Has Universal Lost Its Way?

[GAcoaster]

As long as the parks keep turning profits and making Comcast happy, no, they have not lost their way. Have they gone in different directions than they used to, yes, all theme parks have.

 

[Disneyhead]

Mark Woodbury had a "Vision" for USF, and we were about 3/4 of the way to realizing it when it occurred to everyone that that "Vision" was flawed. Woodbury's "Vision" was for Universal Studios Florida to change from showing how films were made to being a showcase for film technology attractions. That is how Christie Projectors got a sponsorship, and how the park became flooded with "Screenzzz!". But even Woodbury now realizes that screen fatigue has set in, and the park needs more practical attractions for some balance. So we are at the apex of the pendulum swing towards "Screenzzz!", and about to head in the other direction.

 

[Mad Dog]

Mark Woodbury had a "Vision" for USF, and we were about 3/4 of the way to realizing it when it occurred to everyone that that "Vision" was flawed. Woodbury's "Vision" was for Universal Studios Florida to change from showing how films were made to being a showcase for film technology attractions. That is how Christie Projectors got a sponsorship, and how the park became flooded with "Screenzzz!". But even Woodbury now realizes that screen fatigue has set in, and the park needs more practical attractions for some balance. So we are at the apex of the pendulum swing towards "Screenzzz!", and about to head in the other direction.

Well said. :thumbsup: That basically sums up what happened and what's coming. The future should satisfy most naysayers.

 

[shiekra38]

Mark Woodbury had a "Vision" for USF, and we were about 3/4 of the way to realizing it when it occurred to everyone that that "Vision" was flawed. Woodbury's "Vision" was for Universal Studios Florida to change from showing how films were made to being a showcase for film technology attractions. That is how Christie Projectors got a sponsorship, and how the park became flooded with "Screenzzz!". But even Woodbury now realizes that screen fatigue has set in, and the park needs more practical attractions for some balance. So we are at the apex of the pendulum swing towards "Screenzzz!", and about to head in the other direction.

Sounds like growth, learning, and evolution of a company that is moving forward..Not sure what everyone is worried about

 

[Lucky Planet]

Mark Woodbury had a "Vision" for USF, and we were about 3/4 of the way to realizing it when it occurred to everyone that that "Vision" was flawed. Woodbury's "Vision" was for Universal Studios Florida to change from showing how films were made to being a showcase for film technology attractions. That is how Christie Projectors got a sponsorship, and how the park became flooded with "Screenzzz!". But even Woodbury now realizes that screen fatigue has set in, and the park needs more practical attractions for some balance. So we are at the apex of the pendulum swing towards "Screenzzz!", and about to head in the other direction.

Well said. :thumbsup: That basically sums up what happened and what's coming. The future should satisfy most naysayers.

Sounds like growth, learning, and evolution of a company that is moving forward..Not sure what everyone is worried about

i guess the problem (or the question) for a lot of "naysayers" is "how long is this going to take? 6 years? 10 years?" to see these forward movement or see change.
Is nintendo part of that change?

 

[Disneyhead]

We will start to see the shift away from screens in 2019

 

[MattA]

My answer to the question: Yes. Universal has lost its way. It's a very different place today than when I started going years ago. The decline in guest services and guest appreciation is extremely visible. So much so, a lot of people I know have chose to not renew their passes, because universal proved to them that they just don't care about them anymore. The only reason I still go is because I'd be bored without it. AP appreciation nights are useless if during them the TM's are pissed they have to stay late and take it out on the guests. I've been treated like crap by UO the past year and if it continues I will actually have no choice but to not give them business anymore. It actually seems like UO was the nice, nerdy, and fun kid before Potter. Then Potter turned them into the popular snobby kid that turns his back on his old friends because he's popular now. Price goes up, satisfaction goes down. It seems like that's been Uni's slogan the past year. Even HHN this year seems way more corporate and ungenuine than usual. I could go on and on and on about how HHN has changed for the worse in the years I've been going,(which isn't many). But I'll spare you guys the extra page of text.

 

[Bobharlem]

This entire thread is garbage.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

My answer to the question: Yes. Universal has lost its way. It's a very different place today than when I started going years ago. The decline in guest services and guest appreciation is extremely visible. So much so, a lot of people I know have chose to not renew their passes, because universal proved to them that they just don't care about them anymore. The only reason I still go is because I'd be bored without it. AP appreciation nights are useless if during them the TM's are pissed they have to stay late and take it out on the guests. I've been treated like crap by UO the past year and if it continues I will actually have no choice but to not give them business anymore. It actually seems like UO was the nice, nerdy, and fun kid before Potter. Then Potter turned them into the popular snobby kid that turns his back on his old friends because he's popular now. Price goes up, satisfaction goes down. It seems like that's been Uni's slogan the past year. Even HHN this year seems way more corporate and ungenuine than usual. I could go on and on and on about how HHN has changed for the worse in the years I've been going,(which isn't many). But I'll spare you guys the extra page of text.

UOR was on the verge of closing right before Potter. Massive price discounts were to get people in the parks and spending money, not some sort of "they were nice now they're not" storyline. And I have received significantly better guest service in the past few years than I did visiting the resort in the mid 2000s.

 

[DK745]

UOR was on the verge of closing right before Potter. Massive price discounts were to get people in the parks and spending money, not some sort of "they were nice now they're not" storyline. And I have received significantly better guest service in the past few years than I did visiting the resort in the mid 2000s.

I don't know... $99 for a 7-day ticket seems pretty sustainable to me. I wish they were that nice again.

 

[MattA]

And I have received significantly better guest service in the past few years than I did visiting the resort in the mid 2000s.

I know quite a bit of people, Including me, that would highly disagree with that statement.

 

[Brian G.]

I know quite a bit of people, Including me, that would highly disagree with that statement.

And I know quite a bit of people, including me, that would disagree with yours.

No company is perfect but I'd rather have the Universal we have now then the pre-Potter version.

 

[shiekra38]

i guess the problem (or the question) for a lot of "naysayers" is "how long is this going to take? 6 years? 10 years?" to see these forward movement or see change.
Is nintendo part of that change?

I mean, I've been a passholder since 2002, and I've seen a ton of positive change...Perhaps the Harry Potter band-wagoners should look back in time

This entire thread is garbage.

Deep down, we're all garbage

 

[Disneyhead]

UOR was on the verge of closing right before Potter. Massive price discounts were to get people in the parks and spending money, not some sort of "they were nice now they're not" storyline. And I have received significantly better guest service in the past few years than I did visiting the resort in the mid 2000s.

UOR's level of desperation prior to Potter has been greatly exaggerated.

That said, the level of service since Potter opened has, resort-wide, GREATLY increased. And to see people perceive the exact opposite is head scratching. But that's the internet for ya.

I have come to the conclusion that these days, facts are truly subjective and people are just going to make up their own reality with the sole intent of pissing themselves off.

It's quite amusing actually.

 

[shiekra38]

UOR's level of desperation prior to Potter has been greatly exaggerated.

That said, the level of service since Potter opened has, resort-wide, GREATLY increased. And to see people perceive the exact opposite is head scratching. But that's the internet for ya.

I have come to the conclusion that these days, facts are truly subjective and people are just going to make up their own reality with the sole intent of pissing themselves off.

It's quite amusing actually.

I remember Twister going seasonal and a time that all of the fire effects were turned off...But I think gas was $4.00 a gallon and the economy was in shambles..

It's not that Universal was doing anything poorly right before Potter...It's just that they weren't doing anything interesting (2006-2009)

 

[Mad Dog]

UOR's level of desperation prior to Potter has been greatly exaggerated.

That said, the level of service since Potter opened has, resort-wide, GREATLY increased. And to see people perceive the exact opposite is head scratching. But that's the internet for ya.

I have come to the conclusion that these days, facts are truly subjective and people are just going to make up their own reality with the sole intent of pissing themselves off.

It's quite amusing actually.

Yes. short memory syndrome.

 

[JoeCamel]

Deep down, we're all garbage

Not me I'm stardust Garbage of the cosmos

 

[Lucky Planet]

My answer to the question: Yes. Universal has lost its way. It's a very different place today than when I started going years ago. The decline in guest services and guest appreciation is extremely visible. So much so, a lot of people I know have chose to not renew their passes, because universal proved to them that they just don't care about them anymore. The only reason I still go is because I'd be bored without it. AP appreciation nights are useless if during them the TM's are pissed they have to stay late and take it out on the guests. I've been treated like crap by UO the past year and if it continues I will actually have no choice but to not give them business anymore. It actually seems like UO was the nice, nerdy, and fun kid before Potter. Then Potter turned them into the popular snobby kid that turns his back on his old friends because he's popular now. Price goes up, satisfaction goes down. It seems like that's been Uni's slogan the past year. Even HHN this year seems way more corporate and ungenuine than usual. I could go on and on and on about how HHN has changed for the worse in the years I've been going,(which isn't many). But I'll spare you guys the extra page of text.

I wanna know how HHN has changed for the worse because the worst HHN year for me of all time was 2012, that was a rough year with pretty bad houses and no good zones, just "hordes" I think that was the year when they started to really sync both coasts and a lot of shifting was going on. if anything these last 2 HHN years have been great,
Remember in 2014 we had 4 tiny zones in the park as well, very very small streets. the streets this year are miles better compared to others years like 2007 for example. (seems like there are a lot more performers now)

 

[Brian G.]

I wanna know how HHN has changed for the worse because the worst HHN year for me of all time was 2012, that was a rough year with pretty bad houses and no good zones, just "hordes" I think that was the year when they started to really sync both coasts and a lot of shifting was going on. if anything these last 2 HHN years have been great,
Remember in 2014 we had 4 tiny zones in the park as well, very very small streets. the streets this year are miles better compared to others years like 2007 for example. (seems like there are a lot more performers now)

Since this thread is sorta of a smorgasbord...

2012 was a weeeeeeeeeeeird year. Houses that were planned got cut last minute, location changes, heavy construction. They tried something different. Didn't work. You'll find many fans aren't too keen on 2012, but I also feel there should be more acknowledgement that it wasn't a normal situation at all.

 

[Nick]

This entire thread is garbage.

Deep down, we're all garbage

Not me I'm stardust Garbage of the cosmos