Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[RFRees]

The hub is not CityWalk or anything like it. It’s a themed area in a theme park and it features rides, attractions and shows. CityWalk 2.0 would be a different entity.

I'm not as sure as you are about this. It's possible the hub has some sort of CW element to it, including third party shops, restaurants, and shows. I don't think we know for sure yet.

 

[jrn14]

I'm not as sure as you are about this. It's possible the hub has some sort of CW element to it, including third party shops, restaurants, and shows. I don't think we know for sure yet.

This is 100% what I don't want to see in a new park.

I don't want a Shake Shack or a Sunglass Hut in the middle of my theme park... keep that stuff outside.

Starbucks/Ben & Jerrys/Auntie Anne's is more than enough.

 

[JungleSkip]

This is 100% what I don't want to see in a new park.

I don't want a Shake Shack or a Sunglass Hut in the middle of my theme park... keep that stuff outside.

Starbucks/Ben & Jerrys/Auntie Anne's is more than enough.

Yea, I don't think there's any chance of this

 

[Jamesh22]

Hub wise I count 6-8:

• 2 Flat rides under domes - probably dumbo spinner and carousel
• Dual coaster
• Show? (on right just after entrance)
• Dark ride (on left just after entrance)
• Potentially 2 or 3 other unknowns

 

[TheGamerOfKnowledge]

Here’s what I think is going on for the hub:
~ Carousel
~ Dual launched coasters
~ Space Fantasy from USJ
~ Walk on fire restaurant
~ Fountain nighttime spectacular
~ Restaurant in that big rainbow dome
I’m kinda stuck on everything else.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I mean, there are seemingly quite a few rides in the hub. With the way they’ve designed the park, with one way in/out of the lands, it will be a logistical and guest-satisfaction nightmare to have people queue every time they want to get in/out of a land

I wonder if they will go with the original idea of EPCOT Center in keeping the hub open after the attractions have closed? I can see it being easy to block off the lands and just keep the stores and restaurants open. (I remember when Disney use to do something similar at Christmastime - close off the parks but keep Main Street open with no admission afterwards for shopping)

 

[jrn14]

Just curious... I don't know anything about Space Fantasy, is that building big enough for it based on the concept art?

 

[Jamesh22]

Just curious... I don't know anything about Space Fantasy, is that building big enough for it based on the concept art?

Based purely off the concept art - no.

Space Fantasy is in a building the size of ET at USF.

 

[TheGamerOfKnowledge]

Just curious... I don't know anything about Space Fantasy, is that building big enough for it based on the concept art?

Well it is just concept art so we shouldn’t look too much in size but I think it could work.

 

[JungleSkip]

Yea I don't think Space Fantasy will be in the park

 

[CTank]

Also curious - do we think Universal will be marketing that Paris area as "Wizarding World: Fantastic Beasts" or just "Wizarding World: Ministry of Magic"? Because I'd think the later would be a larger draw regardless of whether it was the London Ministry or the Paris Ministry...

 

[Riler]

Thoughts: Is this parks 'city walk' the large buildings either side of the 'entrance gate'? It could well be that the ticketed entrance is beyond them at those glass buildings and the first hub section is actually open to the public, but beyond that is ticketed.

It feels weird that Nintendo looks like the smallest area, although it is multi levelled to a degree which could be why.

I feel like HTTYD is going to feel like the biggest 'world' in the sense that is looks so open with so many different looking areas around the place. It looks like you're really going to feel like you're exploring a vast land.

Fantastic Beasts looks like two huge show buildings with sheets in between them, are those fireworks even hiding an even bigger area beyond them?

This park, and especially the hub, looks like its going to be very leggy and hot. Even just walking between the lands looks like a hike and a half. Hopefully there's a lot going on in the hub to fill it out and give you stops along your way. There certainly is a lot of space for activities.

Things I don't like -
The name. Not majorly, and tbh I don't really care. A name isn't going to stop me visiting a park and probably won't stop them selling it to new visitors, but I preferred FW with Epic Universe being the overall resort name. It just doesn't feel like a legacy name like existing parks in Orlando do. But who cares right.

This isn't open yesterday.

Also, has anyone seen this park superimposed on the entire land that Uni bought? Trying to get an idea of what else is going where or may be in the future.

 

[TheGamerOfKnowledge]

Yea I don't think Space Fantasy will be in the park

Well it is just a guess. The planetarium could be literally anything, it’s just there was a show building right behind it which does connote there will be an attraction in there and Space Fantasy was brought up because it does fit the overall theme of the park.

 

[Andysol]

They have the potential to have the best night time show in the Orlando and certainly for Universal.

They’ll be able to do real fireworks, they’ll be able to do projection mapping on the hotel, and they’ll be able to incorporate the fountains into the mix as well.

———-

Another subject:

The hub is clearly the largest ‘land’ in the park. What if they choose to restrict access to each land based on a “queue-less” experience. You get monsters for “x” allotted time, Nintendo for “x”, etc.

Knowing how universal and disney; but especially universal would like to see a queue-less experience, I could see them enacting something like that.

It’s interesting to discuss, if nothing else.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Hey y’all, this and the Wish List thread have been cross pollinating a lot. Please put your informed speculation and wishes in that thread please. Keep this one for solid information. Thanks.

Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation | Page 12 | Inside Universal Forums

 

[RFRees]

Little blurb on NPR I heard on my drive to work.

Poorly written story if you ask me, considering it ends a story about Universal with Disney and Star Wars (including theme music).

They have the potential to have the best night time show in the Orlando and certainly for Universal.

They’ll be able to do real fireworks, they’ll be able to do projection mapping on the hotel, and they’ll be able to incorporate the fountains into the mix as well.

Just a thought, but if they do projection mapping I feel a lot of it is going to be seen from your hotel room.

Edit: note that I'm suggesting the 'best view' may be from your hotel room, so projection onto hotel seems unlikely if true.

Edit 2:
Added a news story to keep my post on topic.

 

[jrn14]

Hey y’all, this and the Wish List thread have been cross pollinating a lot. Please put your informed speculation and wishes in that thread please. Keep this one for solid information. Thanks.

Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation | Page 12 | Inside Universal Forums

I think you should remove "General Discussion" from the title of this thread... because I don't know if discussing the concept art is discussing "news' or if it's "speculation"

 

[Alicia]

Are you counting the 2 Sky Fly rides as one or two rides?

1

Will you be doing a podcast or youtube video to go into your detailed thoughts.

Editing a podcast now. Will be up publicly by Monday.

So if the adjacent land is Nintendo are we thinking that would most likely eventually be Pokemon, or are we thinking more Mario & Fam related expansion.

I'd bet money on Pokemon. But that's me.

Just a thought, but if they do projection mapping I feel a lot of it is going to be seen from your hotel room.

I have not heard anything about projection mapping. That hotel design doesn't look great to support it. And it will blind people looking out the window. I know because I was blinded on Tower of Terror at Christmas time and it was awful.

Hey y’all, this and the Wish List thread have been cross pollinating a lot. Please put your informed speculation and wishes in that thread please. Keep this one for solid information. Thanks.

Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation | Page 12 | Inside Universal Forums

Okay, going forward I will be better and keep to the speculation thread, just wanted to respond to these real quick.

 

[Happytycho]

I like how almost nobody is talking about this expanded concept art.

It's nice to see a large bus loop in the lower left corner of this concept art. It looks to have plenty of space for buses from all of the onsite hotels.

(image quoted from wish list thread)

 

[eXvute]

I havent seen any discussion on the Virgin train from the airport. The last question from the press conference was about the train and how much Universal is pushing to get it to have a stop at the OCCC/Universal before going to Disney. Tom Williams seemed frustrated while talking about this topic. I remember reading something about Disney pushing to have it go directly to their property from the airport. Does anyone have any info on this?
I think having a stop at Universal and the OCCC first would be a real game changer for Universals growth. Especially if they figure out an efficient way to transport guests between the two campuses.

PS sorry if this in the wrong thread.