Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Now Open!

[WDWFREAK53]

That’s one of the big differences between Disney and Universal.

At Walt Disney World, with a few exceptions, face characters who do meet-and-greets are typically drawn from the general character performer pool. They passed a face character audition, but that’s mostly to confirm they match the physical look of the role. The same performer playing Cinderella on Monday might be suited up as Pluto on Tuesday. They basically get paid the same hospitality industry wages as Pluto or Goofy, with a slight differential for face character that day.

At Universal Orlando, face characters are actors. They audition specifically for those roles, often performing monologues and participating in improv exercises. They’re expected to stay in character and improvise on the spot. They have contracts and earn fairly decent salaries. Many also act in local theater productions, and outside of their non-union work at Universal, some are active members of SAG-AFTRA or AEA.

So what I'm understanding is that Disney hires based on looks, height, body type, etc....and Universal hires based on the "content of their character?"

 

[mkt]

So what I'm understanding is that Disney hires based on looks, height, body type, etc....and Universal hires based on the "content of their character?"

 

[flynnibus]

My guess is Epic will hurt the 2 other Universal parks just as much as it will hurt any Disney park.

They aren’t going to shed a tear if gate clicks go down as long as you add more days to your tickets and more hotel bookings.

Getting all the parks to their peek is something that can trail and come later. Multidays, heads on pillows and the daily spend are what they chase.

And why disney doesn’t report on gate clicks per park… but avg spend

 

[JT3000]

Listen, I know ride quality is subjective and all, but can you, like, actually go on the rides before rating or comparing them?

Same goes for people who are comparing Epic Universe to other parks without having been to it yet.

 

[JusticeDisney]

They aren’t going to shed a tear if gate clicks go down as long as you add more days to your tickets and more hotel bookings.

Getting all the parks to their peek is something that can trail and come later. Multidays, heads on pillows and the daily spend are what they chase.

And why disney doesn’t report on gate clicks per park… but avg spend

All true. My point is that some people just assume that more days at Epic means less days at Disney parks, and that’s not necessarily true.

 

[mkt]

Listen, I know ride quality is subjective and all, but can you, like, actually go on the rides before rating or comparing them?

I did

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Not everyone participating in that discussion has. In fact I'm not convinced one of them has even stepped foot on Universal property. Pretty sure they'd start melting or something.

I went to Universal in 2022 and 2023. I will be seeing Epic Universe and the other 2 theme parks at Universal later this year.

You shouldn't be expecting to be at Epic yet because I like to go to Florida in a less busy time of the year. Since 2006, almost every WDW trip I took happened in late August. My 2 Universal trips happened in late August and my last one in 2023 happened in September.

 

[MrPromey]

They aren’t going to shed a tear if gate clicks go down as long as you add more days to your tickets and more hotel bookings.

Getting all the parks to their peek is something that can trail and come later. Multidays, heads on pillows and the daily spend are what they chase.

And why disney doesn’t report on gate clicks per park… but avg spend

This park has way more table-$ervice dining options in-park than the other two and some really big merch opportunities, too.

People were buying in Super Nintendo World like it was black Friday when I was there.

 

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

will there ever be a day where a forum of full grown adults last three pages in a thread without going down each other throats?

 

[flynnibus]

All true. My point is that some people just assume that more days at Epic means less days at Disney parks, and that’s not necessarily true.

For many (and probably most) it does mean that. A new theme park opening doesn’t result in you getting more vacation days or change your kid’s other activities. People only have so many days they can be away and give to one will mean taking away from another.

I think both properties hope the competition squeeze an additional FL trip out of people’s normal vacation loop.

 

[flynnibus]

So saw some reel today highlighting how bad Epic is exposed to rain… calling out that the park only had 3 indoor rides… and outdoor rides were closed for rain and not just lightning.

For some reason that day indoor shows were being cancelled too.

Does Epic have a major liability here where they could get massive drop offs like a water park just based on forecasts? Funneling everyone into so few rides is disaster.

It’s one thing when the park has so little shelter from rain/sun… but would you be satisfied with your admission paid if instead of some attractions being down… 75% of it was?

 

[earlthesquirrellover23]

So saw some reel today highlighting how bad Epic is exposed to rain… calling out that the park only had 3 indoor rides… and outdoor rides were closed for rain and not just lightning.

For some reason that day indoor shows were being cancelled too.

Does Epic have a major liability here where they could get massive drop offs like a water park just based on forecasts? Funneling everyone into so few rides is disaster.

It’s one thing when the park has so little shelter from rain/sun… but would you be satisfied with your admission paid if instead of some attractions being down… 75% of it was?

So epic has 6 attractions (4 rides, 2 shows) open in the rain if there is lightning. Those attractions are Monsters Unchained, Constellation Carousel, Ministry, Mario Kart, Untrainable, and Cirque. This isn't too far off from the number of indoor attractions at some other orlando parks. Islands only has 6 open during weather delays (FJ, Kong, Cat, Storm Force, Carosuessel, Spiderman) and DAK also has 6 (Nemo, Lion King, FOP, Navi River Journey, Dinosaur, and Safari (depending on how bad the weather is)). Epic isn't too bad, especially for a brand new park.

 

[flynnibus]

So epic has 6 attractions (4 rides, 2 shows) open in the rain. Those attractions are Monsters Unchained, Constellation Carousel, Ministry, Mario Kart, Untrainable, and Cirque. This isn't too far off from the number of indoor attractions at some other orlando parks. Islands only has 6 open during weather delays (FJ, Kong, Cat, Storm Force, Carosuessel, Spiderman) and DAK also has 6 (Nemo, Lion King, FOP, Navi River Journey, Dinosaur, and Safari (depending on how bad the weather is)). Epic isn't too bad, especially for a brand new park.

Carousal wasn’t operating in the rain (too slick maybe?). And it was already mentioned the shows were not running regularly either… related or not I can’t say. Regardless… two shows doesn’t make the cut.

For quick comparisons… i did quick look at IoA and then MGM… and just counting rides (not shows) both easily bested the 3 ride count significantly.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Carousal wasn’t operating in the rain (too slick maybe?). And it was already mentioned the shows were not running regularly either… related or not I can’t say. Regardless… two shows doesn’t make the cut.

For quick comparisons… i did quick look at IoA and then MGM… and just counting rides (not shows) both easily bested the 3 ride count significantly.

I’ve never thought counting the shows very fair, given they only run so often, and once a show is loaded you are stuck.

Sure it helps, but in the end this park was not built for Orlando weather, just like so many others. I haven’t been back to Florida since 2014, but IOA was miserable in bad weather. Which was every day in the summer pretty much.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

will there ever be a day where a forum of full grown adults last three pages in a thread without going down each other throats?

 

[JusticeDisney]

For many (and probably most) it does mean that. A new theme park opening doesn’t result in you getting more vacation days or change your kid’s other activities. People only have so many days they can be away and give to one will mean taking away from another.

I think both properties hope the competition squeeze an additional FL trip out of people’s normal vacation loop.

In my view, people are just as likely to make room for Epic by cutting a day from USO, for example, than they are by cutting a Disney day. Not saying that everyone will do that, but I’m willing to bet that a good number of people will.

 

[DKampy]

In my view, people as just as likely to make room for Epic by cutting a day from USO, for example, than they are by cutting a Disney day. Not saying that everyone will do that, but I’m willing to bet that a good number of people will.

I will say… I notice this where I live…. People I know who have traveled to Orlando who in the past have taken a day off their trip to WDW for Universal…still talk about doing this… but mention that day will be reserved for Epic rather then the other two parks

 

[earlthesquirrellover23]

Carousal wasn’t operating in the rain (too slick maybe?). And it was already mentioned the shows were not running regularly either… related or not I can’t say. Regardless… two shows doesn’t make the cut.

For quick comparisons… i did quick look at IoA and then MGM… and just counting rides (not shows) both easily bested the 3 ride count significantly.

Well Hollywood Studios is majority indoor attractions (I think slinky is the only outdoor one?), so that makes sense, a better comparison for that would be USF which is also mainly indoors. I included the shows for IOA (has none) and DAK too, so I think my point still stands. Carousel is open in weather delays, they may have just been having issues at the time and the shows will continue to and have been getting more reliable.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I will say… I notice this where I live…. People I know who have traveled to Orlando who in the past have taken a day off their trip to WDW for Universal…still talk about doing this… but mention that day will be reserved for Epic rather then the other two parks

Yes, I don't think we'll really know whether Epic's attendance is coming more at the expense of other Universal or Disney parks or mostly from new or longer visits until the quarterly resorts come out. I haven't seen many people commenting on how crowds seem at the other parks, but that never seems particularly reliable as people often claim they're low and then the quarterly reports come out that contradict the anecdotal observations or screenshots of wait times.

I'm not entirely convinced by the logic according to which Epic's attendance would come more at the expense of WDW than Universal parks. It seems more likely that those splitting time between both resorts allocate one of their Uni rather than one of their WDW days to Epic, while those who spend their entire time at Uni will presumably now be at Epic on at least one day they would have been in another park. I would similarly expect a new addition at WDW to reshuffle attendance between WDW's parks more than between WDW and Universal.

With Epic's relatively low capacity and people visiting especially for Epic, it is also, of course, possible the impact on other parks is relatively low. I think that would be the first time that has ever happened with the opening of a new park, though.

 

[DKampy]

Yes, I don't think we'll really know whether Epic's attendance is coming more at the expense of other Universal or Disney parks or mostly from new or longer visits until the quarterly resorts come out. I haven't seen many people commenting on how crowds seem at the other parks, but that never seems particularly reliable as people often claim they're low and then the quarterly reports come out that contradict the anecdotal observations or screenshots of wait times.

I'm not entirely convinced by the logic according to which Epic's attendance would come more at the expense of WDW than Universal parks. It seems more likely that those splitting time between both resorts allocate one of their Uni rather than one of their WDW days to Epic, while those who spend their entire time at Uni will presumably now be at Epic on at least one day they would have been in another park. I would similarly expect a new addition at WDW to reshuffle attendance between WDW's parks more than between WDW and Universal.

With Epic's relatively low capacity and people visiting especially for Epic, it is also, of course, possible the impact on other parks is relatively low. I think that would be the first time that has ever happened with the opening of a new park, though.

My best guess is that there there will be a net positive for all parks in the Orlando area… as in more people traveling to the Orlando area that would not have without Epic Universe