Dark Universe (Epic Universe)

[Alicia]

Do you believe they will have any duplicate animatronics? Meaning 2 rooms with the same scene and animatronic character?

A la Mystic manor, which sends you off in two different paths towards the end to connect. Each have their own “animatronics” (technically moving objects, not people) for 10-15 seconds to increase intimacy.

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And regarding HP Ministry- it really is going to be very interesting which of the 3 premier rides take the cake as the pinnacle attraction of the park. Stardust likely won’t even though it might ultimately be the most people’s favorite. But HP is going to be a unique ride vehicle whereas MU won’t be. If the ride vehicle itself is so revolutionary at HP, it might take the cake.

That said, to anyone fearing too close of similarity to forbidden journey I’d point you towards Spider-Man, transformers and Jurassic world adventure in Beijing. All the same ride vehicles. And where Spider-Man and transformers do feel nearly identical as a ride (although executed differently), Jurassic world adventure does not. It feels like a fresh, completely different attraction because of the physical sets and animatronics; in spite of a familiar ride vehicle.

The air of similarity will almost assuredly begin and end at the load platform of Monsters.

No.

Alicia tell me if I'm wrong but you talked about a walking monster of Frankenstein. Is this it (all AA's and sets)?
View attachment 22291

No this isn’t the one I was talking about. That was for a preshow. (Shhh it’s a secret.) But apparently he may walk on the ride too!

And I think this is a example of an AA (Dracula), screen background and everything in the foreground real.
View attachment 22292

Yea this feels like a cg mockup of the kuka arm AA Drac scene, which would have him be real with real foreground and led backgrounds. Probably. Maybe. Not sure.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think that we get at least one scene mimicking the "dinosaur chasing you" scene at Jurassic World in Beijing.....a monster animatronic moving/lunging toward your ride vehicle. Frankenstein monster and/or Wolfman would seem to be the obvious choices for that.

I may be wrong, but I think @Alicia said there's a scene like this in Ministry of Magic!

 

[Alicia]

I may be wrong, but I think @Alicia said there's a scene like this in Ministry of Magic!

Screamscape was first to report that although I heard something similar. After studying the plans in permit images it feels more like a screen based magic rhino crashed through a wall and then is an AA rhino on the other side coming at you, but we leave the scene before he can “chase” us.

 

[mainejeff]

I may be wrong, but I think @Alicia said there's a scene like this in Ministry of Magic!

Makes sense. Still could have monster animatronics moving/lunging as well.

 

[Lucky Planet]

now I'm wondering how many times we are going to see each monster in the ride.
Dracula and Frankie probably a bunch, gill man?
Wolfie? just a couple?

are we gonna get dracula brides? like the ones in The 90s dracula movie or Van Helsing

 

[IzzyB]

As others have mentioned, it's a Kuka arm darkride. Though this one will definitely play out differently than FJ as there's no turntable projection dome screens on this one. And the cars are going to be much more open as there's nothing above your head/blinders on the side to force you to look forward, so you'll be able to look around all over throughout the ride.

The screen carousels are massive for Forbidden Journey, but do not appear in Monsters Unchained’s permitted plans with the county. Instead there are LED walls in multiple spots shown in permits… which are rumored to have real animatronics in front of them, merging reality with media in new ways.

I think I prefer this. I think my biggest issue with FJ is it seems we are pulled from scene to scene in a jerky fashion because of the domes they put you in. I feel wide open but same cars will be way better and a completely different feeling so FJ and this ride will feel nothing alike.

Year-round twister taters are a nice touch, but we're finally getting CINNAMON BREAD. That makes me a happy camper right there!

I will have to try the cinnamon bread, but I don't know that any can top Dollywood's cinnamon bread. But the food in general in Epic is exciting. I am slightly disappointed by the new offerings in dreamworks, but that seems a one off after looking at the Epic stuff. The tavern food offerings sounds good too.

 

[Loki]

I was wondering. Who owns the rights to the Van Helsing character? I assume it's not Universal or we would have had more references to him in the land/merch

 

[Legacy]

Van Helsing is public domain.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I was wondering. Who owns the rights to the Van Helsing character? I assume it's not Universal or we would have had more references to him in the land/merch

maybe they don't want any association with the movie. van helsing would fit perfectly,

or ........or......they can bring out van helsing during October, have him be a character for meet and greet. I'm not even making a joke, he could be introduced as a special event. have him appear randomly. ( or his descendant or something) maybe the real van helsing isn't alive, but his descendant

 

[tielo]

maybe they don't want any association with the movie. van helsing would fit perfectly,

or ........or......they can bring out van helsing during October, have him be a character for meet and greet. I'm not even making a joke, he could be introduced as a special event. have him appear randomly. ( or his descendant or something) maybe the real van helsing isn't alive, but his descendant

As stated in Universal's video (you should watch that it would answer a ton of your questions) that the land is situated in the now. Van Helsing is a character created by Bram Stoker in 1897. So it doesn't fit the narrative of the land. The monster hunters will appear in the Burning Blade tavern but that seem to be made up characters and even the gypsy of the original Wolfman movie is re-imagined I presume due to the same reason. Victoria Frankenstein is the great, great grand daughter from the Victor Frankenstein you know from the movies and created by Mary Shelley in 1818.

 

[rhino4evr]

That wolf man AA looks Sick!!! Hope it has a base sturdy enough to avoid a disco wolfie situation

 

[Imperius]

Van Helsing descendant….

 

[saint.piss]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1803846553179738557

 

[Lucky Planet]

As stated in Universal's video (you should watch that it would answer a ton of your questions) that the land is situated in the now. Van Helsing is a character created by Bram Stoker in 1897. So it doesn't fit the narrative of the land. The monster hunters will appear in the Burning Blade tavern but that seem to be made up characters and even the gypsy of the original Wolfman movie is re-imagined I presume due to the same reason. Victoria Frankenstein is the great, great grand daughter from the Victor Frankenstein you know from the movies and created by Mary Shelley in 1818.

in the 2000s movie van helsing was immortal, or lived hundreds of years uni could bring him back if they did something like that. or a reincarnated van helsing.
I only say, it would be awesome to have him ( or make it a woman descendant like in the TV show it was a woman van helsing. )

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

If the Creature boat ride is now off the table, I wouldn’t mind some ride related to Van Helsing.

 

[TheUniC6]

Van Helsing is public domain.

All the Universal Monsters are pretty much public domain

If the Creature boat ride is now off the table, I wouldn’t mind some ride related to Van Helsing.

Maybe they are plans for some form of mini land instead of the one boat ride. I seem to remember earlier rumors for that had it be quite a large scale ride. It was basically described as Universal's take on the Shanghai Pirates ride.

 

[OrlLover]

If the Creature boat ride is now off the table, I wouldn’t mind some ride related to Van Helsing.

I’m assuming they were having trouble perfecting the ride system so maybe development stalled?

With how well received this land introduction has been they might have to restart plans to open this up asap.

 

[IzzyB]

I’m assuming they were having trouble perfecting the ride system so maybe development stalled?

With how well received this land introduction has been they might have to restart plans to open this up asap.

I know it has been well received here as has all the land announcements. But what in the GP response tells you this was more well received than the other lands to restart plans? I mean all my GP friends have been excited about all of the land announcements equally in my opinion.

 

[OrlLover]

I know it has been well received here as has all the land announcements. But what in the GP response tells you this was more well received than the other lands to restart plans? I mean all my GP friends have been excited about all of the land announcements equally in my opinion.

I think it has some potential crossover appeal to fans who like events such as HHN.

Just the concept alone of an “scary” land being built already draws tons of interest.

 

[Alicia]

Victoria is a narrative stand in for both the Dr and Helsing. (That’s why she has the crossbow in the key art.)

In the queue it explains how she’s devoted her life to tracking and capturing monsters. I think she may even have Van Helsing’s journal which helped her learn weaknesses.

But she’s also restarted her great great grandfather’s research and created her own Monster.

Why did they do all this? Go through so much trouble when they already have preexisting characters and stories? Because Dark Universe is an original land, it’s just inspired by the Classic Monsters. And by bringing the stories into present day, it gives them the excuse to create whatever they want, building upon the lore, without worrying about timelines, plot holes, or logical inconsistencies.