Walk through Islands of Adventure today, and one section still looks back to a much earlier generation of cartoons.
That's part of Toon Lagoon's charm. It's also what makes the land such an interesting candidate for a future overhaul.
Universal Orlando Resort hasn't announced plans to close Toon Lagoon, and there is no confirmed project to replace Popeye, Dudley Do-Right, or the other characters found there. For now, everything remains intact.
But after more than a quarter-century, it's easy to imagine Universal eventually asking what comes next.
Two cartoon franchises have managed to stay relevant across generations, and both could fit surprisingly well with the attractions Toon Lagoon already has.
Toon Lagoon Has Two Rides Universal Could Reimagine
Islands of Adventure opened in 1999, and Toon Lagoon has been part of the park since the beginning.
Universal didn't design the land around one massive franchise. Instead, it brought together characters from different comics and cartoons, creating a colorful area filled with faces, including Popeye, Betty Boop, and Heathcliff.
Two water attractions anchor the land.
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges sends guests aboard circular rafts for a soaking adventure. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls takes riders through themed scenes aboard log-style vehicles before delivering its enormous final plunge.
There's also Me Ship, the Olive, an interactive play area that expands the Popeye presence.
The attractions themselves still offer Universal valuable infrastructure. It's the characters surrounding them that could eventually present an opportunity.
Some younger visitors simply didn't grow up with Popeye or Dudley Do-Right.
SpongeBob and Scooby-Doo are a different story.
Two Cartoon Franchises Keep Finding New Audiences
SpongeBob SquarePants and Islands of Adventure actually share an important year.
Both debuted in 1999.
More than 25 years later, SpongeBob still brings Bikini Bottom to new audiences alongside Patrick, Squidward, and the rest of the show's characters.
Universal already has experience turning that world into a theme park environment. Universal Kids Resort, which opened in Texas in 2026, features an area themed around SpongeBob SquarePants.
Scooby-Doo has lasted even longer.
The franchise dates back to 1969, with Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma continuing to appear in entertainment and merchandise for decades.
If Universal ever wanted to refresh Toon Lagoon while keeping its major attractions, those two franchises could offer an interesting solution.
And the Popeye ride could provide a natural starting point.
SpongeBob Could Bring Bikini Bottom to Islands of Adventure
Universal wouldn't necessarily need to demolish Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges to create a new SpongeBob attraction.
Instead, the existing rafting system could become part of Mrs. Puff's Boating School.
Guests could board circular vehicles for what initially seemed like another simple driving lesson. Then SpongeBob gets involved.
From there, the adventure could spin into chaos as riders travel through Bikini Bottom and encounter familiar locations along the way.
The water effects could remain, keeping the soaking experience that defines the Popeye attraction while changing almost everything around it.
Universal could even reshape the surrounding area with locations inspired by SpongeBob's pineapple, Squidward's home, and the Krusty Krab.
None of this is an announced Universal project. It's a hypothetical possibility.
But another Toon Lagoon attraction could lend itself just as easily to a familiar cartoon franchise.
The Mystery Machine Could Head Toward Ripsaw Falls
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls already has the basic structure needed for an adventure involving Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc.
The existing ride vehicles could become stylized Mystery Machines, sending guests out to investigate the latest monster causing trouble.
Fred, Daphne, and Velma could work to solve the mystery while Shaggy and Scooby stumble directly into danger.
Universal could fill the ride with physical environments, practical effects, and animated characters before building toward the attraction's defining moment.
The final drop wouldn't need to disappear.
Instead, the mystery could reach its climax near the top of the hill. Riders could hear Scooby's frightened cry before their Mystery Machine plunged downward and crashed into the water.
Universal could preserve one of Toon Lagoon's biggest thrills while completely changing the story surrounding it.
Popeye Isn't Leaving Yet
For now, Toon Lagoon remains Toon Lagoon.
Universal Orlando Resort hasn't announced that Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges or Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls will receive these transformations. It also hasn't confirmed that Bikini Bottom or Scooby-Doo will replace any part of the land.
Still, Toon Lagoon has occupied this corner of Islands of Adventure since 1999.
If Universal eventually decides it's time for another generation of cartoon characters to take over, SpongeBob and Scooby-Doo offer two intriguing possibilities without requiring the park to abandon its existing water attractions.
Popeye could give way to Bikini Bottom. Dudley Do-Right could make room for the Mystery Machine.
Until Universal reveals otherwise, though, that's a future fans can only imagine.
