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

[sedati]

There isn’t a nighttime spectacular?

Did I completely miss something? I thought we were in for a fountains, music, fireworks type ordeal.

Is it just one time affair or more like a tree of life awakening thing.

How high would the fireworks have to be if standing around the fountain so Helios didn't block the view? Also, would they turn out everyone's park-facing room-lights? Would the rooftop bar go dark? Don't the parks usually dim their lights for their nighttime spectaculars (for good reason)?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

How high would the fireworks have to be if standing around the fountain so Helios didn't block the view? Also, would they turn out everyone's park-facing room-lights? Would the rooftop bar go dark? Don't the parks usually dim their lights for their nighttime spectaculars (for good reason)?

I hadn't thought of it, but that's actually a good point: wouldn't the Helios Hotel be too tall and wide to hold regular fireworks shows that are launched from behind the hotel and were intended to be viewed in Cosmic Park?

I can't imagine they would be launching fireworks off a hotel full of people on a regular basis and there is nowhere in the park from which to launch fireworks as far as I know, so I think launching them from behind the hotel is the only option. The logical viewing spot would be the areas around the fountains, but they're right up against the hotel.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I can't imagine they would be launching fireworks off a hotel full of people on a regular basis and there is nowhere in the park from which to launch fireworks as far as I know, so I think launching them from behind the hotel is the only option.

Some of the showbuildings were designed to be able to launch pyrotechnics from their roof.

 

[jrhwdw]

I hadn't thought of it, but that's actually a good point: wouldn't the Helios Hotel be too tall and wide to hold regular fireworks shows that are launched from behind the hotel and were intended to be viewed in Cosmic Park?

I can't imagine they would be launching fireworks off a hotel full of people on a regular basis and there is nowhere in the park from which to launch fireworks as far as I know, so I think launching them from behind the hotel is the only option. The logical viewing spot would be the areas around the fountains, but they're right up against the hotel.

I believe the High Fireworks Launch is the Lagoon by Helios Parking Lot.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Some of the showbuildings were designed to be able to launch pyrotechnics from their roof.

That makes sense. I am interested to know what their plans are in terms of a nighttime show, as I think we have all been assuming that the park has been planned with that in mind.

I am sure people who have been there have a better sense of whether it would be viable to stand around the fountain area with the focus being fireworks launched behind the hotel. Are the show buildings of Ministry and Monsters Unchained, for example, close enough that fireworks launched from there would be in your field of vision from that vantage point? Or perhaps there are alternative viewing areas further back?

 

[Unbanshee]

Went with the 19th. Honestly, happy just to take it all on. If I get to just walk through Nintendo, Monsters, HTTYD and Minstery it will be the perfect day! Bonus if I get to ride Monsters

Monsters is averaging like a 45-minute wait, with wait times below 30 minutes in the afternoon and almost no wait in the early evenings. You should be able to ride, no problem!

 

[Disstevefan1]

Monsters is averaging like a 45-minute wait, with wait times below 30 minutes in the afternoon and almost no wait in the early evenings. You should be able to ride, no problem!

With previews now open to general public it will be interesting to see the wait times.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Will it be ready for Opening Day? Will it match the Test awhile back?

I’m not sure if it will match the test or when it will be ready. They just know that it’s happening.

 

[jrhwdw]

I’m not sure if it will match the test or when it will be ready. They just know that it’s happening.

That's a Start. Thanks!

 

[TennHokies]

Imagine how fantastic this park would look at night if it was open? And no, I don’t consider closing at 9pm enough time to enjoy a nighttime park atmosphere. Come on Epic U - give the people what we want! And at the very least give creative their just deserves.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Imagine how fantastic this park would look at night if it was open? And no, I don’t consider closing at 9pm enough time to enjoy a nighttime park atmosphere. Come on Epic U - give the people what we want! And at the very least give creative their just deserves.

Yes! Epic was made to be seen at night. If they don’t want to increase the hours then they should consider opening the park later than 9:00 AM so it can be open for longer at night.

The theme park enthusiast community should really push for this.

 

[JoeCamel]

Yes! Epic was made to be seen at night. If they don’t want to increase the hours then they should consider opening the park later than 9:00 AM so it can be open for longer at night.

The theme park enthusiast community should really push for this.

Just get an invite/ticket to the after hours event. I doubt they will operate this park differently than the others and that buyout income is sweet sweet music to the bottom line

 

[sedati]

Yes! Epic was made to be seen at night. If they don’t want to increase the hours then they should consider opening the park later than 9:00 AM so it can be open for longer at night.

The theme park enthusiast community should really push for this.

As a night-owl, part of me wishes all parks in Florida were opened from dusk-to-dawn.

 

[Andrew C]

As a night-owl, part of me wishes all parks in Florida were opened from dust-to-dawn.

I recall in 2012 or so, we were at DHS until 2am one night for extra magic hours. Glorious and without a special ticket.

 

[Piebald]

Going today. The forecast had 50% chance of rain leading up to today and I was hopeful it was typical Florida weather forecast but ho lee poo it is NASTY. Im not sure it has rained this hard in months...so...I guess we will see how Epic is during what looks like a pretty miserable washout of a day.

 

[hopemax]

That's a bummer. However there are lots of interesting things to see and eat in the restaurants and theming in the stores. Ask to go in the Ministry even if you don't get a VQ.

 

[MisterPenguin]

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

How high would the fireworks have to be if standing around the fountain so Helios didn't block the view? Also, would they turn out everyone's park-facing room-lights? Would the rooftop bar go dark? Don't the parks usually dim their lights for their nighttime spectaculars (for good reason)?

The park has fountains from front to back as well as highly programmed lighting with the capabilities the cosmos fountain has so you can experience the show way back the fountains are everywhere even for the regular shows we just see the main section but the aerial shows they are all synchronized

 

[donsullivan]

I saw a different version of the 'B' mode for the preshow this afternoon. Victoria was still not working so they just had her static with the script going off. The Monster was working fully normally, but no movement from Victoria at all.

 

[Piebald]

I posted earlier about the storm and I report back that after the bad storms that lasted til about 11am, it was a beautiful day. My thoughts -

Mariokart is cool for kids but a little overwhelming and all over the place.

Never made it on Donkey Kong. Was down all morning and waits were 105-120min. When we tried riding at 830pm they told us they were at capacity. Meanwhile we got onto Stardust Racers at 845p no problem

Ministry of Magic is cool but God that VQ is awful. If you haven't experienced it, Disney is superior. With this app you have to make sure popups are enabled. Then the screens will show - 1 + where you have to add your party number THEN hit submit THEN you have to pick a time and it never worked. I got lucky that I befriended a mother and son and they pretended I was part of their party. But otherwise I found the user experience awful. At least with Disney you just had to tap and boom get a time. This was like trying to buy Taylor Swift tickets and fighting a billion bots.

The HTTYD coaster is low-key very awesome. It's not super intense but it's definitely not a kiddie coaster. It is a ton of fun.

Monsters was great but Victoria Frankenstein was static in the preshow. At least Frankenstein monster was normal. The effects all seemed to work on the ride. It was a lot of fun as was Curse of the Werewolf.

Never saw any shows, not a lot of characters (only saw Mario and Luigi but also wasn't hunting for them.) other than a violinist in Dark Universe which was cool.

Park is beautiful at night.

I've been extremely critical of the food at universal and have said many times it's downright awful and the only thing keeping them back from being equal to Disney entirely. I only had Pizza Moon but it was very very good so I had some faith restored.

Didn't pay much attention to the sight line issues brought up here ad nauseum but I must say some views were pretty bad. Like real bad lol

Overall it's a great park but Disney execs can sleep well at night. This is by no means gonna hurt Disney anytime soon IMO. A great addition but not something that I think will move the needle personally.