King Kong ... Yeti ... Which will be resurrected first?

Kong would probably be a near-certainty to get repaired first. It's in a far easier location to service than the Yeti is and I suspect there is more pressure to get that ride up and running. I don't think Everest will go under the knife until Tropical Americas has opened.

All right TH, I'll take your bait.

I'm right there with you in regards to the similarities of these AAs in that they are both iconic, huge, and are pure fan service. However, I do think there's something to be said for Kong being more critical to Skull Island than the Yeti is to EE, especially since Universal fans know the AA is from the original Kongfrontation attraction. But reality is that Skull Island can probably operate with a more static Kong just as the Yeti is frozen in time.

The difference though is that I think there is more opportunity for Universal to repair Kong, because the AA is more accessible and the reported problems are more cosmetic where as the Yeti has to be completely reengineered so its motion doesn't tear itself apart. To repair Kong, Universal can likely get the needed work done during a normal rehab, but to repair the Yeti, Disney has to likely rip open the mountain (and remove track/supports) and replace the AA's support structure, which really can't happen until DAK has opened Tropical Americas that could provide attraction capacity while EE is down for at least 6 months or more. I think that simple fact that DAK can't afford to lose EE for any length of time until Tropical Americas opens, likely in early 2028 at this point, it's almost certain Universal will get Kong fixed sooner.

King Kong before Yeti...

I saw a small article on this -

Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure is closed indefinitely because the massive King Kong animatronic suffered damage during routine maintenance.

How and what the Hell happened - How does the Giant machine get damaged during 'routine' maintenance?

Did a Former U.S. Olympic canoeist somehow do this? HAHAHAHAHAHAA

"Bait"? I was trying (and to no one's surprise) apparently failing to be funny.

For God's sake Russell, lighten up every once in awhile.

By the way, Everest is still operating. Kong is shut down -- disappointing literally dozens of theme park fans. Well ... maybe not dozens "plural".

Are you really trying to be funny, or just bash Universal?

Me: "Disney's (Not-Really-About) Animal(s) Kingdom" ... "everyone's (kinda, sorta third or fourth ... or twelfth) favorite crypto-tronic" ... "Captain Earring get down to it and flip the 'off' switch connected to the Earth's saddest strobe light" ... Not to mention my commenting on the most humiliating example of theme park bad show, "peeled paint" neglect: The Yeti.

Sure seems like I was slapping around both corporations, doesn't it?

Round 145 - keep the banter going THC/RM. It brightens up my day.

When Robert organises a TPI social night in Orlando I will buy you both a drink.

i thought captain earring was a lobe blow, personally

Speaking of Joe Rohde, I just received my copy of his new book 'Floating Mountains-- The Art of Imagining the Impossible'. I plan to read it after I finish my re-read of Franz Johansson's 'The Medici Effect'.

I've actually met Mr. Rohde twice. The first time was standing on the construction site for Harambe Marketplace at 'Disney's Animal Kingdom'. I later related that encounter to a friend.

Me: "I just met Joe Rohde."

Friend: "Really?"

Me: "Yeah. I recognized him immediately ... Well, part of him, anyway."

And then the second time I met him (back in 2017) was in the wee-small hours of the morning in the lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Ironically, I was there to meet up with Robert Niles. When Mr. Rohde walked by I asked Robert, "Is that Joe Rohde?" Neither one of us could be sure. I left a few minutes later. As I was walking out Robert sent me a text confirming it was Joe -- so I doubled back to say hello. Like the first encounter, Mr. Rohde was very kind.

And while I'm name dropping like an oak tree shedding leaves in the Spring, I just remembered that I picked up my copy of 'The Medici Effect' when it was recommended to me by former Magic Kingdom Vice President Dan Cockerell.

"THUNK!"

@jacob:
Lobe blow?
You, sir, have just won the internet for the day. With a nod to TH, I’m standing and applauding…

FWIW: I just noticed who is the guest on the latest TPI podcast ... Total coincidence.

I feel, TH, as if you're trying to prove something with this Kong Animatronic failure. . .no, it's not indicative of a "parade of contusions", the same way that the Yeti animatronic breaking down wasn't indicative of anything substantial at AK.

Lobe Blow. . . now that's clever. . .

@VC: Really? Comcast financial reports: sluggish. Fast & Furious Supercharged: Shuttered/No Replacement in sight. Animal Actors: Shuttered/No Replacement in sight. Fear Factor theatre: Abandoned. Simpsons (Licensing Rights): Life support (allegedly). Lost Continent: Poke-whatever/whenever. Toon Lagoon Theater: Racoon colony.

I mean, come on!

What's left at USF? MIBAA (opened in 2000), Mummy (2005) Transformers (2013) and Diagon (2014).

Throw big broken monkey puppet into that conga line and yeah, it's absolutely a "parade of contusions".

Fortunately the young woman who begins every other sentence with the words "Insiders say" on her YT vlog, gins up our excitement about an attraction at Epic that will apparently feature a fist fight between the Creature of the Black Lagoon and the Bride of Frankenstein. You can bank on an opening in ... well ... (crickets)

Are you seriously mad they closed Supercharged early? Was it really a big loss for the park? Same goes for Lost Continent, too, in my opinion. . .if it's not doing anything for anyone then you might as well shut it down. And none of these have anything in common with the Kongimatronic breakdown other than, y'know, being vaguely "bad".

And Alicia Stella over at Theme Park Stop (assuming that's who you're talking about) is doing the Lord's Work on her YT vlog, and I actually tend to agree that DU is going to get another attraction, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's black lagoon themed, anyway. But it seems like Universal's tendency to not announce things until late annoys you, because you keep talking about "no replacement in sight" for rides like Supercharged. Personally, I prefer late announcements to broken promises (cough, Disney, cough).

VC: "Are you seriously mad they closed Supercharged early"?

Me: I'm not "mad" about anything.

VC: "But it seems like Universal's tendency to not announce things until late annoys you ..."

Me: I never said "Universal's tendency to not announce things until late annoys" me. What I am saying is that there is a significant amount of dead space at Universal Studios Florida and NBC/U doesn't seem to be doing anything about it.

VC: "...you keep talking about 'no replacement in sight'..."

Me: Because it's factually correct.

I recently heard a story that I am making up right here right now that:

Frank Kincaid spectacular show will return...

Disaster TWO - featuring Fights based on Theme Park Insider.....

Good lord, TH, if you want to argue semantics then join a forum dedicated to English or something. Of course you're not "mad" about anything, TH, but it was a rhetorical question that you have no response for. Of course you never said that Universal's tendencies annoy you, but I just said it seems that way based on how you criticize them. And of course there's no replacement in sight for Supercharged for joe schmoes like you and me, but I'm sure Universal at least has plans for something in the future, and they usually announce things closer to their opening date than Disney does anyway.

THC/VCF - keep the banter going. This site needs you!

I was out with my cousin and her husband over the weekend and they are flying over next week for three weeks and only doing Universal. I did point out that Studios is now half a day with little/no evidence of picking up for the foreseeable future so I have to agree with THC on his points although IOA is still fantastic with or without the monkey.

@VC: It has nothing to do with "semantics" (which is [Wiki] "the study of linguistic meaning"). You asked a question. I answered it. Whether or not it can be regarded as rhetorical depends on the interpretation of the party the question is directed to.

Sigh.

My point is Universal Orlando (and its "half a day" [ProPlum] park Universal Studios Orlando) finds itself in a very challenging situation. If youu believe the internet chatter are shouldering the cost for a new attraction at Epic Universe. They are carrying a billion dollar investment for a new park in the United Kingdom. They are carrying poorly reviewed park in Texas. There are reports that, at times, their haunted house in Vegas has limited its operations. And their most recent financial reports include the phrase headwinds.

At IOA Kong is broken, Lost Continent is gone and according to Robert (TPI Podcast) its replacement has been scaled back and the monkey is busted and closed indefinitely.

Meanwhile, at Universal Studios Florida specifically, they have to spend money on a replacement for 'Fast & Furious: Supercharged'. Their current marquee attractions are aging (see above), a second park theater (Animal Actors) will be empty beginning in November, and, sooner or later, the Simpsons are going to exit. Of course the new Fast & Furious coaster will open in 2027. But do we really believe that a single coaster is going to make up for a lingering deficit?

I have no doubt the NBC/U is actively working on new attractions to fill these gaps. But if they're going to be substantial, these additions won't start welcoming guests until 2028/2029.

Meanwhile, a few miles down the road ...

"But do we really believe that a single coaster is going to make up for a lingering deficit?"

Quite famously, EE saved DAK. And while it's not 1:1, I wouldn't be surprised if this was USO's EE.

Seriously folks, other than Diagon Alley, why would anybody part with $150 / £112 to visit Universal Studios as a one-off, stand-alone day ticket? It needs at least 3 new major attractions and a couple of lesser ones to compete with the rest of the Orlando competition. Even Disney Studios is streets ahead of it these days. I cannot believe how Universal has allowed it to become so devoid of thrills, excitement and entertainment. Let's hope their creative team and the bean counters are planning something special to reinvigorate it. My half-day assessment includes an hour for lunch, two drinks breaks, two toilet breaks and a 90 minute queue for Gringotts.

@VC: First of all claiming that the addition of 'Expedition Everest' "saved" Disney's Animal Kingdom is a ludicrous assertion. Second, 'Expedition Everest' was a new attraction (not an east coast edition). And 'Fast & Furious' comes after closing/sacrificing another attraction.

TH - I see where you're going, but F&F in Orlando is a unique attraction. Yes, it will utilize the same IP and similar trains to USH's newest coaster, but the ride itself will be completely different. We also don't know if the framing of the ride is going to be the same, or if there will be a different approach similar to the way that the versions of Revenge of the Mummy at the two parks are very different not only in their track layout, but the overall experience. F&F may not be a completely unique concept like EE was at DAK, but I do see the similarities Velocicoaster has identified coming to a park that needs a jolt of adrenaline to justify spending time in that park.

@ProfPlum - While I agree somewhat with your assessment, I don't think USF has sunk to the half day park level unless you're an AP. In addition to Diagon Alley, which can easily fill 2-3 hours of time, you've got MIB, which for me is my top ride in the park and one of the most re-rideable attractions in Orlando, Transformers, which isn't quite as good as Spiderman but is pretty darn good particularly if you appreciate the tech behind it, Revenge of the Mummy, The Simpsons Ride, and Bourne Stuntacular. Unless the park is completely dead, it's going to take you at least 6 hours to get to all those attractions, and by that point, you might as well ride Jimmy Fallon, Despicable Me, and Villain-Con which will fill most of the rest of a normal operating day. USF is definitely lacking in new, thrilling attractions compared to IOA and Epic, but I want to believe that UC recognizes this and has plans to address the issues before the end of the decade beyond the addition of F&F.

Regarding the state of development at Universal Orlando, referencing Jacob Sundstrom (TPI Podcast 07/25/26 - Beginning 9:40): "Part of the reason that, part of the problem is still COVID, they had planned to open this park (Epic Universe) in, I think 2021, 2022. Anyway, COVID delayed construction here, and by the time they were going to restart again everything cost a lot more money. And so the plan, as I understand it was, hey, we're building this theme park but we're also going to have additions at the two existing parks to prevent cannibalizations of the attendance at those parks. And my understanding is basically they didn't have money to do all of that anymore. All of the money went to Epic Universe, and even that suffered some cuts, right? And so now, they really have to build more stuff at Epic. At the same time they don't really have new stuff coming soon other than the roller coaster which is a one-for-one replacement at the studio park or Islands of Adventure ... So they are dealing with a kind of challenging hand in a way that -- you wouldn't hope after you've spent so much money spent to build, Epic Universe."

So while money is tight ("headwinds", "sluggish attendance") NBC/U is looking to finish a new coaster at USF; build a Creature from the Black Lagoon attraction at Epic; build a new Potter attraction at Epic; build a replacement for F&FSC at USF (which they almost have to do); and build a replacement for Lost Continent at IOA.

Plus they have to fix the monkey and come up with a replacement attraction for The Simpsons.

That's an investment measured in hundreds of millions of dollars.

And then there's the question about when all of this work will be complete? When will these attractions be up and operating? If Disney's multiple attractions/lands are complete by mid-2030 ... NBC/U is gonna be stuck in second for the next eight to ten years.

"NBC/U is gonna be stuck in second for the next eight to ten years."

Is that such a bad position to be in, especially in a market that still has potential for additional growth? We could probably go back and forth for days debating whether the gap between first and second is growing or shrinking, but the fact of the matter is that both companies are extremely successful, and are driving each other to constantly improve and challenge each other.

And yes, we've discussed COVID's effect on both Disney and Universal, and each company approached those challenges slightly differently, but also under very different circumstances. I'm sure there will be case studies looking at the various approaches and results, but in this moment, Universal is ultimately stuck with the hand they've dealt themselves, and will obviously need to invest heavily to make up for what was lost during the 2-3 years where everything was pushed into Epic.

Russell: "Universal is ultimately stuck with the hand they've dealt themselves, and will obviously need to invest heavily to make up for what was lost during the 2-3 years where everything was pushed into Epic."

Me: Please define "invest heavily". I estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in the Central Florida market. How about you?

I could definitely see the total post-Epic investment (including F&F) eclipsing half a billion dollars before 2030, which as you will likely point out is probably a fraction of what Disney has already committed to invest across WDW over the next 8-10 years.

@Russell: I'm trying to understand what you are contending. Are you saying that NBC/U needs to invest substantially more than $500 million over the next three years? (2027,2028,2029 -- "eclipsing half a billion dollars before 2030") in order to maintain its market share?

I do. Back of the napkin math would suggest that they're probably spending $150-200 million on the additions to Epic (Potter and Dark Universe), probably close to $100 million on F&F, and another $150-200 on Lost Continent (Pokemon), which is already pretty close to half a billion without considering the Supercharged replacement and Springfield/Animal Actors replacement. Perhaps the rumors of scaling back of Lost Continent is to free up capital to deal with Springfield and Supercharged, or maybe something else, but it certainly seems like if all these projects come to fruition before the end of the decade, Universal will be in for over $500M.

And yes, I do think they need to make those investments to maintain their market share given what Disney has coming on deck and the prospect of WDW getting another even more investment through the first half of the next decade.

So, according to Russell, in terms of new theme park expansions (lands and attractions), if NBC/U doesn't contract a lot more than half-a-billion dollars in the new development, over the next three years (2027, 2028, 2029), Disney is gonna eat their lunch.

Oh, TCH, you are a one! The issue with Universal is squarely the Studios park, both IOA and EPIC will continue unabated to attract custom because they offer their demographic of guest just what they want but, right now, Studios has become so much the poorer, old brother that this is where the investment is required and quickly. I think $500m is actually conservative if you have 2-3 top drawer attractions, a couple of additional lesser attractions and a new show. The real issue for me facing Universal is that the investment in EPIC and it's resorts is to capture the guest for their full itinerary when visiting Orlando but Studios is so devoid of thrills and entertainment that visitors may choose to mix and match this is why Universal need to act quickly but even if they greenlit things this year you are looking at the end of '29 at the earliest before they will be completed so this is becoming a significant lost opportunity for Universal in their "fight" with Disney, however, this is not unique to Universal as MGM-Studios was similar for WDW. Must be something to do with "Studios" in the name.

@ProfPlum: I'm not sure I get your point. It appears to me that Russell and I are in agreement: If NBC/U doesn't contract a lot more than half-a-billion dollars in the new development at Universal Orlando over the next three years (2027, 2028, 2029), Disney is gonna eat their lunch.

So do yo agree with that assertion?

I wouldn't say "eat their lunch", but if Universal doesn't invest some major money between now and 2030 (and more beyond), Disney is going to undermine all the effort Universal made by creating Epic and framing UO as a full week experience.

That's what I find interesting right now, because of all the projects in progress, you have 2 at Epic. One of those is to address a moderate criticism of the park (little to do in Ministry of Magic), while the second is to build off the most well received area of the new park. The Lost Continent replacement (Pokemon) will be replacing a long-abandoned section of IOA, but in terms of investment, feels a lot like Universal piling all of their chips into one corner of the park while the rest of the park is left to its own devices. Then you have F&F, which is replacing a coaster that was moderately popular while other sections of the park that have needed attention are aging rapidly. This is where TH and I agree, but where I think we differ is in my belief that Universal understands the situation, just as Universal understood the situation with Epic cannibalizing the legacy parks. While we can criticize Dreamworks Land and Villain Con for being substandard, I strongly believe UC had grander plans for these recent improvements to help combat Epic cannibalization, but budget cuts and other considerations forced Universal to play "small ball" resulting in new attractions/lands that didn't really move the needle in the face of a brand new theme park. I think UC has learned from this, and understand the assignment to improve USF not only with F&F but other additions on the horizon for the Supercharged and Springfield areas. Universal knows that the bar has been raised, and they can no longer cut corners as they've done with additions that were made around the WWoHP installations like Jimmy Fallon and Supercharged.

THC, I absolutely agree that it will likely take in excess of $500m to get Studios on a par with the majority of the other competitor parks in the region but don't agree that Disney will "eat their lunch" just by having one sub-par park but RM and myself are aligned that allowing Studios to deteriorate totally undermines both the investment and strategy of Universal with EPIC and its growing resort options making their full offering a one-stop for guests without venturing into WDW territory.

@Russell: Sure NBC/U knows what they have to do and the cost of the necessary investments. And you are the guy that estimated the price tag and established the deadline (2027, 2028, 2029).

So yeah I will grant your assertion that Universal knows what it has to do and what it will cost. But if we accept your cost estimate and your deadlines the question becomes, will they follow through?

Because if they don't -- and they build (your word) "substandard" attractions -- Disney is gonna eat their lunch.

That's certainly possible TH assuming Disney's upcoming projects meet or exceed expectations.

Surely the quick win will be to add another Potter attraction next to Diagon Alley where Fear Factor Live was....??

I’m going to have to disagree with the assertion that Universal will ever have their lunch eaten. That would seem to suggest that they are in a position where they could face potential collapse. Even if Universal doesn’t reach Disney-level numbers and obviously never will in our lifetimes, they are still head and shoulders above everyone else. Most chains would commit murder to get the attendance and revenue they do.

"Surely the quick win will be to add another Potter attraction next to Diagon Alley where Fear Factor Live was....??"

Ministry of Magic was long rumored to be the replacement for Fear Factor, but obviously, they used those designs/concepts for Epic. The fact that they're expanding Epic's WWoHP land would suggest that there's nothing on the immediate horizon for the space adjacent to Diagon Alley (Fear Factor is at least still being used for HHN).

This goes back to my main criticism of UO, which is the wasted space taken up by un/under-utilized amphitheaters. With the closure of Animal Actors, there are now 2 (3 if you include the Hollywood Bowl stage) in USF and before the Lost Continent construction, there were another 2 unused amphitheaters in IOA. Universal is finally doing something with the former Sinbad theater, and obviously Fear Factor and the Hollywood Bowl theater get used seasonally, but Animal Actors is another chunk of SBNO space while the argument for Epic was that USF and IOA were landlocked with limited opportunities for expansion.

It's disappointing that Universal seems unwilling to come up with theatrical productions to occupy these empty spaces.

@Russell: I know a fairshare of WDW managers who work in entertainment. They tell me the productions are labor-intensive (cost) and generally have a short term impact on attendance. People only see the show once, maybe twice.

It's ironic, back in 1999, while I was working on a project at USF, I would eat lunch while I watched the Wild, Wild, Wild West Stunt Show. I saw it dozens of times.

I don't doubt that theatrical productions can be labor intensive, but how do those costs compare with a D/E ticket ride (along with O&M for that attraction)? Yes, "talent" can be expensive, but when you're looking at close to $100 million for a major attraction (one that would move the attendance needle), it seems inconceivable to think that operating a show in an existing amphitheater would come close to a quarter of that attraction's cost over a 5+ year run. I agree that shows don't draw people to parks by themselves, but they help fill days and spread crowds to improve the overall experience for all guests and extend stays that ultimately leads to increased per cap spending. I also agree that guests typically aren't watching shows more than a couple of times in their lifetime (with a few rare exceptions), but with Universal positioning themselves more as a week-long vacation destination, they're seeing an increasing number of occasional and first time/unique visitors (getting closer to WDW's guest profile) that are only visiting 2-3 times in their lifetime that are likely to want to see a show on every visit.

You've been advocating and praising "small ball" for WDW, which I would argue a modestly budgeted theatrical production in a existing amphitheater would qualify as, so are you now claiming that such productions are not "small ball"? Also, if Universal felt that large theatrical productions were expensive and not valuable to the theme park experience, why did they include two (2) of them in their shiny new theme park? Even if they felt they were just "filler" for Epic, then why would a similar strategy not be seen as important for their legacy parks that could similarly need some additional, cost effective attractions to fill a day.

@Russell: I am only reporting what I am told. My wife worked in park entertainment for more than two decades. We have several friends who work in shows as performers and show managers.

This is more of a genuine question than fuel for the argument, but do we know Animal Actors is going to become SBNO for more than half a year? I know they won't be tearing it down for anything crazy, but could they just be replacing it with a different show?

@VC: Speaking only for myself, I've heard nothing about a new show. I think they should consider resurrecting 'Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue'. But (as I indicated above), we know a lot of people in theme park entertainment who report shows are costly to produce (especially when it involves daily make-up, wigs and prosthetics) and they have a limited impact on admissions.

TH - It would be great if there was at least some benchmarks to be able to provide some comparison so guests understand that live entertainment isn't "cheap", because I think the general perception is that most shows, parades, and live entertainment are far less expensive to produce than a cutting edge ride, which parks are often more than willing to provide at least loose financial figures to detail the level of their physical investment in their property. While I recognize that large stage shows and theatrical productions are not as inexpensive as many realize (especially the ones with large casts and elaborate costumes, of which productions likely have dozens of duplicates for), it's hard to believe that they would cost more than a fraction of a major attraction that can often cost up to or more than $100 million. When you look at Broadway productions, some of the most expensive theatrical shows to produce on the planet, those shows typically cost up to $25 million based on publicly available financial statements, and that includes development, renting an expensive Manhattan theater, marketing, and pricey New York union wages. I wouldn't be surprised if a theme park show approached that cost if it contained elaborate effects and costuming, but I don't think even a show on the scale of Untamable Dragon, Indy Stunt Show, or Festival of the Lion King would exceed that $25 million price tag if it were developed for an Orlando theme park. Also, if the theater is already there, and just needs some redressing or minor modifications to the stage and backstage areas to accommodate the production, that's a pretty big initial cost that's saved by staging a show in existing amphitheater. I just think in terms of scale, a theatrical production is probably on par with a C ticket level attraction in terms of cost, though I do agree that the labor cost to run a show will eventually outpace what it takes to operate and maintain a C ticket attraction after about 3-5 years, at which point managers need to make a decision whether it's worth continuing the run or creating a new show, which is typical for most live productions anyway.

@Velocicoasterfan - While I think it's possible for something to temporarily occupy the Animal Actors theater, you have to consider, when has Universal ever replaced a show at UO - TH provides the only exception I'm aware of which was Fear Factor replacing Wild West (I guess you could also count Bourne replacing T2, but that was an interior space). You also have to consider the rumor that the Animal Actos theater will be park of the renovation that will commence when Universal's license for The Simpson expires (assuming that license is not renewed and actually does expire in the next 2-3 years). It's altogether possible Universal could stage an America's Got Talent or The Voice-style show in the theater temporarily until they're ready to move forward with the revamp of Springfield, but I could just as easily see them leaving the amphitheater dark, just as they did with Sinbad, which sat empty for 8 years, until they're ready to move forward with a new land. I would ultimately be disappointed if they did leave yet another theater space dark for a year or more, but I can definitely understand the rationale behind it assuming the space the theater occupies is part of the Springfield replacement.

Kong is open! Annnnnnnnnd the Yeti is still dancing.

Saturday Night Yeti (aka Yeti Manero) will never dance again.

That could be a new flash mob dance at Disney, however. You just sit still and have a strobe light handy. Alternate name could be "B-Mode". Anyone can do it, requires zero effort, just like the Yeti "fix".

"@VC: It has nothing to do with "semantics" (which is [Wiki] "the study of linguistic meaning"). You asked a question. I answered it. Whether or not it can be regarded as rhetorical depends on the interpretation of the party the question is directed to.

Sigh.

My point is Universal Orlando (and its "half a day" [ProPlum] park Universal Studios Orlando) finds itself in a very challenging situation. If youu believe the internet chatter are shouldering the cost for a new attraction at Epic Universe. They are carrying a billion dollar investment for a new park in the United Kingdom. They are carrying poorly reviewed park in Texas. There are reports that, at times, their haunted house in Vegas has limited its operations. And their most recent financial reports include the phrase headwinds.

At IOA Kong is broken, Lost Continent is gone and according to Robert (TPI Podcast) its replacement has been scaled back and the monkey is busted and closed indefinitely.

Meanwhile, at Universal Studios Florida specifically, they have to spend money on a replacement for 'Fast & Furious: Supercharged'. Their current marquee attractions are aging (see above), a second park theater (Animal Actors) will be empty beginning in November, and, sooner or later, the Simpsons are going to exit. Of course the new Fast & Furious coaster will open in 2027. But do we really believe that a single coaster is going to make up for a lingering deficit?

I have no doubt the NBC/U is actively working on new attractions to fill these gaps. But if they're going to be substantial, these additions won't start welcoming guests until 2028/2029.

Meanwhile, a few miles down the road ..."

I respond - Calm down, kiddo.

NEXT!