Nintendo Theme Park: Company Reportedly Planning Expansion At Universal Studios In Orlando

Nintendo is riding high off the runaway success of its new, hybrid Nintendo Switch game console. The Japanese gaming giant dominated industry sales charts for both hardware and software in October thanks to high demand for the Switch and the release of the hotly anticipated Super Mario Odyssey , a flagship game for the system. Nintendo’s brands are so hot right now that the best you can hope for on Black Friday is the Switch being in stock at all.

The company is also using this success as an opportunity to break one of its longstanding traditions of not doing much outside the realm of video games. Back in June, Nintendo announced a Super Nintendo World theme park addition to Universal Studios Japan, set to open in 2020. As part of that announcement, Nintendo paid lip service to Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood getting Nintendo-themed attractions in the future, but did not offer much beyond that. According to the local ABC affiliate in Orlando, we now have more of an idea of what to expect from the Sunshine State’s Nintendo theme park.

Universal Orlando’s Nintendo attraction was originally planned to be confined to the KidZone section of the existing park, but that appears to no longer be the case. According to Channel 9’s sources, Nintendo could get more than its allotted 8.8 acres in the KidZone area, as Universal Orlando just purchased 500 acres of land on the other side of Interstate 4. Nintendo could get some space in the Islands of Adventure theme park, as well.

Early building permits show a Mario-themed attraction space in the original 8.8 acre KidZone location. Comic Book explains that part of that space will be taken up by a Donkey Kong area, while a Mario Kart attraction will be present, too. That would leave about two acres left of space, which would theoretically be filled by something else Mario-related. Maybe attendees will be transported to New Donk City.

Channel 9’s sources also said the upcoming Nintendo attraction could tie into the all-but-confirmed animated Super Mario Bros. movie. The movie is reportedly in the hands of Illumination Entertainment, the animation studio behind Despicable Me and Minions . Illumination is, perhaps not coincidentally, owned by Universal Studios.

Aside from speculation about Nintendo getting more space than previously expected, there is no word on what other attractions Nintendo would bring to Universal Studios Orlando or Hollywood. So far, everything announced has been Mario-themed, which makes sense. He is the Mickey Mouse of video games, after all. That said, Nintendo’s huge stable of franchises could provide plenty of amusement park fun.

Maybe you could set the kids loose in a Splatoon paintball course or teach them archery with The Legend of Zelda . Imagine the scavenger hunt possibilities with Pokemon , which is easily a big enough property to sustain its own amusement park. If Nintendo feels like acknowledging the futuristic racing antics of F-Zero ever again, it would make a pretty incredible rollercoaster. In a few years, we will all find out together.