Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[AlexanderMBush]

I think it's possible that we may hear info in June. The E3 video game convention is at that time, even though Nintendo has been releasing information for their games through their Nintendo Directs, there is still a possibility they can announce something theme park related at that time. I just wanted to bring that thought up...

The NX needs to be pushed out more at E3 this year rather than Comcast's endeavors with Nintendo. But, I wouldn't say no on some possible news later this year or even early next year for the parks.

 

[JungleSkip]

I think it's possible that we may hear info in June. The E3 video game convention is at that time, even though Nintendo has been releasing information for their games through their Nintendo Directs, there is still a possibility they can announce something theme park related at that time. I just wanted to bring that thought up...

I doubt it. They'll probably be focusing on NX

 

[Mike S]

Whenever we do start to get real details I could see Nintendo Land having its own dedicated Direct though.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Whenever we do start to get real details I could see Nintendo Land having its own dedicated Direct though.

If Direct is even a thing by then - development for attractions usually take 3-5 years before the ground is ever broken.

 

[Stitch_101]

If Direct is even a thing by then - development for attractions usually take 3-5 years before the ground is ever broken.

They aren't going to wait 3-5 years to break ground. And didn't someone say that Universal already had pretty detailed pitch when they approached Nintendo about the idea of bringing the characters to the parks?

 

[AlexanderMBush]

If Direct is even a thing by then - development for attractions usually take 3-5 years before the ground is ever broken.

I believe its been said that they were in talks with Nintendo in 2014, no? If that's the case, with a 2020 opening; it makes sense that the project would be in development for six years by the time it opens. And that's counting everything about it.

 

[Nick]

I believe its been said that they were in talks with Nintendo in 2014, no? If that's the case, with a 2020 opening; it makes sense that the project would be in development for six years by the time it opens. And that's counting everything about it.

If I may for just a second... Why can Uni be working on something for 6 years and no one seems to care about that, yet Pandora 5.5-6 years from announcement to opening and the most common thing people like to do is crap on it for taking so long? I understand Uni has more in the pipeline, but I just think that it's a tad hypocritical.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

If I may for just a second... Why can Uni be working on something for 6 years and no one seems to care about that, yet Pandora 5.5-6 years from announcement to opening and the most common thing people like to do is crap on it for taking so long? I understand Uni has more in the pipeline, but I just think that it's a tad hypocritical.

The only "official" piece we know is that Comcast\UC is partnering with Nintendo. We don't know where (officially, not something said by Sean, Joe, Hate, E.T.C) Nintendo will pop up.

Hell, I think even if we get Nintendo news for any of the three major Unis resorts (Excluding USS & USB); it'd be more in line as both a press event and having PR come in, like how USH had "Hogwarts is coming to Hollywood". Just, on a somewhat larger scale with Reggie and miyamoto announcing it either there, or by Prerecorded content.

It makes sense, and it allows Comcast to appease the park fans, and then the video game fans. But, I could just be a idiot, but hey; it is my two cents on stuff like PR possibilities and other things..

And yes, another example of me being bored.

 

[Nick]

The only "official" piece we know is that Comcast\UC is partnering with Nintendo. We don't know where (officially, not something said by Sean, Joe, Hate, E.T.C) Nintendo will pop up.

Hell, I think even if we get Nintendo news for any of the three major Unis resorts (Excluding USS & USB); it'd be more in line as both a press event and having PR come in, like how USH had "Hogwarts is coming to Hollywood". Just, on a somewhat larger scale with Reggie and miyamoto announcing it either there, or by Prerecorded content.

It makes sense, and it allows Comcast to appease the park fans, and then the video game fans. But, I could just be a idiot, but hey; it is my two cents on stuff like PR possibilities and other things..

And yes, another example of me being bored.

I'm not against Nintendo at all and i'm sure we will get bits and pieces here and there to keep the hype going. My main point, as you alluded in saying Nintendo/USH Hogsmeade needed to be announced... well so did Avatar because of the third party nature. I really don't care much, but i'm just saying, if those things are announced early and take a long time from announcement to completion, why do people rag on Avatar for the same thing? Is it just a general dislike of the IP? I'm honestly just curious.

 

[Stitch_101]

I'm not against Nintendo at all and i'm sure we will get bits and pieces here and there to keep the hype going. My main point, as you alluded in saying Nintendo/USH Hogsmeade needed to be announced... well so did Avatar because of the third party nature. I really don't care much, but i'm just saying, if those things are announced early and take a long time from announcement to completion, why do people rag on Avatar for the same thing? Is it just a general dislike of the IP? I'm honestly just curious.

I think the main issue isn't so much pointing out that Avatar is taking a so long, it's that Avatar is another in a long line of Disney builds that is taking a long time. Sure, Nintendo could end up having the same development to completion time line of Avatar, but when compared to other Universal builds recently, like Diagon, it's an exception to the rule. If all of Universal's other builds start taking as long, I think you would start seeing people complaining just as much as they do with Disney.

 

[Nick]

I think the main issue isn't so much pointing out that Avatar is taking a so long, it's that Avatar is another in a long line of Disney builds that is taking a long time. Sure, Nintendo could end up having the same development to completion time line of Avatar, but when compared to other Universal builds recently, like Diagon, it's an exception to the rule. If all of Universal's other builds start taking as long, I think you would start seeing people complaining just as much as they do with Disney.

Yeah, i'm certainly not going to defend the build time, i'll make that clear. Of course I think the more egregious thing when it comes to Pandora is how far over budget it is.

 

[RevFreako]

Yeah, i'm certainly not going to defend the build time, i'll make that clear. Of course I think the more egregious thing when it comes to Pandora is how far over budget it is.

It was my understanding that Pandora isn't over budget so much as Disney increased the budget after getting a look at how Diagon Alley turned out.

 

[JungleSkip]

I think the main issue isn't so much pointing out that Avatar is taking a so long, it's that Avatar is another in a long line of Disney builds that is taking a long time. Sure, Nintendo could end up having the same development to completion time line of Avatar, but when compared to other Universal builds recently, like Diagon, it's an exception to the rule. If all of Universal's other builds start taking as long, I think you would start seeing people complaining just as much as they do with Disney.

People also actually want a Nintendoland

 

[Mike S]

People also actually want a Nintendoland

I kind of want both :cautious:

 

[Mad Dog]

The More I think about it....especially if this isn't going to be ready until 2020 or later. I'd prefer they put Nintendo into the third gate instead of trying to shoehorn it into the smallish 6-8 acre Kidzone area, with it's expansion possibly taking out the iconic ET. They could do a better presentation in a third gate. Instead of the land being put into a corner of the property (Kidzone,Studios), it could be the anchor central land of a new park. Give it a Jurassic Park type 20 acres to work with, a show castle you could see as you walk into the park, and two E tickets instead of one, plus two or three C ticket attractions, and all the other accoutrements (restaurants, shops etc). Nintendo IP would be an excellent marketing tool to attract tourists to a third gate. The other plus is Universal won't have to destroy the kids area of the Studios and decrease capacity for a few years. ET stays & is plussed. Kidzone stays & gets refurbed a bit. Reserve the next Studio's expansion for a Harry Potter or Beasts theme into the Fear Factor/Amity bathroom area.....Maybe this is too Blue Sky, and I wouldn't be saying this if Nintendo would have been scoped in for 2018. And KidZone has been facing the destruction ball for like three years already, we're still counting, and it hasn't happened. But if Nintendo is so far into the future, why not utilize such a strong IP to it's fullest?

 

[Mike S]

The More I think about it....especially if this isn't going to be ready until 2020 or later. I'd prefer they put Nintendo into the third gate instead of trying to shoehorn it into the smallish 6-8 acre Kidzone area, with it's expansion possibly taking out the iconic ET. They could do a better presentation in a third gate. Instead of the land being put into a corner of the property (Kidzone,Studios), it could be the anchor central land of a new park. Give it a Jurassic Park type 20 acres to work with, a show castle you could see as you walk into the park, and two E tickets instead of one, plus two or three C ticket attractions, and all the other accoutrements (restaurants, shops etc). Nintendo IP would be an excellent marketing tool to attract tourists to a third gate. The other plus is Universal won't have to destroy the kids area of the Studios and decrease capacity for a few years. ET stays & is plussed. Kidzone stays & gets refurbed a bit. Reserve the next Studio's expansion for a Harry Potter or Beasts theme into the Fear Factor/Amity bathroom area.....Maybe this is too Blue Sky, and I wouldn't be saying this if Nintendo would have been scoped in for 2018. And KidZone has been facing the destruction ball for like three years already, we're still counting, and it hasn't happened. But if Nintendo is so far into the future, why not utilize such a strong IP to it's fullest?

Um, all indications say that this land will have two E Tickets: Mario Kart and Donkey Kong. Nothing is stopping them from building another land in the third park for Zelda or something.

 

[Scott W.]

The More I think about it....especially if this isn't going to be ready until 2020 or later. I'd prefer they put Nintendo into the third gate instead of trying to shoehorn it into the smallish 6-8 acre Kidzone area, with it's expansion possibly taking out the iconic ET. They could do a better presentation in a third gate. Instead of the land being put into a corner of the property (Kidzone,Studios), it could be the anchor central land of a new park. Give it a Jurassic Park type 20 acres to work with, a show castle you could see as you walk into the park, and two E tickets instead of one, plus two or three C ticket attractions, and all the other accoutrements (restaurants, shops etc). Nintendo IP would be an excellent marketing tool to attract tourists to a third gate. The other plus is Universal won't have to destroy the kids area of the Studios and decrease capacity for a few years. ET stays & is plussed. Kidzone stays & gets refurbed a bit. Reserve the next Studio's expansion for a Harry Potter or Beasts theme into the Fear Factor/Amity bathroom area.....Maybe this is too Blue Sky, and I wouldn't be saying this if Nintendo would have been scoped in for 2018. And KidZone has been facing the destruction ball for like three years already, we're still counting, and it hasn't happened. But if Nintendo is so far into the future, why not utilize such a strong IP to it's fullest?

To add to this slightly, I don't think Nintendo would fit the theme of the studios.

 

[IzzyB]

This is the way I'm looking at it: After VB, Fallon, and F&F are open, they'll have a ton of resources to throw at KidZone. Maybe they could start after Fallon and VB open, but honestly I think USF needs F&F open first as well

Weren't you and I fighting a couple months ago and I said they needed the stuff open before Kidzone closed and you said no, it will be 2018? In all seriousness, I agree, they wait for everything to open.

The More I think about it....especially if this isn't going to be ready until 2020 or later. I'd prefer they put Nintendo into the third gate instead of trying to shoehorn it into the smallish 6-8 acre Kidzone area, with it's expansion possibly taking out the iconic ET. They could do a better presentation in a third gate. Instead of the land being put into a corner of the property (Kidzone,Studios), it could be the anchor central land of a new park. Give it a Jurassic Park type 20 acres to work with, a show castle you could see as you walk into the park, and two E tickets instead of one, plus two or three C ticket attractions, and all the other accoutrements (restaurants, shops etc). Nintendo IP would be an excellent marketing tool to attract tourists to a third gate. The other plus is Universal won't have to destroy the kids area of the Studios and decrease capacity for a few years. ET stays & is plussed. Kidzone stays & gets refurbed a bit. Reserve the next Studio's expansion for a Harry Potter or Beasts theme into the Fear Factor/Amity bathroom area.....Maybe this is too Blue Sky, and I wouldn't be saying this if Nintendo would have been scoped in for 2018. And KidZone has been facing the destruction ball for like three years already, we're still counting, and it hasn't happened. But if Nintendo is so far into the future, why not utilize such a strong IP to it's fullest?

After reading this, I think I might be joining you on the dark side. But I do think Kidzone eventually needs to be redone. So maybe eventually make it Zelda, which I think can be a smaller area than Mario/Donkey Kong. They need a family coaster at either IOA or Studios. The IPs back in kidzone are pretty old. I also think they need a playground back there like they have now, but I think AA could stay. So even if it is no nintendo at all, it needs something back there.

 

[Mad Dog]

Um, all indications say that this land will have two E Tickets: Mario Kart and Donkey Kong. Nothing is stopping them from building another land in the third park for Zelda or something.

I thought DK was more along the lines of a D ticket or somewhat less....Regardless, now that the timeline "may" have changed so considerably, I would question how much of the speculation we've heard is correct. Perhaps a substantial amount of info was either incorrect or has changed substantially.

 

[Mike S]

To add to this slightly, I don't think Nintendo would fit the theme of the studios.

Why? Because they're video game characters? Hasn't stopped Uni before.....