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Skull Island: Reign of Kong - General Discussion

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UniversalRBLX

UniversalRBLX

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I don't walk around the parks disgruntled with an angry face because the Ultrasaur or the Kong gate is missing/broken. I come to this forum to discuss parks and their current status. As fans (who pay lots of money) we don't know what is happening behind the scenes... we can only judge what's currently happening in the parks. If you ask me to pay more each year for the experience, I fully expect the place to be at or better than my prior experience. WDW has gotten a lot of flack for raising prices each year, and I heavily defended Universal as they've justified those price increases through expansions/additions. Since Covid, the resort has had significant operations issues, lack of maintenance (finally being attended to), and an overall decline in entertainment (justified somewhat). I don't understand why we can't express our distaste.

I know we're getting entertainment next year and a whole exciting new park, but that doesn't justify the resort's current state. Just saying "they're working on it" doesn't justify the poor experience for a guest that visits today, and is possibly their only (or every few years) visit.

Cup_Of_Coffee said:
Weather, budgets, all that aside. A ton of efforts are simply at Epic Universe right now. A lot of that in 2025 can be diverted elsewhere. 2026 can help a lot for some maintenance around the current 2 parks while they adjust to operating EU. Then when Zelda opens in 2027 ish, they should have a better overall grip on things.

Parks are always changing though.
Click to expand...
That's the same excuse WDW ran with and 3/4 of their parks are currently in outdated/horrible shape. Not saying it'll happen with Universal, but WDW spread itself too thin, and I would hate for Universal to follow that. Why can't they get a grip on maintenance/operations now before Epic?
 
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sonoma15

sonoma15

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UniversalRBLX said:
I don't walk around the parks disgruntled with an angry face because the Ultrasaur or the Kong gate is missing/broken. I come to this forum to discuss parks and their current status. As fans (who pay lots of money) we don't know what is happening behind the scenes... we can only judge what's currently happening in the parks. If you ask me to pay more each year for the experience, I fully expect the place to be at or better than my prior experience. WDW has gotten a lot of flack for raising prices each year, and I heavily defended Universal as they've justified those price increases through expansions/additions. Since Covid, the resort has had significant operations issues, lack of maintenance (finally being attended to), and an overall decline in entertainment (justified somewhat). I don't understand why we can't express our distaste.

I know we're getting entertainment next year and a whole exciting new park, but that doesn't justify the resort's current state. Just saying "they're working on it" doesn't justify the poor experience for a guest that visits today, and is possibly their only (or every few years) visit.


That's the same excuse WDW ran with and 3/4 of their parks are currently in outdated/horrible shape. Not saying it'll happen with Universal, but WDW spread itself too thin, and I would hate for Universal to follow that. Why can't they get a grip on maintenance/operations now before Epic?
Click to expand...
I feel the exact opposite. I don't feel that the resort has experienced any significant operation issues since Covid, if anything they've gotten better. More restaurants are open daily now (before covid smaller things such as Wimpy's or Green Eggs and Ham were rarerly, if ever, open) and they have been improving and refurbishing restaurants around the resort, such as opening Minion Cafe or smaller things like Central Park Crepes. I also feel that ride operations have for the most part remained relatively the same. I will agree with you on lack of maintenance, but that is something that all parks experienced after covid and was inevitable since leaving attractions sitting closed and not operating for awhile is not good for them. Not only that, but when Covid ended they probably had to hire a lot of new maintenance people who had to learns the ins and outs of the attractions and that takes time.

I also VERY much disagree that entertainment has declined. Since Covid we've gotten a brand new show (Bourne Stuntacular), multiple new street shows in USF, new meet and greets with original characters in Islands of Adventure in port of entry, and we are also getting four brand new tribute stores a year now. That's not even too mention additional offerings we get now that we never got before Covid like the Dead Coconut Club, which they change the theme of 3 times a year, an heavily expanded Mardi Gras event that is basically Universal's Food and Wine now, the Halloween Boutique in Islands of Adventure, and even the Escape Games in City Walk. These are all entertainment options that were either heavily improved or that we didn't have before Covid. I also don't believe Universal is spreading itself too thin and I think with all the extra hiring and training they are doing right now they will be pretty well setup for Epic Universe's opening. This isn't really related to what you mentioned but I find it interesting when people complain on here about lack of maintenance/upkeep at the park then complain when they go to Islands of Adventure and there are walls up because they are refurbishing and repainting things. You can't have it both ways.
 
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Brian G.

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UniversalRBLX said:
I don't walk around the parks disgruntled with an angry face because the Ultrasaur or the Kong gate is missing/broken. I come to this forum to discuss parks and their current status. As fans (who pay lots of money) we don't know what is happening behind the scenes... we can only judge what's currently happening in the parks. If you ask me to pay more each year for the experience, I fully expect the place to be at or better than my prior experience. WDW has gotten a lot of flack for raising prices each year, and I heavily defended Universal as they've justified those price increases through expansions/additions. Since Covid, the resort has had significant operations issues, lack of maintenance (finally being attended to), and an overall decline in entertainment (justified somewhat). I don't understand why we can't express our distaste.

I know we're getting entertainment next year and a whole exciting new park, but that doesn't justify the resort's current state. Just saying "they're working on it" doesn't justify the poor experience for a guest that visits today, and is possibly their only (or every few years) visit.


That's the same excuse WDW ran with and 3/4 of their parks are currently in outdated/horrible shape. Not saying it'll happen with Universal, but WDW spread itself too thin, and I would hate for Universal to follow that. Why can't they get a grip on maintenance/operations now before Epic?
Click to expand...
I’m still at a loss at what exactly is broken besides JP, MiB, ET??… which are currently going through maintenance and Kong which is in good shape beyond the outside scene.
 
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Tbad556

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UniversalRBLX said:
Since Covid, the resort has had significant operations issues, lack of maintenance (finally being attended to), and an overall decline in entertainment (justified somewhat). I don't understand why we can't express our distaste.
Click to expand...
I mean, no one is saying you can't discuss things in the slightest. More so explaining that comments like "lack of maintenance", "TM's do not seem to be trained as well as they were before covid thus affecting operations", and so on from a guest's POV will vary on a case-by-case basis in any tourism based field as no experience will ever be identical with a large number of moving parts.

However, that doesn't always equate to reality. AFAIK, maintenance hasn't made any big dramatic shift since COVID. TM training has not changed in some big way since COVID. Etc. You can feel disgruntled at certain things, but there's also another side that can point out "Hey, that's actually not the case at all. Whatever issues you may be feeling are not based on those things".

It also doesn't require insider knowledge to look at something like @Brian G.'s post and see that most rides do get love. Hulk & Spidey were redone completely, Mummy got a big refurb, HRRR updated the songs, Hogwarts Express just made audio improvements, etc. Personally, I don't see much disarray in the parks outside of the vacant theaters and JPRA's current status which I've agreed suck. Refurbs in the streets/restaurants happen more in the slow seasons. It's not a new thing. Seeing a still open arcade facade behind a wall doesn't affect the vacation of anyone I know. Seeing comments like "Kong missing large portions of its effects" feels disconnected from reality when only one effect is down and the rest of the show scenes are in great shape. The B-Mode exists for a reason and by no means has the ride reached its point limit where it should be shutdown for show quality.
 
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Casper Gutman

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Brian G. said:
I’m still at a loss at what exactly is broken besides JP, MiB, ET??… which are currently going through maintenance and Kong which is in good shape beyond the outside scene.
Click to expand...
The outside scene is about a third of Kong and establishes the personality of the driver, one of the unique elements of the attraction and a key to its rerideability. It’s a very significant part of the ride.

Cat is rough. Of the parks headliners, Hulk, Spidey, Hagrid, Veloci, Potter, and one of the two water rides are at the top of their game. That’s not a huge amount for a full price park, especially one with very little live entertainment.

Plus Lost Continent is closed. Yes, in three or four years it might be something new and cool, but right now paying guests are getting a whole land - a seventh of the park - that isn’t operational. That puts a lot of weight on other attractions.
 
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Brian G.

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Casper Gutman said:
The outside scene is about a third of Kong and establishes the personality of the driver, one of the unique elements of the attraction and a key to its rerideability. It’s a very significant part of the ride.

Cat is rough. Of the parks headliners, Hulk, Spidey, Hagrid, Veloci, Potter, and one of the two water rides are at the top of their game. That’s not a huge amount for a full price park, especially one with very little live entertainment.

Plus Lost Continent is closed. Yes, in three or four years it might be something new and cool, but right now paying guests are getting a whole land - a seventh of the park - that isn’t operational. That puts a lot of weight on other attractions.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry but I can’t get behind it being a “significant” part of the ride when it’s designed to skip that scene entirely when the need arises. It’s a cool reveal, but I’d wager 10-1 that most guests (specifically, first timers) don’t even realize it was skipped.
 
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UniversalRBLX

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sonoma15 said:
I feel the exact opposite. I don't feel that the resort has experienced any significant operation issues since Covid, if anything they've gotten better. More restaurants are open daily now (before covid smaller things such as Wimpy's or Green Eggs and Ham were rarerly, if ever, open) and they have been improving and refurbishing restaurants around the resort, such as opening Minion Cafe or smaller things like Central Park Crepes. I also feel that ride operations have for the most part remained relatively the same. I will agree with you on lack of maintenance, but that is something that all parks experienced after covid and was inevitable since leaving attractions sitting closed and not operating for awhile is not good for them. Not only that, but when Covid ended they probably had to hire a lot of new maintenance people who had to learns the ins and outs of the attractions and that takes time.

I also VERY much disagree that entertainment has declined. Since Covid we've gotten a brand new show (Bourne Stuntacular), multiple new street shows in USF, new meet and greets with original characters in Islands of Adventure in port of entry, and we are also getting four brand new tribute stores a year now. That's not even too mention additional offerings we get now that we never got before Covid like the Dead Coconut Club, which they change the theme of 3 times a year, an heavily expanded Mardi Gras event that is basically Universal's Food and Wine now, the Halloween Boutique in Islands of Adventure, and even the Escape Games in City Walk. These are all entertainment options that were either heavily improved or that we didn't have before Covid. I also don't believe Universal is spreading itself too thin and I think with all the extra hiring and training they are doing right now they will be pretty well setup for Epic Universe's opening. This isn't really related to what you mentioned but I find it interesting when people complain on here about lack of maintenance/upkeep at the park then complain when they go to Islands of Adventure and there are walls up because they are refurbishing and repainting things. You can't have it both ways.
Click to expand...
Bourne was a replacement for Terminator, not an addition. The only real additions are the 2 street shows, but you could make the argument they just took the place of the band that originally played at the front of the park and FFL. We've lost Fear Factor (no real loss, but not an excuse for having no replacement), Sinbad, a parade, and a nighttime show (I'll let it slide).

Brian G. said:
I’m still at a loss at what exactly is broken besides JP, MiB, ET??… which are currently going through maintenance and Kong which is in good shape beyond the outside scene.
Click to expand...
FJ has been looking a bit rough recently with a few effects and screens, not in the best condition. MSHI, just up to now, was looking very rough with broken cement/pavement all over. ET, just now receiving updates over the past few months, for years was ignored. Simpsons is just in horrendous shape at the moment, Mel's (up to its closure) was in really bad shape, Fallon has been running at reduced capacity recently on some days, Animal Actors is in rough shape with the roof leaking and the flying pig effect is looking rough. Cat in the Hat has several broken/missing effects and parts of it look like it hasn't been cleaned in ages.

I'm not claiming there hasn't been any maintenance done at all these past few months (finally!), my argument is severely on the lack of attention Universal has given to some of their attractions throughout the past few years. We've gotten fantastic additions over the past few years, but that doesn't excuse the lack of upkeep at other locations.

Tbad556 said:
However, that doesn't always equate to reality. AFAIK, maintenance hasn't made any big dramatic shift since COVID. TM training has not changed in some big way since COVID. Etc. You can feel disgruntled at certain things, but there's also another side that can point out "Hey, that's actually not the case at all. Whatever issues you may be feeling are not based on those things".

It also doesn't require insider knowledge to look at something like @Brian G.'s post and see that most rides do get love. Hulk & Spidey were redone completely, Mummy got a big refurb, HRRR updated the songs, Hogwarts Express just made audio improvements, etc. Personally, I don't see much disarray in the parks outside of the vacant theaters and JPRA's current status which I've agreed suck. Refurbs in the streets/restaurants happen more in the slow seasons. It's not a new thing. Seeing a still open arcade facade behind a wall doesn't affect the vacation of anyone I know. Seeing comments like "Kong missing large portions of its effects" feels disconnected from reality when only one effect is down and the rest of the show scenes are in great shape. The B-Mode exists for a reason and by no means has the ride reached its point limit where it should be shutdown for show quality.
Click to expand...
The point isn't just covid-related, its a lack of improvement even before Covid from an ops perspective. TM Training hasn't changed, and that's not a great thing for a resort that is very different from 2009 and continues to expand.

The opening arch scene for Kong is vital to the experience. Completely avoiding it is like skipping the bayou/cavern sections of Pirates of the Caribbean. Outside of severe weather (which was a great idea btw to skip), it's not something that should be skipped when its available.
 
DodgsonHere

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Casper Gutman said:
Cat is rough. Of the parks headliners, Hulk, Spidey, Hagrid, Veloci, Potter, and one of the two water rides are at the top of their game. That’s not a huge amount for a full price park, especially one with very little live entertainment.
Click to expand...
4 out of 6 US Disney parks would kill for that headliner lineup.
 
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Casper Gutman

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Brian G. said:
I’m sorry but I can’t get behind it being a “significant” part of the ride when it’s designed to skip that scene entirely when the need arises. It’s a cool reveal, but I’d wager 10-1 that most guests (specifically, first timers) don’t even realize it was skipped.
Click to expand...
It’s the entire point of the facade, a kinetic element for the whole area. It’s actually one of the easiest things for first timers to realize is missing since the exterior area and track is visible. Plus, again, the multiple unique drivers, one of the primary elements of the attraction, are essentially removed by removing the external section.
 
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UniversalRBLX

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DodgsonHere said:
4 out of 6 US Disney parks would kill for that headliner lineup.
Click to expand...
Yes, but those rides listed are completely out of range for a significant amount of guests who can't do thrill rides and/or motion sickness. A good chunk of Universal's more family-friendly offerings are not in their best shape at the moment.
 
Jake S

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My feeling, ultimately, is that you're still getting a good value on the ticket you purchase to visit the parks, even as the price continues creeping up. I think there are absolutely things Universal, as a premium product, should be better at. I've noted before that I think their operations and training of employees could use some work and I agree that the way they have handled maintenance in the past couple years has been lacking.

I can't speak for how other guests feel when they visit the park, but having been to the resort twice this year, I still think it's in pretty good shape. Some of these areas of concern give me pause given they'll be under even more stress with Epic Universe opening in a couple years, but for now, I'm happy to wait and see how this plays out.
 
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sonoma15

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UniversalRBLX said:
Bourne was a replacement for Terminator, not an addition. The only real additions are the 2 street shows, but you could make the argument they just took the place of the band that originally played at the front of the park and FFL. We've lost Fear Factor (no real loss, but not an excuse for having no replacement), Sinbad, a parade, and a nighttime show (I'll let it slide).
Click to expand...

Even then you still conveniently ignored half the things I mentioned. There is also a new and better parade supposedly coming soon and Sinbad was in the same exact situation as Fear Factor when it closed. That's not too mention that there is replacement for that supposedly coming shortly too. Also, just because Bourne replaced Terminator doesn't mean it isn't a new addition. Terminator wasn't filling seats and Bourne supposedly is.
 
UniversalRBLX

UniversalRBLX

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Jake S said:
My feeling, ultimately, is that you're still getting a good value on the ticket you purchase to visit the parks, even as the price continues creeping up. I think there are absolutely things Universal, as a premium product, should be better at. I've noted before that I think their operations and training of employees could use some work and I agree that the way they have handled maintenance in the past couple years has been lacking.

I can't speak for how other guests feel when they visit the park, but having been to the resort twice this year, I still think it's in pretty good shape. Some of these areas of concern give me pause given they'll be under even more stress with Epic Universe opening in a couple years, but for now, I'm happy to wait and see how this plays out.
Click to expand...

Ultimately, my ranting isn't meant to sound like I hate Universal, it's passionate feedback about some issues they seem to neglect/ignore. I don't want them to fall along the same route that WDW went through by neglecting their parks.

I am very excited about Epic, but I'm cautious about how the resort has been handled these past few years, and will now have to train and properly staff, operate, and maintain 3.5 parks.

I've seen improvements over the past few months now, but it took them a very long time. Heck, last night I finally saw them staff 2 TMs per parking booth.

sonoma15 said:
Even then you still conveniently ignored half the things I mentioned. There is also a new and better parade supposedly coming soon and Sinbad was in the same exact situation as Fear Factor when it closed. That's not too mention that there is replacement for that supposedly coming shortly too. Also, just because Bourne replaced Terminator doesn't mean it isn't a new addition. Terminator wasn't filling seats and Bourne supposedly is.
Click to expand...
Dead Coconut replaced a club. Escape rooms replaced a club, and are an upcharge. The quality of dining at the parks has improved, but the service has declined at some locations. It shouldn't take 35 minutes to order pizza at Cafe 4 (my mistake) with only 2 groups inside.
 
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UniversalRBLX said:
The point isn't just covid-related, its a lack of improvement even before Covid from an ops perspective. TM Training hasn't changed, and that's not a great thing for a resort that is very different from 2009 and continues to expand.
Click to expand...
And that's fine, but the COVID stuff is all direct quotes. These aren't goal posts of my choosing. I'm just responding to what's been stated.

The opening arch scene for Kong is vital to the experience. Completely avoiding it is like skipping the bayou/cavern sections of Pirates of the Caribbean. Outside of severe weather (which was a great idea btw to skip), it's not something that should be skipped when its available.
Click to expand...
Casper Gutman said:
It’s the entire point of the facade, a kinetic element for the whole area. It’s actually one of the easiest things for first timers to realize is missing since the exterior area and track is visible. Plus, again, the multiple unique drivers, one of the primary elements of the attraction, are essentially removed by removing the external section.
Click to expand...
As for these, I'm still not quite getting an answer on what y'all want. We all agree that it is a shame to have that part missing. I'm sure the park wants nothing more than to have it open. Maintenance would love nothing more than to get it fixed. But clearly it's not that simple. Do you want the ride closed indefinitely? Do you want a public statement giving specific details on the challenges they're facing with the trackless vehicle system? What's the end goal because there's no disagreement that it sucks, but that also doesn't mean a magic wand will fix it as fast as we may like.
 
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Tbad556 said:
And that's fine, but the COVID stuff is all direct quotes. These aren't goal posts of my choosing. I'm just responding to what's been stated.



As for these, I'm still not quite getting an answer on what y'all want. We all agree that it is a shame to have that part missing. I'm sure the park wants nothing more than to have it open. Maintenance would love nothing more than to get it fixed. But clearly it's not that simple. Do you want the ride closed indefinitely? Do you want a public statement giving specific details on the challenges they're facing with the trackless vehicle system? What's the end goal because there's no disagreement that it sucks, but that also doesn't mean a magic wand will fix it as fast as we may like.
Click to expand...
The folks working the ride have been told it’s not getting fixed because the maintenance money isn’t in the budget. Maybe that’s not true, although I’d be interested in a source for management’s fervent desire that it be fixed. The simple fact is that a major attraction has been running in B-mode for about a year in a park that is dramatically increasing prices. Whatever resources need to be allocated to fixing it have not been. That’s not acceptable.
 
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OLSinFLA

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My understanding with Kong is the outdoor road has to pretty much be ripped up and redone as it is too rough for the trucks (which were originally designed for moving cargo container around at a port).
 
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OLSinFLA said:
My understanding with Kong is the outdoor road has to pretty much be ripped up and redone as it is too rough for the trucks (which were originally designed for moving cargo container around at a port).
Click to expand...
And adding to that, the outdoor section has been the main source of gremlins for the ride, too.
 
OrlLover

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Wow these last few pages has been interesting to say the least. It’s like two sides of the same coin one is saying their experience at the parks lately has been lackluster another saying the opposite is true.

Maybe we need to create a separate thread containing broken effects so that way we can actually track what is being fixed. Bringing WDW into this discussion seems like a reach in my opinion because they are not the same.

We all want the parks to be in their best state possible and Universal is working towards that so no reason to keep bringing up the past. Focus on what they’re doing now and have planned for the future.
 
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Nick

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The parks certainly have their problems that prior management let build up (the parks have seen a dramatic increase in maintenance and money being dedicated to refurbs since Karen Irwin took over) and that have been caused from storms, so there is a backup in some of this stuff getting fixed all in one go right now, but at least to me, the important thing that i've seen is that things are getting fixed and the money is being spent to upgrade existing infrastructure.
 
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GA-MBIT

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Lost Continent has been dead for a lot longer than Poseidon's closure. It's a neat facade which you can still walk all the way up to, and that Universal tried everything they could to make work, but it didn't. I can't fault them for that. Mythos is still open, the talking fountain still talks, and they added that Halloween store everyone was clamoring for a few years back. It's also frankly not that much empty space to walk between Suess and Potter, and now you can bypass Potter to go straight to JP.

Hogsmeade still has some of the best theming in the world, and three open and imo well maintained rides. FJ can be variable by the day, but honestly it's always a great experience even with some minor technical challenges. They also fixed the audio channel issues so now it's not just foley and voice over through the finale. Hagrids is one of the best themed attractions in the world. Hippogriff is doing just fine.

JP is a big land with lots of great theming. It now has a brand new and incredible coaster that fits in perfectly and creates lots of kinetic energy. That coaster has allowed the Discovery Center to be busier than it's ever been before. The Raptor Encounter is great fun, and the oft overlooked Camp Jurassic is one of the best themed play areas in the world imo. I would be lucky to have a play area as a kid that would allow me that much room for adventure and discovery. As for JPRA, it's in rougher shape, but I do think it's a tad overblown. Ultrasaur is important, absolutely, but the wonderful Stego animatronics serve a similar function in a pinch. The tone is still just as dread inducing, even if the Raptor's look a little dated by today's standards. Rexy looks just as good as I've ever seen her, and the big drop pleases as many guests as it ever did, why close it for a few effects? Just seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Toon Lagoon isn't doing too hot either but frankly we're in Late Fall/Early Winter at this point, Florida works on a different timescale sure, but any other park would have these water rides down for half of the year. These rides have seen a good bit of use and refurbs are on the way. The theatre needs to be filled, I'll give yall that.

MSHI is in wonderful shape. Hulk was completely retracked, Spider-Man is still one of the best themed rides in the world, Storm Force and Doom are operating just fine. Heroes still meet, the arcade is just as full as ever, and the abundance of shops and cafes isn't going anywhere.

Suess Landing is also in decent shape. I definitely wish it got some expansion or improvements, but even with a lackluster Cat D-Ticket and the Circus under renovation, the land still gets a ton right. The theming is wonderful, If I Ran The Zoo is running great, Suessisel and One Fish are doing just fine, the storytime hours with characters are going on without a hitch, and Grinchmas makes more money now than it ever has in the past. Even with the Circus closed, the Trolley is still running! Sorry if you wanted to do both paths, but I don't think most will notice tbh.

I just think it's silly to say that IoA is in anything resembling a poor state. It's in a state I imagine would come about during a time where all of your limited effort, money, and care is being put into constructing a massive new theme park, alongside small, neccesary additions to your flagship USF park like Villain Con and Dreamworks Destination. UDE has been incredibly aggressive since Diagon Alley with expansions, replacements, and renovations. I don't see that changing after the new park. We just might get some growing pains until then.
 
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