Universal theme parks could go to new owner, or go solo

Posted Monday, July 8, 2002 9:26 AM | Contributed by supermandl

In the corporate game of musical chairs, Universal Orlando has had four different seats since 1990. Now the music could be starting again. The resort, with its two theme parks, three hotels and CityWalk entertainment complex, has unofficially been put into play by this week's management shakeup at French parent Vivendi Universal SA.

Read more from the Orlando Sentinel.

Related parks

Stitch

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:07 AM
This does not sound good!

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Top 10:
10)MF 9)Medusa 8)Raptor 7)DD Fire 6)S:RoS 5)Boulder Dash 4)Hulk
3)Beast 2)Nitro
1)Magnum

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Jeff

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:16 AM
Jeff's avatar

Why not? Sounds good to me. Let them go off as their own company or let them go to someone who knows how to run theme parks.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"We used to hate people, now we just make fun of them. It's more effective that way." - KMFDM, "Dogma"

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TITAN_FAN_13

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:47 AM

So this means that vivendi may become there own company ?

This is GREAT !!!!!!!

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Titan Laps:61

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We are the Few,The Proud, The Coaster Enthusiest !!!

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super7

Monday, July 8, 2002 11:00 AM

Hopefully the same thing will happen with Paramount Parks, to make them real THEME parks again instead of hodge podge movieland wanna be parks.

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Jeff

Monday, July 8, 2002 11:17 AM
Jeff's avatar

Vivendi IS the company. Read up on the history. They were a French water utility first. Their media acquisitions were recent. What the analysts are suggesting is that "Universal Studios" would make sense as its own business that includes the movie studio and the theme parks.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"We used to hate people, now we just make fun of them. It's more effective that way." - KMFDM, "Dogma"

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Homey G.

Monday, July 8, 2002 11:39 AM
TITAN_FAN, was every other coaster at SFMM closed the day you rode X? Seems kinda strange that it would be such a co-inky-dink like that.

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Why do we fear Mack trucks, but not Mack Wild Mouse coasters?

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OrlandoCoaster

Monday, July 8, 2002 12:18 PM
As someone who has worked for Universal, I can only hope ANYONE can run the park better than the current management.

Possible New Owners:
Six Flags Orlando

Orlando Point (of course, they would have to build about 10 more coasters!)

Disney's Islands of Adventure!

: ) *** This post was edited by OrlandoCoaster on 7/8/2002. ***

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IOArules

Monday, July 8, 2002 1:04 PM
I havn't looked at it, but besides the actual Universal Movie franchise and the parks I wonder what else they own. All of Universal's movies this year have been hits or done better than average; off my head there is the Bourne Identity and The Scorpion King. Plus the park attendance is higher than it was last year at this time. Whatever happens to the parks, I just hope nothing about them changes.

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"This time I think ... I think it's ... it's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner

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sfmm15

Monday, July 8, 2002 1:17 PM

homey g said TITAN_FAN, was every other coaster at SFMM closed the day you rode X?

ya i noticed that

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I just want to ride as many coasters as posible

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speedfreak

Monday, July 8, 2002 2:02 PM
super7, I don't know if you've been to all of the Paramount Parks. I know PKI has some rides themed after movies, but still nothing overwhelming. PKD on the other hand, since they changed the Flight Of Fear's name, I believe there are no rides themed to movies. I'm sure you could go complain about Six Flags now. Heh.
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rollergator

Monday, July 8, 2002 3:26 PM
rollergator's avatar

they could just call me.....it's less than 2 hours from home, and I really do believe I could help the park....hey, they listened and added recycle bins all over the park instead of just Seuss Landing (like in the "old days")....

One of the few parks that ratchets up the theming to MY level....I love that!

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wahoo skipper

Monday, July 8, 2002 4:22 PM

I don't think Cedar Fair would be a likely player in the new ownership of the park/company. To buy one park like a World's of Fun or Knott's is one thing, to buy a conglomerate of parks would be entirely different. I don't think they are that irresponsible to their stockholders.

There is another company I can think of that would sacrifice a lot in order to get it though. Of course, the things about Universal that I really would be sacrificed if that were to happen.

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the thrill

Monday, July 8, 2002 5:04 PM
Hopefully, this will not change their plans for upcoming attractions. I say demolish the studios and expand IOA, LOL!
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supermandl

Monday, July 8, 2002 7:04 PM
Read an article that says they want around 6 billion for studio and theme parks. It will take a huge company to buy them.

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Army Rangers lead the way

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Swoosh

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:18 PM
I like the sound of "Disney's Islands of Adventure" and maybe Disney's Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood. :)

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SWOOSH
http://www.themeparksonline.org
(In cyberspace no one can hear you scream)

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spacemountain551

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:30 PM
Well Disney wouldn't be a player, and neither would Cedar Fair. I'd have to say that Six Flags might be, but then you have a clash between the Warner licensing agreement and then all of the Universal properties (movies, cartoons, etc) So as much as I'd like to see that happen, it won't. I wouldn't be surprised if a buyer doesn't show up at all, given the current slump in the theme park industry. I think the best bet is that we see the parks spun off, either that or Vivendi spin off Universals movies, music, tv and theme parks as one company, which may be the healthiest move for Universal. I dont think the parks and the parent company should be seperated from each other, but I do think it's time for Vivendi to let go.


*** This post was edited by spacemountain551 on 7/8/2002. *** *** This post was edited by spacemountain551 on 7/8/2002. ***

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coaster-freak

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:47 PM
I say that Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks should buy it since he has done a lot of work for those parks
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Teenage Ninja

Monday, July 8, 2002 10:51 PM
Microsoft's Islands of Adventure, Windows 98 v2.0-Clone of X always has down time

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Can we change the name of Top Gun to your mom so no one wants to ride your mom?

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supermandl

Monday, July 8, 2002 11:36 PM

Coaster-freak funny you sould mention dream works here is an article about them making a theme park. Now its from national enquirer so dont know if its true lol.

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/stories/news.cfm?instanceid=39942

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