Possible One Piece Land: Universal Confirms Construction Plans for Lost Continent Land

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Hey Universal Vacationers! Universal Orlando dropped some news that theme park fans have been waiting on for years: change is finally coming to the Lost Continent at Islands of Adventure. The park confirmed that construction activity will begin soon in the area, sparking fresh speculation that this quiet corner could be transformed into something major — like a possible One Piece land or even the long-rumored Legend of Zelda land.

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Universal Confirms Construction

Kristen Smith, Director of Public Relations at Universal Orlando, confirmed the activity in a statement to the Orlando Business Journal:

“In the coming months, there will be construction activity in Lost Continent as part of site planning to ensure the area is ready for any future developments.”

That’s the most direct acknowledgment Universal has given about Lost Continent in years. The confirmation came just after Universal filed a demolition permit on September 10th to remove nearly five acres of “theme park site” at Islands of Adventure.

Lost Continent is one of the park’s original eight lands, opening in 1999 with mythical beasts, gods, and immersive temples. Today, it’s mostly home to Mythos Restaurant, a couple of quick-service spots, and shops. The land’s big attractions closed years ago:

• Poseidon’s Fury shut down in May 2023, officially “to prepare for exciting new offerings.”
• The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad stunt show ended in 2018 and has sat empty since.

That means Universal now has a five-acre blank slate right in the middle of Islands of Adventure.

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The Rumors: Zelda vs. One Piece

So what’s next for Lost Continent? Two names keep coming up: The Legend of Zelda and One Piece. Both fit in different ways.

What Makes Zelda a Strong Contender

Zelda has been rumored for years, and Universal already has a proven partnership with Nintendo thanks to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. Themed temples, mythical characters, and adventurous quests all line up well with Lost Continent’s existing style.

• Early concepts pitched to Nintendo included a moving-seat theater show and a hybrid boat/dark ride.
• Theme park insiders have suggested Zelda could bring a large-scale indoor boat ride and maybe even a small outdoor coaster.
• Dining inside a Deku Tree has even been floated as a concept.

On top of that, Universal has already slipped in a little nod — a painting of Link was spotted inside a gift shop at Epic Universe.

Why a Possible One Piece Land Makes Even More Sense

Then there’s One Piece, the global anime and manga juggernaut. Fans know it’s already had a presence at Universal’s parks before. Since 2007, Universal Studios Japan has hosted One Piece Premier Summer, featuring:

• A live-action stunt show.
• A One Piece ride — a coaster overlay of Hollywood Dream.
• A dining experience called Sanji’s Pirate Restaurant.

Universal also featured One Piece during Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, showing the IP can draw crowds outside Japan.

And let’s not forget: Netflix’s live-action One Piece is heading into its third season, proving the brand has mainstream traction like never before.

From a practical standpoint, One Piece maps perfectly onto Lost Continent’s existing spaces:

• The old Sinbad theater could host a stunt show.
• Mythos could be reimagined as Sanji’s Pirate Restaurant.
• Poseidon’s Fury offers a massive footprint for a queue, pre-show, and ride system, with space for a coaster stretching into the land.

Universal Creative also has a track record of taking what worked in Japan and adapting it for Orlando. SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and the How to Train Your Dragon stage show, The Untrainable Dragon, are perfect examples.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Zelda	One Piece
Existing Nintendo Partnership	✅ Strong	❌ None
Thematic Fit with Lost Continent	✅ Mythical temples	✅ Pirate voyages
Attraction Concepts	Boat ride, small coaster	Stunt show, coaster, themed restaurant
Precedent in Universal Parks	❌ None yet (besides a picture)	✅ Universal Japan, Hollywood
Current Pop Culture Momentum	⚪ Upcoming movie	✅ Netflix live-action hit

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Universal’s Focus on IP

Universal leaders are making it clear that intellectual property will drive the parks’ future. Mark Woodbury, CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences, said at a recent Bank of America conference:

“The Universal IP is our bread-and-butter and the foundation of our work. But we’re not afraid to go outside when we see an opportunity to drive business with the unique properties like Harry Potter or Nintendo.”

He also confirmed there are “multiple attractions in the works, not just at Epic,” signaling that new projects at the existing parks are already moving forward.

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Why Now?

With Epic Universe now open, Universal Creative finally has breathing room to look beyond its new park and refresh older spaces. Lost Continent has been underused for years, mostly serving as a walkway between Seuss Landing and Hogsmeade. Redeveloping it would not only add capacity but also rebalance crowds across the resort.

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My Take: One Piece Fits Best

While Zelda is a fan favorite and makes sense from a Nintendo partnership angle, I think the stronger case is for a possible One Piece land.

Here’s why:

• The footprint lines up perfectly with the types of experiences One Piece has offered before.
• The brand is red hot right now thanks to the Netflix series.
• Universal has already proven it can bring Japanese successes to Orlando.

If Universal wants to refresh Lost Continent with something that’s both globally recognized and operationally easy to map onto existing structures, One Piece feels like the winning play.

Either way, we know one thing for sure: Lost Continent’s days as a forgotten corner of Islands of Adventure are over. And that’s something to get excited about.

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