^^that looks freakin miserable. IOA is just one big narrow bottleneck. What a 180 change from last week.
As for workers being sent home early - it happened. Saying it was "half" was hyperbole on my part, but a good chunk went home the other day when no one could figure out where the people were in the park who weren't eating, shopping, or waiting in line. Several areas dropped non-critical positions and let team members leave early that day despite the peak crowds physically within the park.
As for workers being sent home early - it happened. Saying it was "half" was hyperbole on my part, but a good chunk went home the other day when no one could figure out where the people were in the park who weren't eating, shopping, or waiting in line. Several areas dropped non-critical positions and let team members leave early that day despite the peak crowds physically within the park.
And I still believe added hotel rooms will increase evening attendance. You need to think like a tourist and not a local. Tourists like to go back to the rooms and pools to relax and stay out of the hot uncomfortable Florida afternoons. Once a local comes he or she will stay till its time for them to leave for the day.
I consider myself the « perfect » tourist as I usually visit UOR every year or 18 months for 2 or 3 days (more 3 than 2 lately ), and I usually stay onsite.
I, for one, would much prefer extended hours at the park (think evening EMH) instead of Early Entry. When on vacation and without kids, we don’t like to get up too early, and we love the mood of the parks by night. When it’s too hot out there, we like to go to the pool in the afternoon, or take a quick nap, that’s what we always do at WDW as their parks close later than at Uni. Closing Universal parks at 7pm or 8 pm seems a bit early for us, as it forces us to go back to eat at the hotel and/or find a restaurant in Citywalk (guess that’s Universal’s plan).
I would definitely stay “late” at the parks but I understand why most people don’t today. For me, what Uni lacks in their parks are:
- A unique, nighttime spectacular in both parks. The actual show is good though, but nothing “unmissable”. Nice tribute show but lacks ambition. It’s not a guest favorite like Fantasmic or World of Color. IOA surely misses a lake show. Maybe a night parade like in USJapan could do the trick and help.
- More and renowned table service restaurants. You don’t really need them for lunch anyway. But look at Epcot’s World Showcase, which is packed every night. Good restaurants, entertainment and a nighttime spectacular are the receipes for success in the evening. Plus, Uni is more targeted towards adults. Food is very important for adults
- More calm, family oriented attractions and shows. Uni lacks in this area, and usually you prefer slow motion rides or shows to sit down at the end of the day, than gut-wrenching simulators and coasters. World Showcase also understood that with its slow boat rides and circle vision movies ^^
- Some attractions that NEED to be experienced at night. At Uni, almost everything is in a box, so they are the same day and night, when you compare that to WDW and its kinetic and moody outdoor attractions that give you a different experience after the sun came down : BTM, TTA, Jungle Cruise, 7Dwarves Mine Train, Railroad, Everest, the upcoming nighttime safari… Globally, Uni should create more experience that are part of the outdoor settings. No wonder that with Diagon Alley being hidden behind a façade, and most of the attractions being hidden as well, Uni parks (especially USF) seem like a dead place after the parade (in off season).
The problem isn't an either or thing (between morning or night hours) or that comcast can't afford the bill, it's just that there's not enough to do yet at either park entertainment-wise.
Sure the parks are filled with rides, but if the only major nighttime is cinespec, then there's little incentive to stay if you've already done most of the rides. A big thing that keeps people in MK is all the shows at the castle, the projection show, Wishes and then MSEP. That's A LOT of nighttime entertainment that has nothing to do with rides and pretty much all of that is missing at Universal.
I know they want to be the cooler, older crowd destination, but to keep people in the parks and make money you have to play the game.
Oh dear...
I know I shouldn't be at all, but this is making me just a *tad* nervous for my January 5-9 trip. Would love to hear some wait time reports from anyone in the area today.
You should be worried that there won't be anyone there then. Attendance falls into the abyss after January 1 and an empty park is almost as bad as a jammed park.
Believe it or not I've never attempted an early January vacation in all my years living in Florida, and now that I'm out of state, bringing a newtimer, and haven't visited since HHN23 I suppose I'm just paranoid and out of the loop. I don't mind waiting in 45 minute queues for a good ride, of course, I just don't wan to be dealing with gridlock.
It will be dead. BTW, what rides are going down for a refurb in January?
A TP customer posted it down apx. an hour ago dating it back to 11:36 AM. but there was no confirmation on that, so I don't know if it was down during that entire time or not. TP is still posting the wait in time but with the customer comment mentioned. Transformers is now more than 3 hrs. on their line so maybe something is still amiss with Gringotts.My friend is there and says gringotts is still down from when it broke at 11. So is it back up? Or does what ur looking at not show its broke down.
I know I shouldn't be at all, but this is making me just a *tad* nervous for my January 5-9 trip. Would love to hear some wait time reports from anyone in the area today.
You should be worried that there won't be anyone there then. Attendance falls into the abyss after January 1 and an empty park is almost as bad as a jammed park.
Johde & Fallow: Touring Plans is showing the following for Universal on your dates...Scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the busiest...Jan. 210)...Jan. 6 (7), Jan. 7 (5), Jan. 8 (5), Jan. 9 (6), ...So it predicts Very Busy for Jan. 2, Busy for Jan. 6, and moderate for your other dates.I know I shouldn't be at all, but this is making me just a *tad* nervous for my January 5-9 trip. Would love to hear some wait time reports from anyone in the area today.
Johde & Fallow: Touring Plans is showing the following for Universal on your dates...Scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the busiest...Jan. 210)...Jan. 6 (7), Jan. 7 (5), Jan. 8 (5), Jan. 9 (6), ...So it predicts Very Busy for Jan. 2, Busy for Jan. 6, and moderate for your other dates.