Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens 2025

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
Why are people assuming a one year delay from late 2023 is somehow more than 3 ½ years from now? The park is designed and permitted. Three years to build is a good time frame.

We would all like to see it earlier, but given the recent projects from both Disney & Universal, I really think the 4 to 5 years
is more realistic. How long did it take just to do the interior work for the Bourne show? How long is it taking Disney with
Ratatouille, Guardians, Tron, etc. ? Like I said we would all be happy to see it sooner, but I don't think it is realistic.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
We would all like to see it earlier, but given the recent projects from both Disney & Universal, I really think the 4 to 5 years
is more realistic. How long did it take just to do the interior work for the Bourne show? How long is it taking Disney with
Ratatouille, Guardians, Tron, etc. ? Like I said we would all be happy to see it sooner, but I don't think it is realistic.
All of the projects you name were announced very early in the design process. That part and the several years they represent is done.
 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
I didn’t say anything about earlier. Vertical construction was set to start late summer/early fall 2020 for a late 2023 opening. Why is it assumed that starting 2021 makes 2024 unreachable?

I know you didn't say anything about earlier. I did. My comments are totally based on the timetables we have been seeing.
I understand the original plan was for three to three and a half years, but looking at recent projects at both parks I think that
was ambitious and and a little unrealistic. Considering the location is an empty lot at the moment, if it is completed by 2025,
I would do a happy dance.
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Why are people assuming a one year delay from late 2023 is somehow more than 3 ½ years from now? The park is designed and permitted. Three years to build is a good time frame.

Do you think the current cost of construction materials will have an impact on their timeline?
 

JT3000

Well-Known Member
All of the projects you name were announced very early in the design process. That part and the several years they represent is done.
Ratatouille & Tron are both clones, so the brunt of the design work for those was already done long before they were announced. Disney is just being slow & using Covid as an excuse. That being said, the fact that Universal has been finishing up their own previous projects but still don't seem to have resumed proper construction on Epic Universe is worrying.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Do you think the current cost of construction materials will have an impact on their timeline?
It could if Universal isn’t willing to pay to stay ahead of others. They also have a scale that can help.


Ratatouille & Tron are both clones, so the brunt of the design work for those was already done long before they were announced. Disney is just being slow & using Covid as an excuse. That being said, the fact that Universal has been finishing up their own previous projects but still don't seem to have resumed proper construction on Epic Universe is worrying.
Having a set design intent only means being able to skip a small portion of the work that goes into developing usable construction documents. The many parts of Universal Studios Beijing that are clones took a similar amount of time to design and document, including Transformers.

Epic Universe never started vertical construction which was the next big milestone. They have a time limit on how long they can wait since they have the permits but a new code is now in force.
 

trr1

Well-Known Member
It could if Universal isn’t willing to pay to stay ahead of others. They also have a scale that can help.



Having a set design intent only means being able to skip a small portion of the work that goes into developing usable construction documents. The many parts of Universal Studios Beijing that are clones took a similar amount of time to design and document, including Transformers.

Epic Universe never started vertical construction which was the next big milestone. They have a time limit on how long they can wait since they have the permits but a new code is now in force.
wasn't most of the infrastructure already completed at EU?
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
The Velocicoaster (sp?) went up in two and a half years, even with the Covid delays. Depending on how soon they start doing
more than moving dirt around, we should be able to figure out a completion date.
Building a roller coaster is nowhere near the same as turning an empty lot into a park. Velocicoaster had existing utilities and storm water management it could utilize. Even then, construction doesn’t just happen and it is done when it is done. There is a planned schedule. Construction of the park itself was supposed to be about three years.
 

Bob Harlem

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A lot of the work last year was just pure grading, legions of dumptrucks provining dirt to level off the ground. Last month was a lot of infrastructure work, and a few roads. Fencing and other land perimeter work. When things go vertical, it will move very fast since a great deal of the infrastructure is happening right now.
 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
Depens on what they build, the budget buzzards are always circling.

I agree. You could also look at the availability of construction materials, the increased cost of materials, and even the availability of
laborers since the original plans were put together. The most we can do is wait, watch, hope & pray and decide how they could have
done it better or worse right up until we are walking through the new park.
 

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