Universal: Horror Unleashed

To be clear, using the Monsters IP in a haunted attraction is NOT a risk, and actually already has a proof of concept when USH used to run a year-round Monsters maze at USH (before they converted it to Walking Dead and then removed it for Secret Life of Pets).

I think the risk of the project is the sometimes fickle (and ever changing) Vegas market where this is going. Now, I personally think this will do well in Sin City, but I could also see it failing miserably because there have been plenty of entertainment ventures that I thought would be immediate successes that never made it past their first year. Vegas is weird like that, and because of that I think that's going to be Universal's biggest challenge. They've got to find a sweet spot and find a broad target audience interested in year-round horror. As I've said on the press release thread on the front page, Merlin's Dungeons give Universal a good template to work from.

@ Russell - Is this more of a risk than the two terror experiences that opened (at nearly the same time) in Orlando? Terror on Church Street and Skull Kingdom were moderately successful before running out of steam. I could see the same in LV. I don't know that Universal will have a long term home run, but there may be some moderate success over a period of a few years. I just don't know how many people want to go to Vegas for this type of experience (and I am not sure the location helps). LV is predicated on food, shopping, bottle service and gambling. I am not sure where a haunted house fits into the typical LV visitor's itinerary in the middle of January or August.

I recall the huge Star Trek exhibit in Vegas, and it was later relegated to a back room in the Mall of America, so this Universal venture does seem risky. I hope it does well, but year round scare actors costs some money. Honestly, I really don’t care for Vegas at all, but that would make me not mind to go back.

Weirdly, the room is still there, it's just blocked off by some slots, but the trim around the entrance to Quark's bar (which doesn't fit with the décor)can still be seen.

This honestly seems like the coolest thing ever. I love Vegas and the nightlife and the shows, but this is something I'll definitely prioritize next time I visit.

That being said, the off-strip location is a major downside. The success of this seems very tied to Area 15 being a place worth spending a few hours at, and based on their current selection of offerings I'm not sure that it's there yet.

Suppose this was a big collab with a Caesars or MGM hotel on the strip. In that case, I feel like in-the-moment word-of-mouth would be able to spread a lot quicker. It could easily become a flashy Vegas experience that drunk tourists flock to when trying to find other stuff to do (in the same vein as the High Roller, Cirque du Soleil shows, the Big Apple Coaster, or the Sphere).

Like others have mentioned though, almost all of the heavily themed, IP-based experiences that have come to Vegas have eventually fizzled out of favor with the public. This is likely the case here as well, and its less-than-ideal location will probably only accelerate this process.

@HappyHaunt - Star Trek did not have a "huge exhibit" in Las Vegas, it was a complete experience (called Star Trek: The Experience actually) that had 2 rides and a bar straight off the set that was occupied by "regular" cosplayers at the Las Vegas Hilton. I have often made comparisons between Galaxy's Edge and the now defunct Galactic Starcruiser and Star Trek: The Experience. The Vegas attraction was at one point under Paramount Parks, which were sold and consolidated into Cedar Fair. Star Trek: The Experience was decades ahead of its time, and featured a number of effects and details that have been mainstays of the theme park industry. The most iconic moment was when guests were brought to the bridge of the Enterprise D and then "transported" to the shuttle bay to board an escape ship (a motion simulator attraction). The effect used for the transporter effect is the same used as the finale to the preshow of GotG:CR. The second attraction (Borg Encounter) was a theater-based attraction with live actors in the queue similar to how Disney manages the star destroyer queue on RotR.

Quark's Bar is everything Oga's wishes it was and featured paid actors as well as cosplaying guests with film-quality makeup in an establishment that needed to be experienced to understand its immersiveness.

Yes, thanks Russell. My point (or rather concern) is that as good as the Star Trek experience was, it is now gone. I really, really want this Universal thing to succeed. Also the mini-park in Frisco, Texas. Vegas brings a specific type of tourist, not necessarily people that are into these attractions. However, I went to Vegas for the sole purpose of riding the roller coasters and seeing Hoover Dam, so there is that. The funny thing is that I dislike casinos, because I don’t like to be swindled, yet this will likely be significantly cheaper than going to Orlando…

Things can get a little rough and rowdy in Vegas. I do fear for the scare actors being harassed by those highly intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. This works in a theme park setting because of the demographic it attracts. The "family fun" of Vegas failed because, over time, people just didn't see sin city as a family destination. Hopefully, security will be of the utmost importance when this opens.

While its been mentioned that many "attractions" that come to Vegas & fizzle out...I think this is essentially a part of the nature of the city. It is a tourist destination so there will always be "reinvention".

Even casinos aren't immune to this (Mirage closing). But the city has also welcomed everything from major sports franchises to a giant sphere. Things that probably seemed impossible at some point.

Universal, as a theme park park, was (is) an IP based company. We've seen the parks change IP's & attractions, so while on the surface, while this may seem risky....if it doesn't work, I think there's always the possibility of finding something that does. (Area 15 needs something concrete)

I've lived in Vegas for years and the city will always change...Universal knows the market they are entering, so I suspect they might have some plan B, C or D up their sleeve.