Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[GoUCFKnights]

Now you see the issue.

Given it hasn't started in Studios yet, when do you think it'd open there? One thing I remembered is in the lawsuit, some time back now in 2017, Universal said it wants to build a third theme park within 3 years... Even if they meant "start construction within 3 years" and took the same time as IOA, that was a year ago, so that only puts us at 2022.

And the latest rumors with Kidzone location were having it start after summer, or possibly beginning of 2019, which would put us at 2021. This probably isn't more then a year delay, and it allows the opportunity for Orlando to have a bigger and better SNW. If Hollywood isn't delayed, Universal probably also likes that some people might go to the west coast park to see it a year earlier, then visit the east coast to see the bigger, better, more complete version who are really obsessed with it. I might do that. If Orlando opens first, I likely wouldn't. Infact, if Nintendo doesn't come to the new park and the headliner is LOTR, it could affect when I get my next AP as I rotate between the parks (and sometimes none at all if I plan to travel out of state a bit)

 

[quinnmac000]

I would argue until Comcast/Universal is done with potential buying out of companies, we won't see progress on expansions. I'm actually more certain the Fox Disney deal threw things for a loop way more than D23 announcements.

Whats the point of greenlighting something just to have some stronger IP in your arsenal a little while down the line.

 

[Scott W.]

I guess I’m rooting for the lawsuit to not go well then.

You'd rather have Nintendo in 2021 than Nintendo and a whole new park in 2023?

If they had LOTR it’d be that. Otherwise yea

I don't see LOTR being any where near as big of a draw as Nintendo.

I would argue until Comcast/Universal is done with potential buying out of companies, we won't see progress on expansions. I'm actually more certain the Fox Disney deal threw things for a loop way more than D23 announcements.

Whats the point of greenlighting something just to have some stronger IP in your arsenal a little while down the line.

Haven't Universal already set the wheels in motion with the expansion with the warehouse on Sand Lake Rd?

 

[quinnmac000]

Haven't Universal already set the wheels in motion with the expansion with the warehouse on Sand Lake Rd?

I'm talking strictly theme park attractions. But yes.

 

[Scott W.]

I'm talking strictly theme park attractions. But yes.

I've misread what you said, I thought you meant land instead of other IPs.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

How reading the last 7 pages has made me felt:

 

[Mike S]

You'd rather have Nintendo in 2021 than Nintendo and a whole new park in 2023?

Yes. I care more about Nintendo than any other IP they’ve got and I was already expecting the third park to be pretty late down the road so it would be no skin off my nose if that came later and Nintendo much sooner.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

How fast do people here really think building the new park and it’s associated infrastructure to take? I’m thinking at the earliest 2023 and that’s if they started now.

I still don't believe in the third park.
But if it is Universal 2025.

 

[Nick]

I still don't believe in the third park.
But if it is Universal 2025.

What do you think that bought all that land for then? Their health?

 

[Scott W.]

How about that bridge eh?

Pedestrian bridge to cross Kirkman near Universal, light up at night | WFTV

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

What do you think that bought all that land for then? Their health?

Who knows, some reason it just doesnt make sense to me. I know it's happening, I refuse to believe it though lol.

 

[zg44]

2023-2025 has been the assumed timeframe for the next park for the past couple of years.

Insiders gave that timeframe a couple years ago before the land was bought by Universal.

I'd assume that any "speeding up" of the process would be moving it closer to 2023.

2021-2022 just seems unrealistic given the lawsuits and that parts of the land still have toxic cleanup work that needs to be done.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

How about that bridge eh?

Pedestrian bridge to cross Kirkman near Universal, light up at night | WFTV

Long time coming.

 

[Magic-Man]

So, we will likely get Nintendo, LOTR, DreamWorks, JW, and possibly Fantastic Beasts by 2023? I would rather have that than just Nintendo any day. The real question is, what happens to Kidzone now?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

So, we will likely get Nintendo, LOTR, DreamWorks, JW, and possibly Fantastic Beasts by 2023? I would rather have that than just Nintendo any day. The real question is, what happens to Kidzone now?

I don’t think it’s a guarantee Nintendo phase one is in the third park.

 

[Mad Dog]

Long time coming.

The TV news story said that 700 people a day attempted the busy crossing across all those lanes. They didn't mention that only 650 people a day made it to the other side of the street. And something really really terrible went wrong.:shifty::died:

 

[Magic-Man]

I don’t think it’s a guarantee Nintendo phase one is in the third park.

Maybe not phase one, but still. If Pokemon goes into Kidzone, then Mushroom Kingdom goes into the new park, it would make more sense theme-wise. Pokemon fits the city criteria that Studios has, while it looks like the new park will take a kingdom approach (like IOA).

Edit: Any chance that we will see a Jurassic World RMC?

 

[shiekra38]

I still don't believe in the third park.
But if it is Universal 2025.

 

[Scott W.]

If Nintendo is still going into Kidzone, could the Disney/Fox deal have anything to do with it, specifically the future of Simpsons. The plans we’ve seen had the area backed against Simpsons but with that area potentially freeing up in the next decade, they could see that as an area for expansion.

 

[Andysol]

Plans changed after they bought DreamWorks.

Plans changed before D23

Plans changed after D23

Plans changed after the Dec. Tax Reform.

At this point, they appear to just be going all in on the South Park/Site B.

And that doesn’t even take into account Stan Thomas and that debacle.

If they’re waiting on that, then we got nothing moving forward and it’s all in the air.

Look- we know Shrek, FF and toon lagoon theatre need something. They can start on at least one of them with zero impact to site 3. So let’s move it Uni...