Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[Doug A.]

My guess is once they clear all the regulatory hurdles (permits, storm water, etc) we will see an announcement of the new resort with concept art similar to Beijing. Nothing concrete but just enough to ‘tease’ the new resort, or in other words nothing that would prevent people from canceling vacation plans. Just my thoughts and I could be totally wrong too.

 

[Scott W.]

Hopefully somebody will make a similar documentary to this:



The quality is crap but makes for interesting viewing and you'll see some great early construction video of IOA.

Edit: For anybody curious about how long this new park has been in the planning stages, skip to 54mins 20secs and know that this video is over 20 years old.

 

[Legacy]

We were told during HHN Orientation in 2002(!!!) That a theme for the third park as finalized. I don't think it's the same thing.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

We were told during HHN Orientation in 2002(!!!) That a theme for the third park as finalized. I don't think it's the same thing.

I wonder if the initial plans called for something DisneySea-like as it just opened.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Bringing it up, we have a new Project name: 304.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

From Bio, a lot of progress is seeming to be made for the warehouse/office buildings.

 

[Riler]

I think those recent pics from Bio are the most useful so far for helping me get a visual understanding of just how much space they have to work with, it is absolutely huge!

Looking at that office and warehouse space in the first pic looks so vast, and then its just a fraction of the space shown in the second pic. Hopefully that new back of house space allows them to free up patches of land at the current parks for small expansions. If they get all of this right, they will end up with an incredible resort.

 

[Scott W.]

Skip to about 12mins 40secs. Park names are discussed from a recent survey.

Jim Hill's math calculates that the new park could open by October 2020. I think that's ridiculous but September 2021 could now be possible.

With all the talk about Universal's take on nostalgia, this could be an epic battle between Disney's 50th celebration and Universal's new park. On the nostalgia front, it's interesting to see how Nintendo's influence will come into it. Millions of kids played Nintendo when they were young and now they're doing the same with their own kids and will be able to take that experience a step further when Nintendo finally opens.

 

[jtsalien]

Skip to about 12mins 40secs. Park names are discussed from a recent survey.

Jim Hill's math calculates that the new park could open by October 2020. I think that's ridiculous but September 2021 could now be possible.

With all the talk about Universal's take on nostalgia, this could be an epic battle between Disney's 50th celebration and Universal's new park. On the nostalgia front, it's interesting to see how Nintendo's influence will come into it. Millions of kids played Nintendo when they were young and now they're doing the same with their own kids and will be able to take that experience a step further when Nintendo finally opens.

2022 is a crazy aggressive timeline, let alone 2020. Totally, completely, unequivocally impossible for it be open in 2020. Plans for the park aren't even fully approved internally. I haven't listened to the podcast, but he's lost his mind if he seriously suggested 2020.

 

[Alicia]

2022 is a crazy aggressive timeline, let alone 2020. Totally, completely, unequivocally impossible for it be open in 2020. Plans for the park aren't even fully approved internally. I haven't listened to the podcast, but he's lost his mind if he seriously suggested 2020.

Yea, the people I pay for info even think that's a crazy estimate.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yea, the people I pay for info even think that's a crazy estimate.

....Jim Hill strikes again. 'Click Bait Hill'...Why in the world do people waste their time listening to him? And, no, I don't even think he's entertaining.

 

[Magic-Man]

Skip to about 12mins 40secs. Park names are discussed from a recent survey.

Jim Hill's math calculates that the new park could open by October 2020. I think that's ridiculous but September 2021 could now be possible.

With all the talk about Universal's take on nostalgia, this could be an epic battle between Disney's 50th celebration and Universal's new park. On the nostalgia front, it's interesting to see how Nintendo's influence will come into it. Millions of kids played Nintendo when they were young and now they're doing the same with their own kids and will be able to take that experience a step further when Nintendo finally opens.

The park names are pretty decent. I'd be fine with any of them, Fantastic Worlds being my favorite. The release date estimate is completely nuts, no way that happens. As for 2021.... I could see that. Construction started earlier than any of us expected, and it would explain why nothing major is rumored for that year. But it would be a very hard, almost impossible date to make. I put my money on mid-late 2022.

 

[Mad Dog]

The park names are pretty decent. I'd be fine with any of them, Fantastic Worlds being my favorite. The release date estimate is completely nuts, no way that happens. As for 2021.... I could see that. Construction started earlier than any of us expected, and it would explain why nothing major is rumored for that year. But it would be a very hard, almost impossible date to make. I put my money on mid-late 2022.

mid late 2022....that's been my prediction (guess) too. :thumbsup:

 

[Magic-Man]

2022 is a crazy aggressive timeline, let alone 2020. Totally, completely, unequivocally impossible for it be open in 2020. Plans for the park aren't even fully approved internally. I haven't listened to the podcast, but he's lost his mind if he seriously suggested 2020.

Well, to be fair...would we even know if the plans were approved internally? Rumor has it that there is already a model residing in some random soundstage.

 

[shiekra38]

2022 is a crazy aggressive timeline, let alone 2020. Totally, completely, unequivocally impossible for it be open in 2020. Plans for the park aren't even fully approved internally. I haven't listened to the podcast, but he's lost his mind if he seriously suggested 2020.

If they do it, will you buy me a Nintendo mug?

 

[Scott W.]

2022 is a crazy aggressive timeline, let alone 2020. Totally, completely, unequivocally impossible for it be open in 2020. Plans for the park aren't even fully approved internally. I haven't listened to the podcast, but he's lost his mind if he seriously suggested 2020.

I think his logic is that Universal typically takes 30months to build their parks (USF and IOA) and you could think that Universal has started groundwork. Having said that, this is an ultra modern theme park and will be far more advanced than what was built 20 years ago.

I think 2021 is possible but highly improbable.

 

[shiekra38]

I'm not sure if I want Universal to rush with this one...As long as they keep adding to the current parks, I can wait

 

[Magic-Man]

When you think about it, summer 2022 would be the perfect opening date. It gives enough time to build the resort, it allows you to bounce back after WDW's huge year, and more people add that to their summer vacation plans.

Also, Diagon Alley, Volcano Bay, and Super Nintendo World were/will be built in a little under three years. That gives a pretty good reference for how long it'll take to build the new park.

 

[tidecat]

I think 2021 is achievable, but Universal has to start turning dirt by September to have a shot at opening in April/May.

I also think a hotel has to be on the board for 2021 as well. Universal has a fairly nice rhythm established for opening hotels in August, so that may play a part in the decision. But my hunch is that they’ll go for Disney’s jugular and open as close to Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversay as possible.

 

[jtsalien]

Well, to be fair...would we even know if the plans were approved internally? Rumor has it that there is already a model residing in some random soundstage.

"We" wouldn't know. But certain people would. And they're not

Don't mistake my comment to mean that they're far off. Plans exist. But they're not finalized for completion within two years.

EDIT:

If they do it, will you buy me a Nintendo mug?

Deal