[🌎 Universal GB] General Discussion

[jon81uk]

This park will have to sink or swim on its own merit and offer enough for a 2 day visit from the offset.

It won’t open with enough for a two day visit. Also it’s fairly centrally located so most people will just come for the day and then travel home. I don’t see it being any more of a two day park than any of the Merlin parks, ie on a very busy day the length of the queue stops you doing everything, but on a quieter day you can get re-rides easily.

 

[Quantum]

Two day visits will only happen when the park starts to expand. That said I'd be looking to do a two night stay with one day on the park so I can make the most of City Walk. I also live further North so a day trip isn't realistic. Not everyone lives in the South East

 

[rob666]

You contradicted yourself well there in two sentences mate!
Two day visits will be ideal for old gites like me who need space and time, even from day one, even with only one day on park, it is a two day visit!
Any signs of internal transport like monorail/train or cablecars for the oldies and less mobile in the plans?

 

[jon81uk]

Two day visits will be ideal for old gites like me who need space and time, even from day one.
Any signs of internal transport like monorail/train or cablecars for the oldies and less mobile in the plans?

I would assume no, as none of Universals other parks have anything similar. In fact I think the only parks across Universal & Disney that has optional transport to other parts of the park is the castle parks with the train and Epcot with a boat. The Universal parks are generally smaller, although a loops of Islands of Adventure is still quite long, but Studios doesn't feel as big.

 

[rob666]

...as long as the bars aren't too far apart we should be fine.

 

[Benjsh]

Epic has a big capacity problem right now, which is probably why they've started on an expansion already. So I expect Universal have likely rejigged their plans to boost UGB's capacity, especially if the Park opening is incumbent on them having adequate capacity for 55,000 peak days.

I think at minimum they need 3-4 Coasters, 3 e-ticket Dark Rides, a couple of smaller dark rides, 3 shows of some sort (including stunt shows) and several flat rides.

Yeah this isn't happening at all so I'd lower my expectations massively. No Universal park opens up with a line up that strong....EVER.

We won't get much more than what Singapore and Beijing got. In fact I'd imagine it will almost be identical in terms of number of attractions built but just slightly different IP's and models used.

If you work around the map from left to right as a rough guide. Fully aware these aren't confirmed IP's yet but is a best guess.

Paddington Area
Paddington flat ride 1
Paddington flat ride 2
Paddington flat ride 3 or a small kids coaster

Back to the Future Area
Back to the Future coaster (The Blue one)
Major Show Venue

Jurassic World
Jurassic coaster (The Green one)
Jurassic World Dark Ride
Shot Towers
High Ropes Course / Kids Play Area

Water World Show looking Area
Water World Show / James Bond show

Mystery Area (Harry Potter)
Harry Potter Major dark ride
Harry Potter show Venue

Illuminations Area
Minions Mayhem Ride
Additional Illuminations dark ride ( 1 of Trolls, Secret life of Pets, The Grinch)


That's 14 attractions in total but includes 3 kiddie rides, 3 shows and a High ropes course/play area. So that's really on 7 rides for guests older than kiddie age. Pretty standard for a brand new Universal Park though. Don't go in expecting much more than this or you will be severely disappointed.

 

[Benjsh]

...as long as the bars aren't too far apart we should be fine.

City walk bars are usually next to each other and right near the transportation hub. Genuinely one of my favourite things about the Florida parks this August just gone.

We had 4 days there and rope dropped Hagrids and Velocicoaster every single day then did loads of rides before the park started to get busy at lunch time. Once it was heaving we left to get food in City walk and some cocktails. Nipped back to the hotel for a few hours for a dip in the pool and a shower and change of clothes and then went back in the early evening and stayed until the death. Managed to ride everything easily without having to wait in the massive queues between 11am and the 3pm thunder storm.

I wouldn't do Universal in Florida any other way now if I went back.

 

[Ted]

City walk bars are usually next to each other and right near the transportation hub. Genuinely one of my favourite things about the Florida parks this August just gone.

We had 4 days there and rope dropped Hagrids and Velocicoaster every single day then did loads of rides before the park started to get busy at lunch time. Once it was heaving we left to get food in City walk and some cocktails. Nipped back to the hotel for a few hours for a dip in the pool and a shower and change of clothes and then went back in the early evening and stayed until the death. Managed to ride everything easily without having to wait in the massive queues between 11am and the 3pm thunder storm.

I wouldn't do Universal in Florida any other way now if I went back.

This will be one of my favourite things to do once the UK park opens

As cool as reriding the BTTF and Jurassic World (?) coasters all day will be, I honestly can't wait to just jump on the train and head to the bar and have a couple during the Summer perhaps watching the football or the like. Even going up there to have a special meal sounds appetising (the food in Florida was great!)

 

[Quantum]

Wonder if there will be a pub on City Walk or if it will be American themed bar.

 

[Osaka12]

You were the one making choices, not me.
Don't accuse me of manipulation, I did no such thing.
I prefer law to anarchy.
Society cannot exist without law.
I prefer civilisation thanks over "freedom".

And while we are going over old discussion...
"Freedom and privacy, liberty and law. This is what built the west."
It also built the east, north and south.
You give four there, but could you explain the difference between liberty and freedom, in my eyes they are both the same...

Feel free to live on a desert island, alone, but the very minute there is a second person, you either have law or anarchy.
If you choose freedom over law, every last time, that makes you an anarchist.
And again, I state, as fact, there would be zero theme parks under anarchy.

That is my pervasive argument.
And yet again, every opinion is sacred.

If I have a different opinion to yours, just accept it, nothing personal, just freedom to speak my mind...there is no real right or wrong in the philosophy section of a theme park chat site.
But this is the Universal topic...

Good to clear this up, even though it is completely off topic...
Again.

You seem to think I'm opposed to the need for law and rules, I'm not. I am opposed to limiting liberty/freedom through law. As you say every civilisation is built by people free to decide how the spend their time alive and produce, invent and be successful. Problem is that is being eroded daily and a swelling government and restrictive laws being imposed on the population is not something we should embrace (or at least, I do not embrace). Slavery is rife in the world still for example... I may live on an island (UK), I don't scroll socials.... But yes, I agree, this is off topic and I'm not here to argue so let's agree to disagree and live our lives the way we want (while we can)

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

You seem to think I'm opposed to the need for law and rules, I'm not. I am opposed to limiting liberty/freedom through law. As you say every civilisation is built by people free to decide how the spend their time alive and produce, invent and be successful. Problem is that is being eroded daily and a swelling government and restrictive laws being imposed on the population is not something we should embrace (or at least, I do not embrace). Slavery is rife in the world still for example... I may live on an island (UK), I don't scroll socials.... But yes, I agree, this is off topic and I'm not here to argue so let's agree to disagree and live our lives the way we want (while we can)

I'm not letting you get away with this nonsense (and I hope that the mods may permit my off topic intervention this one time).

I hate to be the one to burst this romantic bubble, but the assertion that "every civilisation is built by people free to decide how they spend their time" is historically illiterate.

The Pyramids were not built by people with a healthy work life balance and a choice of career paths. The Roman Empire ran on the backs of slaves. The British Empire was fuelled by the indentured servitude of millions and the exploitation of the working class at home, who certainly weren't "free" to decide anything other than which dangerous factory might kill them the slowest.

The liberty to "invent and be successful" is a very modern luxury, afforded to us precisely because governments introduced restrictive laws. Laws that banned child labour, laws that mandated education, laws that limited working hours, and laws that created a welfare state so that failure didn't mean starvation.

You mention that slavery is still rife in the world. You are correct. However, you will find it is most rife in areas with weak governments, deregulation, and a lack of employment law. It is the "restrictive laws" you decry, such as the Modern Slavery Act, that prevent it from being a mainstream business model here.

Total liberty, without the framework of law, isn't freedom. It's just the tyranny of the strong over the weak. I am quite happy to embrace a bit of "government imposition" if it ensures the water I drink isn't poisoned and my employer has to pay me.

But yes, as you've said, let's agree to disagree. I'm off to enjoy my state protected freedom whilst I still can...