Wow...just wow...500 million a year for the foreseeable future...

[MagicMouseFan]

I know you guys have seen this. Football season has started so I haven't been paying as much attention. But universal is throwing the hammer down... Wow..just wow!!

Steve Burke, President of NBC|Universal and former President of Disneyland Paris, spoke to investors on the 11th of the month, and gave an overview of the current state and future plans of the Universal Parks and Resorts business. During the conference call Burke confirmed that, for the foreseeable future, Orlando AND Hollywood would be receiving a new attraction EVERY year, and that NBC|Universal will continue to invest around $500 Million a YEAR into both resorts. During the Call, Steve also shared that more hotel rooms are on their way to Orlando. They currently have 2,400 rooms with another 1,800 coming online with Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Burke would like to see Universal with 10,000 – 15,000 total hotel rooms in the future.

Burke also said that since Transformers opened the Orlando resort had seen a 20% increase in attendance.

Burke’s plan is to turn Universal Orlando into the leading Orlando resort destination, and not a side trip. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Universal Orlando Resort.

 

[Sped2424]

I know you guys have seen this. Football season has started so I haven't been paying as much attention. But universal is throwing the hammer down... Wow..just wow!!

Steve Burke, President of NBC|Universal and former President of Disneyland Paris, spoke to investors on the 11th of the month, and gave an overview of the current state and future plans of the Universal Parks and Resorts business. During the conference call Burke confirmed that, for the foreseeable future, Orlando AND Hollywood would be receiving a new attraction EVERY year, and that NBC|Universal will continue to invest around $500 Million a YEAR into both resorts. During the Call, Steve also shared that more hotel rooms are on their way to Orlando. They currently have 2,400 rooms with another 1,800 coming online with Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Burke would like to see Universal with 10,000 – 15,000 total hotel rooms in the future.

Burke also said that since Transformers opened the Orlando resort had seen a 20% increase in attendance.

Burke’s plan is to turn Universal Orlando into the leading Orlando resort destination, and not a side trip. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Universal Orlando Resort.

A new attraction every year. Something we can't definitely boast about :< They know there is money in the parks after they saw what potter did. Carsland should have been disney's wake up call.

 

[xstech25]

Now that Comcast owns Universal they are trying to get back at Disney for refusing to sell their company to Comcast.

 

[flynnibus]

there is a universal sub-forum here you know...

 

[raymusiccity]

there is a universal sub-forum here you know...

I agree. This is WDWmagic, not Universalwhatever.

 

[AEfx]

The direct competition committing a half billion dollars a year to building new attractions is very newsworthy in terms of WDW.

Oh, I know...Disney is not competing with Universal, right?

That argument became outdated by 2010, and is simply laughable looking at the last five years, and what is coming in the foreseeable future.

 

[Sped2424]

The direct competition committing a half billion dollars a year to building new attractions is very newsworthy in terms of WDW.

Oh, I know...Disney is not competing with Universal, right?

That argument became outdated by 2010, and is simply laughable looking at the last five years, and what is coming in the foreseeable future.

Agreed, it shows what we need to be doing.

 

[Bolt]

What?! Universal is spending? I'm glad there wasn't 9 other threads about this right now.

Comparing Universal and Disney attendance, I bet their investors hate this as much as a Disney investor hate it.

 

[WDW1974]

Wow!!! If something is big news and old, the chances are it already has been discussed and/or is being discussed elsewhere.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

Wow!!! If something is big news and old, the chances are it already has been discussed and/or is being discussed elsewhere.

I'm not a news agency. Just a fan of Disney. I'll post what is emotionally important to me and let you wdw1974 tell me how relevant my post was. Thank you for doing your job and keep up the good work.

In my opinion, It's huge news whether it is old or not. It's the game changer and its the news that will create the slow shift away from Disney parks if they don't do something. in 10-15 years you could see universal as the number 1 Florida destination.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

A new attraction every year. Something we can't definitely boast about :< They know there is money in the parks after they saw what potter did. Carsland should have been disney's wake up call.

If comcast plays their cards right and can have 1-2 well made animated films like dispecable me, then they can draw families to universal. The kids will demand and want to see their favorite characters and universal will give families more bang for their buck with state of the art attractions.

Of course comcast will have to deliever the goods on a Pixar level to make this happen.
Be interesting how it all turns out.

Or course Disney could stop all this by creating a new attraction every year also....but that hasn't happened yet.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Universal is taking advantage of the fact that Mickey is greedy, bloated and resting on his laurels. And his arrogance has lead to a disenchanted and hungry fan base. Sure, some won't defect because of some emotional loyalty to nostalgia, but most simply love new quality themed entertainment, and have no problem throwing money at someone they see as providing it.

At this point, Disney will lose market share and they are powerless to stop it. By the time they can get a new E Ticket opened it will be too late.

Universal is going to hurt WDW. Plain and simple.

 

[Dog Ate Mouse]

When I hear all this and digest it for awhile I think of a few things:

1) This truly is a way to get Universal to be a top resort atraction in Fla.
2) Adding Hotel rooms and hopefully another resort is the way to go.
3) Now with items 1 and 2 above in place guest and park relations should be a priority to give families that welcome feeling that WDW has always been known for and slipping as of late.
4) New rides means new things to see and do while visiting older favorites. I am hoping they maintain the high attention to details like they recently have been doing. Without that then it simply becomes a Great Adventure Six Flags park.
5) It is good bussiness for Uni to kick WDW around a bit. Let me explain further. With new attraction in great detail, new rooms and hopefully another resort will really start affecting WDW. This in return will eventually wake up WDW. Then they start adding and improving. So what does this all mean to us. It means we have awesome different park experiences that will be totally fun for all.This war will benefit all of us park/resort and allow us to hopefully see som many mind blowing attractions for a long time to come.
6) I love both UNI and WDW and hope to see this spark some great competition. Maybe see a star wars land in WDW and see Uni and Island of adventures continue to expand and truly bring the movies to life in awsome packed rides like E.T. Mummy, HP hopefully bring Cong Back and maydown the road a Lord of the rings adventure park to Uni.The skies the limit when copetiton like this occurs. I look forward to many years worth of vacations at Uni and WDW to see what happens and comes about. I this this will really be a cool beans time.

 

[AEfx]

Comparing Universal and Disney attendance, I bet their investors hate this as much as a Disney investor hate it.

Doubtful, since Universal sees direct benefit from the investment. Harry Potter has more than paid for itself several times over with increased attendance and, more importantly, guest spending (a lot more people spend $200 getting all the wizard stuff than spend $200 to get made up looking like a lady of the night in a princess dress for the day).

Disney investors should be outraged - even the most ardent supporters of the billion bucks they are spending on MM+ will tell you that at most it's going to increase guest spending a few percent among those who actually will be able to use it, and I haven't seen anyone so bold as to proclaim that booking fastpasses six months out (absurd, most people think anything more than a few hours is silly) is going to make more repeat trips.

Universal = Spending consistently, with a clear goal ("Build it, they will come") and obvious results

Disney = Tying up huge sums of money in mostly non-tangible benefits who's entire basis is to draw a few cents more out of those who already come regularly and stay on property and buy braclets, and offers nothing that is marketable in commercials and what press it does get is boring and isn't going to make sense to most people.

Yeah, Universal investors are likely much more pleased than Disney's, because their money is clearly and successfully being used to make more money. You know, that's what Disney used to do - spend relatively lavishly on the guest experience, and reaping the rewards. Then they stopped doing the former, and have been resorting to cheap tricks to maintain the latter. It's working for Universal - it could work for Disney again.

 

[mahnamahna101]

I agree. This is WDWmagic, not Universalwhatever.

Well when the pixie dust has spilled down the drain, what else is there to talk about?

 

[HTF]

I agree. This is WDWmagic, not Universalwhatever.

What?! Universal is spending? I'm glad there wasn't 9 other threads about this right now.

Comparing Universal and Disney attendance, I bet their investors hate this as much as a Disney investor hate it.

 

[raymusiccity]

Attendance is a bad way of looking at, that's like saying GM was the greatest because they sold tM wentbankrupt. Investors just care about money made and return on investment so far everything Universal has done has provided a measurable return and I'm sure the new hotel is going to show a return pretty fast where the return on investments stops no one knows. To be fair to Disney, Universal has much more room for improvement.

i guess the proof will be in the pudding. It's going to be interesting to compare vacancy rates between the on-site hotels during the winter months. 10,000 additional rooms for Universal will have a pretty big impact on their entire infrastructure.

 

[wendysue]

Universal is taking advantage of the fact that Mickey is greedy, bloated and resting on his laurels. And his arrogance has lead to a disenchanted and hungry fan base. Sure, some won't defect because of some emotional loyalty to nostalgia, but most simply love new quality themed entertainment, and have no problem throwing money at someone they see as providing it.

At this point, Disney will lose market share and they are powerless to stop it. By the time they can get a new E Ticket opened it will be too late.

Universal is going to hurt WDW. Plain and simple.

Last year, my husband and I went to Universal for part of our WDW vacation and really enjoyed ourselves. We usually go with 3 other families and this year we cancelled our vaca at WDW and will be going elsewhere. I'm really glad we did, because it would have been THIS week, and it is really raining....
The reason we won't go back is because they have taken all of the spontaneous fun out of visiting. We all decided that when you had to plan meals 6 months out, and now plan rides from home, that would be it. We had many wonderful vacations there, but now it is too micromanaged. We are all going to UNI in December...

 

[Dog Ate Mouse]

That part of Disney does stink. I think having to plan meals out that far in advance is down right disrespectful. Same with the rides. The wife and I could not get reservations when we tried to make them at some of our fun places at the 6 month mark. I really don't like to have everything scheduled out and we are a spontaneous couple at times. That's what takes the fun out of Disney for me. All I want to do is show up, have fun and go to where I want and when I want to eat without having to be on a schedule. If I want a schedule, I will just stay at work. Uni has a big chance to do things right here and take a bigger piece of the pie in the Fla area of resorts and family fun. At least when I go to UNI I feel that I am free to roam about and eat where I want to eat and when I want to eat for the most part. Yes I do know crowds happen and thats okay, thats why we usually go to Uni for three days. For most of the time we get in what we want to do and places to eat. I do not feel this way about Disney any more. Then after three days of UNI we love to go to Sea World. Next year it's UNI, Sea World, and the Gator Land Zoo then off to Hilton Head and after that be on the way home. I plan for a wonderfuyl relaxing two week vacation.

 

[OFTeric]

The Children of this generation are falling in love with Universal. Their "magical" memories will be at Universal. When they met Spiderman, or talked to Optimus Prime, or danced in the streets with Sponge Bob, Gru, and E.B.

Their memories are going to be that of these two enchanting parks where things change all the time, paintings talk, and you can ride a magical train from one park to the next.

Their grandparents will go and fall asleep on the Carousel of Progress, talking about the the good ol' days.