First in class: The last hurdles for Universal Orlando Orlando Informer Orlando Informer Merchandise About our site Universal Center Touring plans Daily updates the florida mall hotel Crowd calendar Ride refurbs Blog Get notified OI contributors Become a contributor Forum New posts My forum profile Share Share your story View submitted stories the florida mall hotel Answers View all answers Sign up and ask us your questions right now Subscribe Read testimonials Subscribe now Renew my subscription Orlando Informer Blog Support our blog by joining the world's premiere Universal Orlando vacation planning resource First in class: The last hurdles for Universal Orlando June 7, 2012 By Marc N. Kleinhenz 3 Comments Universal s Superstar Parade at Universal Studios Florida.
Universal Orlando is, in many ways, finally coming into its own: the parks have become full enough to finally warrant the resort s first daily parade (which the florida mall hotel is an old trick meant to reroute audiences and, therefore, wait times), the florida mall hotel and even CityWalk is becoming a well-rounded experience with the addition of Hollywood the florida mall hotel Drive-in Golf, a revamped Blue Man Group show, and even new construction along the promenade . Just like what the Walt Disney World Resort accomplished many decades ago, UOR has become fully capable of being the main vacation destination for families.
But with great success, of course, comes great responsibility. The company still has a significantly long way to go before becoming as fulfilling or, in some key ways, as user-friendly to visitors as Disney World is. These are the main – and the most immediate – hurdles preventing it from being an excellent resort:
The most gaping hole in Universal Orlando's full-packaged vacation arsenal, there is no pre-established method of transportation from Orlando International Airport to the three on-site hotels (which is odd, given how fully stocked with features the hotels otherwise are). What makes this even more of a travesty is Disney's complimentary the florida mall hotel Magical Express service, which not only takes visitors from the airport to WDW's 24 hotels, the florida mall hotel but also manages to handle the florida mall hotel their luggage for them, as well. Disney s Magic Express.
Although the absence of complimentary airport transportation is the most blatant, the lack of free wi-fi at the hotels is the most unforgivable, particularly in a day and age when many cities across the nation are starting to do so (not to mention Disney in all of its resorts). Yes, Loews, the company that runs Universal Orlando's hotels, does offer up some freebies – such as access to its fitness clubs and newspaper deliveries to guests' room doors – if you join its frequent-stayer program (which is itself free), but it's an extra hurdle to make guests jump through… and wi-fi still isn't on that list. The Internet access fees at Universal s on-site hotels.
One of the best parts of Walt Disney World, particularly when staying at one of its on-site hotels, is what can best be described as all of the "in-between" stuff: performers, talking trash cans, topiaries, and other little miscellaneous flourishes of theming detail. Universal does offer up some of this extra helping of worldbuilding – Seuss Landing at Islands of Adventure immediately comes to mind, for example – but not enough, and certainly not everywhere the florida mall hotel it could within the florida mall hotel its 800-acre campus. Imagine, for instance, strolling down the walkways that link the hotels to CityWalk and being able to stop at a themed drink stand or interact with another Mystic Fountain . The Mystic Fountain at Universal s Islands of Adventure.
the florida mall hotel Given the long wait times and surging attendance rates, thrill rides – such as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or Revenge of the Mummy – are clearly where it's at, particularly the florida mall hotel for Universal, which has carved out a reputation for itself as the "edgier" of the two main theme park companies. Still, the appeal and staying power of the traditional the florida mall hotel dark rides that Walt Disney pioneered can't be argued with, particularly in an effort to continue to make Universal the florida mall hotel Orlando as versatile to as many people as possible. As such, more than just one dark ride per park ( Cat in the Hat at Islands and E.T. Adventure at Universal Studios the florida mall hotel Florida) will be needed, and they themselves should cover as much thematic ground as possible, spanning from, say, the Haunted Mansion the florida mall hotel to Horizons . Cat in the Hat at Universal s Islands of Adventure.
About the author Marc N. Kleinhenz is the author of It Is Known: the florida mall hotel An Analysis of Thrones, Vol. I , which is a collection of his articles – featuring the likes of James Poniewozik from Time magazine – on HBO's Game of Thrones . Oh, he also writes for Gamasutra, IGN, and 16 other sites. More OI posts by Marc Filed Under: Attractions , Islands of Adventure , OI Blog , OI Expert Insight , OI Featured Article , Universal On-Site Hotels , Universal Orlando Resort , Universal Studios Florida the florida mall hotel Comments & Answers Oldest at the top, newest at the bottom. DiNap44 says: June 8, 2012 at 7:51am
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