Who else is excited for the Simpsons expansion

[disney david]

So who will be excited to go to more in universal and buy a duff bear or if hey sell it in bottles you could buy two and bring it to Epcot. And share your duff bear with Duffy the bear.

 

[OKW Lover]

Sorry - still not a Universal fan.

 

[disney david]

Sorry - still not a Universal fan.

I not one either and most likely will never go but thought it was cool the thing that worries me is their no to and making new sections and Disney not really doing as much as they should. If they made ads land in dhs or Star Wars not saying it be more popular or better then the harry potter stuff but it would be a way to beat universal because their only so much they can do. Unless they find a loop hole where they become owners of the high school and make the kids buy tickets to enter the school their not much more space to work with.

 

[Mike2023]

Truthfully I was kinda surprised by this announcement. Is Simpsons really still relevant?

 

[disney david]

Truthfully I was kinda surprised by this announcement. Is Simpsons really still relevant?

When your universal you don't need to be relevant for them to put things in their park.

 

[doconeill]

Truthfully I was kinda surprised by this announcement. Is Simpsons really still relevant?

Someone is still watching it...I stopped years ago.

It's a "meh" to me.

 

[Mike2023]

When your universal you don't need to be relevant for them to put things in their park.

Thats true I guess. It's just so old, its coming up on 30 years soon. Ugh, its making me feel old.

 

[fall08CP]

Does anybody else wish Bob was around for this? Remember when he brought in those Simpsons props a couple years ago? Too funny. He would've loved this.

 

[disney david]

Thats true I guess. It's just so old, its coming up on 30 years soon. Ugh, its making me feel old.

Don't worry a couple more years your be able to eat at bobs burgers at universal

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Seems like a huge waste of money to me. I was into the Simpsons in like, 1995.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Truthfully I was kinda surprised by this announcement. Is Simpsons really still relevant?

This is what I was thinking. I don't get the Simpsons at all....even in 1995, I watched maybe two episodes. I can't believe they are still making new episodes, let alone huge theme park attractions.

 

[ADP]

I'm a Universal fan, but I admit I'm not super excited about this area. I like it because I think the more variety the better, but what I really dislike about the Simpson's area are the carnival style games they have along the main pathway.....There's too much of that going on in the theme parks...Dinoland USA, Lost Continent at IOA now the Simpsons. They are so "amusement park" and not something I'd expect at a theme park. Otherwise, I'm ok with it.

 

[ADP]

Here are some photos from a recent Universal Orlando update blog. Expect a new update soon.
http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2013/02/07/universal-orlando-update-4-major-projects-another-big-rumor/

 

[lodgelady]

I am excited because every time Universal puts in something new- Disney follows suit.

 

[DCTooTall]

I not one either and most likely will never go but thought it was cool the thing that worries me is their no to and making new sections and Disney not really doing as much as they should. If they made ads land in dhs or Star Wars not saying it be more popular or better then the harry potter stuff but it would be a way to beat universal because their only so much they can do. Unless they find a loop hole where they become owners of the high school and make the kids buy tickets to enter the school their not much more space to work with.

I Think I remember hearing that Universal actually owned some more land on the other side of I-4..... some of which it sold off a couple years ago under the old ownership, but with the general state of the Orlanda Tourist market it may have been able to buy back.

Truthfully I was kinda surprised by this announcement. Is Simpsons really still relevant?

To some extent.... yup... I think so. I'll go more into that later.

That being said, This is much more of a "retheme and filling out" of the area than a traditional "expansion".

There was a LOT of empty space over in that area to begin with. The Majority of the storefronts are mostly just facades on the old "International Food and Film" building which was really out of place and didn't fit anymore after Back to the Future was rethemed.

The area between the existing Simpsons Ride and Kwik-E-Mart... and the Lagoon.... Was a lot of wasted empty space. Throwing a Beer Garden (Seriously... Duff Beer is pretty much easy money) and another cute spinner ride ala' Dumbo are quick and easy ways to "plus" the experience. It also doesn't hurt that Universal is arguably lacking in simple rides the whole family can enjoy, and a classic spinner is something that fills that need.

The end result is that Universal in the span of a couple months is turning an area that was disjointed and had LOT of wasted empty space [truly wasted. it wasn't like there was a lot of sitting areas or things to look at] into another very well themed and cohesive area. Considering the most flack Universal gets from most hardcore Disney fans (Beyond the "they only have thrill rides" story which isn't entirely true) is usually a crack on the lack of theming or "cheap feel" of some of the areas, This should be a perfect example for them on how things are fundamentally changing. Most people who've seen the WWoHP talk about how well it was themed, and write it off as a fluke that Universal could do something that good. This retheme I feel is another way of showing that it's not just a fluke and that when they want to, Universal can create an atmosphere and environment just as well as Disney can.

This is what I was thinking. I don't get the Simpsons at all....even in 1995, I watched maybe two episodes. I can't believe they are still making new episodes, let alone huge theme park attractions.

Simpsons is now the longest running Primetime Animated series in History, having eclipsed the old record set by the Flinstones several years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if some of it's current continued following and popularity comes from the fact that kids who grew up watching it have started to enter that phase of their lives where They have kids of their own and the disposable income to spend on theme park stuff.

Simpsons started airing in the late 80's/early 90's.... So it's from the same time period as Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, which Disney just built a major expansion around... in part due to that same 'it's a classic which our current guests were raised on and passing along to their kids' logic. Obviously the Simpsons isn't really targeted or click with the same demographic as a pair of classic Disney princess films.... but I'm not surprised there would be some overlap in the logic behind the investments.


(Also, FWIW, The primary Simpsons ride opened in 2008 as a retheme of the old Back to the Future attraction. This current work is built around the existing attraction and is basically a retheme of the area which was still themed around the exterior of the BttF attraction before it was changed for the Simpsons Attraction)

I am excited because every time Universal puts in something new- Disney follows suit.

Disney has some catching up to do then.


Since 2010, Universal opened the WWoHP Phase 1, Despicable Me, Transformers (next month), And completely upgraded the Spiderman Attraction with a new HD film and projectors.... plus this new Simpsons Attraction and themed area.

Since 2010, Disney finally opened the Storybook circus and New Fantasyland....minus the headliner Mine Train coaster. they also gave us new bathrooms, And some Starbucks in the park. (Universal already had Starbucks in the park, as well as Ben and Jerry's icecream). They also gave us the new Star Tours film and projector system.



I'm not sure I'd say at this point that Disney has given us something in response to everytime Universal has added something.

Upcoming.... Universal is opening WWoHP Phase 2 next year, and there are already major rumors swirling of a major project around the Jurrassic Park section of the IOA to start shortly after the Simpsons and Transformers work is completed.


Disney.... Still waiting on our headliner Snow White Dwarf Coaster as part of the existing expansion.... and then we have the Rumored Avatar project in AK that hasn't even broken ground yet. [and numerous rumors around MGM, which haven't even been officially announced or hinted at yet]

 

[disney david]

I Think I remember hearing that Universal actually owned some more land on the other side of I-4..... some of which it sold off a couple years ago under the old ownership, but with the general state of the Orlanda Tourist market it may have been able to buy back.

To some extent.... yup... I think so. I'll go more into that later.

That being said, This is much more of a "retheme and filling out" of the area than a traditional "expansion".

There was a LOT of empty space over in that area to begin with. The Majority of the storefronts are mostly just facades on the old "International Food and Film" building which was really out of place and didn't fit anymore after Back to the Future was rethemed.

The area between the existing Simpsons Ride and Kwik-E-Mart... and the Lagoon.... Was a lot of wasted empty space. Throwing a Beer Garden (Seriously... Duff Beer is pretty much easy money) and another cute spinner ride ala' Dumbo are quick and easy ways to "plus" the experience. It also doesn't hurt that Universal is arguably lacking in simple rides the whole family can enjoy, and a classic spinner is something that fills that need.

The end result is that Universal in the span of a couple months is turning an area that was disjointed and had LOT of wasted empty space [truly wasted. it wasn't like there was a lot of sitting areas or things to look at] into another very well themed and cohesive area. Considering the most flack Universal gets from most hardcore Disney fans (Beyond the "they only have thrill rides" story which isn't entirely true) is usually a crack on the lack of theming or "cheap feel" of some of the areas, This should be a perfect example for them on how things are fundamentally changing. Most people who've seen the WWoHP talk about how well it was themed, and write it off as a fluke that Universal could do something that good. This retheme I feel is another way of showing that it's not just a fluke and that when they want to, Universal can create an atmosphere and environment just as well as Disney can.

Simpsons is now the longest running Primetime Animated series in History, having eclipsed the old record set by the Flinstones several years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if some of it's current continued following and popularity comes from the fact that kids who grew up watching it have started to enter that phase of their lives where They have kids of their own and the disposable income to spend on theme park stuff.

Simpsons started airing in the late 80's/early 90's.... So it's from the same time period as Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, which Disney just built a major expansion around... in part due to that same 'it's a classic which our current guests were raised on and passing along to their kids' logic. Obviously the Simpsons isn't really targeted or click with the same demographic as a pair of classic Disney princess films.... but I'm not surprised there would be some overlap in the logic behind the investments.

(Also, FWIW, The primary Simpsons ride opened in 2008 as a retheme of the old Back to the Future attraction. This current work is built around the existing attraction and is basically a retheme of the area which was still themed around the exterior of the BttF attraction before it was changed for the Simpsons Attraction)

Disney has some catching up to do then.

Since 2010, Universal opened the WWoHP Phase 1, Despicable Me, Transformers (next month), And completely upgraded the Spiderman Attraction with a new HD film and projectors.... plus this new Simpsons Attraction and themed area.

Since 2010, Disney finally opened the Storybook circus and New Fantasyland....minus the headliner Mine Train coaster. they also gave us new bathrooms, And some Starbucks in the park. (Universal already had Starbucks in the park, as well as Ben and Jerry's icecream). They also gave us the new Star Tours film and projector system.

I'm not sure I'd say at this point that Disney has given us something in response to everytime Universal has added something.

Upcoming.... Universal is opening WWoHP Phase 2 next year, and there are already major rumors swirling of a major project around the Jurrassic Park section of the IOA to start shortly after the Simpsons and Transformers work is completed.

Disney.... Still waiting on our headliner Snow White Dwarf Coaster as part of the existing expansion.... and then we have the Rumored Avatar project in AK that hasn't even broken ground yet. [and numerous rumors around MGM, which haven't even been officially announced or hinted at yet]

Isn't that land being used to build their new value resort

 

[DCTooTall]

I'm a Universal fan, but I admit I'm not super excited about this area. I like it because I think the more variety the better, but what I really dislike about the Simpson's area are the carnival style games they have along the main pathway.....There's too much of that going on in the theme parks...Dinoland USA, Lost Continent at IOA now the Simpsons. They are so "amusement park" and not something I'd expect at a theme park. Otherwise, I'm ok with it.

Oh... Forgot this on in my Multiquote....


I'm willing in some ways to forgive the carnival style games currently around the Simpsons attraction. The reason being that there used to be a ton of Carnival style games around Amity that were removed when Amity closed. I see them more as a reposition of the existing games in the Simpsons area than I do an addition of new games.

The other thing is at least they fit around Amity and now Simpsons. Amity had that whole "sudden tourist trap" vibe going for it thanks to the shark stories and people trying to cash in on the sudden popularity.... It worked for the Jaws Ride (tours of where the shark was)... and it worked for the pop up carny games and food.

With Simpsons, The whole vibe you get with it's story is the el'Cheapo "Krustyland Amusement Park". Even the waiting areas before you board the ride throw the cheap carny booth vibe in your face. So seeing some actual carny style games just outside the attraction seems almost fitting. It's almost Meta in that way...




i'll totally agree with you around Dinoland USA and the Lost Continent though. Both seem a lot more like cheap money grabs shoehorned into place than the "fits with the story" vibe I got/get with their placement around Amity and Simpsons.

 

[Metro West]

Isn't that land being used to build their new value resort

No...there's another plot of land that he's talking about.

 

[DCTooTall]

Isn't that land being used to build their new value resort

No. The land being used for the new Value Resort is land that is literally next to the back of Islands of Adventure. It was used over the years as employee parking and staging areas. It's also on the Universal side of I-4.

I also can't quite picture or remember correctly, But that land could've even been part of (or close to and purchased around the same time) of the original footprint for Universal Studios Florida before they did the massive project that changed the area from a single park w/ studio and large flat parking lot (with trams) into the full on resort that added a 2nd park, Citywalk, the 2 parking garages, and 3 deluxe hotels.


The land I'm thinking of was on the other side of I-4, and possibly even the other side of I-Drive. I'm a bit fuzzy though on the exact location or landmarks around it though right now, but I remember someone over in the DIS's Universal board mentioning the plots a couple months ago in a discussion about future expansion possibilities for the resort.

 

[auroralark]

I don't watch anymore, but the show is a classic with a very popular and recognizable world. I grew up on the show, so I'm excited.