Sapphire Falls Resort

[Nick]

What do you mean trapped without a car? The Magical Express is simply a bus that takes you to the hotel from the airport, right? When I go down to Orlando, we used to just reserve a Mears shuttle to pick us up and take us to the Hard Rock, we also used them to take us from Universal to Disney, though for our last trip, we just called a taxi to do that. I wouldn't mind a bus service from the airport to the Universal hotels. Do most UOR guests rent a car?

Exactly. It takes you from the airport to the Disney hotel, leaving you to rely on Disney transport to get around. You could use a taxi, buttle cost you big time.

 

[Mad Dog]

Once Universal gets these other hotel rooms online it may be economically feasible to do a version of the ME. When they only had the three deluxes, there probably were too few rooms, especially during slow times, to warrant the cost.

 

[Teebin]

I wonder how many individual ME buses are running on an average day. 2,4? I used to pass them all the time driving boggy creek up to the airport.

 

[ThreePack Shagur]

I wonder how many individual ME buses are running on an average day. 2,4? I used to pass them all the time driving boggy creek up to the airport.

I believe there are 8 total. 4 going each direction on the hour. They try to space them out to the resort locations you're going to if they can. 1 to MK hotels, 1 to Epcot, 1 to the moderates not in those areas (CB, Coronado, Key West, Port Orleans) and 1 to the Values.

 

[Teebin]

I wonder if we will see the embankment portadam system employed on this project, to lengthen the waterway. http://www.portadam.com/cp-projects/canals/

 

[Miketheboss]

Nevermind

 

[Teebin]

What is ME?

Disney's Magical Express

 

[UK-Trigg]

I wonder if we will see the embankment portadam system employed on this project, to lengthen the waterway. http://www.portadam.com/cp-projects/canals/

The guy in the following shot sure has a lot of faith in the system, I sure wouldn't fancy standing there.

http://www.portadam.com/cp-projects/canals/

 

[Shrek]

Expect a waterslide at this Resort, nothing to extreme just a small waterslide.

 

[Disneyhead]

 

[Teebin]

^ Great pics. The money... oh the money being spent and being made.

 

[princeinc]

Have I been out the loop or has Sapphire Falls always been up there on the Universal Site under hotels?

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think it popped up when they made the official announcement. You can get high res of the concept art by pursing the code of the page.

 

[Hatetofly]

Expect a waterslide at this Resort, nothing to extreme just a small waterslide.

Thats pretty much a given. I do hope to see a new type of water attraction at the pool (fingers crossed)

 

[defend10]

I wonder how many individual ME buses are running on an average day. 2,4? I used to pass them all the time driving boggy creek up to the airport.

Significantly more than that at any given time, think 12-20 depending on guest volume, with a few on standby at any given time of the day (less at night). Mears also has the right to use these buses for any other route, but Disney gets first dibs on DME wrapped busses before they go on other routes.

 

[Teebin]

Mears also has the right to use these buses for any other route, but Disney gets first dibs on DME wrapped busses before they go on other routes.

I didn't know this. Wild.

 

[Nick]

I didn't know this. Wild.

This is a view from my balcony stateroom from a recent cruise, but it gives you an idea of how many buses can be in there at a time if you look at the bus hub (Center):

 

[Mad Dog]

TPI just published an article with today's Universal update of the Sapphire Falls plan. It contains a possible future restaurant on the back side of the future waterway.

 

[BusyBee]

The plans posted by TPI were posted months ago on the Parkscope website so I dont believe they're really new.

 

[Mad Dog]

The plans posted by TPI were posted months ago on the Parkscope website so I dont believe they're really new.

This has the future restaurant added.