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

[Tom Morrow]

I didn't say they should build a 5th park, but they certainly need to be building out the ones they already have. Disney will still have an entire park more than Universal, but what do you think would happen if we actually counted the number of attractions at each resort? I suspect that would paint a less rosy picture. Just because Disney is "ahead" in the amount of stuff they have, however you choose to gauge that, it doesn't mean they can be complacent (especially with the recent, relatively widespread backlash against them as a company, but I won't get into all that.) So yes, they technically need to do continue doing things.

I mean, I do agree, and I don't think a 5th park at WDW is the answer when DHS and especially DAK could still be built up more. But they did recently do a lot of stuff. I'm not convinced that they, at this moment, need to counter Epic with anything, nor is there any amount of attractions they could build that would stop Epic from eating into their bottom line. Because a handful of new attractions won't win over an entire new theme park for repeat visitors.

 

[UpAllNight]

This looks incredible and it’s the land I’m least excited for.

I don’t have any criticism. Yeah there’s “standard theme park rides” but the big guns are in the other lands, and if you’re to do standard theme park rides..do them like this.

I think this area will look great at night too.

The good news for Disney is that, if they’re concerned about the scale of this, they’re in the design phase of their own expansions, so they can react. I do wonder if there is any consideration occurring about adjustments to their own projects as more specific detail filters through (although I doubt they were surprised - all seems well known) Maybe reacting to the reaction, which from what I can see everywhere has been largely positive. Seen a fair bit of criticism of Disney opening lands with 2 rides whereas this has multiple. Most people outside of the community don’t care about the type of rides, not that this is unimportant obviously.

Kudos to Universal Creative for an incredible drop of concept art and that video is stunning. Appreciate the effort.

I don’t think there will be too many surprises on opening day due to the depth and detail of the concept art. That’s probably a good thing for hype, but maybe not so in the high setting of expectations. Possibly why Disney have been a lot more vague in their concept art?

 

[Weather_Lady]

I didn’t watch the video. Ain’t no one got time for that.

LOL, I've watched it three times already, enough for both of us.

@HauntedPirate - If you have 2 minutes, here's a more condensed virtual "fly-through," without all the promotional history and fluff, that might pique your interest.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I'm not really sure why you're basically bragging about Disney's streaming on a website dedicated to theme parks,

Because people were wondering/complaining about Disney's lack of "response" to EU. And I gave the reason.

It's all there in the post and in the context of the discussion in the last few pages (and everywhere else, since people love to bring up EU in WDW threads). I suggest you re-read it for clarification.

 

[rd805]

So they should build a 5th park right now because Universal might build a 4th park in another decade?

The point is I'm trying to dispel the myth I keep hearing from every theme park nerd everywhere that Disney is playing "catch up" to Universal and has since Potter. They don't technically need to do anything! They're still number one and they're still going to be ahead in both attendance and number of parks when Epic opens. They don't need to do anything at all and they have been "doing stuff" for the last several years.

Disney will always be number 1 - BUT, the idea that Universal hasn't closed the gap and will not continue to close the gap really should be pushing Disney more than it clearly is. Or, as I've surmised in the past - they are banking on Universal's success in keeping their own parks busy for the next few years and then will ramp up new attractions in the years to come. Either way, the lack of NEW isn't spurring the need for a "return" multi-day visit as many of us NOT from Florida are used to doing. (Not even going into pricing)

I'm probably not visiting Orlando in 2024, and holding off to do a big EPIC centered trip in 2025. I haven't been to Volcano Bay yet, so i'll make that a focus next year to make sure I finally see it. I'll still have maybe 2 days at a Disney, because I love WDW. But there won't be a NEED to hit all 4 parks, or really focus on making sure i "definitely" get to all 4 parks. Again, I LOVE all 4 parks - but I've done them countless times.

Tiana, Smellephants, Country Bear revamp, and the return of the Little Mermaid stage musical just isn't a reason for a 'DISNEY EXCLUSIVE' vacation. Again Disney won't be "bleeding" - but the average family will be leaving the Disney Bubble moreso than they ever possibly have in the past. Universal now commands the need for minimally 2 days of a family's weeklong vacation, and I'd argue 3 if you want to at least try everything in USF / IOA. Once families see the possible discount (when comparing to a WDW vacation), or even fall for the BUY 2 DAYS, GET 2 DAYS TICKETS FREE offers they roll out all the time - it will continue to lead others to hit Universal more.

The bottom-line is, YES - they do need NEW attractions. The fact that we KNOW how long it takes Disney to build, and they haven't begun anything yet is a cause for some worry.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I'm probably not visiting Orlando in 2024, and holding off to do a big EPIC centered trip in 2025. I haven't been to Volcano Bay yet, so i'll make that a focus next year to make sure I finally see it.

The bottom-line is, YES - they do need NEW attractions. The fact that we KNOW how long it takes Disney to build, and they haven't begun anything yet is a cause for some worry.

I agree (we're not headed to Orlando in 2024, but are already booked at Universal for August 2025!), and would add that I think WDW is also underestimating the negative impact of G+/ILL from a guest satisfaction perspective. Yes, it's a financial Band-Aid that's causing people to spend more money on their current Disney vacations, but it's also keeping families -- like mine, who used to visit WDW every couple of years or so -- from wanting to return.

At the end of the day, even if it was WDW that was building a dozen new attractions, and Universal that was resting on its laurels, my family would still prefer to go to Universal, where we can opt for predictable standby lines (or a skip-the-line system that can be purchased simply by staying at a more expensive hotel, and requires no pre-planning, no pre-booking, and no in-park phone time). Our vacation time is too rare and valuable for us to have to deal with the hassle and uncertainty that WDW's G+/ILL/VQ systems - and the persistent running of attractions at reduced capacity to drive up standby waits and incentivize more G+/ILL purchases - have infused into the park experience.

Given that it's the other way around (with Universal building a new park and Disney resting on its laurels), we're that much more excited to commit to Universal for the next few years. Our 2-park annual passes for USF and IOA (which we'll activate in 2025 when we visit for EU, in addition to upgrading or purchasing EU tickets as needed) have already been purchased!

 

[Andrew25]

I'm probably not visiting Orlando in 2024, and holding off to do a big EPIC centered trip in 2025. I haven't been to Volcano Bay yet, so i'll make that a focus next year to make sure I finally see it. I'll still have maybe 2 days at a Disney, because I love WDW. But there won't be a NEED to hit all 4 parks, or really focus on making sure i "definitely" get to all 4 parks. Again, I LOVE all 4 parks - but I've done them countless times.

This is what lots of us are suggesting... people like you finally giving Universal more of their days on the trip... but not entirely skipping WDW. Universal isn't a replacement of WDW, but boy have they made it easy to swap what used to be a WDW focused trip to a Universal focused trip.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I didn’t watch the video. Ain’t no one got time for that.

With respect, you’re here. You have 6 minutes.

 

[Earlie the Pearlie]

This is what lots of us are suggesting... people like you finally giving Universal more of their days on the trip... but not entirely skipping WDW. Universal isn't a replacement of WDW, but boy have they made it easy to swap what used to be a WDW focused trip to a Universal focused trip.

Last time I was in Orlando, it was for Universal. We went to Not So Scary, and that was it.

 

[rd805]

This is what lots of us are suggesting... people like you finally giving Universal more of their days on the trip... but not entirely skipping WDW. Universal isn't a replacement of WDW, but boy have they made it easy to swap what used to be a WDW focused trip to a Universal focused trip.

Don't get me totally wrong: I'm a UNI-FIRST kind of guy haha. Universal has had 2 days of my Orlando time for the past 15 years, and a few Uni-exclusively trips too.

 

[Andrew25]

Last time I was in Orlando, it was for Universal. We went to Not So Scary, and that was it.

Hence the focus on After Hour events... they know there's a significant market that is coming to Orlando not exclusively for WDW... so it convinces folks to at least come to WDW after a Universal day.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Disney will always be number 1 - BUT, the idea that Universal hasn't closed the gap and will not continue to close the gap really should be pushing Disney more than it clearly is. Or, as I've surmised in the past - they are banking on Universal's success in keeping their own parks busy for the next few years and then will ramp up new attractions in the years to come. Either way, the lack of NEW isn't spurring the need for a "return" multi-day visit as many of us NOT from Florida are used to doing. (Not even going into pricing)

I would agree that Universal has been closing in the gap in that I at least I assume it has been growing attendance and revenue faster than WDW as it has expanded a lot more in relative terms in recent years. That said, it doesn't necessarily follow that Disney needs to match each of Universal's moves. As long as Universal's growth doesn't cause them to lose attendance (and the jury is still out on that), it probably doesn't matter all that much if Universal narrows the margin between the two resorts in terms of attendance and revenue in part because Universal started out as a far smaller resort and thus has more room to grow.

That, of course, doesn't mean Disney can just sit back and be complacent; I think even they recognise that lack of capacity due to under-building is now a big problem for the resort. That's kind of a separate issue than needing to match Universal, though, if the market has enough room for both resorts to continue growing.

 

[danlb_2000]

So the HTTYD coaster has a "oh no, something gone wrong" story line.

But isn't that the basis of a lot of great story telling? Would Titanic be as good if the ship didn't hit an iceberg, Apollo 13 if there wasn't a malfunction, or Back to the Future if Marty didn't accidently go back in time?

 

[celluloid]

But isn't that the basis of a lot of great story telling? Would Titanic be as good if the ship didn't hit an iceberg, Apollo 13 if there wasn't a malfunction, or Back to the Future if Marty didn't accidently go back in time?

Yeah, people complain about this, but most stories that have depth have these, because it is called a plot.

 

[SplashJacket]

Yeah, people complain about this, but most stories that have depth have these, because it is called a plot.

I think the main complaint is

“We have to save the planet”

Not something went wrong.

Many of the top Disney rides in the world can be described as “something went wrong”

Everest, Rise, Indy, Star Tours, MMRR, etc.

I don’t think it’s a “lazy excuse.”

The ultra high octane “save the world” missions in so many of the Universal rides became banal at best, so good to see their not mimicking that.

The Pandora rides are the most notable calm non-conflict based rides, and they excel, not because of that, but because they were very well executed within their design goals.

 

[danlb_2000]

Yeah, people complain about this, but most stories that have depth have these, because it is called a plot.

I once heard someone say that drama is life with the boring bits cut out.

 

[celluloid]

I once heard someone say that drama is life with the boring bits cut out.

Alfred was a wise man.

A great theme park once had an entire attraction dedicated to him(and part of that something went wrong)

There was some other guy with a mustache who realized, you can't have a great happily ever after without a hero's Journey of (something going wrong first in their life)

 

[celluloid]

I think the main complaint is

“We have to save the planet”

Not something went wrong.

Nah. I have heard the something goes wrong unfairly against Universal for a long time. (because the high stakes are mirroring aspects of the films they are based on)

Saving the Planet...or existence...
Like something Disney just did with their most expensive attraction investment?

Complaining about plots or inciting incidents just silly.

 

[MisterPenguin]

But isn't that the basis of a lot of great story telling? Would Titanic be as good if the ship didn't hit an iceberg, Apollo 13 if there wasn't a malfunction, or Back to the Future if Marty didn't accidently go back in time?

I don't disagree.

There is a contingent who mocks rides with this trope. Or, at its mildest complaint, it's over used.

I simply held up a Rorschach theme park ink blot.

 

[HauntedPirate]

With respect, you’re here. You have 6 minutes.

I'm stretched too thin, I'll need to have my butler one of my people watch and give me a rundown later.