Universal Studios Japan (USJ) Discussion Thread

I always wondered why they felt that building a park in Okinawa was a good idea... If anything, the park would've had to have been completely unique without any overlap in shows, attractions or IPs from Universal Studios Japan, otherwise the two parks would cannibalize each other. Like the image above suggests, there is a sizable amount of adjacent land that if they focused their capital and efforts to acquire, could serve as an adequate plot for an additional park and additional resort features.

I believe it was Okinawa prefecture government that contacted them and most likely gave them great financial incentive to do so...but then Comcast stepped in and gave them a great financial incentive to take full ownership of the park!

Just posted on Screamscape....

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem - Confirmed - (6/22/16) Universal Studios Japan has confirmed that they will open the World's Largest Minion Area in 2017 to replace the now closed Back To The Future attraction. The park's Back To The Future ride will be converted into the world's largest version of the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride, along with a Minion themed shop and more.

Banana!

Nintendo attractions are now confirmed for all three Universal resorts

http://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/nintendo-universal-parks/

Last year, I let you know about a new partnership between Universal Parks & Resorts and Nintendo. Today, I am going to update you on this historic collaboration – and share a glimpse at the creative vision behind it.

 

Imagine the fun of stepping into a larger-than-life Nintendo adventure. Gigantic Piranha Plants spring to life. Question blocks, power-ups and more surround you. And Mario and all his friends are there to pull you into a brand-new world.

 

You’ll enter an entire realm filled with iconic Nintendo excitement, gameplay, heroes and villains. And it’s coming to three Universal theme parks around the globe.

 

• Nintendo-themed areas are coming to Universal Studios Japan, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.
  
• These will be expansive, immersive and interactive. They’ll be highly themed and authentic environments filled with multiple attractions, shops and restaurants.
  You’ll feel as if you’re playing inside your favorite games – in real life.
  
• There will be something for everyone—regardless of their age or gaming experience level.
  
• Planning and creative work on these areas is well underway; they will open separately over the next several years.

Shigeru Miyamoto, of Nintendo, and Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative, recently sat down to talk about the two teams working together. Along with reviewing potential designs for the land, they also discussed what fans can look forward to experiencing as these exciting plans come to life.

 

The goal of everyone on this project is clear: to bring the characters, action and adventure of Nintendo video games to life within Universal theme parks. And to do so in new and innovative ways that capture what makes them so special.

 

All of the adventure, fun and whimsy you experience through a screen will now be all around you – in breathtakingly authentic ways.

 

Each Universal theme park will announce details of its specific Nintendo areas. The first such announcement will come soon.

Well, you know what they say; with every cloud...

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem - Confirmed - (6/22/16) Universal Studios Japan has confirmed that they will open the World's Largest Minion Area in 2017 to replace the now closed Back To The Future attraction. The park's Back To The Future ride will be converted into the world's largest version of the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride, along with a Minion themed shop and more.

...comes a silver lining.

Nintendo attractions are now confirmed for all three Universal resorts

^

I can't be the only one who hates Minions.

^ So, it'll be an area we can avoid, but still pay homage (BTTF) to, while walking by.

As in Japanese Culture, a quick short bow towards the former bldg. will suffice.

I'm really not too fond of them, myself. And they still look like Kinder Egg capsules to me.

https://www.usj.co.jp/company/company_e/2016/1212.html

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD

COMING TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN®

in Time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The World’s First*1 Nintendo Themed Area Being Developed

with More than 50 Billion Yen

 

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™” is coming to Universal Studios Japan and will be the first such opening in the world*1, featuring globally renowned characters and game worlds from Nintendo. Super Nintendo World is targeted to open in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. While Universal Studios Japan will be the first location to open, Nintendo themed areas are also coming to Orlando and Hollywood as announced by Nintendo and Universal Parks & Resorts on November 29, 2016.

 

Super Nintendo World will be comprised of expansive and multilevel environments filled with unprecedented, state-of-the-art rides*2, interactive areas, shops and restaurants, all featuring Nintendo’s most popular characters and games. Development cost at Universal Studios Japan is currently expected to exceed 50 billion Yen. Super Nintendo World will be developed mainly using the park’s current parking area and part of an area designated for future expansion. Katsuhiro Miyamoto, Professor Emeritus of Kansai University estimates that Universal Studios Japan — after opening Super Nintendo World — will bring economic benefits following its opening of approximately 6.2 trillion Yen for the Kansai region, 11.7 trillion Yen for Japan as a whole, and will create approximately 1.1 million jobs in Japan within a decade after opening*3. Universal Studios Japan will introduce the wonder of the world-class, Japan-based entertainment brand of Nintendo not only to Japan but to the world.

 

Super Nintendo World will feature characters and themes from the “Super Mario” series, which has continued over the years to win the hearts of devoted fans around the world. The attraction area will also feature a variety of other globally popular Nintendo characters. Nintendo characters and the worlds they inhabit will be re-created at the highest level of quality through the strong partnership between Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto, Creative Fellow at Nintendo, and Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative, renowned for creative and technical excellence. Super Nintendo World will allow guests to fully immerse themselves and all five senses in the worlds of Nintendo, and is expected to attract guests from Japan and the world over.

 

*1 Based on an internal survey of Nintendo brand characters and their worlds at other parks and themed areas around the world

*2 Based on company research of the theme parks in operation worldwide in November 2016

*3 Announced by Kansai University (December 12, 2016)

Conceptual Rendering of the Land

I mean, it's a single piece of concept art for an area that's targeted to open by the summer of 2020. Yippee.

It looks like they're going to stuff as many properties as they reasonably can in the space. You can see what appears to be an ornate bridge leading to some sort of castle on the right underneath the graphics of Mario and Luigi, that's presumably Hyrule Castle because Peach and Bowser's castles are already very visible in the key art.

But, as expected, it looks fun, happy and colorful. My kind of place!

I'm so excited to experience this next time I go to Japan (assuming I wait that long to return to Japan). The fact that this coming out in Japan first gives me hope that it won't be entirely media based attractions with screen projectors and 3D glasses, and might have attractions more on the line of Space Fantasy and Jurassic Park The Flying Dinosaur. Mario Kart and Super Mario attractions seem like obvious choices and something having to do with The Legend of Zelda seems highly probable, but I'm hoping for a ride based on Donkey Kong Country as well.

I'd love to see:

Zelda Skyward Sword flying theater

Luigi's Mansion dark ride

Mario Go Karts

Kirby's Balloon ride

Splatoon Paint Ball (up charge attraction)

Sonic The Hedgehog launch coaster (not sure if Nintendo owns the IP or if they license it from Sega)

Zelda Wind Waker log flume

Star Fox starflyer

I mean, it's a single piece of concept art for an area that's targeted to open by the summer of 2020. Yippee.

 

It looks like they're going to stuff as many properties as they reasonably can in the space. You can see what appears to be an ornate bridge leading to some sort of castle on the right underneath the graphics of Mario and Luigi, that's presumably Hyrule Castle because Peach and Bowser's castles are already very visible in the key art.

 

But, as expected, it looks fun, happy and colorful. My kind of place!

Someone did a pretty indepth analysis of the art, and the bridge and attached pyramid appear to be lifted from the desert areas of Mario 3D World.

I mean, it's a single piece of concept art for an area that's targeted to open by the summer of 2020. Yippee.

 

It looks like they're going to stuff as many properties as they reasonably can in the space. You can see what appears to be an ornate bridge leading to some sort of castle on the right underneath the graphics of Mario and Luigi, that's presumably Hyrule Castle because Peach and Bowser's castles are already very visible in the key art.

 

But, as expected, it looks fun, happy and colorful. My kind of place!

 

Someone did a pretty indepth analysis of the art, and the bridge and attached pyramid appear to be lifted from the desert areas of Mario 3D World.

Someone did a pretty indepth analysis of the art, and the bridge and attached pyramid appear to be lifted from the desert areas of Mario 3D World.

GameXplain I'm assuming. Less work for me, then.

That's interesting then. If they're not including other franchises, why would they call it "Super Nintendo World"? If they have a huge pyramid over on the right, some sort of major Mario attraction in the back, Bowser's Castle on the left and Peach's castle in the front...I realize it's concept art but that seems like it will take up a lot of space.

They confirmed it would not be only Mario.

That's interesting then. If they're not including other franchises, why would they call it "Super Nintendo World"? If they have a huge pyramid over on the right, some sort of major Mario attraction in the back, Bowser's Castle on the left and Peach's castle in the front...I realize it's concept art but that seems like it will take up a lot of space.

I mean, it's a single piece of concept art for an area that's targeted to open by the summer of 2020. Yippee.

Going off your own point, this is a piece of concept art for a project that's more than three years from being realized - do you all really think this is some final, definite plan for the area and not an artist's representation to get the general public excited about what's to come?

I don't think it's a finalized plan, but I definitely think it looks like an illustration on top of a properly-scaled 3D scene. I highly doubt that they're only in the initial concept phase at this point. I'm really just going off of the usual assumptions of how much space dark ride buildings take up, how big the rumored space is, etc..

I would love to see a Zelda ride or anything involving the Zelda franchise for that matter. But let's be honest...I think everyone knows there's going to be a "MadWorld" or "No More Heroes" shooting/slashing/chainsaw destroying dark ride. I mean, that makes perfect sense for Nintendo, right? Am I the only one who enjoyed those games on the Wii?

Jimmy "Or A Boy and his Blob interactive puzzle solving ride would be awesome" Bo

I love this expansion! I personally think a Luigi's Mansion dark ride would be a good fit to this area.

For a limited time Universal Studios Japan will be adding a "Dragon Quest" IP that appears to revolve around exploring a dungeon and fighting monsters. Since the run is expected to start on March 17th, the park should be releasing more details soon.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/20/business/usjs-osaka-theme-park-also-dragon-quest-attraction/#.WFm_F1y51jg

USJ’s Osaka theme park to get ‘Dragon Quest’ attraction

Dec 20, 2016

Amid work on attractions based on the mega-hit game series “Super Mario Bros.,” the operator of Universal Studios Japan said Monday that the amusement park plans to re-create the world of another popular game series, “Dragon Quest,” in March.

USJ Co. said visitors will be able to explore a dungeon and fight monsters, just like in the game, at the new attraction that will open on March 17 for a limited time.

The first of the “Dragon Quest” series, produced by Tokyo-based Square Enix Co., debuted in 1986, and has been one of Japan’s most popular role-playing games. The series has seen worldwide sales of 66 million units.

USJ said it has provided a number of attractions in collaboration with popular entertainment titles, including “Harry Potter” and “Jurassic Park,” with a high level of reality, so it is confident it can create a “real ‘Dragon Quest'” attraction that visitors can enjoy.

Details about the new attraction will be announced later, according to USJ.

The Osaka-based amusement park is also planning to open a Nintendo-themed area that will feature characters from Nintendo’s games, including “Super Mario,” by 2020.

Sweet! For the uninitiated, Dragon Quest is made by the same company that makes Final Fantasy, and like its more famous sister series, was a Nintendo exclusive in the 80s and early 90s. Later entries have been on both Nintendo and Sony consoles. Whereas Final Fantasy often explores mature and apocalyptic themes, Dragon Quest sticks to more classic dragonslaying. It's a very family friendly series, and consequently a great choice for a theme park.

I wouldn't expect it to come to the US parks, though; Dragon Quest has a niche following here, but it's a cultural phenomenon in Japan.

^ I don't (or didn't) follow any of this, and I still miss Universal Japan, after two visits with TPR.

And so is Hello Kitty in Japan, among other cultural phenoms.

"Somewhere in Japan..."

Nintendo land might not be for you. As much fun as USH was, I would love to go to the Japanese version. One of these days, we do plan to get there.

I survived a typically busy day at USJ on Monday, but still managed to get on everything I wanted (although none of the Cool Japan attractions, which all had 200-300 minute waits). Here are some photos.

Pre-opening crowds at 7:30 am or so. The park opened at 7:50 am - 40 minutes before posted opening time. Get there early!

My first time trying hot Butterbeer (I wasn't a fan)

Jaws just came back from a rehab and was looking great!

These nets under Flying Dinosaur look terrible

Nets everywhere

Busy day!

Part of the 210 minute queue for Dino. Single Rider was 190 min.

One year already?

Turkey leg popcorn was awesome!

Minions Park is almost complete.

A Titan in the Cool Japan area. DragonQuest was also open, but I didn't check it out.

It's hard to read, but that's a 3 hour queue for SINGLE RIDERS!

Want to be able to cast spells without a mob of people? Wait until after park close. We played around a bit in Hogsmeade after the 9pm closure. The staff didn't seem bothered as they had not cleared the area yet.

I survived a typically busy day at USJ on Monday, but still managed to get on everything I wanted (although none of the Cool Japan attractions, which all had 200-300 minute waits). Here are some photos.

Thanks for the photos! The nets underneath FD look indeed very.. special

That are some insane wait times! As of now, I will never complain again when there's a wait time of an hour here in Europe.