Universal finally announces... an announcement

October 22, 2012, 10:23 AM · Well, well, Universal does have a publicity department, after all. ;^)

Months after construction began on not one, but two major new developments at Universal Studios Florida, Universal finally has confirmed that it will... announce something.

Universal Studios Florida

They haven't told us what it is yet, but the announcement's coming on November 1 at 7:30 pm ET. The evening's an unusual time for press announcements, but Universal's shown that it doesn't care for playing by the book on these sorts of things. Theme park standard operating procedure typically calls for making an announcement, then starting construction. Given the progress Universal's made on its projects without saying a thing about them, I was beginning to wonder if Universal Orlando's PR staff had been pressed into work on the construction sites, leaving them no time to actually send out press releases.

Of course, we already know what the two big developments at Universal Studios Florida will be. Theme Park Insider readers last December got the Web's first look at the plans for the Gringotts coaster in the new "Diagon Alley" Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida. And in June, we broke the news about Transformers: The Ride coming to USF.

Then again, given the way that Universal's coyly denied confirming anything about these two projects, it's possible that the Nov. 1 event will announce something entirely different. Nothing Universal Orlando does anymore surprises me. All I know is that some people at Universal wouldn't mind at all if their little announcement on Nov. 1 made people forget about that new Fantasyland thingie down the street for a while....

Replies (21)

October 22, 2012 at 10:34 AM · Lets hope it'sot another coaste Grongot's or whatever, or a hybrid darkride coaster. PH has already 2 coasters and universal already got a hybrid darkride coaster. So lets hope it's something else that is awesome and can be enjoyed by everyone.
But I think Universal is going for the Transformer ride this time.
October 22, 2012 at 10:40 AM · My vote is for the Transformers announcement. Since they are fast tracking construction I'm guessing they will annonce it first since potter verse phase 2 is still several years out.

October 22, 2012 at 10:46 AM · Potterland V.2 is SEVERAL years out? I'd be surprised if it took them more than a year and a half/two years, honestly.
October 22, 2012 at 11:07 AM · At least Transformers. Probably the new Simpsons area as well. Possibly Potter.

But definitely Trasnformers.

October 22, 2012 at 11:11 AM · Announcing what the theme-park-loving world already knows? I hope not. My gut says the announcement has nothing to do with either project. That's my hope at least...let's keep this train chugging, Universal!
October 22, 2012 at 11:13 AM · At this point it isn't about the theme park world. It's for the normal world, aka 90% of Universal's business.

Transformers will be open this summer. They need to get the word out so people plan vacations to come see it.

I'm not counting out any surprises, but the focus will be stuff we already know about.

October 22, 2012 at 11:40 AM · It's Transformers, look here (saw it on Inside the Magic's twitter):

http://i49.tinypic.com/23kds9k.png

After seeing that hilarious image, I doubt they'll announce anything else.

October 22, 2012 at 1:38 PM · Looks like they changed TransformerCoundown to UORCoundown.
October 22, 2012 at 1:54 PM · Let's not forget the Cheetaka trolling episode, okay?

That said, if I had to bet on it - and that's kinda my job, isn't it? - I'd guess that Universal unloads everything on us Nov. 1 in an attempt to completely kill any remaining buzz about the Fantasyland Expansion, and direct it all toward the "transformed" USF.

October 22, 2012 at 2:12 PM · Good point Robert. If Universal let's it all loose, then could we expect more from Disney's What's Next? presentation? Let's take a look at what these announcements could include:

UO:

Transformers
Diagon Alley
Krusty Burger


WDW:

SDMT concept art
Pandora concept art
RFID
DHS Expansion

October 22, 2012 at 2:13 PM · It's Transformers, the source code reveals all!

..or it did before industrious folks found it, screen captured it and Universal changed it ;)

October 22, 2012 at 2:14 PM · i don't mean to sound like a newbie here dom, but what exactly do those acronyms stand for....
October 22, 2012 at 2:24 PM · SDMT= Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
DHS= Disney's Hollywood Studios
UO= Universal Orlando
WDW= Walt Disney World
October 22, 2012 at 7:15 PM · You forget a key abbreviation Dom,

WCaWDW = Who Cares about Walt Disney World

;)

October 22, 2012 at 9:26 PM · I looked at the code as soon as I saw the Flash animation. I posted it on the official UOR Facebook page, and a minute later, I saw the screenshot that someone else captured with the link.

The funny thing is, I don't see my original post anymore....

Update: Yup, they removed my post. UOR must be pretty mad at the person who created that Flash animation as they replaced it pretty quickly with a different tag.

Couple this with the fact Robert had an exclusive on the Gringotts plans over 10 months ago. Poor Universal.

October 23, 2012 at 5:17 AM · Forgot one Todd

WCWTDSAWDW= Who cares what Todd Donahue says about Walt Disney World ;)

Back on topic now.

October 23, 2012 at 6:03 AM · hopefully they will announce both (and possibly finally know if universal and disney have done a deal about marvel ye)t. can't wait have been waiting for this for ages so i can plan my next trip around it :)
October 23, 2012 at 6:21 AM · Don't expect to hear about WWoHP, IMO.
October 23, 2012 at 2:19 PM · Let's see, Harry Potter / Transformers or Fantasyland. Unless you are 6, (and you are not reading this) what Universal is doing has no comparisons in Disney. Think they will make the announcement at the park? Might have to go.
October 23, 2012 at 5:20 PM · Do Harry Potter and Transformers push the age range all the way up to 13? Orlando theme park attractions are mostly youth-based, bro, let's not kid ourselves. That's why us old fogies say we are young at heart.

Big news on November 1? **YAWN**

Theme Park Insiders don't look forward to these types of announcements. We always know before the rest of the world.

October 23, 2012 at 11:25 PM · So Universal...what about the park on the West Coast? Any official announcement on whats replacing T2:3-D and when. How about Harry Potter...where will it be located and whats the timetable?

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