Universal has announced next hotel

[rteetz]

Universal has announced it's next hotel this morning. A while back it was news that universal had filed permits for up to 3 more hotels. This may be the first of many to come. The name will be Sapphire Falls and will open in 2016. It's theming will be a Caribbean Hideaway. It will be located next to royal pacific and cabana bay.

http://orlandounited.com/2014/09/sapphire-falls-resort-to-be-5th-hotel-added-to-universal-orlando/

 

[Reddog1134]

No express pass. Universal is doing what everyone is afraid will happen at Disney. A "class-system" based on hotel.

 

[skier_pete]

Yeah, nice. They have a class system for hotels, a pay-for-front-of-the-line system. They install a ride that costs you an extra $35 to ride (The Hogwarts Express that requires a multi-park pass to ride.) Yet all you see on these boards are people ripping Disney for squeezing their customers, and praising Universal for providing more ride experiences.

The fact of the matter is, if they provide FOTL to all hotel guests with these new hotels opening up, it would make the lines too long and cause all sorts of problems, especially for those paying for the priviledge. A class system indeed. Disney is wise to stay away from doing that as long as they can with FP+.

 

[beer dave]

Yeah, nice. They have a class system for hotels, a pay-for-front-of-the-line system. They install a ride that costs you an extra $35 to ride (The Hogwarts Express that requires a multi-park pass to ride.) Yet all you see on these boards are people ripping Disney for squeezing their customers, and praising Universal for providing more ride experiences.

The fact of the matter is, if they provide FOTL to all hotel guests with these new hotels opening up, it would make the lines too long and cause all sorts of problems, especially for those paying for the priviledge. A class system indeed. Disney is wise to stay away from doing that as long as they can with FP+.

Yeah funny isn't it.... All the doomsday posts when FPP was being tested, for naught, and now all the fears seem to be materializing at UNI.

 

[clsteve]

I've never understood the "creating a Resort class system" argument. A class system infers exclusion. Where's the exclusion? Heck, you can even pool hop between classes of Resorts.

Nobody's excluded from their Express Pass. If you want it, buy it - either a la carte or inclusive of your (higher priced) Resort. On-site, off-site, it doesn't matter.

It's an easily done computation of price versus individually perceived value.

And, if Disney had the ride capacity, how inclusive do you really think FP+ would be? Off-site is already at a 30 day disadvantage for reservations.....

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with the previous post. Universal is actually very inclusive of everyone. You can all get the same thing within the parks and you can't say that about WDW. If I stay offsite and go to a Disney park, I can't get FP+ any earlier than 30 days which gives onsite a definite advantage. However at Universal I can easily purchase express if I need it which gives me the exact same advantage as anyone else.

It's so not the same thing...

 

[BigAlsGal]

I agree with the previous post. Universal is actually very inclusive of everyone. You can all get the same thing within the parks and you can't say that about WDW. If I stay offsite and go to a Disney park, I can't get FP+ any earlier than 30 days which gives onsite a definite advantage. However at Universal I can easily purchase express if I need it which gives me the exact same advantage as anyone else.

It's so not the same thing...

So you're saying you wouldn't mind paying disney a small fee to get access at 60 days?

 

[Planogirl]

So you're saying you wouldn't mind paying disney a small fee to get access at 60 days?

No I wouldn't. I have always said that all I want is access and if it costs more so be it. I find not having any access at all way more disturbing.

 

[To the honeypots]

No I wouldn't. I have always said that all I want is access and if it costs more so be it. I find not having any access at all way more disturbing.

You can get it and cheaper than buying an express pass. Book a campsite and you can have it for around $50.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Yeah, nice. They have a class system for hotels, a pay-for-front-of-the-line system. They install a ride that costs you an extra $35 to ride (The Hogwarts Express that requires a multi-park pass to ride.) Yet all you see on these boards are people ripping Disney for squeezing their customers, and praising Universal for providing more ride experiences.

The fact of the matter is, if they provide FOTL to all hotel guests with these new hotels opening up, it would make the lines too long and cause all sorts of problems, especially for those paying for the priviledge. A class system indeed. Disney is wise to stay away from doing that as long as they can with FP+.

 

[rteetz]

One thing I have been hearing since this news has broke is cabana bay has supposedly been not been full and people are wondering why they are building another resort when they aren't filling the current one. I can't confirm with numbers maybe someone can but it's just what I'm hearing.

 

[ks13]

Unless they really are opening a 3rd and 4th park in the next few years I don't see why they are opening another hotel. The availability to fill that many rooms can't possible be there. Allegedly a water park, and another theme park is in the works.

I don't have as much of an issue with a "class" based hotel system, since basicly they are admiting you are paying for the express pass at the more expensive hotels. Speaking of class I did laugh at the fact that allegedly awhile back they were having issues with people using Cabana Bay as a party hotel, and getting a suitcase of beer, and drinking all weekend at the hotel pool, and getting oit of control.

 

[beer dave]

One thing I have been hearing since this news has broke is cabana bay has supposedly been not been full and people are wondering why they are building another resort when they aren't filling the current one. I can't confirm with numbers maybe someone can but it's just what I'm hearing.

Myabe it is the first UVC resort. I bet early buy in will get you extra pernts.

 

[skier_pete]

I've never understood the "creating a Resort class system" argument. A class system infers exclusion. Where's the exclusion? Heck, you can even pool hop between classes of Resorts.

Nobody's excluded from their Express Pass. If you want it, buy it - either a la carte or inclusive of your (higher priced) Resort. On-site, off-site, it doesn't matter.

It's an easily done computation of price versus individually perceived value.

And, if Disney had the ride capacity, how inclusive do you really think FP+ would be? Off-site is already at a 30 day disadvantage for reservations.....

Unless they really are opening a 3rd and 4th park in the next few years I don't see why they are opening another hotel. The availability to fill that many rooms can't possible be there. Allegedly a water park, and another theme park is in the works.

I don't have as much of an issue with a "class" based hotel system, since basicly they are admiting you are paying for the express pass at the more expensive hotels. Speaking of class I did laugh at the fact that allegedly awhile back they were having issues with people using Cabana Bay as a party hotel, and getting a suitcase of beer, and drinking all weekend at the hotel pool, and getting oit of control.

I have somewhat less of an issue with the hotel "classes" (more expensive hotels include FOTL), and also am OK with on-site versus off-site benefits. It's more the fact that I have to pay $100+ a day to go to the park, but if I want to wait in shorter lines, I have to pay yet another fee. Meanwhile at Disney, I can stay on-site, off-site, show up that day and still have option of taking advantage of FP+.

I can't believe anyone is seriously saying that that PAYING for FOTL privileges is BETTER than having a difference between a 60 day FP+ window (for free) and a 30 day FP+ window (for free).

If Disney did the EXACT SAME THING (Free FP+ at Deluxe resorts, and a $20 a day fee for moderates, values and off-site) people would be COMPLETELY filling out.

 

[Reddog1134]

I have somewhat less of an issue with the hotel "classes" (more expensive hotels include FOTL), and also am OK with on-site versus off-site benefits. It's more the fact that I have to pay $100+ a day to go to the park, but if I want to wait in shorter lines, I have to pay yet another fee. Meanwhile at Disney, I can stay on-site, off-site, show up that day and still have option of taking advantage of FP+.

I can't believe anyone is seriously saying that that PAYING for FOTL privileges is BETTER than having a difference between a 60 day FP+ window (for free) and a 30 day FP+ window (for free).

If Disney did the EXACT SAME THING (Free FP+ at Deluxe resorts, and a $20 a day fee for moderates, values and off-site) people would be COMPLETELY filling out.

Agreed. It's not that those things aren't available to all. It's that they are offering an advantage for a fee. People on these boards were up in arms when they thought Disney was going to give FP+ advantages to guests staying in Deluxe resorts.

By the way, I'm all for "the more you pay, the more you get". I just think it's funny that Universal is doing it but every one complains about Disney.

 

[rteetz]

Myabe it is the first UVC resort. I bet early buy in will get you extra pernts.

There have been rumors of this for a while it would be interesting if universal gets in the timeshare business.

 

[clsteve]

One thing I have been hearing since this news has broke is cabana bay has supposedly been not been full and people are wondering why they are building another resort when they aren't filling the current one. I can't confirm with numbers maybe someone can but it's just what I'm hearing.

It looks like they're going aggressively at the convention business, as part of this. Doing some searching, it looks like RPH is starting a major expansion of it's convention center and this new hotel is going up next to RPH along with an extension of the canal to it.
The search seems to show that the permits have been filed for the new waterpark and too many rumors to count about Park expansion.

Loews must be very comfortable with their long term expansion plan and guest estimates to go forward right now with the new hotel. I remember seeing somewhere that BB and TL each get about 1.7-1.9 mil visitors each year, so a quality themed waterpark in walking distance should be a good bump for them.

There's even the (very unsubstantiated) rumor from several different sites about rumblings that Uni/Comcast is in due diligence phase of buying out the holding group for BG which would net them SeaWorld.

With SeaWorld's issues - easy to see how that rumor would start. Absolutely no serious substantiation, however - but interesting to contemplate.......

I'd post the links but I'm never sure which sites are the ones the Mods don't allow. Easy to find them with Google, though.

As far as Cabana Bay, I'd heard that too. Some say much of that's due to the timing of the phased opening and the fact that much of it opened mid-high season - including some of the pool complex. Watching what happens with occupancy the next full year of being open will be a much better indicator.

They do seem to be feeling/finding their way a bit around rates at CB. As ks13 pointed out, they started out too low which brought a party element to it. Sad that would happen, but in hindsight, that pool complex and great rate seems a bit of a perfect storm for that to happen......

 

[ahoyle]

I find people saying if Disney did something like a class based system, this board would be filled with people complaining. Heres the deal, as a consumer, all I want is value for my money. Even as an annual pass holder, I can't get value for my money at DW without the fast pass system. Lines are always too long for almost everything unless its off season. I've been several times to Carowinds, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, and Universal, all of which didn't offer the FP system, but the paid front of the line system. It was there if I needed it, but none of the times I have visited did I feel I needed to do that for to obtain value.

I would complain about Disney doing something like that as things stand now, as it would limit me to very selectively timing my visits. Now if Disney wants to start building at the pace of Universal, drawing guests away from old but great rides like RnR Coaster, TOT, Soarin, etc...then by all means feel free to do this. But as long as ten year old rides have a 2 hour wait because you haven't built anything better in a decade, then you better have a free fast pass system.

To stay on topic, this resort looks beautiful. Can't wait to check it out. Ate at the Royal Pacific a couple weekends ago for the first time, beautiful resort as well.

 

[jon18uk]

Unless they really are opening a 3rd and 4th park in the next few years I don't see why they are opening another hotel. .

They are also building & expanding their convention facilities. Royal Pacific Resort & the new Sapphire Falls resort combined will have 278,000 sq feet of convention space, this is what they expect will fill out the new resort.

 

[Reddog1134]

I find people saying if Disney did something like a class based system, this board would be filled with people complaining.

Disney doesn't actually have to do it for people to start complaining, they just need a rumor.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3248449