Universal's Epic Universe Construction Thread

[fryoj]

They seemed to be moving to somewhat later hours the two years before covid. Since covid though, they've returned to their old habits of lots of early closings, and not just for parties. I've always thought their earlier than Disney closings were an effort to divert that late business to Citywalk and the really good hotel restaurants, besides saving a couple hours of daily labor costs in the parks.

It's possible. But I'd think that keeping them in the park where they are a captive audience would be better than forcing them out and hoping they stay in citiwalk isn't the best strategy. That mob of people heading to the parking garage aren't spending any more money with uni that day.

 

[Brian G.]

They seemed to be moving to somewhat later hours the two years before covid. Since covid though, they've returned to their old habits of lots of early closings, and not just for parties. I've always thought their earlier than Disney closings were an effort to divert that late business to Citywalk and the really good hotel restaurants, besides saving a couple hours of daily labor costs in the parks.

It's possible. But I'd think that keeping them in the park where they are a captive audience would be better than forcing them out and hoping they stay in citiwalk isn't the best strategy. That mob of people heading to the parking garage aren't spending any more money with uni that day.

We got to CityWalk from Stella last Wed around 9 and it was a ghost town. I just don’t think the demand is there for it in the slower months.

(Though closing at 7 on MLK Weekend isn’t great either)

 

[Mad Dog]

We generally go during moderate to slow times. Often we'll sit at the breakfast shop tables close to Confisco, with a drink in hand, and people watch the crowd leaving IOA in its last 45-60 minutes before closing. Damn, its a never ending dense stream of people walking past us to exit the park. There are still many thousands walking out at that closing hour. I've always thought that Universal doesn't give later hours , outside of max crowd seasons, a real chance, especially now with so many on site hotel rooms and a captive audience. I could understand back in the day with only 3 on site hotels. It takes a good while to get guests acclimated to the idea that the parks are open to 9:00 PM, instead of 7:00 PM. That acclimation doesn't happen overnight, or even over 6 months. And the early closures make it difficult for local AP ers to attend on work weekdays. Probably why Saturdays are all so crowded with locals leading the way. Nearly every Saturday, even during slow seasons, are max crowded. Basically ,it's my opinion that Universal needs to realize its a new ballgame with three parks coming and so many on site hotel rooms loaded with tourists on weekdays....And the two parks, especially IOA, are absolutely stunning in the dark of day, all lit up.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

We got to CityWalk from Stella last Wed around 9 and it was a ghost town. I just don’t think the demand is there for it in the slower months.

(Though closing at 7 on MLK Weekend isn’t great either)

To be fair, last week was cold and rainy. This past weekend the parks were jam-packed (all of them, not just Universal for RTU).

We generally go during moderate to slow times. Often we'll sit at the breakfast shop tables close to Confisco, with a drink in hand, and people watch the crowd leaving IOA in its last 45-60 minutes before closing. Damn, its a never ending dense stream of people walking past us to exit the park. There are still many thousands walking out at that closing hour. I've always thought that Universal doesn't give later hours , outside of max crowd seasons, a real chance, especially now with so many on site hotel rooms and a captive audience. I could understand back in the day with only 3 on site hotels. It takes a good while to get guests acclimated to the idea that the parks are open to 9:00 PM, instead of 7:00 PM. That acclimation doesn't happen overnight, or even over 6 months. And the early closures make it difficult for local AP ers to attend on work weekdays. Probably why Saturdays are all so crowded with locals leading the way. Nearly every Saturday, even during slow seasons, are max crowded. Basically ,it's my opinion that Universal needs to realize its a new ballgame with three parks coming and so many on site hotel rooms loaded with tourists on weekdays.

Can't agree more. Universal hasn't given guests, mainly locals, the opportunity to get acclimated to later park closures. I don't even have to compare the parks to a WDW park, since IOA is always busy to park close nowadays.

 

[Brian G.]

To be fair, last week was cold and rainy. This past weekend the parks were jam-packed (all of them, not just Universal for RTU).

That's all well and good except 95% of people don't book vacations when the 7-day weather forecast comes out...

MLK and RTU definitely brought in crowds, but the week in-between was slow.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'm sticking with my opinion that the 'campus' design of the present Universal Resort with hotels and CityWalk, all in close walking and/or transportation distance to each other, has a lot to do with Universal management closing their parks earlier than WDW (except for AK). Actually, this design is what I like most about Universal. It's really an all in one concept as opposed to individual entities. So, while I'd prefer at least one of the two parks to have an overall late closing, it really doesn't bother me much. Generally we just walk out of the park and spend some time at CityWalk or go over to one of the fine restaurant/bars of the hotel resorts. Even our occasional sit down dinners are quite often spent outside of the park, and then a return to the park before closing. That said, Epic is going to be a vacation planning major change, since it creates a WDW type situation. I'm going to love Epic, but I'll probably spend most of my long Universal vacations at IOA & Studios and those on site hotels due to the location/location/location situation. When I go to Epic it will be long days like we do with WDW parks, while generally we just spend 5 to 7 hr. days at IOA and Studios and the rest of the day at the hotel pools/bars/restaurants and CityWalk......Now, in the future, everything might change if Universal constructs a CityWalk type venue and another park adjacent to Epic. That would be a planning gamechanger.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I'm sticking with my opinion that the 'campus' design of the present Universal Resort with hotels and CityWalk, all in close walking and/or transportation distance to each other, has a lot to do with Universal management closing their parks earlier than WDW (except for AK). Actually, this design is what I like most about Universal. It's really an all in one concept as opposed to individual entities. So, while I'd prefer at least one of the two parks to have an overall late closing, it really doesn't bother me much. Generally we just walk out of the park and spend some time at CityWalk or go over to one of the fine restaurant/bars of the hotel resorts. Even our occasional sit down dinners are quite often spent outside of the park, and then a return to the park before closing. That said, Epic is going to be a vacation planning major change, since it creates a WDW type situation. I'm going to love Epic, but I'll probably spend most of my long Universal vacations at IOA & Studios and those on site hotels due to the location/location/location situation. When I go to Epic it will be long days like we do with WDW parks, while generally we just spend 5 to 7 hr. days at IOA and Studios and the rest of the day at the hotel pools/bars/restaurants and CityWalk......Now, in the future, everything might change if Universal constructs a CityWalk type venue and another park adjacent to Epic. That would be a planning gamechanger.

I always struggled to get my dad to want to visit UOR cause he 1, doesn’t do many rides. He enjoys park ambiance and the nicer places for dinners but it’s not always his thing. He also hates how he has to plan to travel everyday of his vacation. If I’m with him (and frankly his budget) I’ve tried to drill in his head how Hard Rock is 5 min nice garden walk to USF. He can’t comprehend that idea because of his WDW experience. It’s truly a perfect little campus they have.

For me, a 15 min bus ride from my hotel/citywalk does not bother me in the park quality is top tier. I’m not driving to AK after all. I’m sure one day Universal will only expand bus offerings, they can do their own private car service a la the Minnie Vans if they want, and taxis and Ubers will always be at your hotels. I still think it’s a terrific setup.

 

[Rhian]

It's going to be interesting to see how crowds are on May 22nd and beyond and what effect that will have (if any) on current park hours. Since the only Epic tickets you can buy are bundled with the other parks already over 3 days at minimum (AP day-only tickets the exception), it's going to force people to visit the other parks when they probably wouldn't otherwise. At that point it would make sense to keep the other parks open for longer because they are nearly guaranteed to have the attendance to match, especially now that they've got as many hotel rooms as they do.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a project currently in the works in the near future but it would be really great if IOA gets a nighttime show for the central lagoon. Having a nighttime show at both parks along with Epic's would be a great incentive to stay until close and visit multiple days.

I always struggled to get my dad to want to visit UOR cause he 1, doesn’t do many rides. He enjoys park ambiance and the nicer places for dinners but it’s not always his thing. He also hates how he has to plan to travel everyday of his vacation. If I’m with him (and frankly his budget) I’ve tried to drill in his head how Hard Rock is 5 min nice garden walk to USF. He can’t comprehend that idea because of his WDW experience. It’s truly a perfect little campus they have.

For me, a 15 min bus ride from my hotel/citywalk does not bother me in the park quality is top tier. I’m not driving to AK after all. I’m sure one day Universal will only expand bus offerings, they can do their own private car service a la the Minnie Vans if they want, and taxis and Ubers will always be at your hotels. I still think it’s a terrific setup.

Honestly it's great how Diagon Alley turned up where it did because having the Hogwarts Express be a shortcut between the parks has been fantastic. When it's crowded it's faster to just walk through the front but on days when it's a short line it's perfect—and it's a good repreive from the heat and humidity during the summer months!

watch the crowd leaving IOA in its last 45-60 minutes before closing. Damn, its a never ending dense stream of people walking past us to exit the park. There are still many thousands walking out at that closing hour.

"Let's leave a little earlier before park close so we don't get caught up in the leaving crowds and traffic" says everyone leaving a little earlier and creating said traffic. lol

 

[Mad Dog]

It's going to be interesting to see how crowds are on May 22nd and beyond and what effect that will have (if any) on current park hours. Since the only Epic tickets you can buy are bundled with the other parks already over 3 days at minimum (AP day-only tickets the exception), it's going to force people to visit the other parks when they probably wouldn't otherwise. At that point it would make sense to keep the other parks open for longer because they are nearly guaranteed to have the attendance to match, especially now that they've got as many hotel rooms as they do.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a project currently in the works in the near future but it would be really great if IOA gets a nighttime show for the central lagoon. Having a nighttime show at both parks along with Epic's would be a great incentive to stay until close and visit multiple days.


Honestly it's great how Diagon Alley turned up where it did because having the Hogwarts Express be a shortcut between the parks has been fantastic. When it's crowded it's faster to just walk through the front but on days when it's a short line it's perfect—and it's a good repreive from the heat and humidity during the summer months!


"Let's leave a little earlier before park close so we don't get caught up in the leaving crowds and traffic" says everyone leaving a little earlier and creating said traffic. lol

I learned a long time ago to leave any crowded event, MLB/NFL/NBA/Concerts/etc. when they're shutting the lights off and closing the place down, and most everyone has left. Otherwise, you end up in a traffic jam that that moves like a turtle. We just sit back and relax. ...and get home about the same time as all those people that rushed out and ended up sitting in slow traffic. ......and a reason we love the on site hotels at Universal. We can avoid the traffic. ....Often, we'll stop at the Margaritaville outside bar, have a drink or two, relax, and watch the hordes rushing out....or, if the water taxis are backed up, we'll walk the beautiful garden paths back to the hotel.