How Universal Orlando's CityWalk Has CHANGED (And What's Coming Next)

Universal Orlando's CityWalk has gone through some pretty big changes over the years! In this video I'm sharing with you some of the biggest ones that have come to the dining and entertainment district and then talk about the potential EPIC future coming to CityWalk.
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00:00 Intro
00:37 Before CityWalk
02:48 NBA City
04:28 Old Hard Rock Cafe
05:59 NASCAR Cafe
07:11 The Groove Nightclub
08:55 In Memoriam
10:12 The Future Of CityWalk
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Пікірлер: 125

  • @AttractionSource
    @AttractionSourceАй бұрын

    Great video, and i NEED that shirt. What a legend!

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    Lmao I’m glad you like it! I made it myself. Link here: www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/57164814-mark-woodbury-hype-shirt

  • @JoshuaGomezMusic

    @JoshuaGomezMusic

    Ай бұрын

    was gonna comment this too, glad you asked

  • @DEGar1
    @DEGar1Ай бұрын

    I always enjoy seeing all the like night life people coming into city walk as I limp out of the park to the hotel busses, exhausted from walking the parks all day 😂

  • @colinholder5438
    @colinholder5438Ай бұрын

    5:57 Sadly that’s true😫security told me the story last year when I went to see The Wall. Ridiculous, that the person who did that was oblivious to history!

  • @rm06c

    @rm06c

    Ай бұрын

    Poor guy probably didn't speak English and was scared thinking someone had vandalized that rock from the Hard Rock. Still, I'm happy to be able to touch a piece of history, even if it was pressure washed

  • @iamdigbick4675
    @iamdigbick4675Ай бұрын

    I hope you and Ellison are doing well. I love videos with historic relevance. I remember parking by the globe.

  • @stevencoppola9556
    @stevencoppola955624 күн бұрын

    Honestly this was one of the best videos yall ever have made. Sad I'm just now watching. Yall should go back and watch this yourselves truly. Great memories and yall had so much excitement. You guys are great

  • @TheRumbelly1
    @TheRumbelly1Ай бұрын

    NBA CITY restaurant was the first place I ever saw an HDTV . This would have been the late 1990's. It was new technology and they had them over the upstairs bar. It was mind blowing to see the clarity. Apparently they were ridiculously expensive because they weren't readily available yet. I was on the opening team of IOA and this was a great nostalgia trip to revisit all the places we used to hit up after work everyday. Especially Cigarz. That was our main hangout.

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    Thank you for the great comment! I can't remember the first time I saw an HDTV, but you're right it was a mind-blowing moment. Kinda like the first time I saw a Coke Freestyle machine

  • @SH-jv5uf
    @SH-jv5uf21 сағат бұрын

    We started coming down to Orlando in 2006 when our two children were old enough to have memories of the trip. And at CityWalk, the NBA Cafe was our favorite spot. The atmosphere was fun and the food was really good. Our children enjoyed the shooting games outside too. Our last time down 2018 (maybe) it was closed and going to be replaced. Bummer. We also got a family photo on that surfboard in 2006 and again in 2016. Pretty cool comparison of the children growing up.

  • @jonny-b4954
    @jonny-b4954Ай бұрын

    My dad remembers parking in the parking lot for Universal RIGHT where the Universal Globe is. Like a 100 foot walk to the main gate arches.

  • @ThemeParksandHorrorStuff
    @ThemeParksandHorrorStuffАй бұрын

    So crazy to see all the changes over the years! I ate at NBA and nascar don’t remember how good the food was. I’ll never forget meeting Bam Margera at the element store he was randomly doing a signing one day. Thanks for this video made me go through childhood memory lane!

  • @InfectiousGroovePodcast
    @InfectiousGroovePodcastАй бұрын

    I lived in Tampa in the mid 90s. We used to drive over and park right up at the gate of Universal like you described. I remember seeing signs saying they were about to break ground on Islands of Adventure.

  • @stephengiffen4499
    @stephengiffen4499Ай бұрын

    I love how Vincent's content reflects his out of the box thinking. Always refreshing to watch his videos because they're not like all of the other theme park content.

  • @omegaman1409
    @omegaman1409Ай бұрын

    I remember when my family visited the park a month later after it opened in June 1990. There was a strike going on where neighborhood residents were holding signs opposing the opening of the park. I remember us parking and waking up to the universal globe. The first of many trips. We all lived in Miami at the time.

  • @danielonadventure
    @danielonadventure20 күн бұрын

    Great video. Very fun to watch! Thanks for sharing!

  • @nicolecurry5627
    @nicolecurry5627Ай бұрын

    Great video Vincent always loved city walk ❤

  • @brainysmurf74
    @brainysmurf74Ай бұрын

    You should talk about the old Psycho house and the abandoned Hard Rock Cafe that sat for years.

  • @sofritotv6549
    @sofritotv6549Ай бұрын

    Awesome video idea loko 💪🏼😎

  • @supermikeychannel751
    @supermikeychannel751Ай бұрын

    This is an interesting video because a lot of theme park channels have been making videos recently of whats coming to the Universal parks, but not a whole lot of people have made videos about the future of the City Walk areas.

  • @NicEeEe843
    @NicEeEe843Ай бұрын

    Love the before and after universal videos 👍

  • @Pamalou815
    @Pamalou815Ай бұрын

    Great video! Thank you! I DO remember the old Universal Escape (Ghostbusters, anyone?). I remember lucking out and getting the 2nd parking space one morning. Second row because handicap parking was the first row. (FYI - preferred parking wasn’t a thing yet .) I did go to the NBA place to eat once and wasn’t a big fan. It was a lot of BBQ if I remember correctly and I’m not a BBQ person. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!

  • @Waittimes_and_Greattimes
    @Waittimes_and_Greattimes29 күн бұрын

    I remember nba city had a half court and guests could do a 3 pt contest to win jerseys and stuff.

  • @loriminard6460
    @loriminard6460Ай бұрын

    Great show I really like these shows 🎉

  • @Killercutsvideo
    @KillercutsvideoАй бұрын

    Lol love the in memorium 😂, I remember all those places. Man I can't freaking wait for epic universe. I hope there's still some kind of express if you stay in certain hotels. So worth it!

  • @xxrocker121
    @xxrocker12120 күн бұрын

    Growing up my family always went to NBA city restaurant after a day at the parks. I loved following basketball during the Shaq, Kobe, Yao Ming era during the early 2000s so this place was my favorite. My memory is fuzzy but I think there may have been mini TVs at the tables showing games. The food was reliably good. Couldn’t go wrong with a burger. Still have some souvenirs from the shop!

  • @fraserhamilton-nf4dk
    @fraserhamilton-nf4dkАй бұрын

    I remember when it was just the one park Parking my car where Islands is now and walking over

  • @edturner8390
    @edturner8390Ай бұрын

    Love the Legacy Store!

  • @dennissmith5807
    @dennissmith5807Ай бұрын

    I remember parking close and walking right up. In fact...im, working on a video of my parking spot and other parking lot sights then and now

  • @joshuaheiny7764
    @joshuaheiny7764Ай бұрын

    dope vid bro

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    Thank you man!

  • @squirrelnut
    @squirrelnutАй бұрын

    I love that Universal is old enough and evolved enough now to actually have nostalgic videos like this. Just out of curiosity, any chance you'll be at the OI meetup in June? My plan is to courtesy wave hello to every vlogger I know from a respectable distance.

  • @JolteOnWisconsin
    @JolteOnWisconsinАй бұрын

    The chocolate emporium was awesome. Food was pretty good but the Cherry chocolate mule was exquisite!

  • @InspiredFlyer
    @InspiredFlyer16 күн бұрын

    Just to confirm as someone who worked on property for many many years. Specifically The legend of the power washed berlin wall is 100% true.

  • @Trendynazzgirl
    @TrendynazzgirlАй бұрын

    My family and I ate at NBA city! It’s been like so many years since I’ve been to universal.

  • @rizoricos
    @rizoricos7 күн бұрын

    I had a burger at that Nascar Cafe once. I distinctly remember the table seating. The food was meh, but thanks for mentioning it lol.

  • @Trevor_
    @Trevor_Ай бұрын

    Let’s go take a walk

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    Let’s all go to Ciiitywalk…tonight ✨🌹

  • @buhboni7324
    @buhboni7324Ай бұрын

    City Walk was such a surprise. One of my favourite places in Orlando

  • @Axiom-ug3js
    @Axiom-ug3js11 күн бұрын

    Little known fact is that before the NBA restaurant it was supposed to be Shaq’s restaurant but due to some technicality it fell through, and the Bob Marley’s it’s a replica of he’s house in Jamaica.

  • @davewren4869
    @davewren4869Ай бұрын

    Man, great vid... i remember all those old place's from my very first visit to Universal... I remember the NBA City and Nascar Cafe... although as I stayed off property I never ate at them so only visitedthe parks that time... I got every year now from the UK and always stay onsite now... I believe Universal traded to get all the rights and ownership to NBC sports, with Disney for the rights to The original Steamboat Willy that Universal had...

  • @DEGar1
    @DEGar1Ай бұрын

    Also I need that shirt 😂

  • @magicofworldtravel
    @magicofworldtravelАй бұрын

    Love the shirt! Where did you get it? That NBA restaurant actually looks awesome!

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    I made it myself! You can find on TeePublic, I pinned a link to it in the comments

  • @ChristianCzajkowski
    @ChristianCzajkowskiАй бұрын

    There was a rainforest / endangered animal shop where Starbucks is now, many years ago

  • @skolvikings27
    @skolvikings27Ай бұрын

    That Mark Woodbury shirt is incredible 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

  • @kathryncoles4206
    @kathryncoles4206Ай бұрын

    It sure seems different than it was when I first came in 2002.

  • @Caleb.Connors
    @Caleb.ConnorsАй бұрын

    Oh my goodness - Pastamore was one of my favorite places to go after a long day at the parks with the family. Made so many great memories in that place.

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    I never got to go! A lot of these I missed out on, actually :(

  • @Caleb.Connors

    @Caleb.Connors

    Ай бұрын

    @@VincentVision think Carabba's but a tier up. It was good American-Italian, but ultimately I can see why it was scrapped.

  • @patricklizotte2537
    @patricklizotte2537Ай бұрын

    You are the USO historian. Well done gettig all that footage. Clearly allot of research into this video. This is the last area where Disney still has it better than Universal. There is so much more variety (espacially the restaurants, but even the shops), life, and overall better feel over at Disney Springs. Some of the clubs at City Walk are always close to empty. Universal has allot going on, at one point they need to rethink City Walk.

  • @CHUNKYNINJA55
    @CHUNKYNINJA55Ай бұрын

    I ate at the nascar place one time in like 2011 or something. It was during one of the coldest times in Orlando history if I remember correctly it was like under 10 degrees. The parks were completely dead due to the painful wind chill. I remember being the only people in the nascar place when we ate

  • @mattclark2655
    @mattclark2655Ай бұрын

    11:57 Chicken Alfredo pizza in NBA city was fire. We used to eat at the O.G. hard rock cafe shaped like the guitar a lot as well. Old Universal was an amazing vibe. Watched Dwight Howard get drafted at the nba city dradt party 😢.

  • @ChouhouinNeko
    @ChouhouinNeko28 күн бұрын

    i went to the OG hard rock tha twas back where kidzone was and dreamworks will soon be. it was fun

  • @philipmurphy-hayes4992
    @philipmurphy-hayes49922 күн бұрын

    I miss the Motown cafe, I ate there and they had great music too

  • @Caius1942
    @Caius1942Ай бұрын

    The Groove used to have teen nights too, I went a couple of times in high school!

  • @frankgazivoda9401
    @frankgazivoda940111 күн бұрын

    You are wrong. The escape rooms aren’t the only “interactive” city walk attraction. They also have a movie theatre and mini golf

  • @brandonpresley9441
    @brandonpresley9441Ай бұрын

    I ate at NBA city more than once. They had these giant milkshakes that were delicious. I wasn't a basketball fan but it was still fun similar to the Nascar Cafe.

  • @patrickcrawford4001
    @patrickcrawford4001Ай бұрын

    I remember going to the NBA City, eating there, don't remember the food, so must not have been that great!

  • @KO-tm4fz
    @KO-tm4fzАй бұрын

    Right next to the groove was the Latin Quarter where the Mexican restaurant is now. It was Aztec or Mayan theme i don't remember which. I do remember there was a two story waterfall where divers would dive into a pool every 15 minutes.

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    what?? like Casa Bonita?

  • @KO-tm4fz

    @KO-tm4fz

    Ай бұрын

    @@VincentVision not quite as grand but similar.

  • @YvesRichard
    @YvesRichardАй бұрын

    Pizzas were delicious at Pastamore, and of course, I remember the Groove !

  • @jnaughtin
    @jnaughtinАй бұрын

    I believe the wife and I hit up the groove dance club when we got married in 2008. I enjoy the evolution of CityWalk.

  • @bb5242
    @bb5242Ай бұрын

    NASCAR has definitely waned in popularity since the 90s

  • @davidbilu1166
    @davidbilu116618 күн бұрын

    You completely failed to mention the store “GLOW” that opened with the original City Walk. Now the Tattoo Shop is located there, but GLOW was a completely black lit store selling glow sticks, light up signs, posters, paraphernalia, etc. I used to visit City Walk just for this store for a couple years between 2000-2002.

  • @JoeyMazzant
    @JoeyMazzant4 күн бұрын

    That giant basketball player from NBA city is in front of a store on I-Drive now.

  • @scan7368
    @scan7368Ай бұрын

    What was the store / gift shop at the top of Nascar/The Cigar place? I think there was a Burger King and Tattoo place somewhere in that area as well. The late-night Pizza place was Great when they were open!

  • @jonsolom
    @jonsolomАй бұрын

    I've eaten at NBA City and the NSACAR restaurant. Both were great and I miss them.

  • @MackClark
    @MackClarkАй бұрын

    I ate at NBA City once. The service was so bad that we cashed out early into the meal

  • @davidjameshahn1240
    @davidjameshahn1240Ай бұрын

    You forgot about Mini golf as far as an experience of something to do. I've always said that City Walk feels like it's missing on the experiences side. Hope there is more to do in the future.

  • @kjyochum2840
    @kjyochum2840Ай бұрын

    I ate in NBA City s few times. Not a basketball fan at all but the food was very good!

  • @russmacc316
    @russmacc316Ай бұрын

    Do you think they'll move the Legacy Store somewhere else/have it absorbed into the existing store? There were some cool props in there, it would be sad if they weren't displayed anywhere anymore

  • @flan8tv
    @flan8tvАй бұрын

    At the front of Universal Studios there used to be a I Love Lucy store. It was epic

  • @mattclark2655

    @mattclark2655

    Ай бұрын

    There was a museum portion for Lucy... a LOT more than just a store. I really liked that tribute.

  • @jordanschellhase2952
    @jordanschellhase2952Ай бұрын

    Element store wasn’t the shortcut, was the Tommy Bahamas

  • @MissMyMusicAddiction
    @MissMyMusicAddictionАй бұрын

    wow, interesting - old cityWalk had a few stores and restaurants that seem like they were better than what's there, now. much of cityWalk, now feels like it's just the same sort of stuff you could get at your local mall.

  • @Travalingo
    @TravalingoАй бұрын

    9:30 Dang Vincent, who knew you could sing!?

  • @salmonsdontdie4952
    @salmonsdontdie4952Ай бұрын

    I've been going to Universal Orlando my whole life. I always think about how we used to just park in front on Universal Studios. No City Walk, just walk right up to the gates.

  • @salmonsdontdie4952

    @salmonsdontdie4952

    Ай бұрын

    Also, I remember City Walk used to have musical performances and other types of entertainment occurring on the little Main Stage area in the center of City Walk.

  • @jaimehsoto
    @jaimehsotoАй бұрын

    Also missed City Jazz, currently Rising Star!

  • @yoopergamer2121
    @yoopergamer2121Ай бұрын

    Pressure washed the Berlin Wall!! 😂😂 I thought it was just years of being out in the Florida elements. But if this is true, that’s crazy.

  • @drabsaab
    @drabsaabАй бұрын

    The short was through quite flight. the element store didnt attach to anything i dont think. the only thing i remember from before city was when i was super young i only remebered the bone yard the the sign out from with the fountain

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    You’re totally right, it was Tommy Bahamas. Whoops! All those stores felt like the same lol

  • @drabsaab

    @drabsaab

    Ай бұрын

    @@VincentVision yup! my dad always made us stop at tommy bahamas its drove me crazy!!

  • @user-em8ku2tt8c
    @user-em8ku2tt8cАй бұрын

    NBA City burgers were 🔥🔥🔥

  • @amcgarvin4life30
    @amcgarvin4life302 күн бұрын

    You missed the red coconut club which used to be The Motown Cafe in the 90s..

  • @johnvamvo5438
    @johnvamvo54382 күн бұрын

    isn’t there a club again i was there for st pats and there was come club open by the karaoke spot

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    2 күн бұрын

    Maybe Pat O Briens? Dueling piano bar?

  • @dragontiger840
    @dragontiger84023 күн бұрын

    You forgot the Latin square before it turned to antojitos restaurant 😊

  • @beastandwench
    @beastandwenchАй бұрын

    Before there was a universal Orlando store, it used to be a sports store that sold all kind of sports stuff. Miss it.😢

  • @larryknight2460
    @larryknight2460Ай бұрын

    It's so frustrating that Cinnabon is going away. There are so few breakfast options on the way to the parks! (Plus, I like a late night cinnamon roll too! 😇)

  • @rollingcameraproductions7103

    @rollingcameraproductions7103

    Ай бұрын

    Cinnabon isn’t going away. It’s just relocating

  • @noahman1234
    @noahman1234Ай бұрын

    Watcha!

  • @ethanlapidus2347
    @ethanlapidus2347Ай бұрын

    Hi Vincent, it’s Ethan

  • @LegalizeMaron7110
    @LegalizeMaron7110Ай бұрын

    Not the Cinnabon! 😭

  • @ChouhouinNeko

    @ChouhouinNeko

    28 күн бұрын

    its moving location. small carts will be open in city walk till it opens

  • @JamieGAdaire
    @JamieGAdaireАй бұрын

    Don't get me wrong, I like toothsome's aesthetic. I've neither eaten there nor NBA. However, my cousin and I used to go to the NBA place to shoot hoops and put our hands on the handprints of the players that were on display. The employees were great and let us play for free all the time.

  • @Foxyman18
    @Foxyman188 күн бұрын

    Is that a Mark Woodbury shirt?

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    8 күн бұрын

    It is!

  • @506363
    @5063639 күн бұрын

    The NASCAR cafe was awful! We went there as a family for my younger brother as he was really into that stuff. I was still kind of young myself, so I had a kids meal, probably a hot dog. Their food made me sick and every 10 minutes or so, the cars in the restaurant would "burn out". Their tires would spin and make a ton of noise. I left with a massive headache and I felt like throwing up from the horrible food.

  • @awakenedsoul
    @awakenedsoul7 күн бұрын

    Wow they got rid of the groove? I feel like I was just there lol

  • @mikiemayo
    @mikiemayo8 күн бұрын

    i miss emeril’s

  • @jackoakes87
    @jackoakes87Ай бұрын

    Bro u absolutely slapped Nick Studios in the face by mentioning Blue Man Group

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    Nick Studios lives strong in my heart 💛 but it was a park offering, not a CityWalk offering!

  • @kra13740
    @kra13740Ай бұрын

    HE TALKED ABOUT CHOCOLATE FACTORY BUT DIDNT GO IN LOL

  • @isleofredemption
    @isleofredemptionАй бұрын

    Why are they getting rid of all the places to dance? :(

  • @mattclark2655

    @mattclark2655

    Ай бұрын

    Basically because of dumb people in their 20s.... lol believe me.. im 38 now.. but I sold a whole 10 pack of blue dolphins in there in my wayward youth. You can still vibe and dance at bob marleys or the karaoke joint.

  • @bobking2566
    @bobking2566Ай бұрын

    MoTown Cafe?

  • @theboyscout0156
    @theboyscout0156Ай бұрын

    My guy you need to get a microphone or something. Sound was all over the place

  • @bgbadger
    @bgbadger28 күн бұрын

    NBA City food was below average and overpriced. It was more of a tourist trap than good food. I guess if NBA fan it was cool, but food was kind of a last option when everything else was packed.

  • @samanthaedmonds3219
    @samanthaedmonds3219Ай бұрын

    Motown Cafe 😢

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    Ай бұрын

    Omg I totally forgot about that place, where was that located?

  • @samanthaedmonds3219

    @samanthaedmonds3219

    Ай бұрын

    @@VincentVision Red Coconut

  • @toddj.spence6833

    @toddj.spence6833

    Ай бұрын

    Motown Cafe was located where Bubba Gump's currently is.

  • @brainysmurf74
    @brainysmurf74Ай бұрын

    You should talk about how gross city walk is and how it has continued to become even more gross as time goes forward. The place is filthy.

  • @reytech1786
    @reytech1786Ай бұрын

    Thank goodness they removed that basketball garbage it was hideous

  • @bebobebo4407
    @bebobebo4407Ай бұрын

    I think that Universal should consider switching to Pepsi so that they can build a Pepsi Store at CityWalk.

  • @todayisanewday7
    @todayisanewday724 күн бұрын

    Went through city walk and it was dead and boring.

  • @Amarikairo
    @Amarikairo29 күн бұрын

    I stole a Harry Potter wand from the one store at city walk

  • @VincentVision

    @VincentVision

    29 күн бұрын

    I’m calling the police

  • @knightloveslesbians
    @knightloveslesbiansАй бұрын

    piq was my FAVORITE i loved looking at all of the silly trinkets. also using quiet flight and the other stores as a cutthrough to studios was so real, i do miss the ac but i do NOT miss the crowding when the legacy store was the uni store so it was likely a smart decision. citywalk so lovely

  • @8675309858
    @8675309858Ай бұрын

    What about Latin Quarter that turned to Antijitos? Missed that one

  • @bigfreakinggeek
    @bigfreakinggeekАй бұрын

    I ate at nba city. It was basic bar and grill food