Universal Orlando Resort Expansion News (Part 2)

[Nick]

With the exception of groups and some special events though, I don't think Universal really goes after that "after hours" demo. With the exception of the busy seasons, I can't imagine there being enough demand to justify it. People can get EP just as easily.

They have buyouts in one part of the park or another just about every other night in non-peak season. Diagon, New York, Hogsmeade and Marvel are the most common buyouts, with the occasional full park buyout.

They don’t need after hours parties since they make so much off the events.

 

[truejonas]

But, with more and more resort guests that will change. It used to be Disney didn't have all the extended park hours and after hours stuff either, but when you reach a tipping point that you have all these guests staying on property and they start wandering off to other stuff off property, you start giving them more to do and more hours to do it. Adding two huge new hotels on I-Drive is going to be a big push in that direction since they'll be prime candidates to be enticed off property with the glowing rides of Fun Spot/Magical Midway/Orlando Eye, etc. all just a short hop away and all operating later hours than Universal.

Makes sense.

They have buyouts in one part of the park or another just about every other night in non-peak season. Diagon, New York, Hogsmeade and Marvel are the most common buyouts, with the occasional full park buyout.

They don’t need after hours parties since they make so much off the events.

Huh, didn't know that. I guess it doesn't surprise me, seeing as private parties typically don't vocalize that they are there (only time I've known there was something going on was Orlando Informer, but that's a rather large private party).

 

[Nick]

Makes sense.



Huh, didn't know that. I guess it doesn't surprise me, seeing as private parties typically don't vocalize that they are there (only time I've known there was something going on was Orlando Informer, but that's a rather large private party).

It ranges from things as big as the Microsoft Infinite buyout and other large corporations like McDonalds, New York Life, etc, to things as small as a local quinceañeras.

The big buyouts normally happen when companies are in town for conventions.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It ranges from things as big as the Microsoft Infinite buyout and other large corporations like McDonalds, New York Life, etc, to things as small as a local quinceañeras.

The big buyouts normally happen when companies are in town for conventions.

Also buy outs of parts of CityWalk too!

 

[truejonas]

It ranges from things as big as the Microsoft Infinite buyout and other large corporations like McDonalds, New York Life, etc, to things as small as a local quinceañeras.

The big buyouts normally happen when companies are in town for conventions.

Dang. I wonder what the price is on that. I would so do a birthday party in WWoHP if it didn't break the bank.

Also buy outs of parts of CityWalk too!

I know Sam's Club did that two years ago when I was there, per the bartender at Toothsome - blew my mind at the time.

 

[Mad Dog]

But, with more and more resort guests that will change. It used to be Disney didn't have all the extended park hours and after hours stuff either, but when you reach a tipping point that you have all these guests staying on property and they start wandering off to other stuff off property, you start giving them more to do and more hours to do it. Adding two huge new hotels on I-Drive is going to be a big push in that direction since they'll be prime candidates to be enticed off property with the glowing rides of Fun Spot/Magical Midway/Orlando Eye, etc. all just a short hop away and all operating later hours than Universal.

Yes. looking at the non spring break park hours of IOA & USF, it looks like Universal is trending towards staying open until 9:00 PM most every night. Used to be one of the parks, if not both, would close anywhere from 6 PM to 7:00 PM most nights outside of the spring break & Easter and Memorial day weeks. Also, looks like less grad night closings at 6 PM this year.

 

[tielo]

A slightly different environment, but I know Discovery Bay and I believe the Disney waterparks does some night parties like that. If it was just a buffet and music (with the water rides open, most likely) for an evening, I think that would go over real well.

You are right. And as GAcoaster noted the expansion on hotel rooms make it more viable.
Above that Volcano bay is a very short trip or a walk away from every hotel room and isn't as out of the way as the Disney water parks.

 

[Scott W.]

You are right. And as GAcoaster noted the expansion on hotel rooms make it more viable.
Above that Volcano bay is a very short trip or a walk away from every hotel room and isn't as out of the way as the Disney water parks.

Disney don’t do buses direct to the water parks any more on top.

 

[Nick]

Also buy outs of parts of CityWalk too!

Yup. A lot of times a City Walk buyout actually is paired with a park buyout and used to give the attendees an “After Party” while still closing the parks at a reasonable hour.

 

[JoeCamel]

Yup. A lot of times a City Walk buyout actually is paired with a park buyout and used to give the attendees an “After Party” while still closing the parks at a reasonable hour.

KPMG has CW and IOA tonight. There are thousands of them streaming in

 

[GoUCFKnights]

While that's a nice idea, sharing a parking lot with the OCCC would be a nightmare for all involved. Just look at the situation with California's Great America and the football stadium they are forced to share a parking lot with.

Care to elaborate? I wasn't familiar with that, so I Google'd it, and it just appears the lot isn't big enough to share, so during stadium events, they pay the park lot $20 million to close or something. I definitely wasn't suggesting something like that, but rather building parking garages on the site of the existing lot so it could handle both. It actually seems like it'd work fairly well, since convention season tends to be exactly the opposite of vacation seasons. If space is that much of an issue, it seems like a good, logical win-win option. The convention center is typically bringing people from out of town, so Universal also should want to capture them for hotel stays and to get them shopping and spending their after-hours entertainment dollars with them.

 

[s8film40]

I suggested the OCCC shared parking a while back also. I think the real question would be if they plan to ever expand the North/South halls than that would occupy some of that space. If not then it looks to me just off hand like they could build garages with around double the capacity of what Universal currently has. Definitely could be a win-win. OCCC is currently using a garage by 528 to help with the West hall which doesn't have adequate parking, so they could definitely use more parking space. I also think this could be an in for them to get a Airport rail connection since it would be serving the convention center it wouldn't be viewed as just a rail for a private business. Of course this is all a long way off and they may not even be thinking about something like this yet.

 

[GAcoaster]

I know that part of the Kirkman extension plan was also to do with expanding the OCCC.

As for sharing the lot with OCCC, I brought up the problem of CGA and the stadium (and I think for a while the Astrodome and Astroworld had the same problem) where essentially the parks had to close for events or their attendance was very negatively impacted by events at the adjoining user's venue. It all comes down to who is considered the "priority". In those cases the theme park was given second class status and I believe CGA is forced to close when there's a football game at the stadium. Now in the case of CGA, the land is leased from the city so the city sets the rules. I would guess the same thing could happen if Orange County decided that the convention center took precedence and limited the number of cars Universal could park in their lot. It just seems like a whole can of worms better left unopened if it could be avoided.

Obviously there'll be a lot of synergy with the conventions center because of the proximity, and I'm sure it's in the interests of Universal and Orange County to work together with one goal of revenue.

 

[s8film40]

I know that part of the Kirkman extension plan was also to do with expanding the OCCC.

As for sharing the lot with OCCC, I brought up the problem of CGA and the stadium (and I think for a while the Astrodome and Astroworld had the same problem) where essentially the parks had to close for events or their attendance was very negatively impacted by events at the adjoining user's venue. It all comes down to who is considered the "priority". In those cases the theme park was given second class status and I believe CGA is forced to close when there's a football game at the stadium. Now in the case of CGA, the land is leased from the city so the city sets the rules. I would guess the same thing could happen if Orange County decided that the convention center took precedence and limited the number of cars Universal could park in their lot. It just seems like a whole can of worms better left unopened if it could be avoided.

Obviously there'll be a lot of synergy with the conventions center because of the proximity, and I'm sure it's in the interests of Universal and Orange County to work together with one goal of revenue.

That is how Astroworld worked. I rode the tram across from the Astrodome to the park many times!

The key is any shared parking situation needs to be built to support both. Hypothetically if for example the current OCCC lot has space for 5,000 and the Universal lot has space for 5,000 and they build a new garage with space for 15,000 then both can benefit from that additional space and it’s more practical to add more space since it will be utilized more often.

 

[GoUCFKnights]

I suggested the OCCC shared parking a while back also. I think the real question would be if they plan to ever expand the North/South halls than that would occupy some of that space. If not then it looks to me just off hand like they could build garages with around double the capacity of what Universal currently has. Definitely could be a win-win. OCCC is currently using a garage by 528 to help with the West hall which doesn't have adequate parking, so they could definitely use more parking space. I also think this could be an in for them to get a Airport rail connection since it would be serving the convention center it wouldn't be viewed as just a rail for a private business. Of course this is all a long way off and they may not even be thinking about something like this yet.

I guess thats a good point. That parking garage generally was for overflow, and seems to only be needed for only a couple weeks a year, but perhaps once the next expansion occurs there will be more need for that garage as it covers more of the surface lot. No doubt if Universal were to partner with the convention center for parking, it couldn't be like that football stadium where anything would have to close for events, they'd have to build new parking garages for the peak days of the year.

This is funded ($600 million expansion) and in the design stage, with completion expected in about 5 years:

 

[devinp267]

I dont personally think a forth dry park has to necessarily be like the first three. I think it needs to be not really a theme park but some kind of small park that caters to an audience that no other park does, kinda like a smaller epcot but next level. Definitely aimed towards adults.

 

[ChrisFL]

I dont personally think a forth dry park has to necessarily be like the first three. I think it needs to be not really a theme park but some kind of small park that caters to an audience that no other park does, kinda like a smaller epcot but next level. Definitely aimed towards adults.

It better not be a dry park then! oh, you mean not a water park

 

[devinp267]

It better not be a dry park then! oh, you mean not a water park

Yes? Im not sure i understood your response.

 

[ChrisFL]

Yes? Im not sure i understood your response.

MK was always called a "dry" park because they didn't used to serve alcohol

 

[devinp267]

MK was always called a "dry" park because they didn't used to serve alcohol

Got it:grin: