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

[Tom Morrow]

Culturally, this is spot on, but most of their policies and procedures are nearly identical.

Yep. On paper, they're nearly identical.

That’s just corporate America in a nutshell.

Unfortunately.

 

[maxairmike]

So I’ve been 3 times, and I really don’t get all the complaints about the park not being fully immersive in certain lands. I’ve ridden Stardust and Hiccup’s several times, and not once was I pulled out of the experience on either by outside views/intrusions. I noticed the cherry picker on Hiccup’s the first time, but it was very much a “oh, what’s tha…woah this is fun!” thing that had 0 impact on the experience. Both coasters are so fun that I think you have to be purposely ignoring the ride experience to look for these things, and I know how that goes because I purposely pull myself out of experiences to look at the technical stuff at times. I stood around for the Burning Blade a few times, and nothing pulled me out of the experience. Helios being visible never once impacted me. Sure, the HTTYD theater facade could have been better, but I didn’t even notice/think twice about it my 2nd and 3rd visits.

I very much think a product should be the absolute best it can be, and I’m fine saying things maybe should/could have been better, but I think a lot of the criticism is overblown in terms of the realistic impact it has on the experience, and takes away from other criticisms that are probably more legitimately impactful to the average guest and not those of us that willingly and deliberately look for the stuff like this at the expense of our enjoyment.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

So I’ve been 3 times, and I really don’t get all the complaints about the park not being fully immersive in certain lands. I’ve ridden Stardust and Hiccup’s several times, and not once was I pulled out of the experience on either by outside views/intrusions. I noticed the cherry picker on Hiccup’s the first time, but it was very much a “oh, what’s tha…woah this is fun!” thing that had 0 impact on the experience. Both coasters are so fun that I think you have to be purposely ignoring the ride experience to look for these things, and I know how that goes because I purposely pull myself out of experiences to look at the technical stuff at times. I stood around for the Burning Blade a few times, and nothing pulled me out of the experience. Helios being visible never once impacted me. Sure, the HTTYD theater facade could have been better, but I didn’t even notice/think twice about it my 2nd and 3rd visits.

I very much think a product should be the absolute best it can be, and I’m fine saying things maybe should/could have been better, but I think a lot of the criticism is overblown in terms of the realistic impact it has on the experience, and takes away from other criticisms that are probably more legitimately impactful to the average guest and not those of us that willingly and deliberately look for the stuff like this at the expense of our enjoyment.

I’m picking up what you mean, but I think these parks are works of art and can be treated as such. I don’t think this take is any different than the “just turn your brain off and have fun” comments that some blockbuster movies get. I really enjoy the MCU movies even when they have bad plots or awful CGI.

You’re right that these immersion breaks are not a huge deal and many won’t even notice. But I think some will, and I don’t think it’s overly negative to point it out. I love Hiccup’s but the first few seconds of the ride are really ugly lol

 

[Disney Analyst]

So I’ve been 3 times, and I really don’t get all the complaints about the park not being fully immersive in certain lands. I’ve ridden Stardust and Hiccup’s several times, and not once was I pulled out of the experience on either by outside views/intrusions. I noticed the cherry picker on Hiccup’s the first time, but it was very much a “oh, what’s tha…woah this is fun!” thing that had 0 impact on the experience. Both coasters are so fun that I think you have to be purposely ignoring the ride experience to look for these things, and I know how that goes because I purposely pull myself out of experiences to look at the technical stuff at times. I stood around for the Burning Blade a few times, and nothing pulled me out of the experience. Helios being visible never once impacted me. Sure, the HTTYD theater facade could have been better, but I didn’t even notice/think twice about it my 2nd and 3rd visits.

I very much think a product should be the absolute best it can be, and I’m fine saying things maybe should/could have been better, but I think a lot of the criticism is overblown in terms of the realistic impact it has on the experience, and takes away from other criticisms that are probably more legitimately impactful to the average guest and not those of us that willingly and deliberately look for the stuff like this at the expense of our enjoyment.

Okay but the cherry picker is like… stupidly bad. Have they not found a way to cover it up yet?!

 

[SplashJacket]

Regarding the comments about inexperienced TMs, with a new park, these TMs have only been at their venues for at most a few months.

Next was a Disney College Program CM who noticed us taking all kinds of photos in Restaurant-osaurus. She shared her story with us, about how she was majoring in theme parks/tourism and how big of a Joe Rhode fan she was before escorting us around the restaurant and pointing out all sorts of little hidden details and secrets for us to make sure we had photos of, along with sharing some stories about them. To some she was just a janitor but for us, she transcended her role into something wonderful and memorable.

An interaction like the one detailed above would be tough to have -- at say Celine, because these TMs are new to their venues, and even though this CM was a CP, their product knowledge (like their love of Joe Rhode) likely extended far before their program.

Most people who work at Disney and Universal are fans of the respective products, and many grew up going to these parks.

With Epic, no one grew up going to Epic. If I got a job today at Epcot, I could tell you just about the location of every restaurant, bathroom, Guest service, etc. A job at Epic, I would have no clue beyond the utmost basics (I don't know the bathrooms, Guest Service kiosks, etc.) because I haven't had the years of experiencing the park to build that institutional knowledge.

We often take for granted how knowledgeable CMs are, but it's from such a high level of product knowledge/familiarity that doesn't materialize overnight.

 

[MrPromey]

Regarding the comments about inexperienced TMs, with a new park, these TMs have only been at their venues for at most a few months.

An interaction like the one detailed above would be tough to have -- at say Celine, because these TMs are new to their venues, and even though this CM was a CP, their product knowledge (like their love of Joe Rhode) likely extended far before their program.

Most people who work at Disney and Universal are fans of the respective products, and many grew up going to these parks.

With Epic, no one grew up going to Epic. If I got a job today at Epcot, I could tell you just about the location of every restaurant, bathroom, Guest service, etc. A job at Epic, I would have no clue beyond the utmost basics (I don't know the bathrooms, Guest Service kiosks, etc.) because I haven't had the years of experiencing the park to build that institutional knowledge.

We often take for granted how knowledgeable CMs are, but it's from such a high level of product knowledge/familiarity that doesn't materialize overnight.

Regarding experience in general though, I wonder if an effort was made to offer transfers from the existing two parks.

Seems like this would have been a good opportunity to move some experienced TMs into roles in the new park to both counter some of the challenges with the newbies and to also just even things out in general by putting some of the new people into existing roles in the other two.

I mean, a new park is a challenge for anyone but a stand selling freestyle Coke cups and churros should operate pretty much the same, anywhere, right?

Someone familiar with their retail system in one park should be able to work a register in this one without blinking, right?

Maybe they did that?

 

[My95cobras]

I did not…. But there were people gleeful about those posters predictions that Universal was going to cause WDW to fall due to Epic..,, I am sure it is a great park and I look forward to visiting it one day…. But Epic is not the Disney killer many Uni fan boys were hoping for

No sense talking to you about it if you haven’t been…. The reason people stopped posting is no one has brought up a new issue, just people posting the same complaints. Most of them, like you, have no standing since they’ve never been.

 

[flynnibus]

Wait times were almost always better than things at the MK too which meant splitting time over there as passholders was always a connvenient way to break up the day

Epcot was also really the first monster people eater at such scale. Outside communicore, every future world attraction was a monster people eater. It has open space nearly in every direction. Distance paced out crowds. Everything show wise was continuous… huge preshows like at UoE broke things up… even 30min plus waits were basically always moving lines. And the ws attractions why bot nearly as interesting, where also pretty high turnover shows.

This era was really where disney was mastering how to make long waits managable- and it really reduced the angst over waits.

I will say I don't recall them (Disney with EPCOT Center) having any notable opening struggles with opperations or attraction uptimes

They did… imagination and AA in particular. Whole rides didn’t open with the park. But they made improvements and settled it down with about 6months.

People were confused a bit by epcot and it’s style… but i think you are focused a bit too much on individual preferences vs what transpired as a whole. People wanted familiar disney… and the toddler crowd where definitely more left out verse the MK.

 

[MrPromey]

They did… imagination and AA in particular. Whole rides didn’t open with the park. But they made improvements and settled it down with about 6months.

Makes sense I wouldn't have remembered that because I probably wouldn't have been aware of it.

People were confused a bit by epcot and it’s style… but i think you are focused a bit too much on individual preferences vs what transpired as a whole. People wanted familiar disney… and the toddler crowd where definitely more left out verse the MK.

I mean, as a kid, Future World was my favorite part of either park.

My family was definitely confused by it. I don't know at what point it became an all day park for us (maybe somewhere between Horizons and Living Seas) but as people who went to MK numerous times a year, it wasn't in the first couple years.

I feel like we're kind of saying the same thing so maybe I'm just doing a bad job of articulating myself, here.

 

[MisterPenguin]

 

[maxairmike]

Okay but the cherry picker is like… stupidly bad. Have they not found a way to cover it up yet?!

I’m not sure, but I also didn’t even notice it my 2nd ride, and then the next time I went on it at night. They probably could find a better parking spot for it, but it could also be there for quick access reasons. Maybe tossing a camo tarp over it would be better? My last visit was a week after opening day, so they could have moved it after previews if they didn’t have a pressing maintenance/finishing touches reason to have it in that spot afterwards.

 

[Agent H]

I’m not sure, but I also didn’t even notice it my 2nd ride, and then the next time I went on it at night. They probably could find a better parking spot for it, but it could also be there for quick access reasons. Maybe tossing a camo tarp over it would be better? My last visit was a week after opening day, so they could have moved it after previews if they didn’t have a pressing maintenance/finishing touches reason to have it in that spot afterwards.

Why is there a cherry picker at all?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I’m not sure, but I also didn’t even notice it my 2nd ride, and then the next time I went on it at night. They probably could find a better parking spot for it, but it could also be there for quick access reasons. Maybe tossing a camo tarp over it would be better? My last visit was a week after opening day, so they could have moved it after previews if they didn’t have a pressing maintenance/finishing touches reason to have it in that spot afterwards.

Or, they could have just built a fence you can’t see right through. It’s not there by accident or happenstance.

Why is there a cherry picker at all?

It’s how they access things for maintenance. How they are able to move and where they can be stored are part of the design process and things will be changed based on the ability of the lofts to access show elements and surfaces.

 

[Agent H]

Or, they could have just built a fence you can’t see right through. It’s not there by accident or happenstance.

It’s how they access things for maintenance. How they are able to move and where they can be stored are part of the design process and things will be changed based on the ability of the lofts to access show elements and surfaces.

Man my apologies to universal creative because I know they all worked very hard but isle of berk has the worst sight lines. (Not counting celestial park)

 

[MisterPenguin]

Why is there a cherry picker at all?

To fallaciously bolster incredibly bad hot takes!!

 

[stu1901]

Going in the first week or August, I can go on Thursday or Sunday a week into August.
Originally I was going to book for Thursday as thinking it would be quieter on a week day, but from a few reports I've read it seems Sunday would be the better day to go to avoid long lines. Any thoughts?

I'll have no express or early entry.

 

[Andrew25]

And yes, the biggest issue and the reason for the early closing hours is they didn't even come close to their hiring target, and as always happens, some of their new hires aren't working out.

This was my concern with Epic Universe. I was expecting USF & IOA to have a TM-surplus in preparation of Epic Universe... instead the resort ended up pretty thin. F&B ops at the current parks have yet to recover. Their attraction ops are fine (always have been), but its rough everywhere else in the parks

 

[rd805]

So I'm back from my trip - and having spent two days at Epic.... I can honestly give the entire experience a 9/10.
For quick perspective, I've been following this project before the venture was announced, when land was rumored to be purchased -- to finally step foot in the park was exhilarating & satisfying. I am a Uni fanboi - putting that out there before leaving a review.

First - Helios: I do not think the early-entry and quick easy exit out of the park can be hyped up enough. It is such a value!! After long days on your feet, being able to just step right back to your room...wow - it was very special. The room itself was normal - no frills, but whatever not a deal breaker for me. The look of Helios is beautiful in person, and is a true spectacle while in / around the park. Anybody knocking the design as lackluster....I truly think you are nitpicking.

The pool area is wonderful - great poolside service for food and drinks.

The food all around Epic and Helios was very good. My hesitancy is the blatant overpricing of everything. Anything I ate was delicious, quickly delivered, and handled with care - my GF has Gluten and Dairy issues...the chef's really took care of everything (AT THE OTHER UNI PARKS TOO!). This was such a huge takeaway, and I couldn't be more impressed with the dedication. I didn't have much decided on the "where" i was going to eat - sort of just let it happen

**Oak & Star Tavern: Wonderful meat platter, they had a duet / live entertainment going on - the guys did wonderfully & I loved the set / little comedy
*** Cafe Sirene - easy, elegant, fast, solid.
****Blue Dragon - yummy, great variety, amazing to be inside on a very hot day in a night themed indoor restaurant (reminded me of Mexico Pavilion).
*****In Helios - the Taverna: Great food -- so overpriced.

The attractions:
Mario Kart IS WAY OVERHATED. Super fun, not that confusing, wonderful queue. The effects didn't make me sick at all, and I loved the dark ride. Obviously, i think it should have had a test track feel, but going all in on gaming was not a bad idea IMO.

Stardust Racers - amazing. The queue is a little "eh" - but the "hangar" feel with open space is the pre-show, getting you ready for a fun coaster. The intertwining of the tracks is a masterpiece.

Ministry of Magic - it is wonderful - 10/10, my favorite attraction. Seeing other people talk about it seemingly negatively, I was worried. It is an amazing ride - the grand reveals are GRAND, the effects are awesome, and it does NOT overly rely on screens.

Hiccup's Coaster, Monsters Unchained - also stand outs in the park.

Fyre Drill -- horrible. I'd be furious if I waited in line for that (had express)

The Carousel is adorable - not ground breaking, but who doesn't love a carousel.

The two shows -- Untrainable dragon had some amazing effects, puppets, scenery, costumes...the script and the musical lyrics are pretty bad though. I don't think I'd need to see that gain, unless i happen to be there during the summer again.

Arcanus - fun, good story, I like Harry Potter / Fantastic Beasts so i'm an easy one to please here, but definitely one I'd want to see again.

DK - Minecart: Again overhated (probably due to lengthy lines). The coaster itself actually had good thrill, good quick scenes -- only did it once, but once the park fills out a bit more, I think this will be very positively received.

Overall -- I'm ecstatic, and sad it is over. The park needs two more attractions - preferably indoor like we've talked about for a while.

On one other note - Universal's team has stepped up their game across the entire resort. From the hotel staff, ride op's, bus drivers, servers, etc - it was certainly noticeable how good the service was. When interacting with so many people, i can genuinely only think of 2 interactions that were NOT cool on their part. 2 / 500 team members interacted with being snotty, while the other being above & beyond -- very happy.

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[brifraz]

Couple generic-ish Epic questions...

Early Park Access - I know that APs don't get it at Epic, but is it just Helios guests or all Universal hotel guests who do get it? For our upcoming visit we are not staying onsite at Universal, but I'm curious.

Parking - do APs get free parking at Epic? And, if not... really?

Thanks for any insight anybody has.