Universal Orlando August 1 Press Conference

[Parkscope Joe]

I am starting to wonder, if they announce FW this early, could they plan to have this open in 2022?

I've heard there are other reasons why they're announcing it "early".

I’d say 2023, at the earliest.

Spring 2023.

I still don’t understand why everyone seems to think this will take so long. 2023 seems an awful long way out especially for a company that’s had a history of building things faster than normal not slower than normal. Most theme parks have been built in about three years from groundbreaking, we’re already about a year out from the initial groundbreaking. I’ll stick with my late 2021 or early 2022 prediction and we’ll see what happens I guess.

I appreciate your optimism!

 

[Alicia]

I've heard there are other reasons why they're announcing it "early".

Is it my fault? My bad.

 

[Scott W.]

I still don’t understand why everyone seems to think this will take so long. 2023 seems an awful long way out especially for a company that’s had a history of building things faster than normal not slower than normal. Most theme parks have been built in about three years from groundbreaking, we’re already about a year out from the initial groundbreaking. I’ll stick with my late 2021 or early 2022 prediction and we’ll see what happens I guess.

2023 is a long way away but I'm thinking they will want it open in the first half of 2023 for that summer crowd. That's 3 and a half years.

You're talking about 6 months before infrastructure can even start. Roads need to be built along with parking, final grading and all the back of house stuff (Offices and warehouses)

You'll have all the infrastructure which includes plumbing, cooling and electrical, look at Volcano Bay, they spent about a year getting the plumbing done alone. This isn't just infrastructure for a park, this is a fully functioning 21st century park that needs to be future proof for at least 100 years plus any future expansions including a water park, possibly a 4th dry park, multiple resorts, and an entertainment district. I'm also getting the feeling that this will also be a multi level park that also adds a ton of new challenges.

Once it goes vertical, it should be a quick build after that for about 2 years and they have the luxury of not having to restrict building for the 12 hours a day that a park is open to the public.

The problem is that there are a lot of stages and they can't overlap. Add on top of this, you need a ton of labour and designs are still in flux.

Is it my fault? My bad.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

2023 is a long way away but I'm thinking they will want it open in the first half of 2023 for that summer crowd. That's 3 and a half years.

You're talking about 6 months before infrastructure can even start. Roads need to be built along with parking, final grading and all the back of house stuff (Offices and warehouses)

You'll have all the infrastructure which includes plumbing, cooling and electrical, look at Volcano Bay, they spent about a year getting the plumbing done alone. This isn't just infrastructure for a park, this is a fully functioning 21st century park that needs to be future proof for at least 100 years plus any future expansions including a water park, possibly a 4th dry park, multiple resorts, and an entertainment district. I'm also getting the feeling that this will also be a multi level park that also adds a ton of new challenges.

Once it goes vertical, it should be a quick build after that for about 2 years and they have the luxury of not having to restrict building for the 12 hours a day that a park is open to the public.

The problem is that there are a lot of stages and they can't overlap. Add on top of this, you need a ton of labour and designs are still in flux.

Also Orlando just doesn't have enough construction crews for all the projects. Very possible they're booking them as early as they can which means 2023 opening.

 

[Magic-Man]

2023 is a long way away but I'm thinking they will want it open in the first half of 2023 for that summer crowd. That's 3 and a half years.

You're talking about 6 months before infrastructure can even start. Roads need to be built along with parking, final grading and all the back of house stuff (Offices and warehouses)

You'll have all the infrastructure which includes plumbing, cooling and electrical, look at Volcano Bay, they spent about a year getting the plumbing done alone. This isn't just infrastructure for a park, this is a fully functioning 21st century park that needs to be future proof for at least 100 years plus any future expansions including a water park, possibly a 4th dry park, multiple resorts, and an entertainment district. I'm also getting the feeling that this will also be a multi level park that also adds a ton of new challenges.

Once it goes vertical, it should be a quick build after that for about 2 years and they have the luxury of not having to restrict building for the 12 hours a day that a park is open to the public.

The problem is that there are a lot of stages and they can't overlap. Add on top of this, you need a ton of labour and designs are still in flux.

With them announcing the park this early, I kinda doubt that. They're done with designing the major rides and stuff, now they just need to wait on infrastructure.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

With them announcing the park this early, I kinda doubt that. They're done with designing the major rides and stuff, now they just need to wait on infrastructure.

They're not done. Look into the development of DCA or IOA to see how late in development they were still designing things.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I’m not sure why people are surprised with 2023. They’re basically doubling their resort size. Most single lands take 2 years anyways, this is an entire park, hotel, parking structures, road work (id assume), etc. Anyone thinking this is done in 3 years with nothing vertical yet is just too optimistic I fear.

 

[s8film40]

Infrastructure.
Roads have to be built, the park's waterways have to be built. Back of house has to be completed before the park opens. You have multiple rides being built. Transportation to and from the current resort has to be created as well. From Universal's stand point, they just opened Hagrid, and will debut JW and maybe some other stuff at USF to hold down the fort for 3-5 years.

2021?!?

I'd rather wait and get something amazing (or 'Fantastic') in 2023 than get Universal Six flags in 2021.

Maybe if they were just building all basic clones of other attractions but based on the IP's and rumoured level of theming/immersion there is virtually no chance of 2021 IMO.

There’s so much that needs to happen outside of just the park itself (and they can’t even go vertical on the park until quite a bit of infrastructure work is completed).

2023 is a long way away but I'm thinking they will want it open in the first half of 2023 for that summer crowd. That's 3 and a half years.

You're talking about 6 months before infrastructure can even start. Roads need to be built along with parking, final grading and all the back of house stuff (Offices and warehouses)

You'll have all the infrastructure which includes plumbing, cooling and electrical, look at Volcano Bay, they spent about a year getting the plumbing done alone. This isn't just infrastructure for a park, this is a fully functioning 21st century park that needs to be future proof for at least 100 years plus any future expansions including a water park, possibly a 4th dry park, multiple resorts, and an entertainment district. I'm also getting the feeling that this will also be a multi level park that also adds a ton of new challenges.

Once it goes vertical, it should be a quick build after that for about 2 years and they have the luxury of not having to restrict building for the 12 hours a day that a park is open to the public.

The problem is that there are a lot of stages and they can't overlap. Add on top of this, you need a ton of labour and designs are still in flux.

All of these reasons never stopped other parks from being completed within 3 years. I guess I just don’t get why we expect this park to be one of the longest theme park construction projects when Universal has a pattern of moving faster than the norm. I suppose it’s possible this park has unique challenges others haven’t had I guess. Like I said I don’t get it, but either way it’ll be fun to watch over the next few years.

 

[Magic-Man]

All of these reasons never stopped other parks from being completed within 3 years. I guess I just don’t get why we expect this park to be one of the longest theme park construction projects when Universal has a pattern of moving faster than the norm. I suppose it’s possible this park has unique challenges others haven’t had I guess. Like I said I don’t get it, but either way it’ll be fun to watch over the next few years.

Those parks were built 20 years ago.

 

[Scott W.]

With them announcing the park this early, I kinda doubt that. They're done with designing the major rides and stuff, now they just need to wait on infrastructure.

There's a lot of small things in the difference between the model revealed in 97 for IOA and how IOA looked when it opened 18 months later. IOA is announced in the mid 90s and a lot changed between then and construction starting. Until the infrastructure has a completion date, they're not going to commit to a design. They'll know exactly what's going where but until construction starts, anything can change. Technology can improve, new and better ideas can appear, outside factors like the economy or something that effects whatever the IP for that ride is.

All of these reasons never stopped other parks from being completed within 3 years. I guess I just don’t get why we expect this park to be one of the longest theme park construction projects when Universal has a pattern of moving faster than the norm. I suppose it’s possible this park has unique challenges others haven’t had I guess. Like I said I don’t get it, but either way it’ll be fun to watch over the next few years.

What other parks?

IOA took about 3 years from grading starting and was touted as the most 'technologically advanced' park of all time. Adding on 6 more months isn't really a big deal and when you consider the advancements in theme park design over the last decade, expectations for this park are going to be sky high.

 

[s8film40]

Those parks were built 20 years ago.

Sure, I get that. However we’ve watched Universal build entire lands and attractions in very short periods of time. It doesn’t seem modern construction is significantly slower than it was 20 years ago. A full theme park should be even easier to move faster with since everything is built simultaneously and there’s no issue with impacting ongoing park operations.

What other parks?

IOA took about 3 years from grading starting and was touted as the most 'technologically advanced' park of all time.

A similar timeline would have this park opening in 2021. They started grading almost a year ago.

 

[Magic-Man]

Sure, I get that. However we’ve watched Universal build entire lands and attractions in very short periods of time. It doesn’t seem modern construction is significantly slower than it was 20 years ago. A full theme park should be even easier to move faster with since everything is built simultaneously and there’s no issue with impacting ongoing park operations.

A similar timeline would have this park opening in 2021. They started grading almost a year ago.

There's no parking for workers, no plumbing/electricity, and no roads. Not having ongoing park operations is a double-edged sword given the location.

 

[Scott W.]

Sure, I get that. However we’ve watched Universal build entire lands and attractions in very short periods of time. It doesn’t seem modern construction is significantly slower than it was 20 years ago. A full theme park should be even easier to move faster with since everything is built simultaneously and there’s no issue with impacting ongoing park operations.

A similar timeline would have this park opening in 2021. They started grading almost a year ago.

Here's some photos of Islands in February 1996 (3 years 4 months before opening)



They've already started going vertical by this point and even if the new park can get to this stage in 6 months, that's an April 2023 opening following the same schedule.

 

[shiekra38]

Here's some photos of Islands in February 1996 (3 years 4 months before opening)

View attachment 10292 View attachment 10293 View attachment 10294 View attachment 10295 View attachment 10296

They've already started going vertical by this point and even if the new park can get to this stage in 6 months, that's an April 2023 opening following the same schedule.

Holy crap, I rarely see construction photos of IOA before vertical construction...That's awesome

 

[Scott W.]

Holy crap, I rarely see construction photos of IOA before vertical construction...That's awesome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGHyfYKhJN0&list=FLJO6_Hw6q2kWGbvd_pGWuFw&index=2

Go nuts watching this. You'll see them talk about this new park at the end and this was in 1998.

The time (37mins) I've linked to below is not what's going to happen on Thursday.

 

[Stryker]

To think, Disneyland was built in exactly one year's time 64 years ago. I know it's not on the same size and scope of FW, but still, what an amazing and ambitious construction project for its time.

 

[s8film40]

Here's some photos of Islands in February 1996 (3 years 4 months before opening)

Everything I’ve ever read said construction began in ‘97. If they indeed started a full year earlier than I guess that makes sense.

 

[Scott W.]

Everything I’ve ever read said construction began in ‘97. If they indeed started a full year earlier than I guess that makes sense.

That could be when the rides started getting built but there was a lot of work to be done before then.

 

[shiekra38]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGHyfYKhJN0&list=FLJO6_Hw6q2kWGbvd_pGWuFw&index=2

Go nuts watching this. You'll see them talk about this new park at the end and this was in 1998.

The time (37mins) I've linked to below is not what's going to happen on Thursday.

"I think we should be tax exempt we're doing so much for humanity" - Stan Lee, on Islands of Adventure

 

[Teebin]

Hopefully we might learn some cool basic structure of the park. Will it have a giant lagoon outfitted for giant water pageants much like TDS? Will this be designed for and be the goto park for massive fireworks shows? Structure might have us wondering and guessing for months.