Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Now Open!

[AidenRodriguez731]

Oh, are you concerned?

Ok. Are you intentionally being obtuse? The context of the broken lights at Epcot is that it is part of a sequence of significant failings that has significantly ruined one half of the park over multiple years. So yeah, not just about broke lights.

The context of the broken lights at Epic is growing pains of a new park that the leaders need to get a handle on.

Stop pretending...please. Jesus.

It's a new area of the park! So it's new, its just getting some growing pains. (EPCOT area was also new when having its issues)

It's not like Universal is new to pouring concrete. This isn't some advanced technology that they weren't able to account for. If you're okay with the look of that though, that's fine. It's just not gonna be a worthy competition when things like Jurassic Park as well remain in bad shape. The maintenance just isn't there yet."


Also you act like I have no problem with the Epcot lights when I very clearly have mentioned before my problem with them, especially on this particular thread. One half of the park is also not ruined and to think so is just obtuse.

 

[flynnibus]

Sorry but you can't also then say that Universal is any worthy competition or that this is close to the best park in the world if you can't even keep up with basic maintenance standards and excuse it because they didn't "pinky promise" that they won't have cracked concrete, broken effects, etc within 5 months of opening.

You are again completely missing the point. It was never about comparing the two, yet you keep trying.

Current cost of Epic ticket is $169 for today, non peak day. If you want to play with the big boys and charge like the big boys, you can but you need the standards of the big boys

You're comparing things that look alike, while completely missing the part that matters.

Disney was failing to maintain what was Disney's brand and image.

Uni's brand and image was not the same as Disney - so trying to hold one to the other's.. is just telling everyone you don't understand what you are handling.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

You are again completely missing the point. It was never about comparing the two, yet you keep trying.



You're comparing things that look alike, while completely missing the part that matters.

Disney was failing to maintain what was Disney's brand and image.

Uni's brand and image was not the same as Disney - so trying to hold one to the other's.. is just telling everyone you don't understand what you are handling.

It's theme park concrete paths. It's not some complicated thing super complex to be talking about. The parks are often put up against each other so yeah, comparison is going to be waged against each. That's how the theme park "wars" work and how the actual improvements happen.

 

[flynnibus]

It's theme park concrete paths. It's not some complicated thing super complex to be talking about. The parks are often put up against each other so yeah, comparison is going to be waged against each. That's how the theme park "wars" work and how the actual improvements happen.

You're clueless.. please don't try to hold people to something you clearly don't understand at all.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

You're clueless.. please don't try to hold people to something you clearly don't understand at all.

That’s cool and all but remember Universal made Jimmy Fallons Failure Through New York

 

[Rich Brownn]

That’s cool and all but remember Universal made Jimmy Fallons Failure Through New York

Which gets fairly high GSATs

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Which gets fairly high GSATs

But but it’s not as a good as what was there before it (im making another comparison)

 

[build_it]

There is no theme park war. Only two very large profit making companies ranking in all the profits from their specific investments. #debbiedowner *wah wah*

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

There is no theme park war. Only two very large profit making companies ranking in all the profits from their specific investments. #debbiedowner *wah wah*

Of course there’s no REAL theme park war, they all love going to each others parks. It’s a completely fan made thing. But the extra competition is good

 

[mkt]

There is no theme park war. Only two very large profit making companies ranking in all the profits from their specific investments. #debbiedowner *wah wah*

This.

 

[Rich Brownn]

But but it’s not as a good as what was there before it (im making another comparison)

Twister actually got pretty mediocre GSATs for most of its life

 

[MrPromey]

But but it’s not as a good as what was there before it (im making another comparison)

Funny except, I highly doubt you're going to find many people who miss "Twister.... Ride it out". That was lame from the day it opened. Every time I'd ever done it (which I admit, wasn't many over its lifetime), people would laugh when the cow on wires, which was supposed to be dramatic, floated by.

If you mean the Ghost Busters attraction that replaced, there were people mad then and I'm sure there are people still bitter over that change.

 

[dmc493]

I question the knowledge of todays subcontractors compared to the old days.

I haven't read the most recent four pages but I would rephrase this issue as "going to cheap inexperienced low bidders instead of vetted teams slightly more expensive but with better quality standards"

 

[Disstevefan1]

I haven't read the most recent four pages but I would rephrase this issue as "going to cheap inexperienced low bidders instead of vetted teams slightly more expensive but with better quality standards"

Could be, but its clear both Universal and Disney is doing this.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I haven't read the most recent four pages but I would rephrase this issue as "going to cheap inexperienced low bidders instead of vetted teams slightly more expensive but with better quality standards"

Except that the parks maintain lists of approved contractors, sub-contractors and vendors, and don’t generally use design-bid-build project delivery.

 

[dmc493]

Except that the parks maintain lists of approved contractors, sub-contractors and vendors, and don’t generally use design-bid-build project delivery.

Oh valid point, but was that still the case for Epic (actually curious)? Since it was such a massive capital project I've seen larger corporations shirk their typical partnerships and take different contracting strategies.

Also design-bid-build doesn't matter with what I was trying to describe, you still have to bring on a concrete subcontractor thru a bid process. I'm assuming Universal uses a CM at risk or design build type role with their GC partners and I'd assume there's a full competitive bid process to bring on trade partners under the GC. Only caveat I guess is if the GC self performs concrete and it's written into their contract with Universal that they can self perform without competing.

 

[mkt]

Current cost of Epic ticket is $169 for today, non peak day. If you want to play with the big boys and charge like the big boys, you can but you need the standards of the big boys

They’re the #4 theme park operator in the world, and projected to hit #2 by the end of the decade - faster, if any of the other theme park groups start divesting assets.

They’re not playing with the big boys. They are one of the big boys.

 

[mkt]

That’s cool and all but remember Universal made Jimmy Fallons Failure Through New York

Every theme park operator has failures. It's just the cost of doing business.

Disney had Rocket Rods, Superstar Limo, Journey Into Your Imagination, Lightmagic, and a concrete hotel where you had to LARP as a Jedi for $5,000.

 

[mkt]

Except that the parks maintain lists of approved contractors, sub-contractors and vendors, and don’t generally use design-bid-build project delivery.

That’s correct, they do rely on pre-approved contractors and vendors. My grandmother’s business was one of them until she retired. It steady work that kept the lights on during the slow periods, and she knew their checks wouldn't bounce.

Fun fact: Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld actually share a lot of the same contractors, sub-contractors, vendors, and suppliers. Birket, GE, Siemens, Weta, ILM, Hubbard… the list is very long.

That said, it hasn’t stopped any of them from soliciting bids or proposals when a project calls for specialized expertise or knowledge outside their existing network. A few examples - off the top of my head - include Otis Elevator for Tower of Terror, CAE (flight simulator manufacturer) for Wild Arctic at SeaWorld, Boeing for Soarin’, and Lockheed Martin for Mission: SPACE.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Every theme park operator has failures. It's just the cost of doing business.

Disney had Rocket Rods, Superstar Limo, Journey Into Your Imagination, Lightmagic, and a concrete hotel where you had to LARP as a Jedi for $5,000.

Those are not still around luckily. Honestly, I don't mind Fallon too too much, its not great but its not the worst simulator at even that park so...