Reading all the different stories, my thoughts on the takeover by NBC of Universal Studios is a bad thing for the Theme Parks that Universal runs.

In one story I read in the LA Times, NBC was quoted as saying they have no interest in running a Theme Park and will sell them as soon as they can.

Then on Jim Hill's column Sunday he told about Universal, in order to look good to the new Tight Purse String Company, terminated all of the creative talent (there version of Imagineers) 5 days prior to the new attraction the guys worked so hard on, The Revenge of the Mummy, The Ride. There are only 25 employees left in that division, and they are all pencil pushers.

Today's paper had an article on how smoothly the aquisition is going, and that NBC merchandise is already showing up in the Theme Parks, and how NBC is going to try to get NBC shows in the Park. But again it was said that they have no interest in Theme Parks and prabably sell them when they can get the right price for them.

All the promises made from NBC as to how they promised no major changes to operation was all crock. I think that The Mummies Revenge will be the last Universal attraction we see in some time. And I also feel that IOA will just go further and further downhill as NBC cuts costs by cutting maintenance and upkeep and so on. The grand day of Universals Theme Parks is over. The place is now run by a TV channel and a maker of Electic Lights. What a sad day for Theme Park affectionadoes.

Your thoughts?

If this is the case, it'll be interesting to see what happens to USH. If they sell the park off, I wonder how they will handle the fact that the park is tied to a live, functioning studio that would still be owned by NBC Universal. Would they just stop the studio tour completely? That would severly hurt the draw of the park.

If this is the case, it'll be interesting to see what happens to USH. If they sell the park off, I wonder how they will handle the fact that the park is tied to a live, functioning studio that would still be owned by NBC Universal. Would they just stop the studio tour completely? That would severly hurt the draw of the park.

If the theme park is cut off, it seems to be highly unlikely that they would stop the studio tour, especially in light of the fact that NBC maintains a studio tour at their Burbank base, and that Sony, Paramount, and Warner Brothers all have studio tours without the benefit of a theme park attached to the property.

Ben T.

If the theme park is cut off, it seems to be highly unlikely that they would stop the studio tour, especially in light of the fact that NBC maintains a studio tour at their Burbank base, and that Sony, Paramount, and Warner Brothers all have studio tours without the benefit of a theme park attached to the property.

Ben T.Universal could run separate tours, a la the other studios, but would whoever buys the theme park cut a deal to continue running it as part of the park. The studio tour is part of the major draw of USH, it would definitely hurt the parks business if they were separated.

I'm kind of hoping that NBC Universals sees the inherent value and synergy opportunities that being a theme park owner can bring. Disney's butt has been saved time and time again by having the parks as part of their empire (at least the parks that Disney invested serious money in have done well), and it would be incredibly short sighted of them to sell off the theme parks. The real issue will be if the current executives in charge will have the ability to visualize long term strategy vs. quarterly results.