Universal Orlando New Master Plan

[kenban]

The thing is looking at the master plan its not one hotel but two. The one is 1,800 rooms and the other is much smaller at 800 rooms. Which makes me wonder just how many rooms are in the current hotels?

I do agree with most of the other posters this would add a huge number of guests to the current express pass lines. There are a lot of different things which could be done but considering there has been talk for years about the fact that this land was set aside for 2 additional hotels no one knows just how many years its going to be before we see any of this. I would like to see a third park built or major expansion of the current parks but this plan does not leave much room for either park to expand. A third park might still be an option but its not going to be onsite and since the resort has yet to even really start paying off the debt left over from building Islands of Adventure I doubt its going to happen any time soon if ever.

 

[AlexandNessa]

The thing is looking at the master plan its not one hotel but two. The one is 1,800 rooms and the other is much smaller at 800 rooms. Which makes me wonder just how many rooms are in the current hotels?

RPR = 1000 rooms
HRH = 650 rooms
PBH = 750 rooms

So, the 2 new hotels MORE THAN DOUBLE the load of the current 3 hotels. I don't see the need for more hotels (and double the occupancy) without any significant expansion to the theme parks. Not replacement rides. Expansion.

 

[lindalinda]

Hmmm, but one possibility that comes with more available rooms would be....maybe less of a demand. In other words maybe HRH wouldnt be totally booked all the time.....maybe more chances of good AP rates and upgrades?

Maybe not, but it might be. Just looking at the positives.

 

[G8r4evr]

I've been angry at Universal since they sold off the property they owned on the other side of International Drive,if they would still own that they would have REAL space to expand for future parks,waterparks and hotels.Instead now what we have are 2 parks with EXTREMELY limited space where to make a new ride an old one has to come down.If Wet n Wild were to move onsite that would definitely give it a more complete feel.But nobody can deny that the parks need new attractions bad,IOA is essentially the same park from when it opened 8 years ago except for the Storm Force teacups ride and the Flying Unicorn as the Trolley was to open with the park!!

I still cant believe how little IOA has changes since its opening day. I truly dont understand what they are waiting for...unless all of this Harry Potter talk has kept them from making any moves.

I would absolutely love to see Wet n Wild moved onsite. With respect to the other 2 parks, whereabouts is there enough land for a 3rd park?

Also, while I am no fan of the Simpsons, I am excited to see something new at US, but at the same time, I hate that one of the parks classic rides was shut down to make room for it...Did US not have any available land left to buuld a new attraction, or did they just choose to replace Back to the Future?

 

[ChrisFL]

I still cant believe how little IOA has changes since its opening day. I truly dont understand what they are waiting for...unless all of this Harry Potter talk has kept them from making any moves.

But considering that IOA was a much more completed park as far as attractions that the most recent Disney parks (MGM and AK) they probably didn't plan to add a lot to it for a while. I mean especially considering there isn't much room to expand and when IOA opened, Universal still had the other 2,000 acres they were going to build more parks on.

As far as BTTF being replaced, it needed some serious work and the target demographic is nearly too young to remember the movies anyway.

 

[damo]

I still cant believe how little IOA has changes since its opening day. I truly dont understand what they are waiting for...unless all of this Harry Potter talk has kept them from making any moves.

I would absolutely love to see Wet n Wild moved onsite. With respect to the other 2 parks, whereabouts is there enough land for a 3rd park?

Also, while I am no fan of the Simpsons, I am excited to see something new at US, but at the same time, I hate that one of the parks classic rides was shut down to make room for it...Did US not have any available land left to buuld a new attraction, or did they just choose to replace Back to the Future?

I compare it to AK. AK opened in 1998 with a lot less than IOA and just put in their new major addition last year. IOA opened in 1999 and it sounds like their new major addition will be 2009?

 

[macraven]

If they build more hotels, but don't add a park or 2, I wouldn't be surprised if they did away with EP for hotel guests. That wouldn't be a good thing for Loews.

it's gonna be another hotel i bet

 

[Planogirl]

Shrek and Jimmy Neutron are also new.

I would love to see a more affordable resort, maybe one that does NOT offer Express. I would love it just for the convenience.

 

[t-and-a]

I would love to see a more affordable resort, maybe one that does NOT offer Express. I would love it just for the convenience.

That exact thing was mentioned on another thread. I think it was Dagney who got a VIP tour and the guide mentioned a Howart's themed hotel that would be a 3 star hotel and not offer FOTL.

 

[robvia]

Parks close attractions and put something else in their place because of maintenance costs. Two parks is enough, just that the attractions need to be updated. There's plenty of land for new attractions, that's never been the issue. Sure, many would love for the old park to stay the exact same forever, but that can't happen. There will always be a handful of people sad to see an old ride go.

Wet N' Wild will probably be moved once the new water park next to Sea World opens next year and fans flock to it.

 

[goofy!]

That exact thing was mentioned on another thread. I think it was Dagney who got a VIP tour and the guide mentioned a Howart's themed hotel that would be a 3 star hotel and not offer FOTL.

Somehow, as persnickety as JK Rowling is with the merchandising of HP, I cannot see her allowing the "economy" hotel to be the one that is Hogwarts themed

She maintains a very, very tight rein on anything and everything concerning HP. I just read an article that even after the 7th book, she is retaining ALL rights to her characters so that she can control the future of the characters - no third party followup books, stories, merchandising etc.

But I would LOVE to see a value resort of some sort of theming located on property. As long as the resort does not impact FOTL - either in line size or in the perks. A superhero or toon lagoon themed value resort in the same vein as the oversized theming of the allstar resorts would be great.

I readily admit I am fickle. If FOTL perks are decreased or go away, I would have no problems going back to splitting my stays between WDW and Universal. But for right now, Universal gets all my resort money mainly for FOTL and some for the LoewsFirst perks. We drive to Disney when we want to go. BUT if they overbuild the lodging and take away the one thing that they have in spades over Disney lodging, then driving to Disney while staying onsite at Universal won't be quite as attractive as it is now.

 

[goofy!]

After adding comments to some of the dining threads, I wanted to add that the other thing we LOVE about Universal is the relaxed way of dining. I absolutely hate having to make ADR's months in advance at WDW.

The reason we stick to Universal is that we don't need a vacation after our vacation like we do at WDW. My idea of a vacation includes not having to plan every minute and every meal.

If adding another 1800 rooms at Universal is going to make it that much tougher to get dining reservations, then the relaxed feel of Universal is going to be compromised.

I would hate for that to happen.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

After adding comments to some of the dining threads, I wanted to add that the other thing we LOVE about Universal is the relaxed way of dining. I absolutely hate having to make ADR's months in advance at WDW.

The reason we stick to Universal is that we don't need a vacation after our vacation like we do at WDW. My idea of a vacation includes not having to plan every minute and every meal.

If adding another 1800 rooms at Universal is going to make it that much tougher to get dining reservations, then the relaxed feel of Universal is going to be compromised.

I would hate for that to happen.

Boy, you're right on the money there.

One of the biggest reasons why we spend the bulk of our time and $$$ at USO instead of WDW anymore is because of the relaxed dining at USO. Honestly, I remember the week back in May of 2002 staying onsite at WDW that actually brought us over to USO. We'd never needed ADRs or ressies in the past except for the "big" ones, i.e., Chef Mickey's, CRT (back when CRT was yummy!). We didn't make any, just planned on eating here and there at resorts. Everything was sold out! By our third night of eating dinner at Earl of Sandwich at DTD for dinner, we "ventured" over to Citywalk.

I was hooked on dining at USO after that. Really good food, great atmosphere -- really at all the restaurants -- and very normal waits, just like we'd have at home, if there was a wait at all.

I can understand the USO execs wanting packed restaurants six months in advance, but I REALLY hope it never comes to that! I know we'd more than likely always just stay offsite -- offsite from any theme park -- if it did.

 

[kenban]

I like the top hotel but the bottom residential looks like a residence inn.

The one on the bottom is the apartment for employees that is planned for the parking lot behind MIB. Its not a hotel.

 

[mayesq]

Shrek and Jimmy Neutron are also new.

Jimmy Neutron was originally a Hanna Barbara ride featuring the Jetsons and the Flintstones. I really miss that ride.....