2017 Holidays at Universal - New Wizarding World Holidays

[Nick]

I see IOA already starting some of the 6pm closures next month to 7pm. Still not gonna cut it considering they're selling a nighttime experience that as of right now everyone will have... what... an hour and a half to witness?

7 is WAYYYYYY too early for IOA to be closing when they're advertising a new Potter Nighttime show.

Like others have said, 9 should be the earliest it closes.

 

[Alicia]

Hot Takes:

• Hogwarts projection show is amazing. Best use of the technology I've seen. Hopefully a 6-minute show every 20 minutes helps with crowd control. AP preview went smoothly.
• Really enjoyed Celestina Warbeck Christmas show. Songs may not be quite as catchy as the originals, but choreography and vocals are top-notch. Decor in Diagon and London fits the atmosphere, very believable.
  
• Blues Brothers Christmas Show hasn't changed in a decade, but why mess with perfection? My favorite holiday experience in Orlando.
• Macy's Parade looks great. I like the new balloons and the floats. That soundtrack is basically Muzak tho. Soft classical interpretations of Christmas standards don't fit the park or the IPs represented, give the dancers nothing to dance to. Really need to add some songs with a pulse. Also, not sure if an opening night glitch, but Santa stopped and the tree just sort of turned on--no countdown, no fanfare, no Rockettes.The pieces for a great parade are in place, just need to tweek it.

Santa's microphone was off. For the media preview he was too quiet. For last night's first public parade, no Santa mike at all until he started moving again down the street. He did his countdown to the tree lighting and said all kinds of things (I saw his mouth moving on my video in close up)... but no one could hear a word. Unfortunately. Hope they get that worked out.

 

[Mad Dog]

Just checking out Portofino 2018 for those usually first two slow weeks in December. Many of the calendar combinations already are unavailable for garden view (lowest price) rooms. I think I'm going to book for Dec. 2018 today before availability, and maybe increased prices next year, becomes an issue. I always get a free room upgrade with my You First Lowes Rewards so there's no sense paying extra for the bay view rooms, since I end up with one anyway. I'm thinking those low crowds in early December will be a thing of the past with these expanded holiday offerings and possibly more next year added.

 

[Andysol]

Umm.. it's busy..

Looks like 2010 all over again, at least for the Hogsmeade area.

The one downfall of the show was the crowds. The area is very clearly not designed for show viewing at all. If they want to make this a year-round show, they really need to build some dedicated viewing areas by the former D.C. queue.

I’ve said, since they announced this, that the crowds were going to be 2010 Hogsmeade levels and just a cluster. As the crowds grow, it’ll only get worse.

That’s why I was for moving Hippogriff and creating a true viewing area. Address two areas- one, the crowds, a major one. In particular if you plan on having projection shows during the summer and rest of the year. In addition, the bonus is you gain the higher capacity and smoother/next gen Mack version that USH has while giving us a more cohesive area. And it’s a minimal cost In the scope of the FF project.
How can I anticipate these things, but UOR management can’t?

 

[Mad Dog]

I’ve said, since they announced this, that the crowds were going to be 2010 Hogsmeade levels and just a cluster. As the crowds grow, it’ll only get worse.

That’s why I was for moving Hippogriff and creating a true viewing area. Address two areas- one, the crowds, a major one. In particular if you plan on having projection shows during the summer and rest of the year. In addition, the bonus is you gain the higher capacity and smoother/next gen Mack version that USH has while giving us a more cohesive area. And it’s a minimal cost In the scope of the FF project.
How can I anticipate these things, but UOR management can’t?

You read IU religiously, they (Universal Execs) don't.

 

[darkridelover]

From what I understand starting in the next few weeks Universal will be testing unique evening character dining experiences during Dec-Feb in hopes of building more robust night time offerings year round to keep the parks open later.

 

[captainmoch]

7 is WAYYYYYY too early for IOA to be closing when they're advertising a new Potter Nighttime show.

Like others have said, 9 should be the earliest it closes.

Seriously. They're charging MK-level prices for these parks when they rarely are open up until 9pm, which is the EARLIEST MK closes. It's honestly ridiculous, IMO. It's come to attention for me recently because I'm planning a family day at the parks early next month, choosing what our priorities are, what order we'll do it, etc., and planning around a stinkin' 7pm closure in December is the worst.

 

[Nick]

I’ve said, since they announced this, that the crowds were going to be 2010 Hogsmeade levels and just a cluster. As the crowds grow, it’ll only get worse.

That’s why I was for moving Hippogriff and creating a true viewing area. Address two areas- one, the crowds, a major one. In particular if you plan on having projection shows during the summer and rest of the year. In addition, the bonus is you gain the higher capacity and smoother/next gen Mack version that USH has while giving us a more cohesive area. And it’s a minimal cost In the scope of the FF project.
How can I anticipate these things, but UOR management can’t?

Lower lever management predicts these things, but their opinions often don't get taken as seriously as they should.

 

[darkridelover]

Seriously. They're charging MK-level prices for these parks when they rarely are open up until 9pm, which is the EARLIEST MK closes. It's honestly ridiculous, IMO. It's come to attention for me recently because I'm planning a family day at the parks early next month, choosing what our priorities are, what order we'll do it, etc., and planning around a stinkin' 7pm closure in December is the worst.

Could be worse. You could pay that price to get into Hollywood Studios for 4 rides.

 

[Alicia]

Times are usually set based on how long it takes to do most major attractions.

It takes a lot longer to do the major attractions at MK than IOA. Even with these crowds most lines did not exceed 40 mins for all of the major rides at UO yesterday, meaning you could get everything done by the time the park closes.

Yea, I wish it was open later too, but it doesn't really need to be.

 

[awhen]

What is the difference between a standard projector and a laser projector? Too, I would think if you want to know what projectors are used you could just ask.

The light source is the main difference. Lamps for standard projector, lasers for laser projectors. Lasers can by RGB or hybrid. Hybrids have a blue laser that excites a yellow phosphor disc to create a white light, which goes through your standard prism/notch filter to get red green and blue. The RGB lasers are what it sounds like... red green and blue lasers as the light source.

 

[captainmoch]

Could be worse. You could pay that price to get into Hollywood Studios for 4 rides.

I mean, I agree, but you can compare anything to DHS to make it look better. It's not exactly the highest standard.

Times are usually set based on how long it takes to do most major attractions.

It takes a lot longer to do the major attractions at MK than IOA. Even with these crowds most lines did not exceed 40 mins for all of the major rides at UO yesterday, meaning you could get everything done by the time the park closes.

Yea, I wish it was open later too, but it doesn't really need to be.

I think that's possibly true now, but:
1) 90% of tickets sold nowadays are park to park tickets. And considering the Hogwarts Express can take up at least an hour of your day, that limits what you can do in one day when park-hopping.
2) Once Ministry of Magic, Secret Life of Pets, T2 replacement, and especially Super Nintendo World open, I'm not sure that will all fit in one day. These hours aren't great now, but I think if they don't change them in a few years it'll be much worse.

 

[Alicia]

I mean, I agree, but you can compare anything to DHS to make it look better. It's not exactly the highest standard.

I think that's possibly true now, but:
1) 90% of tickets sold nowadays are park to park tickets. And considering the Hogwarts Express can take up at least an hour of your day, that limits what you can do in one day when park-hopping.
2) Once Ministry of Magic, Secret Life of Pets, T2 replacement, and especially Super Nintendo World open, I'm not sure that will all fit in one day. These hours aren't great now, but I think if they don't change them in a few years it'll be much worse.

1: If you buy a park hopper ticket at Disney World the bus/monorail/boat takes about an hour of your day. And they don't expect you to do every ride at Epcot and Magic Kingdom if you're hopping to both.
2: Yea, they'll adjust hours if they add too many new rides. (Or they'll hope the virtual line thing starts working so they won't have to.)

Also, I said "Most" "Major" attractions. No park under any circumstances is open long enough to do every single show/ride/attraction. But you should be able to hit most of the main ones in a day.

 

[bob albert]

No park under any circumstances is open long enough to do every single show/ride/attraction.

That is... not at all true.

 

[Viator]

That is... not at all true.

Actually, I will concur with Alicia; depending on which park and how long you stay in a particular section of said park.

That's not the case for EVERY park, but it is the case for quite a few of them.

 

[Imperius]

Actually, I will concur with Alicia; depending on which park and how long you stay in a particular section of said park.

That's not the case for EVERY park, but it is the case for quite a few of them.

Except DHS.

 

[Alicia]

Except DHS.

I was going to say except DHS, but if you actually watch every single show you can fill a whole day, even there. Supposing you arrive 30 mins prior to showtime for the larger shows as instructed in the times guide you could certainly fill a day with Frozen Sing a Long, Indiana Jones Stunt Show, Beauty and the Beast Live, Little Mermaid, Disney Junior Live, both Star Wars films, Muppet Vision 3D, both Star Wars street shows, Fantasmic and/or whatever nighttime show they have going on, plus of course the 4 existing rides. And allow time for meals/snacks, walk-through exhibits like One Man's Dream and Launch Bay, meet and greets and you got yourself a pretty full day. It's not the most fun day, but still a full one nonetheless.

EDIT: I should add though, I was only originally talking about Universal's logic for closing so early, not Disney's for staying open so late. I'm sure Disney has their own logic, and it likely includes the fact that they serve dinner every night at their parks.Universal doesn't really focus on that, instead sending everyone to CityWalk for dinner.

 

[WAJAS]

I’ll explain it later, but the way they are pacing the crowds for the show is contributing to the really short lines for Forbidden Journey and Hippogriff.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Really impressed with the Hogwarts show.....


I have never made a trip to Florida during the holidays, crowds and not so warm weather have put me off, but from what I am seeing this year I am starting to consider it.

Well Done Universal :thumbsup:

You really should make it a point one year to come over during the holiday time. Weather is still warm in the day and cool in the evening and the seeing all the holiday stuff really does make it that much more magical

 

[Hockeyman55]

How about this: all the decorations and upgrades need to be designed for hurricanes and bad weather. Way more expensive than just stringing up garland and lights like in Japan.

Wouldn't it really be the same over in Japan with them getting typhoons?