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

[DKampy]

but far from being a park like DAK that can be easily completed by lunch.

Sure if all you care about is running from one ride to the next with barely time to think… I am never done with Animal Kingdom( my favorite park) by lunch… I plan trips around only visiting Animal Kingdom… love the vibe of the park… it is the best themed park
In Orlando

 

[MisterPenguin]

Epic will have more "ride" attractions than Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom (excluding any sort of theater show).

Well, "more" is just 2-3 rides more. It will have one less than EPCOT.

But it is a serious park, as you say. It shouldn't be discounted.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

There is new concept art for the Helios Grand Hotel on this guys portfolio. They are on pages 16-19 on his click thru.

EBartlett Spring 24 Design Portfolio

Read EBartlett Spring 24 Design Portfolio by Evan Robert on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!

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I am truly shocked!"" In the Best way ! Possible

It's way more Beautiful of a resort here than from the concept art of the park.

It's screaming to me take that Disney!

The building design is Riviera and aspects of Grand Destino Tower in It's size and most likely insides. They literally took both of Disney's newest resorts and made itself one Grand monster

 

[RandySavage]

Interesting. My reaction at the moment is 'somewhat disappointed' regarding the hotel - it has reminded me of Gran Destino since the first finished elements (massing, window treatment & siding) have been photographed by Bioreconstruct, but that's not a good thing (Destino is I-4 worthy). I wouldn't compare it to Riviera - one the worst executions of a a promising theme in history - that's too grave a criticism for Helios.

I was(am) excited to see the Discoveryland-RetroFuture theme for the Celestial Gardens, however, the execution is looking a little iffy, particularly the hotel. As the park's 'castle', icon and tall backdrop it needed to look great from every angle at all times, as DLP Hotel and MiraCosta do, in their respective themes. The main piece of art above of the park-side - with its idealized lighting looks fairly good, though I find it a little too plain/corporate/Gensler, i.e., not whimsical or theatrical enough to be onstage in Tier 1 park. The problem is the Bio photos paint a much less flattering picture of the same part of the hotel in daylight than the art.

I lament that there isn't a company - maybe not even a designer - remaining in the Industry that is able to put out a really great themed hotel like they did in 90s. Look at the catastrophically-awful new Fantasy Springs Hotel, DisneySea is about to open, which is even more of a problem... an in-park hotel that fails to match the level of in-park execution to form a romantic & beautiful architectural berm at all times, instead becoming an eyesore that takes one out of the intended bubble. Helios isn't a crime against themed design like the Fantasy Springs Hotel, but, again, I wish it would have been something spectacular, with artists in the lead.

That said, I'm loving watching this park emerge. Some other parts are meeting or even exceeding my high expectations. I think Universal has a hit on their hands.

 

[TalkToEthan]

I lament that there isn't a company - maybe not even a designer - remaining in the Industry that is able to put out a really great themed hotel

But how do we know that its poor design work for such a project like Fantasy Springs??

What if the company hired to design/architect such an abomination was merely following close directives from corporate heads who have lousy tastes and insisted on installing their terrible ideas.

Across the street 2 properties down some eccentric home owner decided to build his dream home all modern looking(in a subdivision full of Mediterranean styles) with crazy angled metal roof lines and disproportionately small windows that were white framed on one side of house and black framed on the other sides and obnoxious paint schemes. The whole neighborhood ridiculed this project. I knew the architect and I know her work as well as one can know it and she was embarrassed but just “followed orders” so to speak.

 

[Andrew25]

Sure if all you care about is running from one ride to the next with barely time to think… I am never done with Animal Kingdom( my favorite park) by lunch… I plan trips around only visiting Animal Kingdom… love the vibe of the park… it is the best themed park
In Orlando

DAK is my favorite park in all of Orlando... but even I can't be at the park for more than 3 hours at a time lol

Theming-wise, its the best but there's just not enough substance. Gorilla Falls/Maharajah trails are some of the best 'attractions' in Orlando... but even then there's just not enough to do at the park to be considered a full day experience.

Well, "more" is just 2-3 rides more. It will have one less than EPCOT.

But it is a serious park, as you say. It shouldn't be discounted.

Yeah, just pointing out that this park is running out the gate with enough attractions at the start to compete with any WDW park rather than take a few years to reach a similar level.

 

[lazyboy97o]

But how do we know that its poor design work for such a project like Fantasy Springs??

What if the company hired to design/architect such an abomination was merely following close directives from corporate heads who have lousy tastes and insisted on installing their terrible ideas.

Across the street 2 properties down some eccentric home owner decided to build his dream home all modern looking(in a subdivision full of Mediterranean styles) with crazy angled metal roof lines and disproportionately small windows that were white framed on one side of house and black framed on the other sides and obnoxious paint schemes. The whole neighborhood ridiculed this project. I knew the architect and I know her work as well as one can know it and she was embarrassed but just “followed orders” so to speak.

That’s part of being a designer.

 

[trr1]

as always thank you Bioreconstrut
bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct

Aerial photo of construction in the Epic Universe in-park resort tower.

Aerial overview of construction at Epic Universe. In-park resort tower at right.Stella Nova and Terra Luna resorts at top center.

Aerial photo of the top of the Epic Universe in-park resort tower. The tower is actually three towers, with heat expansion joints between them. Arrow at one of the joint

Aerial photo of theming in progress at front of the Epic Universe dual-racing roller coaster.

Aerial look at construction of water features near the entrance of Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of an Epic Universe restaurant (at left) between the show fountain and a Harry Potter related land.Arrow at a service gate with an interesting tall design.

Aerial photo of the front of the dual-racing roller coaster in Epic Universe.Trains are dispatched and descend to the first launch under the station. They circle rock work in the descent.Trains return to the front and circle left to right, up to the second launch.

Aerial photo of the top of the Epic Universe in-park resort tower. A steel ring is on top of a temporary support. Sections of the dome frame will be raised and placed against this ring, and secured to steel frame at the bottom. Scaffolding for completing the dome interior.

Aerial overview of the Donkey Kong roller coaster in Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of staging for the dome on top of the Epic Universe in-park resort tower.

 

[trr1]

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct
bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct

Aerial photo of an Epic Universe restaurant (at left) between the show fountain and a Harry Potter related land.Arrow at a service gate with an interesting tall design.

Aerial close up photo of the central theming element of the Epic Universe dual-racing roller coaster. Stepladder adds scale.

Aerial overview of How To Train Your Dragon land, and the Epic Universe dual-racing roller coaster.

Aerial overview of Epic Universe. Night time show to include the show fountain, projections on the in-park resort tower, and fireworks launched from the peninsula in the lake.

Aerial look at some of the track of the Epic Universe dual-racing roller coaster.1 Top Hats, reached immediately after the first launch.2 Celestial Spin, where trains crisscross as they roll. Reached immediately after the second launch.

Aerial look at the steel frame of an Epic Universe restaurant. Both the rotunda and the sides have decorative style.

Aerial look at the portal of Super Nintendo World in Epic Universe. Guests to take an escalator within, and then enter the land through Peach's Castle. Top floor of the multilevel land.

Aerial look at the redo of the Sand Lake Rd/Kirkman Rd interchange. Arrow at the Kirkman extension alongside Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of a very large crane lifting heavy items near the dome in center of Epic Universe.

Aerial overview of Epic Universe.Team Member parking and office building in foreground. Large show building nearby contains the featured attraction of the Harry Potter related land.

 

[trr1]

bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct

At center of this aerial photo is a recently cleared site in Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of colorful reflective tiles being added to Terra Luna resort. Epic Universe in background.

Aerial overview of the entrance of Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of the splash pad in development near center of Epic Universe. In foreground will be one of the primary cross-park walkways

A close up aerial look at work in progress for the viewing areas of the Epic Universe show fountain.The protected pathways in the basin indicate these are the final colors.

Aerial look at Epic Universe day guest parking. Section at left to be paved after construction staging is removed.Park entrance at bottom left.

Aerial look at the Kirkman Rd extension1 Access to the Epic Universe in-park resort2 In-park resort3 Stella Nova4 Terra Luna5 Catchlight Crossings6 Universal transportation depot7 Day guest parking8 Team Member parking

Aerial photo of the flow of water features through the center of Epic Universe.Cleared site at left was recently prepared.

Aerial look at facades where scaffolding was recently removed in the Harry Potter related land at Epic Universe.

• Scaffolding removed at a Harry Potter street• Scaffolding removed at a Donkey Kong wall• Train in 2nd launch of the Dragon coaster• Attraction staging at the park dome• Rock work at dual-racing coaster station

 

[RSoxNo1]

CityWalk is where you go to eat because 80-90% of the in-park food at Universal is so bad as to essentially be inedible.

I've had consistently better food at Universal than I have in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[SplashJacket]

I've had consistently better food at Universal than I have in the Magic Kingdom.

They're both crap.

Inexcusably.

When you're charging $15 for a crappy meal, your margins are insane. They can easily up the food quality to an acceptable level without excessively tanking margins.

It's greed, plain and simply.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Interesting. My reaction at the moment is 'somewhat disappointed' regarding the hotel - it has reminded me of Gran Destino since the first finished elements (massing, window treatment & siding) have been photographed by Bioreconstruct, but that's not a good thing (Destino is I-4 worthy). I wouldn't compare it to Riviera - one the worst executions of a a promising theme in history - that's too grave a criticism for Helios.

I really would like to see someone example a picture or art of how they intentionally imagine Riviera would of supposed to be.... I personally don't get it... is it the exterior of the building only? or is it the paint color or is it the size of the lobby and gift shop...

 

[lazyboy97o]

I really would like to see someone example a picture or art of how they intentionally imagine Riviera would of supposed to be.... I personally don't get it... is it the exterior of the building only? or is it the paint color or is it the size of the lobby and gift shop...

A big part of Riveria’s problem is that its theme is goggledygook. Disney’s own descriptions are all over the place and contradictory. The whole thing is just a McMansion mess.

 

[UNCgolf]

I've had consistently better food at Universal than I have in the Magic Kingdom.

The Magic Kingdom is awful, but the other Disney parks all have better options. Even at MK I'd rather get a hot dog from Casey's than anything I had in-park at Universal.

I've said it here before, but the Simpsons area had some of the worst food I've ever tried to eat in my life. I will never get over how bad it was for such simple food; it's not that hard to make fast food burgers. We did have a similarly terrible experience at Tony's in the MK, though, in terms of horrible food quality.

Confisco Grille was abysmal too. The food quality was poor (and it came out lukewarm at best), but the service was horrendous. We wasted at least 45 minutes there waiting for someone to take our order and then waiting for someone to actually come and let us pay despite it being almost empty.

Obviously we didn't eat everywhere at Universal, and I'm sure there are a few good (or at least better) options inside the parks, but it's not like my experience there was out of the ordinary considering how many other people complain about the food. And with CityWalk right there, which has some pretty good restaurants, we never wanted to take the risk of trying more in-park food.

 

[JoeCamel]

That looks like a moderate day at the park. Lots of warm bodies working on this

 

[SplashJacket]

View attachment 765845

That looks like a moderate day at the park. Lots of warm bodies working on this

Lots and lots of workers. Meeting with just the Dark Universe construction crew. Per Bioreconstruct.

Obviously workers/car will be much lower (nearly 1) than guests per car (certainly higher than 2), but regardless. Incredible workforce on this mega-project.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Incoming. Big data drop from Universal today.

 

[RandySavage]

I really would like to see someone example a picture or art of how they intentionally imagine Riviera would of supposed to be.... I personally don't get it... is it the exterior of the building only? or is it the paint color or is it the size of the lobby and gift shop...

The theme is "French Riviera", which is a great theme for what could have a been a gorgeous resort if the Old Guard were still at Disney. The French Riviera at its peak (1880s-1914) was studded with scores of big, beautiful hotels in places like Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Menton & Monte Carlo. The stand-outs were generally Beaux Arts in style. They would be readily translatable to a modern hotel in terms of size and architecture, had there been any will or care to do so. A few examples:

Done right, Riviera would have had spires galore, a great deal of ornament, including around the windows, proper application of decorative masonry, and materials that look authentic to the theme - and that's just the exterior. You can see the Riviera tenth-a**es this style: the only elements separating it from standard highway garbage hotel "architecture" being the cupola and a few badly-executed dormers:

I'd like to imagine if this theme came up back when Disney was capable of making great hotels, the concept for Riviera would have been along these lines:

 

[DCBaker]

News from Universal on Epic Universe.

Orlando, Fla. (January 30, 2024) – In 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will unveil its next gamechanger for theme park entertainment with the debut of its most ambitious theme park yet: Universal Epic Universe. Epic Universe will present a level of theme park immersion and innovation that is unmatched – transporting guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 awe-inspiring attraction, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences that come together to create an unforgettable adventure that is nothing short of epic. The addition of Universal Orlando’s fourth theme park will also transform the award-winning resort into a weeklong vacation destination filled with the most compelling experiences imaginable.

Today, Universal Orlando reveals more details about Celestial Park – the heart of Universal Epic Universe and the first world guests will encounter at the new theme park.

CELESTIAL PARK
With acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways, Celestial Park puts the “park” back in “theme park.” As soon as guests enter the imaginative world, they’ll embark on a journey of discovery, thrills and excitement as they wander through lush living gardens nestled along shimmering waters surrounded by stunning architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements. Here, guests can relax while taking in the sights and sounds around them, board a shooting comet for an exhilarating roller coaster adventure, dine on delectable cuisine, shop exclusive merchandise to commemorate their visit and more.

PORTALS TO OTHER EXTRAORDINARY WORLDS
Plus, Celestial Park will be the gateway to explore the four additional worlds of Epic Universe – each bringing to life extraordinary adventures that go beyond guests’ wildest imaginations. Through a set of majestic portals that capture the imagination and creativity of each world, guests will embark on a transformative experience as they journey from Celestial Park to:

• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, where guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series;
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, where guests will enter the iconic green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong;
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where guests can soar with dragons in a colorful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon film franchise;
• and Dark Universe, where guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.

CELESTIAL PARK ATTRACTIONS AND EXPERIENCES
Here are additional details about some of the other wonders guests can enjoy while exploring Celestial Park:
• Starfall Racers, a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest of them all. Reaching speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track, Starfall Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience with unique maneuvers such as the “Celestial Spin,” in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air – creating an “out-of-this-world” adrenaline rush.
• Constellation Carousel – the grand centerpiece of Celestial Park. Here, explorers of all ages will take a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward – and even make 360-degree rotations – through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight.
• Astronomica, an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass rose to the many wonders of Epic Universe, featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests;
• An array of unique dining experiences ranging from full-service restaurants to quick-service locations that offer something for every palate, including Atlantic – a full-service “surf and turf” restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium complete with captivating views of Celestial Park; and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant – where diners take a culinary journey across Asia as they enjoy authentic Chinese, Japanese and Thai fare in this full-service restaurant accented with neon dragons and ethereal lanterns. Additional “must-eat” locations within Celestial Park include The Oak & Star Tavern, where guests can enjoy savory barbecue, Pizza Moon, which will serve up a tasty menu featuring a variety of pizzas, and more.
• Incredibly detailed retail locations, including the Nintendo Super Star Store, where guests can shop an assortment of merchandise themed to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD; Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, where guests can satisfy their cravings with a unique selection of sweet treats, and more.
• Plenty of exciting entertainment, including various fountain shows throughout Celestial Park’s seven acres of water where a multitude of fountains sway, dance – and even reach heights up to 135 feet in the air – to music and interactive lighting from day to night.

And located inside Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park is Universal Helios Grand Hotel, designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite – complete with 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park.

Plus – in addition to raising the bar for theme park innovation, Epic Universe is Universal Destinations & Experiences’ latest development to integrate energy efficiency and sustainable construction practices.

More details about Universal Epic Universe – including the debut of an interactive preview center at Universal CityWalk later this year that will offer a sneak peek at the new theme park – will be revealed in the months ahead. For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com.