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

[celluloid]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's piloted based on waypoints which most enterprise drones have, the pilot would just monitor the flight & takeover on the landing if it doesn't have auto land.

Partly. Still skill involved. Due to standards itnis a little more manned than that. These pilots were hired in the last wreks are also newer and were on job today.

 

[Jayspency]

That looks pretty good, too bad they didn't find a way to make the landing legs fold back on the drone.

I doubt you would see them from afar though right?

 

[celluloid]

I doubt you would see them from afar though right?

Very hard from most of their flight.

 

[flynnibus]

That is not a sightline critique or the kind of flaws being discussed here.

It is - you just completely missed it all and went literal as if i was asking for shade at epic. Hint… I wasn’t

 

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

I’m not really experienced with Florida climate- how bad is the heat during true summer (July/August)? Especially with Epic having zero shade should I choose a different month to fly in

 

[Agent H]

Video of one of the dragon drones:

This is going to be the best part of how to train your dragon land Hands down.

 

[JT3000]

I’m not really experienced with Florida climate- how bad is the heat during true summer (July/August)?

 

[Agent H]

Exactly. You only get used to it when you live in Florida and go all the time.

 

[JT3000]

Exactly. You only get used to it when you live in Florida and go all the time.

I was born here and I'm still not used to it. I try to avoid leaving the house for several months.

 

[Agent H]

I was born here and I'm still not used to it. I try to avoid leaving the house for several months.

Ha ha yeah that’s fair. Personally I get even hotter in my house than outside. Sometimes I feel like I’m going to suffocate in the summer.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

It was one example. You know gamers don't all just play AAA video games, and you brought up the example. People enjoy things that are not AAA gaming all the time(part of being a AAA game is budget) and most game studios do not only produce AAA games for the same reason not every land at a theme park is going to be Galaxy's Edge or Diagon Alley.

Yeah but those games are typically built by studios were its a passion project where they sunk all their time into it AND it's usually a low-funded game. That's... why its indie... you accept the jank because "hey look they tried and they were a single developer with $1000 total to their game". I'm sorry but I do not give a multibillion dollar company the same leeway I give to Scotty McGame who lives in his roommates garage and has worked 80 hours this week trying to hobble something nice together. Universal does not need to be babied on this one.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

It is not deflection but asking for common sense that these are common in all new theme parks to the posters stating "This is why Disney will still be number one" in two years.

The flaws of EPIC(that some are even saying as high as arbitrarily ten percent as if it is everyone's take that EPIC is that the park only 90 percent effort)
If you make such claims, know that the industry norms will be compared.

It's been 26 years since a park of this caliber opened on a non 22 square mile freedom parcel of real estate, and there is nothing as egregious to most as some clearly hope there to be about the park

I think being able to see the backstage vehicles driving by while on the main viking coaster is pretty bad. Its a chain link fence and they didnt even try to hide it??

 

[freediverdude]

Mmm That probably gives a sense as to why the massive Architecture marvel wasn't built in a different way in order for it to not collide with France in Epcot. I don't know who is in charge of acceptance and non acceptance when it came to sightlines, or they loved the design so much that they weren't willing to modify and there was no other way to move it better.

From what I understand, Eisner had to give Tishman their choice of location in order to get out of the deal. So of course they chose Epcot over Hotel Boulevard. Not much he could do about it.

 

[rd805]

My guess is US will get a lot of love before Epic or IOA see any major changes, outside of HP we found that park really lacking. I think of all the parks in Florida it’s going to take the biggest hit from Epic, I don’t know how we’d ever justify a full day ticket for US over any of the other WDW/Uni parks, especially since a hopper is required for the HP express. I think we could easily take a couple hours out of our IOA day to knock all of US off our to do list.

I don't really think they are expecting "single day" visits to UF -- in most cases, they will continue to package offerings to keep the parks (and VB) full -- but to not expect them to continue construction is directly opposing what they have said.

They are already working on the RRR replacement, and F&F isn't far behind.

Universal doesn't really announce official projects until they are ready to hit the ground. This is such a more effective way than having people talk about something for 4-5 years like Disney does. "We have great ideas, but we aren't going to start them for minimally 1-2 years down the road, and then take 3 years to build it." -- Uni's approach IMO is much better!

 

[rd805]

Still wondering how the business side is supposed to work with the number of Orlando tourists who will simply swap out USF for Epic. That’s not a problem that gets solved in a year or two.

Epic is more expensive to visit, PLUS new merchandise, more visitors to the park itself, more guests staying on property at the new hotels, and an expensive express pass that WILL be purchased by more park goers. It may leave USF less busy, but the increased revenue won't be an issue IMO.

 

[celluloid]

Epic is more expensive to visit, PLUS new merchandise, more visitors to the park itself, more guests staying on property at the new hotels, and an expensive express pass that WILL be purchased by more park goers. It may leave USF less busy, but the increased revenue won't be an issue IMO.

These points exactly and of course is a large part of building new park that will take a least a day of interest on guests.
Also more employees from the hired pool increasing are going to be visiting the other parks(and often with guests comp/discounts) on their days off.

If you are looking for the other two parks to be consistently quieter, you are going to be disappointed.

The families visiting for more days are going to pay less per day to play longer. Same thing Disney's extra parks have done. Now adding a third fourth or fifth day are going to cost a lot less per day.

 

[Earlie the Pearlie]

Don’t know if this has been addressed, but it’s really quite funny to me how Universal’s Mario Kart rides are opening just in time for the game that’s effectively replacing the game that the ride is explicitly based on to launch. Especially considering how long 8 has been the latest game in the series for, it just feels like terrible accidental timing to have Epic open in the last year of that game’s decade or so of supremacy.

 

[Moth]

Don’t know if this has been addressed, but it’s really quite funny to me how Universal’s Mario Kart rides are opening just in time for the game that’s effectively replacing the game that the ride is explicitly based on to launch. Especially considering how long 8 has been the latest game in the series for, it just feels like terrible accidental timing to have Epic open in the last year of that game’s decade or so of supremacy.

At least Mario Kart is going to be easier to modernize than what's going on with Donkey Kong (redesign, villain replacement)

 

[rd805]

Don’t know if this has been addressed, but it’s really quite funny to me how Universal’s Mario Kart rides are opening just in time for the game that’s effectively replacing the game that the ride is explicitly based on to launch. Especially considering how long 8 has been the latest game in the series for, it just feels like terrible accidental timing to have Epic open in the last year of that game’s decade or so of supremacy.

Mario Kart tends to reinvent itself with every system update; but the karts, weapons, characters, levels, are all the same. I don't think people will notice much.

 

[TalkingHead]

Epic is more expensive to visit, PLUS new merchandise, more visitors to the park itself, more guests staying on property at the new hotels, and an expensive express pass that WILL be purchased by more park goers. It may leave USF less busy, but the increased revenue won't be an issue IMO.

Unfortunately they don’t seem to be getting the “best park in Orlando” word of mouth which is what’s probably needed to have any chance of a seismic change in travel patterns for central Florida.

This will service Universal loyalists, Potterheads (again), and theme park fans, but normies? I guess Nintendo might be the draw for them, maybe.