Stripes
Premium Member
Also there appears to be one or two c-tickets in the hub. Would those be free? I doubt it.
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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
- Thread starter Bob Harlem
- Start date
imarc
Well-Known Member
Is that Sci-Fi looking building part of Fantastic Beasts?
imarc
Well-Known Member
I guess there would be an outside security screening so everything within that area would just be a quick scan of the card or wristband.
I wonder if security is outside of the hotel or between the hotel and the rest of the park.
Stripes
Premium Member
I’m pretty sure it’s a ”universe” themed spinner.
imarc
Well-Known Member
I guess looking around, there are a couple of rides outside of the hub that aren't connected to other lands.
Like this thing outside of the Classic Monsters area.
lebeau
Well-Known Member
They did. But only because something better came along. If at some point Lord of the Rings (or some other currently unknown IP that would make a good fit) opens up, the same thing might happen.
Personally, I wish someone would build an IP-free park. How refreshing would that be?
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
That'd be super interesting, I like that idea. pretty much just incorporate CityWalk into the park, have all ticket sales be handled online, have RFID or Face recognition ticketing. They've had this whole park-to-park transition thing going well since Diagon Alley opened. I like that Universal has been pushing the boundaries of ticketing.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
I am pleased with what i've seen. The concept art is hiding a lot of the finer details of the specific lands. Most of the detail we're being shown is in the hub and walkways. But I have some level of confidence that the final result will be high quality. We've already seen models of Super Nintendo World, and the detail is much greater than what is showcased in this artwork. So I wouldn't worry about that aspect of the art.
The art solidified what lands and content we're getting, and i'm pretty satisfied with what was shown. My biggest concern is that there may not be too many rides on opening day (an issue I have with Disney these days when they announce big new lands or parks). Bit hard to tell from the art though.
Nintendo seems likely to contain the three rides that were in the leaked model (Mario Kart, a Yoshi omnimover, and Donkey Kong's Mine Cart coaster). So Nintendo may end up being the most content rich area in the park. Dunno if the alleged Pokemon area contains a ride or not. How to Train Your Dragon is getting at least the dueling coaster (which I will count as a single ride), but there may be additional rides in the previously cut off bottom portion of the art, some additional buildings can be seen down there (they seem large enough to potentially house a dark ride). I'm not sure if Classic Monsters is getting a ride, it really needs one but i'm concerned because I can't see an actual show building in the artwork. I'm sure Fantastic Beasts will get at least one ride, the art for it shows a very sizeable building for it. So it's a safe bet that the park will probably have a minimum of 5 rides based on what we've seen from Nintendo, Fantastic Beasts and HTTYD. There are other buildings that COULD be rides, but it's speculation from there.
The art solidified what lands and content we're getting, and i'm pretty satisfied with what was shown. My biggest concern is that there may not be too many rides on opening day (an issue I have with Disney these days when they announce big new lands or parks). Bit hard to tell from the art though.
Nintendo seems likely to contain the three rides that were in the leaked model (Mario Kart, a Yoshi omnimover, and Donkey Kong's Mine Cart coaster). So Nintendo may end up being the most content rich area in the park. Dunno if the alleged Pokemon area contains a ride or not. How to Train Your Dragon is getting at least the dueling coaster (which I will count as a single ride), but there may be additional rides in the previously cut off bottom portion of the art, some additional buildings can be seen down there (they seem large enough to potentially house a dark ride). I'm not sure if Classic Monsters is getting a ride, it really needs one but i'm concerned because I can't see an actual show building in the artwork. I'm sure Fantastic Beasts will get at least one ride, the art for it shows a very sizeable building for it. So it's a safe bet that the park will probably have a minimum of 5 rides based on what we've seen from Nintendo, Fantastic Beasts and HTTYD. There are other buildings that COULD be rides, but it's speculation from there.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
A fantastic beasts indoor show ala Poseidon's Fury would be awesome.
andysol
Well-Known Member
The dueling coaster is not part of HTTYD and is it's own ride w/o a land.
HTTYD is getting a smaller coaster that you can see at the bottom of the concept art. Not tiny like Hippogriff/Barnstormer, but still a very good size. Think closer to something like Hagrid's.
There is also zero chance the hub is going to be free. Zero.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
- The name is really bad. But at least it doesn't have the words "World" or "Adventure" in it, which are very overused in the theme park industry. I predict they will have to rename or rebrand this. It's "Universal Studios Escape" all over again.
- Agreed with MansionButler here - very excited for Nintendo and the Universal Monsters areas, but the Fantastic Beasts movies are incredibly mediocre at best and quickly forgotten by anyone other than the most diehard Potter fans. How to Train Your Dragon has very limited appeal. I know some of you will try to argue this and how they're actually good movies and all that, but they aren't anywhere on the same level as, say, Toy Story, a franchise that is loved by all ages. Then again, I didn't care about Avatar either and ended up loving the land. We'll see.
- I'm also really not a fan of this theme park homogenization. Theme parks are now just plots of land to dump in whatever IP they feel like. And yes, Disney is part of this problem too. Look at every new theme park recently built in the United Arab Emirates. They all blend together and are completely generic and homogeneous because, like this, they are just IP dumping grounds.
- Very curious and a but worried if the Orlando job market can sustain this.
- Agreed with MansionButler here - very excited for Nintendo and the Universal Monsters areas, but the Fantastic Beasts movies are incredibly mediocre at best and quickly forgotten by anyone other than the most diehard Potter fans. How to Train Your Dragon has very limited appeal. I know some of you will try to argue this and how they're actually good movies and all that, but they aren't anywhere on the same level as, say, Toy Story, a franchise that is loved by all ages. Then again, I didn't care about Avatar either and ended up loving the land. We'll see.
- I'm also really not a fan of this theme park homogenization. Theme parks are now just plots of land to dump in whatever IP they feel like. And yes, Disney is part of this problem too. Look at every new theme park recently built in the United Arab Emirates. They all blend together and are completely generic and homogeneous because, like this, they are just IP dumping grounds.
- Very curious and a but worried if the Orlando job market can sustain this.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
That’s not happening.
BasiltheBatLord
Well-Known Member
The idea of a Classic Monsters land is really cool. Like a permanent Halloween land.
lebeau
Well-Known Member
I have seen both of the Fantastic Beasts movies and they are underwhelming. You know what? I don't love the HP movies either if I am being honest. But the themed lands based on Rowling's creations are wonderful.
People are vastly overstating the importance of IP in this thread.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
Who mentioned Disney? Universal said they are “redefining” themed entertainment. They’re not. It’s not always Disney vs. Universal.
This is Epic Universe vs. IoA for me.