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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
- Thread starter Bob Harlem
- Start date
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
I can’t wait for Epic
Rich Brownn
Well-Known Member
Breathless... this is top notch theming. If the rest of the park is like this....
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
I knew the “portal” entry model for all lands was the right way to go. That Monster entry pic(and what we already know about Nintendo’s) is proving nicely.
My95cobras
Well-Known Member
Eric Graham
Well-Known Member
I believe they already posted some of these, but thought i'd share:
www.piratesandprincesses.net
Universal Orlando's Epic Universe Is Starting to Look Amazing!
Disney definitely has some competition coming in hot when Epic Universe opens at Universal Orlando in 2025. Thanks to some aerial images from @bioreconstruct
www.piratesandprincesses.net
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Everyone has written off HTTYD Land as a couple of off the shelf Flats, a Kiddie Coaster, and a show based on a mid-level IP.
I think the reveal as you walk through the Portal is going to be jaw dropping, especially at night. The lagoon with the statues with fire in their mouths, with Viking boats with sails and rigging behind them, and a rock work mountain dining hall as a backdrop will probably be a very popular photo spot.
I think the reveal as you walk through the Portal is going to be jaw dropping, especially at night. The lagoon with the statues with fire in their mouths, with Viking boats with sails and rigging behind them, and a rock work mountain dining hall as a backdrop will probably be a very popular photo spot.
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DonniePeverley
Well-Known Member
sedati
Well-Known Member
Diagon Alley proved Universal can do immersion in a box. What I believe is still to be seen is if they can do immersion that feels expansive. Having just got back I was saddened that the original Potter land actually feels more like a theme park land than before. While incredibly well done from limited vantage points, it just crumbles around the borders. The new Potter and Nintendo lands both look like fully immersive boxes which is the easy way to go about things. Monsters and Dragon look more expansive and I hope those really succeed.
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
trr1
Well-Known Member
bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
Nov 4
Aerial first look at the portal of Dark Universe.Scaffolding down, revealing the beautiful sculpture of rock, tree roots, and vines.Entrance of classic Universal Monsters land in Epic Universe.
A clear aerial view of a portion of the Dark Universe portal in Epic Universe.
A clear aerial view of details at top of the portal of Dark Universe land in Epic Universe.
bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
Nov 5
Aerial look at colorful reflective tile beginning to wrap around a Universal resort South of Epic Universe.
@bioreconstruct
Nov 4
Aerial first look at the portal of Dark Universe.Scaffolding down, revealing the beautiful sculpture of rock, tree roots, and vines.Entrance of classic Universal Monsters land in Epic Universe.
A clear aerial view of a portion of the Dark Universe portal in Epic Universe.
A clear aerial view of details at top of the portal of Dark Universe land in Epic Universe.
bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
Nov 5
Aerial look at colorful reflective tile beginning to wrap around a Universal resort South of Epic Universe.
How does it "crumble around the borders?" They haven't changed anything about the land's extremities since the Hogwarts Express opened. The only thing I can think of is the view from the restaurant's patio, which was never immersive to begin with, but also wasn't improved by the addition of Velocicoaster. However, you have to leave the land before seeing that ride from anywhere else, so I'm not sure what else you could be referring to.
danlb_2000
Premium Member
It's no always practical to box in a land. Diagon alley is a perfect environment for this since the city streets lend themselves to blocking out the rest of the park. On the other hand, if you look at Cars Land in California Adventure, it's incredibly well themed but they only way they could have blocked out the rest of the park would have been to surround it with mountains.
SpectreJordan
Well-Known Member
How soon do you think they'd replace F&F though? Everyone hates it but it's still fairly new & I'm sure it cost a pretty penny.
Replace it with a better coaster. USF desperately needs something like Velocicoaster.
It's the screens for me. They're really low quality & they're right in your face, it makes me queasy. It's the only ride I've ever been on that makes me feel sick. It sucks because I don't mind the movements, it's just those bad screens being right in my face.
This park is shaping up to be beautiful. I'm so excited to see how that whole land turns out; it sounds like it's going to be like the perfect spot to be in on Halloween night.
What are the chances Universal does a second Halloween event at Epic Universe a couple years after this park opens? Maybe not another HHN, but something more like Mickey's Not So Scary?
They have a built-in "spooky" land & Mario (Luigi's Mansion)/Potter could easily fit into the Halloween season. Maybe Dragons too? I've only seen the first movie so I'm not too sure there.
sedati
Well-Known Member
To be clear, these are my observations only, but I felt more aware of the park beyond than I remembered previously. This can be due to noise intrusion (Velocicoaster) as much as sight lines. While Hagrid's is a great ride, it is sadly far less immersive than I'd hoped and I'm experiencing it years after opening where the foliage has had time to grow. This land while bar-raising in many respects has some glaring issues that hold it back and I think that's what's most frustrating- to come so close and yet have visible show buildings and blaring soundtrack music. You are reminded that you are in a themed land, and not somehow magically transported to another place. Again, this was just something I was feeling on a recent trip during several visits to this land.
what takes me out of the immersion for all parks nowadays is how packed they are with people. not sure how that could ever be mitigated cause you need poeple for a busniess to work lol but when its just a sea of people looking at their phones, with graphic tee shirts on its just not immersive no matter what the setting imo.
sedati
Well-Known Member
Boxed in lands are highly effective but it is a sort of lazy approach. I'm having trouble articulating it, but the word I would use is expansive. By that I don't just mean that the land itself is big, but that when you're inside of it you can feel like the land continues on beyond where you can even traverse.
There are open world video games and then there are games that give the illusion an open world, but creatively constrain you. I think the best lands are doing that.
sedati
Well-Known Member
I've spoiled myself by getting in line for a ride at closing and then leaving at a leisurely pace with the lands mostly empty.
But even so, there's still a difference between 'Gosh there's a lot of Muggles in Hogsmeade today" vs "Damn, Universal is crowded."
rd805
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's too crazy to think that they destroy Rip, Ride, Rocket as well as F&F and use the new coaster they are building in Cali for F&F as a reference and bring it to Orlando. I'm sure it's a major PITA to have to build around what's existing, but they could upgrade their coaster needs and possibly still have space to do something where F&F Orlando currently stands to bring an entirely different experience & IP .