This Universal Orlando Land Desperately Needs an Update

Right now, a lot is changing at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Parts of Jurassic Park are seemingly transforming into Jurassic World, while the Lost Continent is in the process of being closed and demolished to make room for a still-unannounced project.

However, while some areas of the park are changing, Today we’re talking about one that has barely changed at all since the park opened in 1999, despite being based on some of the most enduring characters in American literary history. No, we’re not talking about Marvel Super Hero Island this time. Instead, our focus is directly across the park from that comic book-based land: Seuss Landing.

In the early 1990s, the company began planning a second gate for Universal Studios Florida (which had rebounded from its disastrous opening to become the first true competition Disney World faced in Florida). While the initial plans for what would become Islands of Adventure were very different from what eventually opened — the park was going to be called Cartoon World, and feature lands based on DC Comics and the Looney Tunes — a Doctor Seuss Land was always a cornerstone. In fact, attractions like a dark ride based on the Cat in the Hat and flat rides like the Caro-Seuss-El and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish were planned from the start.

However, there was only one issue: Universal needed the approval of the author’s widow, Audrey Geisel. Known to be very protective of her late husband’s work, Geisel continuously rebuffed the company, even when they had Steven Spielberg himself reach out. However, eventually Universal was able to convince Geisel’s literary agent to look at their work. He was able to, in turn, convince Geisel to look over the prospective project, and she did a full 180-degree turn, becoming a massive supporter of the project, which she felt respected her late husband’s work. With Geisel on board, Universal went full bore with the Seuss land, even as plans for the rest of Islands of Adventure changed around it.

When the park opened in 1999, Seuss Landing was one of the park’s cornerstones, and the only area aimed primarily at children. The land featured the bright color palette associated with the author’s work, and the architecture famously features “no straight lines”, with whimsical curves and rounded edges everywhere. At opening, the land was home to the aforementioned Cat in the Hat dark ride, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and Caro-Seuss-el, in addition to characters and entertainment offerings. The issue? Over a quarter century later, the land essentially remains the same.

Besides the 2006 opening of The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! — which had actually been constructed with the rest of the island and was delayed by technical issues — the only things to change about the land since 1999 are the colors fading, and many of the effects and animatronics on the Cat in the Hat breaking down. All of which has left Seuss Landing feeling a bit like a shell of itself these days.

Now, I want to clarify something: I am NOT in favor of Universal eliminating Seuss Landing.

I think it’s important for the park to have an island dedicated to a children’s property, and Seuss is a unique one that I wouldn’t want to lose to another Universal franchise. However, I would like to see the land get some TLC. Fresh paint, a major refurbishment to the Cat in the Hat, etc.

In addition, I would hope that Universal would resurrect the idea of adding a permanent Grinch component to the land. During the early-to-mid 2000s, it was heavily rumored that a Grinch-themed sub-land, including a massive Mt. Crumpit roller coaster, was going to be added to Seuss Landing. Given the enduring popularity of The Grinch and the annual success of the Grinchmas event, which is set in Seuss Landing, it seems like it would be a no-brainer way to give the land the shot in the arm it deserves.

Seuss Landing has been a part of Islands of Adventure’s DNA since before the park was even built, and it would be great to see the land get some TLC and new elements so that it carries through the park’s next 25 years. Stay tuned to AllEars for more thoughts on Universal.

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Would you like to see Seuss Landing get some TLC? Let us know in the comments below.

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