The Future Of Islands Of Adventure

Ajouté : 2026-06-01

[00:00:03]What's up everybody? It's Jared with Capture the Magic. And when it comes to Universal Studios, we've talked many times about how they're continuing to expand the theme parks even after Epic Universe has come online. We have the construction of the new Fast and Furious coaster in the studio side. And then when it comes to Islands of Adventure, we have demolition starting on the Lost Continent. Lots of things happening there. I think many people look at that as good news as there is finally some stuff happening or more stuff happening at Islands of Adventure. And I came across a video that a few people sent over to me talking about this very subject about essentially Islands of Adventure 2.0 and that this park is likely starting a new era for Universal Studios. Well, it's exactly what this video talks about and this is from Theme Park Hunting and it's called Islands of Adventure 2.0 is actually happening. So, in this video, we're going to watch this, react to it, and uh see if we agree or disagree about the direction that Island of Adventure will be going, and I will be putting a link to this video in the description here. So, be sure to go over there and check out the video, give it a like, subscribe over there to the theme park hunting as I do good work over there, and we're going to get right into it.

[00:01:16]Universal's Islands of Adventure is in one of the most interesting positions of any theme park in the world right now because on one hand, this is still one of the best theme parks ever built. I do not think that is really up for debate when you look at the lineup, the theming, the atmosphere, the variety, the attractions, the way the park is laid out, and the fact that you can step foot into Jurassic Park and go to Hogsme to Marvel to Seuss Landing all in one giant loop. It is still one of Universal's strongest theme park achievements yet. But at the same time, Islands of Adventure might also be the Universal Orlando park that needs the most attention. And that sounds crazy, right? Because a park that is considered perfect needs the most work. But so I agree with that. Now, I don't think I would say it's perfect, but it is. I mean, obviously, it's a strong park for Universal. It's typically in the, you know, top five at the very least top 10 when it comes to, you know, worldwide theme park attendance for the most part, but it does need a little TLC and I think that's been showing more and more in recent years. Obviously, you got some heavy hitters there with Hagrids and Veloca Coaster and obviously the Wizarding World, but there's other areas that kind of just need something a little extra done to them. I think parts of Seuss Landing and other ones like that. So, I actually do agree with that.

[00:02:33]So, while at the same time I do think it is a strong park, I definitely think it needs some help. And I think that's exactly what they're going to do here.

[00:02:40]But it is kind of a strange dynamic there. But I do agree.

[00:02:44]>> That's exactly what makes Alzoo Adventure so fascinating right now cuz it's not a bad park. It's not a struggling park. It's not even a park that needs to be saved in any way. It's just a park that needs to see some sort of evolution. And I think Islands of Adventure is about to enter its Universal Studios Florida 2010s era because if you remember Universal Studios Florida about 10 or 15 years ago, that park had a lot of classics, a lot of aging attractions. Then slowly but surely, Universal started changing everything. Jaws became Diagon Alley.

[00:03:14]Back to the Future became The Simpsons Ride. Twister became Race Through New York. I don't think I would say that uh Back to the Future becoming Simpsons is a pro, nor would I say Twister becoming Jimmy Fallon is a pro. I understand the point he's making a lot of changes off of classic attractions, but personally speaking, I wouldn't say those have been positive moves uh for Universal Studios.

[00:03:39]I would actually say those have been negative. As bad as Supercharged is, I think Jimmy Fallon is just as bad, if not worse. To be quite honest, I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me on that. I've never enjoy I think I've written Jimmy Fallon's twice and I have literally no desire to ever go in there. I would I would ride Supercharge for the meme factor more than I would Jimmy Fallon. That's just me. Disaster became Fast and Furious Supercharged.

[00:04:04]Kids Zone became DreamWorks Land. And now Rip Ride Rocket is becoming Fast and Furious Hollywood Drift in 2027. Whether you like every single one of these changes or not, Universal Studios Florida has been in a long transformation period for years. If you look at the park back in 2007 versus now, over the past 20 years, basically the entire park has changed. And I think we're about to see the exact same thing, but with Islands of Adventure. The difference is that Islands of Adventure is a much harder park to change. This park was built with a stronger identity.

[00:04:36]It was not just a studio park with soundstages and production theming. It was a full-blown immersive fantasy adventure park from day one. Every island had its own atmosphere, its own color palette, its own sense of place, and that is why changing of adventure is very complicated. You cannot just slap a new ride into a building and call it a day. Every change has to fit the rhythm of the park. Every land has to feel worthy of being an actual island. And because the park is so beloved, every closure is going to come with a lot more emotion. But the truth is, Islands of Adventure is now over 25 years old. And in theme park years, that's the age where a lot of attractions start needing serious work. Some rides can last forever with constant maintenance upgrades, retracts, and refurbishments.

[00:05:20]I mean, we saw that with The Incredible Hulk, which basically had to be rebuilt to keep going, but eventually everything part hits a point where it has to decide what is worth preserving.

[00:05:31]And with Universal, a lot of times when rides start hitting 20 years, that's when you start seeing a lot of changes come in or or potential changes. Uh except for things like ET and some of these attractions that I think will stick around for longer than that just due to the popularity of them. But, you know, we we've seen this before with Universal where you start hitting that point and that's when you start looking at replacements or major refurbishments.

[00:05:57]And yeah, I I do agree with that. By the way, I just want to say I love the music he has in the back of these like in the background of these videos. I I like it.

[00:06:04]I like that little synth wave. I'm kind of a sucker for synth wave lately. Also have to decide what has simply reached the end of its life cuz that's where Adventure is right now. And the first major domino is obviously Lost Continent. It was just announced that Lost Content will be officially closing and shutting down in 2027. And this has been the strangest land in the park for years cuz it's gorgeous. has some of the best architecture Universal has ever done. It has this massive mythological scale and it was truly the only actual island on the park that was based off an original concept.

[00:06:39]>> I agree with that. I I'm I'm like of two minds when it comes to Lost Continent. I love the Lost Continent. I love the idea of this. I love ancient mythology. I love all that stuff. I love mythos. I really wish in an ideal world they would have done more with it. I think there's still a lot of potential with this. I actually really enjoyed Poseidon's Fury.

[00:07:01]I actually wished when they did the refurb before it shut back down after the reverb that they really would have went in there and kind of redeveloped that show. I I thought it was really good. But understanding just reality and the fact that as of right now, you know, they're not going to be doing much of this. It's been an abandoned land for the most part for years now. Uh, and I think what he's going to allude to and and the potential of bringing in Pokemon in here, uh, if you're talking about bringing the number one media brand in the world into your theme parks, it's kind of a no-brainer if you're able to do that. So, I think in an ideal world, I would have loved to have seen more done with this, but I can understand why they're going to change it. And the fact that they just haven't done anything with it for like better part of a decade at this point. So, it's like, you know, move on to do something else in here where it's actually a land that you want to do stuff in here other than just walk through or get us some food items essentially is what it kind of is right now. But in terms of actual attractions, it's been fading for a long time. Ever since they lost Merlinwood, that was already the sinking ship that started at Lost Continent. The eighth voyage of Simbad closed. Poseidon's Fury closed.

[00:08:09]The land just kept shrinking. And for a while, Mythos was basically the last major reason the area still felt alive.

[00:08:16]>> And it's great, which is why it still felt alive because Mythos is amazing.

[00:08:19]But we're losing that, too. That that that's a that's one of those where it's like I'm okay with Lost Continent going.

[00:08:25]Mythos is going with it. That's a lot of collateral damage, but I hope it lives on. You know, the rumor is in Thunderfalls terrorists could become Hammonds, but that is probably the hardest thing to lose out of the Lost Continent is Mythos. It's It's a great restaurant >> and this is a big deal. Now, Universal has not officially announced what is replacing it, but the rumors have been very loud for years. For a while, everyone, including myself, thought The Legends of Zelda made the most sense.

[00:08:52]But then, I agree, Zelda is such a strange thing with Universal. There have been two or three times where Zelda is like right there. And then either I I know they've had reservations about the overall appeal of Zelda, especially compared to some of the other Nintendo properties and and even Pokemon, but I I also wonder, and Vash Sky had alluded to this, is maybe there is something with Nintendo because Nintendo is a very controlling company. Maybe there's something there that's kind of holding that up as well. I'm not really sure, but there's been at least I can count off the top of my head two different instances where it's like, okay, we're going to do Zelda and something shifts and you had to happen again because Zelda pretty much was primed to take over the Lost Continent.

[00:09:37]And then I I do think eventually it does come probably to Epic Universe, but yeah, it's a it's been a strange one in the universal end of things.

[00:09:48]Pokemon became the big rumored frontr runner. And honestly, if Pokemon is what ends up replacing the Lost Continent, that could be one of the biggest moves Universal has ever made.

[00:09:58]>> Agreed. And I will just say this, it is technically a rumor that Pokemon's coming in here, but there have been two things I have been told in recent history about things coming to the Universal parks that I've been pretty like almost, you know, nothing's 100% when you're talking about a rumor and just, you know, things like that. Uh, I would say 90% sure is where I would put that. One was Fast and Furious replacing Rip Ride Rocket. I was told that months prior to the announcement. I was saying that all the time like I know people may not like it. It's going to be Fast and Furious. It's going to replace Rip Ride Rocket and they're probably going to get rid of Supercharged. And the other one is the fact that Pokemon is replacing Lost Continent. I I heard that around the same time as well. And that one has stayed pretty consistent. Everything else when it comes to Universal, it seems like they change their minds almost on a weekly basis. So you'll hear different things this week and then next week or whatever, but those two things have been pretty constant in terms of uh again rumors. So there again, it's not 100% that this is going to be Pokemon, but Universal did come out and say that Pokemon is coming to the domestic parks.

[00:11:04]It's a massive massive brand and I I think it's just going to end up in Lost Continent. And I think it could be good for the park. We'll see what they do with it, though.

[00:11:13]>> Now, I know what you're saying. Well, Pokemon isn't based off a book like all the other lands in Alons of Adventure are based off of. And while yes, Pokemon is based off of a game series. Here's the exception. Pokemon is the biggest intellectual property in the world. It's here's the exception. It's going to make Universal just buzz of money. That's the exception. Like, I get it. Like everything in here is based on a book and I I love the lore of this park. But when you're talking Pokemon and the number one media brand, even the trading cards alone, the market of those is like $20 billion. That's why you make the exception for Pokemon here. Let's be honest.

[00:11:50]Generational. It has kids, teenagers, adults, collectors, gamers, casual fans, hardcore fans, and people who've just been with the franchise for almost 30 years. It's one of the few brands that could actually justify replacing such a visually iconic area and truly the only exception to breaking the book rule because of how large it is by a landslide. And the location does make a lot of sense in a way. Lost sits perfectly in between Seuss Landing and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. So, whatever goes there does really need to pull families, but it also needs to be big enough to handle adult interest.

[00:12:22]Pokemon does that perfectly. A Pokémon land could really give Islands of Adventure a true all ages anchor. Not just a kids land, not just a thrill land. Something that could have a major dark ride, interactive elements, food, merchandise, characters, kinetic energy, and a huge emotional connection. And if Universal does this right, it could be their next Hogsme level expansion. But >> 100%. And that is one of those brands where theme park philosophy would say you got a four quadrant property. That is what Pokemon legitimately is. And when you're looking at how big it is, and the interesting part about it is too is Universal has even alluded to with Epic Universe that they're going to bring in this new crowd of people that were going to come to the theme parks and not necessarily going after just theme park fans. And that was really tapping into Nintendo and they did it with Wizarding Worlds. And I think you're going to see the same thing happen with Pokemon. And I've talked to a couple of people, actually quite a few people that are into Pokemon that they're they don't really go to theme parks. Maybe they've been once or twice.

[00:13:23]They're not actively going to theme parks on a regular basis, but they all said, "Oh yeah, if they put in Pokemon, I will be there 100%." And I think you'd be tapping into a new market. And like you said, you get the generational appeal of of Nintendo and Pokemon in here. I think it would make Islands of Adventure absolutely explode in attendance. Uh you already have Hagrids and Velocic Coaster, some really strong rides in here and lands. This would propel this park to I think just new heights.

[00:13:53]>> The Lost Continent transformation is only the beginning because when you really walk around Islands of Adventure land by land, almost every island has some kind of question mark attached to it. Jurassic Park right now is one of the most interesting examples. I love Jurassic Park at IOA. The land still has such a great atmosphere. You have the Discovery Center. You have Camp Jurassic. the sense that you are walking through this slightly dangerous prehistoric environment in of course Veloca Coaster, arguably one of the greatest coasters on earth. And the weird thing is Alms Adventure still has and the weird thing is the fact that Alonso Adventure has preserved the Jurassic Park theme while Jurassic World has kind of been taking over a lot of the other parks like Universal Hollywood and Universal Beijing. And I do not think that's a bad thing. I think keeping Jurassic Park in Islands of Adventure is very smart. Jurassic World is the newer brand and sure we have rides like Veloca Coaster, but Jurassic Park has a timeless quality to it. It has >> I don't disagree, but the reason Jurassic Park is staying in Islands of Adventure and not doing Jurassic World is because of Steven Spielberg. Um, he has still I I believe it's I forget how much he gets a certain percentage of tickets sold uh I believe to Islands of Adventure. He had a big role in in designing or a big part of at least consulting in this. He's still active in a lot of the things that Universal does.

[00:15:12]Jurassic Park is going to stay River Adventure because of Steven Spielberg.

[00:15:16]That's essentially why. I mean, I don't think there's any other reason. I think it was Universal. They probably would do what they've done in the other parks, which is kind of turn all this into Jurassic World, which actually kind of makes some sense from a theming standpoint because those, you know, at least the original Jurassic World movie was based on a theme park that had dinosaurs. it's kind of built in that you would just bring this into a theme park with the caveat being Stephen Spielberg uh obviously directed the first Jurassic Park and he wants that to stay around and he wasn't very happy that Universal Studios Hollywood took out their ET attraction. So he definitely has some influence over decisions that Universal makes to this day that iconic John Williams music. It has those original entrance gates. has that classic visitor center aesthetic and for a theme park land, the original Jurassic Park identity just works. The big question has always been what's going on with the River Adventure. And as it's currently been in this massive refurbishment and is still being listed as Jurassic Park River Adventure, it does not seem that Universal is rushing to turn Orlando's version into Jurassic World, and I highly respect that. What I would love to see is not a full Jurassic World overlay, but a serious modernization of the existing ride, keeping the Jurassic Park identity, but upgrading the figures, the show scenes, the lighting, the sound, and even the finale. The ride still has one of the best concepts for any water ride ever.

[00:16:35]You're supposed to be on a peaceful river tour, something goes wrong, the dinosaurs escape, and you suddenly are being pushed to restricted area with the T-Rex at the top of a drop. I mean, it's perfect. Nothing is better than that. It does not need to become something completely different. It just needs to feel alive again. And that is kind of the overall theme with Adventure. Not everything needs to be replaced. Some things just need to be refreshed. And they are currently doing what I'm saying with River Adventure, which is so exciting to see. And another great example, >> the only thing I would just add to that, we don't really know what they're doing to River Adventure. They haven't said it is a lengthy refurb. It's not the budget on it is not a ton. I can't remember the exact total figure, but it's not like a ton of money they're putting into it, but one would assume that they're going to fix a lot of these animatronics and it's going to be a better ride after the fact. But we actually I mean typical Universal fashion, we're not really sure exactly what they're going to do other than I'm almost 99% sure that it is not going to become Jurassic World or anything of that nature. That's that's really the only thing I can say about it. But I'm also going to assume that the animatronics and things are going to be updated of this is Seuss Landing. See Landing is not going anywhere and nor should it.

[00:17:48]That land is still one of the most visually unique family areas in all of Orlando. It has no straight lines, bright colors everywhere, just wacky architecture, and a style that instantly separates it from the rest of the park.

[00:17:59]It also gives Islands of Adventure something the park really needs, a softer family zone that not every area needs to have some intense, heavy, thrill, loaded ride.

[00:18:09]>> I completely agree. I mean, my kids, you know, they still enjoy this land, but having, you know, smaller kids going to Universal Parks, Seuss Landing is a great land. Now, it does need some TLC.

[00:18:19]Some of it's looking kind of rough and I think there's some other things you could do here to upgrade some of these attractions like Cat in the Hat and some of these other ones. But it's a solid land, especially Christmas time with Grinchmiss and things like that. It's a really solid land that I think a lot of people overlook. And I think especially in a park like this, it definitely gives kids and young families a place to, you know, have some things to do here.

[00:18:40]Relax, go ride a few rides. Not, like you said, not everything has to be Veloci Coaster or Hagrids. you know, it's okay to have some of these kitty type rides in here, merrygorounds and things like that. I I I agree with that.

[00:18:54]>> Zeus Landing truly balances the park.

[00:18:56]However, I would be lying if I said this land is perfect. It needs repainting. It needs pavement work. It needs touch-ups.

[00:19:02]It needs to feel crisp again. And that honestly goes for a lot of adventure.

[00:19:06]The park does not need to lose its identity. It just needs a polished pass.

[00:19:10]New paint, better lighting, refreshed pathways, updated effects, rebuilt facade, a renewed commitment to making every island feel as strong as when it did when the park opened. Speaking of, let's go to Ton Lagoon. This is where things get really interesting. I know Ton Lagoon has fans. I mean, the land's unique Dudley Dight Ripsaw Falls and Papey Blood's Bill Barges are some of the wetest, funniest, most chaotic water rides in Orlando. But let's be honest, it's the weakest area in the park from an IP standpoint. Most >> I mean to be honest, most of Toon Lagoon was completely outdated whenever the park opened. I mean I I think that these cartoons were well past their popularity timeline when it opened. And I I agree.

[00:19:48]Now the thing that people love about this land is the water rides. You'll see those in the summertime have really high weight times there. And and I would actually say probably the best water rides that you're going to find in theme parks nowadays. I mean I I would have said Splash Mountain years ago. Uh, it's still, you know, obviously it's still a water ride. You still get wet on it, but I think these in here are more consistently uh, you know, maintains their popularity year after year and in a hot park like this, uh, it's really nice if you're in Islands of Adventure and it's 98° to go on a water ride and cool down a little bit.

[00:20:22]>> Guests do not have a strong connection to these characters anymore. Dudley Durrite is not exactly pulling in the modern theme park crowd. Popeye's easily the most recognizable, but even that ride is not exactly a must do for a lot of guests unless it's extremely hot outside. And that's >> cuz you will just get soaked. Like head to toe, you will get soaked on this thing. So if you're going to ride it, I would suggest wearing like, you know, almost like swimsuits cuz it's just you will get that wet on here.

[00:20:47]>> The issue Lagoon has two major water rides in a park that already has a lot of other headliners. So when the weather is not perfect or when people do not want to get completely drenched, this land can feel dead. The bones of the land are good. The rides are fun. The setting is a lot of personality, but I feel like the IP has aged out of relevance. So, what does Universal do? I think there's two options right now with Tomb Lagoon that they are definitely trying to work out. Option one is keep the water rides, but just rethe the entire area. This is definitely the most realistic approach. Universal could preserve the ride systems, keep the capacity, and bring in a property with stronger modern appeal. DreamWorks is the obvious direction. Also adventure currently does not really have DreamWorks representation other than the small meet and greet at the lost continent currently. So even though Universal Studios has DreamWorks Land and Epic Universe has of Burke, maybe a Shrek swamp area could be hilarious. A Kung Fu Panda Land could work visually.

[00:21:41]Even something like Madagascar could fit the water ride energy. There's a lot of flexibility there. There's also been a large rumor of Lord of the Rings somehow being integrated into the parks. And option two would be remove part of Toon Lagoon and add a completely new attraction when retheing the land. The old amphitheater space has been sitting there for years. That is valuable real estate. Universal could use that plot for a new indoor attraction, a family dark ride, a new show, even a smaller roller coaster. Adventure does not necessarily need more thrill rides, but it could definitely use some more highcapacity weatherprotected familyfriendly experiences. And >> so I don't disagree with what he's saying there. you know, you could bring in some DreamWorks properties, things like that. But one thing I'll just note is there's a lot of potential. I'll just say we we've talked about before that it seems that Warner Brothers, I mean, they've made exclusions to make this deal to happen that you could see DC, you know, comic books come into the Universal parks. Now, you could put it in Islands of Adventure, although you still have Marvel Superhero Island there, which they're not going to get rid of that. So that is something that you could bring in. Also, I would just point out I think there's a legitimate possibility you see anime probably like One Piece and One Piece is water-based and I've been I know a lot of people talk about Lost Continent maybe doing something there with with One Piece or anything like that. I think Toon Lagoon would make a lot of sense for One Piece.

[00:23:07]Uh, now I don't know if Universal's in a spot to where they feel comfortable enough yet to do a One Piece land, but you have seen them out at FanFest and Universal Studios Hollywood feature it more this year than they did even last year and had a really good response to it. So, I think as they continue to figure out the demand of One Piece, and I know anime is massive, I could see that. So, I think your potentials there you've got are first off, I would leave the water rides. I think those are good enough as they are. just refurb them, give them a little sprucing up, but you know, leaving most at least one of the water rides, probably Dudley do rides, maybe get rid of the the build drop barges thing. But I think you look at One Piece, you could look at some of those animated properties, maybe DC, but there's definitely some options there.

[00:23:50]Uh, but I don't know if like Shrek, like I I don't know, maybe if Shrek hits off again in the theaters. I just don't know what the overall demand for that would be. And you already have it in DreamWorks Land, but essentially anything at this point would be more relevant than the cartoons that are currently in Toon Lagoon. I mean, you're not moving any merchandise off of Toon Lagoon. You would move tons of merchandise off of DC or One Piece and and properties like that. That is one thing Universal should focus on for the future of this park. Capacity. Veloc, Hagert, Surviv Journey, and Spider-Man are all heavy hitters. But Adventure can easily feel overwhelmed when crowds are high. If Universal is going to replace or rebuild areas, they need to think beyond what just looks good on a poster.

[00:24:30]They need attraction that eats crowds, indoor rides, shows, interactive walkthroughs, restaurants, kinetic spaces, things that spread people out instead of just creating another massive line. Then we get to the biggest question mark in the whole area, and that's Marvel Superhero Island. The land is iconic. the com.

[00:24:48]>> I don't know what he's gonna say here, but I don't really think there's much of a question mark about Marvel Superhero Island because uh Universal is never going to give this up because the way this contract works, it's in perpetuity.

[00:25:00]They signed it in the '9s. Uh as long as they maintain this land to whatever the contract says, uh it's theirs. Unless Disney backs up the Brinks truck and is willing to pay a huge sum of money for this, I think just off of a competitive advantage alone, they're never going to give up Marvel Superhero Island. And personally speaking, I like Marvel Superhero Island. I like that '9s era vibe of this land. Uh, so I don't really know where he's going to go with this, but I don't think there's really any question marks around Marvel Superhero Island from what will they do with it standpoint because they're not going to do anything with it. They're just going to keep it. city design, the giant cutouts, the music, the bright colors, the exaggerated buildings, the classic vintage marble energy, one of the most recognizable lands Universal has ever built, and it has two all-time great attractions. The Incredible Hulk coaster is still one of the defining coasters of Universal Orlando, and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is still one of the greatest dark rides ever created.

[00:25:57]That's what makes Marvel so difficult because from a guest experience perspective, the land still works.

[00:26:03]People still love it. The rides are still popular. Spider-Man is still incredible. Hulk still dominates the skyline, but from a business and future planning perspective, Marvel's complicated because Disney owns Marvel.

[00:26:14]Their biggest competitor owns the rights. And while Universal still has the theme park rights to use certain Marvel characters in Orlando under the older agreement, that creates one of the strangest theme park situations in the world. Universal has a Marvel land at Islands of Adventure, while Disney cannot build a true Avengers Campus style land at Disney World with many of those same characters. So Marvel is both a strength and a limitation. Universal gets to keep a major superhero land away from Disney World, but Universal also cannot really treat Marvel like it is their own modern franchise. They cannot just freely build whatever new MCU style attraction they want. They are working with an older comic book version of the brand. And while that aesthetic is amazing, it does extremely limit long-term growth. So what happens? I really do not think Marvel is untouchable forever. And I think a lot of people need to get this in their heads. I know that sounds wild because Spider-Man, it's a masterpiece and Hulk, it's an icon. But if Universal is planning Alons of Adventure for the next 20 or 30 years, they have to ask a very real question. Do they want one of the most valuable areas in the park tied to a brand that they don't even own? That does not mean Marvel is leaving tomorrow. I definitely don't think it is. But in a 10 year or 15 year conversation, Marvel really does have to be discussed. And that brings us >> I disagree.

[00:27:35]I he he's not wrong in the fact that they can't do anything with it. They can't upgrade it really because you got to get approval from Marvel, which Disney owns. So, it's in a time capsule.

[00:27:45]100% agree. I guess you could say that's a limitation of the park on some level, but I still think like Marvel Super Island is a draw. I think people, especially with nostalgia, enjoy the '9s stuff. And I don't really know like even if you could do MCU stuff, like what would you really want to do? Cuz it's not like the MCU is like lighting things on fire right now. But the biggest advantage you have here from a business standpoint, not a guest standpoint, but a business standpoint is you keep a massive property out of your biggest competitor's hands. That is worth a ton of money to Universal. So, like I said, unless Disney is willing to pay a huge sum of money to get this back, and I'm guessing that I I don't really know what that price tag would be. I would be very curious about that, but from a business competitive advantage, it is worth Islands of Adventure keeping Marvel Superhero Island in a time capsule to keep it out of Disney's hands. So, I think for that very reason, unless Marvel completely nose dives in the next 10, 20 years in terms of popularity, you know, maybe then they decide to get rid of it. But as it currently stands, it still has relevance. You know, if it w it went back to Disney that they would probably within five to 10 years do something with it. You keep it out of their hands and you can expand other areas of your parks. Uh now you got Epic Universe. You you got more room now than you did even 5 years ago. So it's not as much of a liability as it used to be for Universal in the way that they're set up now.

[00:29:11]>> Back to the bigger picture. The future of IOA is not about fixing a bad park.

[00:29:15]It's about preparing a legendary park for its next era. Epic Universe is now open. Universal Studios Florida has some major changes coming. Fast and Furious Hollywood Drift is coming. One of the greatest roller coasters that will probably ever exist. Fast Fury Supercharged is closing. Thank god DreamWorks Land is here. Universal is clearly not afraid to change its parks.

[00:29:37]And now Islands of Adventure is next in line. Lost Common is the starting point.

[00:29:41]Whatever replaces it will probably set the tone for the next version of the park. And if it's Pokemon, then IOA gets one of the biggest franchises in the world. If it's Zelda, >> the biggest franchise in the world that from a money standpoint, that's what's crazy about it. And I'm not even a Pokémon fan. It's crazy how big Pokémon is.

[00:29:57]>> Then the park gets a fantasy land that spiritually connects to what Lost Content used to be. If it is something else entirely, then Universal has a chance to surprise everyone. But after that, I think the focus shifts to Toon Lagoon, Marvel, and parkwide refurbishments. Not every change has to be a demolition. Some of the best future moves might just be making the existing park feel new again. Keep Seuss Landing fresh, add more shade, improve food, update effects, use empty spaces, bring back entertainment, add capacity, make the park feel alive in every corner because IA is still such a special place. There are very few theme parks in the world where you can ride rides like this. It just needs this next chapter and honestly, that is what makes it so exciting. Islands of Adventure is not declining. It is aging into a transformation. It is entering the phase where Universe wants to make some big decisions. Some will definitely be controversial. Some will probably make fans angry at first. But if UN >> No, never. Theme Park fans, they don't overreact to anything. They take it in stride. No problem at all.

[00:30:54]>> Universal handles this park with the same ambition that created Hogsme, Veloca Coaster, and Epic Universe. IOA could come out of this next decade stronger than ever. The park we know today is already one of the best theme parks in the world, but the Islands of Adventure of the Future, that could be something even bigger. So, I want to hear from you. What do you think Universal should do with Islands of Adventure? Should Lost Connor become Pokémon? Should Toon Lagoon finally give her place? Should Marvel just stay forever? Is it time for Universal to start planning an exit strategy?

[00:31:23]>> So, that was theme park hunting. So, again, link to the uh the video is going to be in the description. Go check out that video and and go like it over there. Uh a really good video. He has some really really good points. The only thing I really disagree on is the Marvel stuff. Uh I just think like I said like you'd be silly to to allow Disney to have that in their possession in my opinion unless you had just a a nobrainer type of thing you could replace it with, which possibly they could. I mean you could make an argument about if they do get the DC theme park rights, could you replace that? But why replace it when you can just have Marvel and DC in your theme parks and benefit from both? So, I think when you're looking at Islands of Adventure, I agree it's a great park. It does need some updating. There are some things you can do, too. There's been some dead zones in there, especially Lost Continent the past few years. They're doing something about that now. I would say Toon Lagoon, not a dead zone necessarily, but an underutilized area, especially if you're looking at modern-day theme parks with, you know, merchandise that can be sold and things like that. Toon Lagoon's not moving any of that. So, I think realistically when you're looking at this park, you know, I don't think you take out Seuss Landing. Obviously, you don't take out uh Hogsme, you don't take out Marvel, but I think you can definitely do some of Toon Lagoon.

[00:32:36]Something's happened with Islands of Adventure. You don't take out Jurassic Park, but you can refresh some of these areas and update them and and different things of that nature. And I I think that's probably like again likely what they're going to do. So, if Pokemon does go into Lost Continent, I mean, first off, you are going to see an insane amount of people come into Islands of Adventure to check out Pokemon. And then very likely they're also going to go check out Super Nintendo World and Epic Universe and Wizarding Worlds and everything like that. So, bringing that in alone is going to be a huge huge boom for the attendance of Universal Orlando alone. Then if you couple that with doing something with Toon Lagoon, you definitely have strengthened this park immensely in a in a very short amount of time in an already strong park. And that's the one thing I will say about where Universal is at is like as much ground as they have made up against Disney the past 10 years. I mean, they've eaten up over 10% of market share in a decade that a lot of the areas of their parks are kind of sitting there just ready to be utilized further.

[00:33:38]Islands and and Universal Studios have a lot of areas that they still need to do something with them. So, if you're Universal having this much growth and now you got Epic Universe part of your lineup. I mean, you have to be encouraged that you made this much progress in the theme parks and really eating into market share and you still have this much room to improve your parks. I personally would look at that and say, you know, we're sitting in a good spot right here. As long as you make good decisions here, I think Pokemon coming in here is a good decision. And again, that's coming from somebody who is not a Pokemon fan. I don't even think I've I've watched people play Pokemon a little bit. I've never played it. I've never read anything, watched anything of it, but I can I can understand how big it is and how much money you would make. I mean, just imagine the theme park specific card drops and things like that. It would be it would be absolutely massive if you tap into the anime audience and maybe bring in One Piece for Toon Lagoon. There you go again. Tapping into a new demographic of people that maybe weren't into theme parks, but will come check out One Piece. They'll come check out Pokemon. and then they become theme park people. And I think this is Universal strategy. It's not necessarily going after the Disney crowd. It's going after people that are fans of these pop culture properties and kind of converting them into theme park fans.

[00:34:48]And I think they really did that first with The Wizarding World and they saw, oh wow, that really worked well. Let's do this with Nintendo and then let's do this with other properties. I think that's exactly what they're going to do.

[00:34:58]And even Disney alluded to this before Epic opened. They were saying that, you know, at the time they were saying the Epic Universe was going to help their attendance and everything like that. And they even mentioned that there's this new group of, you know, people that are becoming to theme parks like an untapped market.

[00:35:14]And you're thinking like, what do you what could that be? Why would they be going to Disney on an untapped market?

[00:35:19]Why would that be? I think it's because they knew that there was going to be people coming to Epic Universe like specifically for Super Nintendo World.

[00:35:26]And then those people are would hopefully in their eyes were going to come over to Disney World. So, even Disney understands that Universal is probably tapping into this new demographic, and they're going to kind of maybe ride the waves of that, which probably isn't a bad move business-wise, if that's what your competitor is doing, creating new theme park fans to then try and convert them over to yours as well.

[00:35:46]But, I think this is going to be Universal's strategy, and as they beef up, you know, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, uh, I think that you're going to see a lot of changes here in the next 10 years. I've been saying for a while they're going to be incredibly aggressive this next decade and I think we are seeing that play out cuz Epic Universe just opened a year ago. You already have construction going on Lost Continent. You got a new coaster coming in to replace Rip Ride Rocket. You've got two expansion areas going into Epic Universe. Like there's tons and tons of growth going on. You have a tunnel between CityWalk and Epic Universe. Like that's just and that's what we know right now. And they probably have more things in the works.

[00:36:25]So, I think the way Islands of Adventure looks in the next 5 to 10 years is going to be vastly different than how it has looked the past 10. And I think you could say potentially the same thing for Universal Studios Florida. So, I I think if you're a fan of this park, there's lots of cool things coming. Even if you're not a Pokemon fan like like myself, I'm curious to see what Universal Creative can do with a Pokemon land and other things they'll bring to this park. So, I think it's exciting stuff. I just don't think they ever touch Marvel in the foreseeable future unless something drastically changes there. And I say that and they'll probably announce tomorrow they're getting rid of it or something, but personally speaking, I would keep it.

[00:37:01]But, uh, I I love Islands of Adventure.

[00:37:04]I'm happy to see it's starting to get some more stuff coming its way. And I hope we see this, you know, all throughout Universal. And then, of course, Disney's going to do the same thing. So, this next decade is essentially a theme park's arms race between Disney and Universal. And the goal there is to get your attention to have you spend your money with them. And I think that's great for the consumer and I hope we continue to see them battle it out for that reason and get more cool stuff personally speaking. So that is why I like competition. But again, go check out this video from theme park hunting and go like it over there and uh doing doing some good work over there. And either way, that is going to be it though for this video.

[00:37:43]So, if you like this video, please like it and subscribe to the channel as we do lots coverage here of Universal Studios, Epic Universe, Disney World, and pop culture. And let us know in the comments what do you think about all this. And until next time, we will see you in the parks.