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

[Lenaapple1974]

Maybe they had a few days where they are not ready to put up the remaining lift/drop stuff, and the crane can be used someplace else for those few days or week, whatever. There are zillions of explanations, I definitely am with everyone, hoping it opens before I get there in July, but if not, I would definitley rather it be safer, and done the right way, than to be be done too quickly, leaving room for error.

 

Who's web cam is that now? That is pretty cool. It could also be speculation that the camera was moved for reasons such as mentioned. Maybe they are trying to be fair with both parks? I don't know, I am guessing. I have never seen the whole web cam thing before, nor do I know the reason it was put up.

[Capitalize]

Man this ride is looking great. Hopefully all this crane/lift/whatever is actually happening business is resolved quickly.

[thunderguy345]

MAN!!! I'm going to florida 19th june. I hope it will be ready for riders then

[hammersfan357]

Its been very quiet about this ride for the past few days, does anyone have any updates?

[matt_g]

I'm a massive Harry Potter fan and have just spent quite a while going through this thread, and it really does look like it could be pretty incredibly themed if it's done properly!

 

I need to start working out ways to end up in Florida in the next couple of years...

[Shellemonster]

I think it's rather funny how long this has been out for (2007 from the description) and no caught it until now. There are pictures in there that are finally coming to light.

 

But about the howler ... isn't the point of a howler to embarrass the person receiving it? Why then, would they use technology to limit it to a certain person. I understand the noise might be too much, but it would seem seem out of place to me.

 

On another note, I ran across a website www.wizardingworldharrypotter.com/ that had an interesting, albeit older, picture I had never seen before. They say that the former Enchanted Oak site is generally where Hogsmeade is going in, and at one point the construction workers set up the general building outline using green oil barrels. Check it out, it's a short ways down the "update" page.

[Fork]

In the past few days those barrels have been replaced with actual steel columns. Hogsmede construction has gone vertical, woohoo.

[King_K.]

No work on the lift or top of the drop at all. LOTS of work on the station though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gotdane]

^Just remember who was posting that.

 

Ohhhh...who am I to pay attention to screen names!

 

 

[sam06pr]

I have a feeling this coaster will take the crown for best coaster in Florida...I dunno I think it has a lot of potential

[rydrmr9]

^ I don't know, it has some pretty tough competition!

[Lenaapple1974]

Well, the camera was turned back to RRR mid day yesterday. Today seemed like it was not so nice weather, rain... But still no big crane. The little crane seemed to be moving around.

[alpengeist04]

I have a feeling this coaster will take the crown for best coaster in Florida...I dunno I think it has a lot of potential

 

I'm keeping an open mind, but it's going to take a whole lot to move ahead of Dueling Dragons on my steel coaster list.

[HatetoFLY]

Alright Update from today March 25, 2009. The big blue crane is no where to be seen. Work is focused on the station, the second and third brake run evac towers, and the base of the lift. The station itself has a lot of concrete going up and they have begun working on the queue which is the base level of the station. And what I mean by working on the queue, I mean pouring concrete and electrical work. I also want to point out that they were working on the joint of a track section on the loop all morning long. It seems they have been having problems with the joints on that loop.

 

Now on a side note I wanted to voice a concern about the project itself. Now I am a pretty positive person and am being very optimistic about progress and how the ride is going to turn out and I might be completely over reacting. But I have to wonder just what the hell is going on. There are several problems I have with what I saw today. One is the big crane is no where on the property, and two they still have not worked on the fire house facade. Now I dont believe there is an engineering flaw with the coaster like some are saying on the web, I truly feel as if it is the contractor who is to blame. I think either the crane broke down or is overbooked, the track itself is banged up pretty bad and the job site itself just seems like there has been some sloppy work done. I'm sure most of this will never be known or seen by guests in the future but I have to wonder if Universal and Mauer are happy with PCL construction.

 

AHHHH. Rant over on to the pics

 

• Just thought this was funny, now get to work

 

 

And to end this completely off topic this is my MIB score for the day. I know a lot of people have done it but I never had so Yeah I'm BRAGGING.

[netdvn]

I see a TON of headchopper moments. This ride looks to be very insane. I wanna go to Orlando to check it out.

[HatetoFLY]

Update from today March 25, 2009.

[Lenaapple1974]

Awesome update! Thank you for going and checking on this for everyone! It is people like you that make us drool!

 

I am with you on the crane issues. Maybe that is why they were hauling arse the last few days with the construction of the loop and beginning of the drop. They probably wanted to get as much done as they possibly could before they needed to return the crane... I am an optimist also. Hopefully there are no major issues with the stuff being done to the loop.

 

Also, we have seen just how fast structures can be brought up. I think that the fire house facade should be up in plenty of time for opening day! (Hopefully that will still be the first noted day)

[HatetoFLY]

^^^Thank You I'm glad some people appreciate the photos.

[CoasterEricHP]

Great pictures! There seems to be a ton of progress going on over here! Assuming most of the facades are already done this place is going to shoot up really quick! At least I hope.

[Capitalize]

What do you mean when you say the track looks beat up? Like in what way I mean?

 

Great pictures, by the way!

[Hand 0f Time]

Nice score. And good up to date pictures. I see a problem, but hopefully not a bad one.

 

The 6th picture from the top. Having the 2 brake sections. A support is missing. O_o

[HatetoFLY]

What do you mean when you say the track looks beat up? Like in what way I mean?

 

Great pictures, by the way!

 

Thanks for the compliment, when I said beat up I meant a wide variety of scratches in the paint on the coaster. There is dirt caked up on the tracks, supports, and footers. I mean its all little things besides the scratches but I have been living in Florida for years and have seen coasters be built and have not seen a track's paint dinged up like this before. I just feel that this contractor "sucks."

[WFChris]

I dunno, I just get the feeling that this ride will be a big fail. So many little problems have been popping up that makes it appear to me that the contractor was not ready to take on such a grand project. It kind of reminds me of Superman at SFMM when it was being built. LOTS of hype that turned into an epic fail for the year.

 

I do, also have the humility to accept the fact that I may be completely wrong in my assumptions.

 

Chris.

[BridgeMan]

 

I just feel that this contractor "sucks."

 

I think it's a little early to say the contractor 'sucks' when they're not even done with the ride. Sure the track is scratched up and has dirt on it, but does that mean it's not going to be touched up before completion? Every bit of steel, be roller coaster track or a bridge beam is going to get scratched to some extent from the rigging used to lift and set it.

 

Seems to me PCL did a pretty good job on Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Soarin',the Universal Parking Garages, and Aquatica. From what I can tell, they've been doing work with Disney and Universal for quite some time - they must be doing something right.

 

Regarding the crane, it'd have to be a pretty serious issue for it to be completely removed from site. Maybe they wanted to get rid of that crawler crane and use a large truck crane, like the one pictured in the last set of photos to complete the track. Crawler cranes do a pretty good job at tearing up concrete - they might have had to start some utility work where the blue crane was sitting. There's lots of reasons. Same thing goes for the firehouse facade. There might have to be some structural mods to the building, that requires calculations, drawings, and approvals from all sorts of folks before work can start.

 

As long as it's all figured out in time for my trip this summer, that's all that matters to me!

[Fork]

Keep in mind that PCL aren't the only ones involved in this project. The coaster itself is being constructed by Mosley Erecting, and the station building is by BRPH Architects. So perhaps it isn't entirely PCL's fault.