“Where’s The Flintstone live show?”

Visited Universal Studios Hollywood for the first time since there actually was a live Flintstone stage show based on the movie. It’s long gone but at least Fred’s car from the Spielberg film was there.

Unlike Universal Florida, which seems to have more room for rides, the Hollywood version is carved into the valley it takes several escalators between on section and another.

Much has been said about the Harry Potter land. Notably It has always played the John Williams score in the background. Glad to know the his Star Wars music was added recently (after being inexplicably and sorely missing) at the Star Wars land in the Disney parks.

As theme park executive, expert, and industry blogger Dennis Spielgel said on one of my podcasts, all the theme parks are scrambling to snag as much intellectual property as possible.

Thus, every major theme park is banking on pre-sold identities for new lands, new attractions, and “re-skins” of existing attractions.

Why can’t they simply build an original attraction and let it stand on its own? First of all, good attractions and park areas cost billions to build and operate. A proven franchise is more likely to get a green light.

Second, Walt Disney’s day, the concept of theme parks was relatively new—and Walt himself was the proven franchise, the “brand,” the name above the title . His name and personal involvement in attraction development were enough to draw throngs, even on projects he started but could no complete after he passed in 1966.

Thus, Universal, which for years simply wasn’t quite there yet, is almost a sister park the way California Adventure is. As a matter of fact, while Disney and Universal are direct competitors in Central Florida, they have for years been packaged, along with other Southern California parks and locations, as a single destination by Disney’s own travel division.

I have no plans to visit Abu Dhabi anytime soon, but Warner has a park showcasing The Flintstones as well as other Hanna-Barbera classics. Disney has announced a park there too, but Scooby and Yogi were there first.

“What are yeeewwwww doing here?”

Today, you can meet the now-Disney-owned Simpsons at Universal Studios Hollywood. Go figure acquisitions, contracts, and knowing who owns what and how. But that’s the way the IP bounces.