A Deep Dive Into Wizard of Oz Theme Parks

[@EdwardandJessicaMiller]

I still miss the Great Movie Ride, and not building Runaway Railway onto the old animation building was a mistake.

[@quinnzykir]

That’s Disney for you. They still won’t fix the people mover or fully using the unfinished Japanese pavilion But they’ll waist 400 million of a Star Wars hotel that shuts down within a year

[@BlueJeanBaby]

There were amazing animatronics. It's a shame that attraction was closed.

[@710moose8]

They didn’t wanna pay all that money for the rights 😂😂

[@neilengel3715]

I was one of the land creative directors for the original Landmark Entertainment concepts done in the early 90s. It was fun and we were all disappointed when it didn't go through.

[@paramkore1101]

I know that the land of Oz in North Carolina isn’t the most typical theme park but I highly recommend it to any true theme park nerd. It’s like stepping into a Time Machine. It so unique. You can opt in to take a ski lift to the entrance, and it’s often very foggy, especially in the morning. It felt like I was being transported to oz. I couldn’t even see the chair in front of me it was so foggy and then I was dropped off in the land of oz. Full of acapella singing, dancing and fun character actors that are doing an incredible job. It was such a unique experience, I’ve never been to anything comparable

[@MrChuckGrape]

I grew up in Kansas in the 90s and always heard an Oz theme park would come to the state. Instead, we got a deadly water slide.

[@SgtBilby]

One problem in terms of the Oz IP is that in the public consciousness (besides Wicked), The MGM film "The Wizard of Oz" is THE image of the world of Oz that people tend to focus on hence why constant adaptations are weighed down on the nostalgia of that film (Disney's Return to Oz is one example)

[@hectormanuel8360]

Return to Oz is a masterpiece

[@DarMar106]

True; one of the biggest complaints I keep hearing with Wicked is "Where are the ruby slippers? why are they silver?"

[@hectormanuel8360]

@@DarMar106 silver is superior anyway

[@TacomasterStudios]

I mean, that film is owned by WB, and Universal currently has a relationship with WB when it comes to theme parks. Y’know, because Harry Potter. Then again, with Skull Island, Universal has proven that if there’s a PD property they can adapt into a theme park land, it’s typically with a version they themselves own. For reference, Skull Island is based on Universal’s King Kong movie from 2005. Not the original 1930s version or the current MonsterVerse version, both of which are under WB.

[@hectormanuel8360]

@TacomasterStudios The Kong does not look like the 05 version. How do you know that it's from that exactly?

[@DarMar106]

Ok thank you, theme parks attempts at Oz have always been fascinating. Sad you didn't mention the inclusion of Emerald City in the Disneyland Paris version of Storybookland Canal Boats. That believe is being replaced with a scene depicting Up

[@ryohoshi8445]

To give some context for the Oz park in NC: It's open for a VERY brief time each year (12-15 days total) with only limited tickets for any given day. It seems to also be selling through those tickets regularly. So, yeah, it's probably quite well-loved. It's also ANNOYINGLY hard to go visit.

[@AdamYJ]

One of the problems is that 90% of Oz material is from an early 20th Century series of children’s books that most people don’t even know exists. It would be like making a fairy tale theme park based on all the fairy tales that aren’t household names. I’d go, but I don’t think others would.

[@LauraBow]

Yea I think that any current interest in Oz would be really temporary.

[@melanievando2040]

I've been to the Land of Oz many times and as a child when it first opened. They do a fantastic job gets better every year. There is also a WOZ museum and immersive experience thats pretty interesting in Cocoa Beach, FL.

[@Zombie_Trooper]

I hope the Wicked store reignites the need for more movie tiein attractions like in the 90's and early 2000's. Cali gets them all the time, but the best we get are tribute stores. I would love to more of those.

[@TweetsieRailroader]

As someone who has grown up in NC, and a visitor to Tweetsie Railroad on the regular, Land of Oz has been on my radar for YEARS now. Robbins also had a hand in developing what is known today as Dollywood (originally the extremely questionable "Rebel Railroad"), so the Robbins family has been involved in the Appalachians of East TN and Western NC for many, many years now. The family actually still owns Tweetsie, and has continued to grow the park year after year. (BTW, if you need some more recent Tweetsie footage for your videos, your welcome to use some of my footage from my channel.)

[@otakubullfrog1665]

What I'm still surprised hasn't been done yet is a streaming series that attempts to faithfully adapt the book series (not just the first one). This could help widen the general public's knowledge of Oz lore beyond the most memorable scenes in the MGM film and give anybody trying to use Oz in a theme park a lot more possibilities.

[@carminecdinoproductions]

Disney should try again with the Oz IP with a series of animated Oz movies that are musicals and a potential theme park land to tie in with the animated Oz movies!

[@kbraven7007]

I doubt that’s going to happen with their past box office flops and with the Wicked movie being out. They won’t be able to do much without everyone’s main Wizard of Oz movie being the Warner Bros movie and Elphaba being misunderstood and being the main Wicked Witch of the West backstory from here on out

[@elwoodziggurat]

I remember going to the MGM hotel one as a kid, I thought I imagined that place! I also remember they had a big Beatles themed area there as well.

[@pault5557]

You may be thinking of the Mirage hotel which had the Beatles themed show by Cirque du Soliel “Love” which also had a Beatles museum.

[@mikefitz6253]

Glad they passed up the Sunflower Armory plans for *checks notes* Schlitterbahn, Verruckt was one of the scariest rides I've ever encountered but glad it's gone. Lol the space in Kansas is going to be a Panasonic battery factory now. The site, though- it's ludicrously contaminated. That and the (former) Kansas City Plant (WWII/nuclear stuff after) just wildly so.

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

I absolutely LOVE Return to Oz. It’s weird, bizarre and utterly fantastic! I wanted to love the novel Wicked, but it is supremely boring and dense. The Broadway Musical told the story in a much more palatable way, and the fact that author Gregory Maguire didn’t care for the musical, leads me to believe he did it wrong, but Stephen Schwartz did it very right! I keep seeing advertisements for a Wizard of Oz Experience here in Seattle, but I’m too concerned it’s gonna be like that Willy Wonka scam experience that went viral lol

[@hectormanuel8360]

You should see the work print

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

@ workprint of what?

[@hairyson94]

As an Aussie, I'm cautiously optimistic for Movie World Australia's Wizard of Oz area opening by the end of the year. The two coaster rides within it are very family oriented which is a bit of a bummer if you hoped for something more thrilling. Still, if the area is immersive and the rides are proper crowd pleasers, then that's not a bad outcome at all.

[@JP-1990]

Epic Universe would actually be a pretty great place for a land dedicated to the Oz.

[@Leo-ls8tu]

3:11 the little girl falling 💀💀

[@fantastical-whimsical5937]

While I can kind of see what your saying about 'american culture' with the witches hat, I don't really understand what the problem is, your giving an American context to a musical which says the hat is from her grandmother, there isn't really anything deep (at least in my opinion) about it. Quakers weren't explicitly American either, but in terms of wicked, it is used as a way to prank her, but when it goes wrong, Glinda owns her mistakes and helps her embrace the hat and her clothing style, there is a bond forged from it, that sticks with a deep level between the two for the rest of the musical. I just don't think the criticism you made is as deep as your trying to make it seem. Otherwise, a great video!

[@jeeperspeepers3759]

agreed

[@NoraNoita]

Ah what, I actually liked the 2013 movie, well the little porcelain doll most of it, that scene really got to me, but I guess I can understand what you mean.

[@aledandrian]

It’s not a bad movie but it definitely got lost in the shuffle among other fantasy blockbusters from the same time period

[@dj_blandy]

As an NC resident and frequent Beech Moutain visitor, I will say that even here in NC, Land of Oz is somewhat of an underground, little-discussed attraction. I hope to visit Autumn at Oz eventually and finally see the park for myself.

[@melanievando2040]

I've been many times they are doing a fantastic job now.

[@LuckyPierre789]

The book 'Wicked...' which the musical is based off is the ONLY book I ever started and just could not finish. The writing style is just... so... frustrating. I really wanted to READ it... but finally said f-it. I have seen 'Wicked' on stage 5 times in 4 cities (twice in Chicago) and love it. I will see the movie soon! :) I was in the MGM Grand when it was still 'OZ' and it was very, very cool. I miss it! Been there hundreds of times since and I can still picture the statue with Dorothy and crew! :)

[@TheTrekkie42]

Brother you are not alone. I couldn’t get through it either.

[@websoldier4576]

I was pulled out of the audience to participate in the magic show at the MGM Grand, back in the 1990's. It was, indeed, a good show and worth seeing.

[@heidihobear]

I got to see the oz Las Vegas thing when it opened. And I also remember the great movie ride as well

[@SpezyCoasters]

There actually was a wizard of Oz scene at phantasialands Hollywood tour, a retheme from "the birds" because that one was too scary

[@teddyfurstman1997]

I saw Wicked Act 1 and it was a great film. Can’t wait for Act 2. Oz and Theme Parks to together quite well. I mean Epic Universe looks like something out of Oz or The Emerald City with Celestial Park.

[@feliciteacup]

i distinctly remember the last time i ever rode the great movie ride i sat in the last car in the very back row, and i looked back at all the scenes as we left them, and i VIVIDLY remember looking back at the empty munchkin land and being sad that it would be gone. i really hope someday we can get something like that dark ride set but on a much larger scale...

[@KaminoKatie]

As a born-and-raised North Carolinian, I just hated how the 1939 film has a monopoly on OZ adaptations in the US

[@RigoLeons]

Wicked at Epic Universe Please!!

[@RigoLeons]

Glinda out of the kindness of her heart kept giving Elphaba gifts which make her appear Wicked. Are people born Wicked or do they have Wickedness Thrust Upon Them?

[@CorteztheExtremejourney]

There's an area based on the Wizard of Oz coming to Warner Bros Movie World in Australia this year including a dueling/racing shuttle coaster called Kansas Twister and a suspended family coaster called Flight of the Wicked Witch

[@hairyson94]

Havent had time to watch the full video yet, but surely he mentions this, right?....

[@stephenraeburn3263]

first to view, first to like, first to comment - first time ever!!! Happy Holidays PE!!!

[@Vodhin]

Do read the book. Don't see the play or watch the movie without reading first (I've just watched the movie and liked it. I also saw the play a while ago but couldn't follow along because the sound system was so loud you couldn't hear anything). What Gregory Maguire did with the world of Oz is fantastic. The Play and Movie omits so much of Elphalba's (The wicked Witch of the West) childhood and her parent's own wickedness. The Play and Movie could have been called Glinda (sorry, Galinda) instead. Read the book if you love the concept of Oz.

[@AdamYJ]

I've read it. It wasn't my favorite. A book detailing a (admittedly minor in the original book series) villain's sad back story and the political realities of Oz kind of dampened the wonder and whimsy of the original book series. I think I'd rather just read Baum's books again.

[@pault5557]

Fun fact: the Wicked Witch animatronic in The Great Movie Ride was the first A100 figure which you can now see in Smuggler’s Run as Hondo Anaka!

[@HenshinHead]

Admittedly the image of an emerald green portal with a yellow brick road leading to the land of Oz popped into my head towards the end of that video. A truly fleshed out Oz would make a unique addition to one of those expansion plots at Epic Universe. Somewhere bright and colorful as Super Mario World with the magical whimsy of the Wizarding World. And admittedly they won't be opening with a spot that's explicitly friendly to young kids and their families...

[@SeanBon777]

I desperately need an Oz portal at Epic Universe! ShizU, Munchkinland, the Emerald City, KiamoKo. It would be wonderful.

[@kalublah]

Awesome as always, Posey! For me, I miss the Great Movie Ride so much it hurts, but the MGM vegas hotel's theming has a special place in my heart because my dad visited it in 1996 and bought SO MUCH wizard of oz stuff for me (I was born in 1995) that my early childhood was inundated with memorabilia from that place! I didn't realize how short the wizard of Oz theming was there, it's crazy to think such a small blip of Oz history effected me so much. Edit: Epic Universe expansion to an Oz land is super third eye open. Especially if it roots itself in the books. If the Universal Movie Monster area is anything to go by (Where it's inspired by the old film but does its own thing) this is a space that would be the proper place to pull it off.

[@carminecdinoproductions]

I’d love to see an indoor Wizard of Oz theme park in Kansas!

[@chrisdominguez777]

This was INCREDIBLE!!! You ate with this 👏👏👏

[@kbraven7007]

To be honest if Universal does a Wicked land, I think I can see the Marvel area being rethemed to it. I mean they could easily turn it into Shiz or the Emerald City and with the Hulk rollercoaster could be an Elphaba roller coaster connecting it to Defying Gravity. While turning Spider-Man into something more family friendly that’s Wicked theme like it could be a story where the riders are going on an adventure with Elphaba and Glinda and the Storm ride to Glinda. I don’t know about Doctor Doom though, maybe something Madame Morrible related?She can manipulate weather and make the drop ride themed to it. With shops, meet and greets and maybe even a live stage show. I mean there is the rumor of them removing Marvel, the Wicked movie being a box office hit and Disney leaving the area in animators courtyard wiredly untouched for something and the pavement of both Avengers Campus in California and the area near Star Wars launch bay is surprisingly similar. I mean why remove the Muppet area for a Monsters inc land, when they have a big canvas to work with in the other side of the park right near Toy Story land? Sure they could put it in Epic Universe, but all of these coincidences make it possible. Especially if Simpsons land is turning to Pokemom land and they are probably going to go wild on Ninetendo and they are obviously going to add more Wicked in the parks, especially if the song writer and script writer of both musical and movie are thinking of sequels beyond part 2. So they will have a lot of things to work with, especially if Wicked is going to continue being this popular in both the movies and Broadway.

[@samuelcornell]

Oz should take over the Simpsons land in Universal Orlando!!

[@luma4902]

The wizard of oz could be a whole theme park. Btw the novel wicked and the musical are very different

[@paramkore1101]

I have been to the land of oz in NC and I loved it

[@BlueJeanBaby]

The shade thrown at Disney 😂

[@hectormanuel8360]

I find it curious the NC Oz doesn't get in trouble for using the Ruby slippers.

[@feliciteacup]

i always wondered this too but i think they must have rights for it? the character's costumes are based on the mgm movie too.

[@MCLegoboy]

Dude, Islands of Adventure would be the place to have an Oz themed land with The Lost Continent going away. Forget about Zelda, Islands of Adventure is supposed to be all about literature and their adaptations (King Kong being the odd one out). Imagine going from the wacky whimsy of Seuss Landing into the equally vibrant but slightly askew Land of Oz, and then dovetailing into the more serious Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Maybe they blend too well together, you don't really have some of the stronger contrasts other parts of the park may have, but maybe that could also be its strength because now there's a bit of a visual continuation between the areas, and the Lost Continent had a ton of space to incorporate a number of iconic locations.

[@carminecdinoproductions]

Disney should try another Oz movie again, but it’ll make for an interesting reboot of the original Oz stories.

[@AkiDave]

Cooked!

[@KimoDogTheather]

MAN I FUCKIN LOVE AMERICAN ISEKAIS,despite the fact i havent been infected with the wicked craze i would love to see it in epic universe alongside DC comics.

[@hectormanuel8360]

I want to go to the North Carolina Oz

[@JakeCoasters]

Great Job with this, there is a rich history of Oz themed 'things' in parks, but somehow the definitely Oz themed land has never been built Perhaps Universal will do it, who knows?

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

Okay… so we’ve got a character that can be killed by water. What attraction should we put in her land? I know!! A rapids raft ride! 😂

[@benjaminrosa1418]

Believe it or not, there was a Wizard of Oz JRPG for the DS. I have to play it some day.

[@Gael-qk5gw]

If wicked even gets close to a billion I think we can for sure expect a land in epic universe or in another park. Simpsons I also think is highly likely since a replacement for the Florida also works to replace the one in Hollywood and also the outside facade can easily be turned into the emerald city

[@kbraven7007]

That or they replace Marvel with Wicked.

[@hectormanuel8360]

Where did you get the reel footage of the NC park?

[@tomsautocadstudio6446]

We might get the first OZ in the UK as universal would need a unique reason for people to check it out.

[@happyyad]

I appreciate the Wizard of Oz movie as nostalgia as a kid, and the return to Oz movie as a darker take on Oz. I don’t see a Land in an Theme park as an idea that will be successful. In my opinion.

[@timschultz2806]

See Wicked. Amazing set designs.

[@happyyad]

@ not sure I can take 3 hours of a part 1 musical

[@stew6662]

They don’t need a whole theme park for Wizard of Oz. It would be better as a ride

[@BackstageKingdom]

It’s too bad that the rights to a tornado effect denied the Great Movie Ride from having a full Wizard of Oz ending in the ride.

[@NoraNoita]

lots of wizard of oz centric videos popping up in my feed recently. certainly not a story I have that much familiarity with. I should grab the original novel at some point.

[@EPiche09]

Follow the yellow brick road

[@michaelhband]

👍👍👍❤❤❤

[@Leahi84]

I'm honestly fine with it. I've never been a fan of the Wizard of Oz. I can't stand the original movie.

[@KaminoKatie]

My mom hates the Wizard of OZ purely because of the flying monkeys

[@Tati_ab]

"I know people think I shell out for universal" all recent uploads have been putting Disney down the entire time😂

[@hamiltoncox7651]

Your video expertly documents why Wizard is a terrible idea for a theme park attraction. It is too niche. It is relevant to a generation in its decline. It makes about as much sense to make an OZ land as a Jonny Quest land or a Scooby Doo land. It has failed everywhere it has been tried.

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

I want Disney to do an Agatha All Along land! Couldn’t you see a dark ride of the witch’s road with that awesome song blasting? “Down, Down, Down the road! Down the witches road!” But as you mentioned, given Disney’s current lazy track record, it would probably end up sucking….

[@TwilightLink77]

I see that more as a walkthrough experience than a attraction

[@johnjanssens8998]

Isn't it problematic? After all Michael Jackson stars in the wiz. Do kids gonna want to ease on down that road?

[@hectormanuel8360]

What's problematic?

[@johnjanssens8998]

@@hectormanuel8360 What happened in neverland didn't stay in neverland. Kevin Spacy can relate.

[@Veylon]

Excuse me, L Frank Baum wrote an editorial advocating the extermination of native Americans. That you're implying that a non-Micheal Jackson-related adaption of Oz could be non-problematic is itself problematic.

[@hectormanuel8360]

@@johnjanssens8998 That never happened. 🥴

[@hectormanuel8360]

@@Veylon Baum was contradictory. His mother-in-law was an "honorary Indian" in a tribe and the divisions of the different countries in Oz are reflective of the many nations in North America.