New Water Park coming to Universal Orlando?

[Teebin]

Do we think Wallace Road will be the drop-off point for busses transporting guests from the main parking structures?

Not at all from what I... have... gleaned. The entrance to the park will be off from Adventure Way. So, the far eastern corner. It remains unclear to me where the buses will enter as it is so so close to the I4 on ramp.

 

[MrRoamer]

Maybe a dumb question but could they expand on the parking garages that are currently at Cabana?

 

[UNIrd]

Maybe a dumb question but could they expand on the parking garages that are currently at Cabana?

They're only two floors so I wouldn't see why not, but I doubt that would be a feasible option.

 

[Teebin]

Ok, I have absolutely no idea how they are going to handle the bus entrance and exit. I know a whole lot about the project, but not this... so, I have been pondering the possibilities all day. I had been thinking a counter-clockwise entrance and exit back across Adventure... but that just seems like too much of a build. So, when I found this Bing map image, I wondered why clockwise couldn't work. I just had to get the bus headed back north. This probably isn't their solution, but I had a blast thinking about it.

Arrows pointing down are to the park, arrows to the top are back to the garages.

 

[natespf]

What do you think about external transportation (taxi, shuttles, chartered bus, guest pickup/dropoff)? Wouldn't they need a mini-hub for these at the waterpark, or is everyone to be dropped off at the main hub and bussed again?

 

[UniversalCityFL]

Ok, I have absolutely no idea how they are going to handle the bus entrance and exit. I know a whole lot about the project, but not this... so, I have been pondering the possibilities all day. I had been thinking a counter-clockwise entrance and exit back across Adventure... but that just seems like too much of a build. So, when I found this Bing map image, I wondered why clockwise couldn't work. I just had to get the bus headed back north. This probably isn't their solution, but I had a blast thinking about it.


Arrows pointing down are to the park, arrows to the top are back to the garages.

Perhaps the waterpark shares the current CBBR bus depot area (it is kinda big...), and then guests take a "garden walkway" (UO looovvees those!) along Adventure Way to the waterpark?

Not ideal, but ideal in this situation.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Ok, I have absolutely no idea how they are going to handle the bus entrance and exit. I know a whole lot about the project, but not this... so, I have been pondering the possibilities all day. I had been thinking a counter-clockwise entrance and exit back across Adventure... but that just seems like too much of a build. So, when I found this Bing map image, I wondered why clockwise couldn't work. I just had to get the bus headed back north. This probably isn't their solution, but I had a blast thinking about it.

Arrows pointing down are to the park, arrows to the top are back to the garages.

Nice thought, but I see a problem with your plan. Bus doors typically open on the right side, meaning to get on/off the bus, you'd have to cross at some point.

Here's my solution, after the bus loads, add a stop sign giving oncoming buses the right of way. Once all buses are clear - the bus crosses the intersection and gets back onto the main road via the new traffic signal located at the entrance to Cabana Bay. This gives guests the opportunity to disembark on the correct side of the bus without having to use a pedestrian crosswalk.

Thanks

 

[Swiminn6]

I wonder if the large parking facility in the plans for Sapphire will also have parking for the new water park with a new pedestrian bridge from Sapphire to park. Haven't been in on the conversation much but thats my thought so far. Exciting project, I like the name Volcano Bay better though!

 

[Mad Dog]

I agree. Volcano Bay sounds better to me than WS. But then again who knows what their internal surveys say.

 

[MrRoamer]

Perhaps the waterpark shares the current CBBR bus depot area (it is kinda big...), and then guests take a "garden walkway" (UO looovvees those!) along Adventure Way to the waterpark?

Not ideal, but ideal in this situation.

This is along the line I was thinking, if they expand the Cabana Bay garages they could create a bus/secondary parking only area. Looking at it now with Teebin's picture it doesn't look like it would make sense and work.

The big thing that doesn't make any sense to me is why the Cabana Bay bus depot has so many signs for different areas of the park if they aren't going to use any of them. Don't they also have to have some parking lot for the water park no matter what for secondary parking (handicap, pick up/drop off, etc)?

 

[Teebin]

Do we think Wallace Road will be the drop-off point for busses transporting guests from the main parking structures?

You know what, I have to back off on saying no to this. Wallace may in fact be the solution for buses, traveling all the way across to the Adventure Way side and then turning around and exiting on to Turkey north. The sand hill crane has been very clear that the entrance is on the Adventure way end, which makes sense for foot traffic from Uni's other nearby hotels. I wish I could see a really recent aerial photo of the south end of Cabana.

On another note, this discussion has forced me to reexamine the future hotel towers, should they ever be built. There is something curious about their placement.

Nice thought, but I see a problem with your plan. Bus doors typically open on the right side, meaning to get on/off the bus, you'd have to cross at some point.

I thought of this and then I considered the angled bus parking at the parking garage hub bus parking. Perhaps that is intended as extended bus parking only?

As far as driving buses through the Cabana Way main exit via its parking lot, I cannot see that happening but all guesses are worthy.

 

[Hatetofly]

Movement...

 

[EPCOTcenter]

I am noticing that you are being a little more involved with rumors once again, hatetofly. That's DEFINITELY good news!

 

[Teebin]

Posting this in a couple of threads as it applies. Fun stuff! I just wish OU had done it.

[video=youtube;87oeJAoMpsA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87oeJAoMpsA&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[Teebin]

So, this is the building that you were talking about DisneyHead? Mercy, if nothing has changed (and it may have), then the high point of a major attraction is going there... and no, it's not the volcano.

 

[Jwhee]

Heres a photo the with the building mentioned above in it:

There are quite a few more photos of the plot on the site, sorry, cant link to my own site from here. But it doesn't appear that much is going on.

 

[Teebin]

Thanks Jwhee. What are those ruts to the right? Are they planting corn? Nothing major was supposed to go there. Too, that service road to the south of Cabana, there may be an exact mirror of that in Wallace Road off from Turkey Lake. Flip the curve profile vertically.

I am wondering if the proposed tower hotels might be named Volcano Bay because that is what their view would be, a huge bay and volcano. Yes, the towers may well not be part of Cabana. Ooops... I just told you people a few something elses. Bad me.

 

[Teebin]

Well, after more detailed review of things, it appears I made a major oversight, and it will be good news to those of you who thought the land for this project is too small.

The Wallace Rd extension into Universal property is temporary and isn't the road I believed I was looking at. This oversight will give WS an additional 10-14 acres more than what I believed it would. I will post a picture diagramming this in a bit.

 

[Teebin]

So, here is the picture. The pale gray is an existing roadway built south of Cabana. It seals the resort in, draws a line in the sand so to speak.

The green is my new discovery and appears to reflect the south Cabana road. I cannot tell if will connect to south Cabana Rd or not. I have assumed it was the extension of Wallace Rd. for months, yet on very close inspection, it isn't. Will it connect with Turkey Lake or Adventure or both? I have no idea what it implies.

The red x shows that the Wallace extension was temporary and for the staging of the many previous projects only. It will be a solid wall of palms and trees in two years.

The yellow question mark indicates my wondering what all the land in-between the gray and green will be used for. Hotel parking?

Bottom line is that WonderSea is far larger than I previously thought.

 

[UniversalCityFL]

The yellow question mark indicates my wondering what all the land in-between the gray and green will be used for. Hotel parking?

Thanks for the map.

I mean, my first reaction (and I think the most obvious answer) would be that the Yellow Question Mark is the transportation hub for WS and the main entrance to the water park.

If/How those roads connect to Adventure Way / Turkey Lake? I have no idea.