Back to the Studios
Universal Studios Hollywood: Jason Lester goes on another trip to Universal Studios Hollywood and comes out with the same opinion as last time: MORE RIDES!
Well, after a trip report and thread discussing the bad points of Universal Studios Hollywood, I went back to see if the new Fear Factor show helped. It didn't.
I went to USH with my bro and nanny Cortney and we got Front of the Line Passes, which are a must. As $99, they're pricey, but worth every penny. When Mummy had a 1 and a half hour line, we rode 4 times in twenty minutes with the pass. It also gets you priority seating at shows.
Following the previous formats, here we go again.
Terminator 2: 3D - What was innovative when it debuted is now commonplace. That doesn't mean it doesn't kick ass because it does. T2 tops all other 3D/4D shows with it's mix of live actors and special effects. And it's got it a nice ending. While it may not be as exciting as it was the first time around, I'd gladly be terminated on this any day. 7/10
Jurassic Park - Yeah, it's got a cool drop. But it doesn't have much else. With a renovation those old looking dinos could be sparkling. And maybe a few more chances to get wet. I came off completely dry. Come on Universal, return JP to it's former glory. 5/10
Revenge of the Mummy - USH's best ride. My only complaint here is it's very short. Very. The coaster part is fun though and the dark ride is cool to. Not as cool, but still interesting. After a nice little rehab a few months back, this ride was put into tip top shape. The dropping mummies work now. It was fun enough to get us on 4 times. 8/10
Special Effects Stages - My whole family's in the film industry so I knew everything they told us. Made for quite a boring show. No, not quite a boring one. A very boring one. 3/10
Fear Factor Live - Well, we went in and sat down. The show started. And a woman in the back got hurt of fainted or something. Cue paramedics. The show was closed and we had to leave. More later.
Back to the Future - This is an okay ride. It's not as fun as it used to be and now is just something of a nostalgia trip. 4/10
After stopping for a lunch of Dodger Dogs (Yum) we hit the
Studio Tour - Interesting, but I've been giving VIP tours of the lot and actually walked around it. I've also hung out on a few sets back there, so the tour is just a break for me. I did enjoy the impressive WOTW set though. It's a classic tour and a staple of USH so I give it a solid 6/10.
Shrek 4D - One word: stupid and contrived. Wait a minute, isn't that... 2/10
Fear Factor Live - Here we go. No incidents this time. The first stunt is okay. Seemed like fun though. The second stunt is disgusting, something I've come to expect from FF. The third is pretty staged looking and involves lots of electricity. Overall, just average. 6/10
Van Helsing Fortress Dracula - It was better than I remebered, but that's not saying much. 3/10
Overall, I have the same opinion I've always had about USH. More rides! I know they don't have much room but they can at least improve the ones they have. Take out dated rides like Backdraft and put something in that big building. And Back to the Future is way past it's prime. There's room there.
Well, we got a full day out of it and I'm not complaining, but my case rests.
How about putting another water ride except for Jurassic Park, how about putting a The Remaking of Jurassic Park ride where Dinosaurs pop out and sneeze on you. And the middle where everything goes wrong Dinosaurs pop out on you and then does birds (dinosaurs) try to eat you. Plus, Van Helsing isn't that scary except for the end, lets try to put a laser tag ride, how about a Van Helsing: Fotress of the Monsters, where you shoot monsters, that will be cool, And are you guys reading this? Plus, Shrek is okay, for Shrek fans, I watch Shrek movies and I enjoy this very much. Terminator is old, so how about putting a ride exactly like bttf.
And bttf for The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, Do you think thats a good idea, I think it has space...
Oh ya, I know the movie business too, so how about making that a Incredible Hulk fear fall ride. Backdraft has a huge line, (Special Effect stages is too small, so how about making Backdraft to a Doom ride...
I recommended them to build NBC-themed rides.Revenge of the Apprentice is a very great idea.
i don't think thats a good idea because kids will get bored because they have nothing else to do.
And the audience because it will get boring and they hae nothing to do. And what will be the prize, thats a good idea, but I think the auidence would hate it.
Actually I have a brilliant idea, making cities, like in Disneyland, TommarowLand-places of the future...Lets make Universal's KidZone where a place kids go like Nick Blast and Shrek 4D, NBC Universal where every NBC shows could be rides/shows. Actually Revenge of the Appreentice is a good idea, how about making the audience do something for the pre-show. We can put that in The Wild Wild West area. Fear Factor could stay, and Back to the Future could go for BattleStar Gallitca. The place where Van Helsing and Blues Brothers, put that place as New york cause Van Helsing could go for The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. Terminator could go in for Hollywood where Hollywood Hit Films could go for. Harry potter or Star Wars could be an example. Coak Soak is okay. Animal Planet could go for a regualr show in NBC UNIVERSAL. The Lower Lot could be for Universal World, where every ride/show/attraction is from a Universal movie. Now how do you like that?
The major problem is how much is the cost?They have to closed the park for the "refurbishment".
Not a bad idea Josh. I like the Battlestar idea for BTTF. I haven't heard that one before and think it's a very good idea.
The water ride ideas just aren't possible with the room USH has. Maybe if they had some other room you could make a rapids or log flume, but there's really not room for a whole new water ride.
Also, as I said in other threads, I'm all for the Doom idea.
Just a side note Josh, you can edit your posts. You don't need a new post for everything. It just helps so that the thread doesn't reach 50 to fast and so we can keep talking.
Jurassic Park is a classic, and if it is that bad, then I believe that Universal should put a Flume ride based on a King Kong ride. Watch this clip, if you believe that's a good idea
http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/king_kong/
And when you go up, the T-Rex could pop out and scares you when you go down(but not all the way DOWN)then in the end, KING KONG POPS OUT AND YOU GO DOWN. And you don't like the idea of Van Helsing for Spiderman, I think that will fit.
I say BUILD THE WAR OF THE WORLDS RIDE!They will be extravaganza!
Where?
Umm...I think the building they use for The Mummy Returns is a great place!
We've gone over this tons and tons of times. MUMMY ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE!!! It hasn't even been around for a year and you think they're going to take it out?! Universal's going to give it time, trust me. Besides that, it's the most popular ride there, something Universal knows and isn't going to screw with.
And for King Kong, I think JP could be turned into a KK flume, but Universal probably won't do that before they rehab JP. Kongfrontation would have to be taken off the Studio Tour also.
Okay, the idea of King Kong is actually a badd idea. Mummy won't go anywhere. But Soon Van Helsing will get out, its such a bad attraction. So we probably put the DOOM THE RIDE there. Battlestar Gallitca could go for Back to the Future. Animal Planet could go for Revenge of the Apprentice. How about that?
Universal Studios needs more rides but also needs to cater to the kids amd the adults to retain its family status. I have a small 5 year plan to move up its ride count and attract more guests to this park
--------------------------
Late 2005 - Close Nickelodean Zone and Coke Soak. Turn Nickelodean Zone into Seuss Studios. Add The Flying Fish Ride and the Seuss Carousel where the Water Works used to be and that ball area can become If I ran a Zoo/meet and greet. The Coke Soak gets remodeled and becomes a nice soak center.
----------------------------
Summer 2006 - Coke Soak opens to large crowds while Seuss Studios is still under construction.
Late 2006 - Seuss Studios opens, Water World closes and a new stunt show goes in the old western stunt building. Construction begins for Spiderman.
Late 2007 - Backdraft closes for a HALO ride with MIB technology based on the recently released Halo movie
2008 - Spiderman opens, Van Helsing closes for a Child Friendly Dark RIde
2009 - Halo and Child Ride opens
----------------------------
I still have many rides that need to be refreshed but I think this game plan may work for Universal
I like the idea of the Suess's Studios. But I dont like the idea of Van Helsing to a kids ride and WaterWorld to a Western Stunt show. Jason and I really like the idea of the Doom ride in the Van Helsing area. Plus, after Suess Studios is closed, Back to the Future could go for BattleStar Gallitca, Spiderman 3D ride, or Fast and the Furious the ride. This is what I thought about
After Suess Studios
2006- Back to the Future- For Either BattleStar Gallitca, Fast and the Furious, or Spiderman.
2007- Van Helsing for Doom THE RIDE (laser tag ride)
2008- Lower Lot, Speical Effect Stages for a Drop ride.
2009- Lower Lot, BackDraft for a Universal Film dark ride.
Plus, If BattleStar Gallitca goes for Back to the Future, then we name Fear Factor LIVE, Revenge of the Apprentice, and BattleStar Gallitca to NBC Universal, and where Terminator Standsthat place could be London because of the area that looks like London. We can change Termiator to either a Harry Potter ride or a Bourne Supremecy ride. And keep Coak Soak, but make it London Stlye. Make the place where Van Helsing stands (which is gonna be DOOM the Ride) Into New york, and change WaterWorld into a Spiderman stunt show. And make that area to New York. Plus, the Lower Lot could be a Universal City, because all Universal Films become thrilling rides so we can make it to Universal Land or something.
I like your plans and they all would be perfect in my mind except for one thing.
The Spiderman stunt show. There was already one at USH. That's where Fear Factor now is. If you remember it was awful and was never that full. So, I don't think putting another in is a good idea.
No, Spiderman could save other people, its not a God-Damn Musical, just him saving people, including Mary-Jane. Fire Explosions in the end. In the middle, we fights 2 villians the claw hold man and the goblin which he finds out is his best friend. Now how do you like it Jason?
Plus, Jason, You know what I said about putting a drop ride and a Universal movie dark ride, what do you think would be good?
And Jason did you see Fear Factor LIVE, what were the stunts? Because I heard they change it every week. What were the stunts you saw Jason?
First they had to hang on poles from the ceiling for as long as they could. Second they drank a shake of bugs, fish guts, and pig parts. Last, they had to spin these handles which were shocking them with electricity.
In terms of drop rides, a drop ride's a drop ride. Regardless of themeing I just want to fall. And for a dark ride, I've been using Doom for that. Maybe a classic horror dark ride where you ride through scenes from Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, etc.
I'd really like that.
OMG! They have the same stunts in Fear Factor! I like the idea of the Universal Classical Monster ride, but how about them popping out or something. That could somehow fit in the Backdraft area. I am talking about a drop ride something like a Incredible Hulk drop ride.
How do you like this...
After Van Helsing turns to DOOM Ride
2009- Backdraft--- The Munster's Revenge
2010- Special Effect Stages---(If you like it Jason) The Incredible Hulk RIDE
Not totally sure theres enough room in the Van Hellsing area for a dark ride, youd have to give up the Speacial FX show and maybey Backdraft for a good one. And a drop ride would be nice even though it may be a bit loud, (there must be a work around for noise).
Jason,I didn't mean The Mummy ride.What I mean is The Mummy haunted house.
I'm sorry if I give a negative vibe but, The "great" ideas, why are you putting them up here where probably everyone else has the same ideas etc. mail Universal Studios about your idea. I did it millions of times. and some of the ideas would never work.
Yes, some would never work and some would never be allowed by Universal, but it's still kind of interesting to read other people's ideas. And do you really think Universal's going to pay much attention to your ideas? They get hundreds of suggestions.
Ariel, Mummy's house isn't there anymore. It's Van Helsing now. That's what confused me.
And yeah, a dark ride would probably have to go down on the lower lot in Backdraft. I'm not even sure the SFX stages are large enough.
Nicolas, I give my comments to the owner of Universal (My dad knows him) and I always say these things were good, but he says its cheap and a waste of money. Probably Backdraft could go for Doom THE RIDE. SPX could go for a drop ride. And Van Helsing could go somewhere to a dark ride.
And Do you like the idea like the cities I made Jason. Like what I said NBC Universal, Universal Sity (in the lower lot), New York, Suess's Studios, And London.
Yeah, I'm all for it. I mean, USF is like that.
And by the way, the whole compex over at USH is called Universal City. So you might want to change that one.
How about World of Universal?
That works, but it might sound better with a "the" in front.
The World of Universal.
Ok, so we got
NBC UNIVERSAL-
-BattleStar Gallitca The RIDE
-Fear Factor LIVE
-Revenge of the Apprentice
-Studio Tour
NEW YORK-
-The Amazing Adventure of Spiderman LIVE
-Blues Brothers
- ?
London-
-Harry Potter: Tomb of Doom THE RIDE( Exactly like Bttf)
-Coak Soak
-The Bourne Supreme LIVE (at Wild Wild Wild West arena)
The Bourne Supreme LIVE!
. Live Actors
. Stunts
. Explosions
. Guns, cars, bombs...
Suess's Studios-
-The Cat in the Hat Ride
- One fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
- Dr.Suess's Soak!
- WhooVille (The Grinch Playground
The World of Universal-
-Jurassic Park
-Revenge of the Mummy
-Incredible Hulk RIDE (Drop ride)
-The Curse of Dracula's Cave (Universal Munsters dark ride)
I think its better if we put Doom THE RIDE In the Van Helsing area.
Maybe. It's just the room I'm thinking about. There's probably not enough for a ride of the scale Doom would be.
Where are you planning on locating Suess Studios?
Just a few probs, one Harry Potter is Warner Bros. two as Jason mentioned there's not enough room for Doom in Van Hellsing, and three, where would the Suess Area go? Other than that those are very solid ideas and I think it works very well concceptually.
Suess area- Nick Blast
And I believe that Doom THE RIDE would fit in the Van Helsing area
Lastly, Harry Potter would make a good 3-D ride, Termiator 2:3D was a Sony, and Waner Brother Prouduction which means that Termiator 2 was filmed in Warner Brothers but filmed with Sony Pictures. And so Harry Potter dosent matter if it is Universal or not, it matters on...What Jason said...PUT MORE RIDES!
Actually, all the production companies behind T2 no longer exist, so it could have easily fallen into the hands of Universal through some kind of deal. Harry Potter would have to be bought by Universal, and considering it's one of the WB's biggest franchises, I doubt that will happen any time soon.
I'm also still a bit iffy on the room Van Helsing has for a large-scale ride like Doom. If someone can find out how much square feet VH is that'd be great.
And I guess Suess Studios could go in Nick, but that's not a large area either, and it's one of the only things for little kids at Universal, so I doubt they'd remove it.
Okay, so we got
NBC UNIVERSAL-
-BattleStar Gallitca
-Fear Factor LIVE
-Revenge of the Apprentice
LONDON-
-Either a Harry Potter 3D ride or a Bourne Supremecy ride (Their both are simualtor rides
(But its Better if we put Harry Potter in Terminator 2:3D, Harry Potter to a 3D ride, and Bourne Supreme as a LIVE show)
Suess Studios-
-THE CAT IN THE HAT
-ONE FISH TWO FISH RED FISH BLUE FISH
-HoosVille
-The World of Suess
New York-
-Blues Brothers
-DOOM THE RIDE
- The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman LIVE
The World of Universal-
-Jurassic Park the RIDE
-Revenge of the Mummy
-Incredible Hulk the RIDE (drop ride)
-The Curse of Tranyslvania ( A Universal Classical Monster collection)
What's Hoosville?
Jason you know those "little people" from How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Little Suzy Hoo?
Anyhoo (hehe)
I still see a problem with Doom, if it goes on the lower lot it would throw off the theming. If it went on the upper lot they would granted maybey have enough room but would be forced to build on a much smaller scale.
Maybe they have to save lot.I think they should build something underground like Indiana Jones and Dinosaur.
Thats actually a really good idea, could they build underground in the upper lot and make the qeue in the lower lot?
Any ride in particular on that list.
I'm not sure about that. Digging into the hill would probably cause a lot of disruption to the theme park. It could also cause a collapse without careful planning. And that hill collapsing would be a very bad thing for Universal considering that the top of the park would come sliding down.
Forget the Digging, Lets concentrate on the Harry Potter 3D ride, do you think its a good idea?
I think it's a good idea, but it's a Warner property.
So What if its Warner's Property, Shrek isn't Universal's Property, Terminator 2:3D isn't Universal Property, Nickelodeon isn't Warner's Property, So how about putting Harry Potter: Tomb of Doom THE RIDE(3-D Simulator Ride) in Terminator?
It's a case by case thing. Some properties can be aquired and some can't. I'm not sure about Harry Potter.
See like Jason said the companies that made T2 are now defunct. As for Shrek, well if you look at the walls there are little jabs at Disney everywhere. For DreamWorks this was probably the best way to continue their work into a theme park so they decided to shop the idea around until Universal picked it up. Now Harry Potter sounds like a good idea but there would be many hoops Universal would be forced to jump through to get use of the IP.
Exactly. Harry Potter is a major propety for Warner's. It's one of their biggest. And Warner's has their own theme parks. So why put a HP ride in Universal when WB could put it in their own park? It doesn't make sense.
Eh,maybe we should put on Fantastic 4 The Ride?
This discussion has been archived, and is not accepting additional responses.
