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

[ThemeParkTraveller]

this seems wild to me - I feel like Universal Japan is at a way bigger disadvantage to the fantastic OLC Disney offerings in Japan compared to Orlando where the gap, at least on a park to park basis, feels much closer between the two.

What's the special sauce at USJ?

Unlike USH or USO, Universal doesn't directly compete with Disney in Japan. USJ and TDR are over 300 miles apart and don't have too much overlap in guests. According to OLC's demographic breakdown, less than 10% of their guests came from the Kansai region where USJ is located.

USJ having Potter and Nintendo is also a major draw, as both are very popular IPs in Japan. You can see the major attendance spikes after these expansions opened.

 

[Agent H]

Your first point was what made Disney different. The funny thing is they are doing the exact same thing as Universal with a mish mash of IP in each park.

The only major change in this regard is the cars project (absolutely with you on that one) the rest of the big changes are pretty much business as usual. Even after tropical Americas opens animal kingdom will still be the most thematically pure theme park in the world.

 

[JT3000]

Once again, Comcast has reported significant declines in revenue and income in their theme parks business. They lay the blame, again, on declining attendance at their domestic parks.

This has become a recurring theme over the past year and a half.
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... and spending $100 million on Epic Universe. I'm sure they've also lost attendance at their Orlando parks due to people waiting for Epic. It happens every time there's a major expansion on the horizon.

 

[Stripes]

... and spending $100 million on Epic Universe. I'm sure they've also lost attendance at their Orlando parks due to people waiting for Epic. It happens every time there's a major expansion on the horizon.

For the past year and a half, almost every quarter Comcast has cited declining attendance at both their domestic parks as drags on the company’s revenue and profitability.

I doubt that most of the decline can be attributed to those that held off on trips due to Epic. Even worse, the consumer sentiment in the toilet right now, many of those folks that did hold off in anticipation of Epic may not go at all in the foreseeable future.

 

[JT3000]

For the past year and a half, almost every quarter Comcast has cited declining attendance at both their domestic parks as drags on the company’s revenue and profitability.

I doubt that most of the decline can be attributed to those that held off on trips due to Epic. Even worse, the consumer sentiment in the toilet right now, many of those folks that did hold off in anticipation of Epic may not go at all in the foreseeable future.

People holding off for Epic is a better explanation than none. Attendance isn't declining just because. I'm sure there are other factors, but that is likely a major one.

Opening a park in the throes of a recession was always going to be difficult, just as building the park during a pandemic was.

 

[Jrb1979]

For the past year and a half, almost every quarter Comcast has cited declining attendance at both their domestic parks as drags on the company’s revenue and profitability.

I doubt that most of the decline can be attributed to those that held off on trips due to Epic. Even worse, the consumer sentiment in the toilet right now, many of those folks that did hold off in anticipation of Epic may not go at all in the foreseeable future.

I'm sure Comcast will be fine. Epic is sold out for the first month already and I'm sure more days will be sold out.

I don't understand why some you want Universal' to fail.

 

[lazyboy97o]

People holding off for Epic is a better explanation than none. Attendance isn't declining just because. I'm sure there are other factors, but that is likely a major one.

Opening a park in the throes of a recession was always going to be difficult, just as building the park during a pandemic was.

Holding off for Eic Universe to open would explain soft visitation to Universal Orlando Resort, but not really Universal Studios Hollywood.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don’t see how a big roller coaster in roughly the same spot as a previous big roller coaster would change things that much. If anything Pokémon will be the upset.

Unless it goes to a different park.

If its an Intamin like has been rumored it would be a big draw. It would be the Studio's park it's own Velocicoaster

Except that Velocicoaster hasn’t sustained visitation.

USJ being the only theme park in Asia for Potter

Beijing also has Potter.

 

[Andrew C]

I'm sure Comcast will be fine. Epic is sold out for the first month already and I'm sure more days will be sold out.

I don't understand why some you want Universal' to fail.

Competition is good.

We, the public, can really only guess about their recent declining attendance. People waiting for epic is a common sense guess. I also guess there are other contributing factors.

 

[Disstevefan1]

this seems wild to me - I feel like Universal Japan is at a way bigger disadvantage to the fantastic OLC Disney offerings in Japan compared to Orlando where the gap, at least on a park to park basis, feels much closer between the two.

What's the special sauce at USJ?

I don't know, I did not dig into the cost, location, transportation as to why, I am just looking at the attendance numbers. I think its more likely if MK falls from the top spot, DL will take the top spot.

Could you imagine:
1 DL
2 USJ
3 MK ????????

 

[rd805]

Which means Universal really needed to be consistently a 6 day resort prior to Epic - I think that is being awfully generous. Until Epic on multi-day ticketing is free flowing, I don't see much reason to buy a 7 day ticket.

For me - I'm at a 3 night stay / 4 day of Universal parks goer this year. If it were my "first" visit to Universal product, i think a 4 night / 5 night stay may be more appropriate?

I can't wait though - 6/8-6/11 at Helios with 2 days of Epic 6/9 & 6/11 before hopping to Caribbean Beach for a late night check-in.

I've been watching these boards, rumors & updates on youtube/other places for this park as far back as what - 7/8 years? I am so excited and so ready, I know I'm going to be beaming walking through and soaking it in.

 

[Andrew25]

I don't know, I did not dig into the cost, location, transportation as to why, I am just looking at the attendance numbers. I think its more likely if MK falls from the top spot, DL will take the top spot.

Could you imagine:
1 DL
2 USJ
3 MK ????????

Not expecting MK to fall off that dramatically because of Epic. It's "the" Disney park (as much as I hate saying that). DAK, Epcot and DHS (in that order) should expect a drop off. However, I am very critical on how Universal released tickets for Epic Universe, and I think the lack of allowing APs to upgrade to include Epic Universe will ultimately hurt them and possibly give Disney a boost of locals/APs waiting for an Epic-inclusive ticket. Same with the limited options of Epic non-AP tickets.

As for the decline at the Universal parks in Orlando, I can note a few things:

• The parks have become busier over the years (along with short hours) so locals might not visit as much
• Disney has had the more marketable additions as of late. VelociCoaster was in 2021, Disney has had Guardians, Tron, and Rat
• They don't get as much media attention, but Universal's ticket pricing is at the same level as WDW's, which might be a major deterrent as well

 

[MisterPenguin]

I'm sure Comcast will be fine. Epic is sold out for the first month already and I'm sure more days will be sold out.

I don't understand why some you want Universal' to fail.

I can't remember anyone posting they hope EU is a failure. Can you point out such a post for me?

Disney dusting shill that I am, I've posted in this thread that I hope that EU would be successful. WDW could deserve a bit of competition to keep standards up and improving. I've mentioned how I think Berk will the the standout success of EU.

Perhaps you're confusing the pushback that some people get when they present Universal Orlando or EU as the epitome of theme parkery, clearly surpassing WDW. In such cases, pointing out to them where EU fails to live up to such exuberant praise is not the same as wishing EU will fail.

I can give you a list of things in which I think WDW has failed to live up to those standards, which I've posted over the years. Some people seem to forget those posts and think I only post positive things about WDW.

Right now this thread is discussing the future of Universal Orlando expansion. And some fans of Uni are already armchair imagineering a host of new attractions. This is all without looking at Comcast's financials... which aren't good. Pointing that out is not wishing EU to fail... it's a warning about expectations unmoored from reality. And again, that's not wishing for EU to fail.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

I'm sure Comcast will be fine. Epic is sold out for the first month already and I'm sure more days will be sold out.

Again, only opening day is sold out

 

[Moth]

Are we really running with the assumption that Pokémon is going towards IOA or EU? I don't think anyone on InsideUniversal is backing that up.

If Pokémon were to go to IOA, what would it be taking over? MSHI? I mean, I guess if any IP could go band for band with Marvel for merch, it'd be Pokémon, but I still do not see Universal letting Disney have Marvel, but I am also stupid. But then the question is "what's for Simpsons?".

 

[Andrew C]

Are we really running with the assumption that Pokémon is going towards IOA or EU? I don't think anyone on Inside Universal is backing that up.

Do you want to back it up?

 

[Moth]

Do you want to back it up?

The main thing I'm sniffing a scent trail on for Universal involves a giant lizard.

I mostly just assume Simpsons would be replaced by Pokémon because "oh! That makes sense", but I'm curious if it's a matter of "people on IU aren't aware yet". I can follow the logic that they deemed Pokémon not fitting Studios though, and if they can't update Mahvel without talking to Disney they're just gonna replace it with Pokémon. I don't see Pokémon going where Lost Continent is because of space more than anything, but then that brings me to "what replaces Lost Continent then?!"

We know Simpsons and LC are spaces that are going to be developed, I'm just curious what ends up going where since we have Wicked and Pokémon flying around. And if Pokémon goes to Marvel (which I guess would tie into AC for DHS???), I assume Wicked would go to Simpsons and LC would just be used for HP or Suess expansion? Or Simpsons would end up as something else entirely and LC would be Wicked?

Of course, there's the other possibility where Wicked 2 somehow bombs catastrophically, and The Odyssey makes a bazillion dollars and that ends up taking over LC.

 

[Agent H]

The main thing I'm sniffing a scent trail on for Universal involves a giant lizard.

Godzilla or more Jurassic park?

 

[Jrb1979]

Again, only opening day is sold out

I just looked and all of May is sold out and half of June is sold out now.

This is the stuff I'm talking when I say some sound like they want this to fail. You're not outright saying it but you're implying it.

It feels like any positivity about Epic is quickly shot down. It feels like some of you are scared that Epic may become the 2nd most attended park in Orlando behind MK. Why would it be such a bad thing of that happens?

 

[Gusey]

The main thing I'm sniffing a scent trail on for Universal involves a giant lizard.

I mostly just assume Simpsons would be replaced by Pokémon because "oh! That makes sense", but I'm curious if it's a matter of "people on IU aren't aware yet". I can follow the logic that they deemed Pokémon not fitting Studios though, and if they can't update Mahvel without talking to Disney they're just gonna replace it with Pokémon. I don't see Pokémon going where Lost Continent is because of space more than anything, but then that brings me to "what replaces Lost Continent then?!"

We know Simpsons and LC are spaces that are going to be developed, I'm just curious what ends up going where since we have Wicked and Pokémon flying around. And if Pokémon goes to Marvel (which I guess would tie into AC for DHS???), I assume Wicked would go to Simpsons and LC would just be used for HP or Suess expansion? Or Simpsons would end up as something else entirely and LC would be Wicked?

Of course, there's the other possibility where Wicked 2 somehow bombs catastrophically, and The Odyssey makes a bazillion dollars and that ends up taking over LC.

Weirdly, I think Pokemon fits Studios more than the other parks if you enter through a training center and the world comes alive within the show building. Pokemon was part of the KidZone replacement plan and Pokemon is going into the New York section of USJ. Wicked makes sense as a Lost Continent replacement to me because its based on a literature (like everything in that park) and Lost Continent once had witches so they could sneak in some LC easter eggs. Also, if they were to revive the flying boat concept, Wicked would work really well