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

trr1

trr1

Well-Known Member
https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct
bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
In this aerial photo of the Donkey Kong roller coaster1,2 Likely frame pieces for set construction along the tracks.3 Recently cast circular concrete pad
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In this aerial photo of the Donkey Kong roller coaster in Epic Universe:1 Recent excavation2 Rainwater accumulation in a water feature. Mine cars will splash through this area.3 Recently cast circular concrete pad
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Aerial photo of what is believed to be an actual mine car, covered, on the Donkey Kong roller coaster track.Car has clearance testing underneath, at the actual sideways track. The broken traditional 2-rail track, with railroad ties, is theming.(As seen from 1200 ft.)
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Aerial overview of the entrance of Epic Universe. Construction transportation bus at top center is in the actual bus loop for the park.
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Aerial look across a construction of a water feature just past the entrance of Epic Universe.Also seen at arrow is casting of a concrete wall for the gateway into the park.
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SpectreJordan

SpectreJordan

Well-Known Member
Rich Brownn said:
And free if you stay at the premium hotels... unlike Disney.
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JoeCamel said:
Book a $300 room and they give you $700 in express, priority seating at restaurants and a boat to take you to the parks plus they are really nice hotels. Oh, early entry too.... This point is lame but keeps getting raised over and over again.
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Rush said:
You and your entire party can skip the lines for no additional fees if you stay at a premium hotel, which is at the same cost as a "moderate" hotel in Disney 💀 even if you book for a single night, express will be available for both days you check in and out.
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Good for out of town people who specifically choose those hotels but not good for locals, people who need to stay at cheaper hotels & people who are staying at Disney.

I do agree that Disney should offer to Genie+ to their hotel guests though.
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
SpectreJordan said:
Good for out of town people who specifically choose those hotels but not good for locals, people who need to stay at cheaper hotels & people who are staying at Disney.

I do agree that Disney should offer to Genie+ to their hotel guests though.
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Even as a local if you have a party of three book a room and save bux plus get the other perks. You just have to check in.....
 
Rush

Rush

Well-Known Member
SpectreJordan said:
Good for out of town people who specifically choose those hotels but not good for locals, people who need to stay at cheaper hotels & people who are staying at Disney.

I do agree that Disney should offer to Genie+ to their hotel guests though.
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It's actually better value for a family. Better hotels + better express system + more days of skipping lines.

As for locals, there's tiers of AP that include express.
 
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celluloid

Well-Known Member
JoeCamel said:
Book a $300 room and they give you $700 in express, priority seating at restaurants and a boat to take you to the parks plus they are really nice hotels. Oh, early entry too.... This point is lame but keeps getting raised over and over again.
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They are also insanely onsite and efficient. Five-minute walk in most cases to one of the major theme parks and boats are frequent. Also exclusive events such as the HHN pop ups. Huge pools as a bonus.
 
monykalyn

monykalyn

Well-Known Member
SpectreJordan said:
Good for out of town people who specifically choose those hotels but not good for locals, people who need to stay at cheaper hotels & people who are staying at Disney.
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This out of town guest prefers the high tier AP that gives express after 4, and free one night of HHN. Hope pricing isnt too insane with Epic
 
SpectreJordan

SpectreJordan

Well-Known Member
JoeCamel said:
Even as a local if you have a party of three book a room and save bux plus get the other perks. You just have to check in.....
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Yeah, that's still a lot of money just for fast passes...

I'm not a fan of Genie+ either, but the Universal system is just as bad in a different way lmao
 
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celluloid

Well-Known Member
SpectreJordan said:
Good for out of town people who specifically choose those hotels but not good for locals, people who need to stay at cheaper hotels & people who are staying at Disney.

I do agree that Disney should offer to Genie+ to their hotel guests though.
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For locals Universal has tiers on discounts and times where Express is very cheap considering you don't have to scheduele it.

Also, as a local, like Genie Plus even, it is not as often desirable. The Express pass after 4 of Premier tier is for you then as it is a great deal to pop in if you want to skip lines and ride everything once before closing that badly. Every. Day. Of Your. Annual Pass.

Universal also has this thing called Efficiency, where most of their theme park attractions have a great theoretical hourly capacity and less downtime than many other theme parks.
 
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celluloid

Well-Known Member
JoeCamel said:
Amen! Do a few rides, absorb the park feel, have something to eat/drink and head out. The park will still be there the next time so no need to do everything every time.
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Plus you bring up a good point about earlier. Even if you had no plans to actually stay the night at the hotel.

If you can nab a Hotel for 400 a night, and split between just two people, that would get you both Unlimited Express for two days as you get it upon check in and entire day of checkout. It would also give you a place to come back and chill and ameneties you could use for the day if you so chose. That is not bad for only 200 bucks a person and unlimited express to both of their theme parks for two days.

You could also split the room with up to four people and still all get unlimited express, which is on your schedule in two theme parks, dining priority and early park admission for those days for about 100 bucks a person. The fact that this would even be comparable to Genie Plus and what that would cost a party of four for two days and all its limitations is laughable.
 
SpectreJordan

SpectreJordan

Well-Known Member
celluloid said:
Plus you bring up a good point about earlier. Even if you had no plans to actually stay the night at the hotel.

If you can nab a Hotel for 400 a night, and split between just two people, that would get you both Unlimited Express for two days as you get it upon check in and entire day of checkout. It would also give you a place to come back and chill and ameneties you could use for the day if you so chose. That is not bad for only 200 bucks a person and unlimited express to both of their theme parks for two days.

You could also split the room with up to four people and still all get unlimited express, which is on your schedule in two theme parks, dining priority and early park admission for those days for about 100 bucks a person. The fact that this would even be comparable to Genie Plus and what that would cost a party of four for two days and all its limitations is laughable.
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You're still paying $100+ for fast passes. I don't see how that's not an insane price.

I get Universal is doing a lot of things better than Disney. But you guys don't have to defend everything they do.
 
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celluloid

Well-Known Member
SpectreJordan said:
You're still paying $100+ for fast passes. I don't see how that's not an insane price.

I get Universal is doing a lot of things better than Disney. But you guys don't have to defend everything they do.
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All parks priority passes cost money now. We are just stating that it is beyond a better deal when just side by side.

100 dollars for unlimited for two theme parks for two days is a heck of a deal you won't get anywhere else. All unlimited and at your chosen time.
The hotel point was brought up to show just how there is not really a big gap between the cost of Genie Plus for more than one park for two days and much less options with a time chosen roster.
 
Poseidon Quest

Poseidon Quest

Well-Known Member
SpectreJordan said:
Not for the majority of their guests. It's a great deal for those staying at hotels, but the idea of booking a hotel that you don't want just to make the price more worth it is nutty.
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Ah, then let me explain. While I would prefer that parks go away with skip-the-line systems altogether, if you're going to implement them, pricing them expensively results in the best outcome for everyone.

Express is expensive but sold in limited quantities and because it's so expensive, often prices people out. Therefore, there are far less express people moving through lines and causing the stand-by to keep halting to accommodate them. That's a pretty industry standard way of doing things, but Disney chose to make Genie+ relatively inexpensive knowing that it would entice more people to purchase it. The issue is that they over sell the hell out of it (even when they limit purchases) which creates two lines: one which people paid for and moves at a normal speed and the second line, the stand-by which moves at a snail's pace because Lighting Lane is often so overwhelmed with paying park goers. That in turn encourages more people to spontaneously pay for Genie+, only making the problem worse and no one really wins except for Disney. In addition, because there are so many limited time slots available for attractions, you're limited with what you can do and it's completely inflexible with the schedule that you want to have.

Express doesn't have this problem. It's expensive but you can walk up to whatever ride you want, when you want and it's causing minimal disruption to the people in the stand-by queues (except for Halloween Horror Nights which Universal definitely oversells express for unfortunately). Genie+ purposefully is designed to take your money while providing minimal value. It would be a much better product if the price was significantly higher and they did away with return times, instead just allowing you to flexibly move around the park as you please.
 

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