Universal Orlando August 1 Press Conference

[rageofthegods]

Maybe we can get a Brexit attraction

Fits right in the Horror section.

EDIT: @Evan I'm assuming that each land will have turnstiles and a large enough entrance to where it doesn't get ridiculous? That's my understanding, anyway.

 

[Mad Dog]

Full price tickets to VB?
Families of 4 buying express passes instead of staying at a premier?
Anyone that eats at Burger Digs? :grin:

Idiots aren’t exclusive to Disney. In fact, theme parks seem to draw some of the dumbest and least cultured people I’ve ever encountered. Not sure what that says about us...


I’m with @Scott W. here. No way I stay at this hotel more than 2 nights ever. No entertainment complex and just 1 dry park?
In fact, why would anyone not simply just do a split stay. Universal moves your bags for free between properties. So just call bell services, leave a $5-10 under the bags and head to the parks then go back to Portifino or Royal Pacific afterwards.

I do the split stays often. They're easy, fun and a way to balance costs out a bit. So, for me, a couple, or three, nights at the new site hotel , then move back over to the existing resorts for 7 or nights. Best of all 'Worlds', and cuts down on travel time. Win win for my way of vacationing. :thumbsup:

 

[RFRees]

Okay I know I said this a few pages back, but does anyone actually know if it is true they are making these all Diagon Alley style, aka one way in and out?

Dead end lands make a park experience miserable imo. DA works as it's the only of that nature in the park, but if the entire park is dead ends where you need to turn around, make your way out of the land, into the giant hub, and over to another land...

I can't imagine it being a pleasant experience for an entire day?

KZ is also like this at USH.

I think it makes a lot of sense in terms of creating fully immersive worlds. I am at least a bit fearful of bottle necks as I travel to and from lands. As an annual pass holder, most of my day is spent walking around, so I'm really hoping I'm not going to have to stand in a line every time I enter/exit a world.

 

[Evan]

KZ is also like this at USH.

I think it makes a lot of sense in terms of creating fully immersive worlds. I am at least a bit fearful of bottle necks as I travel to and from lands. As an annual pass holder, most of my day is spent walking around, so I'm really hoping I'm not going to have to stand in a line every time I enter/exit a world.

Can't one create immersive worlds while still creating clever transitions between them?

 

[RFRees]

Can't one create immersive worlds while still creating clever transitions between them?

It's possible, but just easier this way.

I'm envisioning worlds where you can't see out of, like Diagon. Having just one entrance/exit helps with this strategy. (I think from the hub it's possible you can see a 'Castle' representing each world, as has been speculated.)

Keep in mind they have released the project map with pretty clear Team Member (employee) walkways which seem to border each area. To allow guests to travel between areas, you'd basically need to build a bridge over each one.

Fewer of these walkways and bridges means more space for shops, restaurants, attractions, back of house operations, etc. So if you ask me if I want two more shop or one walkway, I choose shops.
Edit
Meant to say "can't" where bolded. Fixed.

 

[jrn14]

Okay I know I said this a few pages back, but does anyone actually know if it is true they are making these all Diagon Alley style, aka one way in and out?

Dead end lands make a park experience miserable imo. DA works as it's the only of that nature in the park, but if the entire park is dead ends where you need to turn around, make your way out of the land, into the giant hub, and over to another land...

I can't imagine it being a pleasant experience for an entire day?

I kind of agree here... It's always kind of nice to have different routes around the park and though I understand they want to keep things thematic and I think that's important it would be nice if there could be some clever transitions between adjacent lands.

 

[JungleSkip]

I kind of agree here... It's always kind of nice to have different routes around the park and though I understand they want to keep things thematic and I think that's important it would be nice if there could be some clever transitions between adjacent lands.

Yea I'm not a fan of the one way in/one way out design if that's the case.

 

[Evan]

Yea I'm not a fan of the one way in/one way out design if that's the case.

It was always an issue at Disneyland with Critter Country, now fixed with Star Wars... DCA had this issue, but Carsland has sort of helped. It really isn't pleasant having to constantly turn around the way you came.

It's one of the reasons the hub and spoke design works best, for the most part.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

God Thursday just can't come soon enough.

 

[Stryker]

If it does only have one way in/out for each land, it kinda reminds me of Ganon's Castle in Ocarina of Time.

 

[Mad Dog]

At this point in time, we don't know what the actual layout is. Just because a world, or land, is separate, doesn't necessarily mean a return to the hub will be the only access. That may be the case, but then again, it may not. Too early to be concerned.

 

[rastuso]

If it's just a hotel and park being built, I don't see any reason to stay at the hotel unless you're staying for two nights max.



Also add in the confusion that WDW has 4 theme parks and 2 water parks and Universal has half that but since Disney doesn't charge double, it's got to be good value for money right?

For short stays, with buy 2 get 3, Disney DOES charge damn near double.

 

[rastuso]

For me, it's really more about proximity. Would you rather be close to two theme parks, a water park and CityWalk or just one new park?

Once the new resort expands out, it doesn't really matter. Like you said, it all comes down to personal preference.



Biting your tongue must be killing you.

But, really, only Hard Rock is "closer", and I guess, although a bit further. The bus ride for the new hotel will probably be shorter than a boat ride from PBR, and about the same as all the other resorts.

 

[Magic-Man]

I hate to bring this up, but is climate change going to affect this park at all? It's starting to scare me (and please don't be that guy who says that it's not real, because it is).

 

[Imperius]

I hate to bring this up, but is climate change going to affect this park at all? It's starting to scare me (and please don't be that guy who says that it's not real, because it is).

Like in what way? Will they be more green conscious with the build? Probably. Will anything happen to prevent it from being made? No

 

[Magic-Man]

Like in what way? Will they be more green conscious with the build? Probably. Will anything happen to prevent it from being made? No

No, I think it'll get made either way. But I'm wondering if they'll prepare this park for more extreme weather conditions like heat waves and stronger hurricanes.

 

[JungleSkip]

No, I think it'll get made either way. But I'm wondering if they'll prepare this park for more extreme weather conditions like heat waves and stronger hurricanes.

It's Orlando. They're already building stuff to withstand hurricanes and heat.

 

[Magic-Man]

It's Orlando. They're already building stuff to withstand hurricanes and heat.

But to what extent? We don't know what the world will be like in ten years. For all we know, a decent amount of Florida could be underwater in 20-30 years.

I know I kind of seem paranoid and stuff, but Universal should be taking this into account.

 

[Alicia]

It's Orlando. They're already building stuff to withstand hurricanes and heat.

Yea the Orlando parks are already built to withstand the strongest types of hurricanes. Just because climate change may bring about “more stronger storms,” that doesn’t mean stronger storms, just more of them more often. We still only go up to cat5 on the scale.

 

[OLSinFLA]

About the only thing I can think of that could be made into a ride is the barrel escape in the Desolation of Smaug. I wonder if building a replica of Hobbiton and turning it into a boutique hotel would work. Maybe build 50 or so houses for families to rent. I bet there are a lot of people who would pay good money for that.

1) Coaster through Mines of Moria with a Balrog encounter
2) Shire with small children rides
3) Rivendell with a boat ride through Elvish lands and magic

I could think of a few more