Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[Happytycho]

But he doesn't own the land anymore, Universal does. I don't see how he has any case regarding policies.

Wouldn't the old contract pretty much be non existent as universal sold the property.

My understanding is that restrictive covenants are terms attached to a property deed to protect surrounding property (which UCPM III has) which then apply to, and can not be changed by, any and all future owners of the property.

 

[Teebin]

Gentle nudge of 3rd gate waterpark discussion to here and out of the VB thread.

That said, I feel that it is possible that UC might attempt something other than a waterpark or Citywalk knockoff on this southern property; a totally new concept as a lead in to the actual park. What that would be is beyond me, one person thinking to myself... they have seasoned teams that knock ideas around and around and around.

A waterpark south? There has to be something else they could come up with for a small boutique singular themed theme park perhaps. ???

I know little about the other great parks of the world but I am sure there are a few seeds out there on which UC could capitalize and make bigger and better.

Your thoughts?

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Gentle nudge of 3rd gate waterpark discussion to here and out of the VB thread.

That said, I feel that it is possible that UC might attempt something other than a waterpark or Citywalk knockoff on this southern property; a totally new concept as a lead in to the actual park. What that would be is beyond me, one person thinking to myself... they have seasoned teams that knock ideas around and around and around.

A waterpark south? There has to be something else they could come up with for a small boutique singular themed theme park perhaps. ???

I know little about the other great parks of the world but I am sure there are a few seeds out there on which UC could capitalize and make bigger and better.

Your thoughts?

I'd love to see Universal's spin on a boutique park like Discovery Cove.

 

[quinnmac000]

Gentle nudge of 3rd gate waterpark discussion to here and out of the VB thread.

That said, I feel that it is possible that UC might attempt something other than a waterpark or Citywalk knockoff on this southern property; a totally new concept as a lead in to the actual park. What that would be is beyond me, one person thinking to myself... they have seasoned teams that knock ideas around and around and around.

A waterpark south? There has to be something else they could come up with for a small boutique singular themed theme park perhaps. ???

I know little about the other great parks of the world but I am sure there are a few seeds out there on which UC could capitalize and make bigger and better.

Your thoughts?

Depends on their goals, what clientele are they going for. Convention goers, business travelers, or the typical American family. If they are going for Convention/business, it will be somewhat more upscale and unique than what we see on the other campus because those people are. The thing is so many things are niche, in Asia and Europe Spa Water parks are popular with communal bathing but its not popular as much in the states with families. You have anime theme parks, renaissance fairs, etc but those are also niche.

Majority of the conventions at the nearby convention center at niche related. I mean looking at the calendar of events at the Orange County Convention Center, Spooky Empire (Horror), MegaCon (Comic/Anime/Games), Wizarding World (comics/SciFi), Anime festival (anime), IAAPA (Theme parks), plus Universal themselves in their hotels have had E-sport competitions and conferences (video games). Something for the upcoming boutique should mostly go into those categories.

Ironically, those three areas (Anime, SciFi, Horror) are categories NBCUniversal is trying to get synergy off of with Syfy and their ownership of NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan so something related to those would be best bet for some experience outside the park.

 

[GadgetGuru]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a potential boutique park being heavily inspired by the escape room craze happening right now. An escape room done by Universal would be amazing. Especially if you could stretch it into a day long experience.

 

[quinnmac000]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a potential boutique park being heavily inspired by the escape room craze happening right now. An escape room done by Universal would be amazing. Especially if you could stretch it into a day long experience.

They already do overseas (Biohazard, Death Note, Detective Conan). They did a few Universal produced ones stateside (One for the show Dig, they are doing another in CA for The mummy) but they were short term and okay.

 

[jtsalien]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a potential boutique park being heavily inspired by the escape room craze happening right now. An escape room done by Universal would be amazing. Especially if you could stretch it into a day long experience.

I think you'd be far more likely to see something like that at CityWalk. It wouldn't be an efficient use of a standalone space, IMO.

 

[tielo]

Instead of another CityWalk I'd like to see a VillageWalk. A stunningly beautiful village with amazing restaurants some small boutiques, a theater and a permanent Market Festival in there where high end, small portions of food are sold for a very unholy high price. But unlike Food and Wine festival at Epcot there is ample places to sit and enjoy and the menu changes with the seasons. A market stage has place to different (local) bands, and talents at night.

 

[Frank Drackman]

On the Disney CP program...we haven't been to WDW in a few years, but I recall always knowing when they were training new groups...I just recall interesting discussions last time I checked into a Disney hotel with someone working in America for the first time.

Gentle nudge of 3rd gate waterpark discussion to here and out of the VB thread.

That said, I feel that it is possible that UC might attempt something other than a waterpark or Citywalk knockoff on this southern property; a totally new concept as a lead in to the actual park. What that would be is beyond me, one person thinking to myself... they have seasoned teams that knock ideas around and around and around.

A waterpark south? There has to be something else they could come up with for a small boutique singular themed theme park perhaps. ???

I know little about the other great parks of the world but I am sure there are a few seeds out there on which UC could capitalize and make bigger and better.

Your thoughts?

I'm not good at stuff like this, but like someone mentioned, what Demo do you go for?

Is it night time for conventioneers? Day time for their family that came to Orlando with them?

The whole family at night?

I just do not know anything about what kind of traffic OCCC brings in.

 

[GadgetGuru]

I'm not good at stuff like this, but like someone mentioned, what Demo do you go for?

Is it night time for conventioneers? Day time for their family that came to Orlando with them?

The whole family at night?

I just do not know anything about what kind of traffic OCCC brings in.

For conventions at least, they want smaller, segregated spaces with some kind of focal point. Disney does a lot of this. It's something like a roped off patio for Illuminations or roping off the area in front of ToT at Hollywood Studios. You want to make the area small enough to mingle around (whole park is way too big), yet have some kind of highlight to bring people in + act as entertainment.

 

[s8film40]

The convention center brings in a very wide variety of guests. I've been there during MegaCon while the same weekend the other half is filled with cheerleading groups. Then there's a good number of serious business conventions which is probably the most consistent demographic. That's the whole point though, a convention center has to be able to host just about any group you can imagine.

 

[Viator]

Instead of another CityWalk I'd like to see a VillageWalk. A stunningly beautiful village with amazing restaurants some small boutiques, a theater and a permanent Market Festival in there where high end, small portions of food are sold for a very unholy high price. But unlike Food and Wine festival at Epcot there is ample places to sit and enjoy and the menu changes with the seasons. A market stage has place to different (local) bands, and talents at night.

I know it may be a bit weird, but I could see Universal also connect some of the hotels to the new entertainment complex, especially with the potential transportation system in-place.

I could see them doing that, as it is also something being done with Beijing and if I'm not mistaken, is also done with Osaka.

I also think that they will have a large hotel over there that will be like Sapphire but on steroids in-terms of convention space.

 

[quinnmac000]

I know it may be a bit weird, but I could see Universal also connect some of the hotels to the new entertainment complex, especially with the potential transportation system in-place.

I could see them doing that, as it is also something being done with Beijing and if I'm not mistaken, is also done with Osaka.

I also think that they will have a large hotel over there that will be like Sapphire but on steroids in-terms of convention space.

Two of the Universal owned hotels in Osaka are directly connected to city walk and the entrance to the Beijing park will be the flagship hotel if I remember correctly.

There will most likely be no convention space. What's the point of having convention space with the huge convention center right across the road? One of the big reason for this purchase in my opinion was to take in some of those who need hotels rooms for the conferences and conventions and get them to come to the parks as well. Just like now they will offer discount tickets for conventioneers, provide them lodging and make money off renting areas of the park out. If they have boutique parks which tie into the theme of most of the conventions, more money would be made. They also have two convention areas that still need to be used more.

As for the hotel connection, the land purchases don't seen conducive for that. They are 5 plots which range from 15-20 acres that are geographically separated. I assuming the two land packages in front but still separated from the large 345 acre package along with the 2 acres adjacent with be part of the main campus with the 20 acres on the west of the land purchase being the parking/ transport hub for the park. I think with those two in front may be used as hotels or potentially two boutique areas as a lead in to the park areas. They would have to get permission from owners of the other properties unless they decided to use the public roads.

I however think you may see more elaborate resorts with built in night life of their own along with resort to resort transportation to increase revenue for universal. They are competing more so with I drive in this location so keeping people stuck would be more optimal. One resort may be themed to Broadway/Hollywood with an actual theatre with shows, bars from musical shows, restaurants based off musicals etc. Another resort may have some other theming with night life to go along with it. With it being separated from the main campus they will want that revenue but at the same time, they will probably realize those traveling on business may not want to go far for fun and having it located where they are may be best.

 

[tielo]

I think it's a no brainer the convention center will get a walkbridge to Universal. In the past I read in an article that the people running the convention center where looking for more entertainment options for their guests at night. I'm sure Universal will keep in mind to fill that space.

 

[fryoj]

Two of the Universal owned hotels in Osaka are directly connected to city walk and the entrance to the Beijing park will be the flagship hotel if I remember correctly.

There will most likely be no convention space. What's the point of having convention space with the huge convention center right across the road? One of the big reason for this purchase in my opinion was to take in some of those who need hotels rooms for the conferences and conventions and get them to come to the parks as well. Just like now they will offer discount tickets for conventioneers, provide them lodging and make money off renting areas of the park out. If they have boutique parks which tie into the theme of most of the conventions, more money would be made. They also have two convention areas that still need to be used more.

A lot of companies have private meetings for their employees, suppliers, etc. at conventions. You will also see see companies use convention space to set up more elaborate displays or demos and pair that with hospitality area to have a more one on one time with customers. These big conventions can be chaos and the show floor may not be a good place to do business.

 

[JungleSkip]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a potential boutique park being heavily inspired by the escape room craze happening right now. An escape room done by Universal would be amazing. Especially if you could stretch it into a day long experience.

Hmmmm, a big, multiple Escape Room boutique park? It's not like one of Universal's newer partners has a game revolving around solving puzzles in dungeons to defeat the ultimate evil or anything.

*cough*Zelda*cough*

Now, no, I don't think that would actually happen, but AFAIK the ideas they were kicking around for Zelda were a walkthrough escape-room-like experience

 

[quinnmac000]

A lot of companies have private meetings for their employees, suppliers, etc. at conventions. You will also see see companies use convention space to set up more elaborate displays or demos and pair that with hospitality area to have a more one on one time with customers. These big conventions can be chaos and the show floor may not be a good place to do business.

As stated they have RPR and Sapphire falls convention areas for that which aren't utilized to max efficiency. Adding more capacity when the current capacity isn't being adequately utilized creates a loss.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Hmmmm, a big, multiple Escape Room boutique park? It's not like one of Universal's newer partners has a game revolving around solving puzzles in dungeons to defeat the ultimate evil or anything.

*cough*Zelda*cough*

Now, no, I don't think that would actually happen, but AFAIK the ideas they were kicking around for Zelda were a walkthrough escape-room-like experience

I would die.

 

[JungleSkip]

I would die.

Oh, I would never leave

 

[fryoj]

As stated they have RPR and Sapphire falls convention areas for that which aren't utilized to max efficiency. Adding more capacity when the current capacity isn't being adequately utilized creates a loss.

The parks also are rarely sold out, so we should rule out a new park for the south property too.....

Convention space at the south property will see much higher usage than anything at the North property. Putting convention space where the convention people are makes sense.