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

[BrianLo]

That's a good idea.

Ratatouille Plaza, TSL, the Potter lands all suffer from rides that draw in more people per hour than the mini-land can comfortably hold. And then you get crowding.

Having the crowds held waiting (but not in a queue) in Celestial Park -- which is big and wide-open -- is a good thing.

I dunno. Those all required something temporary until the newness wears off and the crowds properly dispersed once more. Epic shouldn't need to gate people in the gate... otherwise the whole thing is under built.

If true, this reminds me of Volcano Bay's launch. Which went over extremely poorly with the general public.

Just don't let so many people in if you have that much crowd control concerns.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I dunno. Those all required something temporary until the newness wears off and the crowds properly dispersed once more. Epic shouldn't need to gate people in the gate... otherwise the whole thing is under built.

If true, this reminds me of Volcano Bay's launch. Which went over extremely poorly with the general public.

Just don't let so many people in if you have that much crowd control concerns.

Pick your poison: Reservation for the parks; VQ for the lands; or VQ for each of the rides...

 

[Stripes]

It's also been there since 1982.

And it’s still just as impressive and beautiful over 40 years later.

Have I left you speechless with nothing to say? If you disagree you should provide reasons to substantiate your position.

 

[JT3000]

And it’s still just as impressive and beautiful over 40 years later.

Which is still completely beside the point of Epcot's makeover. No, they don't get points for adding some lights to it, which can only be appreciated at night. It's still Spaceship Earth.

Have I left you speechless with nothing to say? If you disagree you should provide reasons to substantiate your position.

You've left me speechless at how much you're overrating a glorified science museum exhibit.

 

[BrianLo]

Pick your poison: Reservation for the parks; VQ for the lands; or VQ for each of the rides...

Easy choice. Single dated tickets, should have started selling those ages ago. Priority add on Epic Days for multi-ticket packages, also dated. Resort guests guaranteed access to Epic dated tickets for their length of stay. Dated tickets only for the first 6 months.

They've already made ticketing stupid, dated tickets would have actually been less so.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Unironically a Journey of Water would kill it in one of the empty spaces of Celestial Park. It’d probably fit in more than half of the land’s restaurants

 

[Stripes]

Which is still completely beside the point of Epcot's makeover. No, they don't get points for adding some lights to it, which can only be appreciated at night. It's still Spaceship Earth.

Who cares whether it’s considered part of the “makeover” or not? It’s there and architecturally it’s a timeless work of art and an engineering marvel. It’s a part of EPCOT that blows the minds of guests every day.

You've left me speechless at how much you're overrating a glorified science museum exhibit.

If it’s a glorified science museum exhibit then museums have a long way to go to catch up. And I’ve been to some of the best.

Thank you for your reply. Dismissive GIFs contribute nothing to a discussion.

 

[JT3000]

Who cares whether it’s considered part of the “makeover” or not? It’s there and architecturally it’s a timeless work of art and an engineering marvel. It’s a part of EPCOT that blows the minds of guests every day.

If it’s a glorified science museum exhibit then museums have a long way to go to catch up. And I’ve been to some of the best.

Thank you for your reply. Dismissive GIFs contribute nothing to a discussion.

You know what else doesn't contribute to discussion? Selectively ignoring the entire context of the discussion, as you've just done. People were discussing the recent changes to Epcot and how they compare to Celestial Park, and then here you come with a corporate marketing spiel about something that's been there since the park originally opened, now with some fancy lights. If you could actually convince me that the recent Epcot makeover consists of "awe-inspiring architecture," I'd be a lot more impressed with your selling techniques. I can't promise my mind being blown however.

You haven't been to enough interactive museums if you're genuinely impressed by Journey of Water. They've been doing the same things since I was a child, albeit with less theming.

 

[TTA94]

 

[build_it]

I’m really wondering what the hours will be at Epic. I feel like this has been designed to be Uni’s night time park - similar to how EPCOT functions at WDW. With regular nighttime shows, it would really encourage paying for park hopping tickets, and would really change the mix for Uni. It might also provide a park free of Halloween Horror as they could concentrate those efforts where they are now. They could create a great alternative experience similar to Disneyland and DCA at Halloween.

 

[Stripes]

You know what else doesn't contribute to discussion? Selectively ignoring the entire context of the discussion, as you've just done. People were discussing the recent changes to Epcot and how they compare to Celestial Park, and then here you come with a corporate marketing spiel about something that's been there since the park originally opened, now with some fancy lights. If you could actually convince me that the recent Epcot makeover consists of "awe-inspiring architecture," I'd be a lot more impressed with your selling techniques. I can't promise my mind being blown however.

You haven't been to enough interactive museums if you're genuinely impressed by Journey of Water. They've been doing the same things since I was a child, albeit with less theming.

On one hand you’ve got an entire land and on the other hand you merely have the “recent changes” to another land. That’s not an apples to apples comparison. I thought that would be obvious and didn’t feel the need to address it. In any event, the discussion began due to a Universal team member leaving a review of Celestial Park. They stated that the land felt “sparse” and “bare” with views and slight lines that are “lacking.” They also mentioned that the concrete walking paths were too wide and sprawling. When I hear “putting the park back into theme park” as Mark Woodbury put it, I think of The Oasis at Animal Kingdom. I don’t think of World Celebration which has a much higher density of structures and could not reasonably be construed as feeling “sparse” or “bare.”

In the context of comparing the qualities and attributes of Celestial Park with the World Celebration, can you make an argument was to why we should ignore the massive structure the looms over the entire land of World Celebration, or any other structure for that matter?

You haven't been to enough interactive museums if you're genuinely impressed by Journey of Water. They've been doing the same things since I was a child, albeit with less theming.

Show me.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Yall… how much does this hotel cost per night?

 

[freediverdude]

Yall… how much does this hotel cost per night?

View attachment 847559

Well the rates I'm seeing start around $400-600 depending on dates, for a standard room, and then go up from there. The feeling I'm getting, once the new hotness wears off, is that this resort will have to be priced in between Sapphire and Royal Pacific, just based on the location and no express. If they end up giving express for Epic for this resort, that would change the math towards charging Hard Rock pricing.

 

[mkt]

My current understanding is no one posting here has been, right?

 

[maxairmike]

I’m really baffled by what seems to be the consensus understanding/definition of the word “park” around here when referring to Celestial Park’s landscaping. It seems to me what most of you want and expected is a near literal forest, and I never got that impression from the concept art and videos. I always had the impression of more artificial “natural” spaces that are open and lined instead of filled. More like Millennium Park, or similar city parks that aren’t as plush/lush in total tree cover. I think once the trees have a few years to mature it will fit that kind of idea more clearly. Considering the base utility of the spaces and paths I’m not seeing a problem, though that might change once I’m actually able to experience the space in person.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

I’m really baffled by what seems to be the consensus understanding/definition of the word “park” around here when referring to Celestial Park’s landscaping. It seems to me what most of you want and expected is a near literal forest, and I never got that impression from the concept art and videos. I always had the impression of more artificial “natural” spaces that are open and lined instead of filled. More like Millennium Park, or similar city parks that aren’t as plush/lush in total tree cover. I think once the trees have a few years to mature it will fit that kind of idea more clearly. Considering the base utility of the spaces and paths I’m not seeing a problem, though that might change once I’m actually able to experience the space in person.

I see what you mean, but the appeal of Millennium Park or NYC Central Park’s meadows are the ability to use that space. To lay on the grass, to throw a ball, etc. They’re not fun walking spaces.

Celestial Park’s space is essentially a restaurant corridor with some benches. It has more in common with a river arts district in an up-and-coming American city (see string lights and Meteor Burger) than it does a city park.

EDIT: This, to me, is how Celestial Park’s theming currently feels

 

[michmousefan]

If anything would serve to give Epcot (or anywhere at WDW) some fountain envy, this image might just do it...

 

[DCBaker]

Here's the full drone video in 4K:

 

[Agent H]

Why are people so obsessed with fountains lately?

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Why are people so obsessed with fountains lately?

Fountains are cool generally. But still nothing in America surpasses the Bellagio fountains for me.