CityWalk Expansion

[Felipe]

Thanks for the pic update, BriMan! :thumbs: It's so pleasing and exciting to see so much visible progress at UOR!

So, before they got the insulation/wall stuff up over the opening where Cowfish is going, it looked like there is structure already in the building for a second (well, third, technically) floor that just hasn't been used. Anyone know/think if that will be utilized with this addition, or will it just still be there, unused?

I don't know about that, but I don't think any of the yellow building was being used for guest access. I think that was all storage, so there's gonna be a lot of new room for us guests up there now. :thumbs:

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

So, before they got the insulation/wall stuff up over the opening where Cowfish is going, it looked like there is structure already in the building for a second (well, third, technically) floor that just hasn't been used. Anyone know/think if that will be utilized with this addition, or will it just still be there, unused?

I was just thinking the same thing last night! Haha it literally never sank in that it was tall enough to be a three-story building until I saw it with part of the wall missing. But did they just recently make it taller or something? It looks like there's some weird extension to the top of the building, which I've never noticed before...

 

[kimlovesfl]

That has always been used for storage, and yes, there is a 2nd floor, and there is a 2nd floor on just about every venue in the upper level of CityWalk. I'll miss that storage area, it was used a lot for events.

 

[kimlovesfl]

I had Cold Stone yesterday for the first time, and what a disappointment. Small, small portion, average quality ice cream (mix-ins are great, though), and seriously over-priced. Sticking with Ben and Jerry's.

 

[Skipper Justin]

I had Cold Stone yesterday for the first time, and what a disappointment. Small, small portion, average quality ice cream (mix-ins are great, though), and seriously over-priced. Sticking with Ben and Jerry's.

I feel like all ice cream chains are like this. The place in the france pavilion is amazing, though.

 

[kimlovesfl]

I don't. I love Ben and Jerry's, Baskin-Robbins is decent, and most places give a portion that is too much for me even with a small. This one was about 4 bites.

 

[JungleSkip]

I don't. I love Ben and Jerry's, Baskin-Robbins is decent, and most places give a portion that is too much for me even with a small. This one was about 4 bites.

Did Cold Stone change their sizes? Because the small used to be massive.

 

[IzzyB]

No, it's literally a bunch of flavors you know (with a few custom flavors like Birthday Cake), mixed in with toppings on a cold marble stone and served in a cup for twice the amount of money of what it should cost. You get one scoop and a topping or two at a standalone store and you're at upwards of $7.50+. Don't know how it's priced at CityWalk.

Gelato or Water Ice is what they should have done...IMO.

Actually Birthday Cake is a flavor you can get from other places too. Hershey's Ice cream has a version and I even think Publix recently came out with a version. I see it all over the place to be honest with you. Nothing "unique" to cold stone. I agree an Italian ice place like Jeremiah's would have been a much better option in my opinion or something unique to Uni. Cold Stone base ice cream is really not premium at all. If you do a side by side comparison to a premium ice cream you can totally tell the difference. Now the toppings masks it for most people, so when you get toppings in the chocolate you can't tell that your chocolate ice cream really doesn't have a chocolate flavor to it like a premium ice cream has.

And Cold Stone's are in Orlando along with Marble Slap. So this won't be something the locals are going to crave. Of course Menchies are also all over the place down here too. I got sick of them and haven't been to a Menchies in probably 6 months. I used to go once a week or every other week. Also, you would be amazed at how up north ice cream is much more of a craze than down here. Because for part of the year you don't want ice cream, northerners go crazy for ice cream when it is hot enough to eat it. People here in Orlando never get that craving. The food business down here is so odd.

 

[Felipe]

Does anyone know, the corner gelato spot inside Louie's in USF, does it actually sell gelato there or is it just theming? I can't recall... :shrug:

Btw, I had the lemon ice cream from the CW Cold Stone the other day and it was alright. Not bad, but not my favorite.

 

[TylerDurden]

And Cold Stone's are in Orlando along with Marble Slap. So this won't be something the locals are going to crave. Of course Menchies are also all over the place down here too. I got sick of them and haven't been to a Menchies in probably 6 months. I used to go once a week or every other week. Also, you would be amazed at how up north ice cream is much more of a craze than down here. Because for part of the year you don't want ice cream, northerners go crazy for ice cream when it is hot enough to eat it. People here in Orlando never get that craving. The food business down here is so odd.

Citywalk (and Universal as a whole) should start aiming towards a more tourist-centric audience, though. What Orlando has or doesn't have probably isn't of Universal's biggest concern, especially given their push for people to stay on-site for the whole duration of their visit.

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Does anyone know, the corner gelato spot inside Louie's in USF, does it actually sell gelato there or is it just theming? I can't recall... :shrug:

They do serve actual gelato there, at least the last time I went.

 

[Nick]

Also, you would be amazed at how up north ice cream is much more of a craze than down here. Because for part of the year you don't want ice cream, northerners go crazy for ice cream when it is hot enough to eat it. People here in Orlando never get that craving. The food business down here is so odd.

Friendly's Ice Cream is huge in New England.

 

[agentj]

Not really!!

 

[IzzyB]

Citywalk (and Universal as a whole) should start aiming towards a more tourist-centric audience, though. What Orlando has or doesn't have probably isn't of Universal's biggest concern, especially given their push for people to stay on-site for the whole duration of their visit

I agree. I was replying to the person that said Cold Stone was not big in Orlando and could appeal to the local crowd. I was basically saying no ice cream place is going to appeal to the local crowd, unless it is really unique and there is only so much you can do with ice cream.

I honestly think any ice cream you threw next to Starbucks was going to be mad crazy busy. It is the perfect spot and many people are looking for a treat at the end of the evening. It is why the ice cream place on main street is packed every night after the fireworks/parade at MK. That is why people would buy ice cream at Cinnabon (I am also guilty of this). So Cold Stone will do very well there. I personally wish it was higher end ice cream shop because those are the types of places you don't always get locally and I think that is what others are saying when they say they are disappointed it is a cold stone. I don't think anyone is arguing that it won't do well. I just think some of the other places Uni is bringing in are more high quality or unique places and cold stone to me doesn't fit that bill. Either does Menchies, BUT it is a huge fad right now and will be very popular because of the current trend. So I understand that one. But really Cold Stone is not high quality, a fad, or unique. Cold stones open and close all the time because they don't work in certain areas. I have a Menchies, Jeramiah's, Rita's, Marble Slab, and Cold Stone within a 10 minute drive of my house. If I had to rank of busiest to slowest it would be Jeramiah's, Marble Slab (mostly because it sits next to a movie theater), Menchies, Rita's, and then cold stone. I knew people that worked there and they would barely sell $400 to $500 a night and considering they are on a main road right by the airport, that is pretty bad with their prices.

It will be interesting to see when Menchies opens if it pulls from the cold stone business. I think cold stone has the better location though.

 

[kimlovesfl]

Cold Stone definitely has a better location, and I think Menchie's will have a hard time competing. Is Menchie's soft-serve frozen yogurt? I have never been to one, because there isn't one close to where I live. My closest ice cream stores are Dairy Queen (not great quality, but has a huge nostalgia factor for me, and sometimes I just really want DQ), and Baskin-Robbins.

I got the kid size Cold Stone, which is super-tiny, and was still bloody expensive.

 

[fryoj]

Menchies is semi unique because they let you make and mix your own. They have a bank of machines with different flavors. Next to that they have a salad bar type deal with the various topping and mix-ins. You make your own and they weigh your cup to determine how much you pay. I know my 6 year old would rather go there than any other ice cream shop cause she gets to make your own. The location within citiwalk will be the key though. If no one knows its there, its not going to as much business.

 

[JungleSkip]

Menchies is semi unique because they let you make and mix your own. They have a bank of machines with different flavors. Next to that they have a salad bar type deal with the various topping and mix-ins. You make your own and they weigh your cup to determine how much you pay. I know my 6 year old would rather go there than any other ice cream shop cause she gets to make your own. The location within citiwalk will be the key though. If no one knows its there, its not going to as much business.

Plus they have Dole Whip flavors.

 

[Disneyhead]

I'm just thrilled to have good ice cream next to Starbucks. I love throwing a big scoop of Butter Cream ice cream in a triple shot mocha. Just enough sugar, fat, and caffeine to get an old guy through a day in the parks!

 

[shoreweb]

Helluva idea ... Gotta try that:drool:

 

[JungleSkip]

Not that it's any surprise, but Menchies just confirmed they'll have the Dole Whip flavors at the CityWalk location on twitter

https://twitter.com/menchiesORL/status/459349937528901633

 

[martymcflyy85]

Not that it's any surprise, but Menchies just confirmed they'll have the Dole Whip flavors at the CityWalk location on twitter

https://twitter.com/menchiesORL/status/459349937528901633

That's awesome!