Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[mahnamahna]

If you really want me to break down in nitty gritty detail what makes it bad, I will. I've done it before. (Maybe I'll go dig up one of those old posts and just copy-paste.)

It was an attraction with high ambition that fell apart when it ran out of money to finish its show scenes. It really is just a mess. (Show-wise. AGAIN, as a ride taken on its own terms, it's fun. As a themed attraction... blah.)

Yeah I heard that Dudley was supposed to open Summer 2000 so that they could afford to finish all of the show scenes/theming, but execs kinda forced them to fast track construction to have it ready for opening day

Too bad we'll probably never see Dudley in its unrealized glory

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I like the Hill Valley idea.

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Poorly themed?

I meant the big coasters, can you seriously compare them to Big Thunder or Everest? Or Doom to ToT?

 

[KreativeKid]

What surprises me most is how Dudley has pretty much won the Golden Ticket Award for best water ride in an amusement park consistently for every year since it opened. There is no way it should rank above Splash Mountain. And I'm sure that it only ranks like that because of the drop, but I have been on a water ride (Pilgrims Plunge) that is twice the height of Dudley and still ranks below it.

 

[Bryce]

What surprises me most is how Dudley has pretty much won the Golden Ticket Award for best water ride in an amusement park consistently for every year since it opened. There is no way it should rank above Splash Mountain. And I'm sure that it only ranks like that because of the drop, but I have been on a water ride (Pilgrims Plunge) that is twice the height of Dudley and still ranks below it.

It seems like those Golden Ticket Awards are more thrill oriented. Don't they name Cedar Point the best theme park practically every year? I can tell you that it isn't because of the park itself... It's about the coasters.

There is no way that Dudley is better than Splash Mountain. From the thrill perspective, sure. But from the theming and storytelling perspective, Splash Mountain destroys Dudley. Just my opinion.

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

As much as I love theming. In the end I will pick major thrill over anything. I think lol

 

[TylerDurden]

These parks aren't a destination, but are a hang out spot for teens that live within a 4 hour radius (I guess you can consider Cedar Point a destination, but it really does continue to be mostly a locally visited park). A park like this would not be successful in the Orlando area.

You could even argue that besides just roller coasters, Cedar Point is a destination because of the beach and its relaxing lakeside vibe when you stay at the resorts. If you took Cedar Point off the peninsula and in Cincinnati, the draw may not even be there.

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

You could even argue that besides just roller coasters, Cedar Point is a destination because of the beach and its relaxing lakeside vibe when you stay at the resorts. If you took Cedar Point off the peninsula and in Cincinnati, the draw may not even be there.

No draw for Cedar Point? That sounds insane.

 

[Nick]

Because there is still a large contingent of Orlando visitors that won't even give Uni the time of day because of rides like Hulk. Making an entire park of those kind of rides won't help.

Yes, but if BGT was dropped in Orlando, it would do 5.5-6 million easy. BGT is a different kind of thrill park. Nicely themed for the most part with things for all ages. You put it in Orlando, DAK's numbers fall tremendously (as well as Sea World) and BGT gains big.

 

[JungleSkip]

Yes, but if BGT was dropped in Orlando, it would do 5.5-6 million easy. BGT is a different kind of thrill park. Nicely themed for the most part with things for all ages. You put it in Orlando, DAK's numbers fall tremendously (as well as Sea World) and BGT gains big.

But BG has the animal angle to back it up.

 

[USO92]

Busch, for me, doesn't have a lot of filler rides in between the coasters and animals. But the animals definitely fill that space where those filler rides would normally be and thats what makes it cool for me. I could spend about the same amount of time looking and watching the animals as I could riding the coasters over and over. Not to mention that BGT has quite the diverse selection of coasters. no park in florida has a B&M, Inverted, Launch, Floorless drop, and a dueling wooden coaster in the same park.

BGT is definitely in my top 5 favorite theme parks so I certainly hope they can get the love and money they deserve

 

[STL]

I agree totally, NBT and JS, on all accounts. JS really needs a sarcasm button for full effect. I really enjoy BG but we only squeeze it in every few trips because of it's proximity to Orlando. I think if it was within 20 miles of either Disney or Universal it would gain significantly and make people look at DAK in a different light.

 

[STL]

I will also state that Cedar Point does have a unique setting and is pretty high on my list, for obvious reasons. But at the same time, I feel you could put that park anywhere and it would draw people. I bet Iowa wishes they would have thought of it first! :smiley:

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

I wish Cedar Point was right near Universal Orlando!

 

[Disneyhead]

What I would like to see happen with the Busch parks is that Cedar Fair buy BGW and Universal buy BGT. Let Cedar Fair plus BGW and Universal use all the ride parts (coasters/flat rides) from BGT to build up a 3rd gate here in town. Sell what is left of BGT to become the Tampa Zoo.

 

[Clive]

What I would like to see happen with the Busch parks is that Cedar Fair buy BGW and Universal buy BGT. Let Cedar Fair plus BGW and Universal use all the ride parts (coasters/flat rides) from BGT to build up a 3rd gate here in town. Sell what is left of BGT to become the Tampa Zoo.

I know I'll get stoned for this, but the only rides I feel are worth saving from Busch (since Gwazi is a nogo) are Cheetah Hunt, Montu, and MAYBE Sheikra. (I know, I know, I "forgot" Kumba... or I just consider it a rough headbanger. Meh.)

 

[Hatetofly]

I know I'll get stoned for this, but the only rides I feel are worth saving from Busch (since Gwazi is a nogo) are Cheetah Hunt, Montu, and MAYBE Sheikra. (I know, I know, I "forgot" Kumba... or I just consider it a rough headbanger. Meh.)

Maybe Sheikra and not Kumba?! WTF! :yikes:

 

[Rwberger]

While it would be desirable, I don't see Cedar Fair buying BG Williamsburg, DH. They already own Kings Dominion,which is only about an hour and a half away. I'd love to see Universal buy both parks, but I don't realistically think that will happen.

 

[Disneyhead]

Cedar Point and Kings Island are pretty close together.

And I can't see how cornering the market in VA would be bad for Cedar Fair.

 

[Rwberger]

Anything is possible. But Kings Dominion was definitely a good match for the Cedar Fair profile. It was already known as a coaster park, and it had a fair amount of open land on which to build more. I actually think the speculation that Cedar Fair would enter the Florida market is quite interesting. A Cedar Point style park in Orlando would be an interesting and complimentary draw vs. the highly themed Disney and Universal offerings. I could see a fair number of people adding a day to their trips to stop by, and it would certainly be attractive for Cedar Fair to have a park that could operate all year long.

 

[JungleSkip]

What I would like to see happen with the Busch parks is that Cedar Fair buy BGW and Universal buy BGT. Let Cedar Fair plus BGW and Universal use all the ride parts (coasters/flat rides) from BGT to build up a 3rd gate here in town. Sell what is left of BGT to become the Tampa Zoo.

I doubt CF would be interested in buying BGW when they have a park (virtually) down the street in King's Dominion that pulls from the same customer base.

EDIT: I see I missed the other posts. I just don't see Ouimet making this kind of move.

 

[TylerDurden]

No draw for Cedar Point? That sounds insane.

Of course there would be a draw, but part of it's appeal is definitely it's location. Magic Mountain has more roller coasters, many of them just as good as what Cedar Point has to offer, but it pulls less people.. Maybe read posts a little more carefully :thumbs: