Middle Earth coming to UOR?

[ReelJustice]

Not sure where all the dismissing of Toon Lagoon is coming from. Last I checked it was a nicely themed land that has two of the best water rides around.

The land is atrocious and was an obvious last minute placeholder when the then president of Universal thought a relatively minor sum for a lifetime of rights to Looney Tunes was too much.

It's a painful reminder of where we've come from...as is HRRR. The sooner the resort is rid of it, the better.

 

[SweeneysGalMegz]

The land is atrocious and was an obvious last minute placeholder when the then president of Universal thought a relatively minor sum for a lifetime of rights to Looney Tunes was too much.

It's a painful reminder of where we've come from...as is HRRR. The sooner the resort is rid of it, the better.

I would way rather have Toon Lagoon than anything Looney Tunes... I absolutely love it and don't understand the hate. But I digress.

 

[King_K.]

The land is atrocious and was an obvious last minute placeholder when the then president of Universal thought a relatively minor sum for a lifetime of rights to Looney Tunes was too much.

It's a painful reminder of where we've come from...as is HRRR. The sooner the resort is rid of it, the better.

Just because you might not like the properties doesn't make it atrocious.

I personally think the theming is top notch and it very easily immerses you into the Sunday Funnies' world that they intended to create (albeit as a "last minute placeholder.") Plus it houses two of the best water rides in the country. Especially Dudley, I mean, it's won Amusement Today's Golden Ticket about ten times now. In fact the majority of pictures I see coming out of my friends vacations are from Toon Lagoon and Wizarding World. I highly doubt they'll remove this area any time soon.

I can see them ripping up all of Kidzone before even attempting to think about removing Toon Lagoon. Even though I'd rather much see it at Islands.

 

[TomTheRiddle]

Just because you might not like the properties doesn't make it atrocious.

I personally think the theming is top notch and it very easily immerses you into the Sunday Funnies' world that they intended to create (albeit as a "last minute placeholder.") Plus it houses two of the best water rides in the country. Especially Dudley, I mean, it's won Amusement Today's Golden Ticket about ten times now. In fact the majority of pictures I see coming out of my friends vacations are from Toon Lagoon and Wizarding World. I highly doubt they'll remove this area any time soon.

I can see them ripping up all of Kidzone before even attempting to think about removing Toon Lagoon. Even though I'd rather much see it at Islands.

I'm not sure why you think the theming is top notch in Toon Lagoon. Its the worst themed area in the park from a subjective standpoint; Creative did the absolute bare minimum to theme the land as shown off in the interiors of both ride's queues.

Every other land was themed with intricate details into every little thing from the plants in Jurassic Park being maintained by several local universities to only contain plants from the appropriate time period, to the color changing paints in Marvel, to the absence of straight lines in Suess, and the glory of the facades in Lost Continent. Toon Lagoon has nothing on any other land. It was as aforementioned, a last minute placeholder. The area is the weakest area of the park.

Also Dudley, besides the fact that it does have a Golden Ticket for being a thrill ride that was designed to be well....thrilling, its a terrible ride. Its hardly better than if I built the ride system our of unpainted driftwood. The AAs are shady and the entire ride is kept in a constant state of disarray and poor maintenance. When the building caught fire and they went down for an extended period of time, the only maintenance they cared to do was to repaint sections. Both rides live in a state of despair which is why both rides break down so often.

I can't sum it up better than what was said before: Toon Lagoon is a reminder of where Universal Orlando was, not where it should be. That area, as well as Kidzone (which is already on its way out), should both be destroyed sooner than later.

 

[Hockeyman55]

I vote for keeping Toon Lagoon. You guys have your opinions on why it should go and that's fine.

Looks pretty well themed to me


Photo by bfurlong on Flickr

 

[captainjack]

Some people just aren't fans of good family comic strips I'm with you Hockeyman...Toon Lagoon should stay:thumbs: Not just for the nostalgia factor but because it's a fun area even if it's used as a bypass between MSHI and the ultra boring JP. It isn't UCs best work but it's tons better than what would have been there.

 

[grizzlybarely]

So for all opposed to replacing Toon Lagoon, where do you think LOTR should go?

 

[King_K.]

Its hardly better than if I built the ride system our of unpainted driftwood. The AAs are shady and the entire ride is kept in a constant state of disarray and poor maintenance. When the building caught fire and they went down for an extended period of time, the only maintenance they cared to do was to repaint sections. Both rides live in a state of despair which is why both rides break down so often.

Not to veer the thread too off-topic from where it already is, but when the building caught fire and went dark, not only was the full ride painted, but the pier effects and dynamite shack were fixed along with various other effects. I'm not sure when you rode Dudley, but I rode it the week it was brought back from it's downtime and it looked the best it had in quite a bit. Yes, the theming of the ride is lackluster, as I said earlier, but to declare that you personally could build a better ride out of scraps is a bit of a stretch and just plain far fetched. Literal or not.

As for Popeye, other than the occasional effect or AA being down, what state of disrepair and downtime are you talking about. Popeye actually has some of the lowest downtime in the park from what I've seen. I think Forbidden Journey and Cat in the Hat have more downtime caused by technical difficulties than Popeye. I personally think that Toon Lagoon, while not as well themed as Potter, can hold it's own quite well in the park. Plus, I love the comic strips and properties they use. Not only do they remind me of my own childhood, but Toon Lagoon also introduces them to new generations of kids that might learn to love them just as much as I do.

Also Dudley, besides the fact that it does have a Golden Ticket for being a thrill ride that was designed to be well....thrilling, its a terrible ride.

Just to clarify, it has ten Golden Tickets for being best Water Ride. A category it competes against other amazing rides like Valhalla, Splash Mountain, Popeye, and Journey to Atlantis among others. So if it's constantly surpassing them, it must mean that the ride is doing something right for guests.

So for all opposed to replacing Toon Lagoon, where do you think LOTR should go?

Mentioned Kidzone earlier, Lol. I mean, as much as i'd want it at Islands, I think Islands is perfect as is.

 

[SweeneysGalMegz]

So for all opposed to replacing Toon Lagoon, where do you think LOTR should go?

I still think that Lost Continent isn't as small as made out to be. Toon Lagoon is bigger, but not that much when I see it from above. There isn't much expansion room behind it, but I'd even rather it go to the Studios than replace TL, and I stressed how much I opposed that earlier. Ideally in a new park, but I highly doubt that'll happen.

 

[Hockeyman55]

So for all opposed to replacing Toon Lagoon, where do you think LOTR should go?

Behind MIB and Simpsons

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Besides the fact IOA has too many water rides, I would probably use the plot behind WWOHP 2 or between MiB and Simpsons.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Some people just aren't fans of good family comic strips I'm with you Hockeyman...Toon Lagoon should stay:thumbs: Not just for the nostalgia factor but because it's a fun area even if it's used as a bypass between MSHI and the ultra boring JP. It isn't UCs best work but it's tons better than what would have been there.

Im not really the biggest fan of comics but I do enjoy the Toon Lagoon area.

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Besides the fact IOA has too many water rides, I would probably use the plot behind WWOHP 2 or between MiB and Simpsons.

But they come in handy in the summer when its 100 degrees out and have some crazy long wait times

 

[JungleSkip]

Behind MIB and Simpsons

Terrible location for an LOTR area. Between MIB and Springfield? Pretty bad.

LOTR doesn't fit in USF, which is composed of more modern day, metropolitan areas.

And just to chime in on the Toon Lagoon theming...come on people. It is AWFUL. It's just a mishmash from a time when Universal's question was "What can we afford?" instead of "How can we blow people away?"

I'd much rather see a real, coherent land done by the new mindset and not the old "Well, I guess this will work mindset." And let's also not pretend that just because Dudley has a good drop it's anywhere near a halfway decent ride.

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But they come in handy in the summer when its 100 degrees out and have some crazy long wait times

Doesn't matter. The park is far, far, far too water ride heavy. Plus, the rides are still worthless for 1/2 the year.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I agree with Skip. TL has some pretty bad themeing. Even if Splash Mt. is falling apart, I'd ride it over Dudley any day. Plus, how about when storms are during the summer? That can almost make the rides useless 3/4's of the year.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Terrible location for an LOTR area. Between MIB and Springfield? Pretty bad.

LOTR doesn't fit in USF, which is composed of more modern day, metropolitan areas.

And just to chime in on the Toon Lagoon theming...come on people. It is AWFUL. It's just a mishmash from a time when Universal's question was "What can we afford?" instead of "How can we blow people away?"

I'd much rather see a real, coherent land done by the new mindset and not the old "Well, I guess this will work mindset." And let's also not pretend that just because Dudley has a good drop it's anywhere near a halfway decent ride.

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Doesn't matter. The park is far, far, far too water ride heavy. Plus, the rides are still worthless for 1/2 the year.

One doughnut to rule them all I was just looking at it as a space issue and where they have available room. Would I be heart broken if they demoed TL and added LOTR . . . absolutely not!

 

[JungleSkip]

One doughnut to rule them all I was just looking at it as a space issue and where they have available room. Would I be heart broken if they demoed TL and added LOTR . . . absolutely not!

Yea...I just don't see LOTR meshing with the locales of USF. Star Trek could do wonders in that spot, but I don't see Middle Earth nesting back there.

LOTR just fits so well with the themes and motifs of IoA.

But basically, I'd take anything that kills Toon Lagoon haha

 

[Disneyhead]

I rarely ride Dudley's the line is always way too long.

Big fan of Bluto's, it's the best raft ride in the country.

 

[JungleSkip]

I rarely ride Dudley's the line is always way too long.

Big fan of Bluto's, it's the best raft ride in the country.

I've ridden Dudley's maybe twice. Good drop, but other than that a largely forgettable and cheap looking experience.

Popeye is great, but changing its theme and story wouldn't make it less great.

 

[jtsalien]

I won't lie, I love Dudley. But I also know it's not because it's the best water ride. It's really fun, it's just not really well done in any way. I would be sad to see it and Popeye go, but I know they're a weak link taking up a large chunk of real estate.

 

[JungleSkip]

I won't lie, I love Dudley. But I also know it's not because it's the best water ride. It's really fun, it's just not really well done in any way. I would be sad to see it and Popeye go, but I know they're a weak link taking up a large chunk of real estate.

I feel like Popeye has a better chance of being rethemed than replaced out right.