Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[JamesD]

KFP looks like a match....Panda head in the middle for the win..

[Wes]

In order from the Kwik E Mart to the restrooms.

 

Kentucky Fried Panda, Moe's, Krustyburger, and Androids shop (Comic Book Guys shop). Also going to get a Spinner, outdoor bar, new Cinespec viewing area and multiple photo ops along the waterfront.

 

Android's Dungeon! Awesome.

 

Don't get to excited Wes as it will be a facade only. Also forgot to mention Lard Lads is coming as well as a Jebediah Springfield statue.

 

Damn too bad its just a facade, that'd make a great gift shop. Oh well, a facade is better than nothing!

 

It's funny they didn't build the Simpsons' house, even as a facade or a shell, as that's basically the most iconic thing possible for that show.

[David H]

Everything I read online said that this week would be the single busiest of the year so far for the Onlando parks, mainly due to school vacations in much of the Northeast. Several sites were predicting literally double the triple the size of the crowds this week from the previous two weeks and the following week. That's why I rushed my visit down there.

 

And what you're showing here certainly shows that that was true. During my nearly 2 weeks there, I spent 3 (mostly) full days on Universal property, and popped in for an hour or two on 4 other different days, thanks to the Orlando Flexpass. And the parks were definitely MUCH more dead that they seemed today.

 

At IOA, the only time on the whole trip that Hulk had more than a 10-15 minute wait (and usually it was 5 or less) was one day at the end of the day right after they took off the third train -- and just as everyone went for one last ride before elaving the park! And even then, it was maybe 10-15 minutes. Other than that one short time, the queue was never even to the point where the Express people entered, and there were often half empty trains going out. And other than Harry Potter (which was easily avoidable with single rider), the only real queue I encountered was one day on Dudley Do-Right, as it dramatically warmed up, and everyone headed over from Harry Potter to ride. In my three rides in a row, the queue was <10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes. But I'm pretty sure that was just a momentary thing, due to the weather. (The only reason I even bothered with the queue was because I had a poncho on that I was going to throw out right after riding!)

 

Universal Studios had a few longer queues, but mostly during the middle of the day, particularly for Despicable Me, Disaster and Simpsons. Thanks to weird crowd patterns from shows letting out, Mummy would randomly go from 5 minutes to 40 and back. Rockit only had any notable queue when it came back up after being broken down for a while -- and that didn't last long. (The same was true for the Dragons.)

 

I very rarely (like maybe three times over 7 days!) saw anyone using the Q-Bot style system, though a lot of people were using the Universal Express. I assume most of them were staying on property. In fact, at Universal, the unexpectedly large number of people using the express caused their queue estimates to sometimes be wildly low, as they were letting in more express people than regular people, particularly with Despicable Me. In fact, overall, Universal was pretty bad about keeping their posted wait times up to date and accurate, especially when compared with Disney, where I can't even count how many times I was handed the card to check the wait times.

 

By the way, Universal's night show was pathetically boring. So bad that with 7 days on site, I only watched it once. And I like nighttime finale shows. And if they're going to have a viewing area over by Simpsons, they'll need to add another screen over there. Because I watched the show from there, and couldn't see all that much.

 

The mini-golf never seemed to have anyone playing during the day, but some people --including myself -- would play at night. Not a lot, but some people. As you mentioned, it really is a great pair of courses, wildly imaginative, with great theming! It turns out that it's owned by the people who own some of the nearby Congo River mini-golf courses.

[ahecht]

Everything I read online said that this week would be the single busiest of the year so far for the Onlando parks, mainly due to school vacations in much of the Northeast. Several sites were predicting literally double the triple the size of the crowds this week from the previous two weeks and the following week. That's why I rushed my visit down there.

 

But here's the thing: I was at Sea World on Sunday and, despite the Styx concert, the park was empty (5 minute wait for Kraken and 15 for Manta), although the 55° weather may have been a factor. I also spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Busch Gardens Tampa where the weather was fine and the crowds were very light as well. If you took out the huge Quinceañera groups (please!), we would've practically been the only people in the park. Montu was literally a walk-on all day and was sending out quite a few trains with only the front row filled and Cheetah Hunt had only 10 to 15 minute waits. I think this is more a case of Universal doing something right than a massive influx of Northeasterners and government workers.

[Someotherguyuser]

Nice update! Makes me wish I could visit Universal Orlando soon. Ugggghhh. I feel that fix to ride Hulk, Mummy and Men in Black!

 

Was Hulk really that bad? Last time I rode it (which was Fall 2010), I remembered it being fairly smooth.

[jray21]

Awesome update! I totally forgot about the Jurassic Park discovery center. I don't think I've been there for about 12 years! Same for the Triceratops encounter. Why did they get rid of it? Not too popular, or cost of upkeep? I'm also sooooooo glad to see more Coke Freestyle machines around! $10 for all-you-can-drink is amazing!

[cfc]

Still one of the best (if not THE best) shooting dark rides ever made!

 

Agreed!

 

As for the mini-golf, I have yet to play there, but would really like to.

[robbalvey]

Everything I read online said that this week would be the single busiest of the year so far for the Onlando parks

Well, whatever you read, they are wrong.

 

I'm telling you, as an Orlando local, and someone who goes to the parks ALL THE TIME, the parks have been busy consistently! While this may be a "busy week", it's certainly NOT the "single busiest week of the year." You probably hit the lightest time during your visit, but I can tell you with great confidence that so far, in Dec, Jan, Feb, during Christmas, New Years, Marathon Week, President's Day Weekend, Brazilian Tour Group Season, etc, the parks have varied from being just as crowded, to even MORE crowded, to slightly less crowded as what I experienced in my visit.

 

Yes, there have been days where the parks have been light, but there were also days where the parks were insane, like my visit yesterday. You should have been here over Marathon week. That was crazy! And that was just 4 weeks ago.

 

Remember, I **LIVE** in Orlando! I am at the theme parks ALL THE TIME! My point about showing the crowds was that, there used to be a time, where Jan - Easter was ALWAYS DEAD... like REALLY DEAD EMPTY. And now, with the economy doing better, seasonal events that happen, and tourism blooming from other countries (Hi, Brazil, I'm looking at you), that's just not the case anymore. This wasn't an invitation to "Tell Robb about his local parks and how crowds work..." because I know. Thanks.

 

--Robb "Kinda get frustrated when someone who visits for one week in ten years tells me what my local parks are like!" Alvey

Edited February 21, 2013 by robbalvey

[crazydaveh]

Great update. It's going to be awesome to finally be able to get a Duff Beer from Moe's! I might actually camp out the night before just to get that first picture! ANyways, Universal is doing a lot of great stuff. I'm not really excited about Potter (not into the books) but it's all fun for us!

[Randomman295]

Great update, but needs more Rockit.

Is USO lisenced to have beer/wine/cocktails in the park? If so, I fully support the Moe's Tavern idea. You seriously have no idea how excited I am about this Simpsons expansion.

[pianojohn]

Everything I read online said that this week would be the single busiest of the year so far for the Onlando parks.

 

Um. no. As someone who has worked at WDW for 14 years, that week is always the week after Christmas when the Magic Kingdom closes due to capacity several times. Islands of Adventure does as well.

 

But I do miss the lull between Christmas and Easter when I could go to a park and ride everything with no wait. But more crowds=more new rides so I cannot complain!

 

As far as the mini golf goes, I usually see more crowds at night after people have spent some time in the parks. And during the summer when it's WAY too hot to be golfing, it's pretty much dead. Maybe they should just do afternoon and evening hours on those brutally hot summer days.

[sugart]

Christmas 2012 this week 2013. That's what I think he meant by year. I'm sure Christmas 2013 will be busier.

[robbalvey]

Great update, but needs more Rockit.

There are a million photos of Rockit online. This update wasn't really about stuff that has been around for years, it was about what is new, what's currently going on, and the random stuff I happened to notice during a three-ish hour visit.

 

Is USO lisenced to have beer/wine/cocktails in the park? If so, I fully support the Moe's Tavern idea. You seriously have no idea how excited I am about this Simpsons expansion.

lol! You must have never visited Universal Orlando before during Halloween Horror nights when there is possibly more alcohol stands in the park than people could possibly drink....but somehow they drink it!

[robbalvey]

Christmas 2012 this week 2013. That's what I think he meant by year. I'm sure Christmas 2013 will be busier.

What??? That sentence doesn't even make sense.

 

Here's an idea - instead of being from New Jersey and trying to tell us Orlando locals when the parks are and are not busy, why don't you let us Orlando locals, WHO VISIT AND/OR WORK AT THE PARKS ALL THE TIME tell you when we get the most crowded.

 

Seriously, it's f**king annoying to have people who visit "once in a while" who think they are self-proclaimed "experts" on the parks, tell the people who LIVE in the area what's going on at our parks.

 

Stop it. It's annoying.

 

--Robb

[simon8899]

Gladly when I was there crowds were way lower. Coasters were mostly a walk-on all day in both parks. Forbidden Journey topped at 30 minutes - but Single Rider was always a walk-on.

 

In the Studios I overheard some midway games attendant talking and one said: "If this [Harry Potter extension] opens we'll get very busy here!"

 

At Epcot you can get quite happy during the whole year. They've a 2 drinks policy per stand - but there're enough stands around the lake...

[Sir Clinksalot]

Great update. Really need to get back to Orlando and visit USO again.

[chemical_echo]

I was actually supposed to be there this week but had to change my dates to this upcoming week. Hopefully the crowds this week won't be as bad as they look in the pictures.

 

Cant wait to finally visit the Harry Potter area.

[cfc]

Is USO lisenced to have beer/wine/cocktails in the park? If so, I fully support the Moe's Tavern idea. You seriously have no idea how excited I am about this Simpsons expansion.

lol! You must have never visited Universal Orlando before during Halloween Horror nights when there is possibly more alcohol stands in the park than people could possibly drink....but somehow they drink it!

 

Perhaps we sill finally have the chance to try a "Flaming Moe": "Where liquor in a mug/Can warm you like a hug . . ."

[ernierocker]

Duff beer!

 

Yeah, I am sure it will taste like Miller Lite if they actually sell it.

[Hilltopper39]

I don't even remember when my last visit to Universal was but I remember the place feeling kind of run down and slightly out dated so it's nice to see everything with a fresh coat of paint, and great crowds even in the "off season". I seriously need to get back down there but at this point I should probably just wait a few more years until everything at both parks is completely done! Then I can get a room at Cabana Bay Beach, play the sci-fi drive in mini golf, get a multi-day multi-park hopping ticket Potter Transport ticket and see everything I've missed over the past couple of years!

 

Also, even though it's 7 months away it should be interesting to see how the construction effects HHN.

[robbalvey]

Also, even though it's 7 months away it should be interesting to see how the construction effects HHN.

I don't think it should effect it any more/less than it did in 2012. I'll be honest, I thought 2012's HHN was one of the weakest yet, but I don't think the construction had anything to do with it. Hoping HHN starts getting a bit better....

[vacoaster09]

Rob, I was there last month and I too felt that hulk was unusually rough for a B&M. I was wondering if the wheel on my particular car could've been wearing out but not sure. Nonetheless, I rode twice, but I was a bit (and surprisingly so) underwhelmed by the ride it gave.

 

I think the Simpsons store fronts are Kwik - E - mart, KFP, Moes, and Krusty Burger.

 

 

How were HRRR, Mummy, and the other attractions?

[cfc]

Also, even though it's 7 months away it should be interesting to see how the construction effects HHN.

I don't think it should effect it any more/less than it did in 2012. I'll be honest, I thought 2012's HHN was one of the weakest yet, but I don't think the construction had anything to do with it. Hoping HHN starts getting a bit better....

 

Same. I actually thought Howl-o-Scream at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Haunt at Kings Dominion were more entertaining than Universal's Halloween Horror Nights last year. At least they seemed to be trying a bit harder--and they didn't cost me extra money.

Edited February 21, 2013 by cfc

[robbalvey]

How were HRRR, Mummy, and the other attractions?

I didn't ride anything else. To be honest, when you're a local and go to these parks all the time, I find myself just wandering around, riding one or two things, taking pictures, and taking my time more casually. I'm in the parks probably about 15 days out of each month, so the need to ride a lot of stuff kind of lessens when you're there so often! Edited February 21, 2013 by robbalvey

[PennStater]

Honestly, I've been of the opinion that Hulk is very rough and quite unenjoyable for years now... including my latest visit in November. Given, I'm only at IOA every couple years so it's possible I always catch it on "bad days", but somehow I doubt that's the case.

 

Thanks for the pictures, Robb... makes me wish I was back in Florida right now instead of 21-degree PA!

Edited February 21, 2013 by PennStater