Universal & Nintendo Teaming Up

[JacknSally]

Can't wait to hear Pete and the gang's thoughts on this!

What do you think? Will this partnership make some serious competition for Disney now? Think this will light a fire under Disney and make them really move on updating DHS or incorporation more Marvel or Star Wars into the parks?

I've never been to Universal and I love the Harry Potter books and would love to go to Harry Potter World, but it still hasn't been enough draw for me personally to take a day or two of my Disney trip to go over. Having Harry Potter and now Mario and Zelda rides, though, is a whole other story!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-universal-nintendo-20150507-post.html

Hey @Dustin maybe this should be one of the next Facebook polls!

 

[BugsDaddy]

I don't think the partnership in itself will make the competition much tighter. Nintendo is a distant 3rd when looking at the home console video game business behind Sony and Microsoft. Personally, I think that once Disney integrates Star Wars, Marvel and Avatar into their parks there will be no competition.

 

[kbelle8995]

It wil be interesting to see how this plays out. I think that Universal is wanting to be able to bring their own on the game. From Customer service to what they offer, Universal has really impressed me in the past year or so. If Disney can get any of the projects in the parks built that's half the battle. I just don't see Star Wars, Marvel or Avatar coming out anytime soon. Eventually yes. I think Star Wars and Marvel are the big guns both reach across Gender and age lines.

I also think that if Disney has to be competive it's good for all of us guests.

 

[jenrose66]

Can't wait to hear Pete and the gang's thoughts on this!

What do you think? Will this partnership make some serious competition for Disney now? Think this will light a fire under Disney and make them really move on updating DHS or incorporation more Marvel or Star Wars into the parks?

I've never been to Universal and I love the Harry Potter books and would love to go to Harry Potter World, but it still hasn't been enough draw for me personally to take a day or two of my Disney trip to go over. Having Harry Potter and now Mario and Zelda rides, though, is a whole other story!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-universal-nintendo-20150507-post.html

Hey @Dustin maybe this should be one of the next Facebook polls!

I hope it's Zelda!! That is my favorite video game franchise

 

[Princess Jes]

I don't think the partnership in itself will make the competition much tighter. Nintendo is a distant 3rd when looking at the home console video game business behind Sony and Microsoft. Personally, I think that once Disney integrates Star Wars, Marvel and Avatar into their parks there will be no competition.

The issue is, how long it takes disney to get these things to materialize. 2017 for avatar and that's already started, they've started nothing Star Wars or Marvel so what? 2018 at best? By then universal will have kong and God knows what else because they're capable of banging attractions out in a year and while lands in not a lot more.
I think a third universal gate is more likely to materialize before SW/Marvel in WDW.

 

[BugsDaddy]

The issue is, how long it takes disney to get these things to materialize. 2017 for avatar and that's already started, they've started nothing Star Wars or Marvel so what? 2018 at best? By then universal will have kong and God knows what else because they're capable of banging attractions out in a year and while lands in not a lot more.
I think a third universal gate is more likely to materialize before SW/Marvel in WDW.

I am not sure you are going to see a third gate for Universal any time soon. Disney is slow to put up attractions but their attendance continues to rise, at least according to their Q2 report. It is going to take a lot more than a King Kong and Super Mario roller coaster to cause any true heartache for Disney parks, IMO. Personally, if I was Universal, I would look to partner with companies that have a little more current popularity than Nintendo. Star Wars and Marvel (and Frozen) are going to continue to be huge properties.

 

[mcd2745]

I think it's a very clever partnership for Universal, and shouldn't be downplayed. Nintendo may be the 3rd wheel in teh gaming console world, but as far as games/characters franchises go, they can't be beat. They could do a Mario Kart version of a Radiator Springs Racers type of ride. Pokemon is still extremely popular..they will certainly integrate that franchise somehow. Same for Zelda. There are tons of potential for this. Very interesting indeed.

 

[JacknSally]

While Nintendo may not be as big a player as Marvel or Star Wars, Disney isn't doing anything with those franchises as of yet. And that's the key. I'm more interested in the actual plans from an actual partnership between Universal and Nintendo than yet another year of rumors of what Disney might do with Marvel or Star Wars. I hope that this partnership and expansion kicks Disney into gear, not because they're afraid of Nintendo specifically, but because Universal is adding more and more new areas and attractions and Disney is building parking garages.

 

[Princess Jes]

I am not sure you are going to see a third gate for Universal any time soon. Disney is slow to put up attractions but their attendance continues to rise, at least according to their Q2 report. It is going to take a lot more than a King Kong and Super Mario roller coaster to cause any true heartache for Disney parks, IMO. Personally, if I was Universal, I would look to partner with companies that have a little more current popularity than Nintendo. Star Wars and Marvel (and Frozen) are going to continue to be huge properties.

Of course they are, and I agree, my point was more that, sure, disney has those IPs, but it takes them forever to get stuff done. 3 years for new fantasyland, 18 months for a parking lot, 18months to 2 years for a frozen ride and meet and greet building. By the time the frozen stuff happens, the movie will be almost 3 years old (and yes I know they did the little mermaid like 20 years after it was released, but they were different times, the market saturation was far less back then)
All I was getting at is that while unlikely, it would be quicker for universal to build a whole park than for disney to get avatar, Star Wars, marvel and frozen into their parks. They started avatar like early last year and it won't be done till 2017. 3 years!
They need to worry more about turnaround on attractions because that's where universal has them beat.

 

[Princess Jes]

I do think that if/when Disney finally does capitalize on those aquired IPs, they'll need to add a new resort at the same time.

Perhaps a superheroes value? Big hero 6, marvel, Star Wars might fit in there?

 

[BugsDaddy]

Of course they are, and I agree, my point was more that, sure, disney has those IPs, but it takes them forever to get stuff done. 3 years for new fantasyland, 18 months for a parking lot, 18months to 2 years for a frozen ride and meet and greet building. By the time the frozen stuff happens, the movie will be almost 3 years old (and yes I know they did the little mermaid like 20 years after it was released, but they were different times, the market saturation was far less back then)
All I was getting at is that while unlikely, it would be quicker for universal to build a whole park than for disney to get avatar, Star Wars, marvel and frozen into their parks. They started avatar like early last year and it won't be done till 2017. 3 years!
They need to worry more about turnaround on attractions because that's where universal has them beat.

Well, there outlines a big difference between Disney and Universal. Universal Must continue to build new attractions every year in order to increase attendance whereas Disney just has to keep the status quo. I agree that it is ridiculous for Disney to take 3 years to build an attraction but if your revenues, profit and attendance are tied to your brand vs. that exciting new roller coaster, why would you build out new attractions every year? It doesn't make any business sense to do so. Different parks, different strategies. That is why they are not worried about turnaround on attractions. They have people stepping over each other to get into their resorts and parks right now.

 

[Princess Jes]

Well, there outlines a big difference between Disney and Universal. Universal Must continue to build new attractions every year in order to increase attendance whereas Disney just has to keep the status quo. I agree that it is ridiculous for Disney to take 3 years to build an attraction but if your revenues, profit and attendance are tied to your brand vs. that exciting new roller coaster, why would you build out new attractions every year? It doesn't make any business sense to do so. Different parks, different strategies. That is why they are not worried about turnaround on attractions. They have people stepping over each other to get into their resorts and parks right now.

True their attendance, revenue and profit are up, but based on what pete knows about the logistics of guest's trips, people are splitting their stays more now with universal.
I'm a business analyst and i love the details like, yeh your numbers are up, but what is your actual per guest spend in park like? They have MBs and while not a completely accurate way to track things, they can certainly look at bookings, how many people in that party and what was the total spend per night for the group then average that by person.
Those would be the interesting and probably more telling figures.

 

[Hunterr]

It never occurred to me how video game properties would fit so well in a theme park.
Nintendo really is the best company to have that done.
Sure, currently Microsoft and Sony lead the pack, but not for franchises specifically licensed to themselves.

Nintendo has a good amount of very well known characters they could do attractions for.
I can't even imagine what a Universal created Mario attraction would be like.

Imagine if they had a land as immersive as Diagon Alley, but like a real-life Mario game (or nintendo, rather.)

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Despite my not being a Universal fan, I am BEYOND excited about this announcement and am hoping that it will be a fully immersive experience with multiple attractions. I also think that it will appear to a large group of people from all ages and, based on the fact that it was trending for over a day on social media, I think that it is being well received already.

 

[Princess Jes]

Now let's see if they can get a whole nintendo land into orlando before avatar is done.
Shouldn't be hard...

 

[WDW Crawl]

Nintendo is the smartest property a theme park could pick up right now. If you weren't paying attention to Universal before... You should be now.

 

[tjevans]

I don't think the partnership in itself will make the competition much tighter. Nintendo is a distant 3rd when looking at the home console video game business behind Sony and Microsoft. Personally, I think that once Disney integrates Star Wars, Marvel and Avatar into their parks there will be no competition.

Yes, Nintendo is a distant third, but we're not talking about popularity of game consoles here, we're talking about popularity of characters.

Nintendo has many characters who are universally (no pun intended) known: Mario, Luigi, Kirby, Starfox, and many others. Almost anyone who has ever played a video game (and that's just about anyone) knows those characters, and they have mass appeal.