Universal's New Park/Site B Blue Sky Thread

[RFRees]

I'm taking a guess that the tech just isn't working as they hoped it would so they've moved on.

There's billions of dollars of research and development being poured into it from other companies/government agencies around the world. They can sit back and have a template ready to 'go live' as soon as the tech is ready, whether that be 2023 or 2033.

 

[Mad Dog]

Even the fairly recent (last year or two) hotel Express Pass facial recognition system seems to constantly have issues (seems to be down almost as much as it's working when we go through and has actually seemed to deteriorate from when they first started using it), and that system requires hardware & lots of extra staff, to work, and is somewhat primitive in relation to what TPU, Joe & Dave are talking about. . It really seems like this was way too much pie in the sky for that 'on another level facial recognition tech' to work in that theme park setting. .

 

[shiekra38]

My understanding is the original park concept that was presented and green lit was one large CityWalk in the middle accessible to all with shops, restaurants, and entertainment. The big draw would be a nightly lagoon show that this CityWalk 2.0 would partially wrap around. Each of the lands of the new "park" would have an open boarder concept that let guests walk in and pay for lands piece by piece or together. There were no turnstiles or traditional entrance, just walk in. They really wanted to swing for the fences and redefine what a theme park is and could be in the 21st century, so let your imaginations run wild there. Last I heard the concept was shelved for something more traditional either due to feasibility, testing, or budget.

IMHO the idea isn't terrible and could have worked but guests need a more traditional method of park entry and this tried to take too many leaps forward. Introducing a gate-less system at USF/IOA first would have been a better step towards this model.

I feel like Universal would unintentionally make people feel as if they are spending more than they actually are and feel cheated

Unless they could do a MagicBand-esque system where the band knew you were on campus/inside the park/outside the park...It may be hard to track though


At the same time, I wonder if the internet would have been the way it is now when IOA was being built, how crazy blue sky ideas would have been viewed

Grain of salt folks

 

[OLSinFLA]

So it sounds like the "Main Street USA" would be open to everyone and you could enter at each land

I think it's an interesting concept as long as there is a way to stay in the park and go to the other lands once inside

Almost if you entered MK right where the castle hub is

Back in the dark ages, before Christmas, Disney experimented with keeping Main Street open for shopping after the park proper closed, and didn't charge admission

 

[GoombaGoomba]

Just brainstorming here, what if there’s an inner part of the hub that’s a ticketing area where you enter through a tunnel. Sorry for the horrible drawing. Red lines would be a tunnel. Heck it could even be an elevated walkway.

 

[Happytycho]

In the abstract, I really like the idea of having an open hub with individual entrances to the worlds. However, I believe that for it to work, two things are required:

1) The worlds need to be big and in the spirit of Magic Kingdom lands where each one has enough variety in attractions to entertain guests of all ages, and there are enough things to do that you can remain engaged in the world for multiple hours at a time.
2) They need ample turnstiles at each world and a convenient admission system. I actually think that something like magic bands would work really well for implementing a park layout like this. I have never believed that facial recognition is the answer to controlling admission, because it can't be made to work any faster or easier than a simple ticket or magic bands.

The problem, of course, is that Universal doesn't seem to be doing either of these things, so I'm not surprised that the idea has been abandoned.

 

[OLSinFLA]

In the abstract, I really like the idea of having an open hub with individual entrances to the worlds. However, I believe that for it to work, two things are required:

1) The worlds need to be big and in the spirit of Magic Kingdom lands where each one has enough variety in attractions to entertain guests of all ages, and there are enough things to do that you can remain engaged in the world for multiple hours at a time.
2) They need ample turnstiles at each world and a convenient admission system. I actually think that something like magic bands would work really well for implementing a park layout like this. I have never believed that facial recognition is the answer to controlling admission, because it can't be made to work any faster or easier than a simple ticket or magic bands.

The problem, of course, is that Universal doesn't seem to be doing either of these things, so I'm not surprised that the idea has been abandoned.

Wonder if the idea is the hub can be set up, not as individual parks, but to stay open later after the park itself has closed.

 

[quinnmac000]

I like the idea of an open hub, its just the back and forth with the tickets.

I'm also think the hub was driven by having a hotel at the end....hotel guests would use the main parking lot so they wouldn't have to have a separate hotel lot thus allowing more room for expansion.
Now that, the open hub is gone, probably the hotel plans are gone too.

 

[Legacy]

I love the idea.

 

[Happytycho]

I like the idea of an open hub, its just the back and forth with the tickets.

I'm also think the hub was driven by having a hotel at the end....hotel guests would use the main parking lot so they wouldn't have to have a separate hotel lot thus allowing more room for expansion.
Now that, the open hub is gone, probably the hotel plans are gone too.

I doubt they were going to have hotel guests park in the main lot because that would be a very long walk, and a dedicated garage wouldn't take very much space to build, especially in the big picture of how much land they have. I think that the hotel stays, but now they will have a small entrance on the back side of the park for hotel guests to use.

 

[Ridgepole]

Are we reinventing the wheel here? Isn't City Walk an "open to anyone hub"? Besides parking fees and cover charges? I see thrusting a "City Walk" into the center of 4-5 Big lands an admission nightmare. I guess it would create lots of jobs.

 

[belloq87]

I struggle with the idea of the hub as that property's version of CityWalk, not because I think it's inherently logistically unworkable, but because I'm skeptical that a bunch of (presumably) disparate chain and/or branded restaurants and shops can be dressed up in enough theme and design work to feel appropriate as the first visual impression most guests will have of the park.

Have there been any rumors as to what the theme of the hub is supposed to be at this point? If it's at all "fantastical," befitting the supposed name of the park, the theming needs to be top-flight.

 

[Mike S]

My understanding is the original park concept that was presented and green lit was one large CityWalk in the middle accessible to all with shops, restaurants, and entertainment. The big draw would be a nightly lagoon show that this CityWalk 2.0 would partially wrap around. Each of the lands of the new "park" would have an open boarder concept that let guests walk in and pay for lands piece by piece or together. There were no turnstiles or traditional entrance, just walk in. They really wanted to swing for the fences and redefine what a theme park is and could be in the 21st century, so let your imaginations run wild there. Last I heard the concept was shelved for something more traditional either due to feasibility, testing, or budget.

IMHO the idea isn't terrible and could have worked but guests need a more traditional method of park entry and this tried to take too many leaps forward. Introducing a gate-less system at USF/IOA first would have been a better step towards this model.

So, basically what Disney used to be with the tickets for each ride before EPCOT Center opened. There’s a reason they moved away from that and I’m glad Universal seems to have shifted back to the tried and true method.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

 

[tielo]

My understanding is the original park concept that was presented and green lit was one large CityWalk in the middle accessible to all with shops, restaurants, and entertainment. The big draw would be a nightly lagoon show that this CityWalk 2.0 would partially wrap around. Each of the lands of the new "park" would have an open boarder concept that let guests walk in and pay for lands piece by piece or together. There were no turnstiles or traditional entrance, just walk in. They really wanted to swing for the fences and redefine what a theme park is and could be in the 21st century, so let your imaginations run wild there. Last I heard the concept was shelved for something more traditional either due to feasibility, testing, or budget.

IMHO the idea isn't terrible and could have worked but guests need a more traditional method of park entry and this tried to take too many leaps forward. Introducing a gate-less system at USF/IOA first would have been a better step towards this model.

Considering length of stay and multi day passes and it's perceived value this is not a good idea.
Say MK had this system, I only care for Splash Mountian so I would buy a ticket for that land, ride the hell out of it and leave (and be happy). During our multi day, multi park visit (with hotel stay) we pay a lot considering the rides and lands you don't care for. Again, take WDW, I nowadays don't care for any ride at Epcot. But I would still visit the park because it's there.
There is a value in having 1 ticket and the feeling you can do and ride everything. Even when you popular ride is a bit crowded at the moment you could always spread out and do something else. It keeps people longer in the park and spend money.

On the other hand the concept hasn't room for filler rides. To be able to ask land for each money people are more focused on what they get.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

So, basically what Disney used to be with the tickets for each ride before EPCOT Center opened. There’s a reason they moved away from that and I’m glad Universal seems to have shifted back to the tried and true method.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

No

 

[FatalBubbles]

Similar to what Alicia said earlier, I hop around all over the place inside the parks now. Generally back and forth between IoA and USF as well. Having to stop and get out a ticket every hour or be forced to stay in one place for longer would be terrible. Really glad to hear they've shelved this.

 

[Nico]

Some initial thoughts:

1. I have to think the success of Diagon, but more importantly the Hogwarts Express ticket booth is directly responsible for this concept. But that only works when not everyone is beating down the door to get in.

2. I’m glad that are keeping the concept of a private lands where they get to force the initial view guests have. From a marketing standpoint, you create multiple weenies and flood personal social media with the best images possible.

3. I’m so curious about the size of these lands. With this initial design, I would assume the worlds would have to be massive, all encompassing and have way more to do. Obviously not in actual layout, but the entirety of the Wizarding World as one land comes to mind. My only concern stems from some insider info on potential Monsters world: it sounds like they were only thinking 2-3 attractions. So, more IOA and less Magic Kingdom.

 

[GAcoaster]

Universal has been testing the facial recognition on TMs for quite a while, so they are already perfecting the technology ahead of the parks introduction. Universal loves to do proof of concept before they commit to a system (although Tapu Tapu proved even then you may not work out all the bugs). I would assume there is a backup plan to just add a traditional entrance gate for the entire area if this proves too cumbersome or unmanageable.

 

[Imperius]

I get facial recognition but it just seems like a giant hassle if they did it here. They would need TMs/Security on the ready with ear pieces to be told that person doesn’t belong. Then they have to find that person and kick them out. Really no benefits to go that route.

 

[Ryan]

Woof, just catching up on all of this. I'll agree with @JungleSkip, this was a nightmare waiting to happen and I'm glad Uni seems to have changed course. It may be years off into the distance, but it was just baffling that they would even complicate things like this. I just feel that even if the tech worked flawlessly, the idea of your face being your ticket is kinda creepy and unsettling?