Cabana Bay! New Universal Hotel in 2014!!!

[Metro West]

There is nothing wrong with either (did my post indicate that? I didn't mean to.)

Now...you know better than that.

I was agreeing with you.

 

[patster734]

I didn't see any transportation information for the new hotel. I wonder if they will extend the Citywalk lagoon past RPR to the new hotel so that they will have boat transportation like the other three hotels. And if so, will they modify the Citywalk boat dock to accomodate 4 boats.

 

[RMulieri]

Without express pass I won;t stay there and I have no need of a family suite.

 

[wreck]

but will not offer complimentary Universal Express Unlimited Access.

No where does it say they won't offer a limited express pass like the express plus with one ride per pass

I can also see it as a lower priced hotel with options a la carte, a way to upsell you express passes at different levels - express, express plus, express unlimited, one park , two park = more savings for you by only paying for what you want.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Now...you know better than that.

I was agreeing with you.

Lol, these blonde roots run deep!

 

[thebigkahuna]

if the price allows me to stay longer, I would totally stay there!
I think ( your view may vary) but my opinion is that universal has needed a "value" resort for some time.

 

[AJA]

That looks amazing!

They really need a hotel like this. Somewhere larger families can stay so they are still on site but not quite the cost of the current hotels. The early entry is great, most times of the year express isn't really needed (since most visit Disney too and no express pass there) I bet a lot wont really miss it.

We may have to add one or two nights here....of course if we can tear ourselves away from RPR!

 

[damo]

Oops...just posted this on the main board!!! Sorry Metro!


Looks like a fun resort. I'm not surprised about the no unlimited express though. With 1800 rooms being added on, giving them free express would ruin the system.

 

[andyman8]

As stated, I wonder if they will offer a Universal Express PLUS (not Unlimited) benefit at this resort, for UOR knows that Express is really the main draw to their resorts. Perhaps, they will integrate this with the Ride Reservation System things they're testing at IoA.

The resort, itself, looks alright, but I prefer the others.

I, too, wonder if they will extend the waterway to this resort. Someone on Inside the Magic mentioned that the "original plan" (never seen it) included a waterway connecting the two theme parks and CityWalk to all FIVE hotels. Maybe, they'll move Wet 'n' Wild between RPR and CBBR (first to use the abbreviation!) with a boat stop.

 

[keishashadow]

No, but they are going to offer early entry so more people will pack into Harry Potter.

I'd imagine that the guests of the new hotel will take advantage of their early entry perc.

Worst case scenario:

900 suites @ max occupancy of 6 & 900 rooms @ max occupancy of 4 = juggernaut of up to 9,000 HP fans at the gates bright and early on any given day.

they might syphon off % of guests at preferred hotels or perhaps Universal will eliminate that sort of offiste perc but even another 5,000 a day is a big jump in attendence.

I predict that those paying premium rates at the existing onsite hotels will raise a lament so loud Universal will then offer FOTL for the main HP attractions hey, it could happen

 

[damo]

If both parks have early entry, it won't be such a big deal. Perhaps that is why there is such a hurry to get the new ride done at Universal and then the new Harry Potter section.

People will be pretty much split evenly between the two parks and we shouldn't really notice the difference.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Artist renderings and highlighted map location of future site:

http://www.insidethemagic.net/2012/...vintage-look-moderate-and-value-rooms-suites/


Still, to me, ick .... But that's just me.

 

[ctl]

I'm wondering exactly when the new hotel will open in 2014. I had planned to take my daughter to WDW (8days) and IOA (2 days) for her 18th birthday and stay on site so she could see WWoHP (she's a HP nut). If the new hote opens then early entry and increased crowds could make it super packed. I'm looking at end of 2nd week of January for the IOA 2 days on site , which is when her birthday falls. Any thoughts?

 

[Metro West]

I'm wondering exactly when the new hotel will open in 2014. I had planned to take my daughter to WDW (8days) and IOA (2 days) for her 18th birthday and stay on site so she could see WWoHP (she's a HP nut). If the new hote opens then early entry and increased crowds could make it super packed. I'm looking at end of 2nd week of January for the IOA 2 days on site , which is when her birthday falls. Any thoughts?

I think since the new hotel was just announced yesterday, no one knows when in 2014 it will open...no one can tell right now. I'm sure many dates will change between now and then.

 

[keishashadow]

Thanks jodie was wondering 'where', very retro

If both parks have early entry, it won't be such a big deal. Perhaps that is why there is such a hurry to get the new ride done at Universal and then the new Harry Potter section.

People will be pretty much split evenly between the two parks and we shouldn't really notice the difference.

imo that's subject to one's tolerance level and their past experience.
The parks are already more crowded than pre HP days (Universal reported a 41% increase in attendance last year). Pretty sure they were all there when I was.

If all the majority of the new onsite guests decide to devote the 1st part of each day to see HP's house (that'd be my strategy), IOA will be slammed.

i'm a betting sort, here's my take:

Repeat onsite guests' negative comments would lead to FOTL being instituted at HP if only for a portion of the day. Loews would promptly challenge the market and dramatically raise their existing onsite resort rack rates while touting the new & improved HP accessible FOTL perc.

who's next with a scenario?

 

[ctl]

Thanks. I guess if there's anew HP section opening up too, then I ought to go ahead and book Loews on-site as soon as I can for the 2 days. I'm new to the Universal thing,(we are Disneyphiles) How early can you book on-site hotels?

 

[AlexandNessa]

Thanks jodie was wondering 'where', very retro



imo that's subject to one's tolerance level and their past experience.
The parks are already more crowded than pre HP days (Universal reported a 41% increase in attendance last year). Pretty sure they were all there when I was.

If all the majority of the new onsite guests decide to devote the 1st part of each day to see HP's house (that'd be my strategy), IOA will be slammed.

i'm a betting sort, here's my take:

Repeat onsite guests' negative comments would lead to FOTL being instituted at HP if only for a portion of the day. Loews would promptly challenge the market and dramatically raise their existing onsite resort rack rates while touting the new & improved HP accessible FOTL perc.

who's next with a scenario?

My scenario would be that UO starts eliminating early entry for some of the off-site partner hotels. Now that they will havetheir own value resort onsite, they may not renew some of their current partner hotel partnerships?

I would also hope that this new value resort doesn't start offering discount express options. If it does, I hope UO would start reducing the number of paid express offered to the GP.

 

[ElizabethB]

I have to agree on the "ick" part. Universal has built two incredibly immersive fantasy hotels -- Portofino Bay Hotel and Royal Pacific Resort. Both are really, IMO, more creative and more interesting and more immersive than any of the WDW resorts. Hard Rock Hotel is kind of its own thing -- but still has a strong theme attractive to many people -- and the hotel itself is very beautiful with its California mission-chic architecture.

Why they would follow these very successful hotels with something that is not only geared to the value market but looks like it?

I agree the value market idea is a good one -- and lots of families will love the family suites. But, the theme is so boring -- mid-century USA and the Fifties? It looks like a poor man's Contemporary Hotel.

I agree with the poster who asks why young families would relate to this theme at all? Seems like Harry Potter would be an ideal theme. But, if that is too expensive to justify in a value resort, there must be something else . . . anything else!

Marvel Comics, perhaps -- although Universal's license may not extend to hotels and they certainly won't get one now that Disney owns Marvel!

They could certainly consider using a variety of characters for which they have licenses -- Jimmy Neutron, Woody Woodpecker, etc. They have a license for Dr. Seuss -- young families likely would enjoy that.

Heck, they could have different areas with different themes reflecting Universal films -- Men in Black, Ghostbusters, Blues Brothers, etc., which would have some appeal for adults.

Or, just go for something interesting and exotic -- something that reflects the general theming in Islands of Adventure -- desert oasis, storybook fantasy, etc. If they want to take a place -- like they did with Portofino Bay Hotel, they could try Scandanavia, France, South America (Brazil, Peru, Argentina), Switzerland, Morrocco, Ireland/Scotland.

I'm just so surprised that after three beautifully designed hotels, this is the best they can do for their value resort. It seems far too much like Pop Century.

Oh well. It wouldn't be our choice, but perhaps some will like it.

 

[damo]

Thanks jodie was wondering 'where', very retro



imo that's subject to one's tolerance level and their past experience.
The parks are already more crowded than pre HP days (Universal reported a 41% increase in attendance last year). Pretty sure they were all there when I was.

If all the majority of the new onsite guests decide to devote the 1st part of each day to see HP's house (that'd be my strategy), IOA will be slammed.

i'm a betting sort, here's my take:

Repeat onsite guests' negative comments would lead to FOTL being instituted at HP if only for a portion of the day. Loews would promptly challenge the market and dramatically raise their existing onsite resort rack rates while touting the new & improved HP accessible FOTL perc.

who's next with a scenario?

I don't think everyone will be heading to the Wizarding World. If there is a new Transformers ride as well as a new Diagon Alley/Gringott's area at the Studios, we should see half the people going to IOA and half the people going to USF.

With the addition of the new hotel, there will be about double the rooms available than before. With the addition of early admission at USF, we'll have double the amount of early admission than we do now. It should even itself out. I agree with AlexandNessa that the offsite packages probably won't continue to exist.

I quite like the new hotel theming as does my family. I most likely won't stay there because there is no need and express is too important to us, but I can see it being very attractive.

Some sites are saying that the hotel is going in adjacent to RPR where others say it is going in the lot over from RPR. Either way, there will still be an empty lot. Perhaps a water park is going there?

 

[Rip]

My scenario would be that UO starts eliminating early entry for some of the off-site partner hotels. Now that they will havetheir own value resort onsite, they may not renew some of their current partner hotel partnerships?

I would also hope that this new value resort doesn't start offering discount express options. If it does, I hope UO would start reducing the number of paid express offered to the GP.

This. I'd be willing to bet, especially since they won't be offering unlimited express at this hotel, that they will reduce or eliminate the early entry offerings for the offsite hotels in the area. They aren't likely to put this kind of investment into something only to have offsite competition offering the same benefits.