Orange is the new Red
Well-Known Member
If you could duck a wrench, you could duck a ball.
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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
- Thread starter Bob Harlem
- Start date
BringMeTheHoriz
Active Member
Yes, my thoughts based on experiencing everything this park has to offer (except MoM) multiple times over multiple days.
Is the park a Disney killer? To me nothing can kill the draw that is the magic and nostalgia of Orlando’s castle park. But will this park take another full day of a theme park visitor’s vacation in Orlando from Disney? It absolutely will, and that’s why it was built.
Orange is the new Red
Well-Known Member
Totally, short term. There is a scenario though playing out right now that can bite universal in the butt. It’s early but the ticket sales are not what they should be. With the economy about to take a major dump I can see this park being a noose around Universals neck for the foreseeable future. I can also see Disney and Universal cancelling a lot of projects in the future. Universal is basing expansion on big sales this summer and moving forward. I am not sure that happens.
Another problem. This park needs more attractions and Universal is in horrific shape outside of potter.
Another big mistake by Universal is building all of those economy hotels on I4. That group of tourists are not going to drive revenue.
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DarkMetroid567
Well-Known Member
I’m not going to read the post you’re replying to bc it seems like it might annoy me but hey — I wouldn’t call TDS my #1 park for attractions and it’s still my favorite!…and later in the comments they say Epic is the #1 park for attractions in Orlando
ehhhhh
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
I don't think Universal ever thought Epic was going to be a Disney killer. What Epic is supposed to do is make Universal a 4-5 night vacation with Disney being the add on.
Stripes
Premium Member
That’s what Universal/Comcast executives are hoping for and it’s also the justification for this investment.
I don’t see it happening.
Streetway Again
Well-Known Member
that sounds WAAAY too optimistic, and I like universal. I’m nervous that if it falls short, execs will pull back on the investment.
I don’t think Epic will ever be a full on euro Disney impact but still. That is not a good recipe. Hope it works out
Epic the park will be great
How’s that NDA treating you?
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
…..looks like a straw attack to me; and if not straws then sheer naivety
Orange is the new Red
Well-Known Member
Streetway Again
Well-Known Member
I don’t really think universal CAN kill disney in the way they want to. Not because they can’t make great attractions, and have better parks which they can do, it’s just that Disneyland and Disney world have permiated pop culture in a way that is behind any other theme park. (Not to sound glazey).
But I hope epic leads them to a bright future where they give competitors a wake up call.
And do we Really need to still do this console wars shtick? Team both.
Orange is the new Red
Well-Known Member
I’m not sure who it was but I think the park president said the other day, he now wants to be the park that people think of first in Orlando ahead of Disney.
I think that is the short and mid term plan.
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Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. Are we comparing a ticket that gets you into 4 theme parks in a day, to a ticket that gets you into a single park?
So can I.
I was there when it was called the sandbox and you couldn't go to the bathroom without PPE.
Moth
Well-Known Member
Four theme parks that are loaded with attractions, one has a boat load of animal exhibits, compared to one park that has... 14 attractions if you include shows and put the carousel on equal footing with Monsters Unchained.
I mean, I'm going, I'm excited for this, but that price should definitely get another look at. This isn't Magic Kingdom levels of iconic to get away with Magic Kingdom pricing. This is an all new park where the most popular IP has been done in two cheaper parks apart of the same company in Florida (HP).
As someone who was raised in Florida I understand most in that state know about what all the parks have to offer….but what about the rest of the country…. As someone who now lives in Wisconsin…. Most of the people I have encountered have talked about planning a Disney vacation…. No one had ever mentioned a Universal vacation…. Much less know what each park has to offer….Comcast better have some amazing promotion lined up if they want that elusive Universal vacation with Disney add on
Streetway Again
Well-Known Member
Is anyone worried at all that EU won’t live up to the person hype you’ve built up over years of excitement for it?
A bit nervous about that ngl.
Happened with cosmic rewind for me
A bit nervous about that ngl.
Happened with cosmic rewind for me
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
I don’t think they’ll ever be most people’s primary reason to go to Orlando (not in my lifetime anyway), and I also don’t think they’ll get 4-5 nights of most peoples vacations, but I fully agree it’s meant to make Uni a larger portion of more peoples trips. I think if Uni can change their Orlando parks from a 1-2 day add on to a 3-4 day shared trip they’ll consider Epic a 100% success.
My guess is most people have a week at most for their FL trip, with a couple days devoted in part to travel that leaves 4 full days at WDW and 1 full day at Uni, if Epic can turn that into 2-3 days at WDW and 2-3 days at Uni that would be a seismic shift in how people view vacationing in Orlando.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
I think it's always healthy not to go into anything expecting it to be earth shattering, if that's where your expectations are.
I'm curious to see what happens over the coming months, but this is also giving me IOA/Universal Escape vibes in the sense that there has been some glee in hyping up something new that will be an immediate game changer. Instead, I suspect it will take Universal more than Disney some time to absorb and understand the impact of the new park.
It is also worth noting that Universal is opening this park in a very challenging environment. Attendance at WDW and Universal is down and there is a lot of economic uncertainty including talk of a recession in the near future. Already, Uni seems to be hit harder than Disney and I'm not sure I buy that it is because of so many people waiting for Epic Universe. In the longer term, the park may be part of a successful strategy to shift the Orlando theme park vacation market more in their favour as I think IOA also was. In the shorter term, though, they're not having much luck in terms of timing and are probably being too aggressive in terms of pricing.
Just as a point of personal preference, I also think Uni should stop building so many exposed roller coasters. It's not that those rides aren't popular, but rather they send a signal that their parks are still on a continuum between amusement parks and Disney theme parks rather than equal to or better than Disney parks. I always think of the signal that seeing Maliboomer sent about the quality of DCA 1.0 before you even entered the park. Maybe that's just me, though.
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