Celestial Park - General Discussion Thread

[Rhian]

If the shows had posted times they'd probably be better attended. It was nice to stumble upon one happening, but I definitely would've liked to catch more of them at the start than halfway through.

And while yes, you could argue that they weren't highbrow they were somewhat entertaining (even if they required tweaks), especially for something that didn't require investment in terms of knowing the backstory of what you're watching. I did enjoy the all-ages aspect to the shows, and it was nice to get the gist of the story even if you did start watching partway through.

Unfortunately, I can't go into details about what I saw but I didn't think the shows deserved to be cut.

There were multiple shows each cast did including a comedy one that talked about the lore of Celestial. All suffered from never being announced and their times not being posted and also expecting people to stand in front of the stage with no shade in direct sunlight. Pretty costly mistake for not wanting to put in some seating and some canopies.

The shows definitely need to get reworked. Hard to do a show about Epic Universe when you're not even allowed to say Nintendo. That stage area also has three places to get food/drink, and NO shaded seating directly in front of the stage. The park needs passive entertainment, like the piano player at Magic Kingdom, not "gather round gather round" type shows at a park where everyone is trying to get on the rides before they break down.

More shade and seating has been put into place and continues to be. Just this past week that small theater in Celestial Park got picnic tables and umbrellas installed. I get people bringing up this issue but it is being addressed as we speak.

To me it would make sense to be more critical about the shade and seating when we're at least a couple of weeks away from opening.

It's also important to keep in mind that a lot of the trees still don't have their leaves—they're just beginning to grow in now, and things should look better by midsummer. This winter has been kind of harsh too, which hasn't helped. I agree that it's not great in the meantime but it is definitely a short term problem. Just look at Volcano Bay.

 

[OrlLover]

If the shows had posted times they'd probably be better attended. It was nice to stumble upon one happening, but I definitely would've liked to catch more of them at the start than halfway through.

And while yes, you could argue that they weren't highbrow they were somewhat entertaining (even if they required tweaks), especially for something that didn't require investment in terms of knowing the backstory of what you're watching. I did enjoy the all-ages aspect to the shows, and it was nice to get the gist of the story even if you did start watching partway through.

Unfortunately, I can't go into details about what I saw but I didn't think the shows deserved to be cut.



More shade and seating has been put into place and continues to be. Just this past week that small theater in Celestial Park got picnic tables and umbrellas installed. I get people bringing up this issue but it is being addressed as we speak.

To me it would make sense to be more critical about the shade and seating when we're at least a couple of weeks away from opening.

It's also important to keep in mind that a lot of the trees still don't have their leaves—they're just beginning to grow in now, and things should look better by midsummer. This winter has been kind of harsh too, which hasn't helped. I agree that it's not great in the meantime but it is definitely a short term problem. Just look at Volcano Bay.

Yea we shouldn’t jump the gun just because a few random shows got canned.

They need time to figure out what works best and adjust as we get closer to opening.

Of course I hope they add or even create new offerings that help fill out the day and keep Celestial Park bustling.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Yea we shouldn’t jump the gun just because a few random shows got canned.

They need time to figure out what works best and adjust as we get closer to opening.

Of course I hope they add or even create new offerings that help fill out the day and keep Celestial Park bustling.

They seem to have jumped right to firings with very little time spent on reconfiguration and adjusting. That’s what’s so worrying here. If we heard that the entertainment was being shifted to other spots or redesigned, no one would be upset - but this is part of a pattern that we’ve seen across the resort and as such seems to reflect a widespread and detrimental policy.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I’ve kept my thoughts to myself over the last few months instead of being Guy With a Hot Take but this hits at what I’ve thought about Celestial Park once it was (mostly) built: there’s a good chance that the GP is not going to view it as a “land” and adding “lore” isn’t going to change that with them. It’s not going to ruin the park or anything, but when you lean so hard on the “portals transport you to immersive worlds” concept, it makes the non-portaled, non-immersive part of the park more of a pass-through area.

A bunch of others have pointed this out but it does seem like it could feel like the Epcot center hub. They’ve put meet and greets there, there’s entertainment with those acrobats and the DJ dance party, but it’s still just a meh space.

I appreciate them shooting for the stars (pun intended ) with the center area but even with entertainment I have a hard time seeing the GP look at it as anything more than, “okay cool… how do I get to the next land?”

I agree that lore is too often used as a support for weak lands, but the land does need more to do for the folks waiting for tables or digesting BBQ. Honestly, I dunno if the answer is a show! Maybe they need more meet & greets and play spaces. Maybe it's musicians. I think once guests are in the park we'll quickly find the issues, like when HHN didn't have a SZ in San Fran.

 

[GAcoaster]

Captain Cacao acquired!



We could look in the windows of Moonship today and it looks like it should be ready to open in a few more days.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I agree that lore is too often used as a support for weak lands, but the land does need more to do for the folks waiting for tables or digesting BBQ. Honestly, I dunno if the answer is a show! Maybe they need more meet & greets and play spaces. Maybe it's musicians. I think once guests are in the park we'll quickly find the issues, like when HHN didn't have a SZ in San Fran.

Didn’t they also cut several walk-around musicians and meet & greet characters?

 

[OrlLover]

Didn’t they also cut several walk-around musicians and meet & greet characters?

Isn’t all this info anecdotal and not exactly confirmed ?

So this is all speculation on are part.

 

[Alicia]

Didn’t they also cut several walk-around musicians and meet & greet characters?

Anecdotally, yes.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The point still stands: if it's not working, then try something different.

 

[Casper Gutman]

The point still stands: if it's not working, then try something different.

There really hasn’t been time to state definitively that it isn’t working.

And the current evidence suggests they aren’t trying “something different,” they’re just trying nothing at all. Which is a recent pattern at the resort a lot of us were hoping would be changed by EU.

 

[Alicia]

And the current evidence suggests they aren’t trying “something different,” they’re just trying nothing at all. Which is a recent pattern at the resort a lot of us were hoping would be changed by EU.

I don't think we can safely assume this.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I don't think we can safely assume this.

You’re very well connected and insightful (love the videos, by the way). Have you heard about plans for new entertainment? Are these performers being reassigned or just laid off?

 

[Alicia]

You’re very well connected and insightful (love the videos, by the way). Have you heard about plans for new entertainment? Are these performers being reassigned or just laid off?

I’m taking a wait and see approach. I think there are theories floating around, but we won’t know what is implemented, if anything, until we give it some time.

 

[Rhian]

The point still stands: if it's not working, then try something different.

I'd argue that TMs aren't like the general public. My experience so far is a lot of them b-line to specific rides and could give a rat's arse about preshows, queues, or anything else. They might do a show but only to check it off as something to experience first, not something they'd go out of their way for on a normal park day.

That's said I've yet to see any of these walk around meet and greet characters such as Maya from CP so it's hard to say it wasn't working when (during my visits at least) it hasn't even been seen.

 

[Nick]

PS: I posted this before reading Ga-mbits post above, which hits the same points more eloquently.

If people weren’t expecting this, especially people who get paid a lot of money to “expect” economic development, they were being willfully ignorant.

Universal choose an unconventional park design and it requires an unconventional entertainment strategy. Most theme park entry areas are relatively small, compact zones enlivened by tightly-packed restaurants and stores. Celestial Gardens has an extremely high risk of becoming a huge, empty dead area that serves as nothing more than a barrier between lands, a larger version of the new and very underwhelming center of Future World at EPCOT.

Nevermind. Explained in other post.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

From the air, it looks like there are a few areas of negative space where these features could be added over time, and I think they could help fulfill the intention of Celestial Park and help make it place people really enjoy -- as people have enjoyed gardens for centuries. I also have no doubt tree growth will dramatically improve the atmosphere and comfort. Celestial Park may be underwhelming for some guests in the early years but I think decades from now it will be a core reason why people love Epic Universe.

This is exactly what I'm expecting for Celestial Park. For the first few years, no one will care. But it will gain a cult following eventually.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

From people on here, and the handful of people I know who’ve been to the parks, the music for Celestial Park seems to be a constant rave.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Having been to the park, Celestial feels like a large concrete barren wasteland that serves as nothing more than a space you walk between lands and it’s a huge space to go wasted.

What park did you go to? A ;and with fountains, trees, landscaping, two rides and various shops is hardly a "concrete wasteland"

 

[OrlLover]

What park did you go to? A ;and with fountains, trees, landscaping, two rides and various shops is hardly a "concrete wasteland"

Also why the sudden goal posts moving because a couple days ago it was all sunshine and rainbows and “this is the backbone” of Epic Universe.

 

[Evan]

I don’t know if it’s fair to say they are cutting things, this is test and adjust period. Technically we shouldn’t even know what’s happening…

But we do.

Let’s discuss cuts after the park opens. Opening day (much like opening night of a broadway show) is when things are locked in by, and then we can see where it goes.