have relationship of putting Maddame Thusands in the park with having the Vin Diesel manniquen next to numerous photo ops throughout the years. I could be wrong but it might be a good idea.

 

[Chris]

My two cents...

I am hearing this will be a Potter themed portion of Universal Studios Store because the Potter merchandise cannot be mixed with other Universal property merchandise.  Eventually the two stores are to be combined as one big store.

I want to point out that the Hello Kitty "Interactive" gift shop was announced at the same time when this building was being erected.  Can that signal what will also be located within this area?  I have been told there will be a lower level to the store which has discussed an interactive area.  Some have said this would be Potter Interactive Wand area within the gift shop.  I somehow don't think this would make sense.  But....Hello Kitty did say there was an interactive portion to their property.  Perhaps this is a Hello Kitty House similar to Japan where you can take photos inside the HK house???  This would lead me to believe that Cartooniversal merch and Harry Potter merch will go into this new gift shop along with Hello Kitty.

 

[Alexshow.]

My two cents...

I am hearing this will be a Potter themed portion of Universal Studios Store because the Potter merchandise cannot be mixed with other Universal property merchandise.  Eventually the two stores are to be combined as one big store.

I want to point out that the Hello Kitty "Interactive" gift shop was announced at the same time when this building was being erected.  Can that signal what will also be located within this area?  I have been told there will be a lower level to the store which has discussed an interactive area.  Some have said this would be Potter Interactive Wand area within the gift shop.  I somehow don't think this would make sense.  But....Hello Kitty did say there was an interactive portion to their property.  Perhaps this is a Hello Kitty House similar to Japan where you can take photos inside the HK house???  This would lead me to believe that Cartooniversal merch and Harry Potter merch will go into this new gift shop along with Hello Kitty.

..Define, "Themed" for the Harry Potter portion. As that could go in different ways.

 

[alias8703]

^please tell me you're joking about that last part...

Its so awful what Orlando is doing with Twister soon. And we already have our own Jimmy Fallon attraction, its the Studio Tour.

not even remotely close to joking. We literally have 6 rides in our park. It's pathetic. Especially given that they charge the same as disneyland. I'd be happy with anything!

 

[Chris]

..Define, "Themed" for the Harry Potter portion. As that could go in different ways.

Nothing beyond what Feature Presentation is doing now.

Think of IOA gift shop...Potter merch is in the same store, but separate from all the other properties.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Having this include Potter in any form would be extremely stupid in my opinion. If you want an overflow store for Potter merchandise, just keep it within the existing Featured gift shop. And have some more in CityWalk. We're gonna have a massive new land with multiple Potter gift shops a rock throw away from this new building, I don't see why they'd need to stuff this new building with Potter as well.

I'm crossing my fingers it'll have multiple aspects to it, and be some kind of combo of extended gift shop, expanded Universal Experience, and maybe a few character meet and greets including Hello Kitty. Hell, calling the whole thing "The NBCUniversal Experience - Museum, Character Meet & Greet, and Gift Shop" would be great.

I also have to wonder if a food aspect will still be incorporated or not. Remember the Hollywood & Dine trademark?

 

[Jonathan]

Having this include Potter in any form would be extremely stupid in my opinion. If you want an overflow store for Potter merchandise, just keep it within the existing Featured gift shop. And have some more in CityWalk. We're gonna have a massive new land with multiple Potter gift shops a rock throw away from this new building, I don't see why they'd need to stuff this new building with Potter as well.

I'm crossing my fingers it'll have multiple aspects to it, and be some kind of combo of extended gift shop, expanded Universal Experience, and maybe a few character meet and greets including Hello Kitty. Hell, calling the whole thing "The NBCUniversal Experience - Museum, Character Meet & Greet, and Gift Shop" would be great.

I also have to wonder if a food aspect will still be incorporated or not. Remember the Hollywood & Dine trademark?

Why would that be extremely stupid? I take it you've never been to the Florida parks. Both main stores at the entrance have a Potter section and it works very well. From a business standpoint it makes perfect sense. Sorry, not sure I understand your reasoning.

 

[Wesker69]

Just look at how much Despicable Me has vomited EVERYWHERE.... The former Mummy giftshop on the lower lot, previously Feature Presentation, both citywalk/park universal studio stores, I think there might've been stuff in production central too.... and it has its own decently sized "Super Silly Stuff" giftshop. So them vomiting Potter merch in other locations would not surprise me. While Potter will be the big thing in the park for next year, I would sure hope that whatever Universal's next addition will be in 2017 will end up kicking Potter merch out to have its own merch in the Feature Presentation store.

And despite WWOHP being so close to the front of the park, they'll still need a Potter merch section in the main store for those "last minute souvenir" wallet robbing needs. It will definitely help if/when they combine the existing store with the new store like they're doing in Citywalk currently.

 

[William]

If you've ever seen the inside of the large generic gift shops at either USF or IOA, you'll know that they devote a very large chunk of the store strictly to Potter merch (over twice the size that Feature Presentation can hold). I think it was inevitable that they'd use Feature Presentation as a temporary placeholder until the Universal Studio Store expansion was complete.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Just look at how much Despicable Me has vomited EVERYWHERE.... The former Mummy giftshop on the lower lot, previously Feature Presentation, both citywalk/park universal studio stores, I think there might've been stuff in production central too.... and it has its own decently sized "Super Silly Stuff" giftshop. So them vomiting Potter merch in other locations would not surprise me. While Potter will be the big thing in the park for next year, I would sure hope that whatever Universal's next addition will be in 2017 will end up kicking Potter merch out to have its own merch in the Feature Presentation store.

And despite WWOHP being so close to the front of the park, they'll still need a Potter merch section in the main store for those "last minute souvenir" wallet robbing needs. It will definitely help if/when they combine the existing store with the new store like they're doing in Citywalk currently.

Great point about Despicable Me. And Disney does the same thing too....I guess I'm just simply a little surprised because the Wizarding Word is so close to this new building, it's literally a 2 minute walk away. But I guess I absolutely see how this isn't anything new.

Either way, all that aside, I hope we'll have something unique/worthwhile in there as well.

 

[Red Carpet]

This is a way for people to shop for Potter merchandise while they are waiting to get into the Wizarding World.

 

[Ryan]

There's no way that massive thing is just a Potter gift shop. I'm willing to be the expansion to the USS is, but not the entire thing.

Extremely curious and what's crummy is that this isn't exactly a "let's wait to see what Universal announces!" thing... it's a "let's wait til it opens and see" thing.

 

[Park Man]

This is a way for people to shop for Potter merchandise while they are waiting to get into the Wizarding World.

And it's a way for people to shop for Potter merchandise without having to wait to get into the Wizarding World.

 

[JPLA]

Lots more exterior wall structure going up behind the skrim.  Soon we'll have an idea of the look of the building.

The taller portion of the building still doesn't seem to have any second story interior.  I can easily see the single story portion being all retail and Starbucks.  But this taller portion is curious.  What would need this much interior open space?  Remember, only the taller building also faces CityWalk.  Exterior walls getting installed on that side.

The exterior walls are taller than the actual building making it look really big.  So it's going to look really large from the outside and could have large volume of open space inside.  What theme might that be good for? 

 

[Freak]

Don't know how true this is, but I did hear some rumblings on why that building is so huge...

It's not just going to be some stores, a Starbucks, and a full-service restaurant. They want to use that large space as an entertainment venue to hold small concerts, events, and eventually a maze for Horror Nights.

 

[Jon Fu]

Don't know how true this is, but I did hear some rumblings on why that building is so huge...

It's not just going to be some stores, a Starbucks, and a full-service restaurant. They want to use that large space as an entertainment venue to hold small concerts, events, and eventually a maze for Horror Nights.

While Universal has confirmedhttp://insideuniversal.net/2014/07/house-of-horrors-may-close-indefinitely-in-september/ that the new venue will house retail, entertainment and dining options...

http://insideuniversal.net/2014/11/universal-demolish-house-of-horrors-hollywood-photoland-and-blues-brothers-stage/

 

[Wesker69]

Well we've always known the replacement would include some for on entertainment, just not what form/capacity... so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Speaking of HoH replacement, that rumor about TWD 'HereWeGo' mentioned on the previous page 2 weeks ago, has been passed along my way today. Haven't had a chance to really discuss it to get further details on this rumor yet, will try to do so tonight/this weekend. Anyway, I was told that the HoH replacement would be a TWD permanent haunt attraction. :unsure:  I'll believe it when I see it (and I really hope we don't see it!).

This is actually the 2nd time this particular rumor has surfaced. The first time was actually for Orlando as a replacement for Twister. Thankfully that didn't happen, but I do find it interesting that this same rumor has now surfaced for here.

TWD would just be so boring, especially after 4 years at HHN. What I would prefer to see Universal do is give us the "Resident Evil" laser-shooting attraction that Universal Japan has had for the past 3 years. THAT would be much more fun & interesting.