News Disney plans to accelerate Parks investment to $60 billion over 10 years

[Disstevefan1]

Yes it will.

I will believe it when I see it. Until then its just talk.
If I see this "massive" work happening, I happily admit I am wrong.
Its actually scary when you use the word massive, that to me, means wall up for 5 or 6 years.

 

[UNCgolf]

That’s all animal service area

The more likely route would be in between Kali and the bird show…maybe?

I wasn't indicating any specific area -- just that they can't build something where Rafiki's is without developing some connecting area to the existing park. It's too far away to have people just walk there and back without stuff to do in-between (even if it's just dining/shopping/bathrooms), and the existing train can't transport enough people to have any kind of major draw there.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think so on both counts, within the different resort levels. Do keep in mind they do still have parking fees, but dont have resort fees. That is important to factor in. Marie

I think there’s really no comparison

The ones without express are a good deal over the stripped down wdw locations

And express pass for the more expensive ones allows you to actually do what you want…when you want.

It’s really not much more complicated than that

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The "deluxe" Universal resorts are a phenomenal value. The Royal Pacific was better than at least some of the WDW deluxes, and it didn't cost too much more than a WDW moderate. It was at least a couple hundred a night less than the WDW deluxes. They also include unlimited Express Pass, which is fantastic.

Unfortunately I find Universal's actual in-park offerings and attraction lineup quite weak, so I haven't had any desire to go back, but if/when I do I'd definitely stay in one of their deluxes again.

lol…we know coasters aren’t your jam, Heel

 

[LSLS]

The lowers are usually 25% or more less than the Disney values…the “mids” can be 33% or more lower than the moderates.

Quick looking at dates, it seems to vary a great deal over the year. Over the summer, the deluxes and values at Universal are more than Disney. In the fall, much less.

 

[pdude81]

I wasn't indicating any specific area -- just that they can't build something where Rafiki's is without developing some connecting area to the existing park. It's too far away to have people just walk there and back without stuff to do in-between (even if it's just dining/shopping/bathrooms), and the existing train can't transport enough people to have any kind of major draw there.

If they can do any sort of major expansion in the open space behind KRR, then it makes sense to really upgrade the train capacity and turn this into a loop with perhaps 2 more stations. There would need to be some sort of walking path as well in case the train goes down.

Honestly Rafiki seems too tied in for the medical facilities, and still speaks to the original park mission. The best case would be to add more to increase park attendance, and then RPW would serve the public better just from the increased attendance and additional people on the train.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Quick looking at dates, it seems to vary a great deal over the year. Over the summer, the deluxes and values at Universal are more than Disney. In the fall, much less.

Yeah I can see that…but they also do a lot of promos too.

 

[UNCgolf]

lol…we know coasters aren’t your jam, Heel

It's not even so much the number of coasters (I do love Revenge of the Mummy) as the non-coasters. Most of the non-coaster attractions are mediocre to bad -- Fast and the Furious, Simpsons, Transformers, Kong, Race through New York, MIB: Alien Attack... some of those are definitely better than others, but I wouldn't call anything on that list especially good. I don't even think Forbidden Journey is very good overall, although it is intermittently excellent.

 

[MJL92]

I don't even think Forbidden Journey is very good overall, although it is intermittently excellent.

Sometimes I feel like the only person who has this view. I was extremely excited to finally ride it with all the hype but it felt like a major letdown. Especially with such a cool innovative ride system.

Fingers crossed for the new Monsters ride using the same tech in EU.

 

[wannabeBelle]

A peek at the lazy river area of Cabana Bay. Marie

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

It's not even so much the number of coasters (I do love Revenge of the Mummy) as the non-coasters. Most of the non-coaster attractions are mediocre to bad -- Fast and the Furious, Simpsons, Transformers, Kong, Race through New York, MIB: Alien Attack... some of those are definitely better than others, but I wouldn't call anything on that list especially good. I don't even think Forbidden Journey is very good overall, although it is intermittently excellent.

This is how we feel also, Jurassic and Hagrids are our 2 favorite rides anywhere and we enjoy pretty much everything they’ve built since the original HP (minus FJ, Kong, and FF) but we still struggle to fill a whole day at the parks individually, we find we can get a park hopper and do them both in one day.

The recent stuff is miles ahead of the old stuff, which is promising for Epic.

As for value the Uni hotels are usually cheaper than Disney but they aren’t cheap, when we stayed at Aventura we paid $220 a night, much cheaper than the $300 a night we paid for POFQ but still not cheap.

 

[Andrew25]

As for value the Uni hotels are usually cheaper than Disney but they aren’t cheap, when we stayed at Aventura we paid $220 a night, much cheaper than the $300 a night we paid for POFQ but still not cheap.

The days of ~$100 rates at Cabana Bay are long gone now, unfortunately. But still a far better value than the WDW motels

 

[Jrb1979]

The days of ~$100 rates at Cabana Bay are long gone now, unfortunately. But still a far better value than the WDW motels

You can get those rates at the 2 new resorts

 

[Andrew25]

You can get those rates at the 2 new resorts

yes, but Cabana Bay was a heck of a steal for a family suite at $109 in 2014 lol

 

[JoeCamel]

yes, but Cabana Bay was a heck of a steal for a family suite at $109 in 2014 lol

That was my go to even traveling alone. Very quiet and oh so convenient

 

[Bocabear]

This is how we feel also, Jurassic and Hagrids are our 2 favorite rides anywhere and we enjoy pretty much everything they’ve built since the original HP (minus FJ, Kong, and FF) but we still struggle to fill a whole day at the parks individually, we find we can get a park hopper and do them both in one day.

The recent stuff is miles ahead of the old stuff, which is promising for Epic.

As for value the Uni hotels are usually cheaper than Disney but they aren’t cheap, when we stayed at Aventura we paid $220 a night, much cheaper than the $300 a night we paid for POFQ but still not cheap.

Yeah but $220 is the price of the All Star Resorts nowadays.... And Cabana Bay and Aventura are worlds nicer...

 

[Brer Panther]

Honestly Rafiki seems too tied in for the medical facilities, and still speaks to the original park mission.

The fact that Disney wants to tear Dinoland out and replace it with Indiana Jones and Encanto Land proves that they do not care about the original park mission.

 

[Tha Realest]

The fact that Disney wants to tear Dinoland out and replace it with Indiana Jones and Encanto Land proves that they do not care about the original park mission.

Hmm. Expensive, back of house costs and payroll with negligible ROI and little G+/ILL revenue coming from that…

 

[Jrb1979]

The fact that Disney wants to tear Dinoland out and replace it with Indiana Jones and Encanto Land proves that they do not care about the original park mission.

That can be said for all the parks.

 

[JoeCamel]

I've still never gotten over the missed opportunity with those hotel towers. They're very prominent within the park. Imagine if they had integrated them into the Volcano Bay story and setting. It would have been beneficial for both the hotel guests and the theme park attendees. Obviously, the masterclass in this remain Hotel Miracosta and the Grand Californian. Those two hotels feel like they belong in their park. Volcano Bay had an opportunity to match those two. That's definitely not to knock the fun aesthetic of Cabana Bay. It does get me thinking though.

I still commend Universal for their ambition with the Volcano Bay project. Building and launching Cabana Bay and Volcano Bay were two enormous undertakings. Of course, Epic Universe and its three accompanying hotels will make Volcano Bay look trivial by comparison...

The story for VB is that the natives built a waterpark to lure tourists so the towers are the hotel the tourists stay in? Seems to fit to me plus they have a special entrance to the park?