Introduction
Pokémon is coming to Universal Studios Florida!
Universal Creative proudly announces PokéPlaza, a brand new highly immersive land replacing Woody Woodpecker's KidZone. PokéPlaza will offer guests all the fun and interactivity you've come to expect from Universal and from Nintendo.
Come, capture and train your very own Pokémon critters. Battle against other guests' creatures in Pokémon Stadium. See Pokémon in their natural habitat in Safari Zone. Go on a wild, family-friendly roller coaster to thwart the dastardly Team Rocket. Or simply soak in the bucolic beauty of this delightful new land.
PokéPlaza replaces 6 acres of outdated KidZone attractions, including several playgrounds and Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster. In their place, PokéPlaza will be a far more engaging, far more modern area perfect for families and for guests young and old! (Animal Actors and E.T. Adventure - two untouched sections of the original KidZone - are folded into Universal's existing Hollywood area, connected by the Central Park green space.)
PokéPlaza follows the design standards of Uninversal's Diagon Alley. It offers a similar high level of immersion and land-wide interactivity, on a similarly limited site plan. PokéPlaza is designed as a cul-de-sac wholly cut off from the rest of Universal Studios Florida, to completely encircle guests in Nintendo's world.
Pokémon is already an enormously popular property. In fact, it is the most financially successful media franchise in history! Pokémon games and toys and more have delighted fans for generations. Universal Creative is beyond excited to be a part of the fun!
PokéPlaza Walkthrough
Since its creation in 1998, the Pokémon franchise has introduced an ever-expanding world of regions and locales to fans through new series and games. At the core of the Pokémon world are eight main regions known to fans based on locales from Japan to the United States and Europe in between. In the spirit of expanding the Pokémon universe and bringing a unique land and experience to guests, PokéPlaza invites would be visitors into the Everglades Region.
At the heart of the new land is the experience offered by this exclusive region to the world of Pokémon. Fusing together the Everglades ecosystem and the colorful aesthetic of the Florida Keys, a vibrant collection of structures pops while the natural elements from the Florida wetlands grounds the space that the Pokémon call home.
After the unexpected discovery of a host of Pokémon in the area, a team was assembled to chronicle the sightings and variety. As the daily count grew, so did the realization that what this region offered was a complete listing of every Pokémon from the original 151 first generation species. From that early team and the people that followed, a Preservation Outpost was established to study, protect, and train these amazing creatures from anyone who might seek to take advantage of the unique find.
Approaching the former KidZone location as they pass by E.T. Adventure, guests get their first glimpse at the major changes to the space. With the KidZone attractions and play areas gone, a grove of fabricated, yet lifelike Everglades cypress trees fan out across the plaza. At the center of the grove, two of the larger trees with their expanded and ribbed trunks frame a large, arched entry as their upper limbs have grown together to form a dense overhead and protective thicket with which to enter and exit. Overhead natural looking signage, seemingly one with the branches, advertises what land lies beyond. Within the grove itself, rough outlines and shapes of various Pokémon can be spotted by those passing through. While at night, the entire grove itself takes on a whole new life as simple flickering lights and hues create a hint of this magical place.
The natural looking entry point serves multiple purposes for PokéPlaza. Logistically it makes for an easily identifiable entry point in and out of the land while shielding what lies ahead to ensure a fully immersive experience once inside. The cypress tress themselves give a hint of the locale that awaits visitor to this new Pokémon region.
Exiting the cypress tunnel into the land brings immediate visual eye candy. Laid out in a circular pattern, the attractions, shops, and dining are easily located no matter which direction is chosen to begin the adventure. The odd plot of land makes for natural locations for the two larger attractions, allows as much exploring space as possible and provides great sightlines across the plaza.
Everything in the land is familiar yet new. All the experiences and locations one would expect in a Pokémon land are here, but with this own region’s twist. Going counterclockwise, two of the Everglades' three gym experiences come into view. Built inside the façade of a bright, pastel, lighthouse looking structure, the gyms allow would be trainers to work to become masters before making their way to the land's stadium and roller coaster attractions.
The path to the stadium offers up an occasional cypress tree for shade and a seating spot. A mixture of tall grasses in a slender body of water forms a small, natural barrier between guests and the coaster and queue that approaches on the right. Parked or stranded not so subtly within the grass, one of Team Rocket’s failed mechas, a vacuum car, rests in view intimating the presence of Team Rocket a certain group of troublemakers the original Outpost founders was afraid of. Situated at this back corner of the land, the coaster and accompanying stadium offer a great focal point from various points in the land.
Continuing the loop around the plaza, the area’s table service restaurant and Pokémon Center, sure to be popular spots in the land, are carefully situated along the back plot line. These three-story structures aim to frame out the back section of the land from backstage and fundamentally their location makes sense with the Stadium next door. The bright color scheme of the structures throughout continues here with large, outdoor balconies providing great vantage spots and additional guest space in both for dining and Pokémon studies.
Opposite the land from the stadium is the large-scale Safari Zone attraction. Harkening back to the discovery of the region and its purpose, the safari offers a multitude of Pokémon sightings inside a glass dome enclosed structure. More natural elements here interspersed with a short winding path to the attraction queue create a seamless transition to this immersive experience.
Exiting the safari and continuing counterclockwise, the scenery transitions back to the colorful, plaza facades. Two dining options, a smoothie shop and bakery flank a Pokémart as the plaza circle is almost complete. These stops offer up a chance for additional requisite Poké must dos. Covered, outdoor patio seating provides a nice relaxation spot to for snack enjoyment, Poké and people watching and a respite from the Everglades elements.
The seating also provides a great vantage point for the land’s central carousel. Whether the first thing on the list, the last or somewhere in between, this classic attraction, with a Pokémon twist, is a fitting centerpiece for the plaza and new land. Mixed among natural fallen trees and rocks that create natural seating, the attraction fits the circular flow of the land, and foots the bill for this Pokémon centric town that has come into being.
