The Future of PortAventura

[Nick]

I'd simply say go for it, but it's not my money. Comcast has been very aggressive in the theme park space though and this would be another aggressive move. It would also be nice to have yet another theme park within driving distance from a major cruise port, wouldn't it.

One wonders how long until Universal potentially enters the Cruise business because that's just another way to squeeze a bunch of money from people.

 

[Alicia]

Does the $1 billion Euro estimate include the current debt, or would the new owner be on the hook for that in addition to acquisition cost?

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Does the $1 billion Euro estimate include the current debt, or would the new owner be on the hook for that in addition to acquisition cost?

With $650M in debt (in 2020), doubt the price tag of $1B includes it - no way that park costs $300M... Six Flags would have bought it by now. Add in construction costs to add in dark rides, and IPs, and we're looking easily at $5B+ for this project.

Might as well start from scratch if you are spending $1.6B on acquiring it.

 

[Alicia]

Might as well start from scratch

 

[Murcianico]

With $650M in debt (in 2020), doubt the price tag of $1B includes it - no way that park costs $300M... Six Flags would have bought it by now. Add in construction costs to add in dark rides, and IPs, and we're looking easily at $5B+ for this project.

Might as well start from scratch if you are spending $1.6B on acquiring it.

You are counting on them buying the 100% of the resort, but with just the 51% (510M) they can control the resort and let other investors take care of the rest

 

[UniversalRBLX]

You are counting on them buying the 100% of the resort, but with just the 51% (510M) they can control the resort and let other investorst take care of the rest

Right, but I have a feeling Universal is interested in complete ownership. China is an exception due to their laws, and Singapore was a sweet deal for them.

 

[tielo]

Salou (where PortAventura is located) is a well known vacation destination but not one where you take your family.
It's well known for young people, tight on cash, going there to get drunk, party and well you can fill in the rest.
The location isn't right for the destination theme park. There is a reason this destination is a hot potato.

 

[Murcianico]

Salou (where PortAventura is located) is a well known vacation destination but not one where you take your family.
It's well known for young people, tight on cash, going there to get drunk, party and well you can fill in the rest.
The location isn't right for the destination theme park. There is a reason this destination is a hot potato.

As an european, I went to Orlando just for the theme parks and then went to L.A., there aint anything interesting in Florida, just old people awaiting their last day and dumb politicians.

What I mean, when you travel to a resort, you don't care about what happens in the nearest town, you just stay in the resort and the parks.

If you check the other european parks, EuropaPark and PhantasiaLand are near a small town in Germany, Alton Towers is in the middle of nowhere in the UK...

The only one near a major city is Disney and they have been strugling to make a profit for several decades with that park

 

[tielo]

As an european, I went to Orlando just for the theme parks and then went to L.A., there aint anything interesting in Florida, just old people awaiting their last day and dumb politicians.

What I mean, when you travel to a resort, you don't care about what happens in the nearest town, you just stay in the resort and the parks.

If you check the other european parks, EuropaPark and PhantasiaLand are near a small town in Germany, Alton Towers is in the middle of nowhere in the UK...

The only one near a major city is Disney and they have been strugling to make a profit for several decades with that park

I'm from the Netherlands and aware about the theme parks in Europe and their locations. Having nothing in the area is (I think) often a better destination than having a seedy destination or a vibrant city. So in that way you confirm my statement.
If you think Florida has nothing more to offer than a few theme parks you missed out on a lot. Nature, beaches, museums, there is a lot to appreciate when you take the time to venture away from the parks. Above that, senior enjoying life and dumb politicians can be found in every country...

 

[UniversalRBLX]

WDW has proven if you make a really good destination, in the right place, you can make it work. Europe is a bit different since a good chunk of the population depends on public transportation... so you do need to be somewhat close to a major population source to draw Disney/Universal crowds.

 

[Happytycho]

With $650M in debt (in 2020), doubt the price tag of $1B includes it - no way that park costs $300M... Six Flags would have bought it by now. Add in construction costs to add in dark rides, and IPs, and we're looking easily at $5B+ for this project.

Might as well start from scratch if you are spending $1.6B on acquiring it.

If they want a park either way, isn't there significant value in eliminating a major competitor?

And getting preexisting land + infrastructure + planning approval has major value too.

Unless they just don't care about the Spanish market.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

If they want a park either way, isn't there significant value in eliminating a major competitor?

And getting preexisting land + infrastructure + planning approval has major value too.

Unless they just don't care about the Spanish market.

Universal, along with its IP power, doesn't really need to worry about PortAventura. They're known for quality attractions, and if they build and price it right, no need to worry about drawing guests. A new Universal park in Europe would draw enough Brits from the UK every weekend if they built something Potter-related.

As long as they don't go in like Disney expecting WDW numbers from the start, they should be fine.

 

[UER]

The latest rumor in spanish forums is that Universal has hired several DLP employees to work at their future european resort, going as far as giving names, for example Frédéric Boulva would be the replacement for Giovanni Modena, current COO at PortAventura.

Not my information, just sharing what I've seen over there and leaving written proof in case they are right

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I'm still curious about exactly what happened with the Uncharted coaster here. Their promotion material claimed it would contain Universal-level theming, yet it opened in a barely finished state and is mostly just a shuttle through the dark. They did only give it a year of construction, but still.

 

[Nick]

I'm still curious about exactly what happened with the Uncharted coaster here. Their promotion material claimed it would contain Universal-level theming, yet it opened in a barely finished state and is mostly just a shuttle through the dark. They did only give it a year of construction, but still.

I wonder, should Universal buy the park, if it could be fixed to actually be a properly themed coaster or if the type of coaster they chose would limit them.

 

[pablo_es]

I wonder, should Universal buy the park, if it could be fixed to actually be a properly themed coaster or if the type of coaster they chose would limit them.

There are reports that Uncharted will close in January for several months to improve it. Due to the rush to release it and budget cuts it has a lot of room for improvement. Also supposedly it has electrical problems.

Today Port Aventura has put a Harry Potter reference in its Halloween quiz contest.

Made To Scream, Halloween en | PortAventura World

Made To Scream: este año vive Halloween en PortAventura World de una forma más completa gracias a El Loco, La Bruja y Catrina. Participa y gana una experiencia Made To Scream.

join.portaventuraworld.com

 

[paintervision]

There are reports that Uncharted will close in January for several months to improve it.

Interesting. Lines up with the "rushing to sell" mindset.

 

[pablo_es]

Interesting. Lines up with the "rushing to sell" mindset.

In theory, Universal will close the attraction in January. It is known in the park that Universal has already purchased the park. It is a matter of time that is been announced. It probably will happen before the end of the year as they are preparing the ground with news about the sale.

Boulva's hiring has also been leaked. He works at Disneyland Paris. Before that leak, a Disneyland Paris insider from OutsidEarsDLP confirmed that Universal is hiring park staff. They are now officially making references like that Harry Potter one as well.



It is coming

 

[UER]

Rumor says that Boulva will start in PortAventura next month, so not very long until it gets confirmed or debunked

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Then I'll still be here--not believing it until I see actual, concrete proof.