Has Universal Lost Its Way?

[s8film40]

Uni has the worst parking attendants ever. They even make Sea World look organized. Tonight I counted 4 just talking and no one parking cars.

This I agree with. Although it's not always bad, last week they were all standing around talking and not directing cars at all. I followed the flow of traffic which was leading into Prime parking and of course since no one was there directing cars I could drive ahead and pick out a good spot. Now had I paid for Prime parking and they were just letting everyone in anyways I would've been upset.

 

[MrRoamer]

I think Uni's entire parking solution is just bad, even the hotels where you have the parking fee regardless of being an AP. Prime Parking in my opinion is worse and takes longer to park than normal parking... sure sometimes you can beat a long line going into the lot by using it, but it is pretty confusing finding a space and then figuring out what to do when you go into a row with now spaces available. That is if you manage to Frogger your way to the prime parking entrance successfully.

 

[JoeCamel]

This I agree with. Although it's not always bad, last week they were all standing around talking and not directing cars at all. I followed the flow of traffic which was leading into Prime parking and of course since no one was there directing cars I could drive ahead and pick out a good spot. Now had I paid for Prime parking and they were just letting everyone in anyways I would've been upset.

I think Uni's entire parking solution is just bad, even the hotels where you have the parking fee regardless of being an AP. Prime Parking in my opinion is worse and takes longer to park than normal parking... sure sometimes you can beat a long line going into the lot by using it, but it is pretty confusing finding a space and then figuring out what to do when you go into a row with now spaces available. That is if you manage to Frogger your way to the prime parking entrance successfully.

I go the valet route so I can't complain about anything except not being able to text ahead and let them know I am on my way out. The premier has some great perks

 

[JungleSkip]

Yes, that's a good thing. But on the other hand, Universal really needs to use its own IPs instead of relying on others,[/QUOTE

...why? Uni should use whatever IPs that bring the most people to their parks.

I think Uni's entire parking solution is just bad, even the hotels where you have the parking fee regardless of being an AP.

That's because you're an AP to Universal, not Loews hotels. I don't mind the parking fee. You're either paying it separately or your room rate is going up $20 bucks a night. As someone who doesn't drive when going to a UOR hotel, I prefer not having more expensive rates

 

[Parkscope Joe]

:agree:

I know that everyone and their dog talks about the enormous failure that is MDE/MM+. But I’ll argue to the grave about its success- maybe not for the consumer, but for the long term P&L statement. And it’s examples like this that always have me looking at its brilliance.
I’m not a fan of it, because slow days don’t exist at WDW anymore- barring a hurricane.
Nothing beats express passes. And uni can still have DEAD days will full ops running.

But where Disney is brilliant, is because of MM+/MDE/FP+ the crowd sourcing, staffing and general ops are optimized for projected and real-time crowd levels. It took them to the next level. On days WDW needs to run like it was 2006 UOR, they can staff appropriately and reduce trains/sides operating. And on days that WDW needs to run like Christmas Day they can staff appropriately and run the number of appropriate side and trains. And every crowd level in between.

The infrastructure and crowd management/predictions between the two is a colossal difference.

1) you’re making a leap on that and trying to shoehorn in a justification when one doesn’t fit in this circumstance

2) awkward...

 

[JungleSkip]

2) awkward...

I'll take a few glitches over UOR's agonizing turnstyles any day

 

[Andysol]

1) you’re making a leap on that and trying to shoehorn in a justification when one doesn’t fit in this circumstance

2) awkward...

Good thing Universal never has technology issues.
*Sheepishly hides Tapu Tapu*

 

[JungleSkip]

*glances at Tapu tapu*

To be fair, Tapu always worked, Universal just didn't learn how to utilize it until 2 months into the park's life.

 

[JungleSkip]

One thing I will say related to Ops that Uni is WAY better than Disney at is bag check. Disney needs the airport-style checks ASAP. Their process takes way too long.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I'll add in to this thread by an experience I had last night at HHN. As I was exiting the park, I wanted to get something to drink before the drive home. There were NO food stands open after 11 PM, and I had to wait for a vending machine in the parking garage. This made absolutely zero sense to me. Citywalk is open until 2 AM, and even the front of USF had nothing open. Universal knows that HHN makes thousands (sometimes millions) each night. Why the hell wouldn't you have that stuff open?

 

[JungleSkip]

I'll add in to this thread by an experience I had last night at HHN. As I was exiting the park, I wanted to get something to drink before the drive home. There were NO food stands open after 11 PM, and I had to wait for a vending machine in the parking garage. This made absolutely zero sense to me. Citywalk is open until 2 AM, and even the front of USF had nothing open. Universal knows that HHN makes thousands (sometimes millions) each night. Why the hell wouldn't you have that stuff open?

Wait, Red Oven and Whopper Bar/Moe's/Panda Express weren't open? They were open at like 2:30 AM every night I left HHN. I also always see the stand at the exit open.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Wait, Red Oven and Whopper Bar/Moe's/Panda Express weren't open? They were open at like 2:30 AM every night I left HHN. I also always see the stand at the exit open.

Food stands, not restaurants Stuff like Auntie Anne's, the Coke screen, etc. The stand in the parking garage hub was closed last night around 11:20 or so. Maybe it's a different story on the weekend, but for a Wednesday night, none of that was open late.

 

[MrRoamer]

...why? Uni should use whatever IPs that bring the most people to their parks.



That's because you're an AP to Universal, not Loews hotels. I don't mind the parking fee. You're either paying it separately or your room rate is going up $20 bucks a night. As someone who doesn't drive when going to a UOR hotel, I prefer not having more expensive rates

Thats a pretty thin line. I understand that I'm not a Loews AP, but they are the official hotel of Universal, provide ticket purchase kiosks, have Universal perks, Universal transportation, etc. It comes across as money grubby and a bit backhanded to me, at least give me somewhat of a discount on parking.

One thing I will say related to Ops that Uni is WAY better than Disney at is bag check. Disney needs the airport-style checks ASAP. Their process takes way too long.

For realz yo! Seriously the other day at Epcot it took us almost 30 minutes to get through security. Plus a week or two before that Epcot was running double security which I couldn't make any sense of, if you rode in from the monorail you had a different security area that you would go through. Even though we had gone through security at the Poly to get on the monorail we got security'd again.

 

[JungleSkip]

Thats a pretty thin line. I understand that I'm not a Loews AP, but they are the official hotel of Universal, provide ticket purchase kiosks, have Universal perks, Universal transportation, etc. It comes across as money grubby and a bit backhanded to me, at least give me somewhat of a discount on parking.

But again, that negates the purpose. As an AP you're probably already getting a discount on the room.

I get why some people balk at parking prices at hotels, but Disney is charging them as well, they're just rolled into your existing room rates whether you have a car or not.

 

[Brian G.]

So last night, Drew and I decided to ride the Simpsons, since Drew hasn't done it in a while. Midway through the ride, the vehicle just completely stops motion, slamming us pretty hard against the seatbacking. We were stuck in that position for the remainder of the ride and had to be manually lowered by a tech after the ride ended.

As we finally lower and start to get out, the TM just says "Thanks for riding, bye!" and begins to have a convo with a ride tech in front of all us asking about the problem and if they were expecting it.

We all eventually exit the ride area and continue on to the exit before he finally reads the room and says "Hey, wait! Do ya'll wanna ride again?". The group collectively says no to which he responded "Oh, the ride didn't break down? OK cool!"

I respond - "No, we did. We stopped pretty hard and abruptly."

"Ohhhh, ok. Sorry about that.", he says.

At that point, Drew and I walked away while he still had a convo with a couple other guests saying to ourselves, "Yeah, we're good with riding this for a bit."

 

[JungleSkip]

So last night, Drew and I decided to ride the Simpsons, since Drew hasn't done it in a while. Midway through the ride, the vehicle just completely stops motion, slamming us pretty hard against the seatbacking. We were stuck in that position for the remainder of the ride and had to be manually lowered by a tech after the ride ended.

As we finally lower and start to get out, the TM just says "Thanks for riding, bye!" and begins to have a convo with a ride tech in front of all us asking about the problem and if they were expecting it.

We all eventually exit the ride area and continue on to the exit before he finally reads the room and says "Hey, wait! Do ya'll wanna ride again?". The group collectively says no to which he responded "Oh, the ride didn't break down? OK cool!"

I respond - "No, we did. We stopped pretty hard and abruptly."

"Ohhhh, ok. Sorry about that.", he says.

At that point, Drew and I walked away while he still had a convo with a couple other guests saying to ourselves, "Yeah, we're good with riding this for a bit."

I feel like Simpsons is in a rough spot. That ride system has to be on its last legs, and it's been a decade since it got any significant refurbishment.

 

[Brian G.]

I feel like Simpsons is in a rough spot. That ride system has to be on its last legs, and it's been a decade since it got any significant refurbishment.

The screen was reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly rough.

 

[JungleSkip]

The screen was reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly rough.

The ride realistically needs to get a top-to-bottom refresh with a Minion/Fallon type screen, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Maybe once MoM opens up?

 

[Frank Drackman]

Thats a pretty thin line. I understand that I'm not a Loews AP, but they are the official hotel of Universal, provide ticket purchase kiosks, have Universal perks, Universal transportation, etc. It comes across as money grubby and a bit backhanded to me, at least give me somewhat of a discount on parking.


For realz yo! Seriously the other day at Epcot it took us almost 30 minutes to get through security. Plus a week or two before that Epcot was running double security which I couldn't make any sense of, if you rode in from the monorail you had a different security area that you would go through. Even though we had gone through security at the Poly to get on the monorail we got security'd again.

I know I complain about the parking fee, but my AP does not give me overnight parking...I think my issue is that my AP gives me a perk that I do not get any use out of, but, if the hotel prices get bag, I will start using the perk again.

I do like that it is only applied to guest with cars...I bet I could find off site airport parking and an Uber or something if I bothered.

I think I got tired of Disney’s rates a bit because I did not need any of the ‘free’ or included stuff....Magic Express, theme park parking....

 

[MrRoamer]

But again, that negates the purpose. As an AP you're probably already getting a discount on the room.

I get why some people balk at parking prices at hotels, but Disney is charging them as well, they're just rolled into your existing room rates whether you have a car or not.

Directed to the hotels, the AP rates on hotels are limited and not always available, also they aren't usually all that far off from Florida Resident rates. Which is something that has been a disappointment I have with the AP discounts right now too, they aren't that far off and sometimes are even the same as Florida Resident.

The second part of this is that it cuts both ways with the passes, I have children that don't drive to the park and don't need parking on their passes but its all rolled in there. Perhaps my family and myself are a small percentage, but to me this all feels more like lip service.