Exactly. These detailed, well themed areas with original ideas are really missing from the IP driven lands Disney and Universal have been doing. I still love them, but there's something lost when everything in the park is based on something.
@@nerfer1091 i completely agree. It stops feeling like I'm living a fantasy and more like I'm living a cash cow. I haven't even been able to visit Harry Potter, yet. I've been too salty over the dueling dragons.
@@dacksonflux that's the same reason I'm quite sure I'll never ride the Guardians coaster at Epcot (I mean besides just really not giving that much of a fuck about that particular franchise to begin with). I could deal with them scrapping the Universe of Energy, but not replacing it with something equally cool and creative and original was the dealbreaker.
Why are people such big fans of having original IP themed stuff? I prefer having known franchises because I can relate to them a lot more and theres a big nostalgia factor.
When I get on the Hogwarts train I also noticed the simbad building and was so curious what that giant abandoned space was! That’s so crazy they haven’t done anything with that giant space
That'll probably change now that Fury is closing. Now they have a great opportunity to completely change the theme pf the whole area, which would include the Sinbad building. They were probably holding off till now
That lost continent land was one of my favorite parts of new Islands of Adventure. The theming was unique, scary, large and awe inspiring. It’s slowly been dissolved over time and I always knew the day would come when Poseidon’s Fury would disappear back to the ocean. The land and attractions showed their age, becoming more and more campy as time went on, but they will always hold a special place in my heart.
@@PoseidonEntertainment For real! I think you’re spot on about them closing PF much earlier than they expected to. Also, huge thanks to people like you who spend their time researching this niche stuff. This video was a blast to watch and relive moments I spent wandering around LC. It truly was a magical place and hoping that UO can carry that legacy over into whatever they build next.
Dueling Dragons was one of the most fun coasters I've ever ridden. All I remember about Poseidon was the sudden change in room size that completely messed with your senses.
It really sucks such a well-themed, non-ip area is likely being retired. If it's replaced with something like Hyrule or Middle-Earth, I hope they go all out and theme it as well as they have Harry Potter. My main issue with the overuse of IP is that it often (especially at Disney) is just slapped onto things that otherwise wouldn't be very good on their own. I'd be okay with its use here as long as they treat it with the thought and care they did with HP.
Universal has had a good track record over the past 10-12 years of excellent theming that's so good they forced Disney to build Pandora and Galaxy's Edge (whatever you may think of those additions). I'm confident Lost Continent's replacement will be well made. Zelda can comprise it's own theme park, there's so many concepts they can use - my own vision is a magic kingdom like hub and spoke design with Hyrule Castle at the center and have various areas like Zora's Domain, Gerudo Desert, Rito Valley, Death Mountain, Kakariko Village etc. surround it with attractions based around the themes of the respective areas. Such as a roller coaster in Death Mountain, water rides in Zora's Domain and so on. A lot of potential with Zelda. Middle Earth could have its own resort sized experience, it's so deep and rich with lore and history and specifics that Tolkien went into. Sprinkle in some of Peter Jackson's aesthetics (which is really Alan Lee and Ted Naismith's artworks) and you have something incredible. Just see the remnants of the film production in New Zealand for an idea of what such a thing could be. What Universal actually puts there is anyone's guess at this point. But given how well they have made The Wizarding World sections and newer attractions like the Velocicoaster, I don't think we have much to worry about.
I was rambling to myself on the way to work, and I think I figured out what would be the best move for universal to take. As far as I know for the park, they are missing a good sci-fi section. Jurassic Park/Jurassic World doesn't necessarily fit this in the same way because the feeling of the area is more adventure. Well, I think the legend of Zelda would fit, especially with the super Mario land in there. I would honestly see it working best if they took the Jurassic Park little explore attraction and turn that into a Zelda dungeon, and honestly, I feel like the high fantasy of Zelda, with step on the toes of the Harry Potter land . Therefore, I think the best move is Metroid. Side scary can easily be converted into a Metroid show room. Honestly, Metroid fits best with a show room of all of the Nintendo IP's they have access to. And that area itself lens to expansion later down the line if they didn't want to add another coaster or something for a Starfox attraction. Given the space to work with and assuming they're not going to completely re-theme Sinbad's bazaar yet I think that would be the best replacement for Poseidon theory, if we're just looking at the attraction itself. That's just my thought and trying to think of what IP could replace Poseidon fury and the last of the lost continent.
I feel like if they really wanted to they could keep it and just tweak some design elements for whatever re-theme they decide to go with. Hell, if they went with the Zelda idea I can totally see it being made into a fairy fountain or something of the like, and the talking sculpture could be replaced with some kind of idol of the great fairy that she could speak through, probably to mock your outfit.
The “Best Restaurant” banner is at this point a nod to how bad Disney theme park food was back in the early 2000s. Theme park insider was one of the first credible Disney / universal web sites. They had the voice of the fans. It’s like a Mel brooks joke at this point…as the banner is just referencing the past in a very inside joke type way.
It really did have great food - when it first opened. I fondly recall a crab stuffed whole lobster, as well as an awesome burger from days gone by. Alas, today such great food is just a myth in modern times.
I think that this area couldve been cool if Universal had the rights to Percy Jackson. They couldve easily translated well as a Demigod quest. Its already there really. The infrastructures already fit sorta kinda. Percy jackson franchise extends into other parts of the world and myths like nordic, and Egyptians. But Disney got a hold of the PJO series.
I REALLY hope they do use Legend of Zelda as a replacement. It would be such a nice shift. As a big fan, I can only drool at the little inside jokes in the series they could spread around the park.
I missed lost continent, it was amazing when it open. Dueling dragons, the oak restaurant across from it( which I think was still better then three broomsticks) and the original Poseidon furry show was amazing. Overtime a lot of things changed, put it showed me Disney had real competition.
It was turkey legs, rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob and baked potato. Basic fare food but with decorations and animal carving hidden all around the quick service joint, it felt appropriate. Love your videos, you put in a lot of work and it shows.
Unpopular opinion but I prefer Merlinwood so much more over Hogsmeade. Mainly because Harry Potter is one of my guilty displeasures, but I also loved Dueling Dragons, Enchanted Oak, the beautiful aesthetic of the land, the space is less compressed, and the fact it mainly revolves around having an adventure rather than going shopping.
Wait. If they are completely redesigning Lost Continent. What's going to happen to Mythos?? Is it going to stay but with a different name? I really hope so, its one of my favorite restaurants at Universal. And that includes City Walk.
I have so many good memories of Merlin wood in particular, I got to ride dueling dragons when it actually dueled and it was so much fun, it was one of the first coasters I got on (back then the hulk scared me due to its loud sounds but later I rode that too I think later the same day. The tree restaurant was so cool to go into, my mother loved turkey legs and all the animals you could see carved onto the ceiling and walls
So glad I got to experience Poseidon's Fury for the first and last time this year. "Taylor" our guide was magnificent and played with incredible zeal and skill, the sets and the facade still blow my mind. The water tunnel is so cool.
A lot of this show gets completely overlooked by guests, I don’t think people realize just how complex the last room is. The entire lattice ceiling structure as well as the walls around you move up into the roof of the building and then drop again when the water screens are done their thing, but it all happens in complete darkness after a bright strobe. I wish I could see full plans and behind the scenes of how the whole ride works. Aspects like the rolling door before the tunnel, are still super cool and unexplained. It seems like the door used to spin more in early versions. Can’t remember which video it was but the guy who did the animations for this attraction was in the comment section which was pretty cool.
Hearing that Poseidon and potentially Lost Continent will be gone is bittersweet. I worked in the Lost Continent right as Harry Potter opened while in college at UCF as a janitor and a lot of people speculated that it would expand into more Potter. It's sad hearing that both Sinbad and Poseidon closed as I was really good friends with a lot of those team members and stunt performers. I hope they all found new work elsewhere because they made an otherwise miserable job more tolerable.
It seems like ideas for the Shrieking Shack have long been abandoned and obviously Diagon was built at USF. I'm inclined to be interested in the Zelda idea though, even though I'm not really familiar with the franchise.
This makes me so sad and nostalgic for Lost Continent... I remember seeing the Sinbad show as a kid, and feeling that... ominous, foreboding sensation while standing in queue for Poseidon's Fury... The smell of water, the dampness, the music and ambient sounds... Even the crowd standing in line in those tight tunnels. I can still hear the roar of the water tunnel. Something about Lost Continent felt so much more... magical. It was a sensation of Awe and wonder. Of adventure. Of being in a place lost to time. The theming in the rocks, the fountains, and again, the musical ambience of this area gave me such a feeling of adventure. (In the same way the audio track at the entrance to Islands instills the mood of adventure for me) This area will truly be missed. I hope whatever replaces It is similarly majestic, and in a way, makes me feel small in the face of awe inspiring theming. The way Poseidons temple dwarfed people made it feel truly like an experience you can't get anywhere else... And aside from that, I miss Twister, Earthquake, and Jaws. But those are stories for another time haha. Great Video as always!
I never had to wait in that queue for Dueling Dragons but definitely took my time to see all the bodies frozen/burnt up. Enchanted Oak Tavern’s theme was one of the coolest experiences as a kid. We always made a point to eat there.
got to experience this attraction for the first time when we went to universal for my birthday. it was incredible, and even though ive only been through it twice, it will definitely hold a significant place in my memories. the effects and acting in poseidon’s fury were both wonderful, and i’ll miss it a lot. rest in peace, poseidon, and probably the rest of the lost continent as well. i’m glad i got to experience you while you were still here. edit: kind of unrelated but one of the taylors we got to see made an uncharted reference when trying to open a door with the trident and it was hilarious
Thanks for another thoughtful video! Dueling Dragons (simultaneously run) was the most exciting rollercoaster(s) I have ever experienced. I rerode both Pyrock (Fire) and Blizzrock (Ice) for different thrilling moments. The first inversion always made my stomach have butterflies and the near-misses made me hold my breath. The theming inside the castle walls drew me into the fantasy. I could ride it 3 times in a row and still want to go again. To all the people involved in the creation and development of "Dueling Dragons" and all of "The Lost Continent" - Thank You! My husband and I have some amazing memories alive in our hearts!
My sister and I always went on this as a fun escape from the heat. We never took it too seriously and apprecitated it for the effort and special effects. Something about this walk-through attraction that we never waited very long for was great.
Eh. Islands of Adventure was always about adventurous or imaginative books and movies. I think if it’s replaced with Zelda like is rumored, the spirit of the park is still there. Plus, I feel like the soul of Lost Continent died with Dueling Dragons and it’s just been limping along since then.
@@jumuliah Nothing is confirmed, but It's very likely the 'future expansion' area in the new Nintendo Land area. The rumor it's replacing Poseidon's Fury makes no sense when Epic Universe is getting a whole area for Nintendo themed properties.
I decided to get my first annual pass for a theme park ever this year, and I picked Universal over Disney due to Universal impressing me more as of late. I've been going for 4 months and Poseidon's Fury has quickly become a favorite of mine for how it sticks out among all the thrill rides in the park. It's definitely cheesy but that right kind of adventure cheesiness of it's time that I honestly wish would come back. I've known it for a short amount of time, and I understand why it's going, but damn am I going to miss it.
To add, this means I've never seen the Sinbad show irl. I've watched some uploads on RUclips between opening and 2018. If The Lost Continent is going to now just be an empty husk, that means IoA will have at least 3 theaters standing with nothing in them. I really can't help but feel there needs to be more theater attractions at the park. A place to sit and take in an adventure type show. I'm already hearing people say that a rollercoaster should take Poseidon's place which I honestly think is the last thing IoA needs.
Poseidon’s Fury has its closest similarity to several attractions that were opened in Las Vegas, of all places, during that VERY WEIRD period between the mid-90’s to the mid-2000’s when Vegas became convinced they’d become the next Orlando and went All In on some pretty impressive (by mid-90s standards anyway) fantasy attractions--This attraction was quite similar to both the Escape from Atlantis simulator attraction at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and the Egyptian Temple ride at Luxor ( as well as having similar special effects and immersive architecture as the Caesars Magical Empire attraction
@@PoseidonEntertainment I’ve lived in San Diego for 30-plus years so we tend to drive up there for a quick getaway three to four times each year…things changed DRAMATICALLY in the mid-90’s…and then back again about ten years later when , NO, Families DIDNT want to come out to the 120-degree desert and have to explain to their kids to NOT TAKE THOSE FLIERS THE NICE LADY IN THE FISHNET STOCKINGS WAS HANDING OUT IN FRONT OF THE BELLAGIO!!
NOOO I LOVED THIS especially that part where you walk through that water tunnel. Felt like you were an actor in a movie especially as a kid with raging curiosity and imagination, it was my sh*t
I loved The Lost Continent! I miss the original Dueling Dragons and such, but I was on the fence about Posideon 's Fury.... until one such visit where the guide interjected the spiel he had to say with some humor....the part where he uses the ultraviolet light to show the message, he started reading, but exclaimed, "boy, those Ancient Greeks sure did know English very well!" at that moment, the whole audience just laughed, because that just came out of nowhere! He'd just put his sarcasm in the spiel and we'd all had a great time! I wish I'd seen him again, because by him doing that, it made me like Poseidon's Fury even more❤
This experience blew my mind EVERY time I went through it. It was a little cheesy, but so imaginative and fun. Really hoping they bring in something similar to replace it, more walkthrough experiences for 2023 please!!
I loved it for its imaginative theming and world building, I always kind of linked it in my imagination as a connection or same world as the Port of Entry, both have his otherworldly fantastical timeless set dressing, and loosing this land will be a loss for me on a deep personal level as a creative, and someone who has only been able to afford to go a handful of times, but has almost all my memories there. Whatever comes next, I hope it lives up to the legacy, but in many ways, nothing can beat that temple facade.
First time I visited IOA was in 2001 and Lost Continent really stood out with this and Dueling Dragons. When I went back in 2012, it was now the Potter section and just felt so lacking. A shame one of the more underrated theme park lands faded like this.
“A strange and quirky attraction” - it may not be from a popular IP but this is/was a world class walk through attraction with many surprising elements. I’d give the term quirky to Noah’s Ark walkthroughs like at Kennywood. But this - this one will always go down in history as ICONIC! 😢
It's been open and closed on and off since the pandemic. I'm glad I got to see it before it was gone. It's very atmospheric, but my criticism is that the ending is just a glorified light show between two screens. The original story sounds way more exciting and fun. The actor, however, climbing over fire and water is VERY exciting and cool.
Although I am sad to see the attraction go, I actually feel like universal will do a great job with finding a new replacement and theming the area well. Universal really pays attention to detail in their parks.
this land has so much potential, I'm quite sad its not giving the love it deservedly needs. it does have the absolute best soundtrack in all theme parks though!
I genuinely don't know how they haven't used the water vortex on another attraction. Having it on an omnimover dark ride would be astounding. At least a boat ride would be cool as hell.
the last time i was here, the queue for that new coaster went through the auditorium for sinbad to keep the lines out of the middle of the paths, the set seemed really cool, even if the show itself was just kind of bad its a neat area
I’m really sad to see it go as I love the attraction, old as it is. There’s a charm to it, and we need more walkthru attractions like it. Hoping whatever replaces it is just as good, and that there can still be some kind of walkthru attraction.
One last comment, I heard that the Imagineers that worked on the Beastly Kingdom that was supposed to be apart of Animal Kingdom worked on Lost Continent. Not sure if it’s true but the darker themes and intermingling of different gods/cultures/lore is similar to what Beastly Kingdom was going to be.
I've only done this attraction once, but I absolutely love it! The theming is incredible and I love all the effects! I'll be seeing it one last time before it closes. I'm really going to miss it.
Poseidons fury was one of my faves. For me the camp wasn’t a bug it was a feature! I could always talk people into it by comparing it to stepping into a Xena or Hercules episode. That got people understanding and excited for the camp and the detailed theming ended up a nice bonus. So sad to see it go along with the whole lost continent area. But universal indeed has done a good job with their newer projects so I’m hopeful whatever they replace it with will be a worthy replacement. Still- RIP to a real one!
I remember during the Sinbad show ones of the characters looked at a full treasure chest said "what are we gonna do with all this, all this junk inside this trunk". Keep in mind this probably 5 years after that song was popular
Thank you for this retrospective. I have never been to Universal Florida, and this would have been a favorite of mine if I had been lucky enough to go there.
I first went through Poseidon's Fury as a young adult who was already quite familiar with what the universal parks had a offer. I had walked by the front of the attraction without really knowing why it was there for a long time. One day my brother and I were there with our girlfriends and saw it had a very short wait time. We figured we'd give whatever it was a try. I was very impressed by the water tunnel and the scale of the room where Poseidon and Darkanon fight. I think the thing that always kept it in the back of my head was how high and low budget it seemed at the same time. The writing and video effects were really campy, but the sets and visual effects seemed really high budget. It didn't feel like anything universal would make today and i think that is why it was special to me. I understand why they're getting rid of it, but I am sad to see it go.
In 2004 I drove from Wisconsin to Florida to spend six months working for a mouse... I chose to spend my first day in Florida at Island of adventures. This video takes me right back to being 18 and on my own for the first time. I loved this attraction, even if I only experienced it that once. Thank you.
Never occurred to me as a kid the first two times I was here “oh, this could be different some day”. Great channel, thanks for covering stuff like this.
Thank you for this experience; I feel like I’ve visited Poseidons’s Fury myself now! Also, 28:14 “a near miss” actually means “a hit”. The dueling coasters more-accurately would continually “near-hit” each other, rather than “near-miss”.
I've never seen it used in that context and on a quick Google search, I'm finding it used in the context that I did. I appreciate the feedback, but I think that the meaning of the phrase probably changes depending on the context.
In the logical sense, 'near miss' SHOULD mean a hit, aka they nearly missed aka they hit. But actually, in the English language, 'near miss' has always been used in the sense of an accident that almost happened but didn't, especially when used professionally. If two planes fly dangerously close to one another but don't crash/hit, it's a near miss. If two cars swerve to avoid each other and don't cause an accident, it's a near miss. In workplaces, if you almost hurt yourself the official recording is termed "near miss" (where as actually hurting yourself is called an accident in the work place), and near misses are used to record potential safety issues. I work in the industrial sector and recording near misses is a daily thing to ensure continued safety. If I trip on something, but don't fall, and don't harm myself, I'd report it as a "near miss" because, altho I was fine, the trip hazard could potentially lead to an accident for someone else who's less fortunate. So no, near miss doesn't mean a hit, it actually means "something almost happening but not happening". Two coasters almost colliding but not colliding would be considered a "near miss", so it was used correctly. (Although tbf near miss makes it sound a little like they're not SUPPOSED to almost collide and it was dangerous that they almost did so, but fuck it, I'm not gonna get too pedantic about whether near miss can be used in a purposeful context or not :P)
The Lost Continent was my favorite area of the park when I was a kid. Merlinwood especially. The theming was so much fun. Two roller coaster, the giant tree restaurant, and just all of the fun and imaginative set dressing details. It was like a high budget renaissance fair, and I looked forward to it with every visit to Universal Studios. Harry Potter is great, but I still miss it.
Great video, I will miss this land so much. I have so many great memories of these perfectly corny attractions. Thanks for the heavy dose of nostalgia!
I came to islands for the first time ever this week and was so curious what that beautiful building was, the statue and layout made me wonder what was once there, I feel like I missed something incredible, and I really did. Also I was really confused on why the heck arabic music was playing in greece
I'm devastated! I went to Islands of Adventure back in 2016 on vacation and I was blown away by the themeing in all the lands and Poseidon's Fury specifically was one of the highlights of my trip. I never got to go back to the park but I always hoped to go back and experience the water tunnel again :((
I can understand why people think that the show is outdated, but the experience of just walking into that temple complex alone was exhilarating. I’d love it if they just keep the building for eye candy’s sake.
I am under the opinion that even though I absolutely love The Lost Continent, and was fortunate enough to ride Dueling Dragons before Hogsmede was built on top of Merlinwood, the encroachment of Harry Potter, especially with its brilliant theming and experiences, was very much the beginning of the end for the island. As sad as it is that the Continent may be replaced in the near future, I suppose it's for the best, seeing as it's likely for Universal to put down something exciting and mind-blowing in its place, considering their current high batting average. In any case, perhaps poetically, as long as documentation of The Lost Continent exists online, especially on RUclips, the legends will never truly die.
This reminds me a lot of a “ride” I went on in Vegas when I was a kid. I forget exactly where but outside or near where the ride was there was this mini play going on about the sinking of Atlantis. It was really cool as a kid. For the ride itself you went into a room similar to the final area in Poseidon’s Fury but everyone was in this setup with bike pedals . You somehow got involved in finding Atlantis and has to race against some bad guy.
"some bad guy." Oh, no... OH, NO! NOOOOOOO... YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE IS ANOTHER SEXY VILLAIN TO WORRY ABOUT?? LORD DARKENON IS GONE AND NOW I HAVE TO... FUUUUUCK
Man, I remember riding this ride on repeat when I was younger. I would ride it back to back alone, and go through the exit to get to the family/single rider queue! Miss it a lot
Loved the whole Islands of Adventure area when I went many years ago. Even though the Sinbad show was campy it was a great respite on a hot day and tired feet. Poseidon' s Adventure was a fun show and again cooling from the Florida heat. As for Dueling Dragons never went on - not a roller coaster person - but was fun to watch while eating one of those humongous turkey legs.
I know many people are hoping for Legend of Zelda, but with the Greek Mythology aspect, I have a new contender for a possible replacement and still keeping Nintendo involved: Make it a Kid Icarus themed world with a heavy focus on Uprising on the Nintendo 3DS! Rides! Attractions! Characters! EVERYTHING!
I’m so glad I got to enjoy this so many times. As a kid I’d go with my brother because it was inside and not hot while killing an hour or so without my parents, but learned to love every aspect of it. Brought my girlfriend at the time in 2016 and even then the lines were long. RIP Old Friend.
Thanks for giving this land a little love!! I met my husband in 2014 when we both worked at Fire Eaters Grill in the Lost Continent so it's my favorite park land of all time hahaha! It needs an update for sure but it's sad to see it go.
I’ve been a frequent visitor of Universal the past few years and never checked out this showing mainly because I had no idea what it was. Looking at the footage in the video it looks super cool and I’m bummed I never checked it out. That being said I think it reveals why people don’t really participate in it: nobody knows what it is. As a casual theme park visitor you walk by the entrance and just presume it’s a walkthrough of something, but you never know what. With so many other things to do it’s just something to walk by, especially since you can walk through a whole other set waiting in line for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. With a lack of advertising and a lack of communication in the park itself as to what it is, it makes sense that it didn’t do well
The best themed area of any theme park I've been too. Studying the work of the construction of Poseidons Fury led me to take a keen interest in set design. Even though I haven't visited the park since 2007, I will always have fond memories of the place. It will be missed.
The first time I visited The Lost Continent, it was already being cannibalized for Wizarding World. Even so, Poseidon's Fury blew my mind as a kid. The amazing facade and sets first of all--looking at that temple is still damn impressive. I think when I visited, the water tunnel effect actually wasn't working. But the 'teleporting' effect where the room opens up for the finale, that's still a genuinely impressive trick with how smoothly it's executed. I appreciate it for being willing to be unapologetically cheesy, and for keeping these cool special effects shows alive. It feels like Universal is one of the only companies that does this in any notable capacity, or rather 'did' it--these attractions that are just there to exhibit cool special effects with physical props and sets, without needing the premise of a ride or anything. Like with Twister or Backdraft, both of which have gone the same way as Poseidon's Fury. I kind of get why they went away, technology always evolves and they don't have quite as much value to visit multiple times, but still, they were nice.
Oddly enough, Poseidon’s Fury was one of the attractions remembered most from my visit. I remember feeling like I was in Ancient Greece and seeing really cool projections and visual effects. When I visited Universal Studios Hollywood I realized how much I missed this attraction since it was still in my head several years after visiting the parks in Florida. I only ever experienced the attraction once, but I hoped that I would be able to visit it again in the future, but unfortunately I will not. If Universal owned Percy Jackson it would be a great way to update the area again, but alas it’s a property Disney is unlikely to incorporate within their parks.
thanks for documenting this. Never been to Universal Studio or Islands of Adventures but this is a nice case study of the rise and demise of a themed area ... The lost continent look's like it had one main attraction, dueling dragons followed by the supporting cast of Poseidon's Fury ( a walk through attraction and Sinbad's (a show) ... forgot the unicorn coaster .. and an assortment of foods and retail establishment. The theming looks strong but the follow of people changed with the annexation of Hogwarts. I'd love to see an expansion of Atlantis with a water flume ride and added theming.
This is a wonderful and informative video! Thank you so very much for the history of this section of the park. When I visited in 2007 I really enjoyed the Dueling Dragons and am sad to hear how it was eventually re-themed. I remember walking past the Poseidon but did not have time to enjoy it, and hoped to see it the next time I visited the park. Great recap and history in this video!
This was one of my favorite attractions to visit when I was a kid. The actor who lead the visitor group and got to be the star of the action was what I wanted to do growing up. They’re the reason I started developing an interest in acting, so mad props to the staff member.
The initial story of Poseidon's Fury sounds very typical of Greek mythos and, as such, very on-theme. Shame that the bad CGI is what brought that version down. A remaster would've helped it, but given the costs of CGI back then, I can see why they chose not to go that route.
I went on Poseidons Fury for the first and last time during its last day open. Honestly, I love how campy and kinda goofy it was. You never get anything like that nowadays and I'm really sad to see such a relic being torn down. I do hope they keep the lost continent and try to breathe new life into it with a fresh new ride that could hold up against Hagrids and Velocicoaster, the Greek mythology theme is honestly a really great option for a theme park.
Definitely got to see both versions of Poseidon's fury. First one scared me as a kid lmao. Missed out on Dueling Dragons though, was too scared to ride it.
I have been going to Universal Orlando for years and only yesterday finally saw this show because it was closing. It was so good and I am sad that I didn’t understand what it was for years. Hoping we get something great in its place!
I will always say a theme park or land based on cartoons like toontown or looney tunes would be amazing IF they used the potential to have things for all ages including thriller rides inspired by zany cartoons logic and physics instead of always making it focus on kids
These days, big theme parks focus on their IPs. Gosh, I do wish we can have originality again. Not saying that IPs are bad, but there is something about originality where you have no limits on creativity.
I’ve lived in the Orlando area for 25 years now as of this July. I was just 19 when I moved here to go to college for film and television production, hoping to work for either Disney or Universal’s production facilities they used to have here. But I was also a big theme park fan. One of the first things that I did was to get a Universal annual pass, which was all I could afford at the time since Disney was more expensive. By the late fall of 1998, Universal was prepping for its grand opening of IOA in January of 1999, in soft opening of the park, and allowed Universal annual passholders to upgrade to a 2-park pass for very little more. Both myself and my best friend did this, and it’s impossible to describe how cool it was going to IOA before most people were even aware of it. Remember this was before social media days, and Universal didn’t do a ton of initial marketing as I remember. We basically had our run of this brand new park each day for months, walking right on rides. I can’t remember one day riding Dueling Dragons 21 times in a row, riding, getting off, taking a shortcut right back on to the loading area, and immediately riding again. But all of IOA and CityWalk were brand spanking new and very exciting. I was in the audience of the Rosie O’Donnell show that shot there in the Toon Lagoon theater, and everyone was given a free night at the new Portofino Bay hotel. I also earlier actually met Steven Spielberg, very appropriately, and the entrance to the Jurassic Park visitor center door, and shook his hand, while he was being led around by a small entourage previewing the park, as he was a creative consultant. Just such a spectacular time to live in the area. Even Animal Kingdom at Disney had just opening months earlier. I miss the wats that IOA originally was though so much. Over the years, many things changed as guests would tear off props and vandalize elements that made the park so neat. Certain queues like the outdoor area of Dragons, played the score from the made for TV short series “Merlin” with Sam Neil, Martin Short, and Helena Bonham Carter, before I guess they had copyright issues. I loved Poseidon’s Fury in its original form best. Yes the digital Poseidon wasn’t perfect, but remember this was 1999 and it was a theme park. So it was always decent to me. Jeremy Irons even did the voice work for the character, and did a great job. But that show used actual Greek mythical gods, and no so ridiculous new and awful villain like “Darkanon”, which both made NO sense, didn’t fit with actual Greek mythology, and was horribly acted. The new Posiedon was also awful, although at least part of actual Greek mythology. The original show though had a great feeling of mystery and awe. Not dumb jokes, awful characters, and fake looking props. So many things have changed at IOA. So much so that I haven’t had my pass in a good 6 years, after having it for about 19 before that. But I’ll always remember how amazing those earliest years from 1998 to about 2005 were around here.
I’ve only been going to USF for two years, but Lost Continent has been my favorite area. Only on our last trip was Fury open. The theming is just perfect.
TBH, Legend of Zelda (while not exactly based off of a work of literature, lol) the franchise is a worthy replacement for the Lost Continent. That franchise could be a great thematic bridge to Seuss Landing and Hogsmeade; depending on which game and it's visuals from the Legend of Zelda franchise, such as the visuals from Wind Waker bridging over to Seuss Landing or Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess/Breath of the Wild bridgling over to Hogsmeade. It would be so cool to see Legend of Zelda games represented at Islands of Adventure (because the games are inspired by various pieces of literature and there's a series of really great manga/Japanese comic adaptions that slightly deviate from the games but are fun)
Oh wow this unlocked an old memory for me. I went to Universal Florida as a field trip in 5th grade, and I had a vague memory of an area in Islands of Adventure. It's a bummer that it's closing, but I'm glad to at least have a name to the memory. I recall loving the area designs the most as I was child who read more than watched films (and thus didn't have much context for most of the park). The Dueling Dragons design definitely stuck in my head even nearly two decades later.
I remember catching the Sinbad show when it was raining out as a way to kill time until the storm passed. As stated, it was not particularly good, though any live performance requiring stunts is rarely the actors’ fault. Poseidon’s Fury was something of an “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” long before that attraction came into being but now itself seems to be suffering from old age. The Sassy Fountain was always fun to watch. I don’t remember Merlinwood but I do remember riding the the Dueling Dragons once. I always liked the Lost Continent because I’m a fan of mythology, but even mythology needs a technological update every now and then I suppose. I hope they preserve some of the properties from the Lost Continent (I wonder if they would ship me the gryphon to me here in Ohio) but I’m sure something bigger and better is on the way.
Can you do a future video about Kong: Skull Island? While I enjoy the attraction I always thought that something was missing. Was the budget cut during construction? It seemed a section was cut with the main female character getting saved off screen. Would love to learn the story behind this.
I found his trident. It's all real. I even learned about his fury why he sank ships. "These people are not pure of heart, all they touch they destroy". In his world there are no men as leaders either. He was a light bearer and protector. Earth is bigger than you think. In different phases of reality there many other worlds. I did have contact with that world few years ago. But the connection still unstable. This world is a dark place.
I remember loving the Lost Continent area when I was a kid. It fueled my imagination just like the port of entry, and it had cool dragons that were a roller coaster! Two awesome things in one? Hell yeah! But the Poseidon temple did scare me as a kid, and I vaguely remember the Sinbad show. We probably saw it once. Never saw the fountain do anything though. I remember going again after Hogsmead opened. As much as I loved Harry Potter and the theming, I do remember feeling sad that the Lost Continent was cut in half. Last month, my family and girlfriend returned to Orlando so we could finally see Galaxy’s Edge. After 3 days at Disney parks, my parents opted to not join me and my girlfriend as we used our last day in Florida to see both Universal and Islands. I was actually a little surprised to see Lost Continent was still around, although it only boasted 2 attractions. Still, I was glad to show it to my girlfriend. We did see Poseidon’s temple because it was too unique that she had to just experience it herself, even though it ate into our time (a precious commodity when you are seeing 2 parks in a day). I got a video of the water tunnel, which I was glad to get now hearing that it is closing. But also I got to see my girlfriend’s face lit up with joy at the final battle. She loves the camp, so now I’m really glad to have seen the show when we did.
The loss of a original IP themed area is a huge loss in of itself.
Exactly. These detailed, well themed areas with original ideas are really missing from the IP driven lands Disney and Universal have been doing. I still love them, but there's something lost when everything in the park is based on something.
@@nerfer1091 i completely agree. It stops feeling like I'm living a fantasy and more like I'm living a cash cow.
I haven't even been able to visit Harry Potter, yet. I've been too salty over the dueling dragons.
I feel the same way about Halloween Horror Nights. The original IP houses are always better licensed ones. Allows for more creativity.
@@dacksonflux that's the same reason I'm quite sure I'll never ride the Guardians coaster at Epcot (I mean besides just really not giving that much of a fuck about that particular franchise to begin with). I could deal with them scrapping the Universe of Energy, but not replacing it with something equally cool and creative and original was the dealbreaker.
Why are people such big fans of having original IP themed stuff? I prefer having known franchises because I can relate to them a lot more and theres a big nostalgia factor.
When I get on the Hogwarts train I also noticed the simbad building and was so curious what that giant abandoned space was! That’s so crazy they haven’t done anything with that giant space
They've wanted to do multiple things with that area, but it seems like every time they might line something up, it's shelved and delayed for ages.
That'll probably change now that Fury is closing. Now they have a great opportunity to completely change the theme pf the whole area, which would include the Sinbad building. They were probably holding off till now
I would be interested in seeing the theater demolished because it's just so strange seeing it from the Hogwarts Express queue.
If you go and queue for Hagrid's early in the morning you may have a chance to actually walk through the theatre area!
Sinbad actually…
That lost continent land was one of my favorite parts of new Islands of Adventure. The theming was unique, scary, large and awe inspiring. It’s slowly been dissolved over time and I always knew the day would come when Poseidon’s Fury would disappear back to the ocean. The land and attractions showed their age, becoming more and more campy as time went on, but they will always hold a special place in my heart.
At least it lasted as long as it did. I'm surprised it made it this far.
@@PoseidonEntertainment For real! I think you’re spot on about them closing PF much earlier than they expected to. Also, huge thanks to people like you who spend their time researching this niche stuff. This video was a blast to watch and relive moments I spent wandering around LC. It truly was a magical place and hoping that UO can carry that legacy over into whatever they build next.
Dueling Dragons was one of the most fun coasters I've ever ridden. All I remember about Poseidon was the sudden change in room size that completely messed with your senses.
It really sucks such a well-themed, non-ip area is likely being retired. If it's replaced with something like Hyrule or Middle-Earth, I hope they go all out and theme it as well as they have Harry Potter. My main issue with the overuse of IP is that it often (especially at Disney) is just slapped onto things that otherwise wouldn't be very good on their own. I'd be okay with its use here as long as they treat it with the thought and care they did with HP.
Gauging from their recent park additions over the past few years, I'm optimistic that it'll be good.
Universal has had a good track record over the past 10-12 years of excellent theming that's so good they forced Disney to build Pandora and Galaxy's Edge (whatever you may think of those additions). I'm confident Lost Continent's replacement will be well made.
Zelda can comprise it's own theme park, there's so many concepts they can use - my own vision is a magic kingdom like hub and spoke design with Hyrule Castle at the center and have various areas like Zora's Domain, Gerudo Desert, Rito Valley, Death Mountain, Kakariko Village etc. surround it with attractions based around the themes of the respective areas. Such as a roller coaster in Death Mountain, water rides in Zora's Domain and so on. A lot of potential with Zelda.
Middle Earth could have its own resort sized experience, it's so deep and rich with lore and history and specifics that Tolkien went into. Sprinkle in some of Peter Jackson's aesthetics (which is really Alan Lee and Ted Naismith's artworks) and you have something incredible. Just see the remnants of the film production in New Zealand for an idea of what such a thing could be.
What Universal actually puts there is anyone's guess at this point. But given how well they have made The Wizarding World sections and newer attractions like the Velocicoaster, I don't think we have much to worry about.
Nintendo will not wanna do something on the cheap. Amazon owning part of Lord of the Rings on the other hand....
I was rambling to myself on the way to work, and I think I figured out what would be the best move for universal to take.
As far as I know for the park, they are missing a good sci-fi section. Jurassic Park/Jurassic World doesn't necessarily fit this in the same way because the feeling of the area is more adventure.
Well, I think the legend of Zelda would fit, especially with the super Mario land in there. I would honestly see it working best if they took the Jurassic Park little explore attraction and turn that into a Zelda dungeon, and honestly, I feel like the high fantasy of Zelda, with step on the toes of the Harry Potter land .
Therefore, I think the best move is Metroid. Side scary can easily be converted into a Metroid show room. Honestly, Metroid fits best with a show room of all of the Nintendo IP's they have access to. And that area itself lens to expansion later down the line if they didn't want to add another coaster or something for a Starfox attraction.
Given the space to work with and assuming they're not going to completely re-theme Sinbad's bazaar yet I think that would be the best replacement for Poseidon theory, if we're just looking at the attraction itself.
That's just my thought and trying to think of what IP could replace Poseidon fury and the last of the lost continent.
It BETTER be Hyrule. Save Middle Earth for the next Universal theme park.
The one thing I'll miss the most from the Lost Continent is the talking fountain
Thankfully he was still chatting away when I was there today- keeping several kids entertained while the parents sat in the nearby shade.
I hope they keep it. It seems like it could be re-themed for nearly anything
I feel like if they really wanted to they could keep it and just tweak some design elements for whatever re-theme they decide to go with. Hell, if they went with the Zelda idea I can totally see it being made into a fairy fountain or something of the like, and the talking sculpture could be replaced with some kind of idol of the great fairy that she could speak through, probably to mock your outfit.
Seems it’s gone… shame too.
Was just there at the beginning of the month and ut was still there talking to kids
Im going to miss this attraction, as long as the next thing has the attention to detail this entrance facade has I’ll be happy 😂
Judging by how they made Hogsmead and its ride and Velocicoaster, i'm guessing that they are gonna kick ass 👍
The “Best Restaurant” banner is at this point a nod to how bad Disney theme park food was back in the early 2000s. Theme park insider was one of the first credible Disney / universal web sites. They had the voice of the fans. It’s like a Mel brooks joke at this point…as the banner is just referencing the past in a very inside joke type way.
It really did have great food - when it first opened. I fondly recall a crab stuffed whole lobster, as well as an awesome burger from days gone by. Alas, today such great food is just a myth in modern times.
That banner has been there for literally forever i remember seeing it as a kid and asking my parents why we didnt eat there if it was “the best”😂
I think that this area couldve been cool if Universal had the rights to Percy Jackson. They couldve easily translated well as a Demigod quest. Its already there really. The infrastructures already fit sorta kinda. Percy jackson franchise extends into other parts of the world and myths like nordic, and Egyptians. But Disney got a hold of the PJO series.
I REALLY hope they do use Legend of Zelda as a replacement. It would be such a nice shift. As a big fan, I can only drool at the little inside jokes in the series they could spread around the park.
Oh boy, smooching time!
This would satisfy me
I missed lost continent, it was amazing when it open. Dueling dragons, the oak restaurant across from it( which I think was still better then three broomsticks) and the original Poseidon furry show was amazing. Overtime a lot of things changed, put it showed me Disney had real competition.
I don't recall exactly what Enchanted Oak Tavern served, but I seem to remember having a turkey leg?
It was turkey legs, rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob and baked potato. Basic fare food but with decorations and animal carving hidden all around the quick service joint, it felt appropriate. Love your videos, you put in a lot of work and it shows.
Unpopular opinion but I prefer Merlinwood so much more over Hogsmeade. Mainly because Harry Potter is one of my guilty displeasures, but I also loved Dueling Dragons, Enchanted Oak, the beautiful aesthetic of the land, the space is less compressed, and the fact it mainly revolves around having an adventure rather than going shopping.
Wait. If they are completely redesigning Lost Continent. What's going to happen to Mythos?? Is it going to stay but with a different name? I really hope so, its one of my favorite restaurants at Universal. And that includes City Walk.
I have so many good memories of Merlin wood in particular, I got to ride dueling dragons when it actually dueled and it was so much fun, it was one of the first coasters I got on (back then the hulk scared me due to its loud sounds but later I rode that too I think later the same day.
The tree restaurant was so cool to go into, my mother loved turkey legs and all the animals you could see carved onto the ceiling and walls
So glad I got to experience Poseidon's Fury for the first and last time this year. "Taylor" our guide was magnificent and played with incredible zeal and skill, the sets and the facade still blow my mind. The water tunnel is so cool.
A lot of this show gets completely overlooked by guests, I don’t think people realize just how complex the last room is. The entire lattice ceiling structure as well as the walls around you move up into the roof of the building and then drop again when the water screens are done their thing, but it all happens in complete darkness after a bright strobe.
I wish I could see full plans and behind the scenes of how the whole ride works. Aspects like the rolling door before the tunnel, are still super cool and unexplained. It seems like the door used to spin more in early versions.
Can’t remember which video it was but the guy who did the animations for this attraction was in the comment section which was pretty cool.
Hearing that Poseidon and potentially Lost Continent will be gone is bittersweet. I worked in the Lost Continent right as Harry Potter opened while in college at UCF as a janitor and a lot of people speculated that it would expand into more Potter. It's sad hearing that both Sinbad and Poseidon closed as I was really good friends with a lot of those team members and stunt performers. I hope they all found new work elsewhere because they made an otherwise miserable job more tolerable.
It seems like ideas for the Shrieking Shack have long been abandoned and obviously Diagon was built at USF. I'm inclined to be interested in the Zelda idea though, even though I'm not really familiar with the franchise.
@@PoseidonEntertainmentwhomping willow would’ve been awesome wth
This makes me so sad and nostalgic for Lost Continent... I remember seeing the Sinbad show as a kid, and feeling that... ominous, foreboding sensation while standing in queue for Poseidon's Fury... The smell of water, the dampness, the music and ambient sounds... Even the crowd standing in line in those tight tunnels. I can still hear the roar of the water tunnel.
Something about Lost Continent felt so much more... magical. It was a sensation of Awe and wonder. Of adventure. Of being in a place lost to time. The theming in the rocks, the fountains, and again, the musical ambience of this area gave me such a feeling of adventure. (In the same way the audio track at the entrance to Islands instills the mood of adventure for me)
This area will truly be missed. I hope whatever replaces It is similarly majestic, and in a way, makes me feel small in the face of awe inspiring theming. The way Poseidons temple dwarfed people made it feel truly like an experience you can't get anywhere else...
And aside from that, I miss Twister, Earthquake, and Jaws. But those are stories for another time haha. Great Video as always!
I never had to wait in that queue for Dueling Dragons but definitely took my time to see all the bodies frozen/burnt up. Enchanted Oak Tavern’s theme was one of the coolest experiences as a kid. We always made a point to eat there.
I never went on it when it had any significant line, but I do remember being incredibly impressed by its atmosphere.
got to experience this attraction for the first time when we went to universal for my birthday. it was incredible, and even though ive only been through it twice, it will definitely hold a significant place in my memories. the effects and acting in poseidon’s fury were both wonderful, and i’ll miss it a lot. rest in peace, poseidon, and probably the rest of the lost continent as well. i’m glad i got to experience you while you were still here.
edit: kind of unrelated but one of the taylors we got to see made an uncharted reference when trying to open a door with the trident and it was hilarious
I just went yesterday and he did the same thing, lol
Thanks for another thoughtful video!
Dueling Dragons (simultaneously run) was the most exciting rollercoaster(s) I have ever experienced. I rerode both Pyrock (Fire) and Blizzrock (Ice) for different thrilling moments. The first inversion always made my stomach have butterflies and the near-misses made me hold my breath. The theming inside the castle walls drew me into the fantasy. I could ride it 3 times in a row and still want to go again. To all the people involved in the creation and development of "Dueling Dragons" and all of "The Lost Continent" - Thank You! My husband and I have some amazing memories alive in our hearts!
My sister and I always went on this as a fun escape from the heat. We never took it too seriously and apprecitated it for the effort and special effects. Something about this walk-through attraction that we never waited very long for was great.
I love this attraction! We are loosing so much of what the park originally was.
Eh. Islands of Adventure was always about adventurous or imaginative books and movies. I think if it’s replaced with Zelda like is rumored, the spirit of the park is still there. Plus, I feel like the soul of Lost Continent died with Dueling Dragons and it’s just been limping along since then.
@@Shi_gai Zelda is getting an area at the new theme park. Epic Universe.
This was an excellent video essay!
@@eviltom17 what’s your source for that? I’ve not heard about it yet!
@@jumuliah Nothing is confirmed, but It's very likely the 'future expansion' area in the new Nintendo Land area. The rumor it's replacing Poseidon's Fury makes no sense when Epic Universe is getting a whole area for Nintendo themed properties.
I decided to get my first annual pass for a theme park ever this year, and I picked Universal over Disney due to Universal impressing me more as of late. I've been going for 4 months and Poseidon's Fury has quickly become a favorite of mine for how it sticks out among all the thrill rides in the park. It's definitely cheesy but that right kind of adventure cheesiness of it's time that I honestly wish would come back. I've known it for a short amount of time, and I understand why it's going, but damn am I going to miss it.
To add, this means I've never seen the Sinbad show irl. I've watched some uploads on RUclips between opening and 2018. If The Lost Continent is going to now just be an empty husk, that means IoA will have at least 3 theaters standing with nothing in them.
I really can't help but feel there needs to be more theater attractions at the park. A place to sit and take in an adventure type show. I'm already hearing people say that a rollercoaster should take Poseidon's place which I honestly think is the last thing IoA needs.
Poseidon’s Fury has its closest similarity to several attractions that were opened in Las Vegas, of all places, during that VERY WEIRD period between the mid-90’s to the mid-2000’s when Vegas became convinced they’d become the next Orlando and went All In on some pretty impressive (by mid-90s standards anyway) fantasy attractions--This attraction was quite similar to both the Escape from Atlantis simulator attraction at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and the Egyptian Temple ride at Luxor ( as well as having similar special effects and immersive architecture as the Caesars Magical Empire attraction
I know little about Vegas, but you've given me a good jumping off point to research it more.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I’ve lived in San Diego for 30-plus years so we tend to drive up there for a quick getaway three to four times each year…things changed DRAMATICALLY in the mid-90’s…and then back again about ten years later when , NO, Families DIDNT want to come out to the 120-degree desert and have to explain to their kids to NOT TAKE THOSE FLIERS THE NICE LADY IN THE FISHNET STOCKINGS WAS HANDING OUT IN FRONT OF THE BELLAGIO!!
Percy Jackson does have the Lotus Casino. What you said reminds me of it.
NOOO I LOVED THIS especially that part where you walk through that water tunnel. Felt like you were an actor in a movie especially as a kid with raging curiosity and imagination, it was my sh*t
I loved The Lost Continent! I miss the original Dueling Dragons and such, but I was on the fence about Posideon 's Fury.... until one such visit where the guide interjected the spiel he had to say with some humor....the part where he uses the ultraviolet light to show the message, he started reading, but exclaimed, "boy, those Ancient Greeks sure did know English very well!" at that moment, the whole audience just laughed, because that just came out of nowhere! He'd just put his sarcasm in the spiel and we'd all had a great time! I wish I'd seen him again, because by him doing that, it made me like Poseidon's Fury even more❤
This experience blew my mind EVERY time I went through it. It was a little cheesy, but so imaginative and fun. Really hoping they bring in something similar to replace it, more walkthrough experiences for 2023 please!!
Dang, I just went to Universal for the first time with my family so excited to see the water tunnel. Glad I was able to see it before it went.
I loved it for its imaginative theming and world building, I always kind of linked it in my imagination as a connection or same world as the Port of Entry, both have his otherworldly fantastical timeless set dressing, and loosing this land will be a loss for me on a deep personal level as a creative, and someone who has only been able to afford to go a handful of times, but has almost all my memories there. Whatever comes next, I hope it lives up to the legacy, but in many ways, nothing can beat that temple facade.
I agree with your take. Stylistically, there's something about them that's very similar.
First time I visited IOA was in 2001 and Lost Continent really stood out with this and Dueling Dragons. When I went back in 2012, it was now the Potter section and just felt so lacking. A shame one of the more underrated theme park lands faded like this.
“A strange and quirky attraction” - it may not be from a popular IP but this is/was a world class walk through attraction with many surprising elements. I’d give the term quirky to Noah’s Ark walkthroughs like at Kennywood. But this - this one will always go down in history as ICONIC! 😢
Thank you for making a retrospective on the lost continent. It is very nice to see the shows and rides that were there.
It's been open and closed on and off since the pandemic. I'm glad I got to see it before it was gone.
It's very atmospheric, but my criticism is that the ending is just a glorified light show between two screens. The original story sounds way more exciting and fun.
The actor, however, climbing over fire and water is VERY exciting and cool.
Although I am sad to see the attraction go, I actually feel like universal will do a great job with finding a new replacement and theming the area well. Universal really pays attention to detail in their parks.
this land has so much potential, I'm quite sad its not giving the love it deservedly needs. it does have the absolute best soundtrack in all theme parks though!
NO! This actually made me audibly scream when reading the title and thumbnail. This attraction strangely rocked.
I genuinely don't know how they haven't used the water vortex on another attraction. Having it on an omnimover dark ride would be astounding. At least a boat ride would be cool as hell.
the last time i was here, the queue for that new coaster went through the auditorium for sinbad to keep the lines out of the middle of the paths, the set seemed really cool, even if the show itself was just kind of bad its a neat area
I’m really sad to see it go as I love the attraction, old as it is. There’s a charm to it, and we need more walkthru attractions like it. Hoping whatever replaces it is just as good, and that there can still be some kind of walkthru attraction.
Universal has been on such a good role over the last 5 years that I have to imagine whatever comes next will be really good.
@@PoseidonEntertainment agreed
One last comment, I heard that the Imagineers that worked on the Beastly Kingdom that was supposed to be apart of Animal Kingdom worked on Lost Continent. Not sure if it’s true but the darker themes and intermingling of different gods/cultures/lore is similar to what Beastly Kingdom was going to be.
I’ve also heard that about the lost continent designers had originally been on Disney beastly kingdom
I think that definitely tracks. I also see a lot of their influence in Port of Entry as well.
I've only done this attraction once, but I absolutely love it! The theming is incredible and I love all the effects! I'll be seeing it one last time before it closes. I'm really going to miss it.
If this ends up Legend of Zelda I will lose my mind with joy.
Poseidons fury was one of my faves. For me the camp wasn’t a bug it was a feature! I could always talk people into it by comparing it to stepping into a Xena or Hercules episode. That got people understanding and excited for the camp and the detailed theming ended up a nice bonus. So sad to see it go along with the whole lost continent area. But universal indeed has done a good job with their newer projects so I’m hopeful whatever they replace it with will be a worthy replacement. Still- RIP to a real one!
I remember during the Sinbad show ones of the characters looked at a full treasure chest said "what are we gonna do with all this, all this junk inside this trunk".
Keep in mind this probably 5 years after that song was popular
Yeah, that tracks.
Thank you for this retrospective. I have never been to Universal Florida, and this would have been a favorite of mine if I had been lucky enough to go there.
I just love this attraction. I have never understood why Atlantis blows up at the end, but that makes it so much better.
I first went through Poseidon's Fury as a young adult who was already quite familiar with what the universal parks had a offer. I had walked by the front of the attraction without really knowing why it was there for a long time. One day my brother and I were there with our girlfriends and saw it had a very short wait time. We figured we'd give whatever it was a try. I was very impressed by the water tunnel and the scale of the room where Poseidon and Darkanon fight. I think the thing that always kept it in the back of my head was how high and low budget it seemed at the same time. The writing and video effects were really campy, but the sets and visual effects seemed really high budget. It didn't feel like anything universal would make today and i think that is why it was special to me. I understand why they're getting rid of it, but I am sad to see it go.
I'm glad I caught this right before it was removed, it was a fun time.
In 2004 I drove from Wisconsin to Florida to spend six months working for a mouse... I chose to spend my first day in Florida at Island of adventures. This video takes me right back to being 18 and on my own for the first time. I loved this attraction, even if I only experienced it that once. Thank you.
Never occurred to me as a kid the first two times I was here “oh, this could be different some day”.
Great channel, thanks for covering stuff like this.
Thank you for this experience; I feel like I’ve visited Poseidons’s Fury myself now! Also, 28:14 “a near miss” actually means “a hit”. The dueling coasters more-accurately would continually “near-hit” each other, rather than “near-miss”.
I've never seen it used in that context and on a quick Google search, I'm finding it used in the context that I did. I appreciate the feedback, but I think that the meaning of the phrase probably changes depending on the context.
In the logical sense, 'near miss' SHOULD mean a hit, aka they nearly missed aka they hit. But actually, in the English language, 'near miss' has always been used in the sense of an accident that almost happened but didn't, especially when used professionally. If two planes fly dangerously close to one another but don't crash/hit, it's a near miss. If two cars swerve to avoid each other and don't cause an accident, it's a near miss. In workplaces, if you almost hurt yourself the official recording is termed "near miss" (where as actually hurting yourself is called an accident in the work place), and near misses are used to record potential safety issues. I work in the industrial sector and recording near misses is a daily thing to ensure continued safety. If I trip on something, but don't fall, and don't harm myself, I'd report it as a "near miss" because, altho I was fine, the trip hazard could potentially lead to an accident for someone else who's less fortunate.
So no, near miss doesn't mean a hit, it actually means "something almost happening but not happening". Two coasters almost colliding but not colliding would be considered a "near miss", so it was used correctly. (Although tbf near miss makes it sound a little like they're not SUPPOSED to almost collide and it was dangerous that they almost did so, but fuck it, I'm not gonna get too pedantic about whether near miss can be used in a purposeful context or not :P)
@@Spamhard Best "Spam" comment I've yet read (their user name reads as "Spam") :D
@@CarletonTorpin Hahah, hey, i love to talk :P
The water tunnel was very cool. I will miss it.
The Lost Continent was my favorite area of the park when I was a kid. Merlinwood especially. The theming was so much fun. Two roller coaster, the giant tree restaurant, and just all of the fun and imaginative set dressing details. It was like a high budget renaissance fair, and I looked forward to it with every visit to Universal Studios. Harry Potter is great, but I still miss it.
Great video, I will miss this land so much. I have so many great memories of these perfectly corny attractions. Thanks for the heavy dose of nostalgia!
I came to islands for the first time ever this week and was so curious what that beautiful building was, the statue and layout made me wonder what was once there, I feel like I missed something incredible, and I really did. Also I was really confused on why the heck arabic music was playing in greece
I'm devastated! I went to Islands of Adventure back in 2016 on vacation and I was blown away by the themeing in all the lands and Poseidon's Fury specifically was one of the highlights of my trip. I never got to go back to the park but I always hoped to go back and experience the water tunnel again :((
I can understand why people think that the show is outdated, but the experience of just walking into that temple complex alone was exhilarating. I’d love it if they just keep the building for eye candy’s sake.
Great video. I did enjoy all of lost continent. Even the Sinbad show . It will be sad to see this great area go away.
Thanks for the videos
I am under the opinion that even though I absolutely love The Lost Continent, and was fortunate enough to ride Dueling Dragons before Hogsmede was built on top of Merlinwood, the encroachment of Harry Potter, especially with its brilliant theming and experiences, was very much the beginning of the end for the island. As sad as it is that the Continent may be replaced in the near future, I suppose it's for the best, seeing as it's likely for Universal to put down something exciting and mind-blowing in its place, considering their current high batting average.
In any case, perhaps poetically, as long as documentation of The Lost Continent exists online, especially on RUclips, the legends will never truly die.
This reminds me a lot of a “ride” I went on in Vegas when I was a kid. I forget exactly where but outside or near where the ride was there was this mini play going on about the sinking of Atlantis. It was really cool as a kid. For the ride itself you went into a room similar to the final area in Poseidon’s Fury but everyone was in this setup with bike pedals . You somehow got involved in finding Atlantis and has to race against some bad guy.
"some bad guy." Oh, no... OH, NO! NOOOOOOO...
YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE IS ANOTHER SEXY VILLAIN TO WORRY ABOUT?? LORD DARKENON IS GONE AND NOW I HAVE TO... FUUUUUCK
Man, I remember riding this ride on repeat when I was younger. I would ride it back to back alone, and go through the exit to get to the family/single rider queue! Miss it a lot
Loved the whole Islands of Adventure area when I went many years ago. Even though the Sinbad show was campy it was a great respite on a hot day and tired feet. Poseidon' s Adventure was a fun show and again cooling from the Florida heat. As for Dueling Dragons never went on - not a roller coaster person - but was fun to watch while eating one of those humongous turkey legs.
I know many people are hoping for Legend of Zelda, but with the Greek Mythology aspect, I have a new contender for a possible replacement and still keeping Nintendo involved: Make it a Kid Icarus themed world with a heavy focus on Uprising on the Nintendo 3DS! Rides! Attractions! Characters! EVERYTHING!
It was a singular attraction, one that I appreciated. Nice to relive the experience here. Thanks.
I’m so glad I got to enjoy this so many times. As a kid I’d go with my brother because it was inside and not hot while killing an hour or so without my parents, but learned to love every aspect of it. Brought my girlfriend at the time in 2016 and even then the lines were long. RIP Old Friend.
Thanks for giving this land a little love!! I met my husband in 2014 when we both worked at Fire Eaters Grill in the Lost Continent so it's my favorite park land of all time hahaha! It needs an update for sure but it's sad to see it go.
I’ve been a frequent visitor of Universal the past few years and never checked out this showing mainly because I had no idea what it was. Looking at the footage in the video it looks super cool and I’m bummed I never checked it out. That being said I think it reveals why people don’t really participate in it: nobody knows what it is. As a casual theme park visitor you walk by the entrance and just presume it’s a walkthrough of something, but you never know what. With so many other things to do it’s just something to walk by, especially since you can walk through a whole other set waiting in line for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. With a lack of advertising and a lack of communication in the park itself as to what it is, it makes sense that it didn’t do well
I adored and loved this attraction. I got to watch it one last time, Wednesday. At the battle I was teary eyed. ❤. Thank you for all the adventures
Ive been seeing a lot more Anime merch around Universal, it would be so cool to see the lost continent turned into something Shonen related
The best themed area of any theme park I've been too. Studying the work of the construction of Poseidons Fury led me to take a keen interest in set design. Even though I haven't visited the park since 2007, I will always have fond memories of the place. It will be missed.
I am glad we got to experience this a few years ago. My kid got chosen to help Taylor. Honestly, was the best experience we had on that visit
I loved this area of the park
My family got to see this show when we went to universal in 2016. Makes me really sad that it’s gone
Man, I vividly remember hating the stunt show because of the hamey performances as a kid and you just validated those feelings. Thank you.
The first time I visited The Lost Continent, it was already being cannibalized for Wizarding World. Even so, Poseidon's Fury blew my mind as a kid. The amazing facade and sets first of all--looking at that temple is still damn impressive. I think when I visited, the water tunnel effect actually wasn't working. But the 'teleporting' effect where the room opens up for the finale, that's still a genuinely impressive trick with how smoothly it's executed.
I appreciate it for being willing to be unapologetically cheesy, and for keeping these cool special effects shows alive. It feels like Universal is one of the only companies that does this in any notable capacity, or rather 'did' it--these attractions that are just there to exhibit cool special effects with physical props and sets, without needing the premise of a ride or anything. Like with Twister or Backdraft, both of which have gone the same way as Poseidon's Fury. I kind of get why they went away, technology always evolves and they don't have quite as much value to visit multiple times, but still, they were nice.
Great video, thank you sir
Oddly enough, Poseidon’s Fury was one of the attractions remembered most from my visit. I remember feeling like I was in Ancient Greece and seeing really cool projections and visual effects. When I visited Universal Studios Hollywood I realized how much I missed this attraction since it was still in my head several years after visiting the parks in Florida. I only ever experienced the attraction once, but I hoped that I would be able to visit it again in the future, but unfortunately I will not. If Universal owned Percy Jackson it would be a great way to update the area again, but alas it’s a property Disney is unlikely to incorporate within their parks.
From one room to another on a quest to get through Poseidons theory, I thought was really inventive. I enjoy it a lot.
thanks for documenting this.
Never been to Universal Studio or Islands of Adventures but this is a nice case study of the rise and demise of a themed area ...
The lost continent look's like it had one main attraction, dueling dragons followed by the supporting cast of Poseidon's Fury ( a walk through attraction and Sinbad's (a show) ... forgot the unicorn coaster .. and an assortment of foods and retail establishment. The theming looks strong but the follow of people changed with the annexation of Hogwarts.
I'd love to see an expansion of Atlantis with a water flume ride and added theming.
This is a wonderful and informative video! Thank you so very much for the history of this section of the park. When I visited in 2007 I really enjoyed the Dueling Dragons and am sad to hear how it was eventually re-themed. I remember walking past the Poseidon but did not have time to enjoy it, and hoped to see it the next time I visited the park. Great recap and history in this video!
I hope they do a Zelda attraction
The rumor comes from Alicia Stella and she consistently seems to break information reliably, so I'm inclined to think that it's true.
After hearing of the backstory regarding Dueling Dragons, it was a no brained for them to bring a house themed after Dueling Dragons for 2023.
This was one of my favorite attractions to visit when I was a kid. The actor who lead the visitor group and got to be the star of the action was what I wanted to do growing up. They’re the reason I started developing an interest in acting, so mad props to the staff member.
The initial story of Poseidon's Fury sounds very typical of Greek mythos and, as such, very on-theme. Shame that the bad CGI is what brought that version down. A remaster would've helped it, but given the costs of CGI back then, I can see why they chose not to go that route.
I went on Poseidons Fury for the first and last time during its last day open. Honestly, I love how campy and kinda goofy it was. You never get anything like that nowadays and I'm really sad to see such a relic being torn down. I do hope they keep the lost continent and try to breathe new life into it with a fresh new ride that could hold up against Hagrids and Velocicoaster, the Greek mythology theme is honestly a really great option for a theme park.
Now we wait for the Zelda land announcement…
The focus on literature was something I never picked up on.
I'm glad that the Wizarding World continued that as well. Unfortunately, Kong broke the literature theme.
Still, "Adventure" is still dominant though.
Definitely got to see both versions of Poseidon's fury. First one scared me as a kid lmao. Missed out on Dueling Dragons though, was too scared to ride it.
I have been going to Universal Orlando for years and only yesterday finally saw this show because it was closing. It was so good and I am sad that I didn’t understand what it was for years. Hoping we get something great in its place!
I will always say a theme park or land based on cartoons like toontown or looney tunes would be amazing IF they used the potential to have things for all ages including thriller rides inspired by zany cartoons logic and physics instead of always making it focus on kids
I totally appreciate your perspective. Before I die I hope to go to Efetling. Thank you so much ❤❤❤
These days, big theme parks focus on their IPs. Gosh, I do wish we can have originality again. Not saying that IPs are bad, but there is something about originality where you have no limits on creativity.
I’ve lived in the Orlando area for 25 years now as of this July. I was just 19 when I moved here to go to college for film and television production, hoping to work for either Disney or Universal’s production facilities they used to have here. But I was also a big theme park fan. One of the first things that I did was to get a Universal annual pass, which was all I could afford at the time since Disney was more expensive. By the late fall of 1998, Universal was prepping for its grand opening of IOA in January of 1999, in soft opening of the park, and allowed Universal annual passholders to upgrade to a 2-park pass for very little more. Both myself and my best friend did this, and it’s impossible to describe how cool it was going to IOA before most people were even aware of it. Remember this was before social media days, and Universal didn’t do a ton of initial marketing as I remember. We basically had our run of this brand new park each day for months, walking right on rides. I can’t remember one day riding Dueling Dragons 21 times in a row, riding, getting off, taking a shortcut right back on to the loading area, and immediately riding again. But all of IOA and CityWalk were brand spanking new and very exciting. I was in the audience of the Rosie O’Donnell show that shot there in the Toon Lagoon theater, and everyone was given a free night at the new Portofino Bay hotel. I also earlier actually met Steven Spielberg, very appropriately, and the entrance to the Jurassic Park visitor center door, and shook his hand, while he was being led around by a small entourage previewing the park, as he was a creative consultant. Just such a spectacular time to live in the area. Even Animal Kingdom at Disney had just opening months earlier. I miss the wats that IOA originally was though so much. Over the years, many things changed as guests would tear off props and vandalize elements that made the park so neat. Certain queues like the outdoor area of Dragons, played the score from the made for TV short series “Merlin” with Sam Neil, Martin Short, and Helena Bonham Carter, before I guess they had copyright issues. I loved Poseidon’s Fury in its original form best. Yes the digital Poseidon wasn’t perfect, but remember this was 1999 and it was a theme park. So it was always decent to me. Jeremy Irons even did the voice work for the character, and did a great job. But that show used actual Greek mythical gods, and no so ridiculous new and awful villain like “Darkanon”, which both made NO sense, didn’t fit with actual Greek mythology, and was horribly acted. The new Posiedon was also awful, although at least part of actual Greek mythology. The original show though had a great feeling of mystery and awe. Not dumb jokes, awful characters, and fake looking props. So many things have changed at IOA. So much so that I haven’t had my pass in a good 6 years, after having it for about 19 before that. But I’ll always remember how amazing those earliest years from 1998 to about 2005 were around here.
I’ve only been going to USF for two years, but Lost Continent has been my favorite area. Only on our last trip was Fury open. The theming is just perfect.
TBH, Legend of Zelda (while not exactly based off of a work of literature, lol) the franchise is a worthy replacement for the Lost Continent. That franchise could be a great thematic bridge to Seuss Landing and Hogsmeade; depending on which game and it's visuals from the Legend of Zelda franchise, such as the visuals from Wind Waker bridging over to Seuss Landing or Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess/Breath of the Wild bridgling over to Hogsmeade.
It would be so cool to see Legend of Zelda games represented at Islands of Adventure (because the games are inspired by various pieces of literature and there's a series of really great manga/Japanese comic adaptions that slightly deviate from the games but are fun)
Oh wow this unlocked an old memory for me. I went to Universal Florida as a field trip in 5th grade, and I had a vague memory of an area in Islands of Adventure. It's a bummer that it's closing, but I'm glad to at least have a name to the memory. I recall loving the area designs the most as I was child who read more than watched films (and thus didn't have much context for most of the park). The Dueling Dragons design definitely stuck in my head even nearly two decades later.
Damn I loved that one. Islands of Adventure has always been my favorite theme park, sad to see such a cool attraction go.
Still the greatest Theme Park channel right now!!
I remember catching the Sinbad show when it was raining out as a way to kill time until the storm passed. As stated, it was not particularly good, though any live performance requiring stunts is rarely the actors’ fault. Poseidon’s Fury was something of an “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” long before that attraction came into being but now itself seems to be suffering from old age. The Sassy Fountain was always fun to watch. I don’t remember Merlinwood but I do remember riding the the Dueling Dragons once. I always liked the Lost Continent because I’m a fan of mythology, but even mythology needs a technological update every now and then I suppose. I hope they preserve some of the properties from the Lost Continent (I wonder if they would ship me the gryphon to me here in Ohio) but I’m sure something bigger and better is on the way.
Can you do a future video about Kong: Skull Island? While I enjoy the attraction I always thought that something was missing. Was the budget cut during construction? It seemed a section was cut with the main female character getting saved off screen. Would love to learn the story behind this.
Yes that ride is oddly underwhelming
I'm so indifferent to the ride that I'm not sure if I could write an interesting script about it lol.
@Rob miss the orig Hollywood tram ride
You should go into detail about this, such as Fast and furious vs. reign of kong, or transformers 3d vs Spider-Man
I found his trident. It's all real. I even learned about his fury why he sank ships. "These people are not pure of heart, all they touch they destroy". In his world there are no men as leaders either. He was a light bearer and protector. Earth is bigger than you think. In different phases of reality there many other worlds. I did have contact with that world few years ago. But the connection still unstable. This world is a dark place.
I remember loving the Lost Continent area when I was a kid. It fueled my imagination just like the port of entry, and it had cool dragons that were a roller coaster! Two awesome things in one? Hell yeah! But the Poseidon temple did scare me as a kid, and I vaguely remember the Sinbad show. We probably saw it once. Never saw the fountain do anything though. I remember going again after Hogsmead opened. As much as I loved Harry Potter and the theming, I do remember feeling sad that the Lost Continent was cut in half.
Last month, my family and girlfriend returned to Orlando so we could finally see Galaxy’s Edge. After 3 days at Disney parks, my parents opted to not join me and my girlfriend as we used our last day in Florida to see both Universal and Islands. I was actually a little surprised to see Lost Continent was still around, although it only boasted 2 attractions. Still, I was glad to show it to my girlfriend. We did see Poseidon’s temple because it was too unique that she had to just experience it herself, even though it ate into our time (a precious commodity when you are seeing 2 parks in a day). I got a video of the water tunnel, which I was glad to get now hearing that it is closing. But also I got to see my girlfriend’s face lit up with joy at the final battle. She loves the camp, so now I’m really glad to have seen the show when we did.