Really if Universal wanted to they could remove the NASCAR name and really just re theme it a bit to a sports grill..
That is a good possibility. Aren't most of the new eateries custom ideas created only for CityWalk? I thought the ice cream place was the only franchise.
Would rather see a Quaker Steak & Lube than a Buffalo Wild Wing. Something different that you can't get anywhere else in Orlando (closest is Tampa) and the wings there are amazing. Plus the interior is cooler than BWW and personally every time I go to BWW the service and food is not the best. Food takes forever and the food normally comes out cold or burnt.
Still don't get why a sports bar "fits" in CityWalk. The vast majority of guests are going for theme parks, not to watch a game. And the vast majority of locals are going to go to a sports bar that (1) is easier to get to, (2) has some type of game-time happy hour, and/or (3) caters to their hometown team (think Pats fans at Celebration Town Tavern, or any of the various Steelers bars around town).
I don't see any CW sports bar getting a huge crowd for Monday Night Football or a Wednesday night NBA playoff; and nights with no major sports event will be even worse. Jon Taffer's law: "Sports fills a bar about 70 days a year.” You need at least double that for a successful tourist district bar. A sports bar is the cheap and easy option, but I don't see it having any more long-term success than NBA or NASCAR have had.
ESPN Club is packed most of the time.I don't think anyone is asking for a strict sports "bar". But a place where you can grab some traditional American food with nice TVs for catching whatever game is on. That's what NASCAR Cafe/Sport Grill strove to be, but I bet many were turned off because of the NASCAR brand. Even when people are on vacation, they still root for their favorite teams or want to keep up with fantasy things and the like. I don't think it's an unrealistic market to fill. The ESPN Zone at DL seems to do very well, not sure about the one at the Boardwalk.
NBC Sports is great cross promotion and makes tons of sense all around.
antojitos, vivo, breadbox, hot dog are originals are they not?
Yes. YES!!! I'm going to hazard a guess that you're a PA girl, Izzy. When I lived in OH, I used to frequent the original "Lube" in Sharon, PA, as well as others across OH and PA. BEST. WINGS. EVER. Buffalo Wild Wings doesn't even come CLOSE. In fact, I tried to open my own "Lube" a few years ago, but you have to be a millionaire to do it (like any McDonalds, Dominos, etc.). Pity there aren't more...they'd take over the wing world. A "Lube" would be absolutely perfect for CityWalk.
The hot dog place had one location somewhere in Pennsylvania I believe. It's not family owned or anything though. It's a Landry's concept.I thought the hot dog place was also elsewhere? I think most of the places they picked are original or only have a few locations, which I love. Except the ice cream places, both are major chains you can find anywhere.
What has universal done to make you believe they are moving towards original concepts? Besides the mini-golf course and a few of the restaurants, everything is IP based.I just have this feeling that Universal is getting away from 3rd party places, and going to either original concepts, or places where we can outright own the franchise. Just a feeling.
What has universal done to make you believe they are moving towards original concepts? Besides the mini-golf course and a few of the restaurants, everything is IP based.
I mean, I agree that the park will be original, but I don't see how you say they are moving to more original concepts when they barely have so far (unless you know something being a TM and can't say anything...)
The concept isn't that unique anymore, I have about 3 different independently run stores just like it that are all great in the area where I live (and I live in Tampa, so it's definitely not a new concept for Florida).Menchies is also still uncommon in Florida. The store in universal was the first I've ever heard of it. Closest thing like it that I know of is yogurtology. Still a unique concept though