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

[Satans Hockey]

My question in terms of the portal thing does that mean there will only be one way in and out of every land or is the portal just the main entrance and there will still be something on the other side to let people in and out as well.

If it's really only one entrance for each land do we think there will be a queue just to get into them? Is Nintendo land setup like this in California or Japan?

I really want to check this place out but I'm not sure I'd rush out in 2025 to go. Depends on the cost of everything too.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That's simply wrong... Laughably so... The height of Rise from ground level to the top of the gutter (where the top of the ceiling actually is, is ~50 feet, as I said.

And in any case, it’s not a completely fair comparison. Disney has had a tendency recently to install a ton of electrical and HVAC equipment above the ceiling whereas Universal has continued to install said equipment below the ceiling, thereby requiring a higher ceiling than Disney’s attractions. Comparing Rise of the Resistance with Gringotts is just one example of this pattern.

Ceilings, when present, are inside of buildings and sit between the floor level that people occupy and the underside of the floor or roof above. You are looking at the roof, but even a so-called “flat roof” is not actually flat. A slope of ¼” per foot may not seem like a lot but can add up over a large show building.

A gutter is a linear element along the edge of a roof, they are typically on the exterior like you see on houses but they can be interior as well. Openings in the parapet wall (the wall sticks above the roof) are scuppers. Legally, the height of a building is not measured to its roof drains, scuppers or gutters.

None of this though tells you anything about the height of the show space within the showbuilding. As noted, mechanical equipment could be located under the roof, but it is not necessarily suspended above the show space and could off to the side in its own dedicated space. Show buildings like long clear spans, so the structure holding up the roof tends to be deep trusses. Sometimes they are deep enough that you can catwalks run through them, sometimes they’re not and the catwalks have to sit below them. Sometimes you might have a tall show space and opt for a different arrangement of structure and infrastructure to allow for greater interior height than is present throughout the rest of the building. And even in Florida, showbuildings can and do go down below the finished grade which can be different on the guest and back of house sides.

 

[networkpro]

I hope they have enough funding to fully complete it. The Comcast money printing machine (monthly cable TV revenue) is running out of steam. On average, Comcast lost more than 5,500 TV customers every single day in 2023. As of Q3 2023, Comcast has 14.5 million subscribers. This is a decrease from previous years and a 20% decline from 19.36 million cable subscribers in the first three months of 2022. The Hulu sale is just a one time revenue event.

 

[some other guy]

Rise has what, three animatronics? One of which is uncanny valley Finn and the other is a guy in a black helmeted suit? The Hagrid’s animatronics are all distinct and detailed, and work as great set pieces for the attraction. I’ve never heard anyone say they were less than impressed with them.

I was very impressed at that brave unicorn's efforts to recover from a stroke.

 

[Rich Brownn]

My question in terms of the portal thing does that mean there will only be one way in and out of every land or is the portal just the main entrance and there will still be something on the other side to let people in and out as well.

If it's really only one entrance for each land do we think there will be a queue just to get into them? Is Nintendo land setup like this in California or Japan?

I really want to check this place out but I'm not sure I'd rush out in 2025 to go. Depends on the cost of everything too.

Portals are in. There is a separate exit

 

[Rich Brownn]

I hope they have enough funding to fully complete it. The Comcast money printing machine (monthly cable TV revenue) is running out of steam. On average, Comcast lost more than 5,500 TV customers every single day in 2023. As of Q3 2023, Comcast has 14.5 million subscribers. This is a decrease from previous years and a 20% decline from 19.36 million cable subscribers in the first three months of 2022. The Hulu sale is just a one time revenue event.

The money is on internet, not TV. For every $1 on TV, Comcast keeps 10 cents on average. For Internet and phone it's 90 cents. Thats why cable companies push their internet and phone services. To give you an example, each local station gets $2 (on average) per subscriber. So thats $10 of your bill that goes in and out right away. There's also tons of licensing fees, residuals (why do you think HBO and others abruptly removed series), etc. And thats for each channel. And some studios require bundling, even if a channel isn't popular (sort of like the old block bookings movie studios used to do before it was ruled illegal). For comparison, while they have 14.5 million on TV, they have 32 million on internet. And thats the money printing machine

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Dark Universe is basically another version of Hogsmeade.

A KUKA dark ride in a castle*, a short family coaster outside and Ye Olde European village for shopping and dining.

I feel like they played it safe because the IP may have been seen as the riskiest of the 4 picked by upper management.

*that sounds familiar to the Van Helsing ride proposed before Potter

 

[celluloid]

I think Kong and Imhotep are better than most of Disney's modern animatronic attempts.

Kong Drivers and Goblins of Gringotts are pretty on Par with most of Rise of the Resistance ones minus the best two Kylo's of the main attraction.

What ride system innovations has Universal debuted recently? Gringotts had some innovations but that was nearly a decade ago.

Since then Disney has debuted a full-fledged roller coaster with motorized spin, a trackless ride system that can secure itself to high speed elevators and Motion bases (including both at the same time), guest controllable simulators on turntables, a boat ride propelled and controlled by magnets. And all of these innovations are patented by Disney, unlike say Forbidden Journey where the ride system was developed entirely by Kuka and Dynamic Attractions and Universal only had patents for certain show elements like the carousel of domed screens.

Kong was a trackless ride system with human depicted by animatronics on board that parks on trackless vehicles.

Both Gringotts and Hogwarts Express are very innovative in design. Yes, nearly a decade ago.

Since then Hagrids, Kong, and Bourne which is no matter opinion on it one of the most innovative live multi media theme park shows ever created since the one that it replaced. Minion Blast is also very groundbreaking as there has never been a stand up ride through theme park attraction, and with such versatility before.

All while opening the world's most innovative and altering perception of what a Water Park should be and building an entire new theme park resort expansion.

 

[celluloid]

I hope they have enough funding to fully complete it. The Comcast money printing machine (monthly cable TV revenue) is running out of steam. On average, Comcast lost more than 5,500 TV customers every single day in 2023. As of Q3 2023, Comcast has 14.5 million subscribers. This is a decrease from previous years and a 20% decline from 19.36 million cable subscribers in the first three months of 2022. The Hulu sale is just a one time revenue event.

How is Disney as an ISP?

You are comparing Comcast's side hustles to Disney's bread and butter.

 

[Stripes]

I think Kong and Imhotep are better than most of Disney's modern animatronic attempts.

Kong is impressive and lifelike, but the engineering required pales in comparison to Disney’s animatronics.

Imhotep isn’t very impressive but the animators did a good job of making the best of its limited capabilities.

Kong Drivers and Goblins of Gringotts are pretty on Par with most of Rise of the Resistance ones minus the best two Kylo's of the main attraction.

Most of those I would call animated figures, not animatronics. Their movements are pretty limited.

Kong was a trackless ride system with human depicting animatronics on board that parks on trackless vehicles.

It’s a trackless ride system with human animated figures on board.

I don’t consider that a ride system innovation. I’d consider that a show innovation, just like the MMRR trackless locomotive vehicles.


In any event, my point being that Disney has been innovating quite a bit when it comes to ride systems and to say that Disney is falling behind Universal in this regard is nonsensical to me when over the past 10 years I’d say Disney has innovated more than Universal has in that department.

 

[Stripes]

Just wait for Epic Universe.

Haven’t all the ride systems been leaked at Epic?

The only innovative one I’ve heard is the Donkey Kong coaster with its jumping track effect. The Monsters attraction is another Robocoaster, Ministry is another SCOOP ride system with a tweak to give it more heave, apparently.

It doesn’t sound like anything very innovative to me, at least in terms of ride systems.

The park design is innovative, although not necessary practical. Every land is a dead end with no way to leave except the way you came in.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The park design is innovative, although not necessary practical. Every land is a dead end with no way to leave except the way you came in.

This actually isn’t an innovation. It’s how Disneyland was organized when it first opened.

 

[TalkToEthan]

very land is a dead end with no way to leave except the way you came in.

Good, very good

That’s how it should be.

 

[networkpro]

How is Disney as an ISP?

You are comparing Comcast's side hustles to Disney's bread and butter.

No, you need to review your figures. 53% of Comcasts revenue is traditional cable TV. They realize that and are trying to diversify but timing may not be on thier side. Same thing can be said about lots of Disney content and it's traditional distribution methods.

 

[Stripes]

This actually isn’t an innovation. It’s how Disneyland was organized when it first opened.

Yes, but from what I understand, Universal is planning to keep it this way, so that organizations can book a land and they can easily close it off to regular guests.

 

[celluloid]

No, you need to review your figures. 53% of Comcasts revenue is traditional cable TV. They realize that and are trying to diversify but timing may not be on thier side. Same thing can be said about lots of Disney content and it's traditional distribution methods.

Ha. I am not going to take "you need to review your figures" very seriously from someone who seriously posed a question of they hope Comcast has enough funds to finish EPIC Universe.

 

[celluloid]

Dark Universe is basically another version of Hogsmeade.

A KUKA dark ride in a castle*, a short family coaster outside and Ye Olde European village for shopping and dining.

I feel like they played it safe because the IP may have been seen as the riskiest of the 4 picked by upper management.

*that sounds familiar to the Van Helsing ride proposed before Potter

Well it was what Hogsmeade was originally supposed to be, so kind of true.

Ironically less intense than Forbidden Journey physically though, and I think a much more interesting aesthetic.

Evening entertainment is going to be superior though.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yes, but from what I understand, Universal is planning to keep it this way, so that organizations can book a land and they can easily close it off to regular guests.

They also didn’t plan to have random rides plopped between the islands at Islands of Adventure. The future and weird decisions and desires don’t always align, especially when you are forced to make land-sized decisions

 

[celluloid]

It’s a trackless ride system with human animated figures on board.

I don’t consider that a ride system innovation. I’d consider that a show innovation, just like the MMRR trackless locomotive vehicles.

It is trackless, goes through doors, indoor and outdoor sequences of uneven ground and parks on motion platforms. Besides the platform being an elevator at the end and some reversing, just as groundbreaking and larger scale than Rise of The Resistance. It did this before Rise of the Resistance. It takes tech to impact the show. You split semantically how you like.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Kong is impressive and lifelike, but the engineering required pales in comparison to Disney’s animatronics.

Most of Disney’s 21st century animatronics are complicated to a fault.

“We’ve made the Yeti lunge with the same force as a Boeing 747 actuator!”

Yeah, and how’d that work out for you?