Tag Archives: Garden of Allah

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P1040770Last month, when the long construction period was over and the dust had settled, the NBC Media Center was finally opened inside of Universal Studios Florida. As I have previously reported the new state-of-art media center will be used for market research involving multiple forms of media, including previewing new television programs. Now, Orlando Theme Park News is reporting that an article posted to an internal publication has released further details for industry insiders, boasting the Media Center as the largest biometrics facility in the country. See the press release below, and do check out my full report on what it's like inside the new Media Center along with many photos of the completed compound.

The NBCU Media Center (or NBC Media Center) recently opened in Universal Studios Florida in the Garden of Allah area. The center is a state-of-the-art research facility which is available to all NBC Universal businesses and Comcast. The facility, which is the largest biometrics facility of its kind in the country includes the following research capabilities:

  • Dial Tests for video content (programs, pilots, promotions, and movies);
  • Advanced tools for measuring personal engagement and response to content;
  • Focus Group Facilities for qualitative research;
  • “Living Room of the Future” which enables research on consumer use of new technologies in a “real life” environment.

 
The facility will be open only when research is being conducted. During that time, the facility will open one hour after official park opening and close one hour before official park closing. The NBCU Media Center is a facility built to support research across the company and is not open to the public unless a guest has been accepted as an applicable research participant.

Check out our full report and photo update on the Media Center here and subscribe to the feed for more park updates!

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P1040763The Garden of Allah Villas construction is finally complete and we now have the brand new shiny NBC Media Center. What's the NBC Media Center you ask? Why it's the new home for fall TV previews and focus groups of course! I just happened to be walking by today while they were looking for volunteers, so I was able to be one of the first people to experience the new Media Center. They've been doing TV previews in the parks for years, but this is a new, more high-tech approach. And having a neat storefront building helps convince people to volunteer, as opposed to taking folks to the back of a dark alley somewhere off the path. Check out my report and lots and lots of photos below!

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P1040685In the two months since my last update on the area they've just about wrapped up the exterior construction. The new wall connecting the two buildings looks like it's been there all the time. And there is a new entrance door in the middle of the wall, just as I was suspecting. It's nice to see that the Garden of Allah Villas sign has returned after being removed briefly while they did some concrete ground work. They're not quite finished with some window and door work on the outside, (and who knows how much more they have to do inside the buildings).

We've known for a while now that this building will house something called the "NBCUniversal Media Lab", which will probably be a place where employees can use and test new technologies, or allow businesses to use state-of-the-art teleconference technologies. It doesn't seem, at least at this point, that this will be something that will be open to the public. Learn more about that in my last post on the subject here. See all the new construction update photos below!

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villasfeaturedWith most of the attention on bigger things like King Kong and the new water park it's easy to miss the smaller construction projects, so today lets focus on the work being done over at the Garden of Allah Villas in Universal Studios Florida. As I previously stated it does indeed look like the two buildings are being connected. Slowly, but surely, progress is being made. No one is quite sure what this will end up being. Check out the video and pictures below!

gardenofallahvillaspermitOriginally it was rumored to become a museum for Universal's 25th anniversary, but that no longer seems to be the case. Screamscape has said that the inside of the buildings are being remodeled into series of conference rooms, equipped with several monitors mounted to the walls. Permit filings show the name of the project as "NBCUniversal Media Lab". Perhaps Screamscape is right, because there is already a NBCUniversal Media Lab in New Jersey, for employees to test out new technologies. Maybe the Media Lab coming to Orlando will be a hands-on exhibit where park guests can experience the newest technologies themselves. Only time will tell. For now, check out the construction progress below and stay tuned for more updates.

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P1020220While I was at Universal Studios Florida earlier this week I noticed that the pathway from Hollywood to the Springfield area was closed off. Cast members were redirecting guests through the Central Park pathway along the lagoon instead. Construction continues on the Garden of Allah Villas. It has been told to me that the two buildings are being connected and that's where the current construction seems to be focused. Construction pictures are below.

The latest word from Screamscape is that the inside of the buildings are being remodeled into series of conference and special event rooms. The rooms are being equipped with several monitors mounted to the walls. It doesn't seems as though anyone was right in guessing the area would be used as a Universal museum for the 25th anniversary or as a new entrance to E.T. Adventure. I'll keep posting in case of any new developments.

It also seems that Fieval’s Playland will close for a brief rehab from March 1 to March 12, 2015, so no hope of that area being rethemed or torn down any time soon. ...continue reading →

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P1020086Lately I have been noticing a bit of construction happening between the Kids Zone and Hollywood areas of Universal Studios Florida. The area is currently empty of attractions and just for show, except for the seasonal restaurant Cafe La Bamba. I remember visiting in the 90's when they had a walk-through attraction there, but I always wondered what would come of the area. Now it seems something is happening , so I thought it might be a good time to look into the history (and future) of the Garden of Allah area. Be sure to also check out the construction update below to see how it's looking now! Continue Reading...garden-of-allah ...continue reading →