Popeye has been soaking Universal Orlando guests for more than a quarter-century. Still, it’s fair to wonder how much longer some of Islands of Adventure’s oldest characters will remain front and center.
Toon Lagoon dates all the way back to the park’s 1999 opening. Its two water rides remain substantial attractions, but the cartoons surrounding them come from a very different era.
That doesn’t mean Universal is preparing to tear everything down. The company hasn’t announced a closure of Toon Lagoon, and there is no confirmed replacement lined up to move in.
But if Universal eventually wants to introduce characters with stronger connections to today’s families, it wouldn’t necessarily have to abandon the rides already there.
Bikini Bottom and one famous mystery-solving dog could offer two intriguing possibilities.
Toon Lagoon Has Been Here Since Day One
Toon Lagoon arrived alongside Islands of Adventure in 1999, bringing an unusual collection of comic-strip and cartoon characters together in one land.
Popeye, Betty Boop, Heathcliff, and other familiar faces appear throughout the area, rather than a single franchise controlling the entire theme.
The land’s biggest attractions are Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges and Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges puts guests aboard circular rafts and sends them through an adventure where staying dry isn’t particularly likely. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls offers a different experience, combining a log flume with themed scenes before its massive final plunge.
Me Ship, the Olive rounds out the Popeye presence with an interactive play area.
Those experiences give Universal plenty to work with. The question is whether the characters attached to them remain the best fit decades later.
That’s where two other cartoon franchises become interesting.
SpongeBob and Scooby-Doo Still Have Staying Power
SpongeBob SquarePants debuted in 1999, meaning SpongeBob arrived the same year as Islands of Adventure itself.
More than 25 years later, SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, and the residents of Bikini Bottom remain prominent characters.
Universal already works with the franchise, too. Universal Kids Resort, which opened in Texas in 2026, includes an area themed around SpongeBob SquarePants.
Then there’s Scooby-Doo.
Scooby and Mystery Inc. have an even longer history,y dating back to 1969. Yet Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma continue appearing in entertainment and merchandise decades later.
If Universal ever decides Toon Lagoon needs a new identity, both properties could provide recognizable characters without necessarily requiring entirely new ride systems.
For Popeye’s corner, one idea practically writes itself.
Bikini Bottom Could Give Popeye’s Ride a New Story
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges could provide the foundation for a completely different adventure.
Instead of Popeye and Bluto, imagine Mrs. Puff trying to give SpongeBob another boating lesson.
Guests could climb into circular “boats” and quickly discover that SpongeBob’s driving skills haven’t improved much.
The ride could send guests crashing through Bikini Bottom as another simple boating test spirals out of control. Water effects could remain central to the experience, preserving one of the defining elements of the current attraction.
The surrounding area could also take inspiration from recognizable Bikini Bottom locations, including SpongeBob’s pineapple, Squidward’s home, and the Krusty Krab.
Universal hasn’t announced anything resembling this project. It’s entirely hypothetical.
But SpongeBob isn’t the only character who could fit surprisingly well into Toon Lagoon’s existing infrastructure.
Scooby-Doo Could Take Over Ripsaw Falls
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls could become the setting for a very different mystery.
Rather than eliminating the log-flume attraction, Universal could transform its vehicles into stylized versions of the Mystery Machine.
Guests could join Mystery Inc. after another mysterious monster appears. Fred, Daphne, and Velma could search for clues while Shaggy and Scooby inevitably find themselves face-to-face with whatever is causing trouble.
Physical sets, practical effects, and animated figures could make the experience feel like stepping into a classic Scooby-Doo adventure.
Then comes the part Universal wouldn’t need to reinvent.
Riders could approach Ripsaw Falls’ towering final plunge just as the mystery reaches its climax. Scooby’s terrified cry could ring out moments before the Mystery Machine races down the steep drop and splashes into the water.
The attraction could gain an entirely different identity while preserving the finale that defines the current ride.
Toon Lagoon’s Next Chapter Is Still Unknown
For now, Popeye and Dudley Do-Right aren’t going anywhere that Universal has announced.
There is no confirmed Toon Lagoon replacement, Bikini Bottom expansion, or Scooby-Doo transformation planned for these attractions. These ideas remain possibilities rather than actual Universal projects.
Still, Toon Lagoon has now entertained Islands of Adventure guests for more than a quarter-century.
If Universal eventually decides the land needs characters with stronger connections to today’s families, SpongeBob and Scooby-Doo could offer two intriguing directions.
Popeye’s rafts could head toward Bikini Bottom. Ripsaw Falls could send the Mystery Machine toward one enormous drop.
Until Universal reveals what the long-term future holds, fans can only imagine what might eventually replace some of Islands of Adventure’s oldest attractions.
