CMU School of Drama


Thursday, March 09, 2017

Don't dismiss Universal's new, interdisciplinary take on theme park rides

www.themeparkinsider.com: Universal has developed a lot of screen-based attractions, so it should stop developing new rides that use screens and build nothing but animatronic dark rides, to keep fans happy.

Am I getting this right?

2 comments:

Marisa Rinchiuso said...

I really enjoyed Nile's humorous op-ed on Universal's new rides. I was not aware that theme parks like Universal were going through this change to diversify their attractions to appeal to a wider audience base. I do agree with him that the demand for companies to change what they are good at is outrageous, but that an exploratory venture could not hurt these amusement parks. I have been to Universal before and never noticed the concern of screens as aggressively as critics do in this article. Upon reflection, I do find that to be true but much like Nile's says, its simply a matter of money. Why would a successful company produce work that can't compete with others simply based on resources and experience. Also, to Universal's credit I felt like they did have a large number of animatronics when I went there in 2015. I thought the Jaws ride was a great feat of immersive, animatronic experience. With this article in mind, it will be interesting to see what Universal creates in coming years.

Tahirah K. Agbamuche said...

Nile certainly has an interesting way of saying things to make a point. The first paragraph alone was rather winding and repetitive. I understand that he was trying to prove a point, but I do not believe that there is a need to beat your readers over the head with evidence. It should strengthen not clutter your argument and provide as a concise transition from your thesis to your argument. I am no english scholar, but that just bothered me a little bit. In terms of his actual concept, I do not see why it is such a bad thing that theme parks are working to become more diverse. In our society remaining fresh, and in the middle of things is how you keep up. Otherwise, you will be left behind. I think it is one hundred percent necessary. Of course, I would not say that Universal should do away with its brilliant roller coasters. I am one of the massive population that adores these rides. That being said,exploring the new technology our society is coming up with should be expected and praised. Embracing change is challenging and bold. Simply staying with what you are good at is not only boring but almost cowardly.