The Future of Lost Continent

[GA-MBIT]

Yes, and that's how friendly forums like IU operate. .IU is so unlike the hateful forum interactions of so many other theme park sites. We're all friends here, wanting the same thing, a fun filled, entertaining, Universal Resort.

100%. I think it's good to acknowledge every once in a while that this site really is incredible. Not only does it contain some really great, insightful discussion on rather niche topics, or consistently find a way to bring reputable insiders and fans within the same orbit, it also just has a really nice sense of community and such a light-hearted atmosphere. I've tried other theme park forums or sites in the past and every one of them is a deep cesspool of toxicity and ego, but IU has been nothing but a treat to read thru for the past almost decade that I've been here.

Thank you to @Brian G. and all the mods, as well as just the community here in general. What a cool place!

 

[BuschAfrica]

Anyone else have an issue with Zelda not originating from a written story ?

 

[Magic-Man]

Anyone else have an issue with Zelda not originating from a written story ?

No.

 

[biggerboat16]

Anyone else have an issue with Zelda not originating from a written story ?

I’ve never been an overly strict believer in the ‘IOA has to be all literature’ rule, but I do think that Zelda is still a perfect choice even when you consider the rule.

Shigeru Miyamoto came up with the idea for Zelda when thinking about his childhood exploring the Japanese countryside. He would explore and try to ‘reenact’ ancient fables or tales. This is where he eventually came up with the idea of a ‘legend’ dealing with exploration and classic tales of good vs evil. The games and lore are full of this ancient ‘legend’ that retells itself over and over in the game’s universe, sometimes even using ancient texts and fables written of this ‘legend.’ Just think of the intro to Wind Waker.

Yes, the franchise is not based on literature nor does it have any ties to real stories or fables, but it has been built as an ode to that style of timeless storytelling, so I think it has a perfect place in IOA.

 

[luckoftheirish]

Anyone else have an issue with Zelda not originating from a written story ?

I mean that was never a actual rule/theme was it? I mean Dudley Do-Right has always just been a cartoon and that's a opening day attraction. It would be cool though if Universal actually did make a park with a overall theme like Disney does but I have no idea what that could be. Epic has all fantasy based properties including the rumored LOTR expanded but just like islands that seems to just be a coincidence

 

[GA-MBIT]

Anyone else have an issue with Zelda not originating from a written story ?

The written work thing always felt to me like fan conjecture. JP and Potter are based on the film adaptations, and Kong just barely scrapes in under the wire with the novelization coming out only a year before the original film and it being primarily based on the upcoming film, not vice-versa.

It's Islands of Adventure. Those are the key motifs. Port of Entry has nothing to do with books, literature, or written works. And I'm curious to hear what Poseidon's Fury had to do with them either.

And anyways, if you did want to keep the book thing going, just think of these here haha I'm sure at least one of them has released prior to the official game.

 

[Mad Dog]

With all signs pointing to a much later construction start for Zelda, I wonder if Universal might start putting some streetmosphere or a daily live street show back there, after they're finishing construction of the Hagrid's queue extension in Hogsmeade. That's going to be a long time for a dead zone to exist.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

With all signs pointing to a much later construction start for Zelda, I wonder if Universal might start putting some streetmosphere or a daily live show back there, after they're finishing construction of the Hagrid's queue extension in Hogsmeade. That's going to be a long time for a dead zone to exist.

Given the resorts recent track record, I suspect Meet N Greets at most sadly.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Islands can handle it though. USF needs a heavy hitter.

I absolutely do not understand the idea that USF obviously needs work more than IOA. IOA has an entire land shuttered and almost no live entertainment whatsoever plus several lesser but still very significant problems (a headliner ride running without a third of its content, a busted Seuss entrance arch with no effort to fix it, a land that is so unable to handle its crowds it routinely becomes inaccessible, etc). Studios, in comparison, feels a complete park with a pretty good entertainment lineup and a slightly lackluster slate of rides. Of the two, IOA feels much more “broken” to me.

If Studios DOES need work to improve its ride lineup, and I agree that at some point it does, that’s a significant indictment of the recent decisions regarding the park. Studios recently had (or is having) two major additions - one in the most prominent location in the entire park, one replacing an entire land that has been sorely in need of reimagining for many years and could have hosted an area on the level of Diagon. The fact that improving the Studios lineup still feels like an emergency to many shows how significant a mistake it was to go so cheap on both additions. Had they been what they should have been, the Studios would be nicely situated for several years.

Even with those additions, however, Studios seems to me to be in a better place then IoA.

 

[belloq87]

To me, even with a nonexistent Lost Continent, IOA's attraction roster is significantly superior to USF's (and it has only gotten more pronounced due to decisions made in both parks over the last 7ish years), hence why I feel urgency to see Universal do something about it.

 

[Casper Gutman]

To me, even with a nonexistent Lost Continent, IOA's attraction roster is significantly superior to USF's (and it has only gotten more pronounced due to decisions made in both parks over the last 7ish years), hence why I feel urgency to see Universal do something about it.

But a theme park is MUCH more than a list of attractions. IoA feels and looks incomplete. USF just lacks some oomph in its ride lineup.

 

[DodgsonHere]

I absolutely do not understand the idea that USF obviously needs work more than IOA. IOA has an entire land shuttered and almost no live entertainment whatsoever plus several lesser but still very significant problems (a headliner ride running without a third of its content, a busted Seuss entrance arch with no effort to fix it, a land that is so unable to handle its crowds it routinely becomes inaccessible, etc). Studios, in comparison, feels a complete park with a pretty good entertainment lineup and a slightly lackluster slate of rides. Of the two, IOA feels much more “broken” to me.

If Studios DOES need work to improve its ride lineup, and I agree that at some point it does, that’s a significant indictment of the recent decisions regarding the park. Studios recently had (or is having) two major additions - one in the most prominent location in the entire park, one replacing an entire land that has been sorely in need of reimagining for many years and could have hosted an area on the level of Diagon. The fact that improving the Studios lineup still feels like an emergency to many shows how significant a mistake it was to go so cheap on both additions. Had they been what they should have been, the Studios would be nicely situated for several years.

Even with those additions, however, Studios seems to me to be in a better place then IoA.

Agree to disagree. I like Studios but it’s attraction roster is in a state where it wouldn’t be able to stand on it’s own now without Islands right next door. Entertainment is nice but really can only take you so far in my opinion, most people are coming for rides.

 

[biggerboat16]

Agree to disagree. I like Studios but it’s attraction roster is in a state where it wouldn’t be able to stand on it’s own now without Islands right next door. Entertainment is nice but really can only take you so far in my opinion, most people are coming for rides.

Yeah, aside from certain crowds like the AP holders or locals coming for events like Mardi Gras, most families taking a vacation from Minnesota are here for the rides. Streetmosphere is a nice touch, but it’s not the main draw. It might improve someone’s vacation, but I don’t think anybody’s booking a trip from across the country just to get to walk by the Blues Brothers. They sure will help make someone’s trip better, but the rides are what sell the tickets

 

[Brian G.]

Broken is such a heavy word to use to describe the state of both parks. They both have areas that need work, but “broken” is a little too hyperbolic. IOA has some of the best rides in the world, but needs some fine tuning with the “small stuff”. Meanwhile, USF needs work in a more diverse attraction lineup - which includes a nice, new E-Ticket down the line.

 

[GA-MBIT]

Entertainment at IoA is an issue, but honestly one that feels a lot less important to me personally than everything at USF. Lost Continent is practically a non-issue for me atm and I don't get the fixation on it that much, it's really not that big and serves it's purpose fine currently. It bridges both JP and Potter, holds a few Meet n Greet's, the best (reportedly, I've never been myself) restaurant in the park alongside some smaller dining options, the Talking Fountain, and Halloween store. It always feels pretty busy through there, and they have an active plan to replace it anyways. We know they're working on it, they just have a bunch of other stuff they are also working on right now. That's an okay problem to have, and one that I'll take given the alternative path Disney is taking as of late.

USF has a variety problem when it comes to attractions, and many of it's areas were and are mis-matched, outdated, and needed to go yesterday. It also hasn't gotten the same level of attraction as IoA of late. There are no USF VC or Hagrids equivalents, and everything worth writing home about at the park was built 20+ years ago besides Diagon Alley. The love hasn't been exactly even between the two parks for the last decade, so some expedited plussing feels appropriate.

I'll just treat Lost Continent as Port of Entry Part II for the time being and I think that'll be okay. I really don't think Sinbad's show and Poseidon's Fury were the load-bearing posters for IoA. The park is doing pretty okay without them it seems.

 

[IzzyB]

Broken is such a heavy word to use to describe the state of both parks. They both have areas that need work, but “broken” is a little too hyperbolic. IOA has some of the best rides in the world, but needs some fine tuning with the “small stuff”. Meanwhile, USF needs work in a more diverse attraction lineup - which includes a nice, new E-Ticket down the line.

I agree neither park is broken. I think they just need more capacity in IOA and Studios needs to big e-ticket in either Simpson or F&F plot. I do think they need to do seasonal shows in Studios too. They need to spread out the crowds during Christmas and Summer.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Broken is such a heavy word to use to describe the state of both parks. They both have areas that need work, but “broken” is a little too hyperbolic. IOA has some of the best rides in the world, but needs some fine tuning with the “small stuff”. Meanwhile, USF needs work in a more diverse attraction lineup - which includes a nice, new E-Ticket down the line.

This isn’t about anyone in particular, and specific scenarios and peoples feelings about them are valid.

However, we’re starting to sound like some Disney fans who thinks the parks are falling apart around here. Universal in general is really upping their game, and I think our standards are changing as well along with it. I feel lately we’ve been talking about these parks like they are rundown regional parks barely operating. The problems are there, but everyone take a collective deep breathe.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

With all signs pointing to a much later construction start for Zelda, I wonder if Universal might start putting some streetmosphere or a daily live street show back there, after they're finishing construction of the Hagrid's queue extension in Hogsmeade. That's going to be a long time for a dead zone to exist.

Not like Universal has a history of leaving dead zones in the parks untouched for years... they would never!

I absolutely do not understand the idea that USF obviously needs work more than IOA. IOA has an entire land shuttered and almost no live entertainment whatsoever plus several lesser but still very significant problems (a headliner ride running without a third of its content, a busted Seuss entrance arch with no effort to fix it, a land that is so unable to handle its crowds it routinely becomes inaccessible, etc). Studios, in comparison, feels a complete park with a pretty good entertainment lineup and a slightly lackluster slate of rides. Of the two, IOA feels much more “broken” to me.

If Studios DOES need work to improve its ride lineup, and I agree that at some point it does, that’s a significant indictment of the recent decisions regarding the park. Studios recently had (or is having) two major additions - one in the most prominent location in the entire park, one replacing an entire land that has been sorely in need of reimagining for many years and could have hosted an area on the level of Diagon. The fact that improving the Studios lineup still feels like an emergency to many shows how significant a mistake it was to go so cheap on both additions. Had they been what they should have been, the Studios would be nicely situated for several years.

Even with those additions, however, Studios seems to me to be in a better place then IoA.

Based on attendance and crowd levels... USF is the one that needs help. IOA is usually kept open an extra hour... and honestly could use an additional hour or two of operations as it's busy until the park closes. You should see the post-holiday parade crowds rush out of USF and into IOA lol

Also, USF's additions weren't cheap... just executed poorly in the name of synergy.

But a theme park is MUCH more than a list of attractions. IoA feels and looks incomplete. USF just lacks some oomph in its ride lineup.

I do agree that IOA feels "incomplete" as its missing solid scenic non-screen dark rides and entertainment... but the park makes up for it in solid coasters and screen-based dark rides.

Yeah, aside from certain crowds like the AP holders or locals coming for events like Mardi Gras, most families taking a vacation from Minnesota are here for the rides. Streetmosphere is a nice touch, but it’s not the main draw. It might improve someone’s vacation, but I don’t think anybody’s booking a trip from across the country just to get to walk by the Blues Brothers. They sure will help make someone’s trip better, but the rides are what sell the tickets

Parks need streetmosphere/street entertainment to provide a nice "break" from the action, as well provide something for those not able to ride Universal's nausea-inducing rides that make up like 90% of the resort's lineup lol

This isn’t about anyone in particular, and specific scenarios and peoples feelings about them are valid.

However, we’re starting to sound like some Disney fans who thinks the parks are falling apart around here. Universal in general is really upping their game, and I think our standards are changing as well along with it. I feel lately we’ve been talking about these parks like they are rundown regional parks barely operating. The problems are there, but everyone take a collective deep breathe.

Nah, I know lots of us have complained recently, but we are far from the "Disney moved a trash can across the street, and now I hate everything" crowd.

 

[Freak]

While the Lost Continent situation is far from ideal, one nice-looking land that’s abandoned (Which is a shame) in a park that’s REALLY solid otherwise is better than a park full of very mediocre rides and only two/three worthwhile rides. USF is currently the “Go there to ride Mummy and MIB, go to IoA and then come back for HHN” kind of park.

USF needs help. Like it really needs help. I spend so little time in that park as most of the good rides are at IoA.

 

[UNIrd]

I think the criticism is well-warranted unfortunately. I don't think you shutter almost every single show across both parks, lose your nighttime show, and parade... plus have attractions that aren't up to par... and say, "Hey guys, we're starting to sound like Disney fans. We need to chill." Not really. It's okay to expect more of your world-class theme parks when they're in this state with very few signs, as far as we know, to make any significant improvements in these areas for years.