Is Universal Removing THE SIMPSONS Ride?
By Movieguide® Contributor
It looks like Universal Studios’ theme park might be dropping its SIMPSONS ride.
“The two companies [Disney and Universal] have a long-standing deal where Universal licenses THE SIMPSONS from Disney for use in both its Florida and California theme parks,” MSN reported.
The deal is set to expire in 2028, but some sources say Universal will remove the ride before then, pointing to clues like no recent repairs or updates to the ride, as well as a hiring freeze.
“Earlier this week a now-deleted social media post claimed that Universal Studios Florida had stopped hiring ride operators for The Simpsons Ride, specifically with all new hires for park operations now being trained elsewhere,” Theme Park Tourist wrote.
The source stressed that it can’t confirm the accuracy of the report but said it “seemingly backs up another report from Orlando Park Stop which says a closure could happen as early as this year.”
Orlando Park Stop’s report claimed that two tents used for the Halloween Horror Nights event that are located near the SIMPSONS ride will be removed permanently.
“Recent permits suggest possible new locations for the Halloween event to replace these house locations instead,” the outlet wrote.
This isn’t the only change coming to Universal’s theme park. Movieguide® previously reported on a new, kid-friendly park in Texas:
Universal Parks and Resorts announced plans for a brand new, kid-friendly theme park outside the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas metropolis.
The park is specially designed for children aged 3 to 9, with enough rides to fill a two-day trip. The 97-acre location is just a quarter of the size of Universal’s Orlando park, but will include four or five different themed areas, as well as a 300-room hotel.
“The proposed park will be designed to be more intimate and engaging for younger audiences and will be sized for a regional audience,” a press release about the park reads. “It will be full of family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, character meet and greets, unique merchandise and fun food and beverage venues. Although smaller in size, it will still carry the same quality as Universal’s other larger resort destinations.”
While there are already plans to expand the park, Universal Parks and Resorts President of New Ventures Page Thompson shared that the target audience will remain children under the age of 10.
There’s no word yet on what characters and fictional worlds will be a part of the park, but Thompson shared that they’re eyeing content like TROLLS, MADAGASCAR, KUNG FU PANDA, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, MINIONS, and CURIOUS GEORGE.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
