Universal's Epic Universe Construction Thread

[Parkscope Joe]

I'm hoping they just announce that their newest park is "now open" some random Tuesday on Twitter. That would be on brand for them.

Anyone awake? @ReelJustice

 

[MatheusPG]

Any chance of Epic Universe opening before 2025? Like, October 2024? I just can't wait anymore...

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Any chance of Epic Universe opening before 2025? Like, October 2024? I just can't wait anymore...

Yeah not really.

 

[anihilnation]

Any chance of Epic Universe opening before 2025? Like, October 2024? I just can't wait anymore...

You mean officially? No. Technical rehearsals right at the end of '24, possible, but doubtful. I think in Summer '24 they will start to look for commissioning teams. Maybe in the beginning of '25 tech rehearsals. It really would make sense to hold up general public opening until after Summer '25, and just have select vacation packages in the summer.

 

[Alicia]

You mean officially? No. Technical rehearsals right at the end of '24, possible, but doubtful. I think in Summer '24 they will start to look for commissioning teams. Maybe in the beginning of '25 tech rehearsals. It really would make sense to hold up general public opening until after Summer '25, and just have select vacation packages in the summer.

From what I’ve heard, I don’t even see previews possible till January 2025 at the absolute earliest, and even that’s pushing it. Before that does not seem possible though.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

If there's anything I've learned from the history of theme parks, it's that you can never open a park too early

 

[Scott W.]

If there's anything I've learned from the history of theme parks, it's that you can never open a park too early

USF reading this:

As for previews, with the lands being self contained, it does offer more possibilities..

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I bet SNW gets solid previews, and the Ministry ride is essentially saved for opening day.

 

[Nick]

I bet SNW gets solid previews, and the Ministry ride is essentially saved for opening day.

The entire park will be previewed by TM's extensively to make sure everything is running as smooth as possible. I would doubt that they will have too many public previews if that was what you are insinuating.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

The entire park will be previewed by TM's extensively to make sure everything is running as smooth as possible. I would doubt that they will have too many public previews if that was what you are insinuating.

I guess I was insinuating that SNW may get previews publicly (even if a day or two), but not the Ministry as that is being rumored as the biggest ride in the park.

 

[Nick]

I guess I was insinuating that SNW may get previews publicly (even if a day or two), but not the Ministry as that is being rumored as the biggest ride in the park.

So looking into it, Universal Bejing started public previews 20 days before opening day. I remember how Shanghai Disney did their previews as well, it was around that same amount of time. I'm sure there will be AP previews which can be complementary, but if they ever require anyone to pay for a preview, then i'd expect that they would try to run the whole park as if it's fully operational so that TMs get a proper feel for things and how the park will feel when it's busier. Extensive stress testing will be needed to get TMs used to the new park and new areas.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I'm sure we get AP previews to prevent an opening-day onslaught. (For those that buy into 3-park aps).

 

[shiekra38]

Anyone awake? @ReelJustice

Never forget Black Friday

 

[anihilnation]

I'm sure we get AP previews to prevent an opening-day onslaught. (For those that buy into 3-park aps).

Will be interesting to see what happens with APs. I think most likely they'll have an expensive 4-park AP and keep the existing 2-park and 3-park ones. Or they could have it where there is no AP for Epic in the beginning, but AP holders can get a discount to get in. I also imagine us TMs will get a decent preview window, but then we'll be largely blocked-out.

 

[Mad Dog]

Will be interesting to see what happens with APs. I think most likely they'll have an expensive 4-park AP and keep the existing 2-park and 3-park ones. Or they could have it where there is no AP for Epic in the beginning, but AP holders can get a discount to get in. I also imagine us TMs will get a decent preview window, but then we'll be largely blocked-out.

Yes. Seems like that could go a number of different ways in the first year or two.

 

[anihilnation]

Yes. Seems like that could go a number of different ways in the first year or two.

It does help that SNW will already have opened in Hollywood---and has been open in Japan---so the drive of one fanbase might be slightly less. It will still be mad though, lol, the park is probably designed for queues that take the entire day

 

[Disneyhead]

The good thing is, unlike opening a single uber popular new land, they are opening a whole park. That alone will spread the crowds.

 

[Loki]

Thankfully, long before that we will have lots of photos and videos of the completed lands to spoil ourselves on. It will be interesting to see them progress into paint, texturing, landscaping, general finishing touches.

 

[shiekra38]

What will be nice is the overall stress relief on the original parks

That's really one of the reasons this is happening at all

 

[Mad Dog]

What will be nice is the overall stress relief on the original parks

That's really one of the reasons this is happening at all

Yes....the parks have been too overcrowded, for their capacity, with the post covid splash. It will be nice to get back to the comfortable, leisurely, Universal we used to be able to experience staying on site. I'll stay at the old resort when Epic opens,
to enjoy the Universal I liked before the Disney type crowds flooded the resort. Universal Studios & IOA just don't have the capacity to handle 11 million plus crowds for each park, especially with three closed large live entertainment theaters and no parade.