State of USH - What's Next?

[Jerroddragon]

I do wonder if they bring back a January/February event, if to compete with Peanuts Celebration and DCAs Lunar New Year down the road.

Ideally I’d actually love if they could bring back the planned Top Chef festival from back in the day, before COVID happened. A true food festival during January/February would do a lot for USH in a good handful of ways.

If we can fill the Calendar like Disneyland and have mostly have events happening in some way all year (not just merch and food, like the HP ones...the events need some sort of show even if one and meet and greets characters along with new food and merch)

Then honestly, I can live with that because USH does great events

I just truly feel without things drawing guests into the park, along with inflation its going to be hard for USH to hits the numbers and money it wants.

I know people here think the hotel and coaster are taking this place to the next level but when I talk to people its all "I want more HP...I want more nintendo...I want BTTF in the park..."

Cool if none one else has friends like that but thats what people I walk want, more to do at USH and they'd love to visit but the park to them hasn't changed enough from their last visit to make them want to come back or get APs again

 

[Brian G.]

No one said they weren't they are working on the resort but...with guests coming less (per last years numbers) I just hope this coaster can really work because there is no Plan B

There are no rides being worked on now, so the park as is has to draw guests and if SNW hype died down after 1.5 years thats the time you have to have something else new to draw people

People can crap on Disney all they want....they are bringing Bluey and redoing two attractions this year (the Mando one I think will make the ride from....whatever to a new classic) along with a somewhat fan demanded land refresh with GE


Can USH use the plaza more for mini events at least if we can't get rides? Like for example WW is closed right now, perfect time to bring in Lunar New years in the plaza to make up for that big attraction and the only big show to be gone.

USH kills it with events, so if they can't build us a new ride. Can we get a food event? Lunar New years? Also Change up the HP events to include new shows and or meet and greets with the Fantastic beast?

I don't think my idea's would break the bank and if done slowly an grow up, should be able to draw in more guests and get AP's in more and make more money while they work on the resort

 

[Jerroddragon]

We were so close to finally getting a food festival. So close.

Is there a reason why USH can’t do their own Mardi Gras event? I know a parade can’t happen, but they could always do performances in the stage at the plaza and have a Mardi Gras-style food fest. After all, the event in Florida is essentially a glorified food fest.

I'd be so happy if we got a Mardi Gras-style event

Food Booths, Characters in fun "holiday" costumes, during the day you can do some live Jazz Music and later on have a dance party with the characters like they did last summer

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Guys, I think they're still working on the complex, boundary-pushing ride that's supposed to open this year, along with the security hub changes and, hopefully, the hotel. Stuff's happening on the backlot, too, as we've discussed. It's not as if they aren't building anything.

True, I just presumed that things like the hotel, the security update, and the shuffling of the backlot were precursors for a marketable addition larger than a single ride or coaster, and was wondering whether such a thing had been rumored. It's also been a few years since a new ride has been solidly rumored and many years since USH has worked on multiple ride projects simultaneously.

Of course, all the infrastructural changes, more so than something like Disneyland Forward, are probably necessary to even facilitate expansion at a large scale.

You need a new tech services to relocate tram maintenance and provide space for expansion behind Simpsons or a pathway to Falls Lake.

You need new soundstages and various other facilities to relocate the services provided by the Lower Lot soundstages.

You need new security checkpoints and a broader territorial definition of "on-property" if you want to push the Upper Lot closer to CityWalk.

Etc. But it seems like there should be a near-term project in mind that leverages all the affordances that these infrastructural changes give them while also more broadly improving their ability to do any future development.

 

[Magic-Man]

So, is there gonna be another new ride this decade or...

(just curious what the latest rumors are as a lapsed forum dweller)

I'm guessing that we'll get the hotel and a new ride for the Olympics in 2028, but after that is unknown. Just an early guess but I could see Transformers transformed (heh) into Pokemon like they're doing with Spiderman at USJ.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I'm guessing that we'll get the hotel and a new ride for the Olympics in 2028, but after that is unknown. Just an early guess but I could see Transformers transformed (heh) into Pokemon like they're doing with Spiderman at USJ.

in two years?

Even making Transformers into Pokemon they'd need to start now and they just reinvested in that ride

So at best once again we get a Dreamworks Refresh, new ending to the Tram....or maybe the Despicable ride gets updated or changed but with how long things take to build feels like anything coming before summer 2028 would need to be mostly screen based. The coaster which is not done yet is going to take about 3 years and a few months

Other things they could do in the 2 year time line would be retheming Paris street to something but not much space there for more then new meet and greets and a little inside show or a street show (not saying this is bad, but just pointing out a new ride in this area would be pretty hard to do because of space)

 

[KlownzNskullZ]

in two years?

Even making Transformers into Pokemon they'd need to start now and they just reinvested in that ride

So at best once again we get a Dreamworks Refresh, new ending to the Tram....or maybe the Despicable ride gets updated or changed but with how long things take to build feels like anything coming before summer 2028 would need to be mostly screen based. The coaster which is not done yet is going to take about 3 years and a few months

Other things they could do in the 2 year time line would be retheming Paris street to something but not much space there for more then new meet and greets and a little inside show or a street show (not saying this is bad, but just pointing out a new ride in this area would be pretty hard to do because of space)

If we get Pokémon I’m assuming it’s gonna be like a 2030 thing. If it’s coming they have to be working on it now (concepts and ideas not construction)

 

[Jerroddragon]

If we get Pokémon I’m assuming it’s gonna be like a 2030 thing. If it’s coming they have to be working on it now (concepts and ideas not construction)

IF, we get that

I dare not dream we are getting Pokemon here in the states until they say anything

But I agree 2030 is the next big thing, whatever that is unless they supercharge some project and can put together event a D ticket before 2030 I'd be impressed but its very clear all the money is going into reorganizing the studio layout and the hotel for the next few years

 

[Ron101]

I'm guessing that we'll get the hotel and a new ride for the Olympics in 2028, but after that is unknown. Just an early guess but I could see Transformers transformed (heh) into Pokemon like they're doing with Spiderman at USJ.

A hotel and new ride will NOT be done in time before the Olympics. It’s already too late. Construction would have had to start already. Fast and furious alone is coming up on 3 years since the walls went up around the two theaters.

Believe me, I thought we would have all this new stuff by 2028 too but the park dragged its feet.

 

[bdubsCEO]

Is it controversial to say that they screwed up and the hotel isn’t enough? I don’t understand why some of you seem so excited about an on-property hotel and infrastructure updates. Are we really not getting anything for another 4 years?

Also, why is the park closing at 6 on a Friday night? I mean, obviously they want to save money, but 6PM on a Friday?

 

[Freak]

Is it controversial to say that they screwed up and the hotel isn’t enough? I don’t understand why some of you seem so excited about an on-property hotel and infrastructure updates. Are we really not getting anything for another 4 years?

Also, why is the park closing at 6 on a Friday night? I mean, obviously they want to save money, but 6PM on a Friday?

You have no idea how ecstatic I am to have to take off my belt and empty my pockets just to go see an IMAX move and eat at Caine’s. Whoopie. But really though, I don’t see us getting a brand new ride for the remainder of the decade unfortunately BUT I would be shocked if the new Supercharged overlay doesn’t open by then. I do think it might open 2028 though.

Once fast and furious opens hopefully that will change. Surely they realize the passholders will want to pull up after work, right? Even Six Flags and Knott’s acknowledge that.

 

[TheUniC6]

A hotel and new ride will NOT be done in time before the Olympics. It’s already too late. Construction would have had to start already. Fast and furious alone is coming up on 3 years since the walls went up around the two theaters.

Believe me, I thought we would have all this new stuff by 2028 too but the park dragged its feet.

I know they are some external factors going on at the top of the company with funds being allocated to Epic, UOR's upcoming projects in the pipeline, Kids and the UK park, but its still their loss to not have anything major for the latter part of this decade since DCA will have Coco, Avatar and Avengers by then.

 

[Jake S]

I don’t really understand the fixation on getting something open by the Olympics. The park as is appeals quite nicely to international tourists … assuming we actually see many of those in 2028.

 

[Clive]

Is it controversial to say that they screwed up and the hotel isn’t enough? I don’t understand why some of you seem so excited about an on-property hotel and infrastructure updates. Are we really not getting anything for another 4 years?

Also, why is the park closing at 6 on a Friday night? I mean, obviously they want to save money, but 6PM on a Friday?

I think the timing on the hotel has been unfortunate given broader macroeconomic factors and shifts in tourism... but they may be too deep to turn back now. Or maybe not! I agree with @Ron101 that their decision to essentially drag their feet has and will cost them.

In theory, the hotel will help justify further investments in the park because USH as a whole would then be selling (potentially very lucrative) hotel rooms in addition to park tickets, food, and merchandise. That means more money for HHN, FanFest, other seasonal events, new attractions -- whatever gets hotel bookings.

I have a feeling we'll see a Supercharged overlay before we see a new ride, for better or worse.

As for the park closing at 6... it's January, post-Grinchmas. I don't disagree that they couldn't at least keep the park open until 7, but I imagine their projection was poor.