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[🌎 Universal GB] General Discussion

Bert2theSpark said:
That’s petty if true, watching Epic Universe get built during the COVID pandemic when there wasn’t much else to do was one of salient parts of the Epic Universe construction process for me. I’ve never been to Florida and when it was first announced I wasn’t very interested because it felt so distant but because I watched the whole park got built, it piqued my interest when it finally opened.

When I eventually visit Florida, you can guarantee that Epic Universe will be top priority out of everywhere due to the commitment I’ve had with the construction updates (although I don’t plan on going back to the states as a whole anytime soon). It has also made me way more excited for the arrival of USGB too, so there’s that as well.

I believe TowersTimes used to have an aircraft operator similar to BioReconstruct when there was a new Secret Weapon under construction, that guy is certainly aware of Universal and if he’s still active in the theme park community then it will have at the very least come across his mind to fly over to Bedford. So it won’t stop birdseye views of the Universal construction coming out, in the age of the Internet, if there’s a will, there’s a way. Social media have mean mainstream for at least 15 years now, I don’t understand why a company that has literally built itself on providing the infrastructure for that very thing doesn’t get it.
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John "I don't like drones spying on my Nemesis creation" Burton hasn't moved to Universal recently has he?

I see both sides of it but it's very early in the day for Universal to be stamping their feet. If anything it will just make more people go fly them to get "the exclusive" shots if others are too afraid to fly. Maybe they're afraid of the annoying little hobby drones dropping out of the sky and people knocking on the portakabin asking for it back.
 
Without being too political is there a chance this Middle East Crisis and the impending potential oil crisis is going to hit the construction of this park extremely hard.

With Oil refineries being hit and it showing no signs of slowing down oil prices are rising, a few more weeks of this and we’re going to have major issues with fuel in this country and worldwide.

A park like this obviously needs a lot of machinery, most of which runs on diesel which is the first to face problems, if there’s potential rationing (which there very well could be if this carries on as it is) surely that’d slow down construction.
 
Blackrock said:
Without being too political is there a chance this Middle East Crisis and the impending potential oil crisis is going to hit the construction of this park extremely hard.

With Oil refineries being hit and it showing no signs of slowing down oil prices are rising, a few more weeks of this and we’re going to have major issues with fuel in this country and worldwide.

A park like this obviously needs a lot of machinery, most of which runs on diesel which is the first to face problems, if there’s potential rationing (which there very well could be if this carries on as it is) surely that’d slow down construction.
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It’s not so much the access to fuel, it’s the impact on inflation and the economy that may cause the conflict to delay this project.
 
Blackrock said:
Without being too political is there a chance this Middle East Crisis and the impending potential oil crisis is going to hit the construction of this park extremely hard.

With Oil refineries being hit and it showing no signs of slowing down oil prices are rising, a few more weeks of this and we’re going to have major issues with fuel in this country and worldwide.

A park like this obviously needs a lot of machinery, most of which runs on diesel which is the first to face problems, if there’s potential rationing (which there very well could be if this carries on as it is) surely that’d slow down construction.
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The Middle Eastern conflict and the subsequent spike in global oil prices is a terrifying prospect for the global economy, but I think your concern regarding physical diesel rationing for construction machinery in Bedfordshire is perhaps a little misplaced.

In a capitalist system, physical rationing is rarely how a resource shortage manifests for multi billion dollar corporations. It manifests as price inflation. If the cost of diesel quadruples, the contractors pass the inflated fuel costs up the chain to Comcast. And for a project with a CapEx valued in the billions, the fuel bill for the earthmovers is a literal rounding error. Comcast will just pay the premium. The diggers will keep digging.

Your underlying anxiety is entirely justified, however, even if the mechanism is slightly off. The threat to Universal UK is the macroeconomic fallout of an energy crisis.

If oil spikes to $150+ a barrel, global inflation returns with a vengeance. Central banks will be forced to hike interest rates to combat it, which makes borrowing exponentially more expensive. Supply chains for steel, concrete and highly specialised ride hardware will fracture and skyrocket in price.

More importantly, an energy crisis obliterates discretionary spending. If the average UK or European family is suddenly paying triple to heat their home and fill their car, they're not saving up for a premium short break to a theme park in 2031.

If Comcast pauses this project it'll be because the global financial plumbing has frozen in panic, the cost of capital has become too toxic and their projected consumer market has evaporated, but not because they can't get enough diesel.
 
dave___ said:
Waiting for any mention of Hill Valley, De Lorean or Back to the Future here. Or Zelda.

Fully expecting a Minion to pop up first though
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Didn't they already file a paton for BTTF last year?

I think the rumoured lands will end up being spot on when it all comes out. The only one left up for debate is Potter vs Middle Earth in my opinion.

Nailed on:
Jurassic Park area
BTTF coaster
Minions land
Paddington area
Water World show
James Bond indoor stunt show

50/50:
Potter or Lord of the rings
 
If they go Park over World for the Jurassic section, that'd be huge. Seen way too many people comment about Universal transitioning to World with their Parks and their want for Park to return.

So right now we have credible evidence that BTTF and Jurassic Park are two lands (trademark wise), the rest are either blatantly obvious (Minions) or hinted to (Paddington).

My personal opinion is that JP/W and BTTF are high chances, Minions might be a misdirect (they basically just copy/pasted the Beijing land) and Paddington has a very good chance of happening. The top right corner is where all bets are off, infact I think we've more chance in getting Potter than it being a Shrek section.

As for why I think Minions is a misdirect, I've spent a long time considering the idea that maybe that could be Pokemon. The agreement of Pokemon in Universal Parks globally came way after the concept art and so perhaps they copied Minions to fill the space. Of course this is pure conjecture on my part, so don't be thinking that means we're getting Pokemon.
 
I wouldn't put too much stock or faith in the registration of a trademark this early on. Universal and Comcast will want to protect their existing IP in multiple markets. They will also want to sell merchandise of their existing IP in their new shiny theme park.

We will likely see theme park clauses added to the majority of their UK trademarks, just incase, over the next half a decade or so.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
Translation: We're getting really fudging fed up of the vloggers controlling our narrative...
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To be honest....I share their feelings on this one.

*Grumpy old man opinion incoming*

I think every park should have 1 dedicated vlogger and that's it. I don't know about anyone else but watching 20+people filming themselves all doing the same thing and offering very little difference in insight is just very black mirror-esque. It's sadly a reflection on the world we're now living in though and social media. Everyone wants to be seen and have a sort of celebrity status.

I will avoid an opening day of any attraction worldwide for this very reason. I know there are far bigger things to worry about in the world but we all hate our own minor pet peeves. It annoys the hell out of me.
 
Benjsh said:
To be honest....I share their feelings on this one.

*Grumpy old man opinion incoming*

I think every park should have 1 dedicated vlogger and that's it. I don't know about anyone else but watching 20+people filming themselves all doing the same thing and offering very little difference in insight is just very black mirror-esque. It's sadly a reflection on the world we're now living in though and social media. Everyone wants to be seen and have a sort of celebrity status.

I will avoid an opening day of any attraction worldwide for this very reason. I know there are far bigger things to worry about in the world but we all hate our own minor pet peeves. It annoys the hell out of me.
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I agree about avoiding an opening day- my California trip this summer I carefully planned the Anaheim dates to avoid the D23 expo that fell the weekend I originally would have been in Anaheim, one due to hotel prices and second the area full of every Disney vlogger who will also be in the parks as well. now I arrive the wed afterwards- but the Friday is the first day of their Halloween time so know parks will be full of vloggers- so planned my day at Knotts for that Friday!
 
Benjsh said:
To be honest....I share their feelings on this one.

*Grumpy old man opinion incoming*

I think every park should have 1 dedicated vlogger and that's it. I don't know about anyone else but watching 20+people filming themselves all doing the same thing and offering very little difference in insight is just very black mirror-esque. It's sadly a reflection on the world we're now living in though and social media. Everyone wants to be seen and have a sort of celebrity status.

I will avoid an opening day of any attraction worldwide for this very reason. I know there are far bigger things to worry about in the world but we all hate our own minor pet peeves. It annoys the hell out of me.
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I think it's the likes of tpww and jack that annoy me the most because you know for them it's just clicks and they don't like competition.

TPWW has had alot of issues in the past and I much prefer the dude with his drone that goes on site and respects the privacy of the workers and rules. He's out in rain and wind and can give a safe and regular update.

I am always weary about this big channels that get media access as you know they agree to saying what they are told.
 
Universal are simply fighting a losing battle.

The site is very accessible and some enthusiasts / vloggers will milk these next 5 years for every penny they can anyway. Drone shots of a great big empty muddy field isn't high up on my watch list quite frankly. In fact I think this type of content is about 2 years too early as nothing remotely interesting will appear for at least 18 months.
 
Benjsh said:
Universal are simply fighting a losing battle.

The site is very accessible and some enthusiasts / vloggers will milk these next 5 years for every penny they can anyway. Drone shots of a great big empty muddy field isn't high up on my watch list quite frankly. In fact I think this type of content is about 2 years too early as nothing remotely interesting will appear for at least 18 months.
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They should get ahead of the game and get their own drone and provide updates.
 
It's funny just yesterday I sent in a film I've been making for review by the NHS on a new build. It can and will be used to push a narrative and it's exactly what universal should be doing.

Hands up If your (universal) are reading this! I've got a track record for corporate feel good films!
 
Donkey said:
Tbh the best way to get the drone vloggers to go away would be to dig a big trench through the site in the shape of a naughty sausage so all their YouTube videos end up getting demonetised.
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But that would mean that we’re doing this for cash, fact is the videos don’t pay a great amount, my drones cost way more than my income from their use.

Anyway, a recent video caught a developer doing exactly that and it remained monetised.
 
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