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jrs2
jrs2

^^ Spenser1058, you really need to do a podcast or something like that; YouTube perhaps where you're getting paid to blog.  your analysis and commentary is truly a great thing.  No BS, I mean it.

KJHburg
KJHburg

Yes I am tourist but I usually avoid the theme parks but did go to Disney Springs.  I knew they were restricting crowd size but did not know they had temperature checks in order to get in and masks we

shardoon
shardoon

We have to embrace the tourism. It allows a city our size punch up  way higher than it should. We have a huge airport, tons of nice restaurants, world class hotels......heck we just got 4 Michelin sta

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spenser1058 Gigalopolis

spenser1058

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I liked this summation from TPI about exactly what USF has with the acquisition and what they might do with it. Bottom line: Uni apparently has about 1000 acres to work with.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201804/6055/

From Theme Park Insider (Robert is generally one of the more knowledgable sources, although our own KLStorey is giving him a run for his money lately.)

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

I liked this summation from TPI about exactly what USF has with the acquisition and what they might do with it. Bottom line: Uni apparently has about 1000 acres to work with.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201804/6055/

From Theme Park Insider (Robert is generally one of the more knowledgable sources, although our own KLStorey is giving him a run for his money lately.)

Personally I think you can have the same theme (attraction IP) in multiple parks.  WDW & HSF have Toy Story stuff, and USF & IOA have Harry Potter stuff.  So, if USF sticks to this model, they can still have repeat IP with different twists in 3 actual parks.   It works now in 2 parks b/c of the Hogwarts Express as an access point.  Maybe they’ll do the same thing theme-wise to connect the “3rd” park.

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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8 minutes ago, shardoon said:

Does anybody know what is going on palm parkway just south of Altis and North of Daryl Carter on the I4 side.? About a mile of silt fence was put up and they have site work equipment on site already. 

I'm assuming it's the retail center(s) going on those respective parcels.  I haven't been there in a while so I know fencing has been up for a few months now; not sure if this is something newer or not.

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spenser1058 Gigalopolis

spenser1058

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WDW News Today is reporting the monorail fleet is being updated with new Bombardier trains (they built the current version.) 

This is a replacement, not an addition. Nevertheless, this is an important move due to issues with the current trains (which date back to 1989.)

The article suggests the planned Main St. Theater at MK is being canceled in order to reallocate the funds to the monorails.

https://wdwnt.com/2018/04/rumor-new-monorail-fleet-has-been-ordered-for-walt-disney-world/

 

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

WDW News Today is reporting the monorail fleet is being updated with new Bombardier trains (they built the current version.) 

This is a replacement, not an addition. Nevertheless, this is an important move due to issues with the current trains (which date back to 1989.)

The article suggests the planned Main St. Theater at MK is being canceled in order to reallocate the funds to the monorails.

https://wdwnt.com/2018/04/rumor-new-monorail-fleet-has-been-ordered-for-walt-disney-world/

 

I was on a couple of those Monorail trains and they were looking torn up on the interior.  By comparison, the AGT trains at OIA, the oldest ones on the east side of the terminal- I didn't realize how worn down they were until I rode on the new ones.  You rarely notice until you step into a new one.  And that's not discussing the times they had broken down either...

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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9 minutes ago, popsiclebrandon said:

I hope they sell the old monorail trains and someone uses them to open some weird diner.

Holy @%$!.  that can work.  Build the concrete monorail track 2-3 feet off the ground and have them ship a few of the cars, plop them on the track, plug them in for power, build a small building for the kitchen and the front area and make it look like a terminal, and wala!

I feel like Jacobi Mugatu running with popciclebrandon's "vision".

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spenser1058 Gigalopolis

spenser1058

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Ratatouille has gone vertical at Epcot, complete with crane.

Of the billion plus dollars being invested right now at WDW, just exactly what we're going to end up with at what time seems most up in the air at Epcot. Good to see this underway.

https://wdwnt.com/2018/04/photos-ratatouille-attraction-goes-vertical-at-epcot/

From WDW News Today

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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On 4/22/2018 at 11:37 AM, spenser1058 said:

The Motley Fool believes Disney will have to build a 5th gate to stay ahead of Comcast in Florida.

Also, an interesting stat: USF now has more undeveloped land than it has existing property.

https://www.fool.com/amp/investing/2018/04/22/20-years-without-a-new-disney-world-park-is-enough.aspx

Comcast has deep pockets.  that spells trouble for WDW.  But WDW has so much land compared to Universal- even with the new land it purchased.  But if Comcast thinks there is $$$ to be made in this industry, which it does, it will be interesting to see just how much more they invest.  Disney has rides based on IT and movies.  So does Universal.  It's like a boxing match.  I think the key will be with the amenities.  WDW has a Four Seasons on property, and the Waldorf and u/c JW almost on property.  Universal is in that partnership with Loews Hotels.  But, Loews almost got Portofino to be a 5 star back when it was built. I think Universal should build a major convention-class hotel to compliment the OCCC.

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shardoon Hamlet

shardoon

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22 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Comcast has deep pockets.  that spells trouble for WDW.  But WDW has so much land compared to Universal- even with the new land it purchased.  But if Comcast thinks there is $$$ to be made in this industry, which it does, it will be interesting to see just how much more they invest.  Disney has rides based on IT and movies.  So does Universal.  It's like a boxing match.  I think the key will be with the amenities.  WDW has a Four Seasons on property, and the Waldorf and u/c JW almost on property.  Universal is in that partnership with Loews Hotels.  But, Loews almost got Portofino to be a 5 star back when it was built. I think Universal should build a major convention-class hotel to compliment the OCCC.

I don't think anybody will ever be able to dethrone King Disney...... however, there is still a market that is up for grabs....... that is the business traveler as well as the business traveler's family if they tag along on those convention trips.  Being able to stay in a resort hotel right next to the convention center will be a plus. The family can go right into Universal and still meet the convention parent for lunch during their break.  

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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15 minutes ago, shardoon said:

I don't think anybody will ever be able to dethrone King Disney...... however, there is still a market that is up for grabs....... that is the business traveler as well as the business traveler's family if they tag along on those convention trips.  Being able to stay in a resort hotel right next to the convention center will be a plus. The family can go right into Universal and still meet the convention parent for lunch during their break.  

this could really boost the OCCC adjacent hotel numbers and help it's marketing efforts- especially with a portion of Universal right across the street (more or less) for entertainment options.

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aent Burg

aent

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, shardoon said:

I don't think anybody will ever be able to dethrone King Disney...... however, there is still a market that is up for grabs....... that is the business traveler as well as the business traveler's family if they tag along on those convention trips.  Being able to stay in a resort hotel right next to the convention center will be a plus. The family can go right into Universal and still meet the convention parent for lunch during their break.  

I wouldn't be so sure. I mean, I don't think Universal Orlando will be able to surpass Walt Disney World in numbers, and beating the Magic Kingdom seems out of reach, but it seems extremely likely Universal's parks could surpass Disney's other parks in attendance. Universal has nearly doubled its attendance in the last 10 years, and is still growing faster then Disney. Infact, Universal is on pace to pass Hollywood Studios in the next couple years in attendance (which likely won't happen because of the Star Wars bump, but it shows just how close the war is)

And the rumors are Universal is really going all out to try to compete with the Magic Kingdom in the new park, with Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, LOTR possibly ALL being headliners to the Orlando park., and its supposedly being done in a way to attract the younger audience that Disney currently dominates. If Disney loses control of the #2 and 3 spot in Orlando, that would obviously be insane.

My big question is what Universal is planning with the hotels. Interestingly, each new resort they build they keep saying its a new "lower" price point, which seems to indicate they may be aware they can't win on spending per guest so they just want to compete with Disney on the raw guest count. They haven't been targeting the high end hotel market in some time. Hopefully the new park changes that, I've posted on here for quite some time (during the 23-star resort proposal) that Orlando is a market I think is starved for a new 5 star hotel or 2 or 3. Disney's constant price hikes is making it into a super-premium-luxury theme park, while Universal may be targeting being #1 of the everyday family's vacations, at least at this point, so I'm not sure how much high end hotels/shopping/etc we're gonna see.

Edited by aent
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