Construction is well underway at Universal’s third gate in Orlando, Florida, with Epic Universe set to open in 2025. Expectations are high around the overall land, themed lands, and individual attractions as Universal pushes to challenge Disney as the top destination in Orlando.
As theme parks continue to evolve, attractions and sometimes entire lands need a refresh. Let’s turn our attention to Seuss Landing and examine its future in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
The History
Seuss Landing opened in 1999 with the launch of the Universal’s Islands of Adventure park. Visually distinct, famously without straight lines anywhere in the design, Seuss Landing is full of color and whimsical elements at every turn.
The area opened with five main attractions (1) The Cat in the Hat (a dark ride), One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (spinning Dumbo-style ride), (3) The Caro-Seuss-el, (4) Oh, The Stories You’ll Hear (musical show), & (5) If I Ran the Zoo (playground). Since then the land has remained largely untouched besides the addition of The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride which was built in 2006 and takes guests over Seuss Landing on a colorful monorail. Visitors can meet The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, The Lorox, and other characters from the works of Dr. Seuss.
Now let’s look at why Universal might opt for a change in the future and also the case for the land to remain as it is.
Arguments for a Retheme
There are three common arguments for replacing Seuss Landing:
1. Lack of big attractions – Unlike The Wizarding World, Jurassic Park, Skill Island, and Marvel Super Hero Island, Seuss Landing lacks any high-thrill, adult-targeted rides. Even Toon Lagood has Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. As such the land is often passed over by those coming to Universal for excitement.
2. Relevancy – Dr. Seuss’ first book was published in 1937 (And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street) and the final one released before his death, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, coming out in 1990, 33 years ago. Since then the franchise has mostly been featured in films, both animated and live-action. However, it’s clearly nowhere near the level of public interest as Harry Potter, Marvel, or Jurassic Park.
3. Controversy – Several of Seuss’ books have since been criticized for their outdated and insensitive content, particularly around cultural, gender, ethnic, and racial characteristics. While the theme park doesn’t carry over these mistakes, it may turn away some guests.
Reasons Why Seuss Landing Should Remain
1. Bigger Issues – Universal’s focus is elsewhere. Outside of Islands of Adventure, they are building Epic Universe, launching Illumination Land, and working to retheme the kids’ area in Universal Studios. Even within IoA figuring out how and when to modernize The Lost Continent & Toon Lagoon are more pressing issues than changing Seuss Landing. This shouldn’t be and likely isn’t, at the top of their list for a retheme.
2. Families & Kids – Universal needs areas, not just individual rides, that target families and kids if they want to compete with Disney. With the former Woody Woodpecker Kidzone being revamped to focus on Dreamworks Animation characters, Seuss Landing is their only dedicated ‘kid’ land in Orlando.
3. Immersiveness – One of the core words around top-tier theme parks these days. It’s about as immersiveness as we’ve seen with the two Harry Potter lands, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and the upcoming Epic Universe. And while there are plenty of spots where you can see out of Seuss Landing into other areas of the park, it is whimsical and truly transports guests from a general theme park area into a Seuss World.
4. Upcoming Content – The Warner Animation Group has three upcoming Seuss films planned – The Cat in the Hat (2024), an Untitled Thing One and Thing Two film (2026), & Oh the Places You’ll Go (2027). These movies will help boost interest in the land and potentially lead to new attractions being added.
So, Is It Time To Say Goodbye To Seuss Landing At Universal’s Islands of Adventure? Let us know what you think by voting in our poll or by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
