Which Universal Attractions Could Be on the Chopping Block?
Universal Studios has taken a bold, new approach in recent years.
During the early days of Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, management stuffed the parks with any intellectual property (IP) they could get.
Photo: Universal Studios Hollywood
The times, well, they have changed. Now, Universal utilizes topnotch IP to entertain guests. Anything that doesn’t make the cut isn’t guaranteed a spot.
This fact causes me to wonder. Which Universal Studios attractions could be on the chopping block?
Would Universal Really Kill Any Rides?
Photo: Discover Universal orlando
That’s the reasonable casual fans are asking right now.
Alas, the answer is readily apparent. At the start of 2023, Universal Studios Florida closed these attractions:
- Curious George Goes to Town
- DreamWorks Destination
- Fievel’s Playground
- Meet Shrek and Donkey
- Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster
Photo: Universal
This happened almost exactly one year after the Shrek 4-D show shut down for good.
In short, Universal officials have demonstrated a willingness to reinvigorate the various parks, as they should.
Photo: Spectrum News/Ashley Carter
Currently, an imbalance occurs at the parks, especially in Orlando. Guests flock to attractions at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other locations.
However, they shun the attractions that they perceive as not up to snuff.
Photo: Universal
Entire themed lands struggle with traffic, something you can track by examining that previous list of closures.
Recently, Universal announced that Poseidon’s Fury will close for good as well. It’s the latest sign that everything is on the table for park improvement.
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
Image: Universal
I’ve chosen nine attractions that I believe Universal officials are studying carefully.
Each one proves popular enough that management could justify its existence.
Conversely, all of them could close tomorrow, and the overwhelming majority wouldn’t miss them.
Image: Universal
In truth, I only wince at the thought of one of these attractions when I make the statement. So, I perceive at least eight as disposable.
As Universal improves in future years, that’s too large a number of mediocre rides…and I’m actually shortening the list a bit.
Some entire themed lands could go. For example, Universal Studios holds the Marvel theme park license in perpetuity.
Photo: Facebook/Universal Orlando
For this reason, Marvel Super Hero Island appears likely to stay…for now.
What would happen if Disney paid Universal billions of dollars to regain the rights?
Can you honestly say you would miss Doctor Doom’s Fearfall? Come on, you know you wouldn’t!
This ride feels generic, like you could find it at any random Six Flags. We’ve come to expect more at Universal Studios.
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall served a purpose when Universal’s Islands of Adventure opened. That’s not quite true today, is it?
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Photo: Instagram/Universal
I love this wet ride, and I’ll say the same about the other one we’ll discuss.
That’s not the issue I have here. I searched Google News while preparing for this article.
Do you know how many results registered for Dudley Do-Right in 2023? Three.
Photo: Instagram/Universal
That’s the breathing definition of a dead IP. In fact, one of the three articles explained why a Dudley Do-Right film failed at the box office in 1999.
One of the explanations was that nobody cared about the IP, which had already faded in popularity…25 years ago!
Photo:uofanguide.com
I highly recommend this ride to everyone because it’s a delightful throwback to an earlier age of pop culture storytelling. More importantly, the track layout is superlative.
Realistically, Universal could slot any other popular IP on this same track and immediately double the daily throughput, though.
Fast & Furious – Supercharged
Photo: Universal
We’ve actually talked about this one here. Universal executives have testified in court that their own guest surveys suggest people hate this ride.
At the time, Universal executives naively believed they could slap the Fast & Furious tag on an ostensible thrill ride, and everyone would enjoy it. Whoops.
Photo: Universal
Rumors persist that not one but two different plans exist for replacing Supercharged as a ride experience.
Some of the attractions we’re discussing here are good ones that deserve a better fate. Supercharged falls into a different category. Its mere existence reflects brand arrogance.
People won’t love something simply because it has Fast & Furious in the name.
Flight of the Hippogriff
Image: Universal
Okay, here’s the spot where I may lose some of you.
On the one hand, re-theming any attraction at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will upset some fans.
Photo: Orlando Informer
My counterpoint is that Universal never designed this attraction for Harry Potter. The ride was originally Flying Unicorn, and Universal awkwardly retrofitted it.
If you asked any park guest to name the worst Potter ride at Universal, they’d all pick this one.
Universal should repurpose the space with something offering more whizbang elements.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Source: Orlando Informer
I don’t think this one will happen because it’s not really about any particular ride.
The Dr. Seuss themed land here offers several fun rides. And yes, Dr. Seuss remains timeless despite Universal’s semi-recent clean-up of some ride elements.
Photo: Universal
Which one sounds more popular with the next generation of theme park fans, though? Is it Dr. Seuss or Minions? Exactly.
Would Universal close five attractions to create something new here that would draw guests the way that the Minions themed ride will? Probably not.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
Source: Universal Orlando
Much of what I said about Dudley Do-Right applies here as well.
Universal has built these absolutely marvelous wet rides, but they rarely require long waits because their popularity isn’t what it should be.
Photo: Universal
If the IP for this attraction switched, how many people would honestly miss it?
I happen to like Popeye. So, this thought saddens me, but it’s accurate.
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Photo: USA Today
Quick! Name the ride at Universal Orlando Resort that people like even less than Fast & Furious: Supercharged!
Yes, the answer is Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. It’s less a ride and more of a cautionary tale.
Photo: Travelweek
Folks, if you include a geographical location in the title of your attraction, you know you have problems if you decide to send people to outer space instead.
Universal doesn’t fail often, but this one’s an impossible sell. It needs to go.
The Simpsons Ride
Photo: Wikipedia
Okay, here’s the most challenging evaluation. People love The Simpsons more than the other IPs we’re discussing here except for maybe Marvel.
However, Universal Studios will lose the theme park rights to Springfield in 2028.
Photo: Orlando Informer
When Universal acquired these rights, Fox owned The Simpsons. Now, Disney does, and it probably wants the characters for its own theme parks.
As such, we’re within five years of Universal losing Springfield anyway. So, this attraction may go whether people love it or not…and I sure do!
Storm Force Accelatron
Photo: Universal
I’d argue that Doctor Doom’s Fearfall is the better ride of these two.
Realistically, that’s not the point, though. Universal faces an existential crisis with its Marvel attractions.
The best two of them are The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk Coaster, both of which are A+ rides.
Image: Universal
Islands of Adventure would feel like it’s missing something essential without either one.
Meanwhile, the other Marvel rides lift right out. In truth, it’s strange that Universal has upgraded this space with something better.
Image: Universal
The fact that such a move has yet to transpire is telling. It indicates that Universal officials don’t know what will happen next, either.
If Universal ever upgraded this themed land, it’d demonstrate a strong commitment to Marvel. In lieu of that, the entire area will remain in purgatory.
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Featured photo: TripSavvy
