All-new themed land featuring DreamWorks Animation coming to Universal Orlando Resort in 2024

Jul 20, 2023 in "Universal Orlando Resort"

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Dreamworks Land concept art

Posted: Thursday July 20, 2023 9:27am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Universal Orlando Resort has announced that an all-new themed land featuring DreamWorks Animation characters will replace Kidzone at Universal Studios Florida.

Dreamworks Land concept art

According to Universal, "As guests step into this new land, their imaginations will run wild as they take in the vibrant colors, sights and sounds that surround them. They will share special moments with their favorite characters like Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse and explore themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring popular franchises like Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda to life in the most imaginatively fun ways."

The new DreamWorks land, coming to Universal Studios Florida, is part of a collection of new entertainment experiences debuting at Universal Orlando Resort in 2024.

Kidzone closed in January 2023 and has been largely cleared to begin work on the new land.

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DKampy3 hours ago

Storybook circus was part of New Fantasyland that also had beauty and the beast, Snow White, and The Little Mermaid areas… just like Dreamworks has Trolls, Shrek, and Kung Fu Panda

sonoma154 hours ago

No I'd say Storybook Circus is probably the best comparison. Toy Story Land is a lot higher budget, and not meant for just children. It has a dark ride and a major coaster (its not that thrilling but its the main coaster of that park). Maybe the other Toy Story Lands that are just a collection of basic flat rides and RC Racer but not Hollywood Studios. Also, the Trollercoaster will probably have music, it was most likely just turned off for media previews because it is copyrighted and will (presumably) be blasting.

dothebrdwalk5 hours ago

I think you're proving that both projects are not of the same size and scope. Storybook Circus is not a land but rather a neighborhood of Fantasyland. Dreamworks is literally an entire "LAND." If you want to compare it to a land, compare it to Toy Story Land which beats the heck out of it.

sonoma155 hours ago

Ok well Storybook Circus doesn't have an Animatronic and DreamWorks Land does, it doesn't have a show and DreamWorks Land does, it doesn't have a turtle talk with crush type attraction and DreamWorks land does, it doesn't have specialty food and DreamWorks does. We can keep making selective comparisons all day, but the fact is that both projects were a similar size and scope, and something both companies need to be doing more of.

dothebrdwalk6 hours ago

Facts. Not even playing a Trolls song on the lift. Even the Woody Woodpecker coaster had a sound effect. The entire land it just "hit this button, make a sound." People would be going wild if Disney called this a new mini land regardless of its target audience. I am not spending $100+ for my kid to go into an amusement park for them to play on a playground.

DKampy10 hours ago

Ummm … I am no storybook circus fan(I am not the demographic however)but I don’t think anyone can honestly say that is just as cheap looking as the new dreamworks land even the Barnstormer with it’s minimal theming Is not as barebones as the troll coaster

sonoma1512 hours ago

Maybe if you count this as their only summer offering but then that's also ignoring the 2 new shows and summer parade. Oh, and also the fact they are building a whole new theme park down the street. This land isn't anymore cheaply done than something like Storybook Circus, and actually I would welcome with open arms if Disney did something like this because they need more smaller offerings and updates to flesh out the parks and keep them up to date than just 1 big ride every year.

dothebrdwalk15 hours ago

Could you imagine if Disney came out with this "land" as their summer offering?! This looks beyond cheaply done.

Tom Morrow1 day ago

Okay I hate to be negative but I do have an immediate critique - this is an area where very clearly the ground should be the brown concrete or whatever that mimics dirt. Instead they went for standard grey asphalt, and, even worse, painting the ground, which looks tacky every time. In general, Universal is not very good at making the ground look nice. Before you say "it's just the ground, who cares?" - it is 1/3rd of your field of vision most of the time.

McMickeyWorld2 days ago

danlb_20002 days ago

Did anyone else's ears start bleeding while listening to this or was it just me?

McMickeyWorld2 days ago

😬😳🙀

Cmdr_Crimson2 days ago

I mean yes it's a Zamperla Roller Skater, Barnstomers theming is better but they could have added some more Trollesque theming through that ride...let alone character cutouts or something..

cheezbat3 days ago

This is what I expected it to be…a basic overlay over the original attractions…but I’m gonna say it: Fievel’s play land would be superior to Shreks swamp. I hope someday we get a few dark rides back in here.