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

[Voxel]

So, it looks like four (definitive) sections... going counter clockwise, from the entrance (lower left on the image) we have one area with a dueling coaster, but tough to see what the theme might be. Next (going counter clockwise), there is a standalone building with almost a Mission Space feel followed by a themed section that looks to be placed within a city street similar to Diagon Alley (possibly Fantastic Beasts?). Continuing counterclockwise looks to be the hotel at the 12-O'clock position, then the section that is the hardest to distinguish (maybe the universal monsters section)? Last, counter clockwise... maybe Nintendo?

The Left looks like Mario and DK.

 

[danlb_2000]

If I had to guess though, that 14k is probably including construction.
There's a cracker plant being built about 15 minutes away from me. They raved about bring 1k jobs to the area and then cleared up the fact there'll be around a maximum of 300 employed once it's running.

Regardless when the parks battle, we all win. This should bring some more fun competition to the area.

Do we know how many people work at any of the other Universal or WDW parks as comparison?

 

[Andrew C]

Disappointed in the lack of detail.

But if nothing else it'll keep Disney on the ball a little more

It looks nice but I am not sure how this differentiates much from their other parks.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Disappointed in the lack of detail.

Considering we know nothing (officially) about the T2 replacement or the Jurassic Park coaster and both are much further along in construction, I'm not surprised. That seems to be the trend in Orlando area theme parks now... release as little info as possible initially and keep guest attention by slowly trickling out new info between the initial announcement and the grand opening. They'll likely have a big announcement in a year or so just to announce the name of the dueling coaster (and it will be an announcement of the name only, no other details).

 

[danlb_2000]

I don't think many people outside of the parksrealize how big of an issue labor is. To make this new park work, Universal are going to have to poach Cast Members from Disney, and it looks like they may succeed by setting a $15 minimum.

Anyway, good news for the Orlando area economy, and hopefully good news for theme park workers to get a pay rate that they deserve.

Which also explains why this was one of the only details given in the announcement, got to start working on the labor issue.

 

[MisterPenguin]

A distinction made in Nintendo world...

 

[OG Runner]

Amazingly, that does not look anything like what was previously being discussed. It does look very cool.
That is one, very big, hotel.

 

[danlb_2000]

Having a hotel with an entrance directly into the park would be a way to one-up Disney. WDW has some that are close, but nothing with a private park entrance.

 

[lebeau]

Having a hotel with an entrance directly into the park would be a way to one-up Disney. WDW has some that are close, but nothing with a private park entrance.

The problem with that is that you are 12 minutes away from the other two parks. I wonder if ExpressPass would be included. I believe I had heard that there would never be another hotel that included EP but something like this could change the rules.

Can't wait to find out more!

 

[Coaster Lover]

Disneyland Hotel in Paris is above the park entrance but don't think it has its own entrance (I could be wrong).

Grand Californian has its own entrance into DCA... but I believe the distinction was that WDW doesn't have any hotels with direct park entrances.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Blow ups...

 

[Voxel]

Blow ups...

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When I get home I'm going to try running these through the UpRes Algorithm used for create 4k Texture packs for old video games. I wonder what details we could pull out with that.

 

[danlb_2000]

Disneyland Hotel in Paris is above the park entrance but don't think it has its own entrance (I could be wrong).

Yes, but I was talking about Florida.

 

[danlb_2000]

This looks like some sort of big arena show...

 

[RobbinsDad]

I know nothing about the land surrounding this, but will Fantastic Beasts be connected to the other HP sections?

 

[seascape]

If anyone thinks the starting pay will be $15.00 they are crazy. The resort will not open unti l 2023. There will be 14,000 jobs. Disney will also be adding thousands of jobs. Therefore the pay will have to be higher. I expect that within 4 years the pay will start at $18.00 an hour for both parks.

 

[Andrew C]

I know nothing about the land surrounding this, but will Fantastic Beasts be connected to the other HP sections?

No. This park is 12 mins down the road from the other two.

 

[tissandtully]

No. This park is 12 mins down the road from the other two.

Weren't there rumors a little back about a Universal monorail?

 

[Coaster Lover]

I know nothing about the land surrounding this, but will Fantastic Beasts be connected to the other HP sections?

They are physically quite a distance apart (unless Universal has found a way to make actual working Portkeys or Flu Networks)... but regardless, Fantastic Beasts takes place decades before the events of the main Harry Potter series, so it wouldn't make sense (and Rowling likely wouldn't allow) to connect the areas.

 

[Andrew C]

Weren't there rumors a little back about a Universal monorail?

the article from attractions magazine said something about a stop near the park for the new train that is set to run down to south florida...