CityWalk Orlando Updates & Changes General Thread

[Tbad556]

The prop store was open for 7 years, prices were largely inaccessible to guests outside of small junk/trinkets, and it was tiny & unthemed. It was replaced by something that is incredibly well themed, popular, and full of things guests actually want and can afford. Miss it all you want, but it was a blatant upgrade of a store that had a fairly lengthy run and not Universal closing some big, iconic, unique venue prematurely.

 

[belloq87]

I hope some of those models move over to the Film Vault across Transformers, the store already sells a good amount of the "traditional USF" (BTTF/Jaws/Kong) stuff there as well.

That would be nice, but the Film Vault seems awfully small.

I don't think there's any way they could fit the Telepod in there, for example.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

That would be nice, but the Film Vault seems awfully small.

I don't think there's any way they could fit the Telepod in there, for example.

They don't have to move everything, heck Horror Makeup could use a few of the Kong/Jaws stuff

 

[TheCodeMan95]

That would be nice, but the Film Vault seems awfully small.

I don't think there's any way they could fit the Telepod in there, for example.

Yeah this is the worst part about the Film Vault. There's some fantastic merch in there, but it's just so small.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Not sure if the UNIVRS store is doing well, rarely see more than a handful of souls there, but I feel like that's a prime location for the legacy store. Kind of a return to the Lucy Tribute idea, but this time a tribute to Universal Films and the parks themselves.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

Might be a hot take, but I’m not sure a preview center is really necessary with modern social media. The IOA was one was cool in the 90s, but people couldn’t just easily look up info about the park like they can now. I’m not a huge fan of losing the legacy store for a preview center.

 

[Alicia]

Might be a hot take, but I’m not sure a preview center is really necessary with modern social media. The IOA was one was cool in the 90s, but people couldn’t just easily look up info about the park like they can now. I’m not a huge fan of losing the legacy store for a preview center.

It’ll be a new age preview store for a new age.

 

[belloq87]

The IOA Preview Center was filled with extremely elaborate displays getting into the fine details of each land and most of the attractions. Something like that for Epic Universe would certainly be cool and would be worth seeing in-person (versus merely learning about the park on social media) because of the tactile nature of the displays. I still wouldn't want to lose the Legacy Store for it, but in a vacuum, it would be worthwhile.

My suspicion, however, is that the Epic Universe Preview Center is going to be more a store than anything else.

 

[IzzyB]

Might be a hot take, but I’m not sure a preview center is really necessary with modern social media. The IOA was one was cool in the 90s, but people couldn’t just easily look up info about the park like they can now. I’m not a huge fan of losing the legacy store for a preview center.

I disagree. I feel a Preview center is still very much worth. It gets people to plan a return trip based on the excitement of visiting the preview center. I know my kids would love it if it involves miniatures of the lands.

Epcot had a cool preview of their upcoming attractions set up for awhile and it was very popular.

 

[Mad Dog]

Lets not overestimate the number of people that regularly view theme park social media sites. The General Public isn't really into that stuff. They'll visit the parks for entertainment and fun, but they don't spend a lot of time in our fandom world. ...Yes, a Preview Center is definitely needed.....Outside of Orlando, very few people know about Epic, even those out of state tourists visiting Disney & Universal.

 

[Tobias]

Yeah, one really can't stress enough that even in the modern era of social media, the general public doesn't consume theme park news/rumors like we do. One might think that they can just easily look it up online, but the general public has proven time and again they usually don't.

There's plenty who don't know the park exists, and there are those who know it exists but think it might be a new land or something.

 

[Alicia]

No one I talk to in the real world knows Universal is building a new theme park. I ask people all the time in my day to day life when theme parks come up in discussion. No one has any idea.

But the preview center is for more than just creating awareness. It’s about creating hype.

 

[Mad Dog]

No one I talk to in the real world knows Universal is building a new theme park. I ask people all the time in my day to day life when theme parks come up in discussion. No one has any idea.

But the preview center is for more than just creating awareness. It’s about creating hype.

Resounding YES, you are correct. I'll repeat a story I told months ago. We spent 10 nights at WDW in April. We're fairly sociable and always talk to lots of fellow tourists. We almost always mentioned Epic, the new Universal park. No one, I'll repeat 'no one', knew about the park, including a huge national education group that was staying across the street from the Epic construction. When we told them about it they said they noticed the construction, but didn't know what it was.....I'm sure Universal will take care of business marketing wise, ultimately, but they have a long way to go.

 

[GAcoaster]

I really wish that all the parks that are discontinuing printed maps would just go back to selling poster maps like they all used to in the 70’s/80’s. That way those of us whole love physical maps could collect them as souvenirs. All they have to do is charge a buck or two and not only do they pay for themselves, they turn a profit on them.

A beautifully rendered poster map is something park fans would love. And if the parks don’t make them, there are plenty of entrepreneurs who could…

 

[TheCodeMan95]

It’ll be a new age preview store for a new age.

Aka a big ol' merch store with some models and concept art?

 

[ParkRumors]

Merch and Screens!

 

[Alicia]

With all the TikToks they’d be smart to have a Grinch meet and greet in it.

 

[Mad Dog]

With all the TikToks they’d be smart to have a Grinch meet and greet in it.

The Grinch seems to be experiencing a resurgence this year.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

For anyone wanting to make any last-minute trips... don't bother. All of the models have been removed already. Went last night and they only had a few of the photos/collectibles above the shelves remaining.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

"The Legacy store that's been there for three years is leaving for a preview of a major multi-billion dollar expansion"