Largest Hotel Project in USA coming to USH?

[k_peek_2000]

I found this bit of Screamscapes most recent update to be very interesting. Since there have been talks of USH getting one of America's largest parking structures, this only seems to fit.

Resort Hotel - Rumor - (12/31/13) According to Screamscape sources, Steve Burke (CEO of Comcast) made a curious comment in a holiday message to the staff of Universal Studios Hollywood the other day. Possibly overlooked by many, but mixed in with comments regarding a great number of things, Steve also mentioned that “the largest hotel project in the U.S. is coming to Universal Studios Hollywood!”
    Errrr…  Excuse me?  We know Universal’s newly approved Evolution plan for the property does give them clearance to build three on-site resort hotels at the Hollywood property. So clearly they are planning to start this off with a bang by building something very large. If I had to guess, they are going to want to have at least the first phase of this unknown new hotel ready to take advantage of the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Keep your ears open and eyes peeled.

2014 is going to be a very interesting year for the park if they announce anything at all.

 

[RyanTTD]

Comcast starting the push of turning USH into a theme park resort.

Love it!

 

[Alexshow.]

:mellow:  ... COMCAST IS GOING BIG.

I just had to say that as this has me now really excited on Comcast and how they're going to affect the park as potter we all thought that was big so I'd guess Comcast had this kinda in the headset for potter.

 

[Bonkers]

I heard this on the parkscope podcast. Really excited comcast is doing great things with the theme parks especially USH .

 

[Chris]

Hmm.  Mixed emotions for me.

1. I believe that there is no doubt that Frankenstein Parking will become hotel parking in the future.  This would make sense to build ET Parking lot into a huge structure which would force more guests to walk the full length of Citywalk when visiting the park.

2.  Do I think the hotel will be ready for 2016?  If they start before June...maybe we can have one hotel by then.  And I would expect that to be the hotel located across from the Globe fountain.  Obviously, Fung Lum's needs to be demolished before you build there.

Hmm... indeed.

Also, I could imagine his words could be misinterpreted by the "largest hotel project (combined)".

 

[smoaT]

How do you feel about that??? I know Potter will be huge, but that huge?? Like to fill 3 hotels or, if the rumors are true,the biggest hotel project in America? Do you think we could have a potential Disneyland Paris in our hands?? like everyone expected to be huge and all, and well it kind of flopped... I don't know... I am unsure about the whole Resort thing

 

[Allen The Actor]

*sigh*

Whaaaaaatever. I personally think this is unbelievably stupid.

 

[Chris]

I don't know how they plan to market a multiple day experience in the Hollywood area?  Visit USH for one or two days, visit the Space Shuttle Endeavour, Visit Griffith Park?  How could you visit Los Angeles and not visit Disney?  I sure hope this means that USH has something up its sleeve before 2020.  I only hope I am still around to see it!

 

[Jonathan]

I don't know how they plan to market a multiple day experience in the Hollywood area? I sure hope this means that USH has something up its sleeve before 2020.

I have nothing to back this up, but I believe they have something bigger in store. One land (potter) does not warrant two or three hotels. They are adding stuff (parking structures and hotels) to expand this into a multi-day vacation destination. I've got theories on what, but nothing to base it on.

 

[ItsAtrap]

Let's explore those theories....

 

[Freak]

Let's explore those theories....

I don't think anyone wants to touch the golf course theory. lol

 

[Jonathan]

No golf course!!!

 

[RyanTTD]

I've got a theory.

Diagon Alley is built where Falls Lake currently is. One of the hotels is built into the land, similar to DisneySea and Disneyland Paris Hotels. Hogwarts Express and a CityWalk entrance to the land would be built.

Some of the older sound stages on the lower lot are relocated to other locations on the property. The Lower Lot of the theme park gets an expansion.

CityWalk gets a complete makeover to coincide with Diagon Alley and a new concert venue.

 

[Allen The Actor]

I sound like a broken record by now, but I personally don't see us getting Diagon Alley no matter what and I don't think we have room. I'd love to see it, but I also don't, because I want Universal to invest in other properties, not JUST Potter, especially in our land deprived park. Works in Orlando, I don't think would work here.

I also don't personally think they can add enough attractions to the park to make it a multi day resort or experience. There's just not room without extreme modification of studio facilities, which we don't know how willing they'd be to touch them. Although it's possible. I can see them eventually removing some of the soundstages on the lower lot and putting in more rides IF they relocate them somewhere else. But even then, that will be an addition of around 5-6 more major rides after Potter, and I dont think that's enough to be a major hotel resort.

 

[Freak]

They could easily build another theme park on top of the park. Just do it like Roller Coaster Tycoon:

 

[Chris]

If any of what Hollywood has told us is true, Soundstage 28 is the oldest soundstage in Hollywood still housing the remaining Phantom of the Opera set.  If they do relocate other soundstages to another area of the property, I don't see them removing this historical landmark.

Falls Lake ideas...possibly, but not likely.  I feel that area is getting too close to the homes in terms of noise.  The signs in that area already show they are to have no operations in that area before 7am.

I would not be surprised if they try to fit Gringotts roller coaster into Waterworld!

I still would like to do a history of attraction count in the park.  In order to get to a multiple day resort, we would have to run with more than 13 major attractions in the park, which has been the norm since 2000.  What is Disney's attraction count combined?

 

[k_peek_2000]

If any of what Hollywood has told us is true, Soundstage 28 is the oldest soundstage in Hollywood still housing the remaining Phantom of the Opera set.  If they do relocate other soundstages to another area of the property, I don't see them removing this historical landmark.

Falls Lake ideas...possibly, but not likely.  I feel that area is getting too close to the homes in terms of noise.  The signs in that area already show they are to have no operations in that area before 7am.

I would not be surprised if they try to fit Gringotts roller coaster into Waterworld!

I still would like to do a history of attraction count in the park.  In order to get to a multiple day resort, we would have to run with more than 13 major attractions in the park, which has been the norm since 2000.  What is Disney's attraction count combined?

In terms of just rides (not counting shows or exhibits) Disneyland alone has 36. DCA has approx. 25. So in total Disney has 60+ rides (keep in mind over half of them are small space saving flat rides).

 

[Allen The Actor]

Small flat rides or not, the Disneyland Resort has a HUGE attraction count. We have ALMOST as many rides and attractions and shows in our two parks as Walt Disney World has in its FOUR parks. So we pack in quite a punch at the DLR. USH would have to go above and beyond what's on the Expansion Plan we've seen to become a multi day resort or experience. And personally I'd want one of the hotels axed and that money go towards a new ride and upgrading the older ones...

 

[BruceTheShark]

Falls Lake ideas...possibly, but not likely.  I feel that area is getting too close to the homes in terms of noise.  The signs in that area already show they are to have no operations in that area before 7am.

The amount of noise reduction efforts that HHN has gone through on that section of the lot definitely reinforce this point, Chris. 

 

[RyanTTD]

One of the intresting things about the evolution plan is Universal is going to be building a large "green" buffer zone (berm) between the residents and the fall Lake area of the property. I think that is one big part of the evolution plan is over looked.

I bet within the next 10 years falls lake area is part of the theme park.

Universal just isn't going to dramatically expand thier hotel offerings without something to keep people on thier property.