www.themeparkinsider.com: Universal Studios Hollywood officials today confirmed that WaterWorld, the park's award-winning stunt show, will remain open. The show's future had been called into question by the recent republication of a long-term site planning map that has shown the attraction's space designated for future development.
4 comments:
Universal as of late has been getting a lot of attention for its massive expansion of Epic Universe and in the last decade has made many changes to become a runner up to Disney parks. However, with parks expanding that often means old attractions and rides are disappearing to make way. It is always nice to hear a cult classic is being kept around a theme park even if it’s outdated or not representing cutting edge technology. A huge part of the crowd returning to a theme park is nostalgia, and keeping rides and shows such as WaterWorld maintain that sense of familiarity to returning guests. It’s probably hard for companies to decide what to replace and the costs and drawbacks to removing a beloved, older ride for a newer IP attraction. Also in general…WaterWorld is just cool. Who does not like stunts and water effects with fog and explosives.
I’ve never been to Universal so this might be weird , but I’m really happy that Universal is keeping WaterWorld. I think it is a great thing to keep the old attractions while it’s common for them to disappear to make space for new ones. Even though the movie itself isn’t exactly a classic, it’s one of those things that people always associate with the park.I have heard that the show is big, loud, packed with crazy stunts, and just plain fun to watch no matter how many times you’ve seen it. I feel like that’s part of what makes a theme park special, not just the shiny new rides, but the stuff that sticks around long enough to feel iconic. Universal has been expanding so much lately, which is exciting, but it’s nice to know they’re not tossing out everything old to make space for whatever the latest trend is. WaterWorld might not be cutting edge anymore, but it’s definitely part of the park’s identity and still a highlight for so many guests.
Theme parks always need to strike a balance between old and new. One of the major things that brings people to the park is nostalgia of what they remember being there before. But if nothing changes many repeat visitors may get bored of seeing the same things time and time again. Many theme parks try to ensure that there’s always enough new things happening that people feel the need to keep coming to the park to see them. There’s only so much land for any theme park so it can be tempting to simply replace some of the older, less state of the art attractions with new ones. This is certainly the cheaper option than getting new land, and in the long run this is something that has to happen to a certain extent, but having old attractions around helps solidify the history of the theme park to its guests. Sometimes not everything needs to be shiny and new, it can be just as good if it’s old and storied.
This article about WaterWorld at Universal Studios Hollywood was pretty interesting to me. I wouldn’t say the show is my favorite, but I can see why it’s lasted so long and why people keep coming back. It’s kind of amazing that a production running for decades is still packing in crowds and staying relevant. The fact that Universal confirmed it will remain, even with all the new projects under the Evolution Plan, shows how much weight this show still carries. What stood out is how a show built around live stunts and practical effects can hold up in an age where almost everything leans on screens and digital technology. Fire blasts, jet skis, explosions, those things don’t really get old when they’re done well. And it’s clear that the cast and crew keep it sharp with constant rehearsal and updates. Even though it’s been around forever, it still feels big and exciting for people seeing it for the first time.
Post a Comment