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Reason 2: Bigger spectacles

At one point in time, recapping the evolution of human communication or transportation was deemed exciting enough to generate hours upon hours of waiting in line (particularly in the early ‘80s, when Epcot debuted to the world).

The introduction of motion simulators just a few years later – and followed up by the 1990s’ motion-based rides or the 2000s’ strata coasters – was enough to push the old-fashioned dark rides out of the popular consciousness and create thrill junkies out of even the most mild-mannered of housewives.

Part of this is just the result of ever-improving technology, of course, but part of it is also a calculated business decision by Universal, which has long attempted to differentiate itself from Disney and also capitalize on certain demographics ignored by its rival (ironically, the roles of film as the reactionary defending-champion and television as the brash young upstart get swapped in the theme park industry).

Boooooring! Next, please. Image © Fox.Boooooring! Next, please. Image © Fox.

In this way, many of Islands of Adventure’s opening-day attractions seemed to be plucked straight out of a traditional amusement park, and the launches of both Wizarding Worlds have been headlined by technological marvels that just so happen to double as dark rides. The transition from narrative-driven to spectacle-dominated products has been nearly complete – exactly as in Hollywood.

The result now is that the icon of the soon-to-open Diagon Alley is a 60-foot, fire-breathing dragon – one of the single most captivating moments ever produced in a theme park, yes, but also an exercise in raising the bar so ridiculously high, it makes consumers’ expectations of any future themed development exponentially harder to satisfy (or is that satiate?). At this point, Avatar will have to do more than “simply” feature boardwalks and plant life that interact with guests via light.

Is it wrong for patrons to brand ever-increasing demands of quality? No, of course not – but when those demands start to undermine other quality works of art for no particularly valid reason, there’s a deep-seated problem. If Gary Oldman can quip that his labor-of-love film project will never get funded unless he puts zombies or Leonardo DiCaprio in it, you better believe it’s only a matter of time before one or both of those options happens to theme parks.

Gah! Image © Universal.Gah! Image © Universal.

Oh, wait – The Walking Dead is already coming back again to Halloween Horror Nights.

 
Previous Contrarian Entries:

2 Unavoidable Reasons Why Amusement Parks Will Become Extinct

3 BIG Reasons Why Marvel's Super Heroes Haven't Saved Disney's Theme Parks (Yet)

 
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