Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[Stitch_101]

As much as I disapprove of Disney, Disney Springs is done nicely an for that area, it's kick-ass. Universal could similarly do the same thing and do well. Orange County wants one of those Districts on the South End of Universal Blvd anyway. Universal can give that entire south universal blvd. area a kick start.

Yeah... And I don't see Universal going the "Disney Springs" route completely. There is surely to be some sort of nightlife present, be it live show, concert venues or night clubs. They are going to want to absorb as much evening business from convention goers at the Convention Center as they can.

 

[Thisguynamedlee]

Yeah... And I don't see Universal going the "Disney Springs" route completely. There is surely to be some sort of nightlife present, be it live show, concert venues or night clubs. They are going to want to absorb as much evening business from convention goers at the Convention Center as they can.

Yes the convention center will be a big part of the fuel to the nighttime attendance

 

[s8film40]

Yes the convention center will be a big part of the fuel to the nighttime attendance

To me the convention center is one of the most interesting aspects of this park. I think there's a lot of potential for them to work off of each other. Convention events will bring business to the park and the park can extend their events to the center. Imagine the Celebration of Harry Potter growing into the convention center.

 

[Thisguynamedlee]

To me the convention center is one of the most interesting aspects of this park. I think there's a lot of potential for them to work off of each other. Convention events will bring business to the park and the park can extend their events to the center. Imagine the Celebration of Harry Potter growing into the convention center.

Wow never even thought of that this is really going to make Disney cringe (not just potter but the whol rail system )

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Yeah... And I don't see Universal going the "Disney Springs" route completely. There is surely to be some sort of nightlife present, be it live show, concert venues or night clubs. They are going to want to absorb as much evening business from convention goers at the Convention Center as they can.

Thats pretty much the idea for the county. Pointe Orlando was supposed to be that, but we all know how that turned out. But there are a few parcels of land around the convention center area to add some presence of nightlife and destination places to keep convention goers and that alike from having to go to Disney Springs or 192. it all starts with transportation. North I Drive, North of Sand Lake is pretty walkable, ( not pretty but easy to access from the hotel rooms) where as south I drive isn't quite as walkable and doesnt have many things. Where Universal Blvd. comes in play is what a transit system that will make it easy for I drive to have a transit system as well.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

To me the convention center is one of the most interesting aspects of this park. I think there's a lot of potential for them to work off of each other. Convention events will bring business to the park and the park can extend their events to the center. Imagine the Celebration of Harry Potter growing into the convention center.

The beauty of having the second largest convention center in the country and 3rd largest themed entertainment in the world. This is Universals best option and a great selling pointe to conventioneers. A Few Mega Resorts with transit right along the northside of the convention center is a greta selling pointe to LARGE groups that other wise will stay at Hilton and Hyatt.

 

[s8film40]

The beauty of having the second largest convention center in the country and 3rd largest entertainment resort in the world.

Yep, I just spent last weekend there for MegaCon. I can imagine Universal tying in with that as that's the type of crowd that loves theme parks. That convention alone generally draws around 100,000.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Here is an Orlando Sentinel article about the impact a new park would have on Orlando.

Orlando Sentinel

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Yep, I just spent last weekend there for MegaCon. I can imagine Universal tying in with that as that's the type of crowd that loves theme parks. That convention alone generally draws around 100,000.

Good pointe. Several factors in why Orlando draws second most conventions and most "meetings" of any city in America.
Weather
Entertainment
Newness of the city
And Ease of access.
More entertainment benefits both Universal and the County hand in hand especially for South I Drive/Universal Blvd

 

[Galaxy Defender]

As much as I disapprove of Disney, Disney Springs is done nicely an for that area, it's kick-ass. Universal could similarly do the same thing and do well. Orange County wants one of those Districts on the South End of Universal Blvd anyway. Universal can give that entire south universal blvd. area a kick start.

This is one area that Universal needs to step up its game.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

This is one area that Universal needs to step up its game.

I wonder how much money Universal is willing to spend to
A. Buy more connecting land
B. Build a new entertainment and resort district.

 

[LieutLaww]

I wonder how much money Universal is willing to spend to
A. Buy more connecting land
B. Build a new entertainment and resort district.

Comcast will spend whatever they need to get what they need/want, they have already proved this with the money being pumped into USF and IOA since they bought Universal and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

 

[quinnmac000]

Your sense of an acre is way off. Animal Kingdom, including the safari, is 500 acres, most of which are contained in said safari. Epcot is 300 acres, and a ton of that is taken up by World Showcase lagoon.

A park doesn't need to be much more than 200-300. Anything bigger than that is overkill.

Six Flags Great America is 510 acres, I'm pretty sure the people who go there don't think its overkill. (only 400 acres are actually usuable though because the other 100 is safari but still).

A decent size theme park should be 350-400 acres which would allow green areas like Central Park and Tom Sawyer Island, actual down spaces where people can chill and its quiet and up to 20 IP based lands around 10 acres plus backstage areas needed with room where people can move about easily and safely and room for expansion without getting rid of anything.

Add in the 100,000 plus conventioneers with 50% stopping and visiting the parks while there plus tourists you think the park is large they are going to need more space for capacity and for people to actually be comfortable otherwise we will end up with the Osaka and Tokyo Disney problems where everything is two plus hours and people are miserably happy.

 

[IzzyB]

That news report on transportation is interesting to me.

I'm wondering if we'll get more info sooner on this project from the fact they'll have to appease the locals more than the other stuff they do.

I guarantee you they have been in meetings with the county many times to hash out plans and those plans probably have included mass transit methods. That guy seemed to have a lot of information he was not telling based on some of the things he said.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Six Flags Great America is 510 acres, I'm pretty sure the people who go there don't think its overkill. (only 400 acres are actually usuable though because the other 100 is safari but still).

A decent size theme park should be 350-400 acres which would allow green areas like Central Park and Tom Sawyer Island, actual down spaces where people can chill and its quiet and up to 20 IP based lands around 10 acres plus backstage areas needed with room where people can move about easily and safely and room for expansion without getting rid of anything.

Add in the 100,000 plus conventioneers with 50% stopping and visiting the parks while there plus tourists you think the park is large they are going to need more space for capacity and for people to actually be comfortable otherwise we will end up with the Osaka and Tokyo Disney problems where everything is two plus hours and people are miserably happy.

This isn't true. SFGA is 160 acres while the safari, non accessible area is 350. I found this info on Wikipedia.

 

[WAJAS]

I guarantee you they have been in meetings with the county many times to hash out plans and those plans probably have included mass transit methods. That guy seemed to have a lot of information he was not telling based on some of the things he said.

Most definetely, The county knows way more than they are letting out. The only issue is the Universal Boulevard land needed for the connection will have to go through a fair bid and sale process. Basically, they have to have about a month where all offers for the sale are taken into account.

 

[GadgetGuru]

Here is an Orlando Sentinel article about the impact a new park would have on Orlando.

Orlando Sentinel

One thing nobody else has mentioned is workers. If the Orlando market is that desperate for theme park workers, I think Universal will have to build infrastructure to help them get more workers. I would imagine Universal will start building out their own College Program a la Disney. Disney gets a ton of good, cheap labor from their college program. That means Universal will have to start building dorms and the like to support that kind of program, plus a recruiting labor force + marketing program to go out to schools.

 

[peteralt]

I'm just curious why would anyone think they wouldn't build a transit system at this point? The transportation connections can already be seen in their proposed plans and as someone said they're shopping around for a transit provider. This really isn't some wishful thinking on the part of theme park fans, it's an element that will either make or break this new resort. Bus lanes aren't going to cut it. I get that we're so accustomed to hearing "monorail is expensive" from the Disney apologists but the reality is this is probably the only way to incorporate the new land as part of the same resort.

"Disney apologetics" - ha! I've been looking for a way to describe them all these years... That's perfect!

 

[Teebin]

I wonder how large the south parking garage will be. Will it have to be at least the size of one of the north garages? $$$

 

[peteralt]

I wonder how large the south parking garage will be. Will it have to be at least the size of one of the north garages? $$$

All they have to do is build a monorail from the current garage complex and maybe also expand the current complex.