UniversalParksBlog News for February 26th, 2023
Universal Studios increases its worker pay, while the VelociCoaster gets easier to ride, and Super Nintendo World sells out.
Your favorite theme park company is looking good in the latest edition of UniversalParksBlog News!
Universal Employees Earn Pay Raises
Photo: Universalparks.com
Let’s start with the happy news that Universal Orlando Resort will increase its worker compensation.
Starting on June 4th, Universal employees will gain a base hourly pay raise from $15 an hour to $17 an hour.
Photo: Universalparks.com
That’s more than 13 percent in hourly pay or, for full-time employees working 40 hours a week, an annual raise of $4,160.
Universal Orlando also announced it will increase base pay for other roles and provide additional compensation for longer-tenured workers.
Photo Credit: Universal
According to Ashley Carter, “Universal will also expand employee benefits, including its 401(k) match and tuition reimbursement programs. It’s also added compassion leave and doubled parental leave.”
Universal indicates that it has also upgraded breakrooms and staff bathrooms. Plus, it has a plan for worker dining underway.
Photo: Universal
In other words, with Universal’s Epic Universe around the corner, park officials have prioritized employment retention in a competitive field.
Universal understands that most would-be theme park workers dream of Disney. So, Universal must lure these workers with superior pay and benefits.
Photo: Getty
This decision comes on the heels of companies like Home Depot and Wal-Mart “spending heaps of cash on pay raises.”
Corporations have recognized that keeping employees is cheaper in the long run. It’s a ripple effect of the Great Resignation.
Photo: UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
Universal executives are looking ahead to a time in 2024/2025 when Epic Universe will need thousands of new workers.
The people the company keeps now are the ones who will help to train those future employees.
As such, this is an infrastructural move that makes sense. It also earns positive headlines at a time when Walt Disney World is feuding with its own union members.
Universal would love to lure some of those workers from Disney, which has historically trained employees better.
Photo: Toothsome
This is a clever tactic that rewards loyal workers.
Universal Studios Hollywood Dominates
As expected, the debut of Super Nintendo World proved beneficial to Universal Studios Hollywood.
Since the moment Universal announced the theme park, analysts have projected a revenue windfall at the park.
While we won’t know for at least six months whether those beliefs are accurate, the early results are glowingly positive.
Universal opened on Friday, February 17th. Since then, the park has sold out its entire allotment of general admission tickets.
Photo: Universal Studios Hollywood
Even better, guests have happily paid extra for Universal Express, which has also sold out on multiple dates since Super Nintendo World’s opening.
The first wave of tourists have readily opened their wallets to maximize their enjoyment at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Photo: Universal Studios Japan
I should mention this past weekend was also the President’s Day holiday. As such, attendance would have increased anyway.
Still, the sheer volume of admission tickets sold during Super Nintendo World’s first week hint at incredibly high demand for the themed land.
Photo:mynintendonews.com
Universal will continue to offer a virtual queue system for the themed land indefinitely, and none of the Universal Express options works here.
So, guests willingly pay extra for the other aspects of a park visit. Then, they figure out their Super Nintendo World strategy once they get there.
Photo: Paste Magazine
Theme parks call this per capita spending, and all park enhancements focus on increasing this metric.
Thus far, Super Nintendo World looks like a rainmaker for Universal Studios Hollywood.
Photo: Universal Studios
As a reminder, the one at Epic Universe should be the largest Super Nintendo World to date. We’re only getting started, folks!
Theme Park Miscellany
Photo:instagram/universalorlando
We’ve witnessed plenty of park happenings during the past two weeks.
The stunner involves the VelociCoaster, which is now accepting Universal Express! Yes, you can skip most of the line with your express pass as of this week!
Photo:attractions magazine
In refurbishment news, we’ve got three updates. First, the work on Jurassic Park River Adventure took longer than predicted…as I predicted. Maybe they should leave me in charge of predictions.
Anyway, rebuilding parts of a giant wall takes time. However, the ride’s back up and running as of this week.
Image: Universalparks.com
Conversely, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges are currently down for renovations.
As expected, the sudden loss of the Hagrid roller coaster has impacted wait times of the other rides at the parks, especially the ones that were already in high demand.
Photo: Universal Orlando
The Hagrid ride should be back up and running by March 6th, but we’ll update if it experiences delays as well.
At the front of Universal Studios Florida, you’ll notice new admission ticket scanners in place. They aren’t well-themed, but they are more efficient than the previous scanners.
Photo: themeparkcenter.com
What you won’t notice is Silver Screen Snacks, which has vanished, presumably for good.
Universal has likely reclaimed some Production Central space for the upcoming Minions themed land.
Universal Movie News
Photo: Universal Orlando
At Universal Studios Hollywood, guests who find themselves at Super Nintendo World should visit Universal CityWalk Hollywood as well.
I say this because some of the actual outfits used in Cocaine Bear are on display here! Also, if the premise of Cocaine Bear amuses you, go see the movie. It’s hysterical.
Photo: People
Honestly, if I were in charge of Halloween Horror Nights this year, I’d make Cocaine Bear the star!
Speaking of Hollywood news, a How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake should arrive in 2025. That timing aligns perfectly with Berk at Epic Universe!
Photo:howtotrainyourdragon.fandom.com
Finally, since all Harry Potter news indirectly impacts Universal Studios theme parks, I have some amazing news about a video game.
Warner Bros. Discovery just released its quarterly earnings report, which was largely a disaster.
Photo: Instagram/Universal
However, Warner Bros. found one bright spot that didn’t show up in the most recent quarter.
Hogwarts Legacy, which debuted in February, has somehow sold 12 million copies already. Folks, it did that in two weeks!
Credit: Universal
During calendar 2022, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 finished at the top of the video game charts for copies sold. It registered opening week sales of…eight million.
Hogwarts Legacy is an absolute juggernaut that has reinvigorated the franchise.
Photo: Universal
Don’t think for a second that the developers at Epic Universe haven’t noticed, either!
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