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

GhostHost1000

Premium 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.


that is something that I think changed with Potter world... themed lands moreso than additional attractions. I wish Disney and others would eventually see (again) that while that is good and all because we don't want six flags, that attractions are what eat up the crowds, spread people out, and entertains more guests
 

LukeS7

Well-Known Member
2 things I haven't seen brought up yet:
1. It looks like they left lots of room for easy expansion, including 3 empty areas with easy access to the hub (which probably means they have rough expansion ideas)
2. Could the area that people are saying is HTTYD possibly be a larger Dreamworks-themed land?
 

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Just remember, the whole point of this park is not (necessarily) to be revolutionary/ground-breaking/better than Disney. The point of this park is to psychologically convince Universal guests that they can schedule a week long Universal vacation and not need to plan side trips to Disney or Sea World to fill up that week. With this park, they can run with the (similar) narrative that Disney has... you need AT LEAST one full day at each of the (four) parks... plus look at all this other stuff we have on property to fill up any other time you might have.
 

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic to go along with Hogsmeade and Diagon.

Technically, the Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series is in London... an area already established in the USO park (we only see alternative Ministries of Magic in the Fantastic Beasts series). It would be out of story to put that attraction in a separate park and not as a side shoot of the USO HP section. If JK Rowling wasn't so intimately involved, I'd say it was entirely a possibility, but given her involvement, I'm not sure she'd let them.
 

RobbinsDad

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.
You're probably right, but we've seen how fading interests in IP has led to changing attractions in the original Universal park. It's not a big deal to revamp a ride to new IP but an entire land would be a chore. That's all I'm saying, nothing against HTTYD but was going all in on this franchise the right call?
 

danlb_2000

Premium 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.

I think it would be logistically difficult to screen when entering the hotel since you would have to get into screening all luggage, and anything that was shipped to the hotel.
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
You're probably right, but we've seen how fading interests in IP has led to changing attractions in the original Universal park. It's not a big deal to revamp a ride to new IP but an entire land would be a chore. That's all I'm saying, nothing against HTTYD but was going all in on this franchise the right call?

It wouldn't have been my first choice. But it's not like Universal is sitting on a bunch of popular, timeless, ride-friendly IP.

I think the choice makes sense because the land can still be enjoyed even after everyone has forgotten the source material. This is where I remind people that Dinosaur was based on a movie and Splash Mountain ties into Song of the South. If the land is well done, it won't matter all that much.

As for the replacements at USF, I would argue those changes weren't made just because the IP was dated. So were the attractions.
 
I think
Why do HTTYD and not just Dreamworks Land??? I love that property and watched the movies and all the different shows but to carry an entire land? I do not know. I get Mario but isn't The Legend of Zelda like the 2nd most popular Nintendo Property? or perhaps it is Pokemon but not Donkey Kong. The name, the design, its blue sky but still I hope they do this right. Nintendo Land to me is the biggest draw that is timeless, maybe monsters too.
 

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
I think

Why do HTTYD and not just Dreamworks Land??? I love that property and watched the movies and all the different shows but to carry an entire land? I do not know. I get Mario but isn't The Legend of Zelda like the 2nd most popular Nintendo Property? or perhaps it is Pokemon but not Donkey Kong. The name, the design, its blue sky but still I hope they do this right. Nintendo Land to me is the biggest draw that is timeless, maybe monsters too.
Probably to not pay dreamworks more IP fees?
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
Comcast/Universal owns Dreamworks. so its a wholly owned IP that has many different movies. Why chose just one is baffling

Correct me if I am wrong, but we don't know that's what they have done. It could incorporate more Dreamworks properties. The problem is, they don't fit together very well if you're trying to build a cohesive land.
 

imarc

Well-Known Member
I get Mario but isn't The Legend of Zelda like the 2nd most popular Nintendo Property? or perhaps it is Pokemon but not Donkey Kong.

Maybe it had to do with a ride concept that fit DK franchise better than Zelda?

  1. Super Mario (627.51 million)
  2. Pokémon (301.5 million)
  3. Wii Series (203.15 million)
  4. The Legend of Zelda (105.62 million)
  5. Donkey Kong (75.6 million)[8]
  6. Super Smash Bros (53 million)[9]
  7. Game & Watch (43.4 million)[10]
  8. Kirby (38 million)[9]
  9. Brain Age (34 million)[11]
  10. Animal Crossing (33.6 million)[12][13][14]
  11. Nintendogs (28.25 million)[15][16]
  12. Yoshi (24.87 million)[17]
  13. Wario (22 million)
  14. Metroid (17.44 million)
  15. Fire Emblem (12.4 million)*
  16. Splatoon (12.4 million)[18]
  17. Star Fox (12 million)
  18. Tomodachi (10.06 million)[19][20]
  19. Big Brain Academy (10 million)
  20. Luigi (10 million)
  21. F-Zero (5 million)
  22. Pikmin (5 million)
  23. Excite (5 million)
  24. Nintendo Land (5 million)
  25. Style Savvy (5 million)
 

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
I get Mario but isn't The Legend of Zelda like the 2nd most popular Nintendo Property? or perhaps it is Pokemon but not Donkey Kong. The name, the design, its blue sky but still I hope they do this right. Nintendo Land to me is the biggest draw that is timeless, maybe monsters too.

Just looking at just video game sales, Mario is top, followed by Pokemon, followed by Zelda. If you include the franchise as a whole (including movies, merchandise, TV shows, etc), Pokemon is by far the highest (dominated by merchandise sales that beat out just about everything else including Star Wars).
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
Just looking at just video game sales, Mario is top, followed by Pokemon, followed by Zelda. If you include the franchise as a whole (including movies, merchandise, TV shows, etc), Pokemon is by far the highest (dominated by merchandise sales that beat out just about everything else including Star Wars).

Someone brought that up around here a while ago. The problem is those numbers don't translate. If they did, Hello Kitty would be one of the most popular things at Universal.
 

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