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RHoop · (This post was last modified: 01-27-2011 10:01 PM by RHoop.)

I think USH has serious potential for growing into a bigger and better park. Even though most may argue that there's just no space at USH to grow, they do have space to do it, they just need to use it more carefully. For example, here's what could happen:

1) New ride, in WaterWorld, of course.

2) New ride where Gibson is. They could even put in a Lord of the Rings themed area if they wanted to. The Gibson could move to Rocky and Bullwinkle parking is.

3) Have a ride go about where the tram garage and tram road back to the load station is now, but re-route the road behind where the large attraction would be.

4) Put a big ride on the hillside next to Frankenstein parking. Maybe an indoor high-speed Fast and the Furious ride or something like that.

Just some ideas I wanted to put out there on how USH can manage the space without having to replace anything and increase capacity.

**Jon** · (This post was last modified: 01-30-2011 05:38 PM by Jon.)

Quote:1) New ride, in WaterWorld, of course.

I think this method is really obvious. The question is not if, but when. Despite it being my favorite show, Universal can't lean on WaterWorld forever.

Quote:2) New ride where Gibson is. They could even put in a Lord of the Rings themed area if they wanted to. The Gibson could move to Rocky and Bullwinkle parking is.

This one, however, I'm not too sure of. The Gibson is an excellent venue and Universal makes a profit off naming rights. I doubt they're going to do anything with it anytime soon.

Quote:3) Have a ride go about where the tram garage and tram road back to the load station is now, but re-route the road behind where the large attraction would be.

I think this is always easier said than done. The tram loading station has moved in the past, but I'm not sure if an attraction can fit in that area.

Quote:4) Put a big ride on the hillside next to Frankenstein parking. Maybe an indoor high-speed Fast and the Furious ride or something like that.

Hmm, interesting...

Skillz5 · 02-01-2011, 11:15 AM

I understand the Waterworld venue discussion. 17 years! Wow! what a lifespan for a show! It is due to close soon. I have already heard rumors that it will be going next in 2013.

I feel the expansion should come from the main entrance. Yeah, its kind of tight already, but they could expand into the Valued Parking area and relocate the busses and such to another area.

The big thing which needs to happen first is the park needs an overhaul. It is time to bring theme back to Universal Studios and make the streets feel like real set locations again. The ex-Wild West arena is a waste of space as well as the Globe Theater in front of Terminator. Wasted opportunities which can be used. I also feel that the Horror maze should be demolished and that entire area, including the Globe Theater, should be built into a small kids ride similar to The Cat in the Hat at IOA. It can be done!

USH, its time to play catch up!

**Jon** · 02-01-2011, 09:28 PM

In order for Universal to change, there needs to be an incentive. They're not going to change just to appease a few people on a message board. I think that's the harsh reality we need to accept, which is why I'm so pessimistic when it comes to land expansions.

Just recall the Universal Vision a few years back. All that remodeling and resizing of the backlot resulted in a measly expansion for the theme park.

If there was a dramatic change at the park, it would have to come from high up within the executive food chain. I'm talking NBCUniversal/Comcast/General Electric board of directors. We already know GE has their mind up, so it's up to someone from Comcast to make a big push.

Chances of that happening? Slim.

RHoop · (This post was last modified: 02-01-2011 09:44 PM by RHoop.)

I realize that this is most likely a slim chance that any of this will happen, but this was just some wishful thinking on my part.

(Looks at this thread Twenty years later)
Haahaahahahahaha! I can't believe I actually said that a long time ago! It's unbelievable how USH is now bigger than Disneyland!

But in all seriousness, they should consider putting a big ride on the hillside by Frankenstein/behind the castle and animal theaters. That's a TON space for a big ride; heck, if they're willing to use the old dining space, possibly even two rides! They wouldn't have to sacrifice anything to build a huge ride!

**hulkcoaster2** · 02-03-2011, 12:20 AM

To start, citywalk is a cash cow and will not be downsized for expansion of the theme park.

That leaves the studio and some entrance spaces as expansion pads. I don't see the studio giving up profitable soundstages, so that leaves the main entrance area, surface parking lots, frankenstein garage, and the gibson as expansion areas.

Gibson is being moved as part of universal vision, and the large footprint becomes part of the theme park-I see this being the area for a HP area, it makes the best business sense to install HP. They get to reuse some of the design and save money and its almost a guaranteed cash cow.

If the main entrance is pushed out to the current surface lots and frankenstein i demolished that opens up another huge expansion area, but it would be a very costly project so I don't see it happening.

Bottom line is the theme park makes money because of the studio tour. Everything else is in support of that, and attendance won't grow that much no matter what they put in. Maybe if HP is installed there would be a significant spike. Otherwise they just have to keep things maintained, replace old attractions and keep the studio tour fresh. Expansion outside of the current park boundaries (Gibson withstanding) is very unlikely because of those economies and because of neighbors/zoning/etc.

JerrodDRagon · 02-03-2011, 05:54 PM

^the theme park can pack people in, just add a Avatar show, Harry Potter land and Transformers and you have a pretty good them Park (would not hurt to get a new Stunt show and a Nightime show too)

gforce532 · 02-03-2011, 06:28 PM

Speaking of nighttime shows. What are the chances the park will get one in the near feature. I know way back when for a very short time there was Spectrablast, and florida has had a couple different ones. But that seems like something that Unversal hasn't really put much effort or interest towards.

One thing that really stands out for disney parks is their nighttime shows. When you see a firework show or a fantasmic like show, it's a really good way from a vistor perspective to cap off your day at the park. Something in which I wish Universal would do more of.