The Season Pass Podcast Discussion Boards

Stingray · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 403 Location: North Carolina

One of the biggest franchise in movies is J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit stories. Peter Jackson succeeded in bringing J.R.R Tolkien stories to life with the blockbuster Lord of the Rings movies. Now with the Hobbit movies set to be made there some rumors going around by fan sites that a Lord of the Rings theme park being develop.

Well this is kinda of true. While there is no news from Disney, Universal, Six flags, or Sea World Entertainment about Lord of the Rings attraction coming to the US parks, there is a country trying to create a Lord of the Rings theme park type of experience. Spain is giving Lord of the Rings fans a chance to experience the middle earth time period by using there terrain as a eco-tour of event's in Lord of the Rings. In Sierra Norte just outside of Madrid, Spain country side a project is being in development for a couple years and in hopes to get a grander recreation of the films places and events. John Bentley a mechanical Engineer has been part of the project where he posted on his blog ideas of the iconic places that could be built for this Lord of the Rings eco-tour park.
Once example here is Lothlorien a lodging area, base around the tree house of the Elves kingdom.

Here's concept for the Statue of Durin. As visitor will walk onto the Hall's of Moria they will see this towing statue with battle axe in hand.

When it comes time to eat and lounge there no place then Elven House. This is the place to feast and enjoy all of middle earth bounty has to offer. Mead beer and a good pipe to make you feel at home in this grand house.

Here's concept of the Hall of Elrond interior.

Here's another concept for the Hall of Elrond. This is where you can lounge and hear tales of great middle earth adventure. Food, drinks, and music will accompany the atmosphere to this grand hall.

Here's concept of the Hall of fire Centerpiece. This centerpiece will represent earth, wind, water, growth and fire. A place for great photo ops.

Here's video of the middle earth project. It's in Spanish but they show you compare scenes from the Lord of the Rings movies to get the idea of how the land share similarities.

Link

Link

So, while this might not be a true theme park, it does feel more like a renaissance fair creation. The idea being you on a tour going though middle earth mock up location and living in the monument that the books and film captures is what it trying to recreated. People can cos-play the character or races they like and travel to a time and era that feels more natural and real. There is one note there to make. In New Zealand where the Lord of the Rings movies had been filmed the country offers tours of the area where the movies were shot at. Also a museum exhibit in New Zealand has props and costumes of the films that has been a big hit for the country. It's temporary shut down due to the new Hobbit films being made, but will open up once the Hobbit films are release with new addition from the movies.
Here's video tour of the New Zealand Lord of the Rings tour.

Link

So, OK no real rides or coaster to bring Lord of the Rings to life, but this is one step closer to seeing one. Now I don't know about you guy's but I hope Harry Potter at Island of Adventure is a super big hit. If so, there a good chance we could see Lord of the Rings at Universal Studios soon. Hobbit and Rings fan sites have been hearing rumors that Peter Jackson is in talks to bring a theme park attraction, ride, or land to the parks. Only Harry Potter is being look at as a test subject to see if this fantasy theme could work. I really want Universal to get this one. Mainly because rumors had pointed that Disney had bid for rights to have a Lord of the Rings attraction. But don't think highly of Disney here, it been rumor that Lord of the Rings would only show up at the "Great Movie Ride" at Hollywood Studios as a scene only, to replace the Alien part of the ride. Basically nothing more that a footnote to a great IP and film which Disney would wipe there hands and say they are done. I think this would be cheap way to represent Lord of the Rings and I hope that Universal get this just like Harry Potter they got a good thing going there.

Here Official site to Spain Middle Earth project.
http://www.pequenatierramedia.es/
Blog of Middle Earth concept blog.
http://jolabent27.blogspot.com/
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monsterdan5 · Joined: 17 Feb 2010 Posts: 12 Location: London, UK

very interesting... methinks this could be something to rival twwohp

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