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YES! As much as I’m a child of the 70s and 80s, as I turn 50 this year, I can’t help but remember the obsession Nintendo was for my brother, who was six years younger than me. That type of memory may be the secret sauce for Universal to create the magic that brings multi-generational vacationers back to Universal to experience Nintendo over and over again.
Universal Orlando’s Growth with Harry Potter and Super Nintendo Brands
But, of course, it takes time to grow into a market that creates retention in guest return. Winning J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter brand was the catalyst toward this goal, but Super Nintendo World will seal the deal toward achieving the return guest quest. Universal Orlando Resorts opened on July 7, 1990, and Universal Hollywood opened on June 17, 1964. Universal Hollywood will be opening Super Nintendo World in 2023. Universal Orlando Resorts will open Super Nintendo World in 2025 if plans stay on track.
Who will go to Universal Orlando Super Nintendo World?
Universal will have some major bragging rights if crowds flock to the Mushroom Kingdom as heavily as they flock to the Magic Kingdom. Millennials are the largest demographic for gaming and include ages 18-34, according to AListdaily.com. This means gamers are having kids. Gen X includes 35-54-year-olds, and they are 18% of all gamers, which means we have young grandparents in the gaming demographic as well. The wide range of ages interested in this experience will ensure a large attendance. Depending on the experience offered, they will want their kids and grandkids to experience the fun over and over again. The demographic who will fill this park will want their kids to love this park, much like the nostalgia that the Disney brand creates.
Assuming the Hollywood and Orlando parks adopt the same technology as Super Nintendo World Japan, guests will have the option to purchase a Power-Up Band, letting guests download the app and gather scores, coins, and digital stamps throughout their stay. We know from the Magic Bands at Walt Disney World, this is another way to fully immerse yourself in the experience leading to the desire to return to the parks again and again. Being able to be in the games you always enjoyed as a child is a recipe for a win when it comes to returning theme park attendance.
Will there be Timed Entry eTickets?
It will be interesting to see if the stateside parks offer Japan’s Timed Entry eTickets. Timed Entry eTickets allow guests to play in the playground area or go get a bite to eat while waiting for their entry time. There is no guarantee that the states will see this at the Orlando and Hollywood parks, but it would be desirable.
The “devil is in the details,” so while everything looks great on paper, it will depend on the creative details needed to entice guests to repeatedly return to the parks over time. Universal did a phenomenal job with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and I believe that Super Nintendo World will deliver as well.