Epic Universe Expansion Speculation

[mccgavin]

The 20+ acre plot in EU more than likely won't be touched until all the lands current expansion pads are filled out which is many many years down the line IMO.

I agree with this, but I feel my point still stands. Even if it's over a decade away, if LoTR ever comes to Universal Orlando, that's almost certainly the spot they will build it in.

Playing devil advocate for a second. What reason does Universal have to keep it besides trolling Disney by denying them access to use their most popular cash cow IP their flagship resort that be WDW?

Spider-Man and Hulk are still enormously popular rides that are able to sell a lot of merchandise. There are many other areas of the resort that are much more in need of attention at the moment.

 

[docholiday]

The 20+ acre plot in EU more than likely won't be touched until all the lands current expansion pads are filled out which is many many years down the line IMO. Since Wicked would be fast tracked for the parks, the next logical place to do it is IOA as the overall atmosphere of the park jives well with Wicked. As for location I could see LC if Zelda fell through. But In the even Universal keeps LC open for when they do crack the code on Zelda, I wonder if (unpopular opinion incoming) Wicked replaces MSHI?

Playing devil advocate for a second. What reason does Universal have to keep it besides trolling Disney by denying them access to use their most popular cash cow IP their flagship resort that be WDWt

wouldn’t hate that.

 

[belloq87]

But In the even Universal keeps LC open for when they do crack the code on Zelda, I wonder if (unpopular opinion incoming) Wicked replaces MSHI?

Under no circumstances.

What reason does Universal have to keep it besides trolling Disney by denying them access to use their most popular cash cow IP their flagship resort that be WDW?

The greatest ride ever built.

 

[docholiday]

Under no circumstances.


The greatest ride ever built.

I know it’s not coming anytime soon if ever but DC is the only thing I could see replace MSHI.

 

[mccgavin]

If they wanted to do a re-theme of MSHI instead of a teardown and full replacement, I feel like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would work as a property that could be retrofitted onto the existing land and attractions. They would need to license the IP from Paramount to use it though.

 

[Jake S]

folks, let's keep the discussion focused on Epic Universe expansion.

 

[Thorin Groth]

How do each of the four lands stand in terms of size? Im thinking it's Berk > Nintendo > Ministry > Dark, which is the reverse order of how I would want expansions to happen (although it's probably Nintendo > Ministry > Dark > Berk)

 

[Rhian]

This maybe a long shot but what if they created an original theme for another portal? Like what they did with lost continent?

Do you not consider Celestial Park already as that original theme? There is story/lore associated with the land and how it ties the entire park together and Universal considers it to be one of the 5 worlds of the park.

I do wonder if we'll ever get an expansion to CP—every other land has expansion plot available.

 

[DrStarlander]

I do wonder if we'll ever get an expansion to CP—every other land has expansion plot available.

Celestial Park has an expansion plot across the walkway from Atlantic Restaurant -- marked in red in the image. It's supposedly earmarked for an event venue. I'd prefer it be used for a Mystic Manor / Haunted Mansion old school style family dark ride that tells the story of Celestial Park. That's a type of attraction the park needs more of.

While I don't know the uses they have in mind for the event venue, I'd rather the event venue go in the blue marked area which could allow it to be incorporated into a future CityWalk or be accessible/useful for both parks, when the parking lot becomes a fourth gate.

 

[Rhian]

Celestial Park has an expansion plot across the walkway from Atlantic Restaurant -- marked in red in the image. It's supposedly earmarked for an event venue. I'd prefer it be used for a Mystic Manor / Haunted Mansion old school style family dark ride that tells the story of Celestial Park. That's a type of attraction the park needs more of.

While I don't know the uses they have in mind for the event venue, I'd rather the event venue go in the blue marked area which could allow it to be incorporated into a future CityWalk or be accessible/useful for both parks, when the parking lot becomes a fourth gate.

Ah yeah, now I remember it being talked about before. I think I wrote it off in my mind because "event space" sounded like something which would be mostly used for private events which wouldn't be for general guest usage similar to the sound stages at USF. I wouldn't have considered it as an expansion to CP the way we'd normally think of like for the other lands.

I agree on the attraction thing. If I had a wish it'd be for a spiritual successor to Poseidon's Fury for that spot to tell the story of Celesial Park, which the fountain show might do anyway.

The only problem I can see with building something over in the blue area marked is that it wouldn't connect directly to CP, which is probably why the area in red is used; they likely want to maintain theme between entering and exiting the event space and you won't get that in the other spot. It's all backstage over there although having an exit close to the main pathway towards bus transportation and the parking lot is extremely convenient.

 

[DrStarlander]

The only problem I can see with building something over in the blue area marked is that it wouldn't connect directly to CP, which is probably why the area in red is used; they likely want to maintain theme between entering and exiting the event space and you won't get that in the other spot. It's all backstage over there although having an exit close to the main pathway towards bus transportation and the parking lot is extremely convenient.

Sure, and that's what I meant by not knowing the types of events. The blue area would be useful fro some events and not others as it doesn't have direct park access.

However, if they want a venue for direct park access, I'd suggest they put up a lower cost warehouse/soundstage type building just inside the 20 acre expansion plot. They're unlikely to touch that area for a decade, long enough to justify the building, and it won't be in the way.

The red Celestial Park spot is a prime early-years expansion area as it doesn't involve external IPs and the scope of attraction is small compared to other owned-IP single-attraction expansions: the Creature From the Black Lagoon or even a Berk dragon-ride simulator, or whatever might go next to the theater. The CS dark ride could be off-the-shelf omnimover system, straightforward sets and animatronics. It's a chance to bring the first classic family dark ride into the park, something I think they should fast-track as it is the most distinctive way the park lags Magic Kingdom.

 

[OrlLover]

I can’t wait till the Creatures of the black Lagoon gets built.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Hear me out:

Far Far Away, from the Shrek franchise, featuring a spoof of Disney’s Fantasyland dark rides and a movie-accurate Friar’s Fat Boy. That way, it would make more sense for Shrek's swamp at Universal Studios Florida and Far Far Away at Epic Universe to be far apart from each other. Universal Studios Singapore did not get that right.



An alternate option would be the Kingdom of Duloc from the first Shrek, complete with the return of Shrek 4D and an actual Duloc information booth.

 

[TheUniC6]

Hear me out:

Far Far Away, from the Shrek franchise, featuring a spoof of Disney’s Fantasyland dark rides and a movie-accurate Friar’s Fat Boy. That way, it would make more sense for Shrek's swamp at Universal Studios Florida and Far Far Away at Epic Universe to be far apart from each other. Universal Studios Singapore did not get that right.

View attachment 25004

An alternate option would be the Kingdom of Duloc from the first Shrek, complete with the return of Shrek 4D and an actual Duloc information booth.

View attachment 25005

View attachment 25006

I've been hoping Shrek gets a bigger presence at UOR besides that play set in DW Land. I am pretty sure Far Far Away would serve as the basis for a new land, because its a far more iconic location than Duloc is and 5 is already hinted to pick up there.

As for rides, a D ticket Midway Mania like ride and the E ticket can be a large scale trackless family ride with no height requirement like MMRR would be my picks.

 

[HHN Maddux]

Far Far Away expansion with a Puss-in-Boots dark ride taking us into the Dark Forest, along with the return of Shrek 4D (or heck, maybe even a new show) would be highly welcomed. Will it happen? Never (probably). It'd be very cool though.

 

[TheUniC6]

Far Far Away expansion with a Puss-in-Boots dark ride taking us into the Dark Forest, along with the return of Shrek 4D (or heck, maybe even a new show) would be highly welcomed. Will it happen? Never (probably). It'd be very cool though.

The most Shrek will get at UOR would be a dark ride in a phase 2 for the DW land that would take over AA if it doesn't get absorbed into Pokemon.

 

[fryoj]

I'd prefer it be used for a Mystic Manor / Haunted Mansion old school style family dark ride that tells the story of Celestial Park. That's a type of attraction the park needs more of.

Isn't that basically what the rumored Luigi's Mansion ride is supposed to be?

 

[Clive]

We can dream bigger than the return of Shrek 4D, a thoroughly mediocre attraction.

 

[DrStarlander]

Isn't that basically what the rumored Luigi's Mansion ride is supposed to be?

That's a new Nintendo attraction, does it need to go to Japan first? And the scope of that project, which like DKC would likely be a mini-land area, would seem to put that project/investment out quite a few years.

I'm talking about an old school dark ride with no external IP complications and not an interactive shooter either. It's a project that could happen in the next 3-4 years to add the first and only passive, non-threatening/perilous indoor family dark ride to the park, of which Magic Kingdom has 6 or 7. I'm talking about a grandparents-and-grandchild ride.

 

[TheUniC6]

That's a new Nintendo attraction, does it need to go to Japan first?

There appears to be no plans to bring LM to Japan.