Swimace Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 This seems to be Universal's version of Art of Animation. There's such a high demand for family suites, this makes perfect sense for Universal. Personally, I'm not too crazy about the theme... but that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 ^I kind of like the "retroness" of the theme--sort of like Tomorrowland in the 1960s. Putting in a more moderately priced resort is a good idea, and I think Elissa's right about any Potter-themed hotels (if they happen, they'll be more "deluxe"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfreak101 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Anyway, I'm guessing they'll be using the smaller of the two remaining lots for this? I guess that somewhat dashes the hopes of Universal creating their own amazing waterpark on that acreage? The hotel choices are nice, much needed additions, but eh, oh well. Isn't the Wet 'n' Wild lease coming to an end? Is it plausible for Universal to officially buy that property and extensively retheme (or theme) what's there, removing a few things and adding a few others to create an official Universal-branded waterpark outside of the Wet 'n' Wild name? Granted, I think even before this hotel project a waterpark was way, way off in the future, probably eight Potter expansions down the line, give or take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCW_Nut Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Finally. I've been curious why they hadn't built a "budget" hotel as of yet. I guess with the success of Potter and Potter 2.0 + Mystery Attraction coming in they know full on that the demand will be there. Regardless if it includes the Express Pass or not I'd still choose to stay here just for the convenience alone. Good job USO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUSHIE Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Anyway, I'm guessing they'll be using the smaller of the two remaining lots for this? I guess that somewhat dashes the hopes of Universal creating their own amazing waterpark on that acreage? The hotel choices are nice, much needed additions, but eh, oh well. Isn't the Wet 'n' Wild lease coming to an end? Is it plausible for Universal to officially buy that property and extensively retheme (or theme) what's there, removing a few things and adding a few others to create an official Universal-branded waterpark outside of the Wet 'n' Wild name? Granted, I think even before this hotel project a waterpark was way, way off in the future, probably eight Potter expansions down the line, give or take. With a quick glance at the map to see what your talking about, there certainly is enough land for Universal to build the hotel and a water park on those two pieces of land. I had no clue Universal had anything to do with Wet n Wild. If they plan on doing more with it in the future, to me it makes sense that they could move it to one of the pieces of land in the park. I don't see how they could apply a theme to Wet n Wild and make it on the level of the Disney water parks, but maybe that isn't what they would care to do. Big things like the wave pool and the river would have to be rebuilt, but the slides n stuff could easily be moved and that gives them the ability to place things where they want to incorporate thematic elements better than they could trying to slap then into Wet n Wild as it is. After Wet n Wild is gutted they could sell the land or even use it for some of the more behind the scenes aspects of the resort like the offices n whatnot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Coleman Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Looks nice enough, but I would rather pay a few extra bucks more a night and stay at one of the other three and get the unlimited front of the line access. Also, my 100th post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I like the theme, and this is something that is certainly needed at the resort. dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Love the old school hotel/motel theme. Like 1960's Vegas/Miami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King_K. Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Love the old school hotel/motel theme. Like 1960's Vegas/Miami. Very similar to the stuff still on Ocean Drive down here. Even the 1950-60's look of the Fontainebleu hotel down here also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Cow Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 It's like pre-renovation Contemporary Hotel, only on purpose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piers Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I don't like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDG Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I sort of like it. It's alright. And much more future-proof than for example a Harry Potter themed hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I swear this is a hotel somewhere in Dayton Beach that looks just like this place, don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Universal Orlando has sent us a press advisory about their recent visit by Shaquille O'Neal and his stop at Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. “Inside the NBA” analyst and former basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal was hosted by Universal Orlando Resort on July 9, 2012 and encountered some tiny, yellow friends during his visit. The mischievous minions met the basketball veteran in front of the all-new attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, at the beginning of his day at Universal Studios Florida. This brand-new ride is a hilarious and heart-warming journey that combines a new storyline, new animation, the latest 3-D technology – and the heart, outrageous humor and memorable characters of the hit animated film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neovortex2k Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I hope the ride is better than the film. After seeing the film I really didn't think it warranted its own ride in a theme park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfreak101 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 ^Even if not everyone liked it, kids love it. They're all over the Minions, so anything with the little yellow guys will be a huge hit for families visiting the park. Plus, the movie made plenty of money, and they've got a sequel coming out as well - as a business decision, this was probably the best family ride they could've replaced Neutron with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I hope the ride is better than the film. After seeing the film I really didn't think it warranted its own ride in a theme park. Are you kidding? I loved that movie! The minions are chaotic and crazy, and are perfect for a wild simulator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I wasn't a big fan of the movie, either. I liked Gru, but didn't think the Minions were all that funny. However, I think it'll work well enough as a simulator ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The49er Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Is that ride actually good? My whole family liked the movie. Also, I think I just clocked 200 posts! Woohoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECZenith Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Wow, I was very surprised to see that it looks like Universal Orlando is getting Transformers! Looks like work is progressing quickly. I have not yet ridden the Hollywood version but I hear it's amazing, how lucky are we to have two of these types of rides at neighboring parks? Long live the dark ride! http://screamscape.com/html/usf-bld44_0.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggernel Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Just saw a post on Facebook. Looks like Universal may have finally received the Golden Ticket for Best Ticket that it deserved! Not sure which one yet, but this has been a long time coming. EDIT: Looks like it was Forbidden Journey. Great to hear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidcoaster 2 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 EDIT: Looks like it was Forbidden Journey. Great to hear! Meh, good ride but confusing story... I still think Spiderman is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUSHIE Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I think sometimes the Golden Ticket awards celebrate the newest attractions and technology rather than get into what is actually the best experience. I do think Spider-man is better as well, and I haven't even been on it since the update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I had the chance on Friday to check out the latest happenings at the Universal Orlando Resort including the adding of thematic elements for Halloween Horror Nights 22, as well as the rapidly growing Jaws replacement and some other miscellaneous items throughout the park. Over in New York's Sting Alley several graveyard pieces have been added. Can any Horror Nights experts provide us with a backstory for Jonathan Hawthorne? It is like the graveyard sprung up from the ground! Amity stands for progress! The frame for what is rumored to be a Gringotts themed coaster has gone up in just over a week and should continue to be built at a brisk pace. Amity stands for dirt! The ride building is pretty huge... Comparable to one of the studios, I believe. Universal's expansion has actually given up retail and food & beverage space in favor of creating a larger waterfront opposite its new land. The new waterfront draws inspiration from the Thames Embankment in London. Despite being trimmed down significantly, you can see the old wall lines from Amity's shops and food options that once were. More of the graveyard can be found on the other side of the park. These set pieces have a fair share of creative nods to Horror Nights and Universal Studios' past. Might we see the Caretaker actually present at the event? I'd imagine not, but it would be neat to see him guarding the graveyard grounds. A tribute to the recently demolished Hercules & Xena building... Any idea who this is? Over at The Simpsons Ride, the front of the Krustyland facades are being reworked to allow for the installation of actual midway games at the front of the queue. Plenty of work still to be done. The new games will only annex a small portion of the ride's massive queue. This will be a very different view in a few years. It was really hard to appreciate just how much land Jaws took up until it was removed. Expect to see a lion with a ring in its mouth installed at each of these indents in the columns. There's simply no sign of slowing... Relocated once again thanks to the construction on the plot of the former Xena building, the Back to the Future Delorean and train have now been given a home in the Central Park section of Universal Studios. And the location is really a great one. I'm really glad they preserved these iconic pieces of film history and kept them in the park for guests to see! More Halloween Horror Nights decor popping up. Doc Brown! I'm probably one of the few... But I really love that Universal has kept Doc Brown as a roaming character in the park, despite the significantly decreased presence of Back to the Future in the park after the ride closed in 2007. One of the shops in the park recently underwent a slight transformation to allow it to sell Oakley, RayBan and Gucci accessories. More props from Horror Nights were put off to the side due to Rock the Universe, but these will soon be placed in the park following the end of the event. More details! So there's more to this Hawthorne story... So Jonathan Hawthorne has several tombs? Over at the Hard Rock Cafe, the pink cadillac has been replaced with a new guitar that lights up at night. It is reportedly designed to be a scale replica of the first item to join the Hard Rock vault, a guitar donated by Eric Clapton. Over in the Lost Continent a new wall has been put up, closing off the Frozen Desert and the palm reader's tent. It is rumored that this space will be needed to allow for the slight expansion of Hogsmeade to include an actual train station for the Hogwarts Express, which is rumored to link both parks when the Amity expansion is complete. Treasures of Poseidon is being slightly reworked to allow for the addition of The Pearl Factory to its retail space. That's all folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneyfan1313 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Thanks for the update! It really is almost shocking how quickly they are pushing the expansion along. Thanks also for posting some of the details from the HHN theming - I wonder if there will be a "Collective" level backstory this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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