Universal will add 2 hotels
By Robert Johnson | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted July 15, 2002
Loew's Hotels will soon start planning its fourth and fifth hotels at Universal Orlando, Jonathan Tisch, the New York lodging chain's chairman and chief executive officer, said last week.
Tisch said zoning for the two new properties on Universal land already has been approved.
"We're going to sit down with Universal in a few weeks and start planning what they will look like," he said.
Loew's opened its third hotel at Universal, Royal Pacific Resort, last month. Tisch said the 1,000-room hotel has been enjoying occupancy rates of 90 percent or more. "It's way ahead of what we expected," he said.
Loew's other two Universal hotels are Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay. The Royal Pacific is the largest in Loew's 15-hotel chain.
How soon could Loew's next two hotels at Universal be built? Tisch declined to predict the timing but said: "We're optimistic. The tourism economy is recovering fast."
What's more, Loew's is in good financial shape to expand. "We have a lot of capital right now."
River Country won't reopen soon
Although Walt Disney World's two water parks have been mobbed this summer, officials say the recently closed River Country swimming hole won't reopen this year.
"River Country will remain closed at least through 2002," said Rena Callahan, a Disney World spokeswoman.
Opened in 1976, River Country closed in April after falling in popularity behind Disney's newer water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, which opened in 1995 and 1988, respectively.
Still, Callahan acknowledged that the new parks are operating at capacity and turning away guests on some days. In fact, during the July 4 weekend, some guests at both parks had to park their cars in grassy lots near the paved lots. By midday Sunday, July 7, Blizzard Beach had closed its lot and guests were being directed to Typhoon Lagoon a few miles away -- where the parking lots were full, too.
Poster advertisements at Typhoon and Blizzard still tout River Country as Disney's third water park, but Callahan said they shouldn't be interpreted as a hint that it will reopen any time soon.
River Country, touted as Disney's old-fashioned water park, re-created the nostalgia of the all-American swimming place at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground near Disney's Bay Lake.
A Disney official said in April that River Country would reopen if "there's enough guest demand." How much demand would that be? Callahan couldn't say, but apparently it isn't enough that the two newer parks are frequently overflowing with customers.
Blizzard Beach, with attendance of 1.8 million in 2001, and Typhoon Lagoon, with 1.6 million, were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 among the world's top water parks last year, according to estimates by Amusement Business magazine. River Country didn't make the top 15.
Survey says. . . .
One out of five Americans who don't live in Florida say they're more likely to vacation here than they were a year ago, according to a survey by Visit Florida, the state's Tallahassee-based tourism agency.
By Robert Johnson | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted July 15, 2002
Loew's Hotels will soon start planning its fourth and fifth hotels at Universal Orlando, Jonathan Tisch, the New York lodging chain's chairman and chief executive officer, said last week.
Tisch said zoning for the two new properties on Universal land already has been approved.
"We're going to sit down with Universal in a few weeks and start planning what they will look like," he said.
Loew's opened its third hotel at Universal, Royal Pacific Resort, last month. Tisch said the 1,000-room hotel has been enjoying occupancy rates of 90 percent or more. "It's way ahead of what we expected," he said.
Loew's other two Universal hotels are Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay. The Royal Pacific is the largest in Loew's 15-hotel chain.
How soon could Loew's next two hotels at Universal be built? Tisch declined to predict the timing but said: "We're optimistic. The tourism economy is recovering fast."
What's more, Loew's is in good financial shape to expand. "We have a lot of capital right now."
River Country won't reopen soon
Although Walt Disney World's two water parks have been mobbed this summer, officials say the recently closed River Country swimming hole won't reopen this year.
"River Country will remain closed at least through 2002," said Rena Callahan, a Disney World spokeswoman.
Opened in 1976, River Country closed in April after falling in popularity behind Disney's newer water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, which opened in 1995 and 1988, respectively.
Still, Callahan acknowledged that the new parks are operating at capacity and turning away guests on some days. In fact, during the July 4 weekend, some guests at both parks had to park their cars in grassy lots near the paved lots. By midday Sunday, July 7, Blizzard Beach had closed its lot and guests were being directed to Typhoon Lagoon a few miles away -- where the parking lots were full, too.
Poster advertisements at Typhoon and Blizzard still tout River Country as Disney's third water park, but Callahan said they shouldn't be interpreted as a hint that it will reopen any time soon.
River Country, touted as Disney's old-fashioned water park, re-created the nostalgia of the all-American swimming place at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground near Disney's Bay Lake.
A Disney official said in April that River Country would reopen if "there's enough guest demand." How much demand would that be? Callahan couldn't say, but apparently it isn't enough that the two newer parks are frequently overflowing with customers.
Blizzard Beach, with attendance of 1.8 million in 2001, and Typhoon Lagoon, with 1.6 million, were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 among the world's top water parks last year, according to estimates by Amusement Business magazine. River Country didn't make the top 15.
Survey says. . . .
One out of five Americans who don't live in Florida say they're more likely to vacation here than they were a year ago, according to a survey by Visit Florida, the state's Tallahassee-based tourism agency.
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