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

[Disneyhead'71]

I personally think that Epic! is the most ambitious theme park at opening from the big 2 since EPCOT Center in 1982. Way better than Disney-MGM and OG USF. DAK was and still is WAY under built. IOA is great, But there is still a tongue in cheek attitude that is very UNIVERSAL.

Epic! has a much more mature and deeper approach.

Epic! Is far from perfect. I had seen SNW in Japan and Hollywood, and thought it looked great. When I finally went, I exited the portal and thought WOW, it looks great! And then as I moved through the land, I thought WOW, it cramped and tight, and crowded. At that point all the built in kinetic energy made the experience a bit overwhelming. Not my favorite land. Although, I did enjoy Mario Kart. I knew exactly what to expect and thought it was more fun than any POV I have seen.

I don't know, I get that it's Universal, but the orchestra completely orchestra makes it sound and look like another Cinesational but yet the Cinesational soundtrack gives you chills. This is Epic so I expect a different sound. Same with Epcot, if it's too much Orchestra I don't like it either. Epic needs to keep the Galaxy and Renaissance of it's theme and place to thrive with Helios! If you incorporate Universal films then have a Galaxy ring to it or along with it. Anyone else kind of unthrilled by the music here.

I don't think this is THE Nighttime Spectacular. I think they will playing the 5-7 min. sections throughout the night.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

And Swan and Dolphin would not have been there, except for Eisner's goof of giving that hotel company a contract for the WDW hotels, and then had to give them that location for a long term lease in order to get out of said contract and build Disney owned hotels instead.

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.

 

[JT3000]

Not a criticism of Ministry since I’m now very uninformed, but this is precisely one of the largest criticisms of Gringotts.

They make this fancy systems and slap a generic experience on top, negating the purpose by and large. Though again I hope and assume this experience is doing things scoop couldn’t provide?

Or in the extreme complaint category, their ride is so generic that it can be applied to ?3-4 different ride platforms and it essentially doesn’t matter. Minions mayhem.

Considering they didn't just use the Scoop ride system, even without having ridden it, I think it's safe to assume it's doing things the Scoop can't.

I wouldn't call Gringott's generic. It has some neat tricks, they just aren't very visual in nature. It probably could have used a longer coaster section to drive home the point that it's a hybrid ride system though.

Minion Mayhem is the most basic of basic simulator concepts that's been in place since the park opened, following its two predecessors. It wasn't exactly meant to be revolutionary. I think Despicable Me deserves a dark ride, but there isn't really enough space there and I don't think they knew what they had yet.

 

[celluloid]

Eisner or Michael Graves don't remember which think Eisner personally didn't like just tall glass towers said they looked like refrigerators. Now years later they built one Swan Reserve smack in the middle!

Believe it or not, the architecture we got is the toned down version.

 

[celluloid]

The first 20 days of operation for day tickets of Epic Universe are now completely sold out.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I personally think that Epic! is the most ambitious theme park at opening from the big 2 since EPCOT Center in 1982. Way better than Disney-MGM and OG USF. DAK was and still is WAY under built.

Ehh... DAK was underbuilt, but in its current state is comparable to Epic and it will have more attractions (as in not just rides) than Epic when the Dinoland and TTBAB replacements are complete.

But I also feel that this is dismissive. DAK was built as a highly ambitious theme park. Something like Kilimanjaro Safaris in a theme park was unheard of. Not in the sense of riding through a space and seeing animals, but the scope of it and the fact that it looks and feels real. DAK also remains the most immersive and detailed theme park in the US, as well as the most cohesive.

IOA is great, But there is still a tongue in cheek attitude that is very UNIVERSAL.

Epic! has a much more mature and deeper approach.

Agreed with this. IOA in its earliest days was often described as "a fancy Six Flags" and that wasn't entirely unwarranted. It has a lot of detail and heart, but is still very much a theme park with nice set dressing. A product of its time with very loud and clashing aesthetics everywhere.

Epic is probably Universal's first time deciding to make areas that feel both beautiful and meaningful. And they mostly succeeded! I just... wish they hadn't stopped at 90%.

 

[celluloid]

Ehh... DAK was underbuilt, but in its current state is comparable to Epic and it will have more attractions (as in not just rides) than Epic when the Dinoland and TTBAB replacements are complete.

Considering DAK is been around for over 20 years, and EPIC will be open for a good while before those projects are done, the disparity becomes obvious.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Epic is probably Universal's first time deciding to make areas that feel both beautiful and meaningful. And they mostly succeeded! I just... wish they hadn't stopped at 90%.

90% ... what does it have to take to reach 100 and Above?

 

[Tom Morrow]

90% ... what does it have to take to reach 100 and Above?

Ensuring full immersion by theming everything you CAN see and not allowing blatant views of things outside of the park like the water treatment plant.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Believe it or not, the architecture we got is the toned down version.

I wanted to see a concept art of the better one but there is none to be found. It's possible

 

[Streetway Again]

Comcast has not always gotten it right, but they have genuinely done more great for the Orlando Property as anyone has post opening era. They ultimately know this with studio as well, as they have leaned into the nostalgia properties that are a bit more timeless that left fast in the last 20 years, and RRR is going bye bye.

That is true. USF does seem primed for an overhaul.

In hindsight the show, tribute store, and parade did seem almost like a test. Only question Is how far are they willing to take it, and which ones, including the ones from the stuff last summer, they choose.

 

[celluloid]

That is true. USF does seem primed for an overhaul.

In hindsight the show, tribute store, and parade did seem almost like a test. Only question Is how far are they willing to take it, and which ones, including the ones from the stuff last summer, they choose.

Don't forget the escape room, while small potatoes in comparison, was amazing that it has lasted as long as it has.

And if Fanfest is a hit out West, I imagine we will see it hit East.

 

[JT3000]

Ehh... DAK was underbuilt, but in its current state is comparable to Epic and it will have more attractions (as in not just rides) than Epic when the Dinoland and TTBAB replacements are complete.

But I also feel that this is dismissive. DAK was built as a highly ambitious theme park. Something like Kilimanjaro Safaris in a theme park was unheard of. Not in the sense of riding through a space and seeing animals, but the scope of it and the fact that it looks and feels real. DAK also remains the most immersive and detailed theme park in the US, as well as the most cohesive.

Cohesive? There is an entire land dedicated to giant alien smurfs in a park about animals.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Cohesive? There is an entire land dedicated to giant alien smurfs in a park about animals.

But the theme and message of the land and both rides is still conservation and symbiosis with animals and nature - which is the overarching theme of the park. The land also aesthetically compliments the rest of the park with the emphasis on vegetation, rugged and rustic structures, and hand-crafted artwork/sculptures etc.

I, too, scoffed at the idea of Avatar in DAK when it was announced, but was stunned when seeing it for the first time and realizing they found a way to make it fit.

If they didn't care, they would have made Flight of Passage be about a mech battle or something (which is absolutely 100% the direction Universal would take).

Even if you don't agree on Pandora, remove it from the equation and DAK is still the most cohesive theme park especially now that Dino-Rama is being demolished.

 

[celluloid]

That is true. USF does seem primed for an overhaul.

In hindsight the show, tribute store, and parade did seem almost like a test. Only question Is how far are they willing to take it, and which ones, including the ones from the stuff last summer, they choose.

In my perfect world:

Ghostbusters where Fallon is, BTTF into Simpsons again(because it was just that great at the property) or Rollercoater if they go that way replacing RRR and then Jaws in a new mini Amity where Sanfran ends replacing Fast and Furious.

I know not likely, but hey, then at least we get better properties and likely attractions back in the park.


Take it for what its worth: It was said that BMG had a meeting about coming back into their spot a couple of years ago after things ended, and inquired about show space again with Uni. Not only was a deal not entertained or attempted, Uni said we have future plans for that space. Hence the rush deal BMG had with Icon Park.

 

[celluloid]

But the theme and message of the land and both rides is still conservation and symbiosis with animals and nature - which is the overarching theme of the park. The land also aesthetically compliments the rest of the park. I, too, scoffed at the idea of Avatar in DAK when it was announced, but was stunned when seeing it for the first time and realizing they found a way to make it fit.

If they didn't care, they would have made Flight of Passage be about a mech battle or something (which is absolutely 100% the direction Universal would take).

Even if you don't agree on Pandora, remove it from the equation and DAK is still the most cohesive theme park especially now that Dino-Rama is being demolished.

I don't know. I think a case can be made just as well for Universal Studios. Attractions taste aside(becuase I strongly dislike some of them) and I wish they were the older ones that replaced them, it is still a cohesive movie studio theme park. It commits to its orignal mission better than what Hollywood has become.

I think Zootopia and Avatar make AK it not as cohesive as it once was. Definitely top tier immersion where they want it. It has just been getting tainted.

 

[Streetway Again]

Don't forget the escape room, while small potatoes in comparison, was amazing that it has lasted as long as it has.

Yeah it is true.

Universal Creative seems to like back to the future. As seen by universal UK. Though I do have

Jaws in a new mini Amity where Sanfran ends replacing Fast and Furious.

if only a jaws comeback to USF was possible. But as far as I know, and common sense goes, not likely. Especially with it showing up in the GB concept art.

I know not likely, but hey, then at least we get better properties and likely attractions back in the park.

I do hope the smoke does have fire attached to it. Seems like they’ve been entertaining the idea.

Take it for what its worth. BMG had a meeting about coming back into their spot a couple of years ago after things ended, and inquired about show space again with Uni. Not only was a deal not entertained or attempted, Uni said we have future plans for that space

Hmm very interesting. Would be down for it. I remember that rumor from a while back.

 

[celluloid]

Another thing that does make a bit of a difference, things still need to be a surviving business, but Woodbury now in charge instead of just in charge of creative, is very close to Steven Spielberg. So those things Spielberg has been director or executive producer for are in good standing to have things tie in.

 

[Tom Morrow]

it is still a cohesive movie studio theme park. It commits to its orignal mission better than what Hollywood has become.

Probably true. USF is a collection of "movie studio city sets" that contain bite-size IP immersions. DHS is now just a park about golden age Hollywood, Star Wars, and Toy Story.

I think Zootopia and Avatar make AK it not as cohesive as it once was. Definitely top tier immersion where they want it. It has just been getting tainted.

I agree, it is a misstep that goes against the narrative of the park. Encanto and Indy could go either way, we'll have to see. The South America land replacing Dinoland needs to follow in the footsteps of Harambe and Anandapur, and not be "Encantoland".

 

[Streetway Again]

Another thing that does make a bit of a difference, things still need to be a surviving business, but Woodbury now in charge instead of just in charge of creative, is very close to Steven Spielberg. So those things Spielberg has been director or executive producer for are in good standing to have things tie in.

Hmm. So Spielberg movies have a good chance of coming/coming back to the parks?