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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
- Thread starter Bob Harlem
- Start date
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
No Express Pass and it has no mention of a waterslide. Yikes.
The reimagined hotel tiers are also kind of wonky. Aventura and Cabana are equal in prices, yet in different categories. And lopping Saphirre and Helios in with the original three seems like a few will get confused that they will not receive free express pass.
I have loved each and every stay at a Universal Hotel. I find them superior to Disney's in many ways (but not all).
The reimagined hotel tiers are also kind of wonky. Aventura and Cabana are equal in prices, yet in different categories. And lopping Saphirre and Helios in with the original three seems like a few will get confused that they will not receive free express pass.
I have loved each and every stay at a Universal Hotel. I find them superior to Disney's in many ways (but not all).
DarkMetroid567
Well-Known Member
I was entertaining a stay here but it’s looking very hard to justify >$500/night for Universal’s answer to the Riviera resort. Maybe I should have expected less from the hotel that is EU’s centerpiece, but the existing catalog of hotels looks far better, honestly.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
Yeah. Not impressed by this at all. We will stick with the actual premium resorts that include Express. This feels like it’s Aventura level with some lipstick. If I wanted to stay by EU, I’d just save $300/night and pick one of the iridescent twins.
TalkToEthan
Well-Known Member
…..even better!!!
Gringrinngghost
Well-Known Member
Well the plot thickens, When Epic opens up there will be NO express as per Loews' website.
Also since nobody has mentioned it, how are we feeling on the $50 parking for Day guest's at the hotel?
Yeah, the only places that felt premium in the video was that the restaurants had seemingly healthier choices than other Universal stuff and the rooftop bar (the latter being the only place that had theming), the pool looked unimpressive, the theming looked like current disney (or if you want a better comparison, the Marriottcore stuff) and aside from the iPads in the rooms, it doesn't seem that luxurious. Not having Express pass is also a dealbreaker as it will probably cost a arm and a leg for a night.
Paid parking was one of the few fees that Iger and D'Amaro eliminated when Iger took the reigns again. And with the hotel woes disney is experiencing at the moment, it will probably not return.
Starship824
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Nothing about this hotel looks all that spectacular to me other than the views in the park and the the fact that it's acting as the parks icon but other than that it just looks like any other hotel.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Makes sense. Unlimited express pass for hotel guests at a new park would be a bit nuts...
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
But even 500 rooms multiplied by 4 per room on average is only 2000 people in the park (assuming ALL 2000 entered the park, and no one goes to any other park).
I’d say give Helios free unlimited express pass and raise the rates by $200/night for that perk.
I looked at the UO Website, under Terms and Conditions for both the Deluxe Resort Express Pass and the Paid for Express Pass and both say "Excludes Universal Epic Universe." This is good news, it means they're opening this park correctly.
EDIT: Unless they open with their own form of Express. I sure hope not.
EDIT: Unless they open with their own form of Express. I sure hope not.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
They don’t have the Express capacity until EU gets Express.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
These are the most boring looking rooms for this price range, wow. Also Universal is keeping its 3ft deep pool rule I see. Nothing like walking on your knees in the middle of the Hard Rock pool so your waist is at least in the water.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
I'd say Universal ran out of room for parking because it' basically nonexistent at Hard Rock, but they had enough land to build enough, so they really just getting that crazy daily parking fee here out of pure greed.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
Guessing this will be early entry. Hope you like getting up at 5 am on vacation!
bwr827
Well-Known Member
The Cabana Bay courtyard pool is 4.5 feet deep.
bwr827
Well-Known Member
Could be nighttime hours too. The whole celestial thing would fit well with late night.
Padraig
Well-Known Member
So is what feels like 20sqft of Hard Rock’s. I know because I felt that my entire time there this summer was spent shuffling towards it. And I’m not a tall guy. Slide was fantastic though.
I have to say, I’m kinda stunned by what we saw of the room. It’s what I’d imagined for the other two hotels. I liked what little I saw of the kids suites though. But again, 14 of them? We’ve stayed in the HR equivalent a few times, and there always seems to be quite a demand for their low numbers.
Hugely underwhelming overall.