Universal Canceled 6 BIG Projects for Universal Studios Orlando

While Universal is preparing to launch Epic Universe, the Orlando resort’s original theme park – – Universal Studios Florida – – is about to celebrate its 35th birthday! In honor of that milestone, we’re looking at some of the attractions that ALMOST came to the theme park, before being dropped for reasons ranging from plans being moved to another park to fan outcry!

*NOTE: We’re only talking about the Universal Studios Florida theme park. So, not Islands of Adventure (which has its own long history of unbuilt attractions) and none of the other rumored or planned third gates, hotels, or CityWalk expansions at Universal Orlando Resort.

Jurassic Park

Now, any Universal fan knows that the Jurassic franchise does have a major presence at the Orlando resort… at Islands of Adventure. In fact, Jurassic Park is one of the titular islands, headlined by the Jurassic Park River Adventure and the Velocicoaster. However, what they may not know is that the franchise was originally earmarked for the Studios park.

Back in the early 1990s Universal was so excited about the upcoming Jurassic Park film that they began brainstorming attractions for both Universal Hollywood and the then newly opened Universal Studios Florida. After briefly considering a Jeep attraction, they settled on a water ride based on a sequence from Michael Crichton’s original novel (which was ironically cut from the film). The Hollywood version was eventually built in that park’s lower lot, and still stands as Jurassic World: The Ride today.

In Florida, the ride was originally planned to be built at the back of the park, where Men In Black: Alien Attack stands today. In addition, the earliest plans for the ride called for the animatronic dinosaur portions to be covered with a roof, and even a sequence with a live cast member being “eaten” by raptors. However, as the film’s popularity exploded and Universal’s plans for what became Islands of Adventure continued to grow, the franchise was moved to the second gate.

Ice Age Land

As you’ll soon see, there’s a running theme on this list regarding the replacement of Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone. In the early 2010s, one such plan involved the then-Fox-owned property Ice Age.

Concept art for the area showed a playground with slides, log seesaws, vine swings, play huts, and an interactive area themed to the character Peaches, a rethemed version of the Woody Woodpecker kiddie coaster that feature an animatronic Sid trying to escape the clutches of a carnivorous flower.

The land’s headline attraction would have been an “indoor boat ride located at the back of the land. This ride would be set within a massive glacier, and would take riders through cavernous scenes filled with a mix of animatronic characters and projected media. Outside, a massive iceberg pirate ship from the fourth film would be seen between the ride’s entrance and exit.”

Plans for the land didn’t move much further past the concept stage, which arguably was a blessing in disguise for Universal, since Ice Age is now owned by Disney, meaning had it been built they would have been stuck with another Simpsons/Marvel situation.

The Smurfs

Arguably the most controversial change that never came to be was a Smurfs attraction that Universal got far enough into planning to ask about in a guest survey during the 2010s. The survey described the ride as “A sequel based on the book and film, The Smurfs. We have been invited on an exclusive tour of Smurf Village and asked to stay for a party that they are having to celebrate the fact that six months have gone by without an encounter with the evil Gargamel. This is a suspended dark ride, simulating a flying balloon experience with large dioramas, environmental effects, vignettes, projected media, and animatronics.”

So, why was it controversial? Because the description made it clear that the ride would be replacing the iconic E.T. Adventure attraction. The response was so negative (and the box office numbers of the live-action Smurfs sequel so underwhelming) that the project was dropped.

Super Nintendo World

In a redux of the Jurassic Park situation, the East Coast version of Super Nintendo World was originally planned for Universal Studios Florida, to take over the Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone area. Plans for the area essentially called for the same Super Nintendo World we know today, and the entirety of KidsZone was to be torn down. In fact, in late 2017 construction walls went up around the area… then work suddenly stopped and they came down.

So what happened? Well, not so coincidentally, right around the time that the construction walls came down, Universal secured a legal victory that paved the way for construction at the current site of Epic Universe, and well, we all know that’s exactly where Super Nintendo World ended up.

Pokemon Snap

One more unbuilt (for now) attraction was planned to replace KidsZone: Pokemon. At one point following Super Nintendo World’s move to Epic Universe, Universal began planning a Pokemon attraction for the area. According to rumors, the land was close to announcement and was to have been headlined by a Pokemon Snap Safari ride based on the classic N64 video game. The omnimover attraction allegedly would have been interactive and feature 200 Pokemon characters in multiple areas representing different Pokemon environments.

Allegedly, Universal management decided to hold off on the plan to gauge the reactions to the first Super Nintendo World installations but could revive the Pokemon plans in the future. In 2024, Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone was finally replaced by a DreamWorks land, though that could be temporary.

Harry Potter VR Broom Ride

Finally, rumors abounded for several years that a new expansion to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley would overtake the old Fear Factor theater in the back of the park, making the space home to a VR attraction that would mimic riding one of the series’ flying broomsticks.

The attraction was pulled from Universal Studios Florida for Epic Universe and was planned to be the second attraction at the new park’s Ministry of Magic portal before being dropped from that park as well.

As Universal Studios Florida prepares to turn 35, the park’s history is littered with attractions that went unbuilt within its walls. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Universal’s history.

What If Universal Had DC Comics in Islands of Adventure Instead of Marvel?

Which of these unbuilt attractions do you wish had been added to Universal Studios Florida? Let us know in the comments below.

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