Parts of KidZone Closing Jan 16, 2023: Curious George, Fivel, Dreamworks Destination, Woody's Nuthouse Coaster

[atricks]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1587604021761671170

More than half the land will be closing on the Jan 16th, last day to go there is the 15th.

No clear picture of what the replacements will be other than family/kid oriented, but it's been a long time coming.

ET, Animal Actors, the Pizza Place, and the Spongebob store will remain. Two prevailing rumors are more dreamworks/illumination or Pokemon themed family area.
Of all the rumors, the Dreamworks one is currently the frontrunner of being the most likely (Trolls being one of them for a show in a remodeled Barney theater and the coaster, shrek play area to replace fivel, and kung fu panda to replace curious george) Pretty much everything but the barney theater (that will be remodeled) is probably going to be removed.

 

[keishashadow]

Just saw on twitter. Hoping they do offer “exciting new family entertainment”, suitable for Universal’s younger guest set.

IMO they desperately need to retain activities for those whom don’t meet the height requirements on many of the parks’ attractions.

 

[macraven]

As long as animal actors will continue, I am good with changes

 

[Gusey]

Would they add Secret Life of Pets?

 

[pinkxray]

My kids really enjoyed the ball area in curious George and the coaster in that area. I’m glad we have another chance to check it out this month before it is gone.
I hope they redo it in a similar but better way for kids who are too small for other areas in the park. We have been with our daughter who was under 40 inches a few times and having areas like this made it fun for the whole family.

 

[Pages26]

Just saw on twitter. Hoping they do offer “exciting new family entertainment”, suitable for Universal’s younger guest set.

IMO they desperately need to retain activities for those whom don’t meet the height requirements on many of the parks’ attractions.

Pretty certain that it will be pokeman area with probably 3 attractions. 2 for small kids and 1 all the family can enjoy.

The clue is the announcement... Adventures with beloved animated characters.

Its not going to be secret Life of pets as that's just a one ride not a whole area.

I would expect secrect Life of pets to replace Jimmy Fallon in a few in 2025/2026

Pokémon land opening summer 2024 before epic universe a few months later i reckon.

 

[Skywalker3]

Wow, this seemed to come out of the blue. Very excited for a re-theme of the area, with newer IPs. Universal definitely needs an area for the younger kids/short kids, etc. Would be great to have at least 1, if not 2, really well done dark/kid rides. When the kids were little, we spent more time than ever expected in that Curious George ball shooting place, and in the water areas, but would be nice to have more rides in there. Just hope it doesn't take too long to get up and going. HOpe they'll have the dreamworks characters elsewhere for meet/greets. Exciting news for sure!!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I do need to say something that is a critique and that is the fact this came out in the evening randomly on a Tuesday imho is a faux pas.

They just moved Shrek and Donkey there!

I do wonder what they are putting there. I think SLoP would be good but also heard rumors floating around that they were gonna make a huge Shrek swamp like meet and greet area.

At least we won’t be awkwardly going through Curious George during HHN anymore! (That was always so awkward for me like……I’m trying to get to a scary house meanwhile I’m queued up in curious George )

 

[maverik85]

Pretty certain that it will be pokeman area with probably 3 attractions. 2 for small kids and 1 all the family can enjoy.

The clue is the announcement... Adventures with beloved animated characters.

Its not going to be secret Life of pets as that's just a one ride not a whole area.

I would expect secrect Life of pets to replace Jimmy Fallon in a few in 2025/2026

Pokémon land opening summer 2024 before epic universe a few months later i reckon.

I'm leaning towards Pokemon as well as a likely theme for the area. They've already stated that it will be coming to Universal parks and is a beloved franchise that could easily have a young kids area themed around it.

Would love if Secret Life of Pets replaced Fallon. I personally don't care about the theme and there are so many simulators in that park. A physical set dark ride would be a great addition to replace a 3d screen simulator.

 

[Kit Jackson]

My guess for the re-theme is Dreamworks, Trolls, Smurfs, or Scooby-Doo.

 

[maverik85]

My guess for the re-theme is Dreamworks, Trolls, Smurfs, or Scooby-Doo.

I don't see Smurfs or Scooby-Doo as likely. Smurfs aren't very relevant anymore, and neither are owned by Universal/Comcast. Scooby could work but not sure it's a big enough property for them to worry about securing rights to when they have plenty of their own.
Dreamworks would be good, but I prefer the more immersive lands so I'm hoping they pick just one or two franchises so they can make a more cohesive and immersive land instead of the hodge podge that it currently is. It makes it feel cheaper when there is a lot of different ones crammed together that aren't visually cohesive.

My top choice would be for a Shrek land as it can work together while giving variety (enchanted forest/swamp & Far Far Away castle/city areas). Kids dragon themed coaster, Shrek fairytale dark ride (or even a boat ride that starts with the swamp), lots of potential for show stories, return of the Shrek & Donkey meet and greet in an enhanced location.
The franchise has stood the test of time with the first two still being well loved. New Puss in Boots movie coming out the end of this year and rumors of a fifth Shrek. They've done lands for it elsewhere and have looked good, along with Kung Fu Panda that could work well too.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Mine is hoping E.T. continues to stick around. My husband appeases me by going on it

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It had long been rumored though to be a spot for HP expansion or Nintendo or something of that sort before Epic Universe was announced so I'm not surprised they are doing this although it had been a bit since I heard anything about doing something for that area so in that sense it kinda just popped up finally I guess.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I'm not surprised this was announced tbh. When I went to Universal in May, Fievel's Playland was closed and this entire area looked somewhat abandoned. I doubt it'll be Pokemon since Nintendo does not fully own the IP (it's partially owned by Nintendo, Game Freak and the Pokemon Company) and the Pokemon deal only applies to the Osaka park. If I were to guess, I think it'll become Shrek (or Dreamworks as a whole) or Secret Life of Pets. I would LOVE a Pokemon land though.

 

[Lilias]

I remember filling out a survey for Universal re: Pokemon stuff in the Parks years ago, but nothing ever came of it (I'm assuming pandemic killed it? It was kindof underwhelming anyway). I wonder if it's just taken them this long to get the final approvals from all the owners? Might explain why Fievel land was repainted and Shrek M&G rebuilt and moved only to be so suddenly closed.

Just spitballin' I personally would love a Pokemon land so I'm a lil biased, hehe.

 

[keishashadow]

Pokémon better in epic universe imo

 

[maverik85]

My only worry for this is, if they want to have it open by 2024 it doesn't give them a lot of time for big changes for an entire land. It think this will likely be a Dreamworks overlay of the existing land. Maybe some new structures and new theming elements which will still be an improvment, but 1-1.5 years isn't a lot of time to do a new immersive land. Though they have shown they can do fast construction I'd keep expectations tempered for anything huge. They could do a second phase addition later as well, there have been rumors of a dark ride to be added to the land. Could do the retheme and minor additions of the current area then add a dark ride a couple years later as a phase 2 addition.

 

[namelessoracle]

I'd be surprised if Universals Japan wouldnt get Pokemon first. I've honestly not seen any evidence that Pokemon is even part of Universals deal, Universal has a big deal for movies plus parks for Mario IP stuff, but Legendary (part of the WB/HBO world) did the Detective Pikachu movies, so that IP might not even be locked down. And Universal would be announcing it was being replaced by Pokemon if that was a lock in to get people excited. Don't get your hopes up for Pokemon.

All the surveys sound alot like the the Lord of the Rings surveys that went out and LOTR speculation. I'd love to be proved wrong though!

 

[Smugpugmug]

I'd be surprised if Universals Japan would get Pokemon first. And Universal would be announcing it was being replaced by Pokemon if that was a lock in to get people excited. Don't get your hopes up for Pokemon.

Universal Studios Japan and Pokemon announced a partnership in late 2021 to bring Pokemon to that park so it is happening in some form. What is up in the air is if that partnership will come to the US parks as well.

 

[keishashadow]

All the surveys sound alot like the the Lord of the Rings surveys that went out and LOTR speculation. I'd love to be proved wrong though!

LoTR scope would be difficult to replicate in a park IMO. I’d love to see it featured

Sure don’t see it falling into all ages/replacing kids zone tho

If anyone could, it would be U, who did such a great job with HP