TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Why are you so obsessed with comparing Epic to Disney’s 1990s parks? Epic overlaps with IOA in obvious ways, not unlike if Disney announced a new gate and designed it as MK Pt 2.
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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
- Thread starter Bob Harlem
- Start date
SplashJacket
Well-Known Member
I fully expect both the Monsters and MoM rides to be contenders for best-themed experiences on the planet.
We've seen how much Shanghai's pirates can move the needle for a park, and these have the opportunity to do that with Epic.
We've seen how much Shanghai's pirates can move the needle for a park, and these have the opportunity to do that with Epic.
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Everybody also “fully expected” Mario Kart to be a can’t-miss home run. Same with Gringotts. Same with Kong. Bottom line with UC is they haven’t opened a groundbreaking best-ride caliber attraction since Forbidden Journey, make of that what you will.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
Even Forbidden Journey wasn't at that level (or even close to it) for me, although it was groundbreaking.
Hagrid's might be in that conversation, though (I haven't been on it).
The current Kong ride at Universal is so much worse than the original Kongfrontation attraction.
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
Donkey Kong will
Disagree.
Hagrid broke ground and set the bar and Donkey Kong will soon do the same. DK will be the first to pull off this new “jumping” track feat.
Disagree.
Hagrid broke ground and set the bar and Donkey Kong will soon do the same. DK will be the first to pull off this new “jumping” track feat.
Well MGM was 1989.
What other theme park should we compare it to for Florida Market? The last one was IOA in 1999, Animal Kingdom in 1998 and MGM in 1989. We have also in this thread compared the EPCOT opening. It is not like there are a lot of other major theme parks from these companies that have opened there.
It is not an obsession, it just makes sense to compare opening theme parks that are going to develop after they open.
You stated adding 60-90 second coasters are not the answer to developing a park, it made sense to bring up two parks that did exactly that and are the most recent examples of major theme parks being built. Luigi's Mansion and the next developments for EPIC are not going to be this.
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Also, while it is a combo nation of many past things, I think Bejing's Jurassic World Dark ride did things dang well and major caliber too.
Volcano Bay is also the best water park environment ever, and I don't even like water parks.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
Universal is very Jekyll and Hyde for us… Velocicoaster, Hagrids, Hogwarts Express, pets… some of their newest rides are some of our favorite rides anywhere, others like F&F, Kong, villaincon, even Gringotts we found to be one and dones and will likely never ride again.
They’ve built some incredible rides but have also built others that do nothing for us.
I expect Epic to be similar, we are very excited for all the coasters, excited for the Potter ride, Monsters ride, and the dragon show, far less excited about the water ride, dragon flat ride, Nintendo flat rides, etc… I expect to be blown away by half of it and underwhelmed by the other half, that seems to be our typical Universal experience.
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SplashJacket
Well-Known Member
I’m taking that into account. All Gringotts needed was 30 seconds at the end of legitimate coaster and it would be a contender. Went 90% and then fell a little short.
Unfortunately, I think DK will be a bit underwhelming, but I’m happy to be proven wrong.
I would expect Wolf to surpass expectations, but it’s still a small scale project.
I would expect the dragon coaster to be a more family friendly Hagrid lite.
Let's be real though, it is not like Disney has really broken ground since Mystic Manor/Shanghai Pirates, which we are going back to 2016 for that. And a company that has way more funding and recourses.
Everything since then has been a mix of what Scott Trowbridge wanted to do at UC and trying to recapture mystic manor magic to lesser extents.
Everything since then has been a mix of what Scott Trowbridge wanted to do at UC and trying to recapture mystic manor magic to lesser extents.
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
The sequence of dinosaur chasing us is a major breakthrough on that ride——AA’s at their very best!!!………. but then CGI Pratt comes on screen and does his motorbike thing and it’s painful to watch.
No one in their right mind looked at the size of Kong's building and thought to themselves, "Therein lies the next big thing in theme park attractions."
Hagrid's is about as groundbreaking a coaster as you'll find anywhere. There are other rides that use some of the same tricks, but none that I can think of that combines them all in one place.
Have you been on Mario Kart, or are you going off of hearsay for its lack of innovation?
It is definitely the weaker point, but there are times where it seems to blend well, I would have just wanted different content. Specifically JP original asthetic and park at night.
Yes. This is fairly accurate description as it all goes back to the Van Helsing design before Project Strong Arm was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
maxairmike
Well-Known Member
I have that question when I see posts from several people here. Mario Kart is easily some of the most fun I’ve had on a ride that isn’t a coaster since the first time I rode Spiderman, ToT, FJ, and Rise. The format works so well for the experience, and I’m always very skeptical of VR/AR things. I’m super excited to spend far too much time in line for it over and over down here. I’m just hoping my band from Hollywood last June will still work by the time I get into Epic next year.
Rich Brownn
Well-Known Member
For the 100th time, it's not a helicopter, it's a drone. Maybe it's easier to figure that out in 3D. Not that it makes the attraction any better...
SJN1279
Well-Known Member
Rise of the Resistance, Avatar, and Guardians anyone?
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
At a minimum, if someone doesn’t think Rise was groundbreaking, that’s the end of the discussion. Those three rides there are a big part of why we still even go to WDW. Universal has never approached Rise. Hagrid is a great coaster, but those animatronics keep it from reaching the top echelon.
Let’s hope all those new HP animatronics are better.
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
Ministry is their answer
My post made no incidental.
Rise of the Resistance is a design lead by Scott Trowbridge of Universal Creative past using one of his versions of attraction plans what would have been where Spiderman is when it was still themed to DC's Superman. Before it became the Spidey ride tech, the fall was more than the simulated one it is now. The Rise set up through the finale are very much based on that with the trackless tech of previous attractions tossed in.
If you think Flight of Passage and Guardians of the Galaxy are groundbreaking but Skull Island Reign of Kong with trackless large scale vehicles with animatronics on board with story variables is not innovatively groundbreaking(regardless of ride impact) or Gringotts that features controlled rotation, motion platform and tilt tracks on a coaster is not groundbreaking, than one is biased. Mario?
To say Universal has not done anything groundbreaking since Forbidden Journey is just silly. For one, they did fully immersive themed theme park transportation between two themed lands at two seperate parks that end and begin in park.
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