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

[BrianLo]

Berk is also the most let down by the concept art. Everyone knows what Super Nintendo World actually will look like. Fantastic Beasts and Monsters are kinda obscured...

But Berk had all the nice detailing stripped and looks bland as a result.

 

[Jon81uk]

Don’t forget Dr. Doom. The park is loaded with exciting and well-themed attractions-many for a mature audience which makes it so popular.

Dr Doom is not an E ticket. C or maybe D.

 

[andysol]

I'm also hoping this park doesn't open with just 4 lands. I understand wanting to have space left for expansion, but that is overdoing it. A new park should still have 5 lands minimum. Hopefully they just excluded some big things from the concept art because the details are not set in stone yet.

It has 5 lands. The huge coaster is it's own "land". If you didn't want to look at the coaster as being a land, then you could consider it part of the hub and call that a land as it's more than just a *normal* hub (It has a carousel, after all).

Either way, I'm more interested in "ride count" and "attraction count" than "Land count". Considering most lands only have 1 or 2 rides in them nowadays; if they have a land with 5 or 6 rides, that certainly appeals to me more than an extra land.

 

[tirian]

The press conference is basically the equivalent of
View attachment 395366

Which had about the same level of detail as this one did. In short, officially remove the veil of secrecy to move along government entities a bit better (streamlining permitting and road/general infrastructure). It wasn't really about announcing details to vacationers. I'd expect a permit storm very shortly (if it hasn't already and just hasn't filtered out to permitting sites yet)

That was a very different era. Without the Internet, people couldn’t obsess over press conference and try to discover details that weren’t revealed.

 

[OG Runner]

I don’t really think it is picking. I was just agreeing it is a stupid name. Epic is such an overused word.

Edited: darn double negative haha.

Honestly, I was having trouble finding the original post, so I responded using your post, since the information was there also. Really!

 

[Bob Harlem]

It’s no doubt good for Orlando as a whole. Competition, more jobs, a totally new park, but the overall park design choice seems lackluster. What you and other in this niche Universal subForum fácil to understand is that it’s fair to be both happy for something and criticize aspects. This park is no DisneySea, EPCOT Center, Animal Kingdom, or even castle style parks. Besides the Monsters World—which I am ecstatic about, it feels less continuous than IOA in terms of IP-lands.

Where are you seeing this incredible detail that leads you to this conclusion? I'm seeing intentionally vague artwork that seems to imply the Diagon Alley approach but nothing even close to make me jump to any conclusion.

This article may apply here

Universal Announces Amazing New Thing for Dumb People to Be Mad At

ORLANDO, FL - Representatives from Universal Parks and Resorts announced this morning that a bunch of freaking idiots will be mad at th...

realparknews.blogspot.com

 

[ChrisFL]

It’s no doubt good for Orlando as a whole. Competition, more jobs, a totally new park, but the overall park design choice seems lackluster. What you and other in this niche Universal subForum fácil to understand is that it’s fair to be both happy for something and criticize aspects. This park is no DisneySea, EPCOT Center, Animal Kingdom, or even castle style parks. Besides the Monsters World—which I am ecstatic about, it feels less continuous than IOA in terms of IP-lands.

They could have integrated the hotel into a land ala DisneySea, perhaps into Monsters World. The land could be a gritty version of London, transition to sorcery (Fantastic Beasts), and then to Dragons. On top of that, like the MK which is easier to do than say a DisneySea (where the park transports you to various ports of calls) or EPCOT (where you are literally visiting the world’s fair) the lands can feel less connected while aesthetically flowing into each other.

I think pulling a Shanghai Disneyland would have worked best for this park. Instead of dead ending each land, they could flow into each other. In addition, a large hub like Epic Worlds will have (or improved, Shanghai) could make the park feel more like you are visiting the park EPCOT style.

I however still think this will still be a fun park to visit, but there are significantly better design choices that could be done for the same money. I just feel that as a Universal fan we can demand the best.

Heck, even the disjointed mess that both Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios have at minimum the Hollywood aspect ‘kinda’ connecting them together. And Hollywood Boulevard flows so well into Sunset and then the Tower of Terror as a magical weenie. That level of storytelling continues through the ride. The icon of this park is going to be what? A nice but unthemed looking hotel? Guess they’re pulling an IOA.
On that note, IOA has a proper act opening to the park, and a generic lake tied the lands together in a more logical fashion. I’m really not digging this new park’s dead end style. It’s like you are visiting for the IP and for for the theme park itself. It just seems off.

Frankly, Nintendo is one of two IPs which I think can anchor an entire park, and it could even be done DisneySea style with all the lands flowing into each other and transporting you there; it is also difficult to relate Nintendo to other themes.

What Universal fails to realize at the moment is that it doesn’t matter about the IP, it matters about the theming, quality of rides, service, food, and the connection the storytelling makes to the guest. Nobody cares about Avatar, yet it’s almost a Potter-level success. You give people a good product, they will come, and not all IP integration is the same.


See Above^^

I wouldn’t count Dudley Do Right Dueling Dragons, as E-tickets. Even Hulk is a stretch since I can go to my local Six Flags and have more of the same. Though the trifecta of Spider-Man, Forbidden Journey, and Kong are quite strong. Hagrid is a good ride, but sparsely themed for an E-ticket of today’s standards.

I feel like you may be jumping on this a bit too quicky, just from the concept art.

I think Universal is trying a new type of theme park where each land is completely separate from each other, and won't need "transitions" between the lands. I listened to the DISUnplugged Universal Edition yesterday and someone commented that the center hub area is possibly a celestial theme, like you're in space, and each area you visit is a separate World....hence the old name "Fantastic Worlds" and the new name "Epic Universe"

Also, from a crowd control standpoint, I have a feeling what we're also seeing is a much more organized approach to having lands open for certain people at certain times to explore. Think how they used the entry times for WWOHP, but on a grander and more organized scale....or like a FP+ for lands instead of rides.

POSSIBLY the reason there's a LOT of stuff in the hub is so that you have something to do while waiting for your entry to the lands.

Again this is a lot of speculation, but I do feel like that's the type of idea they're going with. Think Diagon Alley's separation from every other area, but each land is like that.

 

[Evolution]

It’s no doubt good for Orlando as a whole. Competition, more jobs, a totally new park, but the overall park design choice seems lackluster. What you and other in this niche Universal subForum fácil to understand is that it’s fair to be both happy for something and criticize aspects. This park is no DisneySea, EPCOT Center, Animal Kingdom, or even castle style parks. Besides the Monsters World—which I am ecstatic about, it feels less continuous than IOA in terms of IP-lands.

They could have integrated the hotel into a land ala DisneySea, perhaps into Monsters World. The land could be a gritty version of London, transition to sorcery (Fantastic Beasts), and then to Dragons. On top of that, like the MK which is easier to do than say a DisneySea (where the park transports you to various ports of calls) or EPCOT (where you are literally visiting the world’s fair) the lands can feel less connected while aesthetically flowing into each other.

I think pulling a Shanghai Disneyland would have worked best for this park. Instead of dead ending each land, they could flow into each other. In addition, a large hub like Epic Worlds will have (or improved, Shanghai) could make the park feel more like you are visiting the park EPCOT style.

I however still think this will still be a fun park to visit, but there are significantly better design choices that could be done for the same money. I just feel that as a Universal fan we can demand the best.

Heck, even the disjointed mess that both Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios have at minimum the Hollywood aspect ‘kinda’ connecting them together. And Hollywood Boulevard flows so well into Sunset and then the Tower of Terror as a magical weenie. That level of storytelling continues through the ride. The icon of this park is going to be what? A nice but unthemed looking hotel? Guess they’re pulling an IOA.
On that note, IOA has a proper act opening to the park, and a generic lake tied the lands together in a more logical fashion. I’m really not digging this new park’s dead end style. It’s like you are visiting for the IP and for for the theme park itself. It just seems off.

Frankly, Nintendo is one of two IPs which I think can anchor an entire park, and it could even be done DisneySea style with all the lands flowing into each other and transporting you there; it is also difficult to relate Nintendo to other themes.

What Universal fails to realize at the moment is that it doesn’t matter about the IP, it matters about the theming, quality of rides, service, food, and the connection the storytelling makes to the guest. Nobody cares about Avatar, yet it’s almost a Potter-level success. You give people a good product, they will come, and not all IP integration is the same.


See Above^^

I wouldn’t count Dudley Do Right Dueling Dragons, as E-tickets. Even Hulk is a stretch since I can go to my local Six Flags and have more of the same. Though the trifecta of Spider-Man, Forbidden Journey, and Kong are quite strong. Hagrid is a good ride, but sparsely themed for an E-ticket of today’s standards.

It’s pretty clear that the hotel is connected to the hub which has an overall steampunk/discovery theme...

And while IOA is a great park, its layout is not one of its strong suits imo. It’s just a giant circle, which makes it impossible to go from FJ to Hulk, JPRA to Seuss, etc without walking at least half of the park. Not to mention the lagoon which just sits there unused. I much prefer this hub and spoke layout.

 

[RustySpork]

It’s pretty clear that the hotel is connected to the hub which has an overall steampunk/discovery theme...

And while IOA is a great park, its layout is not one of its strong suits imo. It’s just a giant circle, which makes it impossible to go from FJ to Hulk, JPRA to Seuss, etc without walking at least half of the park. Not to mention the lagoon which just sits there unused. I much prefer this hub and spoke layout.

The giant circle is my biggest pet peeve about IOA. It's the same pet peeve I have about Epcot, but at least boat transport is available part of the day.

 

[Bairstow]

In 1999 when IoA opened I would definitely say that a Duelling inverted coaster (Dragons) would count as a flagship attraction at any theme park, Hulk as well. Just because you can get almost as good doesn’t mean they aren’t E ticket, they would be E at Six Flags too.
Also if Dudley Do-Right isn’t and E then Splash isn’t either.

Maybe I'm just a pro-coaster snob, but in my book, every ride B&M has ever built deserves to be called an E-ticket.

 

[RobbinsDad]

Frankly, Nintendo is one of two IPs which I think can anchor an entire park, and it could even be done DisneySea style with all the lands flowing into each other and transporting you there; it is also difficult to relate Nintendo to other themes.

I agree. Nintendo could have been an entire park.

 

[ChrisFL]

The giant circle is my biggest pet peeve about IOA. It's the same pet peeve I have about Epcot, but at least boat transport is available part of the day.

yeah, I miss the IOA boats...they were really cool looking, but I guess they just weren't used by enough guests

 

[phillip9698]

Interesting tweet

Does that mean potentially they will have Jurrasic World/Park over two parks?

No. It means they were storing the track for the new Jurrasic coaster off site.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Interesting tweet

Does that mean potentially they will have Jurrasic World/Park over two parks?

No.

 

[MisterPenguin]

One has to be careful when comparing numbers by how their difference is in relation to one or the other number.

For example, if something goes from 1 to 2, then in absolute numbers, there's only a increase of 1 unit.

But when you take the difference and compare that difference to one or the other number, remarkable numbers jump out...

• It increased by 100%
• Previously, it had 50% of the current number.

So, what was the change? A change of 1? A change of 100%? A change of 50%?

Then if something went from 100 to 101, that change of 1 is no longer a 100% increase, but just 1% increase.

It's relatively easy to have a large percentage increase when you start from much smaller numbers. If a "new land" drew the same exact number in two different parks, then they should be judged on their own by their drawing power, which is equal. Comparing those number to how the rest of those parks are doing creates skewed results. If that new land was in a brand new park consisting of only that land, then its relative increase starting at zero is infinity percent!

 

[Disneyhead'71]

The hub/spine is celestial/space themed and the hotel is part of that theme. The hub/spine is also considered it's own land and will have several attractions that reinforce the theme. Like the carousel may be astrology/constellation themed and the dueling coaster rocket themed. The hub/spine is your Celestial Highway that you travel on to get to all these fantastic worlds.

The park will open with more than 9 attractions. Berk alone has a dark ride, a family coaster, a Mack Splash Battle, and duel Sky Flyers. Nintendo has Mario Kart, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong. Monsters is rumored to have a Kuka based dark ride, a walk-thru, and a large scale stage show. And Fantastic Beasts is rumored to have a Ministry of Magic dark ride and second attraction. Along with the carousel and coaster in the hub. I am sure that there are a couple that I missed. Like speculation that the Space Fantasy coaster from Osaka may be included in the hub.

 

[trr1]

Hadn't realised that a Jurrasic coaster was going into IOA, my bad!

It hasn't been announced yet but you can see them clearing land and putting in pilings
[B]bioreconstruct[/B]‏ @[B]bioreconstruct[/B] Jul 28

Current views of the unannounced project in Jurassic Park.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I know it's overdone as a theme, but it would have been nice to have the in-park hotel be an extension of the Parisian area.

Not so much a copy of the Vegas/Macau property, but the French equivalent of the MiraCosta.

 

[Timothy_Q]

The hub/spine is celestial/space themed and the hotel is part of that theme. The hub/spine is also considered it's own land and will have several attractions that reinforce the theme. Like the carousel may be astrology/constellation themed and the dueling coaster rocket themed. The hub/spine is your Celestial Highway that you travel on to get to all these fantastic worlds.

The park will open with more than 9 attractions. Berk alone has a dark ride, a family coaster, a Mack Splash Battle, and duel Sky Flyers. Nintendo has Mario Kart, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong. Monsters is rumored to have a Kuka based dark ride, a walk-thru, and a large scale stage show. And Fantastic Beasts is rumored to have a Ministry of Magic dark ride and second attraction. Along with the carousel and coaster in the hub. I am sure that there are a couple that I missed. Like speculation that the Space Fantasy coaster from Osaka may be included in the hub.

This has the potential to knock everyone's socks off

 

[Quinnmac000]

Also just want to point out 1/3rd of NBCUniversal budget is going to the Parks. So if Nintendo is already paid for, and they aren't paying much for Beijing where do you think most of the money is going to? This park. So the E-tickets will be actually E tickets vice what happened with F&F. The scale will be huge

Source: Earning Call and the press conference.