Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[Mad Dog]

One point to consider. Basically a transport system only needs to move the onsite hotel guests between the two areas. The other guests, locals and offsite hotel guests, can travel the way they did in the past, via car or hotel shuttle.

 

[fryoj]

One point to consider. Basically a transport system only needs to move the onsite hotel guests between the two areas. The other guests, locals and offsite hotel guests, can travel the way they did in the past, via car or hotel shuttle.

The only slight disagreement I'd have with that would be convention people. If they walk over to the new citiwalk, and see there is a different restaurant at the other one they want to go to, they should be able to use the transportation to get there.

Also, you have to consider that Uni sells vacation packages to people with offsite hotels. Can't exclude them either. If they want to use the transport, you need to let them.

But other than that, yeah, you don't need to account for others.

 

[blue180]

I mean i think logistically, it makes sense to have a monorail type system. If they plan to increase their overall hotel footprint, that means more are staying on property and who would want to bounce back and forth between the areas. I just feel like buses are an inefficient method

 

[WAJAS]

A stop at the convention center would make the monorail (I'd rather call it elevated rail at this point) much more plausible.

I doubt we see the Kirkman extension being realigned UNLESS Universal proposes a viable realignment as part of the the development of that property.

 

[Stitch_101]

Also, you have to consider that Uni sells vacation packages to people with offsite hotels. Can't exclude them either. If they want to use the transport, you need to let them.

I don't think Universal would be at all worried about vacation package buyers who stay off site. I mean, currently the people who buy a package and stay offsite have to use the hotels shuttle service like everyone else or drive and don't have access to Universal bus service (at least that's my experience from the 3 different ones I've stayed in), and I don't see that changing if a monorail were to go in.

And to top that off with, once Universal has a comfortable amount of their own hotels built in the area, I could see them phasing out their partnership with offsite hotels in vacation packages. It wouldn't be for a while, and it may not be ALL, but with enough if there own hotels it only makes sense.

 

[Nico]

I would assume a company like Comcast would do their due diligence with the county and city before even contemplating a purchase, let alone going to contract. They have it figured it and have for a while. With all the money Comcast is been pumping in, I'm sure they'll be able to get with things we couldn't have dreamed of before.

 

[Mad Dog]

I don't think Universal would be at all worried about vacation package buyers who stay off site. I mean, currently the people who buy a package and stay offsite have to use the hotels shuttle service like everyone else or drive and don't have access to Universal bus service (at least that's my experience from the 3 different ones I've stayed in), and I don't see that changing if a monorail were to go in.

And to top that off with, once Universal has a comfortable amount of their own hotels built in the area, I could see them phasing out their partnership with offsite hotels in vacation packages. It wouldn't be for a while, and it may not be ALL, but with enough if there own hotels it only makes sense.

Yes, I think you're right on that assumption. I've always thought that Universal would ultimately phase out the partnership deals once they built more rooms. And those partnerships now do their own shuttles as you said.

 

[Scott W.]

Personally, I've never stay on site nor close enough off site to walk to the parks or CityWalk. I've always drove since I can't stand getting a bus since they're always mobbed after the parks shut and it's the last thing I want to do after a long day. I've also never had a serious night out in CityWalk because I've had the car.

If a transit system was made that allowed me to get to the parks and CityWalk, I'd be all over it but even they had a stop at the Wet n Wild plot, I'd seriously consider staying a hotel in walking distance to it.

The problem is, I don't see a way Universal can enforce that everybody getting on, will be using it for the parks or CityWalk unless their properties are the only stops. Sure they can use park tickets as a form of making sure but there will be plenty of people who will just want to go for a meal and this will exclude them if they're not going to a park.

I think the sensible stops to include, would be the current location, Wet n Wild plot, convention centre and the new land. I think any other stops on Universal Blvd would allow people near the stops to simply jump on and off as they please without going near any of Universal's properties plus adding more stops would lead to longer transport times and cost extra money.

Having a stop at the convention centre has several pros, mainly being that you have the ability to attract massive crowds with easy access. Sure they could have gone before but this makes things much easier. It's free, direct and fast. The idea of going to the Hard Rock for a quick lunch would be a realistic idea now.

A big downside to this though might be that Universal could lose a lot of money from parking.

 

[Teebin]

Does Universal even have partnerships with Doubletree any longer? I thought those fizzled out a long time ago.

 

[ChrisFL]

I think we should remember that since Universal USED to own this property plus about 1,500 more acres, AND the road that is called "Universal Blvd" wasn't before they bought all of that land. The road was expanded because of Universal. I'm sure they already had plans about how to transport people from before.

 

[fryoj]

Uni is still selling packages at off site hotels on their website. Until that changes, they would have to account for those people.

Say a family buys a package through universal Takes that hotels shuttle to the current resort. Goes to the park, but then decides they want to go to the new resort. They go to get on the monorail/bus/whatever, and are told they can't use it, they have to take their hotel shuttle. I don't think I'd want to be working the customer service booth that day...

 

[Stitch_101]

Uni is still selling packages at off site hotels on their website. Until that changes, they would have to account for those people.

Say a family buys a package through universal Takes that hotels shuttle to the current resort. Goes to the park, but then decides they want to go to the new resort. They go to get on the monorail/bus/whatever, and are told they can't use it, they have to take their hotel shuttle. I don't think I'd want to be working the customer service booth that day...

I think my point may have gotten a little muddled with how I said it

My point was that Universal isn't going to concern itself with catering to offsite guests, including vacation package holders, in planning a transportation system. I don't think they would bar anyone from using it to travel between the parks, but they most likely wouldn't have (or at least want) any deticated off resort stops. So any offsite vacation holders would have to drive or shuttle to the park itself before having access to the monorail... You know, if it ever actually happened.

 

[fryoj]

I think my point may have gotten a little muddled with how I said it

My point was that Universal isn't going to concern itself with catering to offsite guests, including vacation package holders, in planning a transportation system. I don't think they would bar anyone from using it to travel between the parks, but they most likely wouldn't have (or at least want) any deticated off resort stops. So any offsite vacation holders would have to drive or shuttle to the park itself before having access to the monorail... You know, if it ever actually happened.

Oh I agree with that completely. If Uni is footing the bill, the only places it will stop are Uni resorts unless the only way it can get approval is to have additional stops. I could see a convention center stop if they can make it feasible, and clearly they would extend it to meet that monorail deal that was discussed to go from the Airport to the convention center. But other than that, yeah there is no way they'd willingly have it stop anywhere else.

 

[misterID]

Disney's philosophy is to keep all guests on property and give them no reason to leave (they've screwed up on that, letting UNI eat their lunch on building new rides). I think UNI would have the same line of thinking. No way they would have their transportation stop, advertise or even point out anything that didn't directly benefit UNI.

 

[quinnmac000]

I disagree. There is still a reason Universal is still part of the Flex ticket deal and still has other hotel partnerships. I think it would be more so catering towards Universal but I don't see them ostracizing outsiders due to the main reason that even if people use it to leave, they can still use it for Universal as well. It could easily bring more people into Citywalk than before...(I.E those saying at hotels offsite will be more likely to visit without having to deal with parking)

But speaking about third park, I have a strong feeling there will be an OZ presence in the park. Especially with NBCUniversal owning both the rights to The Wiz and Wicked. #syenergy

 

[Lucas C]

Just to get back quickly on the skyplex subject :huh:.
Is that the promoters already have the 500 millions into there's pockets or they are actually looking for investor ?
Because some people say the project was already pushed to 2018 to find investors, so, actually, is this project is sure to be completed or not ?

 

[Scott W.]

I disagree. There is still a reason Universal is still part of the Flex ticket deal and still has other hotel partnerships. I think it would be more so catering towards Universal but I don't see them ostracizing outsiders due to the main reason that even if people use it to leave, they can still use it for Universal as well. It could easily bring more people into Citywalk than before...(I.E those saying at hotels offsite will be more likely to visit without having to deal with parking)

But speaking about third park, I have a strong feeling there will be an OZ presence in the park. Especially with NBCUniversal owning both the rights to The Wiz and Wicked. #syenergy

A permanent Wicked show would be amazing in CityWalk. Given the amount of room they'll have at the new land, I think having a show or two would be a great addition. Dinner and a show, can't go wrong with that.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

But speaking about third park, I have a strong feeling there will be an OZ presence in the park. Especially with NBCUniversal owning both the rights to The Wiz and Wicked. #syenergy

Funny enough, I've been conducting a list of IPs that they could go for that are fesible;

~Fantastic Beasts
~Nintendo
~Oz
~Sanrio (Hello Kitty & Friends)
~Battlestar Galactica
~Jurassic World
~Illuminations Library
~The Universal Classic Monsters
~LOTR (If WB wins the court case to happen for being able to do stuff in theme parks with it)
~Star Trek (may be dated by time park opens but it could work)

That being said..if they get the land, will we hear an announcement made about it or will it just be quiet? As I can't think they'd be not talking about it. Maybe until the Q1 Financial meeting of 2016, that I could see as a leak much like how Kong got leaked.

 

[Scott W.]

Funny enough, I've been conducting a list of IPs that they could go for that are fesible;

~Fantastic Beasts
~Nintendo
~Oz
~Sanrio (Hello Kitty & Friends)
~Battlestar Galactica
~Jurassic World
~Illuminations Library
~The Universal Classic Monsters
~LOTR (If WB wins the court case to happen for being able to do stuff in theme parks with it)
~Star Trek (may be dated by time park opens but it could work)

That being said..if they get the land, will we hear an announcement made about it or will it just be quiet? As I can't think they'd be not talking about it. Maybe until the Q1 Financial meeting of 2016, that I could see as a leak much like how Kong got leaked.

I don't think Star Trek is that dated. I'm sure there will be more films in the pipeline.

As for when this could be announced? I'd say no more than 2 years before the park opens if it's anything like Islands.

There will no doubt be leaks and construction will start well before there is an announcement.

 

[JungleSkip]

As for when this could be announced? I'd say no more than 2 years before the park opens if it's anything like Islands.

There will no doubt be leaks and construction will start well before there is an announcement.

I don't agree at all. With a park there's going to be too much out there. You'll get an announcement well before it opens