Photo via Wikimedia Commons
During a talk with investors this week, the head of Universal Studios' parent company said he sees the theme park returning to it's pre-pandemic popularity.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the return of international visitors as well as a boom of frustrated travelers with pent-up wanderlust will put Universal theme parks quickly back on track.
"We [are] back," Roberts said on Wednesday.
The CEO credited his sunny disposition to the opening of Universal Studios Beijing and the US' plan to loosen restrictions on incoming international travel.
“Of course the announcement where international visitation can resume from Europe is very exciting,” Roberts said. “There is a momentum for sure that this is a business we should continue to want to invest in.”
In addition to the ongoing return, Roberts seemed excited for Orlando's branch of a Super Nintendo-based park. A full-scale Nintendo park is currently open in Japan and Roberts told the investors he plans to open an exact replica of that ride in an US Universal parks.
“While I was there, I was able to see the new Nintendo attraction which is the first in the world, by my knowledge, doing what it’s doing using augmented reality with a physical ride,” Roberts said following a trip to Japan. “We’re bringing that to the United States, both to California and to Florida. So a lot is going on in the parks.”
Universal is exceedingly tight-lipped about its plans for expansion park Epic Universe in Orlando. The rumors floated for that area include everything from a Pokemon-themed land to a copy of the park in Osaka. NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell has the loosest lips in the whole operation, noting that Super Nintendo, Dreamworks and Illumination-themed lands might be on offer.
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