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

J4546

Well-Known Member
Im kinda curious about the star racers coasters connected to the hub, since its supposed to be outerspace themed but its outside.
 

Sorcerer Mickey

Well-Known Member
Seeing so many coasters doesn't fill me with confidence.

Hopefully no cheap coasters - lick of paint, and just branded to an IP. It's lazy, cheap and a disgrace. These type of attractions belong in Six Flags not Universal.

Universal does a really good job theming their coasters. Hagrid, Mummy, etc. I'd be surprised if Wolfman and Dragon aren't of the same caliber.
 

Andrew25

Well-Known Member
Seeing so many coasters doesn't fill me with confidence.

Hopefully no cheap coasters - lick of paint, and just branded to an IP. It's lazy, cheap and a disgrace. These type of attractions belong in Six Flags not Universal.

In addition to 4 dark rides, a collection of unique flat rides, 2 theaters, and a nighttime hub.

Not sure what else you can ask for from a new theme park on day 1.
 

999th Happy Haunt

Well-Known Member
Yes, if you only mention the two most-themed coasters and leave out the least-themed like Hulk and Rip Rod Rockit.
Rockit I got nothing for, but the queue and launch tunnel for Hulk are very themed, and that first half over the lagoon makes it one of the most visually striking coasters in the world.

OP also left out Velocicoaster and Escape from Gringotts, two more amazingly themed coasters.
 

WDWFREAK53

Well-Known Member
Seeing so many coasters doesn't fill me with confidence.

Hopefully no cheap coasters - lick of paint, and just branded to an IP. It's lazy, cheap and a disgrace. These type of attractions belong in Six Flags not Universal.
I didn't want to say it but I'm also feeling it. Not necessarily the Six Flags comment, but moreso the thinly themed coaster.
Donkey Kong and HtTYD will probably be highly themed. Starfall Racers probably not at all aside from the launch tunnel. Wolfman could possibly be ok but I have a feeling it's another "launch tunnel only" type of theming. Hopefully Wolfman is in a thick "scary forest."
 

Andrew25

Well-Known Member
Just to put some perspective into the impact EU will have to the UOR/WDW Debate:
  • Universal will have 3 more coasters than all of WDW combined
  • Disney will have 26 E-Tickets and Universal will have 22
  • They will both have the same amount of Flat Rides
  • Universal will have double the number of water rides as WDW

Not to mention that UOR will be increasing its hotel capacity by nearly a quarter with 3 new hotels.


Let's stop pretending that UO is anywhere near a Six Flags.
 

WDWFREAK53

Well-Known Member
Hulk is still fairly well themed, albeit mainly for the launch and queue. Rip Ride I've got nothing but at least it's the outlier.


Exactly.
Highly themed:
Revenge of the Mummy
Hagrid's
Escape from Gringotts

Moderately themed:
Velocicoaster.

Slightly themed:
Hulk

Barely themed:
Rip Ride Rockit

I'm assuming:
Donkey Kong: Highly Themed
How to Train Your Dragon: Moderately Themed
Wolfman: Slightly themed
Starfall Racers: Barely themed.
 

999th Happy Haunt

Well-Known Member
Exactly.
Highly themed:
Revenge of the Mummy
Hagrid's
Escape from Gringotts

Moderately themed:
Velocicoaster.

Slightly themed:
Hulk

Barely themed:
Rip Ride Rockit

I'm assuming:
Donkey Kong: Highly Themed
How to Train Your Dragon: Moderately Themed
Wolfman: Slightly themed
Starfall Racers: Barely themed.
I think Starfall will be themed just as much as Hulk. The first launch looks to be enclosed and feature special effects. The station and hub facing sides of the coaster will also likely be themed or at least feature nice landscaping and be visually striking like Hulk.
 

999th Happy Haunt

Well-Known Member
Just to put some perspective into the impact EU will have to the UOR/WDW Debate:
  • Universal will have 3 more coasters than all of WDW combined
  • Disney will have 26 E-Tickets and Universal will have 22
  • They will both have the same amount of Flat Rides
  • Universal will have double the number of water rides as WDW

Not to mention that UOR will be increasing its hotel capacity by nearly a quarter with 3 new hotels.


Let's stop pretending that UO is anywhere near a Six Flags.
What’s the average attraction per park stat going to look like after Epic? I assume it’s already higher than WDW, and probably will still be higher after Epic opens.

I think that’s a hugely important stat that goes under the radar and something that WDW struggles with.
 

Andrew25

Well-Known Member
What’s the average attraction per park stat going to look like after Epic? I assume it’s already higher than WDW, and probably will still be higher after Epic opens.

I think that’s a hugely important stat that goes under the radar and something that WDW struggles with.

WDW - 17.5 per park
UOR - 15.3 per park

However, a lot of those WDW attractions are stuff like Tom Sawyer Island, Canada Far & Wide, Awesome Planet, Wildlife Express at DAK, etc. that don't really move the needle much in capacity/guest interest. MK also weighs the average heavily. Without MK the average for the other WDW parks is 13.7 lol
 

999th Happy Haunt

Well-Known Member
WDW - 17.5 per park
UOR - 15.3 per park

However, a lot of those WDW attractions are stuff like Tom Sawyer Island, Canada Far & Wide, Awesome Planet, Wildlife Express at DAK, etc. that don't really move the needle much in capacity/guest interest. MK also weighs the average heavily. Without MK the average for the other WDW parks is 13.7 lol
Interesting. Did you weigh in Universal non-ride or show attractions like Camp Jurassic, If I Ran the Zoo, and the Discovery Center? I also understand USF is down a few attractions right now with Villain Con not open yet and KidZone behind walls.
 

Andrew25

Well-Known Member
Interesting. Did you weigh in Universal non-ride or show attractions like Camp Jurassic, If I Ran the Zoo, and the Discovery Center? I also understand USF is down a few attractions right now with Villain Con not open yet and KidZone behind walls.

It does include all that stuff except for Discovery Center, not much of an attraction. I did include Villain Con but nothing from Kidzone just yet.

FYI, just including "continuous attractions", WDW is still vastly superior in the entertainment space.
 

Rush

Well-Known Member
Donkey Kong is practically a dark ride on a "coaster" track. It will surprise a lot of people. Monsters will be hidden enough with thick trees and a walkway under the track despite being placed at the middle of the land. HTTTYD is new in that it will interact with the land and that will be the majority of it's theming excluding the two/three dark ride segments. As for Starfall Racers, it will be by far the lesser themed, but FAR more hidden than most might expect. It's closest proximity to guests will be this segment facing a portion of the hub;
zdVQimU.jpeg


Looks aesthetically pleasing to me and the concept art/permits show that it will be well landscaped and feature rock work as well as a water feature.
 
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JT3000

Well-Known Member
Exactly.
Highly themed:
Revenge of the Mummy
Hagrid's
Escape from Gringotts

Moderately themed:
Velocicoaster.

Slightly themed:
Hulk

Barely themed:
Rip Ride Rockit

I'm assuming:
Donkey Kong: Highly Themed
How to Train Your Dragon: Moderately Themed
Wolfman: Slightly themed
Starfall Racers: Barely themed.
I really doubt Wolfman will be comparable to Hulk. Not only do I expect some degree of theming along the ride path, but there's speculation that it will include actual show scenes. The jury's still out on what HTTYD will look like, other than having the land itself as supporting theming. For Starfall Racers you can probably expect minimal theming, if any, along the ride path, but for all we know it could at least have a highly themed queue ala Dueling Dragons, which would put it several steps above Rockit. I mean that supposed space theme has to be expressed somewhere.

What’s the average attraction per park stat going to look like after Epic? I assume it’s already higher than WDW, and probably will still be higher after Epic opens.

I think that’s a hugely important stat that goes under the radar and something that WDW struggles with.
That's going to be difficult to compare in any meaningful way given the drastically different makeup of each resort's attractions. Not only do the rides cater to different demographics, but Disney also has a bunch of small, easily missed (and usually just as missable) attractions the likes of which Universal doesn't usually bother with, but nonetheless still get counted as attractions. Hey, anyone remember Sounds Dangerous? Where they stuck you in a dark room and had you listen to sound effects on a pair of headphones? Yeah, that was an attraction in Disney's eyes. Made Stich's Great Escape look like an E-ticket.

Disney also have more shows on average.

You could strictly compare each park's ride lineup (hint: Universal wins outside of MK), but someone will inevitably call foul and tell you "It's not all about the rides" or "I can't ride that!"

If you really want to make a point of just how underbuilt WDW is, comparing it to Disneyland is simpler and just as eye-opening.

It does include all that stuff except for Discovery Center, not much of an attraction. I did include Villain Con but nothing from Kidzone just yet.

FYI, just including "continuous attractions", WDW is still vastly superior in the entertainment space.
What are "continuous attractions?"
 
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My95cobras

Well-Known Member
I really doubt Wolfman will be comparable to Hulk. Not only do I expect some degree of theming along the ride path, but there's speculation that it will include actual show scenes. The jury's still out on what HTTYD will look like, other than having the land itself as supporting theming. For Starfall Racers you can probably expect minimal theming, if any, along the ride path, but for all we know it could at least have a highly themed queue ala Dueling Dragons, which would put it several steps above Rockit. I mean that supposed space theme has to be expressed somewhere.


That's going to be difficult to compare in any meaningful way given the drastically different makeup of each resort's attractions. Not only do the rides cater to different demographics, but Disney also has a bunch of small, easily missed (and usually just as missable) attractions the likes of which Universal doesn't usually bother with, but nonetheless still get counted as attractions. Hey, anyone remember Sounds Dangerous? Where they stuck you in a dark room and had you listen to sound effects on a pair of headphones? Yeah, that was an attraction in Disney's eyes. Made Stich's Great Escape look like an E-ticket.

Disney also have more shows on average.

You could strictly compare each park's ride lineup (hint: Universal wins outside of MK), but someone will inevitably call foul and tell you "It's not all about the rides" or "I can't ride that!"

If you really want to make a point of just how underbuilt WDW is, comparing it to Disneyland is simpler and just as eye-opening.


What are "continuous attractions?"

monster sound show was so much better…. I loved that as a child.
 

Andrew25

Well-Known Member
If you really want to make a point of just how underbuilt WDW is, comparing it to Disneyland is simpler and just as eye-opening.


What are "continuous attractions?"

Visiting Disneyland ruined WDW for me lol - There's a reason I hate "5th gate" speculation. I'd rather have fully built-out parks where every inch is utilized efficiently.

I define continuous attractions as any attraction that does not have showtimes. So Meet & Greets, Stage Shows, Nighttime Fireworks, etc. Muppet*Vision counts as one since shows are run consistently.


As for Epic Universe coasters:
- Donkey Kong is going to excel in theming. Similar to Seven Dwarfs in theming, but way more thrilling.
- Hub Coaster - pretty much similar to Velocicoaster in theming & thrills. "Bare-support" with theming in certain sections... so kinda like Tron where the supports are visible in an nicely themed "facade" while the rest of the coaster is hidden from the main pathway (Tron hides it indoors, while the EU coaster places it towards the side)
- Monsters Spinning Coaster - more like a spinning version of Hippogriff but with story elements.
- HTTYD Coaster - basically Universal's answer to Slinky Dog. Decently themed but a true "family-coaster" for everyone.

It's as balanced as it gets.
 

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