New night time show at Universal Orlando

[pianojohn]

From today's Orlando Sentinel

for full article and pic of artwork, click here:

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-universal1206apr12,0,26515.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

 

Universal plans big finish each day

A glitzy show aims to hold people until the park closes.

 

Universal Orlando will combine projectors and pyrotechnics in a new nightly show that theme park executives hope will spark attendance starting this summer.

 

The centerpiece of the Universal Studios show will be four huge spheres floating on barges spaced in the park's central lagoon. The three-story globes will essentially be 360-degree screens for Universal Pictures' most memorable movie scenes.

 

The film clips will be choreographed to movie-theme music playing from a new 300-speaker sound system and accompanied by fireworks and lasers.

 

"Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular," which will start July 1, is aimed at getting people to stay until closing, and to get more people to come as Universal tries to rebound from a big attendance drop last year.

 

People who enjoy an end-of-day show tend to spend more money, leave happier and return, Universal Orlando President Bob Gault said. And they'll tell their friends.

 

"Obviously, word of mouth helps drive this business," Gault said. "We've been looking for ways to enhance that, to take it right over the top, so guests say, 'Oh, my God. I can't wait to go home and tell my friends and neighbors about this.' "

 

The show is one of four new attractions Universal is promoting. The others are a new children's monorail ride at Islands of Adventure, a new CityWalk nightclub that strives for swank, and a new CityWalk seafood restaurant.

 

A good end-of-day show can be an attraction itself, said Jerry Aldrich, president of Orlando-based Amusement Industry Consulting.

 

Though Universal still managed a profit, Aldrich and other industry observers said it would be tough for the parks to remain profitable if they can't attract bigger crowds. Last year, attendance fell 11 percent from a 2004 record level.

 

"If they market it, I'm sure it will actually bring people in," Aldrich said. "It definitely will keep people in the park."

 

And those who stay until closing might buy dinner, and maybe a sweatshirt to keep warm. And they're more likely to stay and play into the evening at CityWalk, Aldrich said.

 

Universal would not disclose the project's contractors but said much of the construction and programming is being done by Universal's engineers. The technology has been used in Europe, but not anything like the scale Universal is planning, said Jim Timon, senior vice president of entertainment.

 

"It's a pretty cool computer trick, by taking the four projectors that actually project around the surface of the sphere and computer-blending the edges, so that to the eye it appears like continuous imaging," he said. "We also have a fifth projector that projects straight up."

 

The technology offers other opportunities too, Gault said. For Halloween Horror Nights, Universal could produce a horror video show for the spheres. For Mardi Gras, stage shows could be projected live into the spheres. The screens could even broadcast NBC-TV shows, perhaps the Olympics, he said.

 

"The video boys are going to be busy for a long time here," Timon said.

 

The one new ride at Universal this year, The High In The Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, also known as the Seuss Sky Trolley, is actually a redone old ride that never opened. The original ride -- Sylvester McMonkey McBean's Very Unusual Driving Machines -- was built for Islands of Adventure's 1999 grand opening but technical and safety concerns left it dormant for seven years.

 

Universal redesigned and rebuilt the ride this winter, and renamed it. It will open June 1.

 

"It's designed for families with small children," Gault said. "It's just going to be a fun thing. It provides more balance in Islands of Adventure . . . We've already got great roller coasters."

 

The new two-story nightclub, The Red Coconut, which Timon said will strive for a "Rat Pack cool, hip" feel set in a 1970s decor, will feature live bands and dancing, and seek a clientele aged from the late 20s to 40s. It should open in late May on CityWalk's Club Row.

 

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant, with seating for more than 400, will open July 1 at the entrance to CityWalk. Its CityWalk location was announced last summer.

 

Gault said competition for tourists in Central Florida remains tough, because the market still has not fully recovered from the post-Sept. 11, 2001, slump.

 

So, he said, "We are continuing to spend a lot of money on great product, high technology and relevant stuff. That helps us in the battle for share."

 

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I like how they finally give an opening date for the IOA Seuss Monorail of June 1st. I am sure it won't be a big thrill, but at least it will stop guests from asking why it isn't running. I worked there the first 2 years and every day someone would ask how to ride it!!

 

Care to discuss? I think the last show they did on the lagoon, some sort of stunt spectacular, was pretty lame. They did it every day, even when the park closed at 6pm.

 

Hopefully with the new show, and if it is successful, the park may stay open late every day a la EPCOT for Illuminations.

 

They had/have a similar nighttime show at Universal Studios JAPAN which utilized fireworks as well as barges with performers on them. Should be interesting to see how this all pans out.

[Wes]

This can only mean one thing. Clips from Apollo 13.

[socalMAN123]

This kinda sounds like Iluminations. But, I think this might help Universal getting their attendance up.

---Brent

[SharkTums]

The nighttime show at Universal Osaka was nice, this sounds even better. Glad to see they're trying something!

[DerekRx]

I'm glad they're getting something for the evening at the park, but I'm still annoyed at how parks keep blaming 9/11 for everything, especially after they state how 2004 was a record year for them.

 

Why was 2004 a record year for Universal? Possibly because they added 3 new rides at the park that year. What has IOA added since 2000, NOTHING! While its nice they are finally making a ride standing since opening finally open, its not going to draw in the crowds. No one is sitting in their house in suburban America yelling "Honey! Universal is getting a new monorail this year, pack up the suitcases, get your mother to let the dog out, and tell the kids we're going to Orlando! Oh my...and they're getting a new nightclub, restaurant, AND nighttime show, we're staying for a week!" If anything is going to bring people to Orlando, its going to be Expedition Everest and the 50th Celebration over at Disney. Sorry Universal, I used to love you, but you need to do a little better than a monorail, a chain restaurant, and a Rat Pack club to draw in the people. Get another major coaster, a dark ride, and a kiddy rides area at IOA all in 1 year, and please do something with that empty area that used to be Nick Studios over at Universal, then you'll see an increase. And with the nighttime show, people may actually stay thru dark.

 

If there is anything to blame for the decreased tourism in Orlando, how about pointing the finger at the ridiculous airfare prices and hurricanes. Not that people are still afraid to travel for fear the terrorists will get them.

[disneyfan1313]

I think they need a nighttime show - but the name IMHO is horrible! "Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular," - WTF?!?! Illuminations, Wishes, Fantasmic, Sorcery in the Sky, those all sound good and are easy to remember. What is this going to be called for short? Universal 360?

[SharkTums]

^Yeah it will be called that, until Microsoft sues them!

[CoasterCrazy]

I'm looking forward to watching the show during my next visit to the USF!

 

After watching the show I will have to visit WDW for the first time so that I will have something to compare the show to!

[morbid_riddler]

^Yeah it will be called that, until Microsoft sues them!

 

I doubt they will, I'm sure the projectors will run on windows and microsoft will be properly credited when the whole globe turns blue with that annoying gray text. BLUE GLOBE OF DEATH!!!

[robbalvey]

Here are the images that Universal's PR Dept sent me today....

[Imhotep]

Wow, did they send you anything else related to the new Seuss ride other than that 2nd picture??

[robbalvey]

^ No, other than the press release, which is pretty much quoted in the Sentinel article, that's about it.

 

--Robb

[coaster_maniac]

that soudns AWESOME!! cant wait to see it!