Orlando Attractions Area News & Developments

[dcluley98]

No, that was it, but I think you are correct that the shading is showing different parcels, not phasing areas for the future. The NW one is obviously BPS and the NE one is the Movie Theater. The parcel on the east is un-developed greenfield and would likely be used for Phase 2 of residential. 

Copy in the report later said the existing mall development is proposed to remain. So they ARE going to keep the mall and repurpose it somehow. The plan is just showing added residential use on the SW parcel at this time, with possible future phasing for more residential tied into the vacant site or the existing mall/parking area. 

[aent]

7 minutes ago, dcluley98 said:

The parcel on the east is un-developed greenfield and would likely be used for Phase 2 of residential. 

My understanding is that parcel was purchased by Bass Pro Shop for boat storage if the need arises.

[spenser1058]

Bring back the Ron Jon Surf Park!

https://attractionsmagazine.com/planned-ron-jon-surf-park-not-happening/

(Almost as likely as VMC...)

[dcluley98]

5 minutes ago, aent said:

My understanding is that parcel was purchased by Bass Pro Shop for boat storage if the need arises.

You know more than me. I am just going by what was in the sparse re-development plan. They said that the new building is "phase 1" but didn't have any site plan or location for a phase 2 or subsequent phases. 

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, dcluley98 said:

No, that was it, but I think you are correct that the shading is showing different parcels, not phasing areas for the future. The NW one is obviously BPS and the NE one is the Movie Theater. The parcel on the east is un-developed greenfield and would likely be used for Phase 2 of residential. 

Copy in the report later said the existing mall development is proposed to remain. So they ARE going to keep the mall and repurpose it somehow. The plan is just showing added residential use on the SW parcel at this time, with possible future phasing for more residential tied into the vacant site or the existing mall/parking area. 

Personally I think they can get away with building these 5 story apartment buildings with enclosed parking decks ala Millennia Mall near Bloomie's.  They can attract eateries and/or drug store and/or grocer's inside the mall and at most exits it would lead to apartment buildings and perhaps a hotel as well.  Look at Ravaudage now; the Hilton Garden Inn is working on it's first floor already and is adding to 2-3 apartment buildings built or u/c.  Here, perhaps the people will dictate the retail type.

Edited May 2, 2019 by jrs2

[jrs2]

...from Aventura.

Check out the exterior lighting of Uni's WetnWild resort.  It really looks awesome at night closer in.  Way better than Cabana Bay.  It started raining so i couldn't snap a closer one.  Many of the rooms are done.

[spenser1058]

March TDT was flat but trending well after January decline:

http://bit.ly/2H27UWn

From the Sentinel 

January’s numbers were affected by loss of a major convention for the year. The numbers are expected to be relatively soft until new attractions coming later in the year at both UOR and WDW.

[spenser1058]

Do Bourne and Nintendo make sense as new lands at UOR? TPU looks at the hits and misses of IP at both Universal and Disney:

https://themeparkuniversity.com/universal/is-universal-rolling-out-attractions-with-terrible-intellectual-properties/

[jrs2]

On 5/4/2019 at 6:35 PM, spenser1058 said:

Do Bourne and Nintendo make sense as new lands at UOR? TPU looks at the hits and misses of IP at both Universal and Disney:

https://themeparkuniversity.com/universal/is-universal-rolling-out-attractions-with-terrible-intellectual-properties/

Star Wars at DHS is going to be AWESOME.  More awesome than Harry Potter?  Probably maybe, or maybe not because harry potter is both parks plus the Hogwart's Express, which is unparalleled anywhere.

Nintendo can become an incredible land.  Nintendo has existed for almost as long as Star Wars has.  Between Metroid, DK, Wario, DK Jr. Mario, Mario Kart, Yoshi, Princess Peach, Luigi. Kirby, et al.  Wow.  And the castle... they can do so much and make it lights out.  It would so be a hit.

The Star Wars land looks like a movie set...just like Harry Potter.

[jrs2]

I cannot find a thread for I-Drive 360.

Anyway.

The Element Hotel at McFadden's former lot is on it's 4th or 5th level.  It juts out all the way to the curb or just past it towards the parking garage.  It think they are going to do a realignment or shut down that entrance into the parking lot in front of Sleuth's.

Next, the World's Tallest Slingshot ride is u/c in that SW parcel where all the green grass is.  I don't know if it will take up the entire green grass lot or just part of it.  It will be a great activity node for businesses in that portion of the complex to attract people there.

[jgardnerucf]

Page 5 buried

[spenser1058]

Ken Storey at Orlando Weekly combines all the news on redos of entrance areas at the WDW theme parks:

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/05/06/disney-world-will-soon-have-new-entrances-at-every-single-theme-park?media=AMP+HTML

Edited May 6, 2019 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, jgardnerucf said:

Page 5 buried

I went to page 8 and still missed it...  thx

[aent]

11 hours ago, jrs2 said:

I cannot find a thread for I-Drive 360.

Anyway.

The Element Hotel at McFadden's former lot is on it's 4th or 5th level.  It juts out all the way to the curb or just past it towards the parking garage.  It think they are going to do a realignment or shut down that entrance into the parking lot in front of Sleuth's.

Next, the World's Tallest Slingshot ride is u/c in that SW parcel where all the green grass is.  I don't know if it will take up the entire green grass lot or just part of it.  It will be a great activity node for businesses in that portion of the complex to attract people there.

I drove by the other day and totally missed the hotel, did notice the construction on the corner. There is supposed to be one more restaurant there built as well, Whiskey Cake. I think this fully builds out the empty land at Icon Park Orlando. I wonder if they will actually start to replace some of the parking lots like previously proposed, or Unicorp doing O-Town West means resources are gonna be sent over there and Icon Orlando left alone from here on out. It sounds like the "world's largest drop tower" is no longer planned for I-Drive and moved to O-Town West.

[spenser1058]

More on Reflections, the new Disney resort under construction along Bay Lake. It seems Fort Wilderness will be losing shoreline as well as the Tri-Circle-D Ranch.

https://wdwnt.com/2019/05/permits-show-layout-and-bungalows-coming-to-reflections-a-disney-lakeside-resort/

From WDW News Today 

[spenser1058]

Sea World attendance is up, it’s still losing money (albeit less than last year), its biggest shareholder is in trouble for defaulting on loans,...

BUT FREE BEER IS COMING BACK!

Because, you know, priorities.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-seaworld-earnings-may-20190507-nprrz5oqvfcnldq2k6o5ewjlka-story.html?outputType=amp

From the Sentinel 

Edited May 7, 2019 by spenser1058

[WAJAS]

Yeah, they already lost there seats on the board and their shares.

[jrs2]

On 5/6/2019 at 10:47 PM, aent said:

I drove by the other day and totally missed the hotel, did notice the construction on the corner. There is supposed to be one more restaurant there built as well, Whiskey Cake. I think this fully builds out the empty land at Icon Park Orlando. I wonder if they will actually start to replace some of the parking lots like previously proposed, or Unicorp doing O-Town West means resources are gonna be sent over there and Icon Orlando left alone from here on out. It sounds like the "world's largest drop tower" is no longer planned for I-Drive and moved to O-Town West.

isn't O-Town West where they originally proposed for it to go way back?  (drop tower)

So "Icon Park Orlando", I don't think, will stagnate from lack of development, because they still have to redevelop the Wyndham (in phases) and they still want to build an apartment building behind the Eye probably close to The Element that is u/c.

[aent]

50 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

isn't O-Town West where they originally proposed for it to go way back?  (drop tower)

So "Icon Park Orlando", I don't think, will stagnate from lack of development, because they still have to redevelop the Wyndham (in phases) and they still want to build an apartment building behind the Eye probably close to The Element that is u/c.

My understanding was the drop tower was originally proposed for for the southwest corner of Icon Park, where the Legoland bus stop and employee parking currently is located. The apartments are proposed on the northwest corner where the lot next to the garage and eye are located along with a zip line. Both those seem dead now and I think I read Whittal made some comment that we have to reorganize a few things with all of our projects to make O-Town West successful with as much investment as it needs... (forgot where though)

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, aent said:

My understanding was the drop tower was originally proposed for for the southwest corner of Icon Park, where the Legoland bus stop and employee parking currently is located. The apartments are proposed on the northwest corner where the lot next to the garage and eye are located along with a zip line. Both those seem dead now and I think I read Whittal made some comment that we have to reorganize a few things with all of our projects to make O-Town West successful with as much investment as it needs... (forgot where though)

you mean, east, right?

[spenser1058]

Disney had the strongest quarterly results compared to local competitors Comcast and Sea World:

http://bit.ly/2Lx74W0

From the Sentinel 

https://www.fool.com/amp/investing/2019/05/07/disney-can-avoid-seaworld-and-comcast-theme-park-t.aspx

from the Motley Fool 

Edited May 8, 2019 by spenser1058

[dcluley98]

And it's only going to get better with streaming. I own a bunch of Disney stock, LOL. 

[jrs2]

[aent]

8 hours ago, jrs2 said:

you mean, east, right?

yup my bad

[dcluley98]

Icon Park will be adding a 300-foot slingshot ride and a 400-foot drop tower to its lineup next year. It’s already the location of the 400-foot Wheel and the 450-foot Orlando StarFlyer. Both new rides will be the tallest of their types in the world, Icon Park says. Both are scheduled to open to the public next year.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/os-et-icon-park-slingshot-drop-tower-i-drive-20190509-fwbsmygbrbdsxe6zkcxqlfqmga-story.html

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/05/06/icon-park-wants-to-dominate-i-drive-with-the-worlds-tallest-drop-tower-and-largest-slingshot

https://www.wesh.com/article/worlds-largest-slingshot-coming-to-icon-park/27399086