Orlando Attractions Area News & Developments

[WAJAS]

On 11/26/2019 at 8:05 PM, JFW657 said:

OK. I have no reason to doubt that UP members would know more about it than the President of the company developing the property. 

You're right.  I apologize for the confusion.

The following line confused me.  It refers to Crossroads, which is not located near the interchange being discussed.  I thought he was referring to this interchange, but I should have cross-referenced the name of the road he quotes.

“The interchange got announced, they are going to close Crossroads at Disney, they are going to put a new interchange right on our property.”

 

 

https://i4beyond.com/project-info-map/#segment-1b

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Universals under construction resort 

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

Universals under construction resort 

My, how.... box like.

[spenser1058]

4 hours ago, JFW657 said:

My, how.... box like.

But the price is right!

[IAmFloridaBorn]

[spenser1058]

6 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

The way those things keep expanding, will there be room for anything else On I-Drive?

[JFW657]

59 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

Outskirts of Moscow?

[spenser1058]

8 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Outskirts of Moscow?

Right? I was thinking it’s much more Stalinist than “resortish” but again, I have to concede the price point is amazing so maybe that’s all that matters.

Even Disney has been walking back from the full resort architecture that flourished in the Eisner era. It’s been a major bone of contention for the purists on the fan boards.

[jrs2]

Gaylord Palms is under an expansion.  300+ rooms and 90k sq ft ballroom (think AC/DC) space, a 4 story parking deck, and lazy river.  You can see it from I-4.

they'll be able to handle bigger balls now...

[JFW657]

15 hours ago, jrs2 said:

Gaylord Palms is under an expansion.  300+ rooms and 90k sq ft ballroom (think AC/DC) space, a 4 story parking deck, and lazy river.  You can see it from I-4.

they'll be able to handle bigger balls now...

Nope. Not taking it.... 

.

Edited November 30, 2019 by JFW657

[jrs2]

On 11/30/2019 at 10:00 AM, JFW657 said:

Nope. Not taking it.... 

.

Oh, crikey!

[spenser1058]

Even the typical Disney hatersat Theme Park Insider are declaring Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance a home run.

Looks like The Mouse may have its Potter Stopper:

https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201912/7141/

[jrs2]

47 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Even the typical Disney hatersat Theme Park Insider are declaring Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance a home run.

Looks like The Mouse may have its Potter Stopper:

https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201912/7141/

I watched the video.  they did a really good job of it; it's like a couple of rides stitched into one long ride.  Time for Comcast to spend more money...

[ragerunner]

On 12/4/2019 at 11:56 AM, jrs2 said:

I watched the video.  they did a really good job of it; it's like a couple of rides stitched into one long ride.  Time for Comcast to spend more money...

Any they will. Billions for the new Epic Universe Park that opens in 2023. 

Rise of the Resistance is AMAZING. Disney has a big winner on its hands. It will be interesting to see what the Mario Cart ride is like when it opens at Universal Japan this summer.

[Dale]

On 11/28/2019 at 5:34 PM, JFW657 said:

Outskirts of Moscow?

I had to stop saying stuff like this when I discovered what a Moscow looks like today! Even on the outskirts they’re tearing down commie blocks: https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=2047505

[spenser1058]

More details on the Space 220 restaurant at Epcot from Scott J:

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/4967-new-details-renderings-for-space-220-restaurant-at-above-epcot

[dcluley98]

Yeah we bid on this job and lost. Now that details are out: The "elevator" and corridors are themed like space ships. The elevator itself is a large group elevator that is like a mini-ride as it is designed to simulate a transport ship taking you up to an orbiting space station . That's what the bottom photo is. As you go up, you see a video screen below that shows you leaving Epcot and Florida travelling up into space like looking out of a glass bottom  ship.    When you egress, you have arrived at the space station and the corridor is themed with glass windows simulating terraforming to grow the vegetables (which is what he is referring to with  the produce).  The dining area also has simulated video-screen "windows" that are coordinated to provide the effect of a rotating space station like you would be on if it was simulating gravity while in orbit. You will be able to see  images of earth, astronauts, and other space stations/ships traveling by as you "rotate" along in the space station (top photo). 

It is a very cool design and much more than just a themed restaurant. Almost like a mini-ride. 

[ragerunner]

If you haven't already watched it. Here is the full POV of Rise of the Resistance. This truly take the theme park ride concept to a whole new level. It is truly immerse. Disney has a massive hit on their hands.

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by ragerunner

[jgardnerucf]

Just go in person instead.

[aent]

There's been quite some Universal Orlando news this week:

- Universal appears to be receiving another huge tax break, from my understanding totaling at least $479 million so far! This sounds huge, but to put it in perspective, Universal said they expect their local and state tax liability to double from $300 million per year to $600 million per year, to put that number in perspective, and Universal expects to receive the full credit over 30 years, which means they'll average a $16 million credit a year, or roughly a 5% discount on their taxes once built out. Its also tied to lots of new spending.

- $125 million will be given to Universal for building a new public roadway that primarily serves their property and Lockheed Martin, but could also help provide alternate routes for the other roads in the area.

- The other huge chunk is $348 million which will be payable in the form of a tax credit equal to 5% of capital expenditures spent here in Orlando each year, for up to 30 years or until the entire tax credit is received. Universal has also announced further HUGE spending plans here in Orlando:

- The first thing to open will be a Universal Creative HQ, they will consolidate all of their design and creative teams here in Orlando for all parks worldwide in a new 185,000 square foot facility, which is supposed to cost $348 million, and open late 2021. Universal has agreed to add at least 150 new jobs paying 6 figures, and keep another 300 existing  high wage jobs that were supposedly at risk of being relocated.

- The new theme park will add 14k jobs at a minimum wage of $15/hr. They have construction planned totalling a whopping $11.5 billion, which Universal says is easily their biggest investment in Orlando EVER. A Universal executive has now said they're targeting 2023 opening.

- There has been some activity on permits and such this week, so we should start seeing much more movement on the ground soon, not that its been that slow, but they're clearly just about finalized on about where they want everything.

I can't wait for Disney's reply.

Edited December 13, 2019 by aent

[jrs2]

14 hours ago, aent said:

There's been quite some Universal Orlando news this week:

- Universal appears to be receiving another huge tax break, from my understanding totaling at least $479 million so far! This sounds huge, but to put it in perspective, Universal said they expect their local and state tax liability to double from $300 million per year to $600 million per year, to put that number in perspective, and Universal expects to receive the full credit over 30 years, which means they'll average a $16 million credit a year, or roughly a 5% discount on their taxes once built out. Its also tied to lots of new spending.

- $125 million will be given to Universal for building a new public roadway that primarily serves their property and Lockheed Martin, but could also help provide alternate routes for the other roads in the area.

- The other huge chunk is $348 million which will be payable in the form of a tax credit equal to 5% of capital expenditures spent here in Orlando each year, for up to 30 years or until the entire tax credit is received. Universal has also announced further HUGE spending plans here in Orlando:

- The first thing to open will be a Universal Creative HQ, they will consolidate all of their design and creative teams here in Orlando for all parks worldwide in a new 185,000 square foot facility, which is supposed to cost $348 million, and open late 2021. Universal has agreed to add at least 150 new jobs paying 6 figures, and keep another 300 existing  high wage jobs that were supposedly at risk of being relocated.

- The new theme park will add 14k jobs at a minimum wage of $15/hr. They have construction planned totalling a whopping $11.5 billion, which Universal says is easily their biggest investment in Orlando EVER. A Universal executive has now said they're targeting 2023 opening.

- There has been some activity on permits and such this week, so we should start seeing much more movement on the ground soon, not that its been that slow, but they're clearly just about finalized on about where they want everything.

I can't wait for Disney's reply.

Yes the new theme park is awesome that they are building...but the really big thing I see is this new HQ for Universal Creative that is for all their parks worldwide.  That is huge for Orlando.  It's an incredible compliment economically to their other developments already here.  Where is this new HQ going to be located?

[WAJAS]

21 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Yes the new theme park is awesome that they are building...but the really big thing I see is this new HQ for Universal Creative that is for all their parks worldwide.  That is huge for Orlando.  It's an incredible compliment economically to their other developments already here.  Where is this new HQ going to be located?

Universal Creative’s worldwide HQ is already here. This is just a new building for it.

[aent]

49 minutes ago, WAJAS98 said:

Universal Creative’s worldwide HQ is already here. This is just a new building for it.

While they do have teams here, they currently have teams in other places around the world... supposedly they are going to consolidate most of them to Orlando to centralize the creative operations.

Also yeah, the theme park was announced several months ago, but they more recently gave more details, including the proposed spending and other such numbers.

I don't know if they've said an exact location on where they're building it, but it will be somewhere on the new land they purchased.

[spenser1058]

Mayor Demings modifies stance on Universal road deal. It would still grant the $125 million but keeps the CRA sunset at 2028.

It’s by no means the whole loaf (or even half) and he’s reserving the right to change his mind, but it’s a first step to not rolling over for whatever the industry wants.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-ne-demings-tweaks-universal-deal-20191213-36ug7ratsvbgxe2z66qezcotsy-story.html

From the Sentinel 

[spenser1058]

Is the Star Wars mini-land At Legoland Florida about to disappear?

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/12/15/as-disney-opens-its-new-star-wars-land-in-orlando-another-local-theme-park-says-goodbye

From UP poster Ken Storey via Orlando Weekly