Middle Earth Theme Park- Universal Studios
 

From the one ring.net.
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/201....ing-this-year/



"a Middle-earth theme park. Universal Studios in Florida is looking to build its 4th park and fleshing out which themed lands will occupy the space. Nintendo, Ministry of Magic from Harry Potter, Jurassic World and Middle-earth are all rumored possibilities. Universal already has land purchased in the area near the other parks in Orlando, and two of the mentioned possible lands already exist in their other parks..... The DisneyandMore blog that posted this story is well regarded in knowing what is going on with amusement parks, and Universal began toying with the idea of a Middle-earth land as far back as 2010. ... If this deal is real, expect it to be confirmed soon, part of the deal involves having the park built within 5 years. Fasten your seat belts, keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle and hold onto your hats, it’s going to be a wild ride."

I demand my cut! I predicted that a month before TORn came out with it! Clearly Universal are ripping me, an unknown internet forum poster, off!

Snark aside... Middle-earth isn't a theme park. A Middle-earth immersive experience could potentially be fantastic* - I think Disney is doing something of the kind with Star Wars, making a whole in-character land for it. But 'the chance to wander through Rivendell, Lorien, Minas Tirith (and Barad-Dur)' doesn't mesh well with 'Universal theme park' (and even worse with 'Universal theme park crowdedness').

*Fantasticness will vary depending on what degree it actually matches Tolkien's version, rather than Movie!M-e.

But what we'll get is the Barrel Ride white-water ride, the Erebor Mine-Cart Rally, the Rollercoaster of Khazad-Dum, and the Hobbiton Shopping Village and Picnic Area.

hS

must spread reputation around first. Good post.

Does ME still have a high enough profile in the general public that a theme park would be considered a solid investment?

Yes, a TV series is probably going to happen, but with no blockbuster film possibilities on the horizon, maybe Tolkien might not be as attractive in this case as the other brands (much as I hate labeling him as such :().

I am pretty sure a M-E park would draw enough attention. Think about it. Peter Jackson's Hobbiton set in New Zealand still draws enough attention.

But yeah, I am afraid it would be about barrel-rides (IF it happened. Somehow, I don't really know if the rights to make such a park would be given... although... who knows).

In any case, at least as far as I am concerned, it is the very antithesis of what Tolkien was about. Movies were already too much for me; they - for too many people, basically for the general public - "fixed" an image of what certain things look like. Yes, many of the places in PJ's movies are very pretty, that's for sure, but Middle-Earth should never be visual. It should take on the shape inside one's imagination, based on Tolkien's words in the writing. That's how I have always perceived it, and I think it is in line with Tolkien's attitude in, I believe, On Fairy-Stories, where he goes on a rant about how even theatre "locks down" the visual part, as opposed to the text.

You probably have the right of it. I was just whistling past the Barrow.

I've no idea how far the licensing rights go past action figures and Pez dispensers. If ME is indeed publicly listed as one of the possibilities, they must at least think they can make it happen.

Have any of y’all gone to Universal? This isn’t Six Flags in the Middle of Nowhere where a few chunks of plastic get to be called the Hall of Justice.

More likely is yes a certain leaning on the Movies vs the books but within that there’s a lot that can be done. Consider the Hogwarts Ride, it’s more an interactive tour than a thrill ride very well made and well done. Or Soarin’ in Disney that emulates a flight across America.

I’d think a similar premise riding an eagle across ME Would be awesome meeting some of the characters. A dark roller coaster through Moria with Gollum chasing you would be cool. They might have a restaurant or two but not every area gets the whole shopping bit at least not in the extreme. But if they do something similar to how they recreate Hogsmead I’d think Bree is the obvious Choice. Hobbiton is a possibility but that’s a much bigger ask for an aging property.