CityWalk Orlando Updates & Changes General Thread

[TheCodeMan95]

The more we talk about Fossil, I'm not sure if I've ever actually been inside it.

 

[jrn14]

Fossil isn't huge, but the corner location there would be a great spot for something. I just wonder why Fossil is still there? Does anyone buy anything from there? I haven't had anything from Fossil in 20 years...

:wave: Hi, I like watches and I actually bought my last one at this location in 2017. I always stop in here and have bought more than one watch here... I personally will look at it as a vacation splurge for myself, but it's not an every time thing. I will say when I would go inside in the evening it was usually pretty busy.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Should we expect anything else new to come here prior to EU?

 

[Scott W.]

Should we expect anything else new to come here prior to EU?

4 years is a long time so I'd say yes.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

4 years is a long time so I'd say yes.

I know lol just wasn’t sure if there’s many/any long-standing or new rumors about.

 

[Nick]

4 years is a long time so I'd say yes.

I’d love to see a preview center for Epic Universe somewhere in CityWalk.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I’d love to see a preview center for Epic Universe somewhere in CityWalk.

It'd make no sense to NOT do this at some point. Gotta get people aware and hyped somehow. The Epcot preview center seems pretty nice so honestly I could see it. I really do think we don't hear anything about EU specifics until SNW in Hollywood is opened. Then, preview center in CW around late 2021 makes sense to me. Id hope we get 1 more restaurant in City Walk honestly.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Should we expect anything else new to come here prior to EU?

I can’t see Margaritaville staying around with the new resort open.

 

[Nick]

I can see that with Margaritaville. Read it wrong originally, but yeah, definitely something that would seem to be on the way out.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I can’t see Margaritaville staying around with the new resort open.

That is true. Completely forgot about that resort. Thats a massive space to work with thats one of the fist restaurants guests see when exiting IOA. Could be fun if they re do that space although I do love it there.

 

[Scott W.]

I can’t see Margaritaville staying around with the new resort open.

I can see the logic but I think there's enough business to keep both going.

 

[Nick]

I can see the logic but I think there's enough business to keep both going.

Especially since CityWalk will always generate more business than the middle of nowhere, Kissimmee.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I can see the logic but I think there's enough business to keep both going.

I don’t think it’s about business as much as Universal not having a need to license out the brand.

 

[Scott W.]

I don’t think it’s about business as much as Universal not having a need to license out the brand.

I always assumed it was Margaritaville paying rent and Universal taking a cut, not paying for the license.

It always seems busy to me and probably does well with merchandise that I don't think Universal's own restaurant could match.

 

[SeventyOne]

I can’t see Margaritaville staying around with the new resort open.

I think if it was going to go, the resort would've ponied up the money 2 years ago to make it happen. They really needed it more, and could not get the rights. Also, anecdotal, but CityWalk M'ville always at least moderately busy when I stop by. Only other places I can say that about are Hard Rock and Toothsome.

The real problem with CityWalk seems to be upstairs. Went to Pat O's Thursday--the night half this town gets paid remember--maybe 10 people watching football in the sports bar, not even that many in the piano bar. Didn't go in Red Coconut, but it looked empty from outside, guys were leaving in touristy t-shirt attire and host was cajoling them to stay (so much for being the new Blue Martini). No line at Rising Star. I'd expect an overhaul here before any of the mass tourist loaders get touched--either reinvented nightlife or a move toward restaurants like Springs. Tho how many more restaurants can CityWalk truly support?

 

[Scott W.]

I think if it was going to go, the resort would've ponied up the money 2 years ago to make it happen. They really needed it more, and could not get the rights. Also, anecdotal, but CityWalk M'ville always at least moderately busy when I stop by. Only other places I can say that about are Hard Rock and Toothsome.

The real problem with CityWalk seems to be upstairs. Went to Pat O's Thursday--the night half this town gets paid remember--maybe 10 people watching football in the sports bar, not even that many in the piano bar. Didn't go in Red Coconut, but it looked empty from outside, guys were leaving in touristy t-shirt attire and host was cajoling them to stay (so much for being the new Blue Martini). No line at Rising Star. I'd expect an overhaul here before any of the mass tourist loaders get touched--either reinvented nightlife or a move toward restaurants like Springs. Tho how many more restaurants can CityWalk truly support?

I'd answer that once Endless Summer is fully open.

Current resort had 5800 rooms. Dockside and Surfside are adding nearly 3000 more rooms. That's a lot more mouths to feed for people who will be encouraged to visit for longer and more often.

 

[Nick]

I'd answer that once Endless Summer is fully open.

Current resort had 5800 rooms. Dockside and Surfside are adding nearly 3000 more rooms. That's a lot more mouths to feed for people who will be encouraged to visit for longer and more often.

These are aimed at the "value" guest though, so will those staying here be willing to pony up for bigger meals that include tip? They need something that isn't mostly a Burgers and fries place if they are to add more restaurants, though. Too many of those types of places already.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I think if it was going to go, the resort would've ponied up the money 2 years ago to make it happen. They really needed it more, and could not get the rights. Also, anecdotal, but CityWalk M'ville always at least moderately busy when I stop by. Only other places I can say that about are Hard Rock and Toothsome.

The real problem with CityWalk seems to be upstairs. Went to Pat O's Thursday--the night half this town gets paid remember--maybe 10 people watching football in the sports bar, not even that many in the piano bar. Didn't go in Red Coconut, but it looked empty from outside, guys were leaving in touristy t-shirt attire and host was cajoling them to stay (so much for being the new Blue Martini). No line at Rising Star. I'd expect an overhaul here before any of the mass tourist loaders get touched--either reinvented nightlife or a move toward restaurants like Springs. Tho how many more restaurants can CityWalk truly support?

I was always part of the “who goes to CityWalk for the clubs?!?!?” crowd till around 2015 or 2016 when leaving HHN I saw hundreds of people there. Maybe that’s dried up and really this is just my anecdote vs yours at this point lol. I still think the fast food courtyard needs more help before they touch the clubs area.

I'd answer that once Endless Summer is fully open.

Current resort had 5800 rooms. Dockside and Surfside are adding nearly 3000 more rooms. That's a lot more mouths to feed for people who will be encouraged to visit for longer and more often.

Great point.

 

[Mad Dog]

But there's a need for'entertainment' to balance out the primarily food restaurants. We're always at the parks during what's considered to be slow to low moderate crowds season. We do Pat O'Briens (PO is run by Universal in Orlando) once or twice, or thrice each trip and the piano bar is generally filled early in the evening with diners, slows a bit around 9:00 PM, and then fills up again completely around 10:00 PM. The sports bar section is always spotty but the outdoor dining plaza is usually busy until about 9:00 t0 10:00 PM, when meals are basically over. We also go to Marley's and it too generally has pretty good crowds. Margaritaville is almost always moderately busy to very busy, both inside and the outside plane bar. It would be a mistake to go with restaurants only. Balance is a strength.....and an added point is that the "upstairs entertainment' area is quite often closed off for private business parties, of which I'd guess is quite lucrative, and a good selling point for Universal's marketing department.....But, they could use new facades up there since that area is getting a bit outdated looking.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Id think a Nintendo store of some sort would open up here. Just seems natural and easy since there are already lots of other Nintendo stores across the US.