Universal Orlando to build 1,800-room hotel, Cabana Beach Resort

[crazy4wdw]

Interesting that Universal is getting into value priced resort rooms and family suties.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

By Jason Garcia and Sara K. Clarke, Orlando Sentinel

12:14 p.m. EST, July 9, 2012

Universal Orlando, which has experienced record-breaking attendance growth since opening the Wizarding World of Harry Potter two years ago, announced Monday that it and longtime partner Loews Hotels & Resorts will build a new on-property hotel to accommodate the crowds.

Scheduled to open in 2014, Universal's Cabana Beach Resort would be the largest of Universal's four on-site hotels, with 1,800 rooms.

Half of those rooms will be "family suites" — lower-end suites with room for as many as six people. Universal said the hotel will be modeled after a large, sweeping motor court, to evoke the road trips many Americans grew up enjoying when on vacation. Renderings of the hotel show a retro-style entrance, with clean lines accented by orange-and-turquoise flourishes.

"Our new hotel will give guests an affordable, incredibly themed on-site hotel experience unlike anything else at our resort," Tom Williams, chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Parks & Resorts, said in a prepared statement. "Our new family suites and family-value pricing will give our guests on-site options they've never had before."

In both size and target market, Universal's Cabana Beach will be very similar to Walt Disney World's newly opened, $350 million Art of Animation Resort. The new Disney hotel, whose first phases opened a few weeks ago, will have 1,120 family suites when it's completed, in addition to 864 conventional rooms.

Universal and Loews are positioning Cabana Bay as a more-affordable on-property option than their existing hotels: the 1,000-room Royal Pacific Resort, the 750-room Portofino Bay Hotel and the 650-room Hard Rock Hotel.

Like guests in the three existing hotels, travelers booking rooms in Cabana Bay will get early admission to Universal Orlando's two theme parks. But unlike guests in the other hotels, they will not receive complimentary front-of-the-line ride passes.

"The Cabana Bay Beach Resort furthers our goal of operating special and distinct properties in important markets," Paul Whetsell, Loews Hotels & Resorts president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. "This is another important step in our plan to expand the Loews system in major markets across the United States."

The new hotel will be built on 37 acres adjacent to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, just off Hollywood Way and Turkey Lake Road.

Cabana Bay is being timed to coincide with the opening of a second Harry Potter-themed "land" that is also expected to open in 2014 and will likely deliver another huge attendance surge to the resort.

It's also the latest example of Universal Parks & Resort's new corporate owner, cable-TV giant Comcast Corp., sinking money into the theme-park business. With Comcast's blessing, Universal is also building copies of Wizarding World in Southern California and Japan.

 

[Disco]

That's the last peice of "attached" open land that they've got. No more major expansions for US. All they can do is retheme, rebrand or rebuild what is currently in their park.

 

[billdob62]

It should be a good investment if done right.

 

[patsal]

Well with pretty much all of their resort space sold out most of the time, it makes good sense.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well--they'd better hope Potter Boy stands the test of time!!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Well--they'd better hope Potter Boy stands the test of time!!

I guess the reported 35 percent increase in attendance the second year of Harry answers that question.

In addition, with the expansion of HP in Orlando plus the addition if HP in California and Japan's US, the financial commitments of new owner, Comcast, is substantial.

I ask you......want to go to a park that has been substantially upgraded by 2014, or one which has decided to do as little as possible?

 

[Disney Prince]

I find it funny that the article says the Cabana Beach Resort is following the Art of Animation (value) Resort model. I've never stayed at Universal, nor visited their parks - can anyone tell me if they've got something on par with Disney's deluxe resorts?

 

[patsal]

I find it funny that the article says the Cabana Beach Resort is following the Art of Animation (value) Resort model. I've never stayed at Universal, nor visited their parks - can anyone tell me if they've got something on par with Disney's deluxe resorts?

Lowe's Hotels are way better than Disney Deluxes imho. They are well kept, well themed and very clean from my experiences. I have stayed at both Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific and never have a hard time parting with the higher cost for the rooms.

 

[Disney Prince]

Lowe's Hotels are way better than Disney Deluxes imho. They are well kept, well themed and very clean from my experiences. I have stayed at both Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific and never have a hard time parting with the higher cost for the rooms.

Oh, wow. I've never known about the Loew's resorts at Universal. They certainly do look nice!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I guess the reported 35 percent increase in attendance the second year of Harry answers that question.

In addition, with the expansion of HP in Orlando plus the addition if HP in California and Japan's US, the financial commitments of new owner, Comcast, is substantial.

I ask you......want to go to a park that has been substantially upgraded by 2014, or one which has decided to do as little as possible?

Before we go off the rails here...

1. "second year" doesn't exactly prove longevity...remember there were 2...I believe...harry potter movies released in 2011. Longevity can only be shown when the dust has settled...at the earliest about 2014 and well beyond.

2. I know...35% (even if thats a rebound after universal was kinda stagnant during the "realtor" years)...new hotels...remodeling.
Universal is looking better, right? Yes
They are adding investment, right? Yes

Disney surely is gonna have to respond and build us something great to keep up, right?
Nope...not at all...

Only if they feel like it...wanna take a guess on that?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Lowe's Hotels are way better than Disney Deluxes imho. They are well kept, well themed and very clean from my experiences. I have stayed at both Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific and never have a hard time parting with the higher cost for the rooms.

I agree...
Because Loews runs its operation according to the industry standards/ models...i.e. compensation based on skill, experience, education - no limits on guest service requests - strict conduct policies - etc. etc. etc.

Disney does NOT. Its actually a miracle that disney hotels run as smoothly as they do when you see it from behind the curtain.

My opinion is formed by my own experiences...take it for what it's worth.

 

[damo]

That's the last peice of "attached" open land that they've got. No more major expansions for US. All they can do is retheme, rebrand or rebuild what is currently in their park.

There is one large lot left. Not enough for another park, but enough for a water park.

 

[jade1]

No FOTL passes for the values I guess.

 

[minijeanie]

Why would anyone want to stay onsite and not get FOTL access? This is the only reason I stay onsite. I think this might backfire a little bit. Is the pricing really that eye appealing to draw you in?

 

[Disco]

There is one large lot left. Not enough for another park, but enough for a water park.

Where's that at? I don't see anything from GE.
Well I guess there are two lots to the south but I'd figure that both of them would go to the new resort. For the amount of rooms we're talking about it should be a big footprint.

 

[jade1]

Why would anyone want to stay onsite and not get FOTL access? This is the only reason I stay onsite. I think this might backfire a little bit. Is the pricing really that eye appealing to draw you in?

Agreed-that's a deal killer for us. May as well taxi from WDW for the day. However there may be plenty of guests OK with it. I guess they can always add that later if its not filling up-or maybe use it at certain times of the year.

 

[patsal]

No FOTL passes for the values I guess.

A guess or a for certain?

 

[crazy4wdw]

A guess or a for certain?

According to the Orlando Sentinel article, only early admission will be offered for the new resort, no FOTL passes.

Like guests in the three existing hotels, travelers booking rooms in Cabana Bay will get early admission to Universal Orlando's two theme parks. But unlike guests in the other hotels, they will not receive complimentary front-of-the-line ride passes.

 

[patsal]

I doubt I would want to stay budget at US/IOA I have been spoiled by the deluxes and would rather have FOTL.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Why would anyone want to stay onsite and not get FOTL access? This is the only reason I stay onsite. I think this might backfire a little bit. Is the pricing really that eye appealing to draw you in?

typically...travelers pick nicer hotels to stay in nicer hotels...not to jump lines and circumvent what might be considered fair...

just a different perspective