Orlando Attractions Area News & Developments

[aent]

3 hours ago, jrs2 said:

Can the transportation experts here give a quick refresher on where DOT intends to dump Kirkman Rd onto at it's terminus?  Is it just supposed to stop at Destination Pkwy adjacent to Hilton Orlando and call it a day?  Thx.

Isn't that where the Brightline station is supposed to go?

Here's the plan for Kirkman/Tradeshow Rd at its terminus, bus lanes all the way there:

https://i-drivetransitstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Tradeshow-Blvd-RCA_Appendix-A.-Concept-Plans.pdf

[Uncommon]

So glad this thread is back on topic. I work right across the street from where Epic is being built and the transformation of that entire area is a sight to behold. Additionally, lots of apartments and housing being built in the area as well. My only concern is I shudder to think about the amount of even more traffic that will envelope Sand Lake, John Young, Kirkman, and I-Drive.

[jack]

16 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Former OC Commissioner Allen Arthur, who was one of the original supporters of OCCC and the TDT, on the tax in 2019:

“He also helped build the convention center and served as a fervent booster for tourism. But unlike many members of Orlando’s establishment, he knew changes were needed. In one email he sent me in 2019 — 40 years after he’d voted to levy the original hotel tax — Allen said it was time to start spending those taxes on things beyond tourism promotion. Allen believed the community had more pressing needs and said he and the others who originally approved the tax never “in their wildest dreams” imagined it would generate so many billions of dollars.” -

From Scott Maxwell at The Sentinel 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-nelson-pinder-doug-baaser-allen-arthur-scott-maxwell-20220719-ustbesow5vbgbg55nit3i5eyru-story.html
 

So much money generated. We should scale back the TDT and let the people (visitors) keep more of their money. We are within the "diminishing returns" phase. 

[codypet]

IMO TDT should pay for transiting that corridor and maybe even beyond.  Shoot back in the 90's you could have made the argument that light rail should have been paid partially by the TDT since CSS was a tourist destination at the time.

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, Uncommon said:

So glad this thread is back on topic. I work right across the street from where Epic is being built and the transformation of that entire area is a sight to behold. Additionally, lots of apartments and housing being built in the area as well. My only concern is I shudder to think about the amount of even more traffic that will envelope Sand Lake, John Young, Kirkman, and I-Drive.

lately I've been taking Destination Pkwy corridor into the I-Drive attractions area; nobody ever takes that road it seems.  

[jrs2]

Ice Breaker at Sea World. May have been reported already:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-of-the-most-anticipated-coasters-of-2022-seaworlds-all-new-ice-breaker-now-open-to-the-public-301485916.html

it's the 4th coaster there; been open for 2-3 months.  I heard that they are planning a 5th coaster.

they had to change the height requirement from 48" to 54"

[spenser1058]

Fried, legislators propose new ride safety laws for small theme parks after Tyre Sampson death
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-nikki-fried-ride-safety-legislative-change-20220720-ph6ht3gcavc2npyokybpqjta4q-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

[jrs2]

SeaWorld High Surf coaster under development:

https://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20220711/32567/speedy-progress-being-made-new-coaster-seaworld-orlando

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/529766-seaworld-orlando-plans-to-open-a-new-coaster-in-2023/

so Sea World is planning to open "meaningful rides" every year to stay competitive.  Impressive rate.  When High Surf opens, that'll be five (5) large coasters in one park.  That is impressive.

And, Sea World is bringing back Howl 'O Scream for the second year in a row.  This is great competition between them and Universal.  Now, if they could create an Orca character in a cartoon that kids love; they do have a Sesame Street section...

8 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Fried, legislators propose new ride safety laws for small theme parks after Tyre Sampson death
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-nikki-fried-ride-safety-legislative-change-20220720-ph6ht3gcavc2npyokybpqjta4q-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

do you have any info from this article? (pay wall)

 

[jrs2]

Here it is:

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/20/leaders-to-discuss-safety-improvements-on-thrill-rides-after-boys-fatal-plunge-from-orlando-freefall/

DRAFT: Framework for Ride Safety Legislation

• Signage: Increase signage posting requirements from signage required by the manufacturer to required posting of all patron requirements, warnings, and/or exclusions.

• Training: Add department authority to adopt rules for employee training to create a minimum standard for operator training, retraining, and training program documentation.

• Maintenance: Increase reporting requirements for documenting maintenance and any changes made to safety systems and restraints.

• Ride Commissioning and Certification: Add department authority to require permanent rides to obtain a 3rd party review and certification performed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.

• Restraints and Safety Systems: Add a requirement that safety sensors and other limiting devices may not be capable of adjustments that exceed the maximum tolerance from the original manufacturer’s settings. Will also require the operator to provide the department with data from the manufacturer on all tolerances, settings, and specifications related to patron restraints and safety systems.

• Accident Notifications: Increase the required accident reporting for amusement rides. Currently, owners are required to notify the department if a patron receives injuries that require the patron to be transported to a hospital. We would like to change this requirement to include any patron that requires emergency services regardless of what type of facility they visit for emergency treatment.

• Amusement Ride Monitoring Program: Add new monitoring positions to perform unannounced visits to observe operations and ensure they are being conducted following proper procedures, verify proper training of on-duty employees, and observe the ride in operation to detect unsafe ride conditions that may have occurred following the last inspection. If unsafe conditions are found, the inspector would immediately remove the ride from service to ensure patron safety and then follow up with appropriate administrative actions. ###

Edited July 20, 2022 by jrs2

[codypet]

Yea I have annual passes.  The park is a mess.  There's a new coaster in the old VIP guest area adjacent to the old Baywatch stunt show stadium.  Sesame Steet Land is well done and excellent, but hey don't have the staff to operate anything other than Boxcar Grover and the Carousel.  There's 5 rides that weren't operating all of last weekend.  Wild Arctic?  It sits abandoned between the construction, Ice Breaker, and Sesame Street land.  You can access the polar bear exhibit, but you have to walk into the construction area and enter through the Exiting gift shop for the old Wild Arctic ride.  The old ride cue has a few tables and a bunch of Coke Freestyle machines.   Ice Breaker itself.....The photo booth and gift shop is rarely staffed and often closed.  

Infinity falls.  Frequently has 2 hour lines with temp barriers all over the place because the lines weren't built long enough.

Coasters/thrill rides.  All seem to have decent waits 30-50 mins at any given day with Journey to Atlantis in desperate need of paint/cleaning.

Empire of the Penguin.  - What a dumpster fire.  Apparently this ride was closed during the pandemic and the ride vehicles gone.  Now you wait in line, sit through the 5 minute rider preshow like the ride still operates, then you get locked into a room as an airlock to the penguins.  The amount of confused people everytime I go there expecting a ride is insane.

All the shows - Almost all are <50% capacity.  with the Sea Lion and Otter Show being pretty decent.  Orca Encounter, is pretty sad, as Sea World is hyper aware of the hole they've dug for themselves and has a VERY informative show, but most people were there to watch the whale jump out of the water, and if the whales don't feel like doing tricks, they are not forcing the issue.  Causing the poor trainer to have to awkwardly explain why there isn't going to be tricks.  On Sunday when I watched, many of the Orcas didn't even want to leave the back pool.  The manatee exhibit has NOONE there.  One person up at the top making sure noone is harassing the manatees up at the surface, but underwater tanks have noone manning the area, the 3D show is now closed, and even the manatee rescue area was closed and per the employee I did track down, they just didn't have the staff to man it.

Food and Beverage.  This is the most glaring example of not enough employees.  I'd say 30% of the giftshops and food places are just outright closed and the rest are understaffed and don't get cleaned often and often don't have enough cashiers.  I've experienced the same thing at Busch Gardens as well and to Busch Garden's credit, they smartly contracted some F&B restaurants this winter to Chik Fila, so CFA can deal with the staffing and BG can let people wait in 45 min lines for food they can get out of the park anyway.  Its the wild west of theme parks right now.  An example.  I bought a souvenir Iron Gwazi cup for $20 which boasts free refills for the day of purchase and $.99 refills the rest of the summer.  In 4 return visits averaging 4 Coke Zeros per visit, I've been charged for refills 1 time.  And its obvious, because I'm at Sea World with an IRON GWAZI cup.  They know I didn't buy that at Sea World.   

[jrs2]

19 hours ago, aent said:

Isn't that where the Brightline station is supposed to go?

Here's the plan for Kirkman/Tradeshow Rd at its terminus, bus lanes all the way there:

https://i-drivetransitstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Tradeshow-Blvd-RCA_Appendix-A.-Concept-Plans.pdf

in the first frame of that seven frame graphic/blueprint, it shows "intermodal station" just south of where Tradeshow hits Destination Pkwy.  I guess that's why you asked that.  

Um, there's no date on those frames.  I find that very interesting.  When did they earmark for there to be an intermodal station there, back during Obama?  Back when Maglev had its proposal?  It's not new, right?  Or maybe Metroplan or DOT earmarked that for a station coincidentally before Universal offered to donate that land for a station on the Sunshine Corridor?  Kinda interesting...

[aent]

3 hours ago, jrs2 said:

Um, there's no date on those frames.  I find that very interesting.  When did they earmark for there to be an intermodal station there, back during Obama?  Back when Maglev had its proposal?  It's not new, right?  Or maybe Metroplan or DOT earmarked that for a station coincidentally before Universal offered to donate that land for a station on the Sunshine Corridor?  Kinda interesting...

The maglev proposal had a stop there: I always thought that was a funny location for a convention center garage, and it seems to be barely used. Everyone parks in the lots close to the buildings, and even during the biggest shows, that garage doesn't even get crowded from my experience.

[codypet]

That was always envisioned as the ultimate parking / transit area for buildout.  The garage is actually designed for expansion in mind.  They're just kind of finalizing that vision.  Since Maglev was a local commuter rail system, it stopped along the way to Pointe Orlando and West Concourse.  If BL gets built at the superstop, I imagine a GOAA style people mover transporting you around the convention center to the SS.

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, codypet said:

That was always envisioned as the ultimate parking / transit area for buildout.  The garage is actually designed for expansion in mind.  They're just kind of finalizing that vision.  Since Maglev was a local commuter rail system, it stopped along the way to Pointe Orlando and West Concourse.  If BL gets built at the superstop, I imagine a GOAA style people mover transporting you around the convention center to the SS.

and that was the original plan for connecting the W to the N/S Bldg, an AGT, but then they cut costs and opted for the moving sidewalks bridge.

[jrs2]

Epic Universe construction update:

https://wdwnt.com/2022/06/aerial-look-at-construction-of-super-nintendo-world-classic-monsters-land-new-wizarding-world-and-more-at-universals-epic-universe/

https://orlandoparkstop.com/news/theme-park-news/universals-epic-universe-update-construction-progresses-backstage-and-prep-work-near-the-hub/

Edited July 27, 2022 by jrs2

[spenser1058]

Some significant changes to Vicky & Al’s were in evidence as it reopened last evening, including changes in chefs and staff

However, it appears that what makes Vicky & Al’s the premier dining experience here is intact.

Apparently, we have to wait for what’s most important. the menu.

Stay tuned.

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/6122-victoria-albert-s-reopens-with-new-look

From Scott J
 

[shardoon]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Some significant changes to Vicky & Al’s were in evidence as it reopened last evening, including changes in chefs and staff

However, it appears that what makes Vicky & Al’s the premier dining experience here is intact.

Apparently, we have to wait for what’s most important. the menu.

Stay tuned.

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/6122-victoria-albert-s-reopens-with-new-look

From Scott J
 

They missed out on a possible michelin star due to the delayed opening

[spenser1058]

16 minutes ago, shardoon said:

They missed out on a possible michelin star due to the delayed opening

Quite true.

[AmIReal]

On 7/29/2022 at 6:02 PM, shardoon said:

They missed out on a possible michelin star due to the delayed opening

The visits they make are usually way in advance, so a few months advance likely wouldn't have mattered. Case in point, Papa Llama had been closed for nearly 6 months when they got their recommend. And one of the favorite dishes they mentioned from the Strand hasn't been on the menu for about a year. I'm sure V&A will be ready for the next round, but yes, sadly, they missed out this time around.

[jrs2]

On 7/29/2022 at 6:02 PM, shardoon said:

They missed out on a possible michelin star due to the delayed opening

something many people probably don't know that I learned in the late '90's was that Michelin did more than tires; I used to have these fantastic maps of Paris and other Euro cities that were top of the line; forgot about that until I saw your post.

[jrs2]

 

[spenser1058]

Time to liven up the room!

https://youtu.be/RHmc7ey7gns

[spenser1058]

After fight, Universal CityWalk imposes weekend curfew for minors
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-universal-orlando-citywalk-curfew-minors-20220808-bo7tmruzabefziai4sabb5n3rq-story.html

From The Sentinel

Uni as well as recent skirmishes in places like Knott’s Berry Farm in Cali have attributed recent skirmishes primarily to minors.

That has often been the case for Spring Break at Daytona and NSB as well.

I haven’t seen mention of that in the downtown Orlando problems - it would be interesting to have more stats on that. 
 

[jrs2]

23 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

After fight, Universal CityWalk imposes weekend curfew for minors
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-universal-orlando-citywalk-curfew-minors-20220808-bo7tmruzabefziai4sabb5n3rq-story.html

From The Sentinel

Uni as well as recent skirmishes in places like Knott’s Berry Farm in Cali have attributed recent skirmishes primarily to minors.

That has often been the case for Spring Break at Daytona and NSB as well.

I haven’t seen mention of that in the downtown Orlando problems - it would be interesting to have more stats on that. 
 

Spring breakers?  we need more balconies...

[jrs2]

https://wdwnt.com/2022/08/hotel-at-universals-epic-universe-could-be-completed-a-year-before-park-opens-permit-for-second-hotel-filed/