Mitchada04 Posted November 3, 2016 Report Share Posted November 3, 2016 The American geeks are split. Some are looking forward to having something other than Twister which is how I feel. Twister was just yawn with all its preshows of Bill Paxton and then a very unreliable effects show. When it worked it was good, but it got to a point where the Twister wouldn't form half the time and they'd already cut the shows down from 12 an hour to 6. It was just a nightmare in the end and lasted longer than any expected. For the synergy of the park it's a good step with the theming front and will bring life back to that corner. But it is also a huge in house marketing machine for both NBC and Comcast. Let's say as well this isn't meant to be major, only a D-ticket, will be easy to update if Fallon leaves. I'd keep hopes low for F&F. I liked Disaster, but its closure was same reasoning as Twister: expensive to run, losing popularity and unreliable. Plus it had a huge plot of land. Which they're wasting on a pretty much clone of the Hollywood Tram Tour film just a fleshed out single ride with some nice cars in the queue. Nothing like they did for Kong. And I think F&F is being deemed an E-Ticket level attraction. In more positive news: Volcano Bay update! Just look at how gorgeous this is going to look at night. They've now finally announced the water coaster, the TapuTapu band system for queueing and special effects and the fact it will be a queueless park. And this lovely shot of one of the lazy rivers presumably going through the volcano. http://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/volcano-bay-coaster-details/ It is a water park although they're pushing the theme park status, but it'll be a whole new category with everything else going on. So this will make up for Fallon and F&F until something like Pets or Nintendo happens. Or maybe Avengers or Dragon Challenge works or whatever is next! KingNemesis, CharlieN and Ryan 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cptnmingo Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Don't talk to me about Volcano Bay [emoji14]One of the big selling points a couple years ago on convincing my friends to book a March '17 break with me was the drop slide at Wet n Wild. Of course, that closes Dec 31. AND Volcano Bay doesn't even open until June so there's a gap with no Comcast owned water park available, one less fun thing to do for us.Also, it has sent the package tickets into chaos. You can now buy 5 different combo tickets so having to make sure we all buy the exact one that doesn't include either water park. Doh!On a brighter note, Fallon could be fun and I am looking forward to Kong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Doyle Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Going to Florida just before Volcano Bay opens!! . Still excited for Kong, Harry Potter and Transformers. Haven't been to Orlando since 2010 so I have loads to catch up on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 The first piece of official information has been released! Still not much detail, but multiple rides confirmed for the lands, restaurants shops etc. Plus a look in the video at what some of the set pieces might be like. http://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/nintendo-universal-parks/ Quote All of the adventure, fun and whimsy you experience through a screen will now be all around you – in breathtakingly authentic ways. This quote from the blog is being used a lot for its wording, basically pointing at the lack of screens this land will have! Apparently following recent guest surveys, Creative are relooking all projects in the works to try and reduce screen usage as it's being picked up on by the punters too now. So expect a fully immersive, set filled Nintendo land for all the family. Japan is going to be the first one to open possibly in 2019 now with more details on this first land coming soon. Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Are the rumours still that this is going in Florida's kids area? Wonder if they'll be all the same things at the three parks or different in some ways... Hope for the latter tbh but doubtful... Best hold off Florida until this is built then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 I think Japan is getting a unique attraction and Hollywood's will be a scaled down land, possibly just the E-ticket Mario Kart ride and some shops. It's now up in the air if in Florida it'll replace KidZone or go into the new 3rd park in development for 2020/21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted December 10, 2016 Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 Universal have been busy bees then in the r&d department... http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2016/12/09/universal-theme-park-patents-tackle-drifting-cars.html JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted December 10, 2016 Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 That 'drift racers' ride (ie the Mario Kart Experience) sounds awesome; hope that happens! <3 pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted December 10, 2016 Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 The Drift Racers is matching closely too what some insiders have been saying about Mario Kart with 2 people per car (although it's rumoured to be 4 now) and a busbar system. The boom coaster would so brilliantly work for Donkey Kong too with the mine cart resembling jumps from one track to another. The two water ride ones are presumably Volcano Bay with the screen light usage on the mat slide being a great idea to use with TapuTapu. The really interesting one is the flight thing. It's blatantly Iron Man suits and a huge new dark ride for MSHI at Islands has been on the cards for a while. Looks interactive, very different and almost like a Kuka arm meets flying cinema! A drone patent was filed by them recently to for use in entertainment etc so possible new nightime show on the cards. With a 3rd park in the works for Orlando and Beijing starting construction, Creative are going flat out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted December 23, 2016 Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 SYNERGY # Shame about the grey wall, but still a huge improvement! All the synergy an attraction could have Apparently it is really accurate. Shop to open very soon Meanwhile at grey shed productions Fast and Furious which actually isn't too ugly in this view But yeah, it's very uninspiring for what is going to be a very uninteresting ride. What I can't wait for To see this beast with the scaffolding down! All photos from Bioreconstruct on Twitter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted December 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2016 Shed/10. pognoi and Kerfuffle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted January 13, 2017 Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 For the shed fans So you have: The NBC news bit This but with a Jimmy Fallon standing on it And the top of Comcast Tower, 30 Rockefeller. And still a view of the shed don't worry guys! Opens 6th April with the Tonight Show filming at the park for their 3rd time between the 3rd and 6th. Oh and this shed is getting a shed extension. Credit to CoasterCrew on Twitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted January 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 Yuck. So gloomy and beige. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 Least its accurate then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 The building is blocky, grotty and there's too much shed. I like the lighting though and the ride isn't finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted January 26, 2017 Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 With a media event running the 22nd-25th. And decent opening times! And the scaffolding is coming down! I feel a lot of the slides are going to be very mediocre, but the atmosphere of the park should make for a great experience a long with this stunning icon! Apparently water was flowing around the top sections today but no decent photos, and most of the slides are testing too! There is an expansion pad built into the park too and if a huge success from opening, they may build on it for next 2018 cos Uni moves fast. Other random news: Kidzone should be closing once this and Fallon are open, still unknown about E.T. The release date for Secret Life of Pets 2 has been moved to 2019, still possible for Hollywood and Florida to build the ride for then (Hollywood they've actually cleared the site for it). Expect an announcement this weekend at the Harry Potter Celebration for something relating to the studio tour over here and a night time projection show on the castle. Oh and Comcasts Q4 2016 results are out. Quote Theme Parks revenue increased 32.1% to $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016. Pro forma5 revenue increased 13.2%, reflecting higher attendance and higher per capita spending, driven by the success of Hollywood's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attraction, as well as the positive impact of a stronger Japanese yen. Operating cash flow increased 41.9% to $640 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. Pro forma5 operating cash flow increased 18.4%, reflecting higher revenue, partially offset by an increase in operating expenses, including costs to support new attractions. For the year ended December 31, 2016, revenue from the Theme Parks segment increased 48.2% to $4.9 billion compared to 2015. Pro forma5 revenue increased 12.7%, reflecting higher attendance and per capita spending, as well as the positive impact of a stronger Japanese yen. Operating cash flow increased 49.6% to $2.2 billion compared to 2015. Pro forma5 operating cash flow increased 12.2%, reflecting higher revenue, partially offset by an increase in operating expenses, including costs to support new attractions. This is a good one to look at, as it was Q42015 where Comcast got their shares of USJ, so this is the first set of results that looks back on data that already had Japan on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted May 25, 2017 Report Share Posted May 25, 2017 So Universal opened their third Orlando theme park today: Volcano Bay! As you can see it is visually stunning! https://orlandoinformer.com/blog/volcano-bay-first-impressions/ JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 25, 2017 Report Share Posted May 25, 2017 Water parks aren't normally something I pay much attention to, but there is no denying that that does look incredible.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted May 25, 2017 Report Share Posted May 25, 2017 The volcano itself is stunning and once fully settled the landscaping will too. But they've rushed to the finish line. Parts of the park round by Turkey Lake Road are still being built as they bumped opening up by a week to get the Memorial Day weekend crowds this weekend. TapuTapu has on the whole worked well with only a few glitches (not bad for its first real use with a park nearing capacity on the first day). The ride queues are odd. So the slides right by the entrance got 200 minute waits earlier, now you can't tap another ride whilst waiting for one but you can ride one if it's in a 'Ride Now' stage as in it's just walk on. And because of the flow of people in a theme park, you aren't just limited to the wave pool and rivers after tapping that first ride as so many people are tapped on that ride that the others don't get busy. And this just moves around the park. And the pools aren't crowded so that's not a concern. The only issue they seem to be having is queues on the stairs of rides being quite large once its your turn to ride, probably not helped by express pass going straight on. Who knows, but for first day it doesn't seem awful other than the visisble construction. And a 5 acre expansion is planned and may start in a few weeks, which with the current predictions for gate figures, probably will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste193 Posted July 20, 2017 Report Share Posted July 20, 2017 https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2017/03/21/rumor-universals-dragon-challenge-coaster-making.html Seeing quite few rumours circulating that Dragon Challenges days are numbered.... Riding it without the coasters interacting did make it feel really bland to be honest. I'm quite excited by the possible prospect of a Fantastic Beasts and where to find them area that would be wonderful and it makes a very good point that with all the recent announcements about so much changing at Walt Disney World they really need to do something to compete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2017 15 minutes ago, ste193 said: https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2017/03/21/rumor-universals-dragon-challenge-coaster-making.html Seeing quite few rumours circulating that Dragon Challenges days are numbered.... Riding it without the coasters interacting did make it feel really bland to be honest. I'm quite excited by the possible prospect of a Fantastic Beasts and where to find them area that would be wonderful and it makes a very good point that with all the recent announcements about so much changing at Walt Disney World they really need to do something to compete. It wasn't exactly outstanding with the duelling as it was but at least it had a hook. Now it's just two very uninteresting B&M inverters that run next to each other. I never want to see quality ride systems like B&M's scrapped so hopefully somewhere else will take them although that does seem really unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipper Posted July 21, 2017 Report Share Posted July 21, 2017 I wouldn't say they were uninteresting... okay they're far from the best inverts but they weren't awful IMO. But you really feel the duelling is missing nowadays; and they don't have a place in Harry Potter (albeit thats Universal's fault for building HP around them) - and they give some good shed views as everyone seems to like talking about sheds... But when you look at them, they were quite badly designed. Large footprint, low forces; and a load and offload that works weirdly (front and back row bars must be down to advance, etc) so as much as I wouldn't like to see them scrapped; I wouldn't really be surprised if they were. Which I think is a shame as the new Hulk just, doesn't cut it; it's lost all its forces compared to old Hulk. Rip Ride Rock It needs no explanation so if Dragon's goes it kinda leaves the Mummy as the best of a bad bunch really... and I like the Mummy, but it isn't a coaster you'd put on your top rides list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted July 24, 2017 Report Share Posted July 24, 2017 Last day of Dragon Challenge operation is September 4th, new coaster coming in 2019. https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/new-ride-wwohp-hogsmeade/?__source=sm.awr.ao.TWITTER&linkId=40127679 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 24, 2017 Report Share Posted July 24, 2017 Once upon a time, Ice was one of my favourite coasters... Kinda glad in a way my only memories are of the original non Potter variant, the amazing queue line and actually duelling... Amazing to think that one of the most iconic rides in the world will be dead... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted July 24, 2017 Report Share Posted July 24, 2017 I just hope these coasters aren't simply scrapped, but sold on to another place, even if separately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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