Universal Endless Summer Resort - Surfside and Dockside Inn & Suites

[tidecat]

So what’s with the “Cruise Ship Services” category on the trademark filing? Is Universal going to be building a ship too?

 

[JoeCamel]

So what’s with the “Cruise Ship Services” category on the trademark filing? Is Universal going to be building a ship too?

Would not surprise me. Easy money.

 

[tidecat]

Would not surprise me. Easy money.

I know a Disney executive has said that starting their cruise line was comparable to starting another park in terms of financial investment. Once you get past that first $2 Billion, it is pretty easy money, although the sector is getting pretty crowded.

If I were advising NBCU, I’d actually recommend they acquire the majority of Norwegian (about $6 Billion at current market cap). Add five to six weeks of drydock time for all of Norwegian’s ships when they come due to rebrand them, and in five years, Universal has a fleet nearly three times the size of Disney.

Universal could run a fly/snooze/cruise shuttle service from MCO to their hotels and their ships at Port Canaveral. Even if a cruiser never sets foot in their parks, there’s some nice margin in the pre-cruise and post-cruise operations. Of course, it would be easy for them to offer one or more of the parks as a post-cruise excursion.

 

[Andysol]

The agreement with Loews says only three resorts get unlimited express

I’ve heard this said a couple times before. Do we actually know that for sure or is it one of those “it’s been said so many times, it’s now truth” type things.

Aren't some hotels letting you use your phone as a room key? That's the way to go, IMO. Forget another thing you have to carry around. Have your room key, ticket, Express, and Virtual line all managed from your UO app.

Hilton does that with their hotels. I agree- it’s be nice. Or smart watch capability as well.

I vacation at Universal every May since 2011. I've never seen the two parks as crowded, and the stand by lines as long, as they were this year. I felt bad for the people who didn't have Express. Lots of long lines (except for F&F), even though the weather was constantly threatening. . Universal really needs to add more capacity. Not just replacing rides with new attractions, but "adding" rides. Our good friend Dave (Disneyhead) & I were just talking about that while having a glass of wine on our Portofino balcony. He had the family in the parks celebrating graduations and had to get Express passes to get the rides in since the lines were so long.

I've felt for a while that Universal has been working on capacity. Kong and the upcoming JP coaster expand capacity. Fallon and Fast are both high-capacity rides with large air conditions indoor queues. I've given them a pass so far because I feel like they used screens to increase capacity quickly.

Much more capacity needs to be added and ride quality needs to be better, but I'd like to think they are moving in the right direction. Extending the hours and adding nighttime offerings to spread out the crowds over the day will also help.

Not much ability to solely add capacity. MiB expansion area and a tiny spot by Seuss is all that’s left. Right @Disneyhead ?

Of course replacing LC, KZ and FF would do wonders...

I know a Disney executive has said that starting their cruise line was comparable to starting another park in terms of financial investment. Once you get past that first $2 Billion, it is pretty easy money, although the sector is getting pretty crowded.

If I were advising NBCU, I’d actually recommend they acquire the majority of Norwegian (about $6 Billion at current market cap). Add five to six weeks of drydock time for all of Norwegian’s ships when they come due to rebrand them, and in five years, Universal has a fleet nearly three times the size of Disney.

Universal could run a fly/snooze/cruise shuttle service from MCO to their hotels and their ships at Port Canaveral. Even if a cruiser never sets foot in their parks, there’s some nice margin in the pre-cruise and post-cruise operations. Of course, it would be easy for them to offer one or more of the parks as a post-cruise excursion.

I’m on board with this 110%. Unless they do ridiculous pricing like Disney. Then I’ll never go, not worth the up charge over Royal.

 

[UNIrd]

Universal had a partnership with Royal Caribbean for a while. Not sure if they still do but that was a good fit, especially since Dreamworks is onboard their ships.

 

[gabe3235]

New aerial pic from Bioreconstruct

 

[Scott W.]

New aerial pic from Bioreconstruct

Really wasting no time at all with this.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Those towers look really big when you drive by them. They are also very close to the road.

 

[Coasted]

New aerial pic from Bioreconstruct

None of the rooms look over the water?
whereas half of them could have been water view rooms (if rotated 90 degrees)

 

[Happytycho]

None of the rooms look over the water?
whereas half of them could have been water view rooms (if rotated 90 degrees)

I think the normal rooms will be 50% pool view, 50% standard view.
The 2 bedrooms will be 20% water view, 10% pool view, 70% standard view.

 

[Scott W.]

None of the rooms look over the water?
whereas half of them could have been water view rooms (if rotated 90 degrees)

Probably for the best because the gaudy looking buildings past the lake.

 

[Alicia]

None of the rooms look over the water?
whereas half of them could have been water view rooms (if rotated 90 degrees)

Probably for the best because the gaudy looking buildings past the lake.

Exactly. Just a view of the awful Westgate towers on the other side unfortunately.

 

[tidecat]

So is Universal changing the shoreline of the lake, or is that just darker colored fill dirt?

 

[Ridgepole]

So is Universal changing the shoreline of the lake, or is that just darker colored fill dirt?

probably just a catch area for construction mud runoff

 

[UK-Trigg]

Really wasting no time at all with this.

Aren't they just, astounding really.

 

[Alicia]

Painting started.

 

[Mad Dog]

Painting started.

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You & your camera are pretty busy today. You've been everywhere.

 

[Scott W.]

Given the Florida sun, they’ll probably need to repaint that before opening but it’s a great visual for every person passing by.

The building itself is a great billboard and once people see the prices, it will be a huge hit.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

These Resorts will be both better and cheaper then a WDW value motel. And much easier to find.

 

[Alicia]

You & your camera are pretty busy today. You've been everywhere.

Just snapped a pic at the red light. Had to get outta there before this massive storm hit.