DarkMetroid567
Well-Known Member
Are there any particular rides where the animatronics got more reliable over time? I can’t think of any off the type of my head. Maybe Tiana and Monsters are cursed.
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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
- Thread starter Bob Harlem
- Start date
SplashJacket
Well-Known Member
All of them?
Frozen day 1 had non-stop animatronic issues.
Incredible that a ride that doesn’t open for months is being written off as cursed
Sorcerer Mickey
Well-Known Member
Why are we saying they're cursed? Are the animatronics not working?
Purduevian
Well-Known Member
Not mine... but spoilers for the park in this video
Monsters had effects with some trouble, funny enough more ones that were not animatronic related but those are being ironed out and a fog effect that went away is back.
Rides in technical rehearsal aren't working properly? They're cursed! Cursed, I tell you!
Not theirs either. They just stole that other guy's footage and re-edited it.
Not theirs either. They just stole that other guy's footage and re-edited it.
Lil Copter Cap
Well-Known Member
Obviously with technical rehearsals, there are going to be bumps. Looking into the future, I think this park will be a haven for locals. Definitely a post-work drink and dinner moment. Interactivity and gamification in SNW and MoM. Variety in offerings. And lovely background music in every land.
Also spoke with a colleague who circles live entertainment and the sudden cut of Celestial performers was a shock. I think most other performers are safe (although if I had to guess, the Auror in ⚯͛ is such a deep cut for lore appreciators that they may be next).
I do think it's shortsighted, knowing that Celestial Park is going to need to also entertain people beyond retail, food, and drink—especially if lands are closed off due to capacity limited as anticipated. But asking folks to stand in the uncovered sun on concrete while watching a show was also just a misstep from the beginning.
Finally, Team Members and their families aren't a great barometer check on live entertainment. These are fans of the brand who will likely be blocked out for the first 6 months to a year...of course they are going to run to the portals, rides, and stage show offerings.
Also spoke with a colleague who circles live entertainment and the sudden cut of Celestial performers was a shock. I think most other performers are safe (although if I had to guess, the Auror in ⚯͛ is such a deep cut for lore appreciators that they may be next).
I do think it's shortsighted, knowing that Celestial Park is going to need to also entertain people beyond retail, food, and drink—especially if lands are closed off due to capacity limited as anticipated. But asking folks to stand in the uncovered sun on concrete while watching a show was also just a misstep from the beginning.
Finally, Team Members and their families aren't a great barometer check on live entertainment. These are fans of the brand who will likely be blocked out for the first 6 months to a year...of course they are going to run to the portals, rides, and stage show offerings.
On the Universal Orlando Meetings & Events site, there's an active link to a Helios Grand Hotel tour (found via this post on X).
Here's the link if you want to look around.
Here's the link if you want to look around.
Gringrinngghost
Well-Known Member
ADA 2 Queens 824 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/8MSCVjtfwgG
ADA 2 Queens With Tub 524 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/4KUc1Yt2eyW
Deluxe Double Queen - https://discover.matterport.com/space/hFKUReyDu7H
Helios Meeting and Event Space - https://discover.matterport.com/space/ph2B3mEenw8
Hospitality Suite 264 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/pEiPkpRj2PZ
How to Train Your Dragon Kids Suite 589 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/efdok19GqQ7
King Suite - https://discover.matterport.com/space/obNGh9Mjjsp
Lobby level - https://discover.matterport.com/space/EGnyrzUBSUF
Presidential Suite - https://discover.matterport.com/space/1hsBkPCdMi7
Standard 2 Queen Hearing Accessible 286 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/NY8tgT7hWsj
Theme Park View 2 Queens 538 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/tb1QyYUmyUu
Theme Park View King 532 - https://discover.matterport.com/space/MNd44nf7ume
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
Most of it looks nice, if a bit bland/understated (although that kind of fits with the exterior, which isn't very impressive) but I am surprised by the King and Presidential Suites.
They both look pretty bad -- the layout of that king suite with the narrow little TV nook looks awful and the Presidential suite doesn't look remotely on the level of what you'd generally expect from a Presidential suite.
They both look pretty bad -- the layout of that king suite with the narrow little TV nook looks awful and the Presidential suite doesn't look remotely on the level of what you'd generally expect from a Presidential suite.
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This. This this this. All of this.
It's like people complaining about how their food tastes while it's still being plated.
For sure. This will be Universal's answer to Epcot for the after work crowd. Additionally, I think that the surface lot is easier than the parking garages at the North Campus as far as getting in and out of the park.
Lil Copter Cap
Well-Known Member
Of course Not!!
If Starlight gets it's Date before EU utters a Word on this: Not Good!!!
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
If by “easier” you mean “quicker” as in solely about time from car to EU gate then, yep!!
But if your “easier” really means better or overall more favorable I’d have to disagree. A parking structure(obviously not talking about roof top where maybe 20% of cars end up on busy days)counts in Florida——it counts big time.
Furthermore Universal makes good use of—if I remember right—-5 walkway conveyors from parking to the point of City Walk.
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
Time for a very early review - Epic Universe is great. Easily UOR's best park. Thematically it's great and filled with kinetic energy. The scale at Potter is mind-boggling. HTTYD & SNW will be a hit with kids and Comcast investors. DU is great with what it has, but will need to be the first major expansion for Epic out of necessity.
Let me be clear, not every attraction is a major hit or industry-changing experience, but the variety/collection here surprised me. It still needs a major "passive" experience ala Haunted Mansion/Pirates of the Caribbean, but Epic Universe at least provides something for every sort of park guest.
The queues throughout Epic are arguably the best.
Monsters Unchained... will set a standard for how to blend practical & virtual effects. I really hope this attraction will be maintained to the highest standard.
The park was designed with lots of dining capacity, so I have to imagine APs will come available sooner than later to allow them to operate restaurants late into the evening after the initial summer rush.
Let me be clear, not every attraction is a major hit or industry-changing experience, but the variety/collection here surprised me. It still needs a major "passive" experience ala Haunted Mansion/Pirates of the Caribbean, but Epic Universe at least provides something for every sort of park guest.
The queues throughout Epic are arguably the best.
Monsters Unchained... will set a standard for how to blend practical & virtual effects. I really hope this attraction will be maintained to the highest standard.
The park was designed with lots of dining capacity, so I have to imagine APs will come available sooner than later to allow them to operate restaurants late into the evening after the initial summer rush.
The walk (for me personally) isn't too bad but some folks might find it difficult. However, it's a straight shot with no major elevation changes... which the CityWalk walk does have. If they add shaded areas and benches between the parking lot and the park, I think it'll be fine. But they will need to provide some form of shuttle service for folks who need it.
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
Not considering Celestial Park…..would you say any of the 4 lands beats Diagon??
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
Ministry of Magic is just like Diagon, but on a larger scale. Ministry of Magic's queue puts Gringotts to shame (which I hate saying since that queue is fantastic as well).
Ministry's biggest issue is that it's not "pried" from the classic HP films so some people won't have the same emotional connection, but I think they've done enough in the land to make it feel like it is under the Potter Universe, but still unique in its own way.
SNW does it well, but there are some glaring quality issues within Donkey Kong Country.
If it weren't for Curse of the Werewolf, Dark Universe would be close.
HTTYD unfortunately suffers from a lack of a forested berm around the entire perimeter of the land that would have helped.
Lil Copter Cap
Well-Known Member
@Andrew25 Spot on agreement with your sentiments entirely.
Yessss. Fair call out. I do mean quicker, but I would also say more favorable. Obviously this is subjective. But also, only in theory prior to actual crowds being present. The current arrival experience for the garages is stressful for me because of other drivers. Epic Universe's landscaping and drive into the parking lot itself will lessen the unruly driving. (...hopefully.)
Definitely agree.
Yessss. Fair call out. I do mean quicker, but I would also say more favorable. Obviously this is subjective. But also, only in theory prior to actual crowds being present. The current arrival experience for the garages is stressful for me because of other drivers. Epic Universe's landscaping and drive into the parking lot itself will lessen the unruly driving. (...hopefully.)
Definitely agree.