Universal Studios Florida: What Do We Think About It?

[Mad Dog]

Keep those ride lines long and sell more Express passes. Mornings are almost always a good time to tour the parks. With half the park closed off with barriers before 10:00 AM, that will be a bit tougher.....The lessened Universal Experience continues.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

With Epic opening next year, it’s probably likely they are projecting soft crowds and are making adjustments.

Not saying it’s right or wrong. Just offering a possible POV.

That doesn't really track though. Maybe if this was a regional park, but soft crowds for Universal means something different from anywhere else.

 

[Scott W.]

I probably should have posted this in September when I got home but the resort is in bad shape, I'm just going to bulletpoint most of this.

Having Express Pass makes you realise just how little there is to do in the parks. I also never realised just how bad IOA is when it's cold or a storm rolls in. I don't think I spent more than 3 hours in any park at a time with the exception of HHN with it's watered down drinks where I somehow managed to drink non stop and left more sober than when I entered.

I had mentioned on Twitter a while back what I would remove from the parks. Everything in red goes.


And that's before I even get to how bad the food and service is. Hotel staff were barely ok, the food was shockingly bad.


Bigfire was awful, so was Toothsome. One of the best meals I had was at Hard Rock which kind of says everything. The Freestyle machines were almost constantly out of ice.


I don't know how Universal gets away with this while Disney gets called out at every chance. It's in bad enough shape that it does make me worry about Epic opening. If they can't get the service right, this is going to be 4 out of 4 park opening failures in Orlando.

 

[Brian G.]

That doesn't really track though. Maybe if this was a regional park, but soft crowds for Universal means something different from anywhere else.

Just because it’s something different doesn’t change the fact a soft crowd is a soft crowd.

I don’t foresee this to be a permanent change, only a thing during the slower months.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

We'll see just how soft Orlando is in the next few weeks. Excited as a local as the past few months (idk what happened in October) have been pretty busy crowd-wise.

I probably should have posted this in September when I got home but the resort is in bad shape, I'm just going to bulletpoint most of this.

Having Express Pass makes you realise just how little there is to do in the parks. I also never realised just how bad IOA is when it's cold or a storm rolls in. I don't think I spent more than 3 hours in any park at a time with the exception of HHN with it's watered down drinks where I somehow managed to drink non stop and left more sober than when I entered.

I had mentioned on Twitter a while back what I would remove from the parks. Everything in red goes.


And that's before I even get to how bad the food and service is. Hotel staff were barely ok, the food was shockingly bad.


Bigfire was awful, so was Toothsome. One of the best meals I had was at Hard Rock which kind of says everything. The Freestyle machines were almost constantly out of ice.


I don't know how Universal gets away with this while Disney gets called out at every chance. It's in bad enough shape that it does make me worry about Epic opening. If they can't get the service right, this is going to be 4 out of 4 park opening failures in Orlando.

This was another topic I was going to bring up. There's been a significant downturn in quality at Antojitos and Cowfish, they were great offerings and made eating at Universal somewhat enjoyable. Red Oven is at least still consistent in its quality.

 

[Jones14]

The lagoon show and the parade aren’t ready yet, nor is Dreamworks. I expect USF park hours will lengthen rather substantially once any combination of those are open.

As to the late ride openings, I don’t love them either, but I would expect that they don’t get any crowds of note until the morning crowds make their way through Minions, Rockit, Mummy, and Gringotts.

 

[Brian G.]

We'll see just how soft Orlando is in the next few weeks. Excited as a local as the past few months (idk what happened in October) have been pretty busy crowd-wise.


This was another topic I was going to bring up. There's been a significant downturn in quality at Antojitos and Cowfish, they were great offerings and made eating at Universal somewhat enjoyable. Red Oven is at least still consistent in its quality.

Universal has always erred on the extra cautious side after the lead up to Potter 1.0. It’s part of the reason why we always get later announcements. They don’t wanna have anybody put off their vacations for the next big thing - which in this case is Epic.

 

[belloq87]

I had mentioned on Twitter a while back what I would remove from the parks. Everything in red goes.

Only an inhuman monster would want to get rid of E.T. and keep Transformers!

 

[Tbad556]

I get attacked every time I mention cost cutting, but damn, it's become really obvious, and I don't know how the apologists are going to continue to deny this is happening....

The apologists nonsense is exhausting, man. I've listed my personal gripes on plenty of occasions:

- F&F? Bad
- Fallon? Bad
- Fully losing park maps? Bad
- Chucky queue video audio being inaudible/lack of captions for all queue videos? Bad
- Queue videos not starting for HHN largely until October annually? Bad
- Costume botches at HHN (Depths of Fear, Giant Chucky head, etc.)? Bad
- Not announcing holiday dates until last minute and never (?) announcing the USF/IOA firework details? Bad
- Lack of show options in the parks? Bad
- Treatment of TMs during COVID? Horrendous
- Treatment of TMs post-Hurricane? Bad
- Universal Great Movie Escape? Laughably bad.
- TM pay? A joke.
- VBay opening rollout? Baaaad
- HRRR? Needs to go.

I can go on and on and have expressed these opinions (and more) in the past ad nauseam. Just because myself and a handful of others disagree on certain things/complaints doesn't make us apologists who do nothing, but blindly defend the resort. I thoroughly explain my takes, so reducing it to being a blind apologist is just frustrating. There's not a single person on here that doesn't have complaints about the parks and hasn't verbalized them.

This may come as a shock, but I actually don't like this decision either. I have my assumptions as to why (a new wave of staffing in EU starts around this/next week & it's the slow season, extend the usual slow season late starts to cut out opening leadership while people are moved around/hired to fill in gaps), but it doesn't mean it isn't poorly planned/managed.

I don't know how Universal gets away with this while Disney gets called out at every chance. It's in bad enough shape that it does make me worry about Epic opening. If they can't get the service right, this is going to be 4 out of 4 park opening failures in Orlando.

Where does Universal get away with anything lol? Pretty much every thread leads to Uni getting called out about things. This thread is literally pages of Uni not getting away with things.

 

[Mad Dog]

The apologists nonsense is exhausting, man. I've listed my personal gripes on plenty of occasions:

- F&F? Bad
- Fallon? Bad
- Fully losing park maps? Bad
- Chucky queue video audio being inaudible/lack of captions for all queue videos? Bad
- Queue videos not starting for HHN largely until October annually? Bad
- Costume botches at HHN (Depths of Fear, Giant Chucky head, etc.)? Bad
- Not announcing holiday dates until last minute and never (?) announcing the USF/IOA firework details? Bad
- Lack of show options in the parks? Bad
- Treatment of TMs during COVID? Horrendous
- Treatment of TMs post-Hurricane? Bad
- Universal Great Movie Escape? Laughably bad.
- TM pay? A joke.
- VBay opening rollout? Baaaad
- HRRR? Needs to go.

I can go on and on and have expressed these opinions (and more) in the past ad nauseam. Just because myself and a handful of others disagree on certain things/complaints doesn't make us apologists who do nothing, but blindly defend the resort. I thoroughly explain my takes, so reducing it to being a blind apologist is just frustrating. There's not a single person on here that doesn't have complaints about the parks and hasn't verbalized them.

This may come as a shock, but I actually don't like this decision either. I have my assumptions as to why (a new wave of staffing in EU starts around this/next week & it's the slow season, extend the usual slow season late starts to cut out opening leadership while people are moved around/hired to fill in gaps), but it doesn't mean it isn't poorly planned/managed.


Where does Universal get away with anything lol? Pretty much every thread leads to Uni getting called out about things. This thread is literally pages of Uni not getting away with things.

I wasn't referring to you, my friend. I'm well aware of your past posts that are pretty balanced. I've actually probably complained about less than your list above. None of us agree on everything. I was always one of Universal's biggest cheerleaders (Scott Walker was too and we've privately talked about this stuff since covid)), and even now I still give them credit for the things they're doing well, and expressed 'hope' they turn it around by summer. . It's just disappointing that a resort that I enjoyed so much in the past seems to be going in a different direction that's more profit friendly than guest experience friendly. Seems like they balanced profits and experiences better before. Even considering a new park and the work involved, it just seems like they're flying by the seats of their pants, management wise. Perhaps they just lost too many of their best people to post covid layoffs. I wasn't into these parks when the last big one, AK opened. Were these types of shortcomings happening with WDW? Anyone recall that?...I'm just looking for answers. I'm very disappointed the past couple years.

 

[Tbad556]

I wasn't referring to you, my friend. I'm well aware of your past posts that are pretty balanced. I've actually probably complained about less than your list above. None of us agree on everything. I was always one of Universal's biggest cheerleaders (Scott Walker was too and we've privately talked about this stuff since covid)), and even now I still give them credit for the things they're doing well, and expressed 'hope' they turn it around by summer. . It's just disappointing that a resort that I enjoyed so much in the past seems to be going in a different direction that's more profit friendly than guest experience friendly. Seems like they balanced profits and experiences better before. Even considering a new park and the work involved, it just seems like they're flying by the seats of their pants, management wise. Perhaps they just lost too many of their best people to post covid layoffs. I wasn't into these parks when the last big one, AK opened. Were these types of shortcomings happening with WDW? Anyone recall that?...I'm just looking for answers. I'm very disappointed the past couple years.

I appreciate that and apologize. The "park map" discussion having several instances of me basically being told I'm "someone who is pro-every Universal decision" has worn me down.

As for the second half of your post, I can't speak for WDW, but I think a lot of this is UO being in uncharted modern day territory for Orlando parks with EU and being in the midst of some big entertainment shifts in the existent parks already (new parade, lagoon show, etc). I expect a lot of similar mistakes to the VBay opening unfortunately in the next year. A lot of TMs getting offered OT to rescue out to EU/pick up extra shifts and fill out spots in the new park to ensure things run smoothly until staffing is appropriately settled on, leaving the OG parks playing second fiddle for a few months.

 

[DodgsonHere]

I had mentioned on Twitter a while back what I would remove from the parks. Everything in red goes.

No offense at all, but what this sounds like to me is someone that may be going to the parks too much and is getting burned out (now I don’t know how often you go or if you’re a passholder or not so please correct me and don’t take this personally at all).

I completely understand being upset with operations when they are subpar, but wanting all but a handful of rides to be removed seems a little out of touch to me. If you visit a lot you might have refined your tastes to only doing a few rides multiple times per visit, and thats fine but you have to recognize that the average vacationer does not see the resort like that at all.

Again, don’t take any of this personally, this is more of an observation on what I see from a lot of APs.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

here's been a significant downturn in quality at Antojitos and Cowfish

That's it, someone at the top needs to go. I can excuse getting rid of park maps but I draw the line at messing with Cowfish.

 

[Mad Dog]

No offense at all, but what this sounds like to me is someone that may be going to the parks too much and is getting burned out (now I don’t know how often you go or if you’re a passholder or not so please correct me and don’t take this personally at all).

I completely understand being upset with operations when they are subpar, but wanting all but a handful of rides to be removed seems a little out of touch to me. If you visit a lot you might have refined your tastes to only doing a few rides multiple times per visit, and thats fine but you have to recognize that the average vacationer does not see the resort like that at all.

Again, don’t take any of this personally, this is more of an observation on what I see from a lot of APs.

Scott is from the UK (Scotland) and this Sept. was probably his first trip to Orlando (WDW & USO) since before covid. He's always been one of Universal's biggest cheerleaders and we've had tons of private conversations over the years. After this recent trip he privately expressed to me, and a few other long time fans, how bad the trip was, especially in comparison to WDW which had good operations. He almost always does a real lengthy trip report, but he didn't do one after this trip since he loves the park but didn't want to talk trash publicly,at that point in time. Scott is pretty prominent in the theme park community, Saturday Six on Touring Plans uses lots of his optics and creations, and he has tons of super Insider info, but doesn't use it publicly. I always consider his opinions important since he has impeccable knowledge about both Universal and Disney operations, on the surface and behind the curtain. When Universals biggest cheerleaders over the years, that rarely criticized them before the past couple of years, starts speaking up about a deterioration in the Universal Experience, perhaps it's incumbent upon Comcast/Universal to be a bit introspective. This is like the canary in the mine. It just seems like they have issues, and they are many. ....Speaking for myself, I'd rather be cheerleading than criticizing, but I was so disappointed in my last few vacations that I've stopped going there until I see improvement, hoping the mojo will come back this summer so I can go next Holiday season, if they notify us more than a couple weeks before the holiday stuff starts. .

 

[BatCom]

I don't know how Universal gets away with this while Disney gets called out at every chance. It's in bad enough shape that it does make me worry about Epic opening. If they can't get the service right, this is going to be 4 out of 4 park opening failures in Orlando.

I'm at WDW this week immediately after visiting UOR and the difference in customer service is shocking. Disney CMs are just so much nicer, more helpful, seem like they actually want to be there etc.

 

[belloq87]

wanting all but a handful of rides to be removed seems a little out of touch to me.

At IOA, it certainly would be an overreaction (and I suspect it was at least a little tongue-in-cheek on @Scott W.'s part with that park).

USF, though...? I don't know, if I had absolute power, I'd get rid of many, many things that are currently there. I truly think only Revenge of the Mummy, Diagon Alley (the land, not Gringotts), MIB, E.T., Horror Makeup, and Bourne would stay if I had my way.

You can all be relieved that I do not have any such power!

 

[Crypt Keeper]

I probably should have posted this in September when I got home but the resort is in bad shape, I'm just going to bulletpoint most of this.

I had mentioned on Twitter a while back what I would remove from the parks. Everything in red goes.

Not to sound rude, but this has to be a joke, right?.....

IOA doesn't necessarily need to replace anything other than Lost Continent and the TL Theater. Once Zelda takes over LC, IOA will be much more well-rounded.

USF is a different situation, but killing off ET, Bourne, Horror Make-Up, Fallon, and HRRR just sounds crazy to me. Replacing Supercharged and Simpsons/AA should be enough to do the trick.

Also, I'm not sure why you included DreamWorks Land when it's not even open yet (unless you just overlooked it and I'm being picky).

 

[belloq87]

Also, I'm not sure why you included DreamWorks Land when it's not even open yet (unless you just overlooked it and I'm being picky).

In fairness, I would axe it before it's even opened, too!

Seems like just killing time until something of actual substance (hopefully) is added there.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

These conversations baffle me sometimes. I find Fallon so much worse than F&F. Fallon is grating and deeply unfunny (few things are worse the trying to be funny and failing) while F&F is genuinely funny - unintentionally in the ride, intentionally in the preshow. It captures the fun stupidity of the franchise perfectly. It probably should go very soon due to the allegations against Diesel, but if we’re judging just on ride experience, I’d replace Blast, Fallon, and Simpsons before even looking at F&F.

Completely agree with this. At least VillainCon is only replacing Shrek 4-D though.

Somebody spent a lot of time in Licorice Castle.

@Clive 's Candyland scarezone was one of my favorite ideas ever, hate that it can never happen lol.

 

[Crypt Keeper]

In fairness, I would axe it before it's even opened, too!

Seems like just killing time until something of actual substance (hopefully) is added there.

KidZone would've been a great spot for Pokémon, but there's always Springfield.

I'm sure we'll see a Phase 2 down the road for DreamWorks.