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

[AidenRodriguez731]

I think whether or not there's been "zero effort" put into the theming and sightlines is irrelevant, because regardless there clearly wasn't nearly enough effort put into things like Untrainable Dragon and Wing Gliders, the latter of which I can confidently say is a complete MESS with a capital M after watching a POV of it. I never imagined a Universal attraction would give me an unobstructed view of a water treatment plant, and that's only one of about a dozen serious thematic violations. It's so bad that I don't know if I can even bring myself to ride this thing before the sun sets. We should freely celebrate the park's triumphs but also voice our concerns about its frankly head-scratching failures.

100%. I noticed another just plain white wall where the budget ran out for fake moss. I mean come on. We can only suspend disbelief so much… this is directly on the side of the coaster and is terrible show.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

The majority of these problem areas are only visible if you’re looking for them.

Untrainable Theater is definitely bad and I never denied that but literally HTTD is literally filled to the bone with details and excellent theming.

However instead of giving Uni props on those they intentionally focus on criticizing that one building that’s hidden in the back by the way.

It’s not just one building. And yeah when I’ve heard for YEARS that this park is gonna make Disney reconsider EVERYTHING or be the best theme park in the world and it’s not even able to beat a park that’s 20 years old for me in consistency, that’s a big deal to a lot of people. Epic looks like a great park but for years people were massively hyping it and now, it opens and people have endless excuses. “What? Were you expecting Tokoyo Disney levels of theming??”… yes. I was.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Most rides are bigger investments than Gringotts, needed an entirely new Infastructure on land that never had a theme park and over a decade and a half has passed from one opening day to another.

One can't compare theater in the Wild but can pull those choices?
Each land costing near a billion dollars now(all lands have more than one attraction and some multiple more ones) Not to mention multiple new stores and food venues, often at a larger number than Duagon has in real estate.

Get real.

The lands cost more than Diagon Alley. That’s it. You’re flailing for caveats don’t change that. It’s the world’s most expensive theme park. It was supposed to be all Diagon Alley-esque lands. They spent the money for that and a lot more.

 

[celluloid]

It’s not just one building. And yeah when I’ve heard for YEARS that this park is gonna make Disney reconsider EVERYTHING or be the best theme park in the world and it’s not even able to beat a park that’s 20 years old for me in consistency, that’s a big deal to a lot of people. Epic looks like a great park but for years people were massively hyping it and now, it opens and people have endless excuses. “What? Were you expecting Tokoyo Disney levels of theming??”… yes. I was.

Wait, you don't think EPIC at opening beats any of Disney's current domestic park offerings? It is definitely superior to some of WDWs current situations. Even with its lesser corners.

 

[JT3000]

I don't know of many rides that hit near 50 to a hundred feet that would not give you those kinds of views as they can't control how fast that water treatment plant moves out of there and other real estate not theirs? Thrills always sacrifice sight from heights as you ascend it gets more likely.

I can see icon park from the WDW monorail and near contemporary and it kind of bums me out but I know Disney cannot do much about it within reason.

It's like 20 feet off the ground tops when you can see most of this stuff. It's not a tall coaster at all, they just did a terrible job theming it. I was willing to give them leeway with Stardust Racers since it's a full-scale thrill ride that I probably won't be riding anyway, but not this. The views on this thing are utterly ridiculous. For god's sake, at least move the cherry picker parked directly underneath the ride.

 

[JT3000]

It’s not just one building. And yeah when I’ve heard for YEARS that this park is gonna make Disney reconsider EVERYTHING...

Universal never told you that. Universal does not even mention Disney directly in their marketing. I already explained how this is a straw man that people need to stop using.

 

[celluloid]

It's like 20 feet off the ground tops when you can see most of this stuff. It's not a tall coaster at all, they just did a terrible job theming it. I was willing to give them leeway with Stardust Racers since it's a full-scale thrill ride that I probably won't be riding anyway, but not this. The views on this thing are utterly ridiculous. For god's sake, at least move the cherry picker parked directly underneath the ride.

The coaster does hit 50 feet when pwer and when lower yku are hitting 45mph and it is not like the water treatment off property is a focal point or even where most people are going to look.

Don't know for sure why the Cherry Picker is currently there or if it is some safety situation not checked off at the time. That is likely not a hard fix.

Incredicoaster still has many things you can see off property that are not anywhere near desirable when you are not even at its top height. Same with the wheel and some others. And the only solution reasonable can't be, theme it to just amusement!

At a certain point, it's not reasonable. And taste varies.

Tokyo Disney is Tokyo/ Tokyo Disney Sea because culture asks of its quality and has outside investment parties at top level that own and operate it also ensuring.

So as grest in scLe and phenom as many thi as are, bkt even WDWs post Eisner and Welles era has come close for consistency.

 

[lazyboy97o]

For god's sake, at least move the cherry picker parked directly underneath the ride.

It shouldn’t have to be moved. That stuff’s going to placed in open back of house areas should be a known to any designer. A row of hedges would have blocked much of the view. A wood fence. Even just a scrim.

Same for the view stepping out of Atlantic, all of a few steps up. One day it may be a new portal but its a rough look until then.

 

[celluloid]

Same for the view stepping out of Atlantic, all of a few steps up. One day it may be a new portal but its a rough look until then.

I hope people can prevail and endure until then in the opening day line up it does offer.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Wait, you don't think EPIC at opening beats any of Disney's current domestic park offerings? It is definitely superior to some of WDWs current situations. Even with its lesser corners.

I think it beats Hollywood Studios at its current state sure. But for a park built 20 years after, it should defo beat more than 1/4 to me.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

The coaster does hit 50 feet when pwer and when lower yku are hitting 45mph and it is not like the water treatment off property is a focal point or even where most people are going to look.

Don't know for sure why the Cherry Picker is currently there or if it is some safety situation not checked off at the time. That is likely not a hard fix.

Incredicoaster still has many things you can see off property that are not anywhere near desirable when you are not even at its top height. Same with the wheel and some others. And the only solution reasonable can't be, theme it to just amusement!

At a certain point, it's not reasonable. And taste varies.

Tokyo Disney is Tokyo/ Tokyo Disney Sea because culture asks of its quality and has outside investment parties at top level that own and operate it also ensuring.

So as grest in scLe and phenom as many thi as are, bkt even WDWs post Eisner and Welles era has come close for consistency.

Why are we comparing a rethemed and not amazingly liked coaster originally built 25 years ago and rethemed 7 ago in California in a park that is also not as well liked to a state of the art brand new coaster in a theme park just opening with completely different issues. Not to mention that the Incredicoaster is CANONICALLY atleast an actual modern coaster in its theming, so it technically doesn't break immersion to see behind the scenes as it is canonically a coaster on the pier.

 

[JT3000]

I think it beats Hollywood Studios at its current state sure. But for a park built 20 years after, it should defo beat more than 1/4 to me.

I don't think that's how it works. A park should be at its weakest on opening day. Older parks are going to have an inherent advantage, especially since theme parks can evolve over time and aren't perpetually stuck in their original form.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

I don't think that's how it works. A park should be at its weakest on opening day. Older parks are going to have an inherent advantage, especially since theme parks can evolve over time and aren't perpetually stuck in their original form.

Sure, there is usually a lot of weak points but again, 20 years is a lot of time to know that simple things like sightlines and some just generally poor choices would have worked out. Universal didn't just realize "oh wow that building is actually visible." they definitely knew but the money wasn't there to care. I'm sorry but at this point in 2025, when we get a full brand new theme park that can be engineered with all of this modern stuff, I expect better. There's quite a few signs of just poor planning. Another example is the fiasco with Dark Universe between the changes to the ride and the seemingly poor planning of the Werewolf coaster because HOLY NETTING that is a lot of netting for 1 coaster. Better planning would not necessitate that much netting.

 

[celluloid]

Why are we comparing a rethemed and not amazingly liked coaster originally built 25 years ago and rethemed 7 ago in California in a park that is also not as well liked to a state of the art brand new coaster in a theme park just opening with completely different issues. Not to mention that the Incredicoaster is CANONICALLY atleast an actual modern coaster in its theming, so it technically doesn't break immersion to see behind the scenes as it is canonically a coaster on the pier.

Because said other park has had billions poured into fix it's issues since day one and still I eludes so many of its issues day one, that still provide most people with a good time.

Yes, incredicoaster continued the issue and faux faux, but bow with static figures and sticks. Arguably more insulting from the top earning and spending theme park company in the world.

Also, for the record, Incredibles is a fictions ambitious 60s retro future inspired esthetic ,not current socal powerlines and roads.

Much like Theater in The Wild, the place.aking has declined.

 

[celluloid]

Sure, there is usually a lot of weak points but again, 20 years is a lot of time to know that simple things like sightlines and some just generally poor choices would have worked out. Universal didn't just realize "oh wow that building is actually visible." they definitely knew but the money wasn't there to care. I'm sorry but at this point in 2025, when we get a full brand new theme park that can be engineered with all of this modern stuff, I expect better. There's quite a few signs of just poor planning. Another example is the fiasco with Dark Universe between the changes to the ride and the seemingly poor planning of the Werewolf coaster because HOLY NETTING that is a lot of netting for 1 coaster. Better planning would not necessitate that much netting.

There is more safety and litigious concerns than ever, that is why werewolf has netting.

What other 2025 brand new theme park would you compare it to?

Better yet compare Disney's eyes low I stallment of large tickets across parks.
Besides Galaxy's Edge and Rat nothing you ser matches the price tag and or has giant show building boxes visible.

And that is WITHOUT giving us a new park worth of venues.

 

[UNCgolf]

I don't think that's how it works. A park should be at its weakest on opening day. Older parks are going to have an inherent advantage, especially since theme parks can evolve over time and aren't perpetually stuck in their original form.

Yeah. Off the top of my head I think all four WDW parks have a more interesting ride lineup than Epic, but that makes sense -- they've all been operating for decades at this point and should presumably offer more. And some of that is because of the types of attractions on offer vs. what EU offers, especially in the case of DAK.

The real issue is with parks like USF or EPCOT where the attraction lineup has gotten worse over the years.

 

[celluloid]

I don't think that's how it works. A park should be at its weakest on opening day. Older parks are going to have an inherent advantage, especially since theme parks can evolve over time and aren't perpetually stuck in their original form.

This. People have not remembered this because it has been so long since a major theme park has opened and IOA was so strong. EPIC is close.or better depending on who you ask.

Universal Sudios Florida was great but was very bald and barren in many ways. Kong, earthquake, odd working Jaws d ET, hitchcok and funtastic world were the main draws with supporting venues like tram tour, horror make up, ghostbusters and street entertainment doing their best pulling out all sorts of stops.
The park grew a lot.more the net few years to 96 from BTTF to T23D and other things ironed out.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

There is more safety and litigious concerns than ever, that is why werewolf has netting.

What other 2025 brand new theme park would you compare it to?

Better yet compare Disney's eyes low I stallment of large tickets across parks.
Besides Galaxy's Edge and Rat nothing you ser matches the price tag and or has giant show building boxes visible.

And that is WITHOUT giving us a new park worth of venues.

Or, and hear me out here, you could better plan the coaster to not need so much netting by not directly going over things so much. And I just saw the ending section and WOOF it looks rough right before you get off. Like state fair levels of rough.

And I think you're missing the point. It is FAR easier to not have sightline problems when you're building a brand new park rather than replacing something because ITS A NEW PARK. You know a building is gonna be so and so tall, so you simply account for that in the budget or by theming other elements that you know will block it. I would give MORE leniency to something like Werewolf if it was slapped in there after park opening because sure, maybe they didn't 100% know that a coaster was going to go there and they had to squeeze it into a space with existing employee/guest areas. But no, its a fresh coaster that was already mapped out before construction. It was just poorly thought out.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would give MORE leniency to something like Werewolf if it was slapped in there after park opening because sure, maybe they didn't 100% know that a coaster was going to go there and they had to squeeze it into a space with existing employee/guest areas. But no, its a fresh coaster that was already mapped out before construction. It was just poorly thought out.

Curse of the Werewolf was the last thing designed and after the initial building permits were sought. It was forced into a pre-existing design.

 

[Squishy]