News Round Up 2017

I don't know Universal at all, but I can only get a max off 77,000 sq. feet if I include all of the stands/stores out front with it. I get about the same for Jurassic Park as well. Universal has the tough task of needing to maximize the use of their space as their land is much more valuable than Disney (since they don't have the luxury of building out like Disney can). Like I said, I don't know Universal (I went once and that was 20 years ago and wasn't very impressed), but this is their chance to really start pulling people from Disney (Nintendo + Potter). They have to know that they have to do it really well if they want to think about ever truly competing with Disney.

For improvements of existing parks, sure, they don't have much room. But the land acquisitions down the street certainly lend themselves to expansion in the form of a new gate. One which could also be anchored by significant Nintendo presence.
 
Does anyone feel that the draw of Mario Kart / Donkey Kong is super high? I'm not saying it's not a good idea, but I grew up in the era of these games and honestly couldn't care about a theme park ride based on them.

And what's with the "Start in 2018 and 3 years to build" sounds like Disney plans - oh wait, they're doing TSL in two.

I'll be honest...I've been to UNI in Orlando, and aside from the Harry Potter lands I am completely unimpressed with what they offer. We also stayed onsite in Portofino Bay and I have to say that aside from the great service by their team members, we were also unimpressed with the resort (the best part about it is the pricing structure, that I can't complain about).

I grew up on Mario and Donkey Kong, the latter being the first big video game addiction for me. This expansion would definitely give me a reason to go back there again. I can only imagine a Mario Kart attraction and how incredible that would be. I could see this being extremely popular with the masses.
 
Here is what I'm wondering about the whole Nintendo Land thing...

is Nintendo Land the answer to Walt Disney World building Star Wars Land? I only say that, because I realize Star Wars Land is basically going to be the answer to Harry Potter. I know Pandora was supposed to be the answer to Harry Potter, but I don't know if that has happened besides Flight of Passage being one of the best theme park rides I have ever been on. Now, I haven't been to Harry Potter Land (and I have never seen a movie or read any of the books). My comment here is based on what all of you have said about Harry Potter.
 
Here is what I'm wondering about the whole Nintendo Land thing...

is Nintendo Land the answer to Walt Disney World building Star Wars Land? I only say that, because I realize Star Wars Land is basically going to be the answer to Harry Potter. I know Pandora was supposed to be the answer to Harry Potter, but I don't know if that has happened besides Flight of Passage being one of the best theme park rides I have ever been on. Now, I haven't been to Harry Potter Land (and I have never seen a movie or read any of the books). My comment here is based on what all of you have said about Harry Potter.
Nintendo seems to be the answer to Star Wars/50th anniversary. Disney has a lot of stuff planned to open between 2019 and 2021. Nintendo will try to counter it all.
 


For what it is worth, there are several mario kart inspired go kart tracks popping up around north america. This could the extension of that trend.

As others have said, mario kart is the bigger of the two in my opinion. Donkey Kong is a bit of filler to me.
 
Here is what I'm wondering about the whole Nintendo Land thing...

is Nintendo Land the answer to Walt Disney World building Star Wars Land? I only say that, because I realize Star Wars Land is basically going to be the answer to Harry Potter. I know Pandora was supposed to be the answer to Harry Potter, but I don't know if that has happened besides Flight of Passage being one of the best theme park rides I have ever been on. Now, I haven't been to Harry Potter Land (and I have never seen a movie or read any of the books). My comment here is based on what all of you have said about Harry Potter.

I never saw Pandora as the answer to Harry Potter - I saw that as being a key component to getting Animal Kingdom to be a "full day park" and to help spread the crowds out from the other parks (specifically MK). I think Star Wars is the answer to Harry Potter ... and then all the other stuff (Tron, Guardians, etc.) is rebuilding the parks and trying to go the next level vs Universal and then Nintendo is Universals next shot across the bow
 
There was a plan that was found on the internet a while ago that was proved to not be official but it showed the area as being multiple stories with some rides on top of others - so maybe hat is how they get to the total land size for the rides - they overlap each other within the same physical plot
I honestly like the sound of that how cool to look at! I wonder if it interferes with Potter sightlines though?
 


My biggest concern is how they will tackle an extensive and fully animated world such as that required by a Mario Kart attraction. It smells like screens, if you ask me.

Hope to be wrong, though. There's so much potential for great theming.
 
Nintendo seems to be the answer to Star Wars/50th anniversary. Disney has a lot of stuff planned to open between 2019 and 2021. Nintendo will try to counter it all.
I understand that. However, Nintendo is going to try and counter it all when they are building 2 rides, and Disney is building 7 rides (and possibly more to come), a theater, a restaurant, new hotels, new transportation, etc.

I never saw Pandora as the answer to Harry Potter - I saw that as being a key component to getting Animal Kingdom to be a "full day park" and to help spread the crowds out from the other parks (specifically MK). I think Star Wars is the answer to Harry Potter ... and then all the other stuff (Tron, Guardians, etc.) is rebuilding the parks and trying to go the next level vs Universal and then Nintendo is Universals next shot across the bow
I see your point. I think I once read something where people were saying Pandora was going to be the answer, but based on how long it took for them to get that done, I think your response is more realistic. Harry Potter had been open for a long time before Pandora came around.
 
I understand that. However, Nintendo is going to try and counter it all when they are building 2 rides, and Disney is building 7 rides (and possibly more to come), a theater, a restaurant, new hotels, new transportation, etc.

It's more than two rides, the plans only mention the buildings, not surrounds and content. From what I know it's Mario is going to be multiple levels with attractions on each level (and mario kart itself moving through all 3). Donkey Kong will also have minor attractions in the area. Islands portion will also have more (There is much less info about the Islands portion of Nintendo, however).

Nintendo isn't the only thing they are adding, too. Shrek and Fear Factor are likely to replaced fairly soon. IOA's getting the new potter area, and other things.

And believe it or not, very light use of screens. (mostly physical stuff) Nintendo is going to just a flat out fun land.
 
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My biggest concern is how they will tackle an extensive and fully animated world such as that required by a Mario Kart attraction. It smells like screens, if you ask me.

Hope to be wrong, though. There's so much potential for great theming.

from the patents around it would be a physical ride where you would be in a "go kart" type ride vehicle and actually travel around a course ... but then you would wear augmented reality glasses that would project the characters onto the track as well.
 
I honestly like the sound of that how cool to look at! I wonder if it interferes with Potter sightlines though?

I don't think Universal cares about sightlines as much as Disney - you can see lots of rides from different parts - even in Harry Potter you could see the track for Dueling Dragons and can see Springfield across the water from Diagon Alley, etc. (though it is definitely less true inside Potter land than in the rest of the parks)
 
I wonder how much the two companies really consider the other's projects as counterpoints when they plan, program, and budget their own projects. I'm sure they do somewhat indirectly as far as market share, but it really is about profits and getting more people in the parks, hotels, restaurants, and gift shops, no matter how you get them there. If I was Universal, I could not help but think that Star Wars will actually help me. It will bring more people to Orlando, and many of those will add a day or two at Universal. They can't bank on just an enlarged market, so they do add their own rides to get return visitors, but again I don't think it is so much counterpoint as evolution of the brand. I don't know. I'm probably naïve on these matters, but I think Disney is just too much bigger than Universal for such tit-for-tat thinking and Universal knows it.
 
I wonder how much the two companies really consider the other's projects as counterpoints when they plan, program, and budget their own projects. I'm sure they do somewhat indirectly as far as market share, but it really is about profits and getting more people in the parks, hotels, restaurants, and gift shops, no matter how you get them there. If I was Universal, I could not help but think that Star Wars will actually help me. It will bring more people to Orlando, and many of those will add a day or two at Universal. They can't bank on just an enlarged market, so they do add their own rides to get return visitors, but again I don't think it is so much counterpoint as evolution of the brand. I don't know. I'm probably naïve on these matters, but I think Disney is just too much bigger than Universal for such tit-for-tat thinking and Universal knows it.

I definitely think they do look at what the other is doing and how they can capitalize on it / take away market share, etc.

But I also don't think they look at it as a ride vs ride or land vs land thing as much as we (the intewebs) do. I don't think in board meetings they are specifically sitting there "we need a specific land or attraction to counter Harry Potter!!!!" ... more of, they saw what people liked about it and that influenced what they did as a next move, etc.

As another example, when looking at resorts, I could see Universal noting that prices have gone way up for room onsite at Disney, including the values and that those prices are probably only going to go up even further after the skyliner is done and that they think the new hotel they are building on the Wet and Wild property have a very low price point to go after the people that are now priced out of even Disney Values and/or would see this as a better option. So not as much "wee need something to counter Art of Annimation" as "there is an opportunity to go after a specific market segment that is impacted by what Disney is doing in general"
 
For improvements of existing parks, sure, they don't have much room. But the land acquisitions down the street certainly lend themselves to expansion in the form of a new gate. One which could also be anchored by significant Nintendo presence.

The problem with a new gate is they are probably looking at $2 to $3 BILLION investment to do that...that's a huge capital chunk to put up with an indeterminate return.

I'll be honest...I've been to UNI in Orlando, and aside from the Harry Potter lands I am completely unimpressed with what they offer. We also stayed onsite in Portofino Bay and I have to say that aside from the great service by their team members, we were also unimpressed with the resort (the best part about it is the pricing structure, that I can't complain about).

I grew up on Mario and Donkey Kong, the latter being the first big video game addiction for me. This expansion would definitely give me a reason to go back there again. I can only imagine a Mario Kart attraction and how incredible that would be. I could see this being extremely popular with the masses.

I'm with you - there's Harry Potter and then the rest of the property which is a lower level for sure. I could definitely see Nintendo being a draw.

Here is what I'm wondering about the whole Nintendo Land thing...

is Nintendo Land the answer to Walt Disney World building Star Wars Land?

I don't think that Nintendo is going to be on par with Star Wars Land or Harry Potter land. I see people going "that's cool" and wanting to see it, but not something that you would literally build you vacation around. Let's face it, without Harry Potter...Universal is still a far distant 2nd in Orlando. They are still 2nd, but the gap has closed. There's a good chance that Star Wars widens that gap back up a bit, and I seriously doubt that two Nintendo rides really close it.

(However, Maybe this is because my daughter never got into video games the way she got into Harry Potter. I just don't see kids going to Universal dressed as their favorite Mario Kart character.)
 
The problem with a new gate is they are probably looking at $2 to $3 BILLION investment to do that...that's a huge capital chunk to put up with an indeterminate return.



I'm with you - there's Harry Potter and then the rest of the property which is a lower level for sure. I could definitely see Nintendo being a draw.



I don't think that Nintendo is going to be on par with Star Wars Land or Harry Potter land. I see people going "that's cool" and wanting to see it, but not something that you would literally build you vacation around. Let's face it, without Harry Potter...Universal is still a far distant 2nd in Orlando. They are still 2nd, but the gap has closed. There's a good chance that Star Wars widens that gap back up a bit, and I seriously doubt that two Nintendo rides really close it.

(However, Maybe this is because my daughter never got into video games the way she got into Harry Potter. I just don't see kids going to Universal dressed as their favorite Mario Kart character.)

Maybe not dressed like them, but you are going to get a lot of newer parents who grew up on old school Nintendo chomping at the bit for it. Star Wars is definitely a bigger draw, but it is something that Disney will still need to knock out of the park (which let me say, I have more faith in them doing that than Universal, and I don't have a doubt they will). For all the talk on just 2 rides, that's exactly what you get in Star Wars, which is exactly what you get in Pandora. The key will be the rides being great, along with the immersive land.

I will also say I think that while Star Wars will be bigger, I think Nintendo has much more of a chance to damage Disney attendance than the other way around. I don't think you will see an increase in people leaving Universal for Disney because of Star Wars. I think you could see that some the other way (a combination of factors, obviously, including pricing). To go completely anecdotal, I will state again a big draw to Disney when you have a 5 year old girl are the princesses. The same 5 year old loves Super Smash Bros. because of (you guessed it) the princesses (Zelda and Peach especially). I've wanted to switch some days to Universal, but have never been able to justify it because I don't think our daughter would enjoy it that much. If they run with the Nintendo princesses (meet and greets, etc.), I may be able to justify it for more than doing it once just to satisfy my own desire. Maybe there aren't a ton like me (grew up a Nintendo guy with girls into princesses), but it wouldn't shock me.
 
I don't think that Nintendo is going to be on par with Star Wars Land or Harry Potter land. I see people going "that's cool" and wanting to see it, but not something that you would literally build you vacation around. Let's face it, without Harry Potter...Universal is still a far distant 2nd in Orlando. They are still 2nd, but the gap has closed. There's a good chance that Star Wars widens that gap back up a bit, and I seriously doubt that two Nintendo rides really close it.

(However, Maybe this is because my daughter never got into video games the way she got into Harry Potter. I just don't see kids going to Universal dressed as their favorite Mario Kart character.)

One thing about Nintendo that I think could be big for Universal that they really only have with Harry Potter is that is crosses generations. One of the best parts of Disney is people having memories of going as a kid and then getting to take their kids and sharing those experiences. With Nintendo you have people into it now but you have a lot of people in their 30s and 40s that remember playing Nintendo as a kid and can now share those experiences with your kids and all enjoy it ... much more than I think things like Fast and the Furious allow

And maybe you won't see kids in Mario Kart outfits - but I bet you see people in their 30s and 40s doing it!
 
I hear a lot of comparisons about what is a bigger draw, Star Wars or Nintendo. I am a huge super fan of SW. I honestly think more people are familiar with and like Nintendo than SW. I still think it's kind of odd, this newfound SW in the mainstream popularity. It boggles my mind that kids can wear SW shirts to school today. If I would have done that growing up I'd have been beat up in school.

Don't underestimate Nintendo.
 

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