New Transport Hub?

[epcyclopedia]

when does work kickoff on the new transport hub amid the garages?

We have a Volcano Bay rather close to opening and no real sign of a way to get there yet.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

when does work kickoff on the new transport hub amid the garages?

We have a Volcano Bay rather close to opening and no real sign of a way to get there yet.

They've been working on it for a while now, there's heavy construction from the north end of the south garage all the way along the I-4 onramp down to the retention pond by Sapphire Falls.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

They just pulled the permits today for the tram although hey have been working on the new additions for a while like Mr Epcot said.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

when does work kickoff on the new transport hub amid the garages?

We have a Volcano Bay rather close to opening and no real sign of a way to get there yet.

The trams will leave the bottom floor of the south garage. As for a new hub more will be coming soon.

 

[epcyclopedia]

The trams will leave the bottom floor of the south garage. As for a new hub more will be coming soon.

I feel like i'm the only person who has seen the bottom floor of the garages in the past few years... They're umm.. uggo.

I cant imagine that is what they want to be the first impression of guests at their brand new park. And it's not just that it's a garage uggo, or even super gross like Stickey and Friends in California (DLR's garage) but rather than it's just overgrown with plants around the edges, the striping is pretty much gone, and there's tons of tire rubber and dust bunnies the size of medium size mammals.

I would think there would be a whole makeover to get it up to snuff.

Long story short, if they started pressure washing it and painting today I might believe it'd be what we'd come to expect as the entry point of a new theme park by the time it is scheduled to open.

As much as we say we can't judge before it opens - if i have to step over old parking space barriers or step around construction walls or there's A-frame temporary signage to direct guests (instead of, not in addition to real signage) on Day 1 I'm allowed to give UC serious side-eye, right?

Just imagine - you step out of your Benz in your best board shorts with your body oiled up for a day of fun at Volcano Bay.. amid the flickering fluorescent lights, the dripping ceiling fluid that could be rain - could be transmission fluid, lest we forget the caustic fumes from the gas powered tram... only to have a dust bunny the size of a tumbleweed saunter up and stick to your rippled sun ready physique.

It aint pretty, and it's not your sexy-self's fault.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

In a wierd way, I'd actually want the WNW project to be more of a proper transportation hub that connects the north and southern properties nicely. It doesn't seem like that they're doing that, but I would've thought that it'd make a hell of a lot more sense (even though I do understand too that UNIVERSAL GETS BOOKED).

 

[snayberry]

Just imagine - you step out of your Benz in your best board shorts with your body oiled up for a day of fun at Volcano Bay.. amid the flickering fluorescent lights, the dripping ceiling fluid that could be rain - could be transmission fluid, lest we forget the caustic fumes from the gas powered tram... only to have a dust bunny the size of a tumbleweed saunter up and stick to your rippled sun ready physique.

It aint pretty, and it's not your sexy-self's fault.

:what:

 

[JoeCamel]

It does not take that long to clean up a parking garage so they have 6 months to do so. Plenty of time. As long as they are not trying the theme it as something other than a parking garage they will be fine but I do think the slip from the Lowes guy will not play out, from what I see they will be hard pressed to get it done by June 1 let alone March 30.

 

[WAJAS]

In a wierd way, I'd actually want the WNW project to be more of a proper transportation hub that connects the north and southern properties nicely. It doesn't seem like that they're doing that, but I would've thought that it'd make a hell of a lot more sense (even though I do understand too that UNIVERSAL GETS BOOKED).

I think we are going to end up with two major North/South transportation hubs and a minor transportation hub for the Wet n' Wild hotels. I don't think we are going to get a HUGE central transportation hub. It doesn't make a lot of sense if you really think about it.

 

[Mad Dog]

I feel like i'm the only person who has seen the bottom floor of the garages in the past few years... They're umm.. uggo.

I cant imagine that is what they want to be the first impression of guests at their brand new park. And it's not just that it's a garage uggo, or even super gross like Stickey and Friends in California (DLR's garage) but rather than it's just overgrown with plants around the edges, the striping is pretty much gone, and there's tons of tire rubber and dust bunnies the size of medium size mammals.

I would think there would be a whole makeover to get it up to snuff.

Long story short, if they started pressure washing it and painting today I might believe it'd be what we'd come to expect as the entry point of a new theme park by the time it is scheduled to open.

As much as we say we can't judge before it opens - if i have to step over old parking space barriers or step around construction walls or there's A-frame temporary signage to direct guests (instead of, not in addition to real signage) on Day 1 I'm allowed to give UC serious side-eye, right?

Just imagine - you step out of your Benz in your best board shorts with your body oiled up for a day of fun at Volcano Bay.. amid the flickering fluorescent lights, the dripping ceiling fluid that could be rain - could be transmission fluid, lest we forget the caustic fumes from the gas powered tram... only to have a dust bunny the size of a tumbleweed saunter up and stick to your rippled sun ready physique.

It aint pretty, and it's not your sexy-self's fault.

There you go. That area could be a Universal attraction of sorts that fits their over riding theme, "And something terrible goes wrong".

 

[fryoj]

I think we are going to end up with two major North/South transportation hubs and a minor transportation hub for the Wet n' Wild hotels. I don't think we are going to get a HUGE central transportation hub. It doesn't make a lot of sense if you really think about it.

Yeah, a central hub would mean to go from the south property to the North property, you'd have to switch busses or whatever there. I think, like you said, a big hub at the south CitiWalk and a single hub for all of the WNW Hotels works best. That way, you can take a bus right from your hotel to wherever you want to go.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Wouldn't security need to be before this area - since there doesn't seem to be room for security screening at Volcano Bay itself?

So in theory you'd arrive, park, go to the current garage hub.. then down in the bowels for transport?

That's gotta suck for the people who park on the lower levels to go up to security and then down to the transportation.

 

[JoeCamel]

With several streams entering the Bae I think they will have their own perimeter for security. Looks like plenty of room for a few tables to check bags at the entrance

 

[WAJAS]

I agree with @JoeCamel. It's probably going to have its own perimeter past at its entrance. I don't think the security perimeter is ever going to include the busses/trams/monorails. Universal South will probably have its own perimeter as well.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I agree with @JoeCamel. It's probably going to have its own perimeter past at its entrance. I don't think the security perimeter is ever going to include the busses/trams/monorails. Universal South will probably have its own perimeter as well.

So how does the signage in the garage look for wayfinding then..?

Does it direct guests across and down as needed? Or does it direct anyone not directly adjacent to it to visit the hub and then go down?

 

[epcyclopedia]

Or are we intentionally parking people for Volcano Bay in one area and those for the other parks in another area?

 

[WAJAS]

Or are we intentionally parking people for Volcano Bay in one area and those for the other parks in another area?

I think this is likely what we get for now. Any other set-up would be too confusing/cumbersome for the typical tourist to navigate using the current infrastructure.

I predict the hub gets a mega-reconstruction very soon to accommodate Volcano Bay and transport through the Wet n Wild property to Universal South.

 

[Joel]

Just imagine - you step out of your Benz in your best board shorts with your body oiled up for a day of fun at Volcano Bay.

wait.. you oil yourself up before getting in your Benz??

 

[Joel]

also, highly unlikely this is the case but..

central hub at WnW property

• I'm talking MASSIVE parking garages to account for all future expansions.
• Monorail to North and South properties from central hub
• An express monorail line that goes between the parks
• old garages get demo'd for future on site hotels

map key:

• RED = expanded city walk / mini transport hub
• ORANGE = new onsite hotel 1
• GREEN = new onsite hotel 2
• BLUE = HUUUUUGE new central transport hub with massive parking garages (I'm talking 10 floors here)
• RED LINES = monorail lines to/from all of the above

 

[JoeCamel]

wait.. you oil yourself up before getting in your Benz??

Keeps the seats supple