Universal's Epic Universe Construction Thread

[GAcoaster]

I find it interesting they're putting wooden decking over the concrete rather than a stamped concrete that looks like wood:


Seems like higher maintenance than concrete would be, as well as a potential tripping hazard. I think about the bridge by MiB that has the wood deck that needs to be replaced periodically and how rough it gets just before they replace it.

 

[OrlLover]

I find it interesting they're putting wooden decking over the concrete rather than a stamped concrete that looks like wood:


Seems like higher maintenance than concrete would be, as well as a potential tripping hazard. I think about the bridge by MiB that has the wood deck that needs to be replaced periodically and how rough it gets just before they replace it.

For the sake of theming I think it’s good they are willing to invest a little. Little details like this make all the difference in the perception of the park.

 

[Loki]

Agreed. You can hear and feel the difference between concrete that is made to look like wood and real wood. And even though it might look like wood your brain would be telling you different every time you walk over it.

 

[Nico]

Speaking of concrete, I hope this test sample is successful - it’s beautiful.

 

[OrlLover]

Some cool updates !!!
https://x.com/ottotieleman/status/1703042681662800200?s=46&t=6nkX7DQyM8O-zh_Iv-yJFQ

https://x.com/aliciastella/status/1703425576994746541?s=46&t=6nkX7DQyM8O-zh_Iv-yJFQ

https://x.com/bioreconstruct/status/1703396672888311898?s=46&t=6nkX7DQyM8O-zh_Iv-yJFQ

https://x.com/bioreconstruct/status/1703388108819996863?s=46&t=6nkX7DQyM8O-zh_Iv-yJFQ

https://x.com/aliciastella/status/1703450020949770456?s=46&t=6nkX7DQyM8O-zh_Iv-yJFQ

 

[GAcoaster]

OK-- Cool to see a show hearth/grill going onto the end of the barbeque restaurant building:


That's one of the things that Busch did well when they had the "Show Grills" along the walkways outside their smokehouse restaurants. It really drew people in with the smell of wood smoke and grilling meat. Also realizing that having the smell of woodsmoke in the air right there at Dark Universe will be a perfect fit with the burning windmill...

 

[Nico]

Hers a fun milestone I missed - good thing for Alicia and Bio:

 

[Loki]

Drone footage of Epic

 

[Nico]

Drone footage of Epic

Man it’s so cool watching the sun hit the hotel.

 

[GAcoaster]

Bio is posting new shots:

bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct.bsky.social)

Aerial look at the barn over the mid-course launch of the Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster. Believed to be a shuttle that sends spinning riders backwards, and then forwards to return in circuit to the station. Arrow at a likely model of the themed roof. In Dark Universe.

bsky.app

(I'm trying not to use X (Twitter) anymore, but I wish Bluesky posted as seamlessly as X does)

 

[belloq87]

I wish I could see those photos without creating an account!

 

[GAcoaster]

I wish I could see those photos without creating an account!

He's posting on Twitter/X as well

Just for ease of posting, here's one from X:


Notice there's a temporary chain link fence around the entire coaster where it is close to the ground-- like they're preparing to test soon and need to keep the ride area secured for that.

 

[GAcoaster]

Ooooh, Kuka arms arriving...

 

[GAcoaster]

So cool to see the car "on the track" and really get a feel for what it will look like when it's running:

 

[Nico]

I really love how this one shows off the illusion:



Monsters Portal Update:

 

[Nico]

We have ride vehicles:

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Hoping for some near miss elements for the sky fly

 

[GAcoaster]

So amazing the see the details of buildings showing up now, especially in the hub:

 

[Rhian]

He's posting on Twitter/X as well

Needing an account can be said of Twitter/X too now, at least to make any real use. Don't know when it happened but if you go to someone's profile without being signed in it will display posts in whatever order the site decides, guess "most popular" or some other algorithm reason. It's no longer in chronological order. Trying to go down to view bio's posts for the latest photo updates has become impossible because of that so keeping up with these photo updates has gotten more difficult. (I have no idea if there's a setting a user can make to pick what order their posts are displayed to guests/no account users but that seems unlikely.)

Long way of saying I do appreciate people posting these photo updates here!

I really love how this one shows off the illusion:

Up until now I was under the impression the cart was going to use the water as a break run similar to SheiKra. The waterfall portion around the track is a lot shallower than I thought it would be.

It's also really cool to see how the placement of the buildings and scenery will hide the real track during the turn. Once everything's in it looks like the immersion level for this will be perfect. I wonder how much space there is between the bottom of the mine cart? It really sells the illusion of being on the track and it'll be fun to look at even if you're not riding it. The broken track parts are going to be a little mind boggling to see in person!

 

[GAcoaster]

Bio is still posting more:

Helios is really starting to take shape-- as we drove by this morning you can really see it rising above the rest of the park from Destination Parkway--


Seeing the finished walls and the cornice on top really gives an idea of what the finished building will look like--


The tile is really coming along and it's neat to see it covering all the surfaces. It's also interesting to see how they are transitioning to another finish near ground level:




The WWHP area is the one I feel least interested in overall, but the more I see the more impressed I am with it. The idea that it's basically being built to full (real world) scale and that they are adding so many details like the did with Diagon make it more intriguing with each look at it--