CityWalk Orlando Updates & Changes General Thread | Page 34 | Inside Universal Forums

CityWalk Orlando Updates & Changes General Thread

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I’ve still never been there for a meal. Was there an official close date given?

Also, wonder if they will turn this into a new Universal Restaurant concept or if it turns into something like a store.
 
I’ve still never been there for a meal. Was there an official close date given?

Also, wonder if they will turn this into a new Universal Restaurant concept or if it turns into something like a store.
Orlando Sentinel reports restaurant staff were told July 7th would be the closing date.
 
It's interesting to me that there's been no buzz whatsoever about new restaurants or shops that are obviously coming. I feel like we were hearing rumblings of a chocolate factory restaurant well before NBA City even closed, we heard about Voodoo before Element closed. But there's ZIP about what's replacing either Emeril's location, and the talk of freshening up the shops has gone totally cold, and there's been the occasional talk of Bubba Gump's leaving but nothing about what would move in there.
 
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It's interesting to me that there's been no buzz whatsoever about new restaurants or shops that are obviously coming. I feel like we were hearing rumblings of a chocolate factory restaurant well before NBA City even closed, we heard about Voodoo before Element closed. But there's ZIP about what's replacing either Emeril's location, and the talk of freshening up the shops has gone totally cold, and there's been the occasional talk of Bubba Gump's leaving but nothing about what would move in there.
Perhaps needing these replacements wasn't in Universal's plans and they are primarily focused on planning for the south resort?
 
I don't think there is a surprise. There are contracts in place en negotiations prior before they end. I hope new original concepts (store, restaurant or otherwise) will emerge.
 
I agree that this closure was not particularly surprising.

I think that what I meant is that in the past they may have been sitting around with restaurant concepts that they really liked, waiting for a space to become available, whereas right now they are likely focused on coming up with all the restaurant ideas and concepts they possibly can to fill out the 50+ eateries that will be needed in the first phase of the south resort.

The list of restaurants they need to plan could be quite long, and these ones may not be the highest priority to make a decision on first.
 
I ate there for “restaurant week” when we went to Orlando in 2016. It was good. Not fantastic. Steak was fine and the service was grandiose compared to normal sit down restaurants. But it wasn’t worth going back to IMO. Interested to see what the replacement is.
 
Throwing this out, with the location and proximity, along with the past slew of investments being primarily dining focus, perhaps Emrils could be a space that could be used for something more akin to a shop or little experience to get people away from the parks, while also spending money on something made by universal?

Just thinking out loud, as I could see that.