HOW WILL UNIVERSAL'S EPIC UNIVERSE AFFECT WALT DISNEY WORLD?

[Model3 McQueen]

Families with small children will want to visit WDW, but older kids might find USO more attractive and fun. USO will see its numbers going up, but WDW will catch some of the visitors going to see Epic, as well. Public perception will probably favor USO, but I doubt it will affect WDW's numbers drastically.

For us, an older, young-at-heart retired couple who have been Disney fans and APs for several years, we are now splitting our time between WDW and USO when we visit- and a few visits we've skipped WDW altogether. We've been disappointed with WDW in the lack up updates on rides, cheaping out on new builds, cancelled projects, and the slow loss of the parks' identities and charm over the years.

Epic looks to be amazing and we hope it kicks the Disney organization into high gear and gets them back to what they used to do best: Imagineering and quality.

Very well said. First things first, Disney needs more creatives in charge. Iger should've been given the boot at the same time as Chapek. The board is also full of dry executives.

Epic Universe has what Disney has been severely lacking. Although they use IP, there is so much more wonder and creativeness.

 

[Brer Panther]

Can I ask why you won't consider Epic Universe? I can understand the hesitancy of visiting USF or IOA, but Epic? Not trying to stir a debate or anything, just wondering what is holding you back? I think there's enough content here (forget about whether or not you like the IPs) to justify a visit. HTTYD feels alive, Potter is at a breathtaking scale, SNW is filled with energy, DU has its moments.

When my family goes to Florida, we prefer to just go to Disney. I'm sure Epic Universe is fantastic, it's just not something I personally am interested in doing. Most of that is probably because of the IPs.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

what current disney management seems to not understand is Disney parks as a whole create an experience that really isn’t matched anywhere else. I enjoy universal, and I really want to see epic and I’m looking forward to it.

But at the end of the day - Disney parks have a magic that is beyond the ips that Disney offers. That’s why I get so defensive when Disney starts to chip away at the magic - adventurers club, comedy warehouse, red car trolley, Liberty belle steamboat, muppet vision, Osbourne lights, etc.

“Theme park fans” like disney, universal, cedar point, Busch gardens, Herschend parks, etc. - I do too. But those parks I can visit every now and then. Disney… I get withdrawals! I was just at Disneyland Paris for multiple days in January and I feel like it’s been too long for me to not be at a disney park.

 

[Comped]

While I can, and have, written papers and book chapters about the fall of Disney's theme park entertainment efforts (at least domestically, and somewhat outside of Tokyo), I cannot overstate that Universal still has a long way to go when it comes to entertainment. They have a few good stunt shows, and the HTTYD show (plus the fountain show at one of the hotels). That's it. I know Universal has never been about the shows (ironic considering its past and how much Universal Theatrical Group has made the company over the years), but would it kill them to try a bit more? DLE isn't exactly setting the world alight anymore, but at least they try when given the resources. Epic needed at least 2-3 more full scale entertainment options to really make the park work. Atmo alone does not a comprehensive entertainment slate make.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

what current disney management seems to not understand is Disney parks as a whole create an experience that really isn’t matched anywhere else. I enjoy universal, and I really want to see epic and I’m looking forward to it.

But at the end of the day - Disney parks have a magic that is beyond the ips that Disney offers. That’s why I get so defensive when Disney starts to chip away at the magic - adventurers club, comedy warehouse, red car trolley, Liberty belle steamboat, muppet vision, Osbourne lights, etc.

“Theme park fans” like disney, universal, cedar point, Busch gardens, Herschend parks, etc. - I do too. But those parks I can visit every now and then. Disney… I get withdrawals! I was just at Disneyland Paris for multiple days in January and I feel like it’s been too long for me to not be at a disney park.

We’re similar except we don’t get park withdrawals anymore, we mainly miss the resorts, the ships, the bubble feeling, etc.

Prior to the Covid changes we went to DL monthly and WDW for a week every year and even that would leave us wishing we could go more often, now a cruise or 2 on the west coast and a resort only WDW trip for a day or two on our way to a Port Canaveral cruise satisfies all our Disney needs for the year. We haven’t been to DLP since 2023 and have no desire to go back until the downtown area and the studio park is finished.

The parks have lost their magic for us, we still adore DCL though and truly enjoy the WDW resorts and Disney Springs.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

We’re similar except we don’t get park withdrawals anymore, we mainly miss the resorts, the ships, the bubble feeling, etc.

While I’ve yet to do a Disney cruise - I agree 100%. I get “the feeling” just being on WDW property. Doesn’t have to be inside a park.

We haven’t been to DLP since 2023 and have no desire to go back until the downtown area and the studio park is finished.

Honestly when they open up this first phase of studios DLP is going to be in such great shape. I loved being there so much! Downtown Disney construction didn’t bother me at all - would have liked the entrance to studios to be something other than construction walls - but that park let me relive catastrophe canyon so all is forgiven!

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

While I’ve yet to do a Disney cruise - I agree 100%. I get “the feeling” just being on WDW property. Doesn’t have to be inside a park.

Honestly when they open up this first phase of studios DLP is going to be in such great shape. I loved being there so much! Downtown Disney construction didn’t bother me at all - would have liked the entrance to studios to be something other than construction walls - but that park let me relive catastrophe canyon so all is forgiven!

The intangible “feeling” is the one thing Universal has never been able to replicate for us. Velocicoaster is my favorite ride in the world, Hagrids is in the mix for #2, the HP lands are as good as anything Disneys ever done, etc… but we still don’t get the “feels” at Uni like we do at Disney.

The nostalgia factor is probably the biggest thing Disney has going for it, my adult nieces and nephews (late 20s to early 30s) still have a healthy dose of Disney nostalgia but their kids don’t seem to differentiate Disney from the hundreds of others shows they watch and games they play. I think that’s going to cause major problems for Disney in the decades to come.

 

[Dead2009]

When my family goes to Florida, we prefer to just go to Disney. I'm sure Epic Universe is fantastic, it's just not something I personally am interested in doing. Most of that is probably because of the IPs.

So you're interested in EVERY IP that's in DIsney?

 

[Baloo124]

Epic has a lot of things Disney used to care about. Kinetic energy, immersion within lands and no bad sight lines

 

[KDM31091]

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Sorry that I didn’t notice every single thing. My point is there is an attempt to have immersion and kinetic energy. Disney has not cared about either of these things anytime recently it seems like. I hope things change.

 

[Disstevefan1]

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Disney's solution to sightlines is to not build anything, just show blurry concept drawings
Wicky emoji means this is a joke. I do not want to trigger anybody.

 

[KDM31091]

what current disney management seems to not understand is Disney parks as a whole create an experience that really isn’t matched anywhere else. I enjoy universal, and I really want to see epic and I’m looking forward to it.

But at the end of the day - Disney parks have a magic that is beyond the ips that Disney offers. That’s why I get so defensive when Disney starts to chip away at the magic - adventurers club, comedy warehouse, red car trolley, Liberty belle steamboat, muppet vision, Osbourne lights, etc.

“Theme park fans” like disney, universal, cedar point, Busch gardens, Herschend parks, etc. - I do too. But those parks I can visit every now and then. Disney… I get withdrawals! I was just at Disneyland Paris for multiple days in January and I feel like it’s been too long for me to not be at a disney park.

Very true, which is why it’s extremely sad to see the magic dwindle, and I hope the trend reverses.

 

[Disstevefan1]

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SIGHTLINES? SIGHTLINES?.... Slowly I turn, inch by inch...

 

[Baloo124]

Sorry that I didn’t notice every single thing.

That show building is really hard to miss. It' so massive, it's becoming an unofficial park icon for EU.
Only a matter of time before it's used for some nighttime projection show or backdrop for fireworks.

 

[KDM31091]

That show building is really hard to miss. It' so massive, it's becoming an unofficial park icon for EU.
Only a matter of time before it's used for some nighttime projection show or backdrop for fireworks.
View attachment 854756

I did not watch a video of every single inch of the park lol. I’m just saying in general, it seems well designed, with good sight lines, especially in the Nintendo area, again from what I saw. You can only do so much about a show building. Hopefully they will disguise it some.

 

[Disstevefan1]

That show building is really hard to miss. It' so massive, it's becoming an unofficial park icon for EU.
Only a matter of time before it's used for some nighttime projection show or backdrop for fireworks.
View attachment 854756

That's funny. Who photoshopped this? LOL

 

[Andrew25]

I'm pretty negative about some of the sightline intrusions throughout Universal's parks... but the HTTYD Untrainable Dragon showbuilding is only seen in that corner. The pathways around the land are intentionally rotated to avoid that sightline as much as possible.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

I'm pretty negative about some of the sightline intrusions throughout Universal's parks... but the HTTYD Untrainable Dragon showbuilding is only seen in that corner. The pathways around the land are intentionally rotated to avoid that sightline as much as possible.

Having a hotel so close to the park is gonna cause issues as well, plus the Stardust racers have many backstage areas visible

 

[Eric Graham]

Question: is it just as good to say at one of the lesser priced older resorts than one of the higher priced resorts that opens up to Epic Univery. The Italian resort is pretty fancy too. From a great movie I saw about Christmas and a leg lamp, Fra-gil-aaa

 

[KikoKea]

Very well said. First things first, Disney needs more creatives in charge. Iger should've been given the boot at the same time as Chapek. The board is also full of dry executives.

Epic Universe has what Disney has been severely lacking. Although they use IP, there is so much more wonder and creativeness.

Yep. "More creatives in charge" and not the money counters.