Spirited News: 2013-2019 - E-Tickets, Hotels, Waterpark and Theme Park #3...

[cheezbat]

The current time table looks something like this from all the rumors and news rounded up.

2012 DM, Parade, Cinespec
2013 TF, Springfield, New Chassis for Rockit Trains, upgrades to select shows for 2013 and 2014
2014 Potter, Cabana Bay, New IOA Show, Major Ride Refurb planned for early in year before Potter crowds
2015 Jurassic Park Expansion and Fear Factor Replacement
2016 Kidszone Project

We can pretty much expect a new addition to one park each year for the rest of the decade from what I've heard. Creative is on OVERDRIVE and not just with Orlando. Thats one thing everyone has to remember there also working on entire new parks around the world, massive expansion projects to every resort they have, and TONS of blue sky being reviewed and revised by new owners Comcast.

Past 2015
New Hotels
Water Park
Expansion to CityWalk

There have been numerous talks of land acquisition and a third gate but its all blue sky and everything would have to fall into place perfectly and at the right price to make it happen. But here is whats interesting from what I've heard. As I mentioned they are planning on adding major attractions each year to turn these parks into full day destinations. Once you build your current parks up and they sustain 9-10 million visitors a year each then that third gate really comes into focus.

Finally I will say that the future is so bright with Universal and as fans we will be busy in the Universal sections of every forum on every site for many years to come. This is just the tip of the sword in a new era of the theme park wars.

Absolutely loving what Universal Is doing. I just hope they don't slow down.
Still cannot wait to see what they do for a new water park. I think that should become one of the priorities in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Sue_Vongello]

Absolutely loving what Universal Is doing. I just hope they don't slow down.
Still cannot wait to see what they do for a new water park. I think that should become one of the priorities in the next 2-3 years.

Selfishly I hope a third gate comes before a water park ... just not too fond of them anymore, I'm getting older so that's entirely selfish I know (honestly I can barely ride anything anymore, forget summit plummet and such, no way anyone can stay "modest" on that).

 

[djlaosc]

TONS of blue sky being reviewed and revised by new owners Comcast.

Nice to see that former Universal Blue Sky Projects may actually make it past coffee books...

 

[djlaosc]

2015 Fear Factor Replacement

This seems to be the one project that everyone wants to happen, but it's the one project on that list that there's been no rumours about!

Do you have any idea what it could be? Ride? Show?

 

[HTF]

Nice to see that former Universal Blue Sky Projects may actually make it past coffee books...

Springfield in a way is one btw

 

[djlaosc]

Springfield in a way is one btw

Was that originally supposed to happen with the ride in 2008 but then didn't, but now that they've got all the money, then went back to do it?

 

[HTF]

Was that originally supposed to happen with the ride in 2008 but then didn't, but now that they've got all the money, then went back to do it?

Essentially yes there was supposed to be more than just the ride, but not as big a scale as this.

 

[cheezbat]

Selfishly I hope a third gate comes before a water park ... just not too fond of them anymore, I'm getting older so that's entirely selfish I know (honestly I can barely ride anything anymore, forget summit plummet and such, no way anyone can stay "modest" on that).

Yeah I disagree with you on that one...but that's because I want to see what Universal can do with their own Waterpark...we already know what they can do with theme parks, and honestly I want something different.
Give me a Waterpark with thrills as well as family rides and slides...themed to the nines!
Typhoon and Blizzard Beach are greatly themed waterparks but lacking in attractions(at least TL sure is).

 

[JafarMaleficent]

The current time table looks something like this from all the rumors and news rounded up.

2012 DM, Parade, Cinespec
2013 TF, Springfield, New Chassis for Rockit Trains, upgrades to select shows for 2013 and 2014
2014 Potter, Cabana Bay, New IOA Show, Major Ride Refurb planned for early in year before Potter crowds
2015 Jurassic Park Expansion and Fear Factor Replacement
2016 Kidszone Project

We can pretty much expect a new addition to one park each year for the rest of the decade from what I've heard. Creative is on OVERDRIVE and not just with Orlando. Thats one thing everyone has to remember there also working on entire new parks around the world, massive expansion projects to every resort they have, and TONS of blue sky being reviewed and revised by new owners Comcast.

Past 2015
New Hotels
Water Park
Expansion to CityWalk

There have been numerous talks of land acquisition and a third gate but its all blue sky and everything would have to fall into place perfectly and at the right price to make it happen. But here is whats interesting from what I've heard. As I mentioned they are planning on adding major attractions each year to turn these parks into full day destinations. Once you build your current parks up and they sustain 9-10 million visitors a year each then that third gate really comes into focus.

Finally I will say that the future is so bright with Universal and as fans we will be busy in the Universal sections of every forum on every site for many years to come. This is just the tip of the sword in a new era of the theme park wars.

Any chance that the updates to select shows includes BeetleJuice? The music is getting a little out of date. Love the show but some newer music wont hurt.

 

[Jason1980]

If a 3rd park was being considered I'd love to see something completely different like the Hard Rock park which opened in Myrtle Beach. The concept looked amazing but the location and economy at the time of Hard Rock Parks opening caused it to fail. I never got a chance to go as I am in the UK. I think the Universal resort would be an ideal location for such a park as it would be a contrast to all of the movie related shows and attractions in the Orlando Area.

 

[RyenDeckard]

Any chance that the updates to select shows includes BeetleJuice? The music is getting a little out of date. Love the show but some newer music wont hurt.

BeetleJuice is updated on a pretty regular basis as the songs become outdated. A refresh with the show though is purely entertainment's work, nothing to do with creative.

 

[JafarMaleficent]

BeetleJuice is updated on a pretty regular basis as the songs become outdated. A refresh with the show though is purely entertainment's work, nothing to do with creative.

It hasn't been updated since Hey Ya came out in 2003. It hasn't been updated since then. and creative gets to decide what songs go in the show I'm pretty sure. Everything else is on entertainment.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

The current time table looks something like this from all the rumors and news rounded up.

2012 DM, Parade, Cinespec
2013 TF, Springfield, New Chassis for Rockit Trains, upgrades to select shows for 2013 and 2014
2014 Potter, Cabana Bay, New IOA Show, Major Ride Refurb planned for early in year before Potter crowds
2015 Jurassic Park Expansion and Fear Factor Replacement
2016 Kidszone Project

I had read somewhere JP may be done by Summer '14. Has this been pushed back or was it even plausible to have it THAT early?

 

[danlb_2000]

Saw this posted over at Screamscape today:

"(4/23/13) I’m not quite sure who is spreading the rumor that Universal Orlando is planning a 3rd park by 2018 but it certainly hasn’t been me. To be honest, not only has this rumor not even touched my keyboard, but it hasn’t even passed within a whisper of my ever-listening ears, or those of the Screamscape Spy-Network."

http://www.screamscape.com/html/universal_orlando.htm

 

[Sue_Vongello]

Saw this posted over at Screamscape today:

"(4/23/13) I’m not quite sure who is spreading the rumor that Universal Orlando is planning a 3rd park by 2018 but it certainly hasn’t been me. To be honest, not only has this rumor not even touched my keyboard, but it hasn’t even passed within a whisper of my ever-listening ears, or those of the Screamscape Spy-Network."

http://www.screamscape.com/html/universal_orlando.htm

Wow ... unfortunately/fortunately @WDW1974 has a better track record than screamscape.

 

[OFTeric]

The 3rd Park is so blue sky right now it isn't even really worth discussing at this point.

 

[Sue_Vongello]

The 3rd Park is so blue sky right now it isn't even really worth discussing at this point.

If this thread were in the WDW section I'd agree with you ... but Blue Sky doesn't seem so far off or improbable with Uni right now as it does with WDW ... hell, even announced things, things we know are close to green lights at WDW seem down right impossible.

 

[OFTeric]

If this thread were in the WDW section I'd agree with you ... but Blue Sky doesn't seem so far off or improbable with Uni right now as it does with WDW ... hell, even announced things, things we know are close to green lights at WDW seem down right impossible.

But from what I am privy to, they have been revisiting a lot of old ideas along with some really new and radical ones.

There are some really out of the box ideas, and plans that might make it out of the blue sky phase.

There is a major business discussion about the economics of a 3rd park that are being dealt with. It is so much more complex than simply adding a park and adding visitors. There are people in the blue building on turkey lake who believe that the 4 parks at WDW have created the boondoggle that is today. And that 2 parks is the ideal size. Then there are people who believe that in order to actually grow market share in Orlando, they have to be a complete WDW alternative, meaning a full weeks worth of activities.

This sort of day to day is really boring, and it is going to take sometime to iron out, but Universal has proven that once it makes up it's mind it moves FAST. Just last July, Sound Stage 44 became a pile of ruble, and look at it today!

 

[JT3000]

I wouldn't mind a third park... eventually... but only after they've done everything they can with the current parks, and only if they have enough good ideas to fill an entire park. One thing I definitely don't expect from Universal is a new park with an hour's worth of attractions. So at least there's that.

 

[cheezbat]

I think 3 theme parks and a water park as well as an expanded citywalk would be ideal for a weeks worth. Knowing Universal they'd at least make the third park a full day place...which I really can't say about WDWs third and fourth gates.

Where Disney went crazy in my opinion was spreading out so much thru their resort...having 20+ hotels...two half day parks and only one or two modes of transportation between everything. That's a lot of infrastructure to have to keep up and deal with.
Universals layout is very convenient, and whatever they do to add on I would hope they'd keep it close by...and only add maybe 2 or 3 more hotels.