Royal Pacific Expansion

[Brian G.]

According to the fine folks over at Parkscope, they've found permits that show RPR will be getting additional rooms added as well as convention space.

http://www.parkscope.net/2014/06/uor-permit-update-royal-pacific-resort.html

Discuss

 

[JungleSkip]

Interesting things to note:

1) The plans say this is the "First Addition". Along with the info that hotel 6 is either a 400 room hotel or a 400 room addition to Cabana Bay, and Hotel 7 is supposed to be 400 rooms as well, I bet there will be another addition to RPR here of 400 rooms. OR it could be more parking for a certain water park, maybe?

2) This shows layout of rooms, main lobby, and the convention center. We don't have anything on pools/facilities, or whether the water way will be expanded to the area.

 

[MrRoamer]

Excited to hear they are expanding, but do we really need another convention center?

 

[DragonSlayer]

Pretty cool! If they're getting the occupancy and popularity it's probably a safe bet that they can fill the rooms without the draw of it being completely 'new' for marketing purposes. I'm sure it'll look gorgeous if completed to the same standard as the existing resort and it looks like there's plenty of pool / amenity space.

 

[JungleSkip]

but do we really need another convention center?

Yes. The resort is severly underdeveloped in that area. It's a huge market for them.

 

[Teebin]

Clever!

 

[Mad Dog]

Interesting info. Universal was not bluffing when they spoke about their grandiose expansion.

 

[JungleSkip]

Something I saw Seth Kubersky bring up on twitter I thought was a good point: What if this is more of a "sister hotel" than a true expansion? The only connecting point, physically, that can be seen on the plans is the connection of the convention spaces. Maybe these two will be "sister" hotels like Port Orleans French Quarter/Riverside? You'd think if they were going to be the same resort there'd be more of a connection, like another path connecting the two.

Just speculation, of course. But I do find it interesting there's only one connection.

 

[UK-Trigg]

Yes. The resort is severly underdeveloped in that area. It's a huge market for them.

Agreed, big bucks to be made in this area.

Quite out of the blue this one, no one seemed to drop even a little hint, unless I missed it of course.

 

[Teebin]

Just speculation, of course. But I do find it interesting there's only one connection.

Will not the garden bridge be a possible connection as well? Sorta? But yes, it sounds sister like... but I believe the exterior design will hark of the original... or at least compliment it.

 

[JungleSkip]

Will not the garden bridge be a possible connection as well? Sorta? But yes, it sounds sister like... but I believe the exterior design will hark of the original... or at least compliment it.

The new walkway would be an indirect connection, yes.

I would love to see some more ornate decorations on the exterior, but you can't go wrong with what they've already done.

 

[DufflesMcGee]

First addition? And hotel #5,6 and 7? It feels like they can't fit so many hotels on property, are we considering hotel 6 and 7 to be on international? And can we even consider this the fifth hotel if it is an expansion on the rpr? Personally... I don't like it, I feel they would have been better off with a different hotel so that it increases variety. However, I always fancied something like the swan and dolphin, hopefully we are seeing something like that!

 

[Teebin]

Are those wave-like concrete forms along one side of the garden bridge? Notice all of the angled supports holding it in place.

per TouringPlans

 

[JungleSkip]

First addition? And hotel #5,6 and 7? It feels like they can't fit so many hotels on property, are we considering hotel 6 and 7 to be on international? And can we even consider this the fifth hotel if it is an expansion on the rpr? Personally... I don't like it, I feel they would have been better off with a different hotel so that it increases variety. However, I always fancied something like the swan and dolphin, hopefully we are seeing something like that!

Read the blog post again. The addition is Hotel 5. Hotel 6 is either 400 rooms added to Cabana Bay or an equal sized hotel. Hotel 7's plot hasn't been revealed, but it's only supposed to be 400 rooms. It could fit on the plot that will be left over after the RP expansion.

Also, it's sounding like this may be more of a sister hotel than a straight up expansion, if what Teebin and Seth are hinting at is correct

- - - Updated - - -

Are those wave-like concrete forms along one side of the garden bridge? Notice all of the angled supports holding it in place.

per TouringPlans

Looks to be that way. Maybe it has something to do with the plants that will be on it?

 

[Teebin]

Also, it's sounding like this may be more of a sister hotel than a straight up expansion, if what Teebin and Seth are hinting at is correct

To be clear, I wasn't hinting as I do not know. I only assumed this because it is listed as a Royal Pacific expansion. Too, it seems they have always required more convention space. Is that massive white plastic tent always set up out back of the old convention building? I never noticed it until goog maps.

 

[Teebin]

On another note... is someone keeping an eye on the Florida water site? This was/is supposed to extend the waterway. I wonder if that part has been cancelled?

 

[UniversalCityFL]

Hold up hold up hold up hold up…. I just read through the documents which are ridiculously confusing, but I think I found some info.

First of all, thanks to the Parkscope guys for finding this. So exciting!

Second, I don't think this is an expansion to the Royal Pacific Resort. This is a new hotel whose convention space will be connected to/share the RPR's convention space. So why does it say "ROYAL PACIFIC FIRST ADDITION"? Well, "ROYAL PACIFIC FIRST ADDITION" project space is only listed as 0.375 acres, which leads me to believe this is only the name for the project area that contains the convention space connector. Other than that, there is nothing that would indicate that this is an expansion to the RPR.

Third, seeing that there's only about 100 units shown but this is a 1,000 unit hotel, I predict these will be 10-floor structures (taller than the existing RPR buildings), many of which will afford killer views of the theme parks judging by their north-facing orientation. Very cool.

Fourth, this hotel will be a price point above Cabana Bay, but below PBH, HRH, and RPR. I suspect this because there is a directive for phone operators to sell the rooms in this priority:
#1: Phase 1 Hotels (PBH, HRH, and RPR)
#2: This new hotel
#3: Cabana Bay
#4: Hotels 6 and 7
#5: Off-site Partner hotels

(Keep in mind this doesn't necessarily mean that hotels 5 and 6 will be cheaper than Cabana Bay — all this can be amended later).


Fifth, Hotels 6 and 7 will NOT be branded as Loews and will NOT receive Express access (i.e. Cabana Bay). It explicitly says this.

Sixth, this hotel WILL be branded as a Loews hotel, which makes me think it will get Express access — but it's not clear since it references another document which isn't here.

 

[DragonSlayer]

Very sneaky sleuthing Kuribo, nice one. I'm not in a position to give an opinion as to what is right or wrong really with this kind of thing but what you're saying makes sense if that is in fact how it is listed in the details.

Totally agree on your third point, by the way. I did think when looking at it that the building orientation will give great views, although I didn't equate the small footprint with the buildings being very tall. Duh!

 

[UniversalCityFL]

Update: The 5th hotel will not have Express access.


"The "Fifth Hotel Preferential Rights Standard" shall mean a level of Preferential Rights that is equal to or better than any such
benefits available to other hotels(except the Phase I Hotels)… and shall not include complimentary
unlimited VIP Access as currently availableto guests of the Phase I Hotels."

 

[DragonSlayer]

Update: The 5th hotel will not have Express access.


"The "Fifth Hotel Preferential Rights Standard" shall mean a level of Preferential Rights that is equal to or better than any such
benefits available to other hotels(except the Phase I Hotels)… and shall not include complimentary
unlimited VIP Access as currently availableto guests of the Phase I Hotels."

Which means it definitely isn't anything to do with RPR. We have a fifth hotel people!