Universal Orlando Resort Expansion News (Part 2)

[Alicia]

Good quick read about Comcast’s plans to compete with the mouse over the next 13 years

Correction: over a TOTAL of 13 years.

Comcast is spending a 'fantastic' amount of money to catch a Mouse

 

[JungleSkip]

Good quick read about Comcast’s plans to compete with the mouse over the next 13 years:

Comcast is spending a 'fantastic' amount of money to catch a Mouse

FYI, according to Niles Burke was talking about the time period since 2010, so there would be about 5 more years in that "13 years", but it certainly seems that the bulk of that spending is coming in the next 5

 

[Alicia]

FYI, according to Niles Burke was talking about the time period since 2010, so there would be about 5 more years in that "13 years", but it certainly seems that the bulk of that spending is coming in the next 5

yea that makes sense, since the talk was focused on the next 5.

 

[Viator]

With some of the stuff I've started to be getting via the chirps, the west in the next five years should also be fun to look at..

that said, it shows Universal and Comcast's commitment towards the stability of the future of UPR.

 

[Imperius]

This is why I find it hilarious people complain Comcast bought universal. It’s the greatest thing to happen to the parks.

 

[tielo]

This is why I find it hilarious people complain Comcast bought universal. It’s the greatest thing to happen to the parks.

And it was a great cure for the laziness of Disney.

For a company like Comcast, who is so short in the theme park business, I think they do a great job. Sure there is a F&F but even Disney is producing duds even after so many years.

 

[shiekra38]

This is why I find it hilarious people complain Comcast bought universal. It’s the greatest thing to happen to the parks.

People who complain about Comcast are normally looking at individual expansions like F&F...Look at a map from 2008 Universal Orlando and now

 

[Alicia]

People who complain about Comcast are normally looking at individual expansions like F&F...Look at a map from 2008 Universal Orlando and now

Or their cable service and customer service records. They don't have the best track record with customers.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This is why I find it hilarious people complain Comcast bought universal. It’s the greatest thing to happen to the parks.

There was legit worry they’d discard the parks but I’m very happy to be wrong about it in the end. Really another “thanks Potter”.

 

[Scott W.]

There was legit worry they’d discard the parks but I’m very happy to be wrong about it in the end. Really another “thanks Potter”.

Or their cable service and customer service records. They don't have the best track record with customers.

On the surface I think these were the perfect responses at the time, I don't live in the US but even I knew how badly Comcast appeared to be. You can look at it several ways and even looking at Comcast as an evil corporation, they're a business out to make money and I think their strategy with the parks is probably one of the greatest examples of: You've got to speculate to accumulate.

We're also getting to enjoy the spin off that has resulted in Disney World spending like never before and I don't think for a second that this wouldn't have happened if Comcast didn't step up.

 

[Orlandofan12]

There was legit worry they’d discard the parks but I’m very happy to be wrong about it in the end. Really another “thanks Potter”.

Yep. Don't thank Comcast for the parks growth. Thank Potter. Any sane business would invest more money after seeing the growth that Potter achieved.

Unfortunately, Comcast is still riding the Potter wave. Which is more of a ripple now. Burke obviously feels threatened by Star Wars. And he has every reason to be. Potter is fading from the cultural spotlight.

 

[JungleSkip]

Potter is fading from the cultural spotlight.

Oh bother not this nonsense again

 

[Scott W.]

Oh bother not this nonsense again

I just don’t get the whole Potter thing because it probably should be in decline but right now it seems stronger than ever.

 

[JungleSkip]

I just don’t get the whole Potter thing because it probably should be in decline but right now it seems stronger than ever.

Fantastic Beasts is a dumpster fire, but the idea that the original stories have declined in popularity in the slightest is a huge, gigantic leap of logic. You can't walk through the theme park lands and see everyone from toddlers to adults donning robes and wands and think its in cultural decline.

 

[GoUCFKnights]

Or their cable service and customer service records. They don't have the best track record with customers.

To be fair, no company seems to have a great track record with customers in that line of business. Nobody likes the companies that have to run lines to every single house to offer service (only of which a percentage are profitable, but for some reason people expect you to service them even if you lose money), digging up neighbors yards, to provide an expensive service, that realistically would be even more expensive if the uptake of their offering wasn't so high, necessating retention departments to be successful in that industry. The only ones that aren't hated have very small service areas. Their cable/internet competition, AT&T/Verizon/Spectrum/Cox all seem to be very hated as well.

And I'll tell you, I lived in an area with a municipal fiber offering, and their customer service was so bad that I was thankful when I was back on Comcast. Nobody to reach after hours, ever (closed weekends and after 5) and when there was even a wide area outage, they often wouldn't even work on it for a while. Its a business where few are thankful, as nobody sees the value in the simple line run to your house that provides the internet and TV, it looks so easy.

 

[Scott W.]

Fantastic Beasts is a dumpster fire, but the idea that the original stories have declined in popularity in the slightest is a huge, gigantic leap of logic. You can't walk through the theme park lands and see everyone from toddlers to adults donning robes and wands and think its in cultural decline.

I fear for the day I take my mum to Orlando. She's an absolute sucker for any kind of cultural phenomenon. She had never heard of Sponge Bob before and after seeing how busy the shop was, she was buying everything she could.

 

[ChrisFL]

Yep. Don't thank Comcast for the parks growth. Thank Potter. Any sane business would invest more money after seeing the growth that Potter achieved.

Unfortunately, Comcast is still riding the Potter wave. Which is more of a ripple now. Burke obviously feels threatened by Star Wars. And he has every reason to be. Potter is fading from the cultural spotlight.

so what's hot after Nintendo then? Disney holds a LOT of cards in the popular IP scope these days.

I wonder....would it be in Universal's best interest to build on the new property something that could be more theater/festival/ (I hate to say convention since it's RIGHT next to the Convention center), but something that could be used for more things like gaming tournaments, and other things which are gaining popularity.

I've often thought that Disney dropped the ball by not offering more technology focused events that could drive people to visit Epcot (when Epcot still had at least the look of futurism), but Universal likes the older youth/teen/early 20's market. Giving them another reason to visit would be a good idea.

 

[Orlandofan12]

Oh bother not this nonsense again

Has it not?

Notice, I said cultural spotlight, not cultural significance.

 

[JungleSkip]

Ah yes, Google trends. The ultimate way to gauge a property's popularity

 

[Scott W.]

Has it not?
View attachment 8495
Notice, I said cultural spotlight, not cultural significance.

As of today, it seems to be higher than Star Wars :shrug: