>>>1. Universal went bankrupt. They were bought out because Islands of Adventure was a financial flop when it opened.<<<
That was not solely because of IOA. At the time, Universal had their own version of Eisner that tore the company apart. That is why they were bought out. Universal is now the 2nd most successful studio in Hollywood.
>>>2. Universal may be there, but it's not hidden from the rest of the world like WDW. In WDW, you are really in another world, as you can't see beyond the parks.<<<
I see all kinds of cheap hotels from AK's parking lot, but that makes no difference in my enjoyment of the place. Other than a few slect places, I don't see the outside world at UO either. Give them some slack, they don't have 27,000 acres to play with.
>>>3. Universal Studios isn't a really great park. It's nothing compared to the Disney-MGM Studios.<<<
Excuse me, I can't type coherently because I am laughing at the absurdity of that statement. Universal Studios was vastly superior to MGM when it opened, and to this day is still superior. Virtually everyone I have spoken too that has been to both parks has deemed Universal superior. Only in Disney message boards like these are the results any different. That's okay, but there is a world outside of Disney.
>>>4. You really think a sign in a backstage area is going to have a big effect? Give me a break.<<<
There have been employee rallies and such long before the signs went up. There's more dynamics to it than just a sign.
>>>5. Universal's transportation to the Wet n' Wild is not there. How do you get there?<<<
You drive there and park you car in their parking lot. :animwink:
>>>6. Universal has quite possibly the worst parking "thing" on earth. Of course, I can't say a lot for the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure either. lol<<<
I've never had any trouble getting in or out, even on their busiest days. Of course, I have to deal with the horrendous structures up here in Raleigh.
>>>7. Universal can't do what Disney can do, due to legal restrictions.<<<
You have a point, but Universal has enough pull in the city of Orlando to get anything they want built.
>>>8. Universal's Islands of Adventure is a nice park. It just doesn't draw the crowds Disney does.<<<
Really? Because attendance there is up slightly for the year, while all of Disney's parks are still down by around 10% for the year. There's a middle there somewhere.
>>>9. Universal still isn't doing theming quite right. It's less noticeable at Islands of Adventure, but there are still some things that need to be worked on.<<<
As with every park.
>>>10. Universal licenses 95% of the characters in the parks, plus theming. And we all know the trouble Disney is having with Winnie the Pooh.<<<
Universal isn't have licensing troubles with *any* of it's characters.
>>>I just read in the orlando sentinel that some investors are pulling out of universal. Anyone see that?<<<
That is the rant of an uninformed columnist on the Orlando Sentinel.
And it really doesn't seem to discuss the actual park's performance at all, as it does the fact that it's train wreck of a parent company may want to sell the resort to help pay off it's mounting debts. But of course, to sell the parks (their 50% share, the other share is owned by some other company, Blackstone- something), they would have to sell the entire (newly formed) Vivendi Universal Entertainment Group, all of the parks under that wing, and more than likely the Universal company with it (and they would have to negotiate the sell with all of Universal's partners), and since that is the only portion of Vivendi worth it's weight in salt, I doubt that will happen. And like it or not, UO is still a blip on the radar for Vivendi.
And consider this, Universal has just announced that they are adding over $60 million in new additions to their resort (as well as the unannounced E-ticket), are scouting for land in Malaysia and Germany.
UO and the entire entertainment group have nothing to do but continue upward. While nothing is impossible, the last thing that could happen with now is the sell of Vivendi's parks.
