Universal’s Epic Universe Park in Orlando: Themed Lands, Ride Info, Concept Art & Details
Universal Orlando Resort has unveiled Epic Universe, and it looks like a gamechanger. The new theme park will feature more than 50 rides, entertainment, and other experiences in 5 lands. This previews everything we know about the blockbuster expansion in Florida, with tons of concept art, details about the attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences, and much more.
An expansion of 750 acres, Epic Universe is Universal Orlando Resort’s third theme park, just down the road from Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, as well as Volcano Bay Water Park. The new theme park campus will essentially double Universal Orlando Resort’s existing footprint.
As a quick recap, Epic Universe was first announced in Summer 2019 with a piece of aerial concept art showing the contours of the theme park, adjacent entertainment district and hotel. Not many details beyond that, its location south of the existing Universal Orlando complex, and the economic impact were revealed at that time.
Along with pretty much everything else in Central Florida, plans were paused in Spring 2020. Given where the world was at the time and the grim prospects for the recovery of travel and tourism, there was speculation (including by us!) that Epic Universe wouldn’t happen. At least, not anytime soon and maybe not as originally announced.
We were very happy to be proven wrong less than a year later, as Universal announced that development of Epic Universe would resume immediately, with the project gradually scaling up again before reaching full-speed as Universal restaffs for the project. And did it ever reach full-speed quickly.
It seems like every week new aerial photos come out showing the progress of Epic Universe, and the theme park looks really far along. While there’s obviously still a lot to be done a year out, some areas are having finishing touches installed and rides being tested. All of which makes us wonder whether it’s purposeful that Universal has dropped the “by Summer” line from the 2025 opening in this announcement. But that’s another bit of speculation for another day.
According to Universal, Epic Universe will present a level of theme park immersion and innovation that is unmatched – transporting guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 awe-inspiring attraction, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences that come together to create an unforgettable adventure that is nothing short of epic.
The company has also confidently asserted that the addition of Universal Orlando’s fourth* theme park will also transform the award-winning resort into a weeklong vacation destination filled with the most compelling experiences imaginable. (*Universal counts Volcano Bay as a theme park; we think it’s properly considered a water park. That is, unless you also want to say Walt Disney World has 6 theme parks; they do not.)
Epic Universe invites guests to explore five vibrant worlds filled with extraordinary and culturally relevant adventures that go beyond their wildest imaginations. Let’s explore the lands, starting with Epic Universe’s entry point and central plaza…
Celestial Park: At the heart of the park and the first world guests will encounter is Celestial Park, which has been dubbed the “Cosmic Nexus of Universal Epic Universe.” With acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways, Celestial Park will put the “park” back in “theme park.”
As soon as guests enter the imaginative world, they’ll embark on a journey of discovery, thrills and excitement as they wander through lush living gardens nestled along shimmering waters surrounded by stunning architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements. Here, guests can relax while taking in the sights and sounds around them, board a shooting comet for an exhilarating roller coaster adventure, dine on delectable cuisine, shop exclusive merchandise to commemorate their visit and more.
Plus, Celestial Park will be the gateway to explore the four additional worlds of Epic Universe – each bringing to life extraordinary adventures that go beyond guests’ wildest imaginations. Through a set of majestic portals that capture the imagination and creativity of each world, guests will embark on a transformative experience as they journey from Celestial Park to the rest of Epic Universe’s themed lands.
Here are additional details about some of the other wonders guests can enjoy while exploring Celestial Park:
Starfall Racers – a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest of them all. Reaching speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track, Starfall Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience with unique maneuvers such as the “Celestial Spin,” in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air – creating an “out-of-this-world” adrenaline rush.
Constellation Carousel – the grand centerpiece of Celestial Park. Here, explorers of all ages will take a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward – and even make 360-degree rotations – through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight.
Astronomica – an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass rose to the many wonders of Epic Universe, featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests.
Celestial Park will also be home to unique dining experiences ranging from full-service restaurants to quick-service locations that offer something for every palate:
Atlantic – a full-service “surf and turf” restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium complete with captivating views of Celestial Park.
The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant – where diners take a culinary journey across Asia as they enjoy authentic Chinese, Japanese and Thai fare in this full-service restaurant accented with neon dragons and ethereal lanterns.
The Oak & Star Tavern – where guests can enjoy savory barbecue.
Pizza Moon – which will serve up a tasty menu featuring a variety of pizzas, and more.
Celestial Park will also feature incredibly detailed retail locations, including the following:
Nintendo Super Star Store – where guests can shop an assortment of merchandise themed to the land featuring Mario, Donkey Kong, and friends.
Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets – where guests can satisfy their cravings with a unique selection of sweet treats, and more.
Plenty of exciting entertainment, including various fountain shows throughout Celestial Park’s seven acres, where a multitude of fountains sway, dance – and even reach heights up to 135 feet in the air – to music and interactive lighting from day to night.
Celestial Park will also be the gateway to explore the four additional lands of Epic Universe through a set of majestic portals.
Super Nintendo World: Guests will enter the iconic green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong. You’ll experience a new way to play, with everything from minigames to Mario Kart to Donkey Kong Country and the new Mine Cart Madness ride.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic: Where guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the 1990s British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: Take to the skies and soar with dragons as you explore the colorful Viking village at the heart of Berk. Take part in wild boat battles, feast like a Viking and more in this colorful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon film franchise.
Dark Universe: From the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to a shadowy landscape where curious creations roam, Dark Universe is a world of myth and mystery. Dark Universe is Universal’s classic monsters, reimagined.
Adding to the experience at Epic Universe will be three new Universal hotels, including sister properties, Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort, and the majestic Universal Helios Grand Hotel – which is located inside of the Epic Universe theme park in Celestial Park.
In addition to raising the bar for theme park innovation, Epic Universe theme park is just the start for Universal Destinations & Experiences. The division is also introducing new park concepts to new people, in new markets and on new platforms, recently breaking ground on two new concepts.
The first is Universal Kids Resort theme park and hotel under construction Frisco, Texas. Then there’s the Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, Nevada. These are two smaller-scale projects, but they’re indicative of innovative ways that Universal is attempting to enter the attractions market without tentpole tourist destinations. Beyond that, there’s the proposed Universal Studios Great Britain.
Turning to commentary, I am absolutely blown away. Unlike a lot of other theme park fans, I’ve tried to keep my expectations in check with Epic Universe. Although the themed lands have been an open secret since 2019–and at least two of them are blockbuster additions that will be huge draws–we haven’t known much else about the park.
One of my big concerns has been the stated budget for Epic Universe, which I now can only assume is much higher than previously revealed. (It has to be. Not only have labor costs risen, but in order to go full steam ahead on this project, they’re likely paying a premium.) Another has been that in Universal’s rush to open other attractions and experiences, attention to detail has sometimes been scattershot.
Epic Universe looks every bit the gamechanger that Universal is promising, featuring lands on par with Disney’s best as well as themed design and placemaking in the central plaza that reminds me of a cross between Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
Beyond just how gorgeous Celestial Park looks, I really like the concept of the portals and the way it allows disparate concepts to be brought together in the same theme park. The lands selected for Epic Universe have something-for-everyone appeal, with everything from the kid-friendly How to Train Your Dragon franchise to all-ages Super Nintendo World to more adult-oriented Dark Universe.
Assuming the rides are selected with just as much thoughtfulness–and highly credible rumors already indicate that they have been–Epic Universe should be the park that finally puts to rest Universal’s reputation as excluding kids, adults with motion sickness, or grandparents. There will be thrill rides and screen-based attractions, to be sure, but there will also be plenty offering all-ages appeal. That’s huge, and increasingly important as more tourists take multi-generational trips.
It may seem like a minor thing, or ‘celebrity’ endorsement to help sell the project, but I also really like that Steven Spielberg is serving as Creative Consultant on Epic Universe. As the video below mentions, it was Spielberg’s idea to ‘ride the movies,’and he was heavily involved with the conception of Universal Studios Florida prior to that park’s 1990 opening. (It’s been rumored for years that Spielberg is the “protector” of E.T. Adventure, solely saving it from bulldozers.)
“Epic Universe is built on an amazing concept: the idea that you can go into a world through a portal and you come out in a world you never could dream of–you can experience it. I think it’s going to just feed the imagination of so many people of all ages,” said Spielberg. I think you could see the director’s fingerprints on the original Universal Studios Florida, and it would be great if Universal Creative married its bleeding edge technology with more sentimentality and emotion. A formula that Spielberg has perfected in moviemaking!
Speaking of which, this ‘formula’ is present in the “trailer” that Universal released for Epic Universe alongside this announcement, which we’d highly recommend watching:
If Universal sticks the landing on Epic Universe, it will fulfill the company’s goal of transforming Universal Orlando Resort into a bona fide vacation destination. That was seemingly a throw-away line in the press release about Celestial Park and the themed lands, but at the end of the day, that’s what this is about.
Universal wants to capture a bigger slice of the pie when it comes to tourists, getting guests to stay on-site in its hotels and purchase packages or multi-day tickets to its parks, rather than visit for “The Harry Potter Park” as a diversion from Disney.
Although this is a Disney blog first and foremost (see URL), we don’t want to fixate too much on the business side or Walt Disney World angle of Epic Universe joining the Florida theme park landscape. For one thing, because we’ve already done a decent amount of that recently in Is Universal “Beating” Disney?
All I will say is that this reveal of Epic Universe is certainly further proof that Comcast is more aggressive than Disney in actual action. Whereas the latter is doing blue sky daydreaming about nebulous future plans to double investment in theme parks to $60 billion over the next decade, Comcast is taking concrete next steps. Disney is talking; Universal is doing.
Obviously, a lot still remains to be seen, but this big first look at Universal’s Epic Universe is really, really impressive and exciting. It has me looking forward to the new theme park even more, and learning about what’s inside each themed land (well, maybe minus Super Nintendo World, which is pretty much a known quantity–and an excellent one!).
I also can’t wait to step foot inside Epic Universe, which is only a little (?) over a year away from its previously-stated “by Summer 2025” (?) opening date. It’s not often you get to experience a brand-new theme park…and Epic Universe truly looks like something special.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Universal’s Epic Universe? Thoughts on the look and atmosphere of Celestial Park or any of the other concept art? Excited for Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe/Classic Monsters, or the How to Train Your Dragon lands and/or attractions? Think Epic Universe will be a third gate that’s a worthy addition to Universal Orlando Resort…and potentially on par with Disney’s best lands? Expect Disney to “respond” with a big announcement of its own at the 2024 D23 Expo? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
So is this a standard theme park? Early in development – and maybe I’m crazy – I could swear I remember they were considering basically doing individually priced entries into the different ‘lands’ aka “Microtransaction: The Park”. Has that concept been revised back to a normal theme park experience?
The park itself looks great so far, although I do think we need to see more of the attractions to render a full judgment. The better it is, the better for us all – best case is we (1) get a great new theme park the area and (2) coax Disney into being more aggressive with its own parks.
What I saw was speculation that various lands could be closed off for private events and from that came a theoretical conversation about gates-within-gates.
I do think there will end up being a virtual queue and upcharge experiences for accessing certain areas at certain times, but a far cry from “Microtransaction: The Park” (unless you already consider WDW that).
No one needs to guess at Universal’s hotel pricing. You can already book dates throughout 2025 directly through Loews, except for the Helios hotel. I already booked the new Stella hotel for October 2025!
When we travel to Florida, our trips are anywhere from 10-24 days. We usually only spend 3-4 days at Universal, the rest at Disney. Epic Universe will change that. I see us spending at least 7 days at Universal now, in fact, once EU opens, I see a Universal only trip in our future. Still love Disney, but super excited about EU.
Tom, you really do need to watch the How to Train Your Dragon movies. They are fantastic! I’ll look forward to your review!
This revealing was just amazing! Blown away by the level of storytelling, immersion and heart you can feel that has been put into this project. Disney has lost all of that. Can’t even figure out how to make a decent night time show. Get rid of the group think that is holding back the company and go back to their roots what made them the company they were.
I’m thrilled to see the celestial theme and nods to space at EU! There is so much imagination, excitement and awe available to tap.
Big missed opportunity over at Epcot where they could’ve gotten the lead here. GotG is my favorite ride. Still I think they could’ve went much further in dedicating that area to space. Imagineers could’ve made something mind blowing as a themed neighborhood that brought back some flavor of traditional Epcot.
WOW!! Surely this is no surprise to the folks at Disney, right? I like to think there are secret, double agents infiltrated throughout both organizations and that Iger has a secret war room with projected holographic, 3-dimensional Epic Universe plans under detailed study. Whether or not the reality of UOR’s expansion will impact WDW’s immediate business, it’s not a great look to have your little next door neighbor speed-executing plans for an exciting, shiny, immersive new experience while you are casually pointing at clouds and asking, “What do we think? Does that look like Encanto? Villains? No, that one definitely does not look like a Magical Express bus…” No company can dominate their segment in perpetuity, but it would be nice to feel like the Disney team has the fight and focus to refuse to be bested in customer experience and innovation. They should be out there saying, “WE invented the flying dragon ride, like, a decade ago, and now look at THIS new thing!” (It would be more fun for the rest of us, anyway, to see BOTH companies really killing themselves to win our loyalty.)
Imagineers and Universal Creative are definitely buddy-buddy, so at least at that level, Disney knew this was coming. I would hazard a guess all of this was pretty common knowledge at TWDC offices in Orlando, Burbank and Glendale.
My daughter is beyond excited for the How to Train Your Dragon IP, she is toothless for every Halloween, I think that IP has longer legs than folks think. We’ll be there for Berk alone. Can’t think of a single recent original Disney IP that captures the imagination in a similar immersive way. Mayyyyybe Encanto conceives of a universe?
I guess I need to finally break down and watch those movies. I do like dragons and vikings (honestly didn’t even realize the movies had vikings).
@Astrid, it seems you’re calling out the correct IP. I just showed my kids the announcement video and they FREAKED at the Dragons segment. (I was fully expecting more of a reaction to the Ministry of Magic and Mario.) They told me that every kid they know is deeply into the franchise, regardless of age or social group. I guess I need to watch them now, too!
To dovetail with your article about how WDW hotel occupancy is not necessarily indicative of park crowds, speaking for this DVC member….we will be planning a trip in Summer 2025 while staying at one of the DVC Villas, but visiting USO Epic Universe!
I had literally zero expectations about Epic Universe. This looks awesome so far! We have the USH Neighbor Pass and have visited Super Nintendo World a lot. We love the whimsy of it all and enjoy multiple rides on Mario Kart, but it is lacking in size and other ride offerings. My hope is that this land will have more space dedicated at EU as well as at least two rides (I believe they will have Mario Kart AND a Donkey Kong mine coaster, right?). Looking forward to less screens-a gripe you mentioned earlier…coming from a mama who used to be able to handle it all until inflicted with motion sickness at age 30- thank you for understanding a large part of your audience, Universal!
Our heart will always be with our #1, Disney, but hopefully Universal will induce some motivation to getting Disney- both in our home area, DLR and our annual vacation spot, WDW- to walk the walk like Universal and not just talking the blue sky talk. Disney should sit in their embarrassment of knowing how long it is taking/it took to open the Little Mermaid puppet show, CommuniCore regional park, and the Cake Bake Shop (which may not be Disney’s fault, but it paints a picture).
OK Disney, the ball is in your court. When Universal played Harry Potter, you countered with Star Wars (we can talk about execution of the concept versus what what delivered for another day and hope that does not happen again). With even bigger stakes being thrown out with Universal this time, this is the time for Disney to make an actionable decision and decide to not only announce something they WILL do (not just blue sky!) and WHEN it will be done by (preferably 2026 to let EU have Summer 2025).
Super Nintendo World will have Mario Kart and Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness, as you mentioned. It’ll also have Yoshi’s Adventure, the version of which in Japan is (honestly) awful. I really hope they re-work and lengthen that, as the concept is good, but the ride itself leaves a lot to be desired.
It all looks super impressive – but I did laugh at the “over fifty attractions!” claim, as if each land will have ten rides. Obviously, attractions include more than moving-vehicle rides but the implication of that verbiage was very much intended. In reality, there will only be a dozen rides by my count. Harry Potter will only have one, Celestial Park and Dark Universe two each, SNW three and Isle of Berk four. It’s a far, far cry from 50+, but it’s STILL starting out stronger on ride count than all three of WDW’s secondary parks, none of which have reached the round dozen. Ironically, their hodgepodge Harry Potter land may be the weakest, considering how that franchise popularized immersive theming for Universal. I know Fantastic Beasts has been a failure, but they had plenty of time to swap out the land’s theme once they settled on the Ministry of Magic attraction, which is in London, not Paris. With that roster – which can only grow if the expansion pads are any indication – as well as three new hotels, including the first in-park hotel in Orlando, I foresee that Universal will be really having a boom next year while WDW flounders. You only have to compare Celestial Park to the Epcot central spine redesign – yikes!
For what it’s worth, Disney “pioneered” that same trick with Hong Kong Disneyland. For that park’s first decade, they listed little photo ops as “attractions” on the park map and boasted a ridiculous number that was like 5x the ride count.
Totally agree about the stark contrast between Celestial Park and the EPCOT central spine redesign. One of my first thoughts is that this will take less time to build from the ground up than that took.
Looks cool, but I feelike the rides at universal are very adult . I can barely get my youngest on the mid tier Disney ones. My kids did like Harry Potter lands when we went 2 or so years ago but I would need more mid tier stuff to be excited by this- like rides in line with big thunder, slinky, mine train , etc.
Wow that ad was amazing and exciting. I agree that the celestial theme and main section is really interesting and if they execute well I can see whole specific subsets of people wanting to go there in costume to just be in the space (steampunk, victorian dress subsets, and Sarah J Maas fans- starfall anyone.) And then you can stay in the park in that hotel so incredible immersive stay. Off the top of my head, I can think of five different themed conventions around the US that would love to throw their CON at that hotel and people would pay BIG bucks to be able to “live” inside of that type of world. It’s all going to come down to cost. What’s it going to cost me to stay there and do all of that? I’m betting that it’s going to be a pretty penny. Is it going to match current Disney cost, be just under, or be more? They said that they’re aiming for a full week experience. My guess is that the average current stay is somewhere around 3-4 days even though they regularly try and keep you for 5. If Disney doesn’t respond this fall with substantive plans for MK expansion they are fools. Because right now I’m thinking of a Universal only trip, but if they bring it on and plan to open their big new “land” closer together it might financially be worth it to wait and combine. Again, it’ll all be numbers.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the average Universal visit is 1-day and the average on-site stay is under 3-nights. Maybe like 2.5.
I cannot imagine this moves that all the way to 4-days and 5-nights on average, but it’ll still get those numbers up by meaningful amounts.
I’ll be interested to see what you think once you go to it. Is it going to be a more than one day park or not? That’s the question. To soak up the atmosphere more than likely more than one, but to do it all I bet you can do it in one day.
This does look fantastic and imaginative, and I am impressed.
That said, I’m surprised at the number of commenters I see who seem to be rooting for this to cause WDW to fail or just lose visitors. If this increases tourism to central FL, it’s a win for everyone. And I didn’t hear a peep out of anyone when Universal recently announced huge cuts to live entertainment at their parks. But there are plenty of complaints about the same at WDW.
This is not to say that either destination should be making cuts to what they offer. But if you are going to get mad about how WDW is no longer “a good value” then you should hold Universal parks to the same standards.
My first thought…Big Disney discounts coming 2025.
Thank you Universal!. Beautiful Parks.
These are the benefits of competition.
Everyone wins.
What I do wonder, as a trans ally, is how the Harry Potter stuff will age. I know personally I feel uncomfortable getting pictures with HP stuff thanks to JK’s transphobic comments. I know I’m in a vocal minority, but – if we are in a Better Timeline where transphobia becomes less acceptable over time – will HP stuff (particularly stuff made after she devoted her resources and energy to attacking trans women) eventually have the same look that Splash Mountain did by the end?
Sorry to be the downer here! But I do think, particularly when so many trans people are asking folks to stop giving JK money and positive attention, it’s worth bringing up!
Average people are not activists. For the most part, they do not boycott in meaningful numbers for sustained amounts of time.
Pick pretty much any subject or issue from any direction, and the end result is the same. Doesn’t matter whether it’s Michael Jackson, Bud Light, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Disney, etc. The only time boycotts “work” is when the product itself sucks. That’s why more people “boycotted” the Gollum game than the HP one last year. That’s not a value judgment on the righteousness of this or any cause–just saying that it is what it is.
With that said, I think it does matter when the thing itself is deemed problematic, as it serves as a constant reminder of that and becomes a liability for the company. But in all of these examples, the product itself has a degree of separation from whatever the issue is. That makes Harry Potter unlike Splash Mountain, scenes in PotC (ride), or other content of a different era that has not aged well due to its subject matter or portrayals.
Hmmmm…. more lies about “transphobia.” JK Rowling is more popular than ever because her comments were PRO kids — as in protecting them. So proud of her and so upset about the lies about her. We are PRO trans because we want to protect kids from making life-long altering decisions when they are minors. We need to stop the lies and the hate against Rowling and those of us who have the best interests of kids at heart. I cannot believe someone would post such a lie about Rowling on the DisneyTouristBlog.
I’ve never been excited about Universal , but this park truly looks great. It’s amazing that it will get built in less time than a new Little Mermaid show, too.
“It’s amazing that it will get built in less time than a new Little Mermaid show, too.”
LOL! Harsh…but I can’t spot the lie.
Wow! Universal builds entire parks over the time it takes Disney to make an attraction that has been out for years and lasts 60 seconds. Disney should be ashamed of themselves while Universal continues to push the envelope by offering exceptional experiences that all walks of life can afford.
“…that all walks of life can afford.”
Universal will charge prices as high as the market will bear, just like Disney.
If this ends up being a smash hit, their prices–particularly for the on-site hotels–will skyrocket. Agree with your sentiment about Universal building quickly and Disney sitting on their hands, but it’s absurd to think that Disney is a cold-hearted business and Universal is looking after the common man. They’re one in the same.
This. Looks. AWESOME! The closer we get to 2025 the more I find myself thinking I should probably plan a trip to Orlando for that year. I had thought I could wait a year or two after opening to visit but I find myself really being tempted by the idea of visiting a brand new theme park during it’s first year of operation. That does not seem like something likely to happen again anytime soon, at least in the US.
I also continue to be amused by the difference between Disney and Universal’s approaches to releasing information. It feels like Disney will basically tell you as soon as they have thought about doing something, whereas Universal will be building a new ride in plain sight of everyone before finally confirming what it is.
I’m actually more excited about the Celestial Park aspect of Epic Universe than pretty much any other aspect – if the implementation is anything close to the concept art – as I love Victorian-style architecture. Hoping that Super Mario World in FL is a little bigger than SMW in Osaka – it was insanely crowded the day we visited, and that was a ‘low attendance’ day.
“Hoping that Super Mario World in FL is a little bigger than SMW in Osaka – it was insanely crowded the day we visited, and that was a ‘low attendance’ day.”
Same and same. At the very least, it has the Donkey Kong Country expansion, but I also hope there’s a bit more breathing room in the land. There should be, given that Epic Universe is not nearly as space-constrained at Osaka or Hollywood.
“…reminds me of a cross between Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea”
Now, I’ve never been to either, but I have read your thoughts on both on DTB, and, dang, that is high praise! Execution, of course, is everything, but I cannot wait to see Celestial Park and Epic.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Universal Creative has a decent amount of talent that worked on Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. It’s common to ‘staff up’ ahead of a big project and then downsize after, so there are probably a fair number of creatives who bounced from Imagineering to Universal Creative for Universal Beijing after Shanghai Disneyland was done; many of them probably stuck around for Epic Universe.
Two questions.
Do you think this means speculation of February 2025 opening is realistic now?
Is this a dagger in the heart of Disney World, who seem to be going backwards bar one or two attractions?
1) If you could judge construction solely on exterior progress, February 2025 wouldn’t surprise me in the least. So it really comes down to how far along the rides themselves are, and whether testing goes smoothly. Universal is incredibly aggressive and likes to do soft openings/technical rehearsals, so starting previews in February and opening in April or May wouldn’t surprise me in the least.
2) Definitely not. Theme park fans need to zoom out a little, for lack of a better term. We often only look at what’s new or who is “winning” in the moment, as if only the last year or 5 years worth of additions count. That is absolutely not how the average guest views theme parks. I think the ability of Universal to peel away on-site stays is what’ll be most damaging to Disney. But there’s also the potential for Universal helping further grow the theme park market in Central Florida, and Disney not seeing much in the way of negative effects, at all.
My first ever Tom reply, wooo!!!
Impressed with how quick you pulled your piece together, bravo.
I’m sure you will have read speculation re. rate surge around mid-February, hence first question.
And if they can get soft opening Feb/Mar gives them some sort of proving ground ahead of Spring Break and Easter seasons rather than waiting until mid-2025.
I take your point on macro view. I think the problem (for me) is the perception is that Disney are sometimes glacial. We have been to Orlando as a family twice, 2017 and 2022. If I think in fairness, Galaxy’s Edge, Pandora, Ratatouille and Guardians of the Galaxy was added in that span (that come to mind) and I suppose that’s certainly not nothing. But sitting here looking at next couple of years, repurposed Splash Mountain isn’t exactly a gamechanger. For Universal to increase their attractions effectively overnight by 50% (2 parks>3) has to hurt a little. It is certainly a statement. Maybe ‘dagger in the heart’ was a bit dramatic.
How about, “blow dart…in my butt cheek!” 😉