Universal Orlando Resort (USF, IOA, Epic) Discussion Thread

[anonymouscactus]

I don't quite "get" why so many people wanted to be on one of the "last boats", or why that's important. IMO, if you loved the ride, wouldn't you have wanted to be on MORE boats and ride it as much as you could? I took two rides this morning, which IMO was plenty, and could have kept going if I wanted to. I really like Jaws a lot, but I'm not willing to spend 60 minutes in line for it...even on the very last day!

 

Last night many people waited at the entrance until they were about to close the gate, let people ahead of them once already in line, etc. I just wanted to get on "one of the last" rides, not necessarily the last. I, like you, didn't want to wait 70 minutes in line even if it was the last time I could ever ride. When I showed up at 5pm I said "screw it, it won't be worth it". Last night was horrible line-wise (30 min in single rider line at Mummy) and I ended up just taking photos all night.

 

I ended up having a change of heart at the end of the night and trekked over to Jaws just before close. I went on what I thought was going to be my "last ride" a few weeks ago. It was an OK ride, but I felt afterwards that I didn't really mind that it was going. After my ride last night, however, I feel like I am going to really miss it. I had a fantastic skipper (Kayla!) with an amazing performance, and a great group on the boat. I'd imagine it was similar to the "TPR" rides you folks are talking about in that it was a memorable JAWS ride you will never forget. I think people wanted to get in that "last ride" at the end of the night to have a similar experience with other hardcore fans of the ride. It truly was unlike any other JAWS ride I had been on previously, and at the end it was emotional and celebratory for everyone on board. It had a whole different feeling to it. I suspect that's why many wanted to be on the last boat, much like many go to the midnight showings of movies, etc to be with other hardcore fans -- I am not a "hardcore fan", but I have now seen the light! It's been noted that a lot of this ride will vary in how "good" it is based on the Skipper, as well as the people on board. Kayla started crying and told us "Honestly you guys, this was the best tour I've ever had" -- I really didn't "get" the ride until my ride last night. And as others have mentioned, it's a shame that another "human" ride is closing. I think that is a huge step back for the industry. Rides like Rhino Rally, Jungle Cruise, etc. can be seen as "lame" but if you get that really awesome tour guide, it can really be an amazing experience. I've had 3 rides on Rhino Rally, two were extremely poor, and one just blew me away as the guide was just amazing and hilarious, and was really into it.

 

* Also of note: The 70 min wait time was actually around 34 minutes.

 

BTW here is a video I found posted this morning on youtube of the area boarded up:

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ougZR6I_E

 

So, in conclusion, I think people are missing this ride due to the "human element". Not many rides out there have this, and you can't really replace that. The same reason so many people are sad about Paddlewheel at CP.

Edited January 3, 2012 by anonymouscactus

[piers]

I guess I just don't understand people who are going to miss this ride. It's a fun ride and all but it is just a ride, they're gonna redevelop an entire area of the park and add a new attraction in its place. Even though it will probably be themed to that wand cunt I'm sure it will be a worthy upgrade.

And if people really are going to miss it then maybe they should think about getting some professional help.

[televisedconfession]

^It's human nature to not want to let go of something, but as I always say:

Cut the effing cord woman!

 

It was definitely time for this ride to go. I think the next to go should be Fifel/Woody Woodpecker kid area. Kids don't even know who they are anymore. Re-vamp the kids' area with a new interactive play place! And I'd hate to say it, but ET after that.

[robbalvey]

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

 

Even though it will probably be themed to that wand kitten

[SharkTums]

^It's human nature to not want to let go of something, but as I always say:

Cut the effing cord woman!

 

It was definitely time for this ride to go. I think the next to go should be Fifel/Woody Woodpecker kid area. Kids don't even know who they are anymore. Re-vamp the kids' area with a new interactive play place! And I'd hate to say it, but ET after that.

 

That's a funny point of view coming from someone who works at a national historic site!

 

Plus Fievel/Woody Woodpecker is much more 'Old and Stupid' than Jaws was!

 

I still don't think a lot of you are getting why the people who are upset, are upset. Jaws isn't being replaced for some amazing new IP or land, it's being razed for MORE POTTER! There will now be Potter in both parks. Potter stuff that will be relatively similar to the existing Potter Stuff. If they want to put this much potter in, just raze IOA and turn that into Potter Hell. Leave some park alone with other Universal properties!

[alpengeist04]

^Yes, thank-you!!!

 

 

I understand why they're doing all this, but it doesn't mean I have to be thrilled about it.

[SharkTums]

^Exactly!

 

I mean, from a business perspective putting it in both parks and requiring two park tickets is GENIUS!!! Like evil Rupert Murdoch genius! Doesn't mean it's going to make me happy!

[Jew]

On the flip side, there's also probably a large contingent of guests who are happy there will be more Potter and no Jaws. You can never please everyone, so they might as well follow the money!

[SharkTums]

^I totally understand!

 

I think the thing is, I was ready (after being prepared for years now) to lose the rest of Lost Continent for Potter. Heck, I was even ready to lose Jaws for Transformers! But losing Jaws for more Potter...that was just mean!

[Jew]

^You know the credit whore inside you secretly wants the credit over Jaws...even if it is Potter.

[SharkTums]

^LOL!

 

It's tough though, Jaws was Intamin! I'm assuming this new thing will be Premier. Premier Credit or Intamin Ride...tough call.

[robbalvey]

Sorry, wasn't trying to put words in your mouth by any means. I was just echoing the sentiment that the ride wasn't worth the 60 min wait. The part about a credit is my own opinion...I'm indifferent about Harry Potter and Jaws, so I'd personally rather have the credit!

If Jaws removal is for a "credit", meaning a coaster that I don't care about going on more than just to get the credit, I'd rather have Jaws. If it was for a coaster that I actually really like a lot, and worth a ride each visit (like Mummy, IMO), then I'm ok with it.

 

But seeing that what has been leaked so far, isn't a roller coaster, or at least not something I would consider a "credit", I'm not holding out much hope that it's going to be something I'll want to re-ride many times. What has been leaked reads more like a "dark ride/thrill ride/with some fast sections", almost more like Test Track or DisneySea's Journey. It's not a roller coaster.

 

Forbidden Journey, for example, isn't a ride I've felt the need to go back and ride again since my first ride in 2010. Been to the park many times since then, even with a near zero wait for the ride, but haven't bothered to re-ride it. It's not my thing, and I really just didn't like it.

 

When I talked about waiting the 60 minutes, that wasn't a reflection of my opinion of the ride. That was me saying about the final day "Why wait 60 minutes when you could have waited zero during the day."

 

I wouldn't wait 60 minutes for *ANY* ride, period. But personally, I really liked Jaws, and for me it was a "must ride" every time I visited the park. If what they replace it to ends up being another "must ride" for me, then fine. But being Potter already has a strike against it, and seeing that I didn't like the first Potter ride, that's two strikes.

 

So for me to like a new Potter ride, it's going to have to REALLY impress me.

 

--Robb "I would have rather lost Jaws for Transformers." Alvey

Edited January 3, 2012 by robbalvey

[RoCo]

The more I've let the whole "two-park experience" concept really sink in, the more it impresses me with its outlandishness. Love it or hate it, Universal's really going all in.

 

I do sympathize with people who are not big HP fans; this is/will be very sucky for you. But as Robb says above, it's all about execution - if they deliver some great rides, I'll be cool with more Potter stuff. (And I loved Forbidden Journey, even though I'm not a Potter maniac.)

 

But I really will miss Jaws. And I should probably seek some professional help, but for so many other reasons first.

[Buckeye_Ben]

R.I.P. Jaws. Seems like the old guard at USO isn't going to last much longer, but that makes sense since our generation doesn't really remember Jaws or Fievel or even E.T. Money talks, and Harry keeps the turnstiles turning.

 

I think the whole two-park Harry Potter invasion could lead to Harry being a third gate. That would make everybody happy: Harry's legions of fans get their own little universe, and those who just don't care don't have to give J.K. Rowling more money. It may be a pipe dream, but if Universal is crazy enough to put Harry in both parks, they're crazy enough for a third gate.

[robbalvey]

But as Robb says above, it's all about execution - if they deliver some great rides, I'll be cool with more Potter stuff.

I would also agree with this. Partially why I think I'm so "not on board" right now, is that I just really didn't care for the first Potter ride. So a section of the park that was a "must see" for me each visit, is now totally dead to me. And Dragons no longer dueling was just the final nail in that coffin.

 

If, for whatever reason, the new Potter ride, regardless of how I feel about the franchise, ends up really being something amazing that actually impresses me, fine.

 

I guess I'm just of that mindset that since the first ride didn't do it for me, this next one has to be REALLY SOMETHING F**KING INCREDIBLE BEYOND ANYTHING I'VE SEEN BEFORE to not only kill one section of a park that I liked, but TWO sections of TWO parks that I liked.

 

They could have gotten rid of Twister, Disaster, T2, Sindbad, Posiden's Fury, etc, and I don't think many people would have cared as much.

 

--Robb "Jaws still had staying power...that's why it sucked to see it closed." Alvey

[RoCo]

^Yeah, the Dragons not dueling anymore, that bothers me more than losing Jaws. We can't blame that on Potter (... or CAN we...?), but still. That's TWO of my favorite Universal Florida attractions now gone or neutered down to semi-lameness.

[SharkTums]

He was obviously just upset about Jaws closing...

 

From the Orlando Sentinel:

 

Man fired shots inside Universal CityWalk parking garage, cops say

 

By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel

January 3, 2012

 

A 24-year-old Orlando man faces felony charges, accused of firing a handgun inside a Universal CityWalk parking garage during an argument with his cousins early Monday.

 

According to Orlando police, Trever Joseph Shillingford fired two rounds inside the garage on Universal Plaza about 2:40 a.m. Monday, one into the air and a second into the ground.

 

Shillingford fled on foot, police say, but one of his cousins confirmed his identity to police. He was spotted soon after, walking on Kirkman Road, and taken into police custody.

 

Police say they found a .45 caliber handgun and a small amount of marijuana in Shillingford's pockets. He confessed to his involvement in the fight and to firing his gun, police say.

 

Shillingford faces charges of discharging a firearm in public, improper exhibition of a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, shooting into a structure and marijuana possession.

[Someotherguyuser]

They could have gotten rid of Twister, Disaster, T2, Sindbad, Posiden's Fury, etc, and I don't think many people would have cared as much.

 

--Robb "Jaws still had staying power...that's why it sucked to see it closed." Alvey

This is what really bothers me. They could've very easily taken out Disaster, the San Francisco bay and a backstage building or two behind the ride and the new Potter area would've fit just fine.

 

It just frustrates me that this whole removal of JAWS just seems unnecessary. Like you said, JAWS had staying power. Even if the movie is "outdated", JAWS still has a name for himself several years after the film and could've still drawn a crowd with just several months or a year of a complete rehab. If they had done that, the ride would have been better than it ever was.

 

Well, at least we have it in Hollywood--but it's "old and stupid". Maybe someday they can completely revive the one on the Studio Tour; that probably won't happen either since we're getting more Potter over here.

[Swiminn6]

Nice point Robb! I wouldn't be as sad to see Jaws leave if Transformers were coming to Florida! The ride looks really cool and I actually love the movies. Also it is going into 2 other US parks, but for the people who live on the east coast, Cali and Singapore are definitely an expensive plane ticket since there isn't any major international airport around me. Plus, LC is kind of pointless anymore! When I went last year when WWOHP was open, my dad who could be considered "GP" was really confused by the area! It's just so small now and doesn't "fit in" IMO.

 

I was just thinking about this and it's crazy for me to think that Jaws was a ride at US longer than I have been alive!!

 

I hope this new ride is good! They are very smart doing it in a different park for $ reasons BUT, it's going to be really weird and broken up.

[Jew]

My question is this: did the ride really have "staying power" if on its final day it had no wait until the last few hours before it closed?

 

IMO, Jaws was a great "complimentary" attraction in the sense that it helped spread out the crowds on busy days and was actually enjoyable (unlike, say, for example, when they randomly decide to bring back Fear Factor Live during busy times), but it wasn't a star anymore. So I'm not bummed to see it go, even if it is for something I know absolutely nothing about.

 

As a somewhat related side note: I hope the investment doesn't stop with Harry Potter. Replacements for all those other outdated attractions that are NOT Harry Potter related would be great for the long term future of the resort.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Jew

[Captain Jack Sparrow]

He was obviously just upset about Jaws closing...

 

From the Orlando Sentinel:

 

Man fired shots inside Universal CityWalk parking garage, cops say

 

By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel

January 3, 2012

 

A 24-year-old Orlando man faces felony charges, accused of firing a handgun inside a Universal CityWalk parking garage during an argument with his cousins early Monday.

 

According to Orlando police, Trever Joseph Shillingford fired two rounds inside the garage on Universal Plaza about 2:40 a.m. Monday, one into the air and a second into the ground.

 

Shillingford fled on foot, police say, but one of his cousins confirmed his identity to police. He was spotted soon after, walking on Kirkman Road, and taken into police custody.

 

Police say they found a .45 caliber handgun and a small amount of marijuana in Shillingford's pockets. He confessed to his involvement in the fight and to firing his gun, police say.

 

Shillingford faces charges of discharging a firearm in public, improper exhibition of a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, shooting into a structure and marijuana possession.

 

Wait, you mean these things are actually loaded!?

[jedimaster1227]

^I think you've hit on it, Elissa--they now have the perfect venue for a "permanent" NIGHT MAZE!

 

I'm pretty sure we could make our own Night Maze for $100 or so and be just as satisfied. Oh, and I'll throw in a free hula hoop for a black-clothed scare actor to dance around with.

[Aaronupsidasium]

Potterland 2.0 is going to be a huge game changer in Orlando and the theme park industry. TWWOHP is the new standard of theme parks both in immersiveness and the zeitgeist around it.

 

I'm just hoping Gringotts will be more family friendly and feature better storytelling than FJ.

 

And as for Transformers, movie fans would have had a heart attack if a Spielberg attraction was replaced with a Michael Bay one.

[Jew]

^I think that is going to the key for the attraction. Forbidden Journey had amazing detail, a bitching ride system...but I was totally lost as someone who hasn't seen any of the movies or read any of the books. I hope whatever this is can do a better job letting the casual guests know what is going on!!

Edited January 4, 2012 by Jew

[BeemerBoy]

What game is it gonna change?