- Dec 28, 2009
- 371
- 859
My feeling on the AR is that while cool it leans too far in the "gimmicky" sphere. I can see where Grabnar is coming from in regards to how many people will download and use the app, especially if that's all it does. I don't think every member in a group is going to download the app when they'd probably share the phone while there. And why wasn't this an update added to the main Universal app anyway? It doesn't look like it really needed to be a separate thing.
I also have a small problem with the fact precious showroom space is being used for merchandise. If the goal is to inform guests why weren't the walls covered in information about the rides and synopses about the lands? (No, I don't think telling the guest to download the app/check the site is a sufficient replacement for having physical signage and props.)
The IOA preview center did better in that regard in terms getting the feel of the lands and what to expect as a complete package for a preview; I think that's what some here are talking about when they were expecting more "theme".* It's kind of weird there's a dismissive approach to this with the "new world/different time" angle. The Universal Studios store is right across from this. They could have dedicated retail space there to open along with the preview center at the same time and have more room for information and decoration for the new park.
Do I think the model is amazing? Abso-freaking-lutely!!! I'm sad I was about a day or two off of seeing it in person but I know I'll be gawking at it for a while whenever I'm back there for more time than I probably should. I'm in awe and appreciative of all the people who worked to build it (LINK REMOVED) but model aside, the rest of the preview center appears to lack a similar significance. It's a major milestone for Universal, doesn't happen often, and I believe the building interior should reflect that but perhaps I'm old.
Little touches like that would've made a difference, and I don't think that has anything to do with people being on forums or not.
* Question to people who've been there: do the screens within each portal show information about the park or is it just those still images showing what the land like is within the portal? It doesn't seem like anyone's mentioned any such thing about it so I'm assuming they don't do anything.
I also have a small problem with the fact precious showroom space is being used for merchandise. If the goal is to inform guests why weren't the walls covered in information about the rides and synopses about the lands? (No, I don't think telling the guest to download the app/check the site is a sufficient replacement for having physical signage and props.)
The IOA preview center did better in that regard in terms getting the feel of the lands and what to expect as a complete package for a preview; I think that's what some here are talking about when they were expecting more "theme".* It's kind of weird there's a dismissive approach to this with the "new world/different time" angle. The Universal Studios store is right across from this. They could have dedicated retail space there to open along with the preview center at the same time and have more room for information and decoration for the new park.
Do I think the model is amazing? Abso-freaking-lutely!!! I'm sad I was about a day or two off of seeing it in person but I know I'll be gawking at it for a while whenever I'm back there for more time than I probably should. I'm in awe and appreciative of all the people who worked to build it (LINK REMOVED) but model aside, the rest of the preview center appears to lack a similar significance. It's a major milestone for Universal, doesn't happen often, and I believe the building interior should reflect that but perhaps I'm old.
I think it's a misstep that besides the icon on top they all look the same. Would it have been too much to ask that they could be similarly colored to the real portals? Or display the quoted line from each portal entrance?
Little touches like that would've made a difference, and I don't think that has anything to do with people being on forums or not.
* Question to people who've been there: do the screens within each portal show information about the park or is it just those still images showing what the land like is within the portal? It doesn't seem like anyone's mentioned any such thing about it so I'm assuming they don't do anything.
