State of USH - What's Next?

[wutisgood]

He I wanted to gauge what you all thought about the recent video by Adam.



It seems like they had to personally ask guest services to get a true VIP level tour at one of the more expensive days. There were people who had previously been on the tour to know that what was offered was not acceptable. It did not seem like asking for this level of service was disruptive to any filming nor other guests.

I was thinking about doing the VIP one time on a slower day in September to experience the benefits but also get express on a day I might have more limited time before flying out for super Nintendo world. I hope they did not just accommodate him for being a popular vloger and have largely downgraded the vip tour.

 

[Jerroddragon]

He I wanted to gauge what you all thought about the recent video by Adam.



It seems like they had to personally ask guest services to get a true VIP level tour at one of the more expensive days. There were people who had previously been on the tour to know that what was offered was not acceptable. It did not seem like asking for this level of service was disruptive to any filming nor other guests.

I was thinking about doing the VIP one time on a slower day in September to experience the benefits but also get express on a day I might have more limited time before flying out for super Nintendo world. I hope they did not just accommodate him for being a popular vloger and have largely downgraded the vip tour.

I’m confused on how they could offer less then normal

Doesn’t the website detail what is included in the VIP tour ?

 

[Rideguy70]

Okay, I'm not going to watch a 40 min vid from him. Can we summarize the key points? I took a VIP tour (for my first time) earlier this year, and enjoyed it a great deal.

 

[Michael S]

He I wanted to gauge what you all thought about the recent video by Adam.



It seems like they had to personally ask guest services to get a true VIP level tour at one of the more expensive days. There were people who had previously been on the tour to know that what was offered was not acceptable. It did not seem like asking for this level of service was disruptive to any filming nor other guests.

I was thinking about doing the VIP one time on a slower day in September to experience the benefits but also get express on a day I might have more limited time before flying out for super Nintendo world. I hope they did not just accommodate him for being a popular vloger and have largely downgraded the vip tour.

I didn’t have time to fully watch the video but it seems the first tour he took, they barely got off the trolley? There is next to nothing filming at the lot right now, the two shows I worked on there are pushed indefinitely (potentially canceled) due to the ongoing WGA strike. Seems to be a ripe time for the tours to take advantage of the ease of access to all the locations on the lot. To be fair, the VIP experience has never really disrupted us filming, and the lot actually tends to give tours the right of way, since it makes so much money for the company. I’ve had kids come up to me on breaks and ask what I do, I explain the lighting department to them and what I do and it’s quite an experience seeing their reactions. Unless we’re a super top secret production (like Wakanda, Beverly Hills Cop, or Interior Chinatown) we are very welcoming of the tours.

 

[wutisgood]

I didn’t have time to fully watch the video but it seems the first tour he took, they barely got off the trolley? There is next to nothing filming at the lot right now, the two shows I worked on there are pushed indefinitely (potentially canceled) due to the ongoing WGA strike. Seems to be a ripe time for the tours to take advantage of the ease of access to all the locations on the lot. To be fair, the VIP experience has never really disrupted us filming, and the lot actually tends to give tours the right of way, since it makes so much money for the company. I’ve had kids come up to me on breaks and ask what I do, I explain the lighting department to them and what I do and it’s quite an experience seeing their reactions. Unless we’re a super top secret production (like Wakanda, Beverly Hills Cop, or Interior Chinatown) we are very welcoming of the tours.

Yes they barely got off the trolley. The people who had been on the tour previously (some for much cheaper) had gotten to walk around way more on their other visit. They knew there was not a particular reason for this to change as filming was not going on anywhere they drove by. They had to express disappointment to guest services and then were taken to more locations to walk around. I think given the price paid about $500 per person their expectations were reasonable.

I was wondering if the tour has gotten downgraded on quality more recently or this was just an off day. I would certainly be pretty disappointed If I were to experience the same thing and having to express disappointment to guest services would itself make bring the experience down.

 

[ParksandSights]

Ordinary Adventures took the VIP tour very recently, and their group walked around Courthouse Square, even was encouraged to touch the sets. Peter totally geeked out lol. But I think they were invited, along with other creators, like Chris Provost. Adam paid his own way, so his experience might be more what the average Joe would see, even though he's taken the tour before without special access and wandered around multiple sets. I've never taken the tour myself, so I don't know what a "standard" VIP tour is

 

[Jerroddragon]

Ordinary Adventures took the VIP tour very recently, and their group walked around Courthouse Square, even was encouraged to touch the sets. Peter totally geeked out lol. But I think they were invited, along with other creators, like Chris Provost. Adam paid his own way, so his experience might be more what the average Joe would see, even though he's taken the tour before without special access and wandered around multiple sets. I've never taken the tour myself, so I don't know what a "standard" VIP tour is

I can't stand stuff like this

Bloggers should just get what everyone else gets....now if they tell you its a special thing for them fine but if its the same tour but they get to do more...feels like false advertisement

 

[wutisgood]

I can't stand stuff like this

Bloggers should just get what everyone else gets....now if they tell you its a special thing for them fine but if its the same tour but they get to do more...feels like false advertisement

I don't understand why they would be treated any differently. In this case the tour is so expensive there would be no particular reason to show normal people less unless it was just a busy filming day. I mean it's called a VIP tour.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I don't understand why they would be treated any differently. In this case the tour is so expensive there would be no particular reason to show normal people less unless it was just a busy filming day. I mean it's called a VIP tour.

No idea but makes little sense with filming slowing down why one tour would be so bad the people on it had to complain while the other got to touch the BTTF main set,

 

[wutisgood]

No idea but makes little sense with filming slowing down why one tour would be so bad the people on it had to complain while the other got to touch the BTTF main set,

I could email universal to ask before buying, but I could also see them just giving the generic response of "locations not guaranteed".

 

[joerodriguez]

I've heard on other vlogs that Universal rents various locations around the backlot for private events, when there's no filming going on. Courthouse square would most likely be a top choice for a corporate or private group to have an event.

 

[Rideguy70]

I still haven't watched the vid, but I took the VIP tour for my first time earlier this year, and we got off at Courthouse Square, walked around the Metro Lots, parts of Little Europe (using the bathrooms there... which I never knew were there in the Chocolate shop, lol), and War of the Worlds set. As well as got to tour the Prop Warehouse, which I had heard had been closed to guests ever since Covid, so it was only open somewhat recently.

Obviously, like the regular tram tour, accessiblity may vary depending on what's shooting and/or being used for a special event. Also, the guides were pretty accomodating if you just ask them nicely... we wanted a closer view of the monsters mural, and while we weren't able to get super close to it, we at least were taken to an area where we could see pretty well.

I also must say that as a long time AP, I wasn't expecting much for a VIP tour, but I honestly had a blast and would even consider doing it again in the future.

 

[joerodriguez]

USH comes out as the 9th most visited park in North America in 2022. With Nintendo opening earlier this year, I think the chances are high of USH hitting the 10 million mark in 2023:

 

[Jerroddragon]

USH comes out as the 9th most visited park in North America in 2022. With Nintendo opening earlier this year, I think the chances are high of USH hitting the 10 million mark in 2023:

I think so, as someone going to the parks for 12+ years. The park has never felt this busy all the time

Summer will start telling more of a story if its like Spring break where many days are sold out, then I think unless something weird happens it will be the biggest year for the park ever in terms of guests and profits. .

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

USH comes out as the 9th most visited park in North America in 2022. With Nintendo opening earlier this year, I think the chances are high of USH hitting the 10 million mark in 2023:

Do we still not trust TEA stats around here?

 

[Tomfoolery]

Do we still not trust TEA stats around here?

Yea, they are estimates done by an external party. You can gauge trends but the actual values are very flimsy and often overestimated.

 

[Clive]

Yea, they are estimates done by an external party. You can gauge trends but the actual values are very flimsy and often overestimated.

It feels like we champion them when we like what we see and dismiss them when we don't.

 

[deadbydawn]

He I wanted to gauge what you all thought about the recent video by Adam.



It seems like they had to personally ask guest services to get a true VIP level tour at one of the more expensive days. There were people who had previously been on the tour to know that what was offered was not acceptable. It did not seem like asking for this level of service was disruptive to any filming nor other guests.

I was thinking about doing the VIP one time on a slower day in September to experience the benefits but also get express on a day I might have more limited time before flying out for super Nintendo world. I hope they did not just accommodate him for being a popular vloger and have largely downgraded the vip tour.

I've only done the VIP tour twice. The first time was about 16ish years ago and the second time was probably close to 7 or 8 years ago. I was a little disappointed the second time around (compared to the first), but I still feel like I got a better experience than what Adam and that tour received. It felt more like the regular Studio Tour. Thankfully, Universal made it right and it seems like they had a much more intimate tour after asking.

I do feel like that is not the norm, and if it's in your budget I would still recommend the tour because you simply never know what you'll get. On my first tour we went into several soundstages (one of which was filming but on a break) and also got into a foley studio. I remember the lunch being decent and the Express pass is nice for the remainder of the day inside the theme park.

 

[Jerroddragon]

So I went to the park last night and got in around 8:30 PM

MK single rider line was still easily over an hour

Mummy had a long line but when you get up to the loading area they are sending out mostly empty cars. No clue why but the ops for that ride seems very poor compared to over at the Potter area where they load people pretty quick

So just a heads up, Summer is going to be packed no matter what time you go it seems. You used to be able to show up after work even in summer and most nights were pretty easy to walk on almost everything but for now that is a thing of the past with most rides having an hour + line even at 9 PM.

I hope in someway the Nighttime Castle show helps with crowds but...we will see starting this weekend

 

[wutisgood]

Orlando summer seems to be light based on Disney discounts. I would assume there are enough people in the LA market the parks so well weather people are staying close or traveling as other tourists travel in, Add in people traveling in for super Nintendo land.