Common is aiming for the theme park holy grail in Frisco

The holy grail of modern-day themed leisure lies someplace between a thousand-dollar day at a Disney park and the petri dish of toddler micro organism on the native pizza arcade. She or he who discovers the formulation that allows a household to spend a day having fun with world-class leisure experiences collectively, with out mortgaging their home, is assured countless riches and the respect of a nation.

On Jan. 11, NBCUniversal-Comcast introduced its first stand-alone theme park outdoors of a Common Studios property, which at the moment exist in Los Angeles; Orlando, Fla.; Osaka, Japan; Singapore; and Beijing. Touted as a theme park “not like another on this planet” and “particularly designed to encourage enjoyable for households with younger youngsters,” this challenge may be what the trade is in such dire want of. However what’s it?

It doesn’t take my 36 years of expertise on this trade to decipher the deliberately imprecise birdseye portray that Common launched. The cloud-themed entry and sliver moon above the turnstiles identifies the challenge as a Dreamworks Animation theme park. And a gaze across the numerous “artist interpreted” lands reveals zones themed to Madagascar, Shrek/Puss in Boots, Methods to Prepare Your Dragon, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda.

My colleague, govt vice chairman and chief artwork director at Zeitgeist, Joe Lanzisero, notes that almost all of those mental properties are celebrated with rides and reveals inside a climate-controlled constructing on the Motiongate theme park in Dubai. They have been additionally a part of a Dreamworks Animation-themed indoor household leisure heart developed previous to the corporate’s sale to Common Studios in 2016.

On the gate of the proposed growth lies what seems to be a Dreamworks Animation-themed resort, mentioned to function 300 rooms and a location subsequent to a PGA Nationwide Resort, so presumably dad can golf whereas mother and the youngsters dance to “I Prefer to Transfer It, Transfer It.”

It’s at the moment unknown what the points of interest will probably be — darkish rides, thrill rides, media-based reveals, reside productions — or what the general funding is. Nevertheless, from the appears to be like of issues, Common is correctly investing in a household leisure vacation spot in Frisco that may be loved for a day or extra by locals and guests alike with out breaking the proverbial financial institution.

The challenge additionally crops the flag of one of many two main American themed leisure proprietor/operators (the opposite being Disney) in the course of the nation, midway between Common Studios Hollywood (and Disneyland) in Los Angeles, and Common Studios Florida, Common’s Islands of Journey, and the upcoming Common’s Epic Universe (and Walt Disney World) in Orlando.

When this park opens, it would now not be essential to journey to the coasts to get pleasure from what we anticipate will probably be world-class leisure experiences, but it surely additionally received’t cannibalize the present home Common resorts, since these parks don’t at the moment supply a lot of a Dreamworks Animation expertise — apart from a Kung Fu Panda 4D attraction and a single land at Epic Universe. The present Common resorts supply a lot grander and edgier teen and adult-oriented parks, lands and points of interest celebrating the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Marvel, Dr. Seuss, The Simpsons and extra.

So, might Common have found the holy grail of themed leisure? That relies upon.

Do I’ve to e book my plans on-line six months upfront? Do I’ve to stroll round observing my cellphone? Are eating places going to inform me that they’re totally booked? Is it going to value me $500 to get my household by way of the gate? Are the queues going to be two hours lengthy?

Or, as Joe asks, can my children and I get up that morning and resolve to go, pay an affordable parking payment, get in for the price of a regional park ticket, and luxuriate in every attraction in a spontaneous approach that permits us to make new recollections collectively with out the stress so unavoidable in main theme parks as of late?

Solely time will inform what the inventive minds at Common Studios have in retailer for the individuals of Frisco. Till then, trade leaders like ourselves are excited by the prospect of a brand new paradigm in location-based leisure that provides story-rich experiences versus the very best/tallest/quickest thrill rides so widespread in regional theme parks.

Having spent plenty of years creating parks and points of interest for Common myself, I’m rooting for our buddies at Common. This can be precisely what we’ve all been ready for!

Ryan A. Harmon is president and chief inventive officer at Zeitgeist Design & Manufacturing in Pasadena, Calif. He wrote this column for The Dallas Morning Information.

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