Goodbye, Lost Continent (Hello Pokémon?)
After 25 years, Universal is officially demolishing a massive section of the mythical land and why the replacement isn't what we all thought. Here's what the permits tell us.
ORLANDO, FL – The fate of the Lost Continent at Universal's Islands of Adventure has just been sealed. A full slate of demolition, building, and engineering permits has been filed with Orange County, officially kicking off "Project 555" and confirming that a massive redevelopment of the classic land is moving forward. While Universal remains officially silent on what comes next, offering only a vague statement about forthcoming "construction activity," the filing of these permits marks the point of no return for one of the park's original worlds and ignites the most exciting speculative question in years: what new land is coming?
The official start of the Lost Continent's redevelopment began on September 10, 2025, with the filing of a full slate of initial permits for a project internally codenamed
"SPC: UNIVERSAL PROJECT 555". The primary permit,
DEM2025-10175, is the demolition (DEM) permit, giving the official green light for crews to begin the complete teardown of the area. Filed alongside it are two other crucial documents: permit
ENG2025-12263, the overarching engineering (ENG) plan which will detail the full project boundary and infrastructure changes , and permit
BLD2025-19072, the building (BLD) permit that allows for the erection of the temporary construction walls that will soon surround the site. Together, this trio of permits represents the complete initial package required to begin a major redevelopment, covering a massive footprint of nearly five acres within Islands of Adventure.
For any long-time park fan, this development feels like the final, inevitable chapter in the slow demise of this classic island. When the park opened in 1999, the Lost Continent was significantly larger, but its medieval-themed "Merlinwood" section was famously sacrificed in 2010 to make way for the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. The remaining land, with its two major attractions—Poseidon's Fury and The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad—now shuttered, has since felt like a beautiful but under-utilized relic, a placeholder waiting for the next big intellectual property to arrive.
The leading, and by far the most credible, rumor for its replacement has long been a land themed to Nintendo’s
The Legend of Zelda. The thematic synergy is undeniable; the ancient temples and mythical atmosphere of the Lost Continent are a perfect aesthetic match for the land of Hyrule. This, combined with the immense success of Super Nintendo World and the various hints Universal has dropped over the past year, makes Zelda the odds-on favorite. The nearly five-acre demolition plot provides a massive, blank canvas for Universal Creative, a space more than large enough to accommodate a major E-ticket attraction and immersive village.
But what if the obvious answer isn't the correct one? What if the long-standing rumors have pointed us in the wrong direction? A new and compelling theory is gaining traction, one that suggests our long-held assumptions may be wrong, and that Universal is in the midst of a brilliant strategic shuffle that could reshape both of its original parks. Just spitballing, but maybe the replacement is
Pokémon?
For years, the undisputed rumor has been that a Pokémon land would eventually replace The Simpsons Ride and the surrounding Springfield area at Universal Studios Florida. But a recent comment from a well-informed insider on the WDWMagic forums, who, when asked about Pokémon replacing The Simpsons, simply stated that
"things move around," has thrown that long-held assumption into question. This vague but significant statement from a credible source has opened the door to a fascinating new possibility.
What if the reason the Pokémon project has seemed to be in "development hell" for so long isn't because of problems, but because of a change in plans? What if the extra development time was necessary because the location for the land changed, and unlike Super Nintendo World, the design needed significant alterations to fit in a new space? The Springfield plot is relatively small and hemmed-in; many have argued it seems too small for a massive IP like Pokémon. The five-acre blank slate opening up in Lost Continent, however, is the perfect size for the sprawling world of Pokémon, complete with a major ride, character meet-and-greets, and interactive elements.
Placing a major Nintendo IP in both of its legacy parks would also create a powerful incentive for guests to purchase park-to-park tickets, a strategy Universal has used to incredible success with the Wizarding World. It would be a shocking twist, but one with a sound business logic behind it.
This strategic move, however, would be a potential blow to Universal Studios Florida. To see Pokémon going to Islands of Adventure when USF is literally being held together by three 20-plus-year-old attractions and duct tape would be a bizarre choice. The poor park is in desperate need of a DCA-style overhaul, and losing out on a blockbuster IP like Pokémon would be a significant setback. USF just can't seem to catch a break, having already lost Super Nintendo World and the Ministry of Magic to Epic Universe and now facing the prospect of Springfield kicking around in its sad shell state for another half a decade. This potential IP swap would then create an incredible opportunity for the Springfield plot. With Pokémon now destined for the sister park, the slightly smaller but still substantial footprint in USF would be open for a different world-class IP.
While this "grand shuffle" theory is highly speculative, it's a theory that connects all the dots, explains the long silences in development, and paints a very exciting, if contentious, picture of the future. What we know for sure is that Universal isn't slowing down. They could have easily twiddled their thumbs after Epic Universe opened, but right now a major coaster is being demolished for a new attraction, and the permits are filed for a massive project at Islands of Adventure. This aggressive, multi-park investment is a fantastic sign for the future of the entire resort. The Lost Continent as we know it is about to become a thing of the past, and its replacement, whatever it may be, is undoubtedly on its way.
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