The Future of Wet 'n Wild

[Nick]

I have my money on Wet N Wild not going anywhere in the immediate future.

Well, while it may seem on the surface like it can't hurt to leave it open for a bit, if you're Universal, having two water parks right next to each other is a nightmare. There's no need to operate two water parks. They want people going to Volcano Bay and spending more money for a premium product.

WnW can easily be shut down without anyone really giving two craps. Re-purpose the land for whatever they want to use it for after that point, but having two water parks so close to each other would just be a very stupid decision imo.

 

[blue180]

I think it closes when VB opens.

I guess that would make sense so they can decide what they want to do with that property...just move those employers over to the new park, makes sense.

 

[Nick]

I think it closes when VB opens.

I see that happening as well. Possibly even a bit before to train TMs for Volcano Bay if they wish to move people over.

 

[JungleSkip]

Well, while it may seem on the surface like it can't hurt to leave it open for a bit, if you're Universal, having two water parks right next to each other is a nightmare. There's no need to operate two water parks. They want people going to Volcano Bay and spending more money for a premium product.

WnW can easily be shut down without anyone really giving two f***s. Re-purpose the land for whatever they want to use it for after that point, but having two water parks so close to each other would just be a very stupid decision imo.

Not to mention the press release and blog post really going out of their way to make sure it seems like Wet N Wild doesn't even exist

- - - Updated - - -

I see that happening as well. Possibly even a bit before to train TMs for Volcano Bay if they wish to move people over.

Right. I could see it closing in November/December of 2016 to begin training for the new park to open in April/May

 

[princeinc]

not to mention Universal is actually publicly claiming VB. Lol. They put their name in the name of the park itself as if they are proud of it. The average person doesn't even know Universal owns WnW. They might try to let it just disappear, then you'll get a email of it closing.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Well, while it may seem on the surface like it can't hurt to leave it open for a bit, if you're Universal, having two water parks right next to each other is a nightmare. There's no need to operate two water parks. They want people going to Volcano Bay and spending more money for a premium product.

WnW can easily be shut down without anyone really giving two f***s. Re-purpose the land for whatever they want to use it for after that point, but having two water parks so close to each other would just be a very stupid decision imo.

I sort of think that the fact that they want to charge a premium is an argument to keep Wet N Wild open, actually. If I'm a company, I want to have as many brands as possible to attract the largest client base I can. If Volcano Bay is going to be as inaccessible to non-resort guests as people have been implying, then there's going to be a sort of turn-off factor to those who are looking for an easy day at a waterpark. If you close Wet N Wild, that whole clientele base isn'f just going to automatically convert to Volcano Bay customers, who will be primarily those who are looking for the "premium" product at the premium price you're talking about. Basically, they kill Wet N Wild and they lose a large chunk of customers that's an entirely different demographic. I'm sure there's a chance for some cannibalization but that's also the case with the JW Marriott and Sprinhill Suites and yet Marriott keeps maintaining both.

Not to mention that there's been an aggressive push to bring Wet N Wild up to Universal standards that has yet to slow down, something I don't think would exist if it was going to close within a couple of years.

 

[Nick]

I sort of think that the fact that they want to charge a premium is an argument to keep Wet N Wild open, actually. If I'm a company, I want to have as many brands as possible to attract the largest client base I can. If Volcano Bay is going to be as inaccessible to non-resort guests as people have been implying, then there's going to be a sort of turn-off factor to those who are looking for an easy day at a waterpark. If you close Wet N Wild, that whole clientele base isn'f just going to automatically convert to Volcano Bay customers, who will be primarily those who are looking for the "premium" product at the premium price you're talking about. Basically, they kill Wet N Wild and they lose a large chunk of customers that's an entirely different demographic. I'm sure there's a chance for some cannibalization but that's also the case with the JW Marriott and Sprinhill Suites and yet Marriott keeps maintaining both.

Not to mention that there's been an aggressive push to bring Wet N Wild up to Universal standards that has yet to slow down, something I don't think would exist if it was going to close within a couple of years.

Sure they'll lose a few people, but they can close WnW and build something along the lines of new hotels or a second CityWalk type area and make a lot more money than WnW would as it would have a broader appeal and, if they built a hotel, charging $200+ per room is a lot better than the money they make per person, plus you wouldn't have operating costs and there would be a lot less TMs to pay.

It just makes sense from a money perspective. Sorry if you don't have enough money for VB, but Disney isn't offering people a cheapo water park, why should Universal? Also, I don't see any "aggressive push" at WnW. All they've done is make the place look a little less like a ****hole for the time being. Slides are insanely cheap, these additions are a drop in the bucket for Comcast.

 

[Mad Dog]

Also, Universal may not want the clientele they'd be losing if/when Wet & Wild closes. HP has really solidified the per guest spending aspect of the genre. They're probably looking at a much higher per admission spending customer, ie.; the higher spending former Wet & wild customers along with the for sure higher spending Volcano Bay new customers (onsite hotels, Universal Park customers, WDW customers, etc.). I would also expect a much higher Volcano Bay admission price which would , for all intents & purposes, shut out the low spenders.

 

[*Q*]

Not to mention that there's been an aggressive push to bring Wet N Wild up to Universal standards that has yet to slow down, something I don't think would exist if it was going to close within a couple of years.

I would argue that adding a run-of-the-mill mat slide and a kiddie tower are not an aggressive push to bring the park to "Universal standards," merely band-aids on their poor reputation. The only way to bring Wet 'n Wild up to Universal standards is to turn it into a crater and start over from scratch... which they're doing less than a mile away.

 

[Nick]

I would argue that adding a run-of-the-mill mat slide and a kiddie tower are not an aggressive push to bring the park to "Universal standards," merely band-aids on their poor reputation. The only way to bring Wet 'n Wild up to Universal standards is to turn it into a crater and start over from scratch... which they're doing less than a mile away.

Exactly. The things they've added aren't themed to Universal Standards and cost very little. It's just keeping the place looking decent so just in case someone finds out Universal owns it, it won't make them look as bad

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Alright, I had a whole big, well-thought-out response but then I lost it so here's the gist of it:

1. A new hotel/CityWalk complex is NOT going to have fewer expenses (labor or operational) than a water park. While it probably has much more potential to make money (I'll agree with you there), there is plenty of land currently making Universal $0 that they could optimize revenue opportunities with. Wet N Wild, unlike those empty plots, actually makes money (it is the 4th most attended water park in America, behind the three "premiums" Blizzard/Typhoon/Aquatica).

2. Companies offer different products with different names ALL the time. Like I said before, look at Marriott...is Springhill Suites just another "cheapo" hotel? No, and it doesn't in any way compromise the image of the Ritz-Carlton. It's just Marriott's way of getting the biggest chunk of the pie possible. Now, I don't think Universal would go to the trouble of building a low-end water park to attract more visitors (which is why Disney isn't building "cheapo water parks"), but they already HAVE Wet N Wild. It's already making them money and it's already bringing in clientele that would be lost operating solely Volcano Bay.

3. By aggressive, I dont mean financially but rather timeline-wise. They have been and are to this very day working on small aesthetic improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and better promotion of the park. It's far from being forgotten, as it probably would be if it was gonna be let go in a couple of years. But you guys gotta realize that upgrades and investments come in more forms than just rides and playgrounds and things you can see.

TL;DR: Wet N Wild makes money. It attracts a market Volcano Bay won't. It's already there, would be a hassle to tear down, would be a loss of revenue and a whole demographic (that has helped make it #4 in attendance). *I* personally think it has time. That being said I won't necessarily be surprised if it DOES end up leaving but I think it has legs still.

 

[WAJAS]

I'm sad to see it go as its got some good history. It being the first true water park and all. Hopefully when it does leave they will make it a big deal and dedicate something at the new park to it or in memory to it.

 

[Nick]

I'm sad to see it go as its got some good history. It being the first true water park and all. Hopefully when it does leave they will make it a big deal and dedicate something at the new park to it or in memory to it.

It's not gone yet. It's just on thin ice (as far as i'm concerned at least).

 

[BallyNerve]

there is plenty of land currently making Universal $0 that they could optimize revenue opportunities with.

Unless you're talking something unworkable like replacing the soundstages with a hotel, is there really "plenty" of land to build hotels/CityWalk clones on? Where? I feel like I'm being stupid and missing something obvious.

 

[WAJAS]

Unless you're talking something unworkable like replacing the soundstages with a hotel, is there really "plenty" of land to build hotels/CityWalk clones on? Where? I feel like I'm being stupid and missing something obvious.

He is probably referring to the land Universal owns under and around Wetn Wild. There is a map that shows it on the second post on this thread.

 

[BallyNerve]

But the argument OrlandoGuy was making was that there was land OTHER than that at Wet N Wild that Universal could use - so that discounts the land under Wet N Wild and its parking lot, and they're not going to want to build a resort surrounded by the WNW parking lot, Best Western and Hampton Inn.

 

[Nick]

But the argument OrlandoGuy was making was that there was land OTHER than that at Wet N Wild that Universal could use - so that discounts the land under Wet N Wild and its parking lot, and they're not going to want to build a resort surrounded by the WNW parking lot, Best Western and Hampton Inn.

Well there's all the land on the opposite side of Kirkman... but Universal currently doesn't own any of that.

 

[s8film40]

Well there's all the land on the opposite side of Kirkman... but Universal currently doesn't own any of that.

Perhaps they could use their WNW land to trade for that land?

 

[kimlovesfl]

Well, while it may seem on the surface like it can't hurt to leave it open for a bit, if you're Universal, having two water parks right next to each other is a nightmare. There's no need to operate two water parks. They want people going to Volcano Bay and spending more money for a premium product.

WnW can easily be shut down without anyone really giving two f***s. Re-purpose the land for whatever they want to use it for after that point, but having two water parks so close to each other would just be a very stupid decision imo.

Disney has 2 parks that are relatively close to each other, so why not Universal. I think that Uni will just do a big overhaul of WnW once Volcano Bay opens.

Does anyone know what is going on with the Days Inn property that fronts I4, where the Cracker Barrel used to be, behind the Holiday Inn across from Universal? It is being torn down, and I don't know if that is for I4 expansion, if the hotel is rebuilding, if another property is going there, or if Universal may even own that property and be putting something there.

 

[Nick]

Disney has 2 parks that are relatively close to each other, so why not Universal. I think that Uni will just do a big overhaul of WnW once Volcano Bay opens.

Does anyone know what is going on with the Days Inn property that fronts I4, where the Cracker Barrel used to be, behind the Holiday Inn across from Universal? It is being torn down, and I don't know if that is for I4 expansion, if the hotel is rebuilding, if another property is going there, or if Universal may even own that property and be putting something there.

imo, Disney's water parks service two entirely different parts of their property (much like their two mini-golf courses). These are far too close to each other to serve that type of purpose and keeping it open just for the "low paying customer" is a waste of time imo.