Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[TheCoasterKid211]

WOW! So glad that my fave roller coaster is coming back! The trains look AMAZING!!!

[mjollner]

Trains look sick! Best looking train I've ever seen.

The new story sounds nice, but the theming was not the big problem of the ride. I really hope they smoothened out the coaster, rather than just repackaging the exact same experience.

 

I've always been a sucker for Hulk tho. That one-of-a-kind launch at the start and the massive cobra-roll... Just one unique beast of a classic.

[DoinItForTheFame]

. . . I really hope they smoothened out the coaster, rather than just repackaging the exact same experience.

 

Universal has said that the new coaster would provide a smoother ride experience!! So I'm hoping/thinking they smoothed out some of the coaster.

[CoasterCard]

. . . I really hope they smoothened out the coaster, rather than just repackaging the exact same experience.

 

Universal has said that the new coaster would provide a smoother ride experience!! So I'm hoping/thinking they smoothed out some of the coaster.

 

I'm confused by what you all mean by "smoothened." Were there parts of the ride you thought needed to be reprofiled or are you just talking about the general rattling that occurred in the years prior to this construction?

 

I visited IOA in October of 1999 and Hulk was smooth as glass. Over the following 15+ years though, the ride became much more "bumpy." The Florida sun, humidity, and full capacity ridership take a major toll on rides and I think that this refurb is only meant to improve the condition of the structure/trains and not adjust the layout. I always found the Hulk to be one of B&Ms more aggressive layouts so I really hope they didn't redesign it to ease transitions between elements.

[B&MBoy1982]

. . . I really hope they smoothened out the coaster, rather than just repackaging the exact same experience.

 

Universal has said that the new coaster would provide a smoother ride experience!! So I'm hoping/thinking they smoothed out some of the coaster.

 

I'm confused by what you all mean by "smoothened." Were there parts of the ride you thought needed to be reprofiled or are you just talking about the general rattling that occurred in the years prior to this construction?

 

I visited IOA in October of 1999 and Hulk was smooth as glass. Over the following 15+ years though, the ride became much more "bumpy." The Florida sun, humidity, and full capacity ridership take a major toll on rides and I think that this refurb is only meant to improve the condition of the structure/trains and not adjust the layout. I always found the Hulk to be one of B&Ms more aggressive layouts so I really hope they didn't redesign it to ease transitions between elements.

 

It's the exact same layout. Nothing has changed except for all new steel, trains, and launch system.

[KBrylczyk]

I'd kill to see the launch tunnel use the effects that were originally planned but never used.

 

Me too! I'm curious which effects you are speaking of too! (snicker)

 

Concept art had lasers and fog, IIRC. In the times I'd ridden I only got the fog once, never lasers, and 50/50 with audio.

[A.J.]

Universal has said that the new coaster would provide a smoother ride experience!! So I'm hoping/thinking they smoothed out some of the coaster.

Basically, this is the exact same 1999 coaster, but designed using 2015 / 2016 standards. I'd be willing to bet that in terms of layout and smoothness, we guests won't be able to tell the difference (apart from riding on fresh new track instead of old track).

[djcoastermark]

I never had a problem with the "smoothness" except for a bit of a head bang towards the end. Maybe that will be lessened a bit ? I dunno. Looks like some cool enhancements tho.

[thrillrider]

Getting ready to purchase our Universal Studios tickets for our trip. I am baffled as to why there's such a big price difference between a park to park and single park ticket. A park hopper ticket for the two days that we are going to be there, it's $150 difference just to get a park to park opposed to a single park each day.

 

I just don't understand the value in that. I could understand an extra $25 maybe even $50 bucks, but $150 for 2 days?

[VegasBaby]

Getting ready to purchase our Universal Studios tickets for our trip. I am baffled as to why there's such a big price difference between a park to park and single park ticket. A park hopper ticket for the two days that we are going to be there, it's $150 difference just to get a park to park opposed to a single park each day.

 

I just don't understand the value in that. I could understand an extra $25 maybe even $50 bucks, but $150 for 2 days?

 

I think you are reading the numbers wrong, a 2 day park hopper is $220 and a 2 day single park ticket is $170, so that's only a difference of $25 per day.

 

https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/General-Admission.aspx

[thrillrider]

There is 3 of us.

Single park for 3 people For 2 days. $499

Park to park for 3 people for a 2 days.$649

[VegasBaby]

My bad, I thought you were saying it was $150 per ticket higher, not in total. You won't be able to take the Hogwarts Express without the hopper, but that would be the only thing you'd miss.

[CPmillenia94]

I can guarantee that all of the roughness before the renovation was from manufacturing and construction faults.. I would expect that if it was fabricated to a higher tolerance (which B&M does now compared to before), that it will run glass smooth! Of course the only way to know is to wait and see. The B&M rattle may strike again..

[R17]

Getting ready to purchase our Universal Studios tickets for our trip. I am baffled as to why there's such a big price difference between a park to park and single park ticket. A park hopper ticket for the two days that we are going to be there, it's $150 difference just to get a park to park opposed to a single park each day.

 

I just don't understand the value in that. I could understand an extra $25 maybe even $50 bucks, but $150 for 2 days?

 

I've pay 220$ for 14 days USF, IoA and W'n'W and we can change the park every time we want.

[jarmor]

Getting ready to purchase our Universal Studios tickets for our trip. I am baffled as to why there's such a big price difference between a park to park and single park ticket. A park hopper ticket for the two days that we are going to be there, it's $150 difference just to get a park to park opposed to a single park each day.

 

I just don't understand the value in that. I could understand an extra $25 maybe even $50 bucks, but $150 for 2 days?

Your post is misleading. You are making it seem it is a 150 between single and park to park for ONE person when the difference is only 50 dollars. So yes, quite naturally it will be 150 for three people. So you say you could see if the difference would be 25 or even 50 when in fact it IS 25 for one day and 50 for two total days. So what's your problem again???

[thrillrider]

The problem is $150.

 

We are only going for 2 days (1day in each park), and if we were to use the hopper option it would only be for maybe an hour or two.

 

I wouldn't have a problem paying this if we were staying 5,6,or 7 days...but 2? Would it be nice to have the hopper option if we chose to use it...sure. But there is no way (or value) in paying that amount for the time frame we are going to be there.

 

We are spending a lot of money at Universal as it is. Between cabana bay (universal resort) and our tickets for 2 days, we are at about $1000. I'm not cheap when it comes to things like this, but I'm also not going to pay outrageous prices for something like maybe hopping over to the other park for an hour.

 

When I said $25- $50, I ment "total" between all 3 tickets. Sorry if I was misleading.

[Wily J]

^

 

As mentioned earlier, unless riding "Hogwarts Express" is make or break for your trip, it seems like spending the extra $150 would be a waste.

 

 

It does seem like a lot for not much, but enough people must think it's worth it or they wouldn't be selling them.

[Brassinthegrass]

Might be helpful here to know that I just got back from a trip that we purchased through Costco which got us 3 nights at the Hyatt across the street with tickets for about $350 a person total! We then got another night at the Royal Pacific for the free front of the line passes!

[thrillrider]

Might be helpful here to know that I just got back from a trip that we purchased through Costco which got us 3 nights at the Hyatt across the street with tickets for about $350 a person total! We then got another night at the Royal Pacific for the free front of the line passes!

 

That's a great deal.

 

We looked into this as well, but have really been wanting to check out cabana bay resort. Costo only sells packages for non universal properties. I actually called them to see what they had to offer, but they do not deal in the onsite universal resorts or just tickets.

[SharkTums]

I think you and everyone else here has answered your question. When Universal announced Diagon Alley and the Train they at first didn't talk about the fact that you'd now need a park hopper ticket if you wanted to use the train or visit both "Harry Potter Lands" in the same day. Then once it was kind of figured out they talked about the hopper and how that's the only way to experience the train. I guess to them that train ride is worth at least $25!

[cfc]

^It was devilishly clever of Universal.

[Wily J]

Has to be one most expensive train rides (per minute) in the world.

 

I haven't been down there since 2000 and will be looking to make a trip sometime after the Kong ride opens and the crowds settle.

 

I'll get the park-hopper option, but I'll ride that damn train 25 times so I don't feel ripped-off!

 

[chargersmichael]

I think you and everyone else here has answered your question. When Universal announced Diagon Alley and the Train they at first didn't talk about the fact that you'd now need a park hopper ticket if you wanted to use the train or visit both "Harry Potter Lands" in the same day. Then once it was kind of figured out they talked about the hopper and how that's the only way to experience the train. I guess to them that train ride is worth at least $25!

 

But you are also getting another whole theme park for $25 extra...so the whole train ride wouldn't really be at least $25 extra

[mjollner]

. . . I really hope they smoothened out the coaster, rather than just repackaging the exact same experience.

 

Universal has said that the new coaster would provide a smoother ride experience!! So I'm hoping/thinking they smoothed out some of the coaster.

 

I'm confused by what you all mean by "smoothened." Were there parts of the ride you thought needed to be reprofiled or are you just talking about the general rattling that occurred in the years prior to this construction?

 

I meant that rattling... I only rode it 3-4 times in the same day a couple of years ago.

When I rode it was rattling quite a bit, and there was some head-banging towards the end. Strangely, I don't mind head-banging as much as rattle. I always feel like head-banging comes more with the ride-design. Rattle is more wear and tear. But that's just my stupid layman-reasoning. No idea if there's any science behind it.

[Garet]

I think you and everyone else here has answered your question. When Universal announced Diagon Alley and the Train they at first didn't talk about the fact that you'd now need a park hopper ticket if you wanted to use the train or visit both "Harry Potter Lands" in the same day. Then once it was kind of figured out they talked about the hopper and how that's the only way to experience the train. I guess to them that train ride is worth at least $25!

 

But you are also getting another whole theme park for $25 extra...so the whole train ride wouldn't really be at least $25 extra

 

Yea but for most multi-gate parks, a lot of people, especially ones who aren't local and for them a once in a lifetime trip, are probably going to spend a least a full day in each park. So if you are planning on doing both parks anyway but a hopper is the only way to experience all the attractions in the park (Hogwarts Express) then you're not really getting a whole park out of that deal. More an "opportunity cost" of $25 per person to experience just the Hogwarts Express.