• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Universal Orlando (Studios/IOA/Epic Universe) : General Discussion

The only major difference between a hangar, a wearhouse, a sound stage and a ride show building is the level of soundproofing.
 
Universal appear to be enforcing this policy at the moment:
Screamscape said:
According to a reader who just returned from the park, there seemed to be a renewed focus on separating riders from their loose articles over at the Incredible Hulk coaster. A squad of team members were on hand at the entrance to the coaster, scanning the crowd as they attempted to enter the building for anyone who appeared to have some kind of object bulging in their pocket. (Oh behave!) Very few things escaped their scrutiny apparently, as they directed anyone with even just coins, keys or a wallet in their pocket to use the free lockers, or to hand-off their goodies to a non-rider before being allowed to enter the queue. Several weeks ago we had heard of a similar style loose article enforcement increase over at the Studios side on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, so I would guess Dragon Challenge would see this added next.
Click to expand...

I'd imagine it's causing quite a bit of faff. I can only assume they wouldn't enforce it if you had zip pockets. At least the lockers are free I suppose.

:)
 
Could this have something to do with the Dragon Challenge incident?

This sounds like a pain but if successful maybe we could see the Dragons duel again o_O
 
Rob said:
Universal appear to be enforcing this policy at the moment:
I can only assume they wouldn't enforce it if you had zip pockets.
Click to expand...
Indeed, most of use have the sense to wear clothes with zippable pockets for exactly this reason.
 
Doesn't seem any different to what was going on when I was there in September. Hulk and Dragon Challenge I don't remember so much but RRR had multiple people stationed in the queue reminding people about bags and loose articles.
 
The latest Screamscape report states that they aren't even happy with things being in zip pockets!
Screamscape said:
I can confirm the reports about the new army of staffers awaiting all riders at the entrance to the Incredible Hulk coaster based on what I saw first hand myself this past weekend, as well as reports from other readers from over the past few days. At one point it looked as if there was a squad of eight team members, standing side by side, fully blocking the entrance into the Hulk’s queue. At this point, this was late in the day and it looked like these staffers had been through hell and unfortunately it really had an unfortunately toll on how they were responding to the park guests who just wanted to ride. Any question at all, and they were almost snapping into guests “Put it in a locker!”
I’m sure they were more polite when the day started, but with a new zero tolerance policy for loose articles, and after butting heads with upset guests all day long who don’t understand why after 15 years it has come to this, it made sense why by the end of the day they resembled something more like a line of riot police than normal Universal Orlando employees.
The official line is… no object shall pass. Not keys, not a wallet, and certainly not your cell phone. Pull out a couple of pennies out of your pocket and ask if you need a locker just for them, and you will be told to put them in a locker. Have cargo shorts with pockets that button or snap? Not good enough it seems… “Put it in a locker!” Wait… my pockets have a ZIPPER! Nothing will ever come out of my pocket when it is zipped shut… “No, you still have to put all objects in a locker!”
Yes, unfortunately it has come to this… and this last objection also put one thing clearly into focus for me. I don’t think this is about dropping loose articles anymore. This isn’t about someone who got a high end lawyer because they were hit by a quarter… this is one step away from an official police pat-down… which means to me that someone is being NAUGHTY on purpose again.
Clearly my wallet wouldn’t fall from a zippered pocket… but some troublemaker throwing a fist-full of pennies at the crowd below from the top of the coaster wouldn’t have a problem unzipping his pocket as the coaster dispatched. And this sounds a bit too familiar… like those mysterious events that took place at Dragon Challege a few years ago that caused that great ride to forever stop dueling when riders were being struck by foreign objects in mid-ride… usually right at the dueling vertical loops. My theory at the time was that someone was doing it on purpose and I’m wondering if they’ve been up to their old tricks again, but on Hulk this time.
Unfortunately, according to the reports I’m also hearing, this screening is somewhat ineffectual. A friend who rode choose to ask a question was forced to remove his wallet and keys before he could ride… only to end up riding next to a gentleman who managed to smuggle more personal belongings that you could possibly believe onto the ride anyway within the pockets of his hoodie.
In any case, this is the reality for the time being… so be prepared. In the meantime, I wish those in the upper offices making these kinds of calls would step onto the front line for an entire day to confront the guests directly with this new policy just to see how stressful a position it is to be in. There really has to be a better way… even if it means riding with no pants at all. No pants means no pockets after all…
Click to expand...

Going to be interesting to see this when I'm there next year.

:)
 
If you know about these rules prior to a visit you could surely just lie and say you have your belongings in the lockers.

I understand why they are enforcing this although enforcing it on zip pockets too seems a bit over the top. Anyone who wishes to open their pockets and purposely throw things out will lie and get through anyway. So this seems pretty unfair to honest and well behaved guests.
 
Screamscape are suggesting that someone is deliberately throwing coins off the ride, hence even if you have zip pockets you need to empty pockets.
 
Wow. Heavy handed.

Not saying that I don't understand, parks just don't generally react like this unless provoked.

That also seems to shed a little light on the Dragon Challenge incident, not hard to imagine what's happened after that paragraph, and also helps makes my point from earlier about how they'd kept it so quiet with not even a rumour, which some disagreed with me on - obviously they didn't keep it quiet and there are rumours, and ones that make sense.

If that's what has ruined what looks like a great shame because of some idiots actions that's a real, real shame.

Why are some people just utter morons?
 
It was sadly made very clear what happened on Dragon's Challenge, with various news articles surrounding a particular incident in 2011 when a man lost his left eyeball.

Why this is being so strongly enforced over three years later is absurd, unless a collection of infuriating individuals have begun to ruin the fun for everyone else. If this is the case, I hope they're caught, banned and punished to any further extent necessary.
 
Danny said:
It was sadly made very clear what happened on Dragon's Challenge, with various news articles surrounding a particular incident in 2011 when a man lost his left eyeball.

Why this is being so strongly enforced over three years later is absurd, unless a collection of infuriating individuals have begun to ruin the fun for everyone else. If this is the case, I hope they're caught, banned and punished to any further extent necessary.
Click to expand...

I think this is very likely. Although these lawsuits can take a very long time to settle. If this is a result of a previous one finally being settled, then it's understandable, and regrettable, both for the people who've suffered though irresponsible or simply idiotic morons, and the park now having to instigate frankly ludicrous levels of safety.

And I am with you entirely, the people who go around ruining others experiences in this way should be subject to absolute bans on entering any premises like this. Much like football "fans" who are banned from entering any stadiums.

It simply isn't right they can ruin others enjoyment in this way.

It's a strong stance, again not something that's my usual style, but in this case @Danny I totally agree with you.
 
Obviously none of us know anything, and Universal are obviously pretty concerned about this, but there's not reallly any evidence to suggest that a phantom coin thrower is on the loose at the park. I love Screamscape as a resource for park news, but Lance is just speculating, and can be a little bit of a dramatist when something gets his personal goat.
 
Not sure if it has been mentioned but There are strong rumors that Universal are in developing a brand new water park, themed around a volcanic island. Located around the Cabana Bay resort, it will certainly be a large investment and is already rumored to be much improved on the Disney water parks.

Interestingly it will be based on the scrapped Disneyland Paris waterpark which was going to be based on a volcanic island.
 
I mentioned it quite a while back., but it's still a waiting game for anything concrete information wise it seems.

Bring on the giant active volcano at the centre I say.
 

Construction of kong 14th December

Don't know how much truth is in this but current rumours suggest that the Kong attraction might be opening in 2015 and not 2016 which was initially thought. This would explain the fast construction, it is thought it has been sped up because the film release date has been delayed to mid 2017, so the original opening date was no longer significant and they don't want to delay to 2017.

If this is true it would certainly be a bit of a bummer for Disney who seem to take several years to build anything whilst this construction would take little over 1 year.
 
As much as I would love it to happen I can't see DC ever dueling again, how do they get people in wheelchairs on/off the Hogwarts Express?
 
A photo update courtesy of OPN shows the rockwork facade has begun to take shape on the Kong building:

Spoiler tags due to image heavy content.

ygGIxjr.jpg


D4MFhOq.jpg


nwFnoEM.jpg


hy5vmX3.jpg



WUbOlRD.jpg

Full image update can be found here.
 
Plans for the new watermark have been leaked

wondersea-1.jpg


Can't really make much of it but supposedly it's going to be a first theme park style water park with different themed locations, the only ones guaranteed are the Volcano Bay and a Spongebob Square Pants area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top