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

[celluloid]

That's what I am wondering about.

Super Nintendo World is closer to the entrance, than at Helios.
Therefore, if they allow people in from Helios, and the front entrance at the same time, then the people at Helios will be at a disadvantage.

Will there be "two" rope drops, where Helios guests are funnelled along the side of Celestial Park beside the Dark Universe portal to get "ahead" of the other hotel guests at Super Nintendo World as a "reward" for staying "in-park", are Helios guests going to be waiting behind the other hotel guests, or will they allow Helios guests to start entering the park earlier than the other hotel guests?

If Dark Universe or Ministry of Magic were the early opening lands, then it wouldn't be as big an issue for Helios guests because they are closer, but they have chosen one of the further away lands for early entry instead (I assume because there are more attractions there, and because of the popularity of SNW in the other parks).

Guess we will start to find out on May 23rd.

There are only so many buses for hotels with the demand and many will be not on the first few buses that are at each resort.
Helios guests will be ahead of most as the lines at the main entrance and security continue to grow with each set of buses unloading guests at the depot to walk to security and turnstiles. And we know all lines there run smoothly...

 

[jrhwdw]

 

[celluloid]

Thanks for sharing.

To be clear, I’m happy for anybody when they find a place that makes them happy.

Above all, when I visit a theme park I enjoy immersive theming and attention to detail. Having grown up in California with Disneyland as my home park, my love for Disney runs deep and I will certainly admit to having a bias their favor. I’m sure you would admit the same with regard to Universal. However, I do appreciate quality when I see it from Universal. The SNW land and Wizarding Paris appear to be excellent (perhaps because the creative producers of those lands were ex-WDI that are now back at WDI). I’m less enthused about the quality I’m seeing from Dark Universe and Isle of Berk (once again, standards seem lower for Universal’s own properties).

Celestial Park does nothing for me. It feels uncomfortably corporatized and cheap. As just one example, the hotel is a generic, boxy tower with some lipstick in the form of faux gold domes on top. It’s perfectly centered in line with the “Chronos” and yet the building’s architecture is bizarrely asymmetrical.

I am very excited about Epic and hope to visit sometime this year, however I’m a lot more excited about all the projects in the works for WDW.

In any event, Mr. Gustin put it better than I ever could.

Killer? No. Happy to high higher attendance and guest spending? Business.
Not even saying it will over MK, but Uni would gladly take that.

 

[DisneyJayBama]

All this craziness over fun.

 

[flynnibus]

If Dark Universe or Ministry of Magic were the early opening lands, then it wouldn't be as big an issue for Helios guests because they are closer

I don’t think the distance is much of an issue - it all depends on where the holding area is, if they will be separated, and if they release them at different times.

 

[lentesta]

Anyone know for sure how many ride vehicles are on Yoshi's Adventure?

ETA: This image from bioreconstruct seems to show 28 ride vehicles visible. I estimate 6 are in the show building on the right. So what's the best guess as to how many are in the unload/load area?

 

[celluloid]

Uni fell flat on their keister with that one!!

EPOCT is better.

EPCOT for sure is! Epcot though...they did not capitalize their letters, and they know it is an acronym.

The problem with borrowing from all times is that we don't know if this was on purpose creative liberty or on accident!

It's did not come into being a contraction rather than posessive untnil the 1700s.

And dangit, we need to the Citizens of Celestial Park tell us such things. Even if it was a band ;-)

Also, for the sake of the poster to know, the name is Stardust Racers* He gave it the ole' name.

All this craziness over fun.

This is simply pertinent. Well done.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Thanks for sharing.

To be clear, I’m happy for anybody when they find a place that makes them happy.

Above all, when I visit a theme park I enjoy immersive theming and attention to detail. Having grown up in California with Disneyland as my home park, my love for Disney runs deep and I will certainly admit to having a bias their favor. I’m sure you would admit the same with regard to Universal. However, I do appreciate quality when I see it from Universal. The SNW land and Wizarding Paris appear to be excellent (perhaps because the creative producers of those lands were ex-WDI that are now back at WDI). I’m less enthused about the quality I’m seeing from Dark Universe and Isle of Berk (once again, standards seem lower for Universal’s own properties).

Celestial Park does nothing for me. It feels uncomfortably corporatized and cheap. As just one example, the hotel is a generic, boxy tower with some lipstick in the form of faux gold domes on top. It’s perfectly centered in line with the “Chronos” and yet the building’s architecture is bizarrely asymmetrical.

I am very excited about Epic and hope to visit sometime this year, however I’m a lot more excited about all the projects in the works for WDW.

In any event, Mr. Gustin put it better than I ever could.

I’m also not huge on celestial park. But I can’t pin point as to why. I think it’s too open maybe, like there isn’t enough stuff to really set my interest in the middle portion. I know what they’re doing with the “park” and it’s nice on paper but in the Florida sun, all I can think about it is, man this is gonna suck to walk through

 

[celluloid]

Dragon flights approved(and the federal wait is over) so as mentioned a few days ago, they will take to the skies again with their new pilots very soon!

 

[Tom Morrow]

And yet, I say there are some spectacularly bad sightlines, that break every rule in the book.

And I agree with Universal Creative, in that it is internet fodder at it's best.

I think you should not be trying to rebrand being lazy with sightlines, especially when fixing them would be comparatively chump change, as innovative rulebreaking choices.

Nobody should. They had a blank slate to work with. They went 90% of the way to greatness. It's just baffling. To everyone else, note that us pointing out the multiple sightline issues the park has does not mean we're saying it's a bad park. There's a lot to praise, but in my opinion this particular aspect about the park needs attention called to it and should not be handwaved away as "internet fodder". They still have 40 days to rectify as much of it as they can.

 

[celluloid]

I wanted to interrupt the potential return to lack of fun and debating on what rules to break when, to showcase what just occurred on the netting on Curse of the Werewolf and an example on why safety won out. This just happened.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I wanted to interrupt the potential return to lack of fun and debating on what rules to break when, to showcase what just occurred on the netting on Curse of the Werewolf and an example on why safety won out. This just happened.
View attachment 853049

The actual answer to this is to not put the coaster smack dab in the middle of the land. It could have gone in the very back where it would not be traversing walkways, then surrounded by a thick forest, thus fitting the land's storyline of werewolves lurking in the forest on the edge of the town or whatever.

Curse of the Werewolf is hands down the most baffling choice in the whole park, both in placement and ride type.

 

[celluloid]

The actual answer to this is to not put the coaster smack dab in the middle of the land. It could have gone in the very back where it would not be traversing walkways, then surrounded by a thick forest, thus fitting the land's storyline of werewolves lurking in the forest on the edge of the town or whatever.

Curse of the Werewolf is hands down the most baffling choice in the whole park, both in placement and ride type.

Well. I tried.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Well. I tried.

We've all also said a lot of positive things in here. You're trying to silence any and all valid criticisms.

 

[celluloid]

We've all also said a lot of positive things in here. You're trying to silence any and all valid criticisms.

Yes, a few have said it...again..and again...and again. Not trying to silence anything nor could I. You do not like CoTW in its position or ride type choice.

I do not care if it is a critique of positivity or negative. Just something new or different is the preference.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Yes, a few have said it...again..and again...and again. Not trying to silence anything nor could I. You do not like CoTW in its position or ride type choice.

I do not care if it is a critique of positivity or negative. Just something new or different is the preference.

On a positive note - CotW is significantly improved at night, as it is basically pitch black on the ride track area. It looks and sounds a lot more like some woods that werewolves are tearing through.

 

[celluloid]

On a positive note - CotW is significantly improved at night, as it is basically pitch black on the ride track area. It looks and sounds a lot more like some woods that werewolves are tearing through.

More Projectional lighting programjng on netting were considered.

 

[Tom Morrow]

More Projectional lighting programjng on netting were considered.

I'm not sure if that would be an improvement. The total darkness effectively "hides" the ride and makes the land feel more ominous (as it should feel) with a dark void in the middle.

 

[celluloid]

I'm not sure if that would be an improvement. The total darkness effectively "hides" the ride and makes the land feel more ominous (as it should feel) with a dark void in the middle.

That is why it stands as is. For now anyway.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I think you should not be trying to rebrand being lazy with sightlines, especially when fixing them would be comparatively chump change, as innovative rulebreaking choices.

Nobody should. They had a blank slate to work with. They went 90% of the way to greatness. It's just baffling. To everyone else, note that us pointing out the multiple sightline issues the park has does not mean we're saying it's a bad park. There's a lot to praise, but in my opinion this particular aspect about the park needs attention called to it and should not be handwaved away as "internet fodder". They still have 40 days to rectify as much of it as they can.

I think maybe, and this is just a theory, but maybe they wanted some lands that aren't quite so claustrophobic.