Universal's Epic Universe Hotel Speculation

[Eckert]

I also like the idea of a cleaner, less loud resort be where I decompress after a day at the stimulating and exciting new theme park!

 

[jarmor]

So, is the hotel connected to the park a loews hotel?

 

[IzzyB]

It saves them from having to update or from falling out of style as their IPs fade or trends shift. It’s pretty smart imo.

Probably a side effect of the Loews deal more than anything, though.

True fading IPs is an issue. I have to say though one of my best hotel stays was at Legoland. We stayed in the Pirate hotel and it was fully themed as pirates including in the elevators and was a great experience for my kids. They loved being immersed the whole time in that.

 

[Alicia]

So, is the hotel connected to the park a loews hotel?

Yes. All Universal Orlando hotels are loews.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

IP-based hotels are not ideal except for maybe a few IPs. But I can understand why some may find Aventura/Endless and these newer resorts not as exciting compared to Royal Pacific & Portofino. These 2 new ones are clearly a value resort designed to boost Universal's room capacity in the short-term, while they figure out if there's more of a market for more expensive premium rooms later on. Offsite hotels like Gaylord, Marriott, and Evermore (and the upcoming W) offer a pretty good assortment of offerings that make it difficult for Universal to compete.

But I hope they try to create nicer hotels later on with unique themes.

 

[Mad Dog]

Trouble with IP's is fading popularity. Disney just experienced that with their one island at CBR themed to POC. People quit booking that hotel and now they're in the process of retheming all of that Island's rooms.

 

[IzzyB]

Trouble with IP's is fading popularity. Disney just experienced that with their one island at CBR themed to POC. People quit booking that hotel and now they're in the process of retheming all of that Island's rooms.

I do think there are some timeless IPs. Star Wars, Pokemon, Mario, and potentially Harry Potter. Now Disney did the Star Wars hotel completely wrong and I thought it was a joke from the beginning. But you could do an IP hotel correctly in the right price range and sell that out for years to come. Do you see those IPs going anywhere any time soon? I mean Mario has been popular since I was a child and I am old lol

 

[Mad Dog]

I do think there are some timeless IPs. Star Wars, Pokemon, Mario, and potentially Harry Potter. Now Disney did the Star Wars hotel completely wrong and I thought it was a joke from the beginning. But you could do an IP hotel correctly in the right price range and sell that out for years to come. Do you see those IPs going anywhere any time soon? I mean Mario has been popular since I was a child and I am old lol

I think the IP's, and only the super strong ones you mentioned, would be OK for a boutique hotel, but not a large property. Once you heavily IP a hotel, you're limiting the demographic that will book it, so I'd be uneasy with anything over a couple hundred rooms. I think the best of both worlds in large hotels is like the way Universal does it, and strongly theme a few dozen rooms to a specific IP.....I recall a top insider who had access to the Blue Sky planning sources, hearing of a possible small boutique Potter hotel just outside Diagon/HE, but evidently that concept didn't go anywhere.

 

[IzzyB]

I think the IP's, and only the super strong ones you mentioned, would be OK for a boutique hotel, but not a large property. Once you heavily IP a hotel, you're limiting the demographic that will book it, so I'd be uneasy with anything over a couple hundred rooms. I think the best of both worlds in large hotels is like the way Universal does it, and strongly theme a few dozen rooms to a specific IP.....I recall a top insider who had access to the Blue Sky planning sources, hearing of a possible small boutique Potter hotel just outside Diagon/HE, but evidently that concept didn't go anywhere.

Yes I was thinking a couple 100 rooms. I do think it could be profitable if done right. All of my friends with kids love the Legoland hotels and specifically book weekends at the on site hotel property because of the themed hotel rooms.

 

[jarmor]

I think the Legoland hotels work well as they are themed to interesting things WITH a Lego overlay. Pirates, ninjas, girly stuff (lol) and adventure are the themes. Those are classic and timeless themes. I think universal can get away with an "all-stars" type resort they can put you in the environments of some of their most memorable movie locations. but not as cheap/cheesy as the all-stars.

 

[GAcoaster]

@Alicia just keeps cranking out the content!

 

[SkiBum]

Trouble with IP's is fading popularity. Disney just experienced that with their one island at CBR themed to POC. People quit booking that hotel and now they're in the process of retheming all of that Island's rooms.

I think that people also quit booking because the rooms were starting to feel dated. POR's princess rooms, including Tiana, are still popular and have been maintained. Thus, they book pretty fast. If the Pirates rooms at CBR had been maintained, they might have stuck around. Still, with a resort only having a certain section assigned IP, people don't really know about it. When you go to the Wilderness Lodge, the entire resort immerses you. If they had a section of rooms for Humphrey the Bear, Donald Duck, or Chip and Dale, no one would know.

I like the look of the new hotels. I also don't think IP will sell a hotel. The Disney value resorts are popular due to cost and being in the bubble, not because of the theme. Again, just an opinion.

 

[GAcoaster]

Bio delivers with a comparison shot of the hotels with the rendering:

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Pretty impressive that they can probably push these hotels to open next year if it weren't for the road construction. This thing wasn't even up this time last year.

 

[Nico]

We’re getting close to connection:

 

[IzzyB]

Pretty impressive that they can probably push these hotels to open next year if it weren't for the road construction. This thing wasn't even up this time last year.

Late next year at most. You have to remember once exterior is done which they are not even done with they then need to work on interior which takes a long time. They have to do all the walls, painting, install bathrooms, flooring, furniture and complete soft openings. In that many rooms it is going to take a bit.

 

[GAcoaster]

Opening (if it really is the date they posted) is over 14 months away (just for Stella). Even if the road work on Kirkman isn't done, they can be accessed from the completed roads. 14 months is more than enough time to finish the interior.

 

[Alicia]

Can I just say, it’s wild seeing “Stella” written so much.

 

[Legacy]

Can I just say, it’s wild seeing “Stella” written so much.

I go through the same thing when they talk about the Legacy store.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Late next year at most. You have to remember once exterior is done which they are not even done with they then need to work on interior which takes a long time. They have to do all the walls, painting, install bathrooms, flooring, furniture and complete soft openings. In that many rooms it is going to take a bit.

Endless Summer Surfside (more rooms than this one) had just started to paint/complete its exterior 8 months prior to opening in June.



Not saying it's happening, but Universal is more than capable of getting things done quickly. I'm sure they wished they hadn't delayed the road construction portion of the project lol