Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025

[lazyboy97o]

We also have no way of knowing if there were any specific cost-saving cuts other than the cancelled attractions. No one who would know has shared that information. The most we can do is speculate.

Just those alone is enough to know. Value engineering is relative. It’s about staying on budget, so it doesn’t matter if your budget is $7 or $7 billion. But yes, more than just the attractions were cut. There was some retail and dining as well. Ambition of attractions too (which is crazy to say given that some remain highly ambitious) depending on how you look at things.

 

[Andrew C]

To be fair, ballooning costs across the board do not preclude cuts and value engineering.

That is fair...considering every project ends up with some kind of cuts. What those cuts are, when, why, and how is another story.

 

[Orange is the new Red]

Just those alone is enough to know. Value engineering is relative. It’s about staying on budget, so it doesn’t matter if your budget is $7 or $7 billion. But yes, more than just the attractions were cut. There was some retail and dining as well. Ambition of attractions too (which is crazy to say given that some remain highly ambitious) depending on how you look at things.

It’s interesting how theme park fans know all of the competitors short comings and inflate them but turn a blind eye to what they like.

 

[Drew the Disney Dude]

Good morning! Team Members will be able to bring family to Epic Universe from March 17-25, and March 29-31. Team Members will be able to bring 3 Guests (4 total tickets). Registration opens on March 12 at 8:30 AM EST.

If anyone on here has family working at the park, make sure they are aware of this preview opportunity.

 

[Moth]

Good morning! Team Members will be able to bring family to Epic Universe from March 17-25, and March 29-31. Team Members will be able to bring 3 Guests (4 total tickets). Registration opens on March 12 at 8:30 AM EST.

If anyone on here has family working at the park, make sure they are aware of this preview opportunity.

Anyways I'm leaving the thread to guess what I'm doing March 20th.

 

[JT3000]

Just those alone is enough to know. Value engineering is relative. It’s about staying on budget, so it doesn’t matter if your budget is $7 or $7 billion. But yes, more than just the attractions were cut. There was some retail and dining as well. Ambition of attractions too (which is crazy to say given that some remain highly ambitious) depending on how you look at things.

Is it enough? At least one of the cancelled attractions was cancelled because they decided it wasn't a good idea, not because they couldn't afford it. Another was supposedly just postponed to a second phase, but has ended up in limbo as far as I'm aware. Whether or not that could be considered "value engineering" is debatable, but I also think it's largely irrelevant, as people here are mostly criticizing what was actually built based on observations from aerials, as if they know for certain it was supposed to look different (read: more expensive.) Can you give other, specific examples of the park being made less ambitious?

 

[BringMeTheHoriz]

Is it enough? At least one of the cancelled attractions was cancelled because they decided it wasn't a good idea, not because they couldn't afford it. Another was supposedly just postponed to a second phase, but has ended up in limbo as far as I'm aware. Whether or not that could be considered "value engineering" is debatable, but I also think it's largely irrelevant, as people here are mostly criticizing what was actually built based on observations from aerials, as if they know for certain it was supposed to look different (read: more expensive.) Can you give other, specific examples of the park being made less ambitious?

Agreed 100%. The bolded bit is laughable for those of us who have been in Epic because the level of details is off the charts. Aerials aren’t showing what’s going on in the queues, on the rides, in the restaurants, and yes in the bathrooms. This is how I know @Orange is the new Red hasn’t been to Epic yet, and is better off sitting this one out until he has.

 

[Orange is the new Red]

Agreed 100%. The bolded bit is laughable for those of us who have been in Epic because the level of details is off the charts. Aerials aren’t showing what’s going on in the queues, on the rides, in the restaurants, and yes in the bathrooms. This is how I know @Orange is the new Red hasn’t been to Epic yet, and is better off sitting this one out until he has.

ive been there on the ground!!! I agree but the execution feels cheap in some places It’s like they took a throwing e against the wall approach.

Maybe I shouldn’t sit this one out.

 

[BringMeTheHoriz]

You are a bad human being.

ive been there on the ground!!! I agree but the execution feels cheap in some places It’s like they took a throwing e against the wall approach.

Maybe I shouldn’t sit this one out.

Ah interesting! As a TM during previews? Were you able to ride some rides?

 

[Andrew25]

My biggest criticism of Universal is that they tend to drop the ball around the edges. They have great products, but they then cut (or cheap out) on some things.

Part of that is because they love to introduce a lot of new technology into their attractions, so other things get cut in favor of that.

In Dark Universe, I'm ok with Werewolf in the land... but I wished they invested in more proper ways to act as a net between the ride and guests such as rockwork or castle ruins instead of those ugly nets.

In Donkey Kong, the corrugated metal hiding the outside world will be very easy to spot. Sure it's green, but there are areas in the land you can easily walk up to it.

Mind you, these are all small issues I have that don't ruin my day at the parks... but I just wish they could work on this stuff just a bit more.

 

[luv house of the mouse]

Fountains are cool generally. But still nothing in America surpasses the Bellagio fountains for me.

I will say the Wynn and their lake of dreams is incredible.

 

[luv house of the mouse]

Aerial views of lighting testing via bioreconstruct:

I know this is just a test, do we think it will eventually do more of a slow transition on the colors or will always be close to a seizure inducing speed

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Good morning! Team Members will be able to bring family to Epic Universe from March 17-25, and March 29-31. Team Members will be able to bring 3 Guests (4 total tickets). Registration opens on March 12 at 8:30 AM EST.

If anyone on here has family working at the park, make sure they are aware of this preview opportunity.

I wonder if photos will be allowed during the previews. Doubtful, but there's also a lot less they can do to family/friends than TMs

 

[Moth]

I wonder if photos will be allowed during the previews. Doubtful, but there's also a lot less they can do to family/friends than TMs

No photos.

 

[Tom Morrow]

FWIW I’m not hearing completely raving reviews from my TM friends. Some aspects are amazing, like the Monsters ride, the shows, and the food. A lot of other aspects are lackluster.

A very obvious example is how Monsters Unchained is a fully themed experience from top to bottom. But then beyond that, Werewolf is no better than Hippogriff, maybe worse because it is almost entirely unthemed track and nets surrounding the walkways with ample views of backstage.

It’s pretty clear at this point that the entire park is not a top to bottom Diagon Alley level experience like many were anticipating or that it was hyped up to be.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It's hilarious to say this about the most expensive theme park ever built.

Aww... USO is just like WDW... unable to build without giant cost overruns!!

 

[Andrew25]

I know this is just a test, do we think it will eventually do more of a slow transition on the colors or will always be close to a seizure inducing speed

This is just a test. First time they've been recorded and active

FWIW I’m not hearing completely raving reviews from my TM friends. Some aspects are amazing, like the Monsters ride, the shows, and the food. A lot of other aspects are lackluster.

A very obvious example is how Monsters Unchained is a fully themed experience from top to bottom. But then beyond that, Werewolf is no better than Hippogriff, maybe worse because it is almost entirely unthemed track and nets surrounding the walkways with ample views of backstage.

It’s pretty clear at this point that the entire park is not a top to bottom Diagon Alley level experience like many were anticipating or that it was hyped up to be.

Werewolf is more themed than Hippogriff, with the exception that Hippogriff doesn't have those ugly nets along its track.

Since the park's first aerial concept art was release, it was pretty obvious there would be "holes" in the theming. Nintendo and Ministry will be the two "Diagon Alley" level lands in theming. Pretty difficult to see outside those two lands.

HTTYD & Monsters, unfortunately, are where you either get very little theming (Dark Universe) or visual intrusions from outside the world (HTTYD - Stardust) or unthemed showbuildings (Untrainable Dragon building).

Outside of that, the park is great.

Some aspects are amazing, like the Monsters ride, the shows, and the food. A lot of other aspects are lackluster.

I think you can describe any other park in Orlando with this statement.

I'm not defending Universal (I hate some of the choices they've made here creatively and ticketing, etc.), but there will unfortunately be 'duds' in any project of this scale.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

I will say the Wynn and their lake of dreams is incredible.

I’m a Vegas native and make it a point to bring friends and out-of-town friends. I love it so much even if the cocktails are now like $22 pre tax and tip lol

 

[rd805]

Remember -- they will be plus-ing seemingly very quickly. They have to get the doors open, and start making $$. Once that occurs, MORE experiences across their parks are on the way.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Remember -- they will be plus-ing seemingly very quickly. They have to get the doors open, and start making $$. Once that occurs, MORE experiences across their parks are on the way.

There’s no guarantee of this — is there even precedent?