In a move that is sure to leave theme park enthusiasts not only scratching their head, but also wondering “what will happen next?”, several high ranking execs at Universal Creative are taking advantage of a retirement initiative from NBC Universal, according to The Wrap.
What’s Happening:
- A recently imposed retirement package as part of an initiative by NBC Universal has reportedly been quietly accepted by several key executives at Universal Creative.
- Universal Creative is the Universal Studios version of Walt Disney Imagineering, responsible for the signature attractions of their parks and destinations and has been challenging the Disney creative department with their technological advancements as well as their speed when it comes to delivering attractions. Many point to the construction of Velocicoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure which began construction in 2019 and opened in 2021, and the still unfinished TRON Lightcycle / Run at the Magic Kingdom, which is an essential copy and paste of an attraction that opened at Shanghai Disneyland and was announced for the Florida park in 2017, and still has yet to open.
- The newsmaking exec that is retiring is Thierry Coup, who is known for his blatant honesty and loveable personality who doesn’t give into the marketing spin that so many park fans are accustomed to. Once an Imagineer for the Walt Disney Company on EuroDisney, Coup made the jump to Universal and was key in many of the company’s industry-changing projects, like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He was also key in the initiative that saw Universal Orlando open a new attraction every year, though some he has been pretty open about in regards to his disappointment, like Fast and the Furious: Supercharged at Universal Studios Florida.
- The retirement package offered is reportedly part of an NBC Universal-wide initiative offered to employees who are over 57 and/or who have worked at the company for more than 10 years. It has also been reported that this has also marked the departure of every SVP left at Universal Creative.
- Along with senior vice president and chief creative officer of Universal Creative, Thierry Coup, Mike Hightower, president of Universal Creative and Mike Harrington, vice president, engineering and safety at Universal Studios Florida, are among the executives who have quietly opted to take voluntary early retirement packages.
- This news is also ultra surprising considering that another park is currently being constructed at the Universal Orlando Resort, Universal’s Epic Universe. The new park, set to contain Florida’s version of Super Nintendo World, as well as rumored areas based on the classic Universal Monsters and Dreamworks’ properties like How to Train Your Dragon, is expected to be another change in the industry with forward thinking ideas in terms of individual admission to select areas of the new park, with a central entertainment zone connecting them all. Not to mention, this also happens months ahead of the Universal Studios Hollywood debut of Super Nintendo World, marking the American debut of this highly-anticipated new area from Universal Studios Japan.
- The reports coming from inside Universal Creative indicate that the division is known for its strong talent development and succession training and that there are thoughtful transition plans in place.
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