Orlando Attractions Area News & Developments

[codypet]

18 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Busch just needs to keep on building more coasters at SW.  I think that will be their saving grace.

I would reclaim part of the parking lot and build into it much like they did on the other side with the retention pond.  And I would build more of the thrill-class extreme coasters.  And I would keep pushing Howl-O-Scream and try to land an IP that deals with horror (right now the only "scary" character they have, other than an actual "sea wolf" Orca that eats dolphins and drowns Blue Whales in the wild, is the Count from Sesame Street).

If I was ruler of SWP&E with unlimited budget,  I'd build a garage on the site of the resources building that would serve both employees and guests with a bridge over Sea Harbor Dr. Then repurpose the north side of the existing lot as a high end resort.  The west side of the garage land (Fronting Westwood) would be a mid/low tier resort.  The south 2/3's of the lot would be a new entrance, and lands with new rides including a larger Sesame St land.  The current Sesame St land would be expanded pools for the Orcas.  Likewise the Wild Arctic Ride portion would have an expanded cold weather animal enclosure.  Not that there's going to be more animals but to provide better care for the ones that are already there.   

Likewise at BG, Garage on the NE corner of Busch and McKinley using the tunnel under McKinley (updated theming in the tunnel to feel like you're transported to a new world also eliminating the need for trams), two Busch resorts between the garage and Adventure Island, A new entrance land that enters into Egypt (where Montu and Cobra's Curse are).  Now the existing preferred parking lot and entrance land becomes a new land with more rides away from the residential areas.   Moreover, there's room to put a giga over the ponds like they did at SW with Mako.  

Edited September 19, 2023 by codypet

[Ivanhoe]

SW could benefit from a half dozen quality indoor attractions. The fact that the majority of attractions need to shutdown in bad weather has always been an issue there.  Yet, as mentioned, without an “IP” they likely will not come up with original storytelling and material (Such as Journey to Atlantis) and opt for manufactured  coasters instead.

I also like the idea of a themed resort that could be incorporated into the theming of the park itself, perhaps with a dedicated boardwalk on the park side of the hotel offering much needed restaurants and retail, essentially a dual purposed resort and park expansion opportunity.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Ivanhoe

[aent]

6 hours ago, codypet said:

If I was ruler of SWP&E with unlimited budget,  I'd build a garage on the site of the resources building that would serve both employees and guests with a bridge over Sea Harbor Dr. Then repurpose the north side of the existing lot as a high end resort.  The west side of the garage land (Fronting Westwood) would be a mid/low tier resort.  The south 2/3's of the lot would be a new entrance, and lands with new rides including a larger Sesame St land.  The current Sesame St land would be expanded pools for the Orcas.  Likewise the Wild Arctic Ride portion would have an expanded cold weather animal enclosure.  Not that there's going to be more animals but to provide better care for the ones that are already there.   

 

SeaWorld has claimed numerous times they are going to repurpose the north side of the existing lot as a high end resort. They just can't seem to get it done. There parking plan was to bus people across the street when necessary from Aquatica, since apparently they have excess parking there (and don't really fill up the entire lot many days anyways even with the land that should be lost to the resort)

[jrs2]

On 9/19/2023 at 2:23 PM, codypet said:

If I was ruler of SWP&E with unlimited budget,  I'd build a garage on the site of the resources building that would serve both employees and guests with a bridge over Sea Harbor Dr. Then repurpose the north side of the existing lot as a high end resort.  The west side of the garage land (Fronting Westwood) would be a mid/low tier resort.  The south 2/3's of the lot would be a new entrance, and lands with new rides including a larger Sesame St land.  The current Sesame St land would be expanded pools for the Orcas.  Likewise the Wild Arctic Ride portion would have an expanded cold weather animal enclosure.  Not that there's going to be more animals but to provide better care for the ones that are already there.   

Likewise at BG, Garage on the NE corner of Busch and McKinley using the tunnel under McKinley (updated theming in the tunnel to feel like you're transported to a new world also eliminating the need for trams), two Busch resorts between the garage and Adventure Island, A new entrance land that enters into Egypt (where Montu and Cobra's Curse are).  Now the existing preferred parking lot and entrance land becomes a new land with more rides away from the residential areas.   Moreover, there's room to put a giga over the ponds like they did at SW with Mako.  

I agree- parking deck across Sea Harbor Dr., so that they could get the footprint bigger.  Their saving grace could be an EPCOT-style addition or transformation with themed eateries-- but expand the water feature and make it even more of a setting, like EPCOT is.  EPCOT is genius, IMO; a fantastic venue.  Copy those aspects and keep the coasters coming at a regular clip to keep attracting more patrons.  If coasters weren't a thing, Epic U wouldn't have so many u/c and Cedar Point wouldn't be what it is, right?  They just need some record setters (beyond Orlando & Florida) to keep people talking about them.  Universal has Harry Potter and now Mario...they don't need a faster, larger, taller coaster, but SW does...

As for the resort, I guess Universal was fortunate to have the partnership with Loews.  SW needs one of their own...

[codypet]

@jrs2I didn't realize they owned SO MUCH LAND north toward Westwood and the Convention Center.   I thought the selling of the old HBJ building was gonna be a hard thing to work around,  but you could stick a resort that sprawls the size of the Double Tree next to it and still have room for a multistory garage between Sea Harbor and Westwood.  Build a tower like everything else on International Dr and you can fit two, and you have the Convention Center within walking distance.

[jrs2]

this video has some good shots:

 

[ragerunner]

SeaWorld really needs to expand Sesame Street. Take the old Artic building and make it a Sesame Street dark ride. Add in a Cookie Monster Bakery and they can have their own little money printing press.

I think they have run the coaster building concept about as far as it can take them. I would like to see them add a few well themed family flat rides after the new 2024 coaster and the Sesame Street Dark ride.

[jrs2]

17 minutes ago, ragerunner said:

SeaWorld really needs to expand Sesame Street. Take the old Artic building and make it a Sesame Street dark ride. Add in a Cookie Monster Bakery and they can have their own little money printing press.

I think they have run the coaster building concept about as far as it can take them. I would like to see them add a few well themed family flat rides after the new 2024 coaster and the Sesame Street Dark ride.

Cookie Monster Bakery...great idea...

Maybe you're right; make Sesame Street Land even larger.  How far does that IP ownership or permission have that they have?  Because isn't Kermit from Sesame Street?  Muppets?

[codypet]

17 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Cookie Monster Bakery...great idea...

Maybe you're right; make Sesame Street Land even larger.  How far does that IP ownership or permission have that they have?  Because isn't Kermit from Sesame Street?  Muppets?

More recent Sesame St episodes barring the 50th anniversary special don't have Kermit.  SWP&E owns the Sesame Place parks and I believe they have officially replaced the kids lands at all the parks.  It's such a dream IP to have if you're a park owner.  You have a bigger pool of nostalgia than even  Disney has.   Who didn't grow up with that crew in pre school?  I have coworkers who have little kids love it too for both the nostalgia and the kids reasons.  

From Wikipedia

Anheuser-Busch was the park's original owner, operating it under its Busch Entertainment subsidiary. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch was purchased by InBev to form Anheuser-Busch InBev, which then sold its theme park division to The Blackstone Group in 2009. Under new ownership, from 2009 into 2010, children's areas in Busch Gardens and SeaWorld parks were converted to Sesame Street-themed areas. SeaWorld Orlando, however, was the lone holdout until its Shamu's Happy Harbour area was converted into, and reopened as, "Sesame Street Land" in 2019.

How Busch managed to convince Sesame Workshop to build a park with their concerns about marketing to kids way back when, I won't know.  

Edited September 27, 2023 by codypet

[jrs2]

33 minutes ago, codypet said:

More recent Sesame St episodes barring the 50th anniversary special don't have Kermit.  SWP&E owns the Sesame Place parks and I believe they have officially replaced the kids lands at all the parks.  It's such a dream IP to have if you're a park owner.  You have a bigger pool of nostalgia than even  Disney has.   Who didn't grow up with that crew in pre school?  I have coworkers who have little kids love it too for both the nostalgia and the kids reasons.  

From Wikipedia

Anheuser-Busch was the park's original owner, operating it under its Busch Entertainment subsidiary. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch was purchased by InBev to form Anheuser-Busch InBev, which then sold its theme park division to The Blackstone Group in 2009. Under new ownership, from 2009 into 2010, children's areas in Busch Gardens and SeaWorld parks were converted to Sesame Street-themed areas. SeaWorld Orlando, however, was the lone holdout until its Shamu's Happy Harbour area was converted into, and reopened as, "Sesame Street Land" in 2019.

How Busch managed to convince Sesame Workshop to build a park with their concerns about marketing to kids way back when, I won't know.  

good points.  Man, Bert & Ernie, Elmo... Oscar the Grouch, The Count,  Grover, Cookie Monster- that's like a hardcore lineup of IP, even without Kermie...  I forgot about all those guys...Big Bird too; Mr. Snuffleupagus (I had to look up the spelling).

this IP is akin to like Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Goofy, etc. for The Diz...

Also like what I was pimping in Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser, DK, DK Jr, Kirby, etc. for Universal

They need to turn it up as much as they can...yep...

[codypet]

2 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

good points.  Man, Bert & Ernie, Elmo... Oscar the Grouch, The Count,  Grover, Cookie Monster- that's like a hardcore lineup of IP, even without Kermie...  I forgot about all those guys...Big Bird too; Mr. Snuffleupagus (I had to look up the spelling).

this IP is akin to like Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Goofy, etc. for The Diz...

Also like what I was pimping in Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser, DK, DK Jr, Kirby, etc. for Universal

They need to turn it up as much as they can...yep...

The last time I sat on the parade, I noticed Big Birds float had Barkley in a doghouse on the back of the float.  Talk about a nostalgia hit.   According to Sesame Wiki, Barkley hasn't been a regular character for 14 years and hasn't been in any episode in 10. 

I should note that the people in those suits dancing in the 90 degree Florida heat for 15 straight minutes for the parade are nothing short of amazing.   They are perfectly choreographed with the other dancers in the parade, and its insane.   The Disney characters to my knowledge are on the float just waving.  The Sesame parade stops and has a whole dance routine with the characters.

You mentioned the legacy characters too.  There's cameos from the two headed monster too.

Then you think about the more recent Sesame St stars prominently feature in the land.  Telly (who had always been there but is more prominent more recently) , Rosita, and Abby who's almost as big as Elmo for kids in the newer episodes.

I agree getting the Nintendo characters for Universal is their shot at similar success.  

[codypet]

https://seaworld.com/orlando/roller-coasters/penguin-trek/

Here we go!  Little Codypet meets the height requirement.  So we'll be there during padsholder preview. 

Edited September 30, 2023 by codypet

[codypet]

Turtle Trek theater has been gutted and replace with an exhibit on growing coral

[jrs2]

 

[jrs2]

cue it up to 20:00.  they feature the hotels.  Now, both outside-of-park hotels are topped off.

 

[jrs2]

This has great drone footage.  Good updates all around; Kirkman Road extension; the park hotel; the two hotels outside the park; the central roller coaster ride in this thumbnail.  Really cool.

 

 

[jrs2]

Penguin Trek.

the staging area is on Discovery Cove property.

 

[jrs2]

 

[jrs2]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/10/10/commissioners-ok-special-district-around-universals-epic-universe/

[jrs2]

Not sure where this goes b/c its a combination of things:

https://newsroom.ocfl.net/media-advisories/press-releases/2023/10/orange-county-board-votes-to-approve-convention-center-expansion-ucf-stadium-tower-arc-and-local-arts-cultural-affairs-funding-with-tourist-development-tax-revenues/

[Uncommon]

6 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Not sure where this goes b/c its a combination of things:

https://newsroom.ocfl.net/media-advisories/press-releases/2023/10/orange-county-board-votes-to-approve-convention-center-expansion-ucf-stadium-tower-arc-and-local-arts-cultural-affairs-funding-with-tourist-development-tax-revenues/

Sometimes I hate this city.

[Ivanhoe]

1 hour ago, Uncommon said:

Sometimes I hate this city.

This is bad, even for Orange County:

There was consensus among the board to table further conversations relating to the Amway Center, Camping World Stadium, Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts projects, and Sports Incentive Fund until further information is gathered, and a work session is scheduled to discuss the future contract with Visit Orlando and how those dollars can be used.

Additional information on approved projects:

Orange County Convention Center ($560M, Bonded)
UCF’s FBC Mortgage Stadium Tower ($90M over 10 years, from excess revenues)
ARC ($75M over 5 years)
Arts & Cultural Affairs (Approximately $69.4M over 5 years)

[jrs2]

On 10/26/2023 at 8:09 PM, Uncommon said:

Sometimes I hate this city.

its the lobbies.  And people keep forgetting that OC owns the OCCC; when Chicago dumps $$$ into McCormick Place and other cities like NYC, LA, etc., have moved up in the ranks, they can't just sit by and lose bed nights on area hotels because those cities won shows OCCC could have gotten or had but lost b/c of lack of modernization or updates.

N/S's design was supposed to mimic OIA's main terminal but in practice it is a bad design if a show uses both the N & S side.  They really have to fix that.

Disney is the primary catalyst for hotels, as we know.  But I-Drive was struggling with just local brands (convention hotels) for years until Hyatt bought Peabody and Hilton opened up shop.  It's symbiotic with Disney, though, because the Hilton Orlando people also developed Waldorf/Hilton at Bonnet Creek.   And now, with Universal dumping $billions on Epic U, part of their design caters to a convention group customer base.  Now, OCCC is symbiotic with Epic U and it has to reinvest to modernize with a new entertainment "asset" to lure more shows.  So the formula they are using is a modern N/S Bldg (that was twenty years ago when they built it), and a singular entertainment option in Epic U that nobody can really compete with (except a Vegas and a large historic city (IMO), but people want to come to Orlando.

I went to the opera last night, so I have mixed feelings about DPAC not getting more $$$.  I think they can use more mezzanine space.  Maybe not; it is very vertical with its 5 levels...  but I'm not a fan with the outdoor proposal in its current iteration.  Orlando is too bifurcated, otherwise, maybe, dpac would have been close to the OCCC or vice versa and money for one would have benefitted both.

[jgardnerucf]

On 10/13/2022 at 1:59 PM, spenser1058 said:

SAVE THE TREES!

Can't find thread! I miss Spencer!

Here's.......

I'm tearing up.

[codypet]

A whole lot of merging to still have absolutely no presence in Central Florida

There had been talks that Cedar Fair was going to buy Sea World Parks and Entertainment but that deal fell through last year.  Now Cedar Fair and Six Flags are merging.  So this gets interesting.  Six Flags and Cedar Fair are both amusement parks IMO and not theme parks.  Universal and Disney obviously are theme parks and Sea World Parks are somewhere in between.  They're lightly themed parks maybe?  It does surprise me though that this new merged company is gonna stay out of Central Fl long.