I know Universal Studios Hollywood is focusing on Harry Potter, and I'm very excited! I'm just wondering, does anyone know what will be their next focus? Will they add Daigon Alley, like in Orlando?
What are some future lands/attractions anyone has heard of? Will they focus more on expanding Harry Potter Land? Has anyone heard anything?
Tweet
USH has a vision plan that is supposed to be completed by 2030. While I don't remember the exact details, I believe a lot of the backlot is supposed to be cannibalized for theme park expansion and the construction of a full resort with a couple hotels. The Studio Tour will also be significantly altered, adding a couple additional staged events and relocating the boarding area to the lower lot.
As for the more immediate future, I have heard that a Harry Potter expansion is coming and will result in the closure of Waterworld, but I don't trust the 2018 rumor. From what I've heard, Universal is waiting to see how Fantastic Beasts does before deciding whether to copy Diagon Alley or to create something based on the new trilogy. The timeline I heard was that Waterworld would close after summer 2017 and construction would begin in early 2018 for a 2020 opening (possibly timed to coincide with the third Fantastic Beasts movie). In the meantime, I've heard that a new permanent haunt maze will premiere at Halloween Horror Nights 2016, a new show will replace the Special Effects Stage in 2017, and a Jurassic World attraction will be added to the Lower Lot for 2018 (which may also be cloned at IOA).
As usual, all of this is unconfirmed and I hear a lot less about USH than I do about the Disneyland Resort, but I'm inclined to believe the latest Screamscape rumors got a few facts mixed up. I will say that USH is likely to expand fairly aggressively in the coming years, though not at the rate USO is doing currently. The vision plan I saw outlines a transition from what is essentially a tourist attraction to a full-blown theme park resort, so I have a feeling a lot of change is coming.
Thank you AJ, keep us posted.
Looking at the satellite pics, USH does have room to recreate Diagon Alley on the Waterworld site, but it does not have enough space to include the Gringotts ride. USH could run Hogwarts Express between the two lands and have that be the new ride for Diagon Alley. The Money Exchange would occupy the Gringotts Great Hall, but no there's just no place to put the show building for the Escape from Gringotts ride.
Other than that, a new hotel is going on the site next to where the Frankenstein parking structure is now. Here is a post from 2012 the details the "Evolution" plan for USH.
They are also holding previews for a new special effects show this month.
I hate the escalator to the lower lot. It's a ridiculous journey from a ridiculous height. If they could remedy this with a transportation system to the bottom, it can resolve a huge problem. Adding a Hogwarts Express with the capacity of a real train to take them to the lower lot with Diagon Alley at the bottom will obviously solve two pressing problems. The second problem is finding the room for Gringotts. Diagon Alley should be presented as a set piece as part of the Studios Tour.
Alternatively, they should consider using the Studios Tour trams to take guests to the bottom or back to the top. Or go with complex elevator system.
How about an underground dueling dragons ride? or gringotts? An elevator takes you straight down
disneyversal brings up a good point - Universal can't dig in Florida, thanks to, well, Florida. But it could dig in California if it wanted to spend the money.
It didn't occur to me to look at the possibility of putting the Escape from Gringotts show building under the Waterworld site. Don't have any idea if that is financially and logistically practical, but I suppose it is at least physically possible out here to do something like that.
Why dig if they can build at the bottom of the hill for Gringotts and build a upper floor for Diagon Alley.
I like your idea Anon. Furthermore, adding Hogwart's Express to USH would be intriguing to me and mine as Universal would not be able to add the park to park up-charge ($45/person) they are currently using to steal money from gullible visitors in Orlando. Despite USH being a poor man's version of Universal Orlando, it could become a viable option for a future visit were HE included at no extra charge. Especially since Disney and Knotts are nearby to flesh out the adventure into a full fledged vacation.
Will USH ever have on-site hotels, like the ones in Orlando? I've stayed at the Hilton across the street, but one of their hotels like Florida does, and the perks. For example, if you stay at one of Universal hotels, you have unlimited access to the attractions, by just showing your room key.
Do you foresee USH ever doing that?
I think they said that they were going to build an onsite hotel by 2020
That would be a nice addition to the park.
Maybe, along with Diagon Alley, they could design a Star Trek E-ticket. I believe they have the rights to the newer films, so why not?
Star Trek would be good counter programming to Star Wars, but it needs something more ambitious than the Las Vegas version.
This discussion has been archived and is no longer accepting responses.
I read in another rumor site that there's another attraction coming in 2017 and Diagon Alley is fast tracked to appear at the Waterworld site at 2018 to beat Disneyland's Star Wars Land. Goodbye Waterworld so see it before it disappears.