Jon Fu
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
Hey everyone,
I was thinking about publishing this on the main site, but I decided to pursue the forum route instead after rethinking my logic and the actual possibility of this going through. Quite frankly, I have a feeling that there's too many holes to this argument for this to be a viable plan.
That being said, here's a draft I'd like to share with you:
Editor’s Note: This is complete speculation. None of our sources have indicated a comprehensive shift in the park’s theming, so consider this post just a theory on my behalf.
By now, I’m sure some of you have seen the unusual construction being performed at Universal’s Animal Actors. If I were to judge the progress thus far, it would appear as if they’re attempting to theme the show as a soundstage production – whatever that entails. Progress has been painstakingly slow, and the show has been performing in an embarrassing state of half-completion for weeks.
Animal Actor’s green-spotted façade (painted back in the era of Animal Planet Live!) has also been ditched in favor of Universal’s traditional tri-color soundstage paint scheme, and the entrance has been affectionately labeled “Stage 57” to coincide with Special Effects Stage’s “Stage 56” just around the corner. Since this – by all indications – is an unusual progression on the part of Universal, it makes you wonder: could this a shift towards cohesive theming? Better yet, could this be a move towards “themed lands”?
Now first, let’s be real. When I say themed lands, I don’t mean the type of land you’d find at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. That comprehensive level of theming is out of the question for a park like Hollywood, and I don’t think such a system would work very well with the park’s current roster of shows and attractions. That being said, it also should come to no surprise that Universal Studios Hollywood has been slowly retrofitting the entire park in preparation for the arrival of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2016. With such an immersive and cohesive experience on the horizon, management must surely be on a rush to bring the rest of the park up to snuff. Enter the notion of Krustyland and the current news surrounding Simpsons Plaza.
Now while we won’t comment on the Simpsons, let’s take a look at Universal’s proposed plan of action:
With plans of Despicable Me’s Super Silly Fun Land having just been announced, Hollywood would see a total of three moderately themed areas: Simpsons Plaza, Universal Plaza and area surrounding Animal Actors and Special Effects Stage that we’ll refer to as “Production Central.”
What do we have left? The Studio Tour, Shrek 4D and the Lower Lot. While we’re certain the Lower Lot won’t be touched for another ten years (and the area is already themed as a studio center), what can we do about the Tour and Shrek 4D? To add another argument to this theory: what about the future of Special Effects? Can we be assured that it's here to stay?
(here's why my train of thought falls through. In spite of this, I'd love to hear what you think below.)
I was thinking about publishing this on the main site, but I decided to pursue the forum route instead after rethinking my logic and the actual possibility of this going through. Quite frankly, I have a feeling that there's too many holes to this argument for this to be a viable plan.
That being said, here's a draft I'd like to share with you:
...
Editor’s Note: This is complete speculation. None of our sources have indicated a comprehensive shift in the park’s theming, so consider this post just a theory on my behalf.
By now, I’m sure some of you have seen the unusual construction being performed at Universal’s Animal Actors. If I were to judge the progress thus far, it would appear as if they’re attempting to theme the show as a soundstage production – whatever that entails. Progress has been painstakingly slow, and the show has been performing in an embarrassing state of half-completion for weeks.
Animal Actor’s green-spotted façade (painted back in the era of Animal Planet Live!) has also been ditched in favor of Universal’s traditional tri-color soundstage paint scheme, and the entrance has been affectionately labeled “Stage 57” to coincide with Special Effects Stage’s “Stage 56” just around the corner. Since this – by all indications – is an unusual progression on the part of Universal, it makes you wonder: could this a shift towards cohesive theming? Better yet, could this be a move towards “themed lands”?
Now first, let’s be real. When I say themed lands, I don’t mean the type of land you’d find at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. That comprehensive level of theming is out of the question for a park like Hollywood, and I don’t think such a system would work very well with the park’s current roster of shows and attractions. That being said, it also should come to no surprise that Universal Studios Hollywood has been slowly retrofitting the entire park in preparation for the arrival of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2016. With such an immersive and cohesive experience on the horizon, management must surely be on a rush to bring the rest of the park up to snuff. Enter the notion of Krustyland and the current news surrounding Simpsons Plaza.
Now while we won’t comment on the Simpsons, let’s take a look at Universal’s proposed plan of action:
With plans of Despicable Me’s Super Silly Fun Land having just been announced, Hollywood would see a total of three moderately themed areas: Simpsons Plaza, Universal Plaza and area surrounding Animal Actors and Special Effects Stage that we’ll refer to as “Production Central.”
What do we have left? The Studio Tour, Shrek 4D and the Lower Lot. While we’re certain the Lower Lot won’t be touched for another ten years (and the area is already themed as a studio center), what can we do about the Tour and Shrek 4D? To add another argument to this theory: what about the future of Special Effects? Can we be assured that it's here to stay?
...
(here's why my train of thought falls through. In spite of this, I'd love to hear what you think below.)
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