Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[Paulio]

@Mad Dog's point though is that Universal's movie studio is shifting their emphasis towards animated features.

By 2019, when DreamWorks and Illumination are releasing a combined 3-4 movies each year, we should start to see those 3-4 movies always among the top 6-8 worldwide Universal films in terms of box office grosses.

That means a half of Universal's blockbusters will be animated movies.

That emphasis will shift to the parks is what @Mad Dog is pointing out; when your biggest box office movies are animated franchises, expect those animated franchises to take over the parks. (This will apply to Nintendo as well given that Illumination will be making Mario movies).

That's Comcast's grand plan.

Yeah, I don't really consider that a good thing, as Disney opened the Guardians of the Galaxy attraction at DCA and has continually developed live-action blockbuster franchises/films like the Wrinkle in Time, Marvel, and Star Wars movies, the upcoming 5th and final Indiana Jones movie, the Mary Poppins sequel, and the live-action remakes of the Disney reconnaissance movies. They have like ton and tons of more live-action franchises, in addition to Walt Disney Animation and Pixar movies for years to come. Star Wars Land isn't going to come out until next year in both Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios, further emphasizing the necessity of the live-action blockbuster movies.

There has to be a balance between animated IPs and live-action ones. Illumination Entertainment is something other people won't even watch and DWA productions tend to be move as slow as opposed to WDA and Pixar. Comcast really needs to develop new action-live blockbuster franchises on its own instead of always collaborating with 3rd party IP companies to keep on being reliant. Granted, it's Comcast's grand plan, but it would alter the way how people would view Universal Studios and I just don't feel it's good for the company as a whole in the long run. X-Men movies are the only thing that might save Universal Studios, along with additional Fox properties like Avatar and Planet of the Apes. Not an improvement, but it's better to what Universal is having right now.

 

[Mad Dog]

@Mad Dog's point though is that Universal's movie studio is shifting their emphasis towards animated features.

By 2019, when DreamWorks and Illumination are releasing a combined 3-4 movies each year, we should start to see those 3-4 movies always among the top 6-8 worldwide Universal films in terms of box office grosses.

That means a half of Universal's blockbusters will be animated movies.

That emphasis will shift to the parks is what @Mad Dog is pointing out; when your biggest box office movies are animated franchises, expect those animated franchises to take over the parks. (This will apply to Nintendo as well given that Illumination will be making Mario movies).

That's Comcast's grand plan.

:thumbsup:

 

[quinnmac000]

Yeah, I don't really consider that a good thing, as Disney opened the Guardians of the Galaxy attraction at DCA and has continually developed live-action blockbuster franchises/films like the Wrinkle in Time, Marvel, and Star Wars movies, the upcoming 5th and final Indiana Jones movie, the Mary Poppins sequel, and the live-action remakes of the Disney reconnaissance movies. They have like ton and tons of more live-action franchises, in addition to Walt Disney Animation and Pixar movies for years to come. Star Wars Land isn't going to come out until next year in both Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios, further emphasizing the necessity of the live-action blockbuster movies.

There has to be a balance between animated IPs and live-action ones. Illumination Entertainment is something other people won't even watch and DWA productions tend to be move as slow as opposed to WDA and Pixar. Comcast really needs to develop new action-live blockbuster franchises on its own instead of always collaborating with 3rd party IP companies to keep on being reliant. Granted, it's Comcast's grand plan, but it would alter the way how people would view Universal Studios and I just don't feel it's good for the company as a whole in the long run. X-Men movies are the only thing that might save Universal Studios, along with additional Fox properties like Avatar and Planet of the Apes. Not an improvement, but it's better to what Universal is having right now.

Universal has proven you don't need blockbusters to be successful thanks to their partnership with Blumhouse and the fact that they only had two major hits yet still had the best year revenue wise thanks to all their middle level films (Girls Trip, Split, Get Out, etc) and Universal did the best internationally in terms of profit overseas vs relying solely on domestic. Secondly, if you want to use Disney slate of live action "blockbusters", you really should also know what Universal has planned for the next 3 years (Cowboy Viking Ninja, Invincible, Mortal Engines, School of Good and Evil, Voyage of Dr Doolittle, Wicked, Battlestar Galatica, and many more). In addition Comcast is on the hunt for some Japanese, UK based, and Chinese companies for properties.

You do know thanks to Universal buying part of Amblin Partners they have access to all those properties. Amblin retains 51+% of all properties Spielberg produces and directs which means all those upcoming Amblin productions Universal can use for the park.

So stop looking at Disney for what Universal should do. Universal has been around since 1912 doing great not trying to be like Disney....(ask Paramount how they are doing). Universal partnering with Nintendo and 3rd parties to create multiple products in different division makes Universal stronger because more accountability.

 

[UNIrd]

I do see Universal putting Nintendo in some form in the other parks in some form as I think the seduction of forcing people to get park-hoppers again to see and do it all a la Potter will be too hard to pass up.

I just don't see where it would go without it taking over KidZone in USF and I don't see where it would go in IOA without replacing an entire land. Kong was shoehorned as it is... and pretty poorly.

 

[Paulio]

Universal has proven you don't need blockbusters to be successful thanks to their partnership with Blumhouse and the fact that they only had two major hits yet still had the best year revenue wise thanks to all their middle level films (Girls Trip, Split, Get Out, etc) and Universal did the best internationally in terms of profit overseas vs relying solely on domestic. Secondly, if you want to use Disney slate of live action "blockbusters", you really should also know what Universal has planned for the next 3 years (Cowboy Viking Ninja, Invincible, Mortal Engines, School of Good and Evil, Voyage of Dr Doolittle, Wicked, Battlestar Galatica, and many more). In addition Comcast is on the hunt for some Japanese, UK based, and Chinese companies for properties.

You do know thanks to Universal buying part of Amblin Partners they have access to all those properties. Amblin retains 51+% of all properties Spielberg produces and directs which means all those upcoming Amblin productions Universal can use for the park.

So stop looking at Disney for what Universal should do. Universal has been around since 1912 doing great not trying to be like Disney....(ask Paramount how they are doing). Universal partnering with Nintendo and 3rd parties to create multiple products in different division makes Universal stronger because more accountability.

I agree what you said. Most of my arguments was referring to the certain different type of IPs in its theme parks in general, not about the entertainment media films and television shows themselves. Theme parks demonstrate that you need certain blockbuster movies/TV shows in order to justify their usage in its parks in the long run, as they have a wide appeal and connect with the audiences familiar with such IPs. @zg44 points out that if Illumination and DWA compromised most of the Universal BO hits, then they would be used in the Universal parks majorly, including replacing live-action ones. I don't think Universal is gonna go that way since live-action movies are the reason for Universal theme parks' existence, but it's not going to be a good balance if it's that's the case.

 

[Mike S]

I do see Universal putting Nintendo in some form in the other parks in some form as I think the seduction of forcing people to get park-hoppers again to see and do it all a la Potter will be too hard to pass up.

I just don't see where it would go without it taking over KidZone in USF and I don't see where it would go in IOA without replacing an entire land. Kong was shoehorned as it is... and pretty poorly.

Imo Mario is the best fit for USF if we’re sticking only to the big three IPs of theirs. Zelda for IoA replacing what’s left of Lost Continent is as obvious as you can get especially with that recent rumble of Nintendo representatives checking out the area. Pokémon would then be left for Site B.

 

[Andysol]

I will toss an easter egg. The load/unload of MK is envisoned as being a moving walkway much like FJ. Additionally, there will be 50-54 passenger vehicles on the track at the same time, not including other vehicles that will come and go throughout the attraction.

That should hold you all for the next 24 hours.

Since nothing matters anyway...

DK and MK both have ~14 scenes, including load. Both have Express and Single Rider Lines.

The Yoshi omnimover ride will have more than 40 Yoshis on the ride path at once. Each will seat 2 guests (1 adult + 1 child, I believe, don't quote me on that.) Load/unload is a moving platform turntable. Despite earlier reports, it looks like 2/3 of this attraction will take place inside with fully fleshed out show scenes, and only around 1/3 outside, but still including moving characters in those scenes as well. The ride will have more than 40 moving figures throughout the attraction including goombas, koopas, thwomp, and many more characters from Yoshi games, as well as iconic elements from the Mushroom Kingdom like rotating coins and smiling clouds (like seen in Japan animated commercial.)

One of the play areas is themed to Bowser Jr and may include interactive stations, so might be less of a traditional "play area" and more like a mini attraction, (perhaps VR or AR?)

In addition to all the question mark blocks you can hit and other interactive elements around the land, several of them seem to Pikmin based. Not sure what they are or how it's interactive, or how it relates to Pikmin (whatever that is.)

Also, there may be AR stations throughout the land where you look through viewfinders and see extra elements added on top of reality, (kinda like mounted viewing binoculars at landmarks like Statue of Liberty, but these add characters or smiley clouds or something on top of reality.)

That's all for now.

I'm pretty bummed by the lack of apparent movement on the project for Orlando. But I'll keep y'all posted on any insider news I hear about a new location or changes in plans. So far though... radio silence.

Finally caught up. Wow. This is how it’s done. No cutesy hidden sly comments. No broad declaration that could be multiple things.

Just straight up information from credible sources with factual details. My hats off to you two. Very refreshing- Thank you.

This thread makes my head spin: we're still under the assumption that SNW is going into KidZone, right?

I’d say yes, still KidZone. Teebs has said nothing of it moving. Alicia has information even newer than Teebs and still thinks KidZone. And I put more stock in those two than everyone else’s info put together- in particular with Nintendo. So until Universal or one of those two say otherwise, it’s just unwarranted speculation in my eyes.

 

[Mike S]

Finally caught up. Wow. This is how it’s done. No cutesy hidden sly comments. No broad declaration that could be multiple things.

Just straight up information from credible sources with factual details. My hats off to you two. Very refreshing- Thank you.



I’d say yes, still KidZone. Teebs has said nothing of it moving. Alicia has information even newer than Teebs and still thinks KidZone. And I put more stock in those two than everyone else’s info put together- in particular with Nintendo. So until Universal or one of those two say otherwise, it’s just unwarranted speculation in my eyes.

There could’ve been a thought to move it at one point but then maybe they thought it would be better to just stick with the already made KidZone plans which were already amazing to begin with. What we could see in Site B is them go all out on Pokémon. That one is about to explode with the upcoming Switch game. People have been waiting since the dawn of the series for a home console quality game. The hype will be huge when it’s revealed and released. Don’t be surprised if Switches once again sell out when it hits.

 

[Mike S]

On another note I wonder if Universal is taking notice of the stellar success that is Monster Hunter World. It’s already the best selling game in the series by far after only two months. They already do stuff in Japan with it so I wonder if maybe they’ll think of doing a permanent attraction there.
CAPCOM | Monster Hunter: World Ships 7.5 Million Units!

 

[captainmoch]

I still vouch that Pokemon would be a much better fit for USF/Kidzone than Mario. For one, Pokemon is a multimedia franchise including not only video games but also dozens of TV shows and movies, making it a better fit for USF than the purely game Mario. Plus the worlds of Pokemon generally include towns and cities that are semi-realistic (without the creatures, obviously) compared to the whacky worlds of Mario so completely contrasting the rest of USF.

 

[Mike S]

I still vouch that Pokemon would be a much better fit for USF/Kidzone than Mario. For one, Pokemon is a multimedia franchise including not only video games but also dozens of TV shows and movies, making it a better fit for USF than the purely game Mario. Plus the worlds of Pokemon generally include towns and cities that are semi-realistic (without the creatures, obviously) compared to the whacky worlds of Mario so completely contrasting the rest of USF.

Mario will soon have a movie made by Illumination so there’s all you need

 

[quinnmac000]

On another note I wonder if Universal is taking notice of the stellar success that is Monster Hunter World. It’s already the best selling game in the series by far after only two months. They already do stuff in Japan with it so I wonder if maybe they’ll think of doing a permanent attraction there.
CAPCOM | Monster Hunter: World Ships 7.5 Million Units!

They've been doing Monster Hunter attractions before it was cool to like Monster Hunter here in the states and they already have the AAs for it...


I actually enjoy how some people seem terrified of the AA.

 

[Magic-Man]

Remember not everything has to be a ride because people on here like to complain about rides with height limits. I can see the Kokiri Forest training camp and maze, a interactive dungeon crawl, a majora mask based shows (the abilities of the masks), and then for rides you have the boats, horses, and dragons which all can be ride vehicles exploring the land and the world of Hyrule.

No boat ride though. IOA already has enough water rides

 

[Andysol]

I still vouch that Pokemon would be a much better fit for USF/Kidzone than Mario. For one, Pokemon is a multimedia franchise including not only video games but also dozens of TV shows and movies, making it a better fit for USF than the purely game Mario. Plus the worlds of Pokemon generally include towns and cities that are semi-realistic (without the creatures, obviously) compared to the whacky worlds of Mario so completely contrasting the rest of USF.

I could see that too. I think SNW + LotR anchoring site B would be the smartest move- in particular if they put Zelda in IoA and Pokémon in KidZone. Maybe even Hello Kitty in there as well as it’s own mini land?

I don’t like the idea of all Nintendo being located in site b.

IoA had spider man (not as popular in 1999 but still popular) and Jurassic Park as anchors. The latter being a huge IP to draw crowds. And yet, it didn’t. Unfortunately- Universal doesn’t have the number of mindless zealots that Disney does, so they have to work for their audience. They can’t just add a boat ride and see 4 hr waits.
So it’s certainly not a dumb move. As great of a theme park IP as LotR is, it’s not enough for a park anchor. They’re gonna need something else- and Pokemon alone isn’t it and SNW would fit that bill.

That all said- that’s just me logically thinking. No insider knowledge- and sometimes I believe logical thinking gets put out there as if it’s insider information. So until our two people (3 if we include chicken) who have proven to know more about this project than anyone else says otherwise, I’ll defer to them. Even if it logically might not make the most sense to me.

 

[Legacy]

I’d say yes, still KidZone. Teebs has said nothing of it moving. Alicia has information even newer than Teebs and still thinks KidZone. And I put more stock in those two than everyone else’s info put together- in particular with Nintendo. So until Universal or one of those two say otherwise, it’s just unwarranted speculation in my eyes.

I'll play, admitting that my knowledge tends to be more Entertainment than Creative based so I could be wrong.

I've been told, pretty emphatically, SNW HAS moved and that Pokemon is coming in to KidZone, WITH Hello Kitty. Hyrule replaced Lost Continent.

 

[Imperius]

I'll play, admitting that my knowledge tends to be more Entertainment than Creative based so I could be wrong.

I've been told, pretty emphatically, SNW HAS moved and that Pokemon is coming in to KidZone, WITH Hello Kitty. Hyrule replaced Lost Continent.

Hold on, Pokémon WITH HK? How would that work? And we talking Kid Zone still closing soon or?

 

[quinnmac000]

Hold on, Pokémon WITH HK? How would that work? And we talking Kid Zone still closing soon or?

They are both Japanese based IPs are they not?

 

[Imperius]

They are both Japanese based IPs are they not?

But literally no relation to another. If it’s just a Japan area with Pokémon then it’s a huge disappointment for me.

If it’s 7 acres of Pokémon immensely themed area with two rides and plenty of interactive areas and a small extra spot for HK, then fine.

 

[Andysol]

I've been told, pretty emphatically, SNW HAS moved and that Pokemon is coming in to KidZone, WITH Hello Kitty. Hyrule replaced Lost Continent.

Funnily/ironically enough- that’s exactly what I said in my post before yours.

It’s the smartest move IMO- granted, they should’ve started one of these things already.

I think SNW + LotR anchoring site B would be the smartest move- in particular if they put Zelda in IoA and Pokémon in KidZone. Maybe even Hello Kitty in there as well as it’s own mini land?

 

[Mike S]

They've been doing Monster Hunter attractions before it was cool to like Monster Hunter here in the states and they already have the AAs for it...


I actually enjoy how some people seem terrified of the AA.

I’ve never heard of attractions coming to the states unless I read that wrong. I know it’s been done in Japan which is why I brought it up. That AA is cool and all, but imagine what Creature Technology could do