Universal Orlando Resort

[Adam]

[quote=""Timmy152005""]There also has been alot of intrest in the plot of land which is across the road to universal. A huge area. There was plans for a thrid theme park or universal's own water park.[/quote]

Apparently that is where Wet n' Wild will be re-built when it moved onto Universal propety.

*Adäm x

[Crofty]

[quote=""Timmy152005""]There also has been alot of intrest in the plot of land which is across the road to universal. A huge area. There was plans for a thrid theme park or universal's own water park.[/quote]

Universal own most of the land to the right of I-Drive right down to the convention centre so they could build another park there if the wished. As said above the only space really available in IOA is between the lost continent and Jurassic Park and its not much space at all.
Another option would be to remove some of the un used soundstages from Universal Studios and push IOA more over in that direction.
I'm against this re-theme for a few reasons, firstly because its an amazing theme they have there ATM especially with that walkthrough attraction Poseidons Fury.
I Can't stand Harry Potter (my own reason lol.) Most of all I don't think the theme would tie in with IOA very well. When I think of Harry potter I think of dull rainy Britain not Bright Sunny Florida lol.

[hex_appeal]

i knew this would happen eventually, infact i even started a topic about it early on last year, its definitley a tricky situation, on one hand universal will do such a good job of theming the ride that no english park could possible compare, however as has been mentioned previously, when you think of harry potter you don't think of a sun-drenched building covered in palm trees and crawling with fat americans wearing bum-bags and mickey mouse t-shirts, it needs that little something english..... rain, rain is what it needs...rain and overcast skies draping behind a magical castle, actually thinking about it, alton could have done this so well, but who am i kidding? they'd have probably just built an intamin coaster and stuck it in gloomy wood,

[Anonymous]

alton could have done this so well, but who am i kidding? they'd have probably just built an intamin coaster and stuck it in gloomy wood,

I wouldn't want Alton to do it. As much as I love AT and Harry Potter, I really don't want AT to start doing other projects based on books....They destroyed CATCF and I don't want that to happen to HP!

Plus, I want AT to stay an orginal park...They don't need movie and books like universal and Disney to make a good park.

[hex_appeal]

quick update, nothing major, taken from screamscape

(1/29/07) The latest report at the About.com Theme Park page caught my eye yesterday. While this publication normally stays away from “rumors” (hey, that’s my job anyway…) they’ve posted a doozy!! Their “highly credible source” tells them that plans are underway to retool an entire existing Island to tie it into a “hugely popular” children’s franchise by 2009 or 2010.
Ironically, I had heard a rumor about just such a project about 6 weeks ago, but it sounded a little over the top so I sent it to the back burner to see if anything else popped up. The rumor was such a big one that even I wasn’t willing to go out on the limb and proclaim it to be the real deal at the time, which is saying a lot.
Say what you will, but after you’ve seen about a hundred different variants of just which theme park chain is finally laying claim to the Harry Potter franchise, you’d be skeptical too. Yes… there it is, I said it. If the story about About.com is connected in any way to the rumors I heard in late 2006, this may be the biggest theme park score of the decade.
The rumor I had heard at the time claimed that the Universal Orlando bigwigs were sending out the maintenance and cleaning crews to scour the entire Lost Continent area of the park and make it really sparkle because they had a group of VIPs coming in that they really wanted to impress. If all went well, the visit was a final piece of a puzzle that would see the Lost Continent become rethemed to the world of Harry Potter. They would keep Dueling Dragons and Flying Unicorn of course, but Sinbad and Posideon’s Fury would be replaced with new attractions, and the midway area possibly rethemed as Diagon Alley. Certainly this would be big enough news to warrant such a long delay in new attractions at IOA, and something to really put this park on the map again.


**another update**

the potter ride will be a dark ride using the kuka robotics arm as seen in "the fast and the furious tokyo drift" attraction currently at universal

[Rita 2005]

BBC News are reporing that Universal Orlando Resort are planning to open a new Theme Park in 2009 themed around the locations and characters from the Harry Potter Books and Movies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6706939.stm

[Mattmills]

Theres already another topic on this here
http://www.towerstimesforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=16763

[Nick]

Well, it was bound to happen at somepoint somewhere, Islands of Adventure have installed lap bar restraints on its Duddley Do Rights Ripsaw Falls log flume type ride






Although the sign says certain body dimensions may not be able to fit, it doesn't actually give an indication of how far down the lap bar has to be to be "locked" :P Although those appraoching and above 6 feet in height are finding problems fitting into the boats

[altontowers1]

Ooo interesting that doesn't surprise me to be honest , although those lapbars do look really tight and look like they don't give much room .

p.s. i love the theming on that ride , also are they new boats ? they look different?

x

[AstroDan]

How stupid. I REALLY don't want those on any log flumes near here!

[Nick]

Well, apparantly A LOT of poeple have had to go to hospital with damaged tailbones and backs because of the speed the boats go over the hill. It produces so much airtime, and when the boats hit the water they slam back onto the seat, causing damage in the process

[Danzaw*nk]

Saw these pics a couple of weeks back and I was shocked, I was at the front of the boat when I visited and there was a bit of airtime but didn't slam forward when hitting the water. Cos American's squish 5 obeses in a boat so they all crush each other even more :P.

Don't like the idea of lap bars really.

Probably the first mistake IOA has ever made .

Dan

[Williscroft]

I dont like the idea of that personaly. I mean theres quite a lot of room in the flume its self usualy and if for some reason it did ever tip over you would be stuck. But then again i surpose it depends how much water is in there as the Flume at Towers scrapes the bottom at times.

[Quickey]

I think this ride has been ruined for me, as I am over 6 ft.

I have read the accident reports, and a lot of people have been injured on the ride, but when I have been on it, I haven’t seen any way that you could be injured, unless you are messing around, or standing up.

Not particularly pleased with the move, but it obviously had to be done.

[Green.Wing]

Universal Studios Florida may be planning on adding their very own version of the Hollywood Dream coaster added to Universal Studios Japan earlier this year. In that case, it was a family sized junior hyper-coaster style design made to swoop, turn and dive over the entrance and Hollywood themed area of Universal Studios Japan, all with an on-board soundtrack system allowing riders to choose one of five different soundtrack options. Now I’m hearing that a similar concept is in the works for Universal Studios Florida in 2009 since in all likelihood we wont see the Harry Potter area completed until late that year or in 2010. Universal’s previous track record says that they would buy a B&M most likely for this project, but right now if all the rumors hold true (SeaWorld & Busch Gardens), that means we could be seeing three new B&M coasters added to central Florida in 2009 along with a rumored spinning Ratatouille coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios followed by the rebirth of an all new version of Space Mountain as well. Like I said… a coaster enthusiasts dream come true. Do we dare to dream?

Screamscape has heard that Hollywood Dream project has been bid out to several major coaster manufactures right now: B&M, Premier Rides and Vekoma. All three of which have provided coaster hardware for Universal Orlando before… B&M with Hulk and the Dragons, Premier did Mummy and Vekoma did Flying Unicorn and Woody’s Nuthouse. The only problem is that of the three… only B&M have experience with Hypercoasters, though Premier Rides has done it’s share of large outdoor coasters, but I believe they have all been LIM launched creations. Vekoma… ummm… no. I don’t even want to think about what a Vekoma hyper would be like.

If you look carefully around the old boneyard area between the Jimmy Neutron and Twister soundstages you can see survey markers. This was one of the possible locations we had heard mentioned for the rumored Hollywood Dream coaster. From what we’ve been told the survey work was done as part of the planning for a new attraction that could start construction sometime in 2008, which would most likely mean a 2009 opening. Again, this matches the rumored Hollywood Dream timeline. Even stranger however, is that our source tells us that not only will the new attraction take up this space, but also take over one of the nearby attractions as well who’s contract is apparently just about over. Since Jimmy Neutron is only a few years old, I’m going to guess that the clock is ticking on Twister, though the film itself was co-financed by both WB and Universal. Twister opened in 1998…so the timing is certainly right for what could have been a 10 year contract. Time to get your last rides on Twister in I suppose, just in case they do shut it down later this year.

So with Simpons coming later next year. Looks like Florida will be having a amazing 2009. Seaworlds new flyer, Bush Gardens having a project involved with B&M, Universals Hollywood Dream, Space mountain 2 at Disney and Harry Potter area in IOA in late 2009. Looks like 2009 is going be a big year, And its about time universal got another coaster.

[Green.Wing]

A little more information coming now.
B&M have *apparently* pulled from the project because of a busy 2009 year for them in florida, Guessing Bush Gardens and Sea Worlds plans have ended it for universal. So now the bidding is between Premier Rides and Vekoma. The early buzz is that Vekoma may have made the winning bid, and I’m not sure I like the sound of that. Of course, the new style track Vekoma used on Expedition Everest did give a great smooth ride, so if they use a similar system on this ride things may turn out well.

Also the name for the coaster may not be carrried over from the Japan park. Universal dont like the idea of Hollowood dream. Also news that twister may have been leaving to make way now seem to be on the back foot. So Another ride within the area would be taking a leave. So thats between Jimmy and Shrek.

[Liam]

B&M pulling out is pretty gutting! The B&M system used in Japan looks perfect for a great clone!

And yes, Florida looks fantastic for 2009! Think I shall have to make any trip there towards the end of that year.

[Green.Wing]

Screamscape sources tell us that the Jimmy Neutron attraction was signed to a 5 year contract when it opened in 2003 which will obviously come to an end sometime this year, making it the most likely victim at this point for being closed down. While a cute attraction and a cheap makeover of the old Funtastic World of Hanna Barberra ride, the low capacity for this ride system has always been a concern.

Glad this is going instead of shrek.

[Crofty]

[quote=""Green.Wing""]

Screamscape sources tell us that the Jimmy Neutron attraction was signed to a 5 year contract when it opened in 2003 which will obviously come to an end sometime this year, making it the most likely victim at this point for being closed down. While a cute attraction and a cheap makeover of the old Funtastic World of Hanna Barberra ride, the low capacity for this ride system has always been a concern.

Glad this is going instead of shrek.[/quote]

Why would Shrek be going? It's one of the most popular rides at Universal.
I love the Jimmy Neutron ride, it's a fantastic use of technology I can't see it going either in the near future. Maybe the movie could be made shorter to improve ride capacity.

[Beaver Dude]

The early buzz is that Vekoma may have made the winning bid, and I’m not sure I like the sound of that. Of course, the new style track Vekoma used on Expedition Everest did give a great smooth ride, so if they use a similar system on this ride things may turn out well.

I think Vekoma has sorted its problems with rough coasters from what I've heard about their newer rides. It's a shame they aren't having a look at an Intamin coaster though.