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Universal Lack of Announcements Thread

Soooo, tomorrow maybe Universal releases something juicy?

They like posting big news on Thursdays. Next Thursday is the day before Rock the Universe, so if not tomorrow, I wouldn't expect something big for another few weeks.

I hope so!
 
I actually have in this thread, 'll summarize.
- Only 6-7 Months from opening. (Most folks that are planning on going before the ride opens, are not going to change their plans at this point). To say they will have this huge attendance problem if they announce the ride now is silly.
- Missing the December/January travel booking season. Probably their biggest error.
- Cost to announce something on social media, is literately nothing. They don't need to start paying for a huge marketing push if they don't want to.
- Disney announcing new info on a weekly basis, and coming out with a ton of new attractions in the next 5 years. That have actually been announced.
- Having the upper-hand since SWL won't open until Fall/Winter, when Potter is supposed to open this summer. if there is a time to capitalize "before SWL" this is it.
- Lack of ANY real details at all. Just one Promotional photo, that was more of a teaser.
- Failure to provide any other info on all the other projects that are in the works.

My rebuttal:

- Only 6-7 Months from opening. (Most folks that are planning on going before the ride opens, are not going to change their plans at this point). To say they will have this huge attendance problem if they announce the ride now is silly.
- Missing the December/January travel booking season. Probably their biggest error.

For the above 2 points, I'd argue that there are still tons of people in that time frame contemplating their Spring Break or Easter potential plans and the majority of them would hold off on booking a Universal Trip for either March Break or Easter if they know a new major attraction is coming shortly thereafter.

- Cost to announce something on social media, is literately nothing. They don't need to start paying for a huge marketing push if they don't want to.

The $ cost of the announcement itself is low/nothing. The costs of letting the mass public know earlier is potentially much higher as I've outlined above and in previous costs.

- Having the upper-hand since SWL won't open until Fall/Winter, when Potter is supposed to open this summer. if there is a time to capitalize "before SWL" this is it.

What does this accomplish other than potentially creating an abnormal spike in attendance for the summer ahead of SW land? The parks and resorts are at their highest capacity over the summer months to begin with regardless of a new ride. It might create such a spike in attendance that is not something that Universal is looking to have/can't adequately handle. Does Universal want the first reaction from park guests of the attraction to be "I waited 4 hours to ride it !!!" from a huge swell in attendance because a ton of vacationers pre-planned their vacations to be the first ones there?

- Disney announcing new info on a weekly basis, and coming out with a ton of new attractions in the next 5 years. That have actually been announced.
- Lack of ANY real details at all. Just one Promotional photo, that was more of a teaser.
- Failure to provide any other info on all the other projects that are in the works.

The above 3 points are just statements (complaints) of what Universal is doing (or not doing compared to Disney). It doesn't provide any reasoning as to *why* Universal should do like Disney it and what significant benefits it would provide. Let Disney do their thing of over-hyping things much earlier so the first 1/2 year of something new opening will be bedlam before things smooth out.

I'm happy with what Universal is doing as to keep things growing smoothly/organically.

With their strategy Universal is doing just as much as Disney is:
  • Opening more resorts
  • Adding new significant attractions continually
  • Building a entire new park!
So they're obviously making money and continuing to constantly invest in their resorts. The only difference between Disney and Universal that I see from what they're doing is how and when they tell the public about them.
 
My rebuttal:

- Only 6-7 Months from opening. (Most folks that are planning on going before the ride opens, are not going to change their plans at this point). To say they will have this huge attendance problem if they announce the ride now is silly.
- Missing the December/January travel booking season. Probably their biggest error.

For the above 2 points, I'd argue that there are still tons of people in that time frame contemplating their Spring Break or Easter potential plans and the majority of them would hold off on booking a Universal Trip for either March Break or Easter if they know a new major attraction is coming shortly thereafter.

- Cost to announce something on social media, is literately nothing. They don't need to start paying for a huge marketing push if they don't want to.

The $ cost of the announcement itself is low/nothing. The costs of letting the mass public know earlier is potentially much higher as I've outlined above and in previous costs.

- Having the upper-hand since SWL won't open until Fall/Winter, when Potter is supposed to open this summer. if there is a time to capitalize "before SWL" this is it.

What does this accomplish other than potentially creating an abnormal spike in attendance for the summer ahead of SW land? The parks and resorts are at their highest capacity over the summer months to begin with regardless of a new ride. It might create such a spike in attendance that is not something that Universal is looking to have/can't adequately handle. Does Universal want the first reaction from park guests of the attraction to be "I waited 4 hours to ride it !!!" from a huge swell in attendance because a ton of vacationers pre-planned their vacations to be the first ones there?

- Disney announcing new info on a weekly basis, and coming out with a ton of new attractions in the next 5 years. That have actually been announced.
- Lack of ANY real details at all. Just one Promotional photo, that was more of a teaser.
- Failure to provide any other info on all the other projects that are in the works.

The above 3 points are just statements (complaints) of what Universal is doing (or not doing compared to Disney). It doesn't provide any reasoning as to *why* Universal should do like Disney it and what significant benefits it would provide. Let Disney do their thing of over-hyping things much earlier so the first 1/2 year of something new opening will be bedlam before things smooth out.

I'm happy with what Universal is doing as to keep things growing smoothly/organically.

With their strategy Universal is doing just as much as Disney is:
  • Opening more resorts
  • Adding new significant attractions continually
  • Building a entire new park!
So they're obviously making money and continuing to constantly invest in their resorts. The only difference between Disney and Universal that I see from what they're doing is how and when they tell the public about them.

Your last point is so on the money. Announcements don’t change plans.

As I’ve said before, I think the only reason that Potter hasn’t had more information released so far is because they’re a bit behind schedule. I think they want that great PR photo with the train in the station like they did with Gringotts, that’s going to be the money shoot that sells the attraction.
 
Attendance is so spread out over the year now, that it's really no longer essential a new attraction open in the summer. Plus, let's reiterate the fact (according to Universal/Comcast Exec.) that the Universal resort hotels average capacity is 90 % plus. And the big spending revenue basically comes from hotel guests, that except for a few rare weeks, just about fill up the hotels regardless of when a new attraction is opening.....
 
All the "There is a reason they haven't announced anything" defenders who are arguing the lack of information is a cunning move can be nixed quite simply:

-When was F&F date announced (the 2018 one) and when did it open?
-When was Fallon date announced and when did it open?
-When was Kong date announced and when did it open?

We don't need to mention Volcano Bay or Diagon, as those were significantly bigger project and more Apples/Oranges.

The bottom line is this is not normal. What- Universal all of a sudden decided that they are going to market completely differently? The same Universal with the same upper management the last 20 years? The dinosaurs running the joint... change? :lol::lol::lol: No. It's not some intentional marketing genius and "cost savings" measure. To argue that point is ridiculous. Enough with the excuses.

To argue anything different is to discount how they've handled every attraction since Diagon up to this point.

No one has any idea why they haven't announced yet, but it isn't because of their brilliance. Far from it. Jeez.
 
Uk visitors definitely make holiday plans in December/January. You can’t move for their advertising at the moment. I know proportionally it’s a small number of visitors who come from the UK, but the visitors that do come do so with cash and do so for 7-21 nights! It’s naive to think delayed announcements don’t influence travel plans. Travel agents and ticket sellers go all in on the latest offerings. As I mentioned before they’ve been advertising Star Wars Land since October.
 
Uk visitors definitely make holiday plans in December/January. You can’t move for their advertising at the moment. I know proportionally it’s a small number of visitors who come from the UK, but the visitors that do come do so with cash and do so for 7-21 nights! It’s naive to think delayed announcements don’t influence travel plans. Travel agents and ticket sellers go all in on the latest offerings. As I mentioned before they’ve been advertising Star Wars Land since October.

A lot of people from the UK myself included book at least 12-18 months in advance ( We are going to Disney in September and booked it April 2018) mainly due to the extra time being handy to pay for the vacation. Having said that I don't think that many people from the UK will be putting off booking for a new ride whether it's by Disney or Universal, it's more likely to be Brexit causing any shortage of UK bookings for the foreseeable future
 
All the "There is a reason they haven't announced anything" defenders who are arguing the lack of information is a cunning move can be nixed quite simply:

-When was F&F date announced (the 2018 one) and when did it open?
-When was Fallon date announced and when did it open?
-When was Kong date announced and when did it open?

We don't need to mention Volcano Bay or Diagon, as those were significantly bigger project and more Apples/Oranges.

The bottom line is this is not normal. What- Universal all of a sudden decided that they are going to market completely differently? The same Universal with the same upper management the last 20 years? The dinosaurs running the joint... change? :lol::lol::lol: No. It's not some intentional marketing genius and "cost savings" measure. To argue that point is ridiculous. Enough with the excuses.

To argue anything different is to discount how they've handled every attraction since Diagon up to this point.

No one has any idea why they haven't announced yet, but it isn't because of their brilliance. Far from it. Jeez.

Actually... since 2010, it’s been the norm. We get an announcement about a year or two out, details within 6 mos, and an opening date within 2 mos or so. I mean, Kong was half built before it was announced. (Of course, there are some outliers - but it’s a trend they’ve followed for a while)
 
Actually... since 2010, it’s been the norm. We get an announcement about a year or two out, details within 6 mos, and an opening date within 2 mos or so. I mean, Kong was half built before it was announced. (Of course, there are some outliers - but it’s a trend they’ve followed for a while)

That’s why I said after Diagon. Because between Hogsmeade and Diagon were Universals transformative years. I think you’d agree with that, right?

Kong was also announced as “Summer 2016” on May 6, 2015. Over 14 months before it opened.
Again, this is unprecedented.
 
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A lot of people from the UK myself included book at least 12-18 months in advance ( We are going to Disney in September and booked it April 2018) mainly due to the extra time being handy to pay for the vacation. Having said that I don't think that many people from the UK will be putting off booking for a new ride whether it's by Disney or Universal, it's more likely to be Brexit causing any shortage of UK bookings for the foreseeable future

I think the majority do book around now but I’m also in the camp of advanced bookings I’m already looking at 2020

I think the market awareness of what new rides is coming is very big especially with repeat visitors. I heard lots of people who weren’t known fans of Florida comment they’ll be back for the WDWs 50th, so there’s a lot of googling around construction and announcements imo
 
Actually... since 2010, it’s been the norm. We get an announcement about a year or two out, details within 6 mos, and an opening date within 2 mos or so. (Of course, there are some outliers - but it’s a trend they’ve followed for a while)

Just to point out, this is nothing new to Hollywood as-well, with some exceptions of-course..

Supercharged, Springfield U.S.A, Nighttime Studio Tour - Announced April 10th of 2014, with Springfield opening gradually in the Spring of 2015 and Supercharged & Nighttime Studio Tour debuting in the Summer of 2015 (I believe Late June, but I'm sure to be proven wrong)
DreamWorks Theater - Announced June 5th of 2017 with it opening almost exactly a year after, only by 10 days after the one year anniversary of said announcement
Jurassic World - Announced on May 10th of 2018, and is gearing up for a 2019 opening.

Orlando has also done that too, with Kong & Fallon being particular examples of noting.
 
That’s why I said after Diagon. Because between Hogsmeade and Diagon were Universals transformative years. I think you’d agree with that, right?

Kong was also announced as “Summer 2016” on May 6, 2015. Over 14 months before it opened.
Again, this is unprecedented.

And this was announced in 2017 for a summer 2019 opening. But I guess because there wasn’t a name that doesn’t count for people for whatever reason?
 
And this was announced in 2017 for a summer 2019 opening. But I guess because there wasn’t a name that doesn’t count for people for whatever reason?

No. They didn’t. They’ve continued saying “2019”. And that’s it. No summer.

Universal Orlando Close Up | New Generation of Thrill Ride Coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade - Close Up

@Joe and @AlexanderMBush - when you “like” a post that is factually incorrect, it just proves your bias.
 
No. They didn’t. They’ve continued saying “2019”. And that’s it. No summer.

Universal Orlando Close Up | New Generation of Thrill Ride Coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade - Close Up

@Joe and @AlexanderMBush - when you “like” a post that is factually incorrect, it just proves your bias.

:atomic roll eyes:

Sorry, master. The fact remains they announced the damn ride and the damn year. They announced details. But because they didn’t announce a name or an opening date (which apparently THEY DONT EVEN KNOW YET) we’ve been in the midst of an extended fanboy temper tantrum for months.
 
:atomic roll eyes:

Sorry, master. The fact remains they announced the damn ride and the damn year. They announced details. But because they didn’t announce a name or an opening date (which apparently THEY DONT EVEN KNOW YET) we’ve been in the midst of an extended fanboy temper tantrum for months.

Did you even read my original post?

I was very intentional with my words. I did not mention the name because I don’t care at all about the name; it’s 100% meaningless to me.

I simply mentioned that the way they are marketing this (or should I say, lack of) is unprecedented since Diagon. And it is. And my point was that people trying to defend universal as if this is some ingenious “cost-saving” brilliance is ridiculous. The fact is no one knows. It could be because of delays or anything. It could be because they’re simply unsure how best to capitalize on SW:GE. But again- all I was saying is this isn’t normal and people shouldn’t act like it is.

That’s why this thread exists, right?
 
Did you even read my original post?

I was very intentional with my words. I did not mention the name because I don’t care at all about the name; it’s 100% meaningless to me.

I simply mentioned that the way they are marketing this (or should I say, lack of) is unprecedented since Diagon. And it is. And my point was that people trying to defend universal as if this is some ingenious “cost-saving” brilliance is ridiculous. The fact is no one knows. It could be because of delays or anything. It could be because they’re simply unsure how best to capitalize on SW:GE. But again- all I was saying is this isn’t normal and people shouldn’t act like it is.

That’s why this thread exists, right?

Literally the only thing that isn't normal is that we don't have a name.
 
Or season. In the flipping year it opens!

How can you be so blind?

Because they literally don’t know what season it’s gonna open dude. If they announced July (or whatever) months ago and it didn’t open until September or October, everyone would be whining the same as they are now.

Because apparently that’s all we do around here anymore
 
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