Universal's Epic Universe Construction Thread

[JoeCamel]

I always imagined that the proximity to the Convention Center would have UNI thinking about a nightlife area as well as easy transport to Epic. I would hope something like that would ease some traffic from the convention crowd. I'd truly hope that SunRail would have a way to make reasonable options available to allow for less cars heading in. (one can dream)


Been here for three years (from s.FL). I would hope UNI/the State have an exit from a highway planned. I did hear the other day that a 'solution' being built is adding Express lanes (toll) down I-4 through the Disney area (as they did through downtown Orlando).

I never get out to UNI -- only some 17 I-4 miles -- on a rare quiet time, 27 minutes -- typically takes 47+ minutes -- can easily turn into 1.5 hours at anytime.

I-4 had toll lanes by Disney in the past, you can still see the diamonds in places

 

[Mad Dog]

I-4 had toll lanes by Disney in the past, you can still see the diamonds in places

I hate those things. They've made the trip through 77 Charlotte much much much slower than it was before they put those in. All that money. Such a waste.

 

[JoeCamel]

I hate those things. They've made the trip through 77 Charlotte much much much slower than it was before they put those in. All that money. Such a waste.

I do like the dedicated toll roads like Kansas Turnpike or the Indian roads but those are out in the country and really don't cost much. Take the 417 on a loop around Otown and you feel like Disney is running the road with all the nickel and diming of so many toll booths/reads

 

[Dancapt]

I-4 had toll lanes by Disney in the past, you can still see the diamonds in places

Nah, those were High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. supposed to be only 2+ people in the vehicle allowed in those lanes, and no trucks.

 

[JoeCamel]

Nah, those were High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. supposed to be only 2+ people in the vehicle allowed in those lanes, and no trucks.

Sorry I was wrong

 

[UniversalRBLX]

They just started work on the Daryl Carter onramp that will either alleviate things or make traffic far worse with additional merge lanes.

 

[SeventyOne]

Sorry I was wrong

The 2+ requirement at least was NEVER enforced, so an easy mistake to make.

They just started work on the Daryl Carter onramp that will either alleviate things or make traffic far worse with additional merge lanes.

No even going to try to address all the area's traffic hassles, but the problem with Universal Blvd is access to I-4 West. As it backs up at 535 and the merge point just before that, it backs up 528 and eventually Universal. This has the potential to make things here worse,

 

[Tyc00n96]

Saw this today:

 

[GAcoaster]

Yeah, 2024 seems doable for the Kirkman Rd project. And I'd guess they'll open Terra Luna and Stella Nova as soon as the road is ready even if the park isn't ready to open yet. Possibly Holiday 2024 openings for those?

 

[Alicia]

Yeah, 2024 seems doable for the Kirkman Rd project. And I'd guess they'll open Terra Luna and Stella Nova as soon as the road is ready even if the park isn't ready to open yet. Possibly Holiday 2024 openings for those?

As far as I've heard Team Members coming in, and other stuff like furnishing room isn't until Dec 2024/Jan 2025. I still think summer 2025 for the whole shebang, but we'll see.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Yeah, 2024 seems doable for the Kirkman Rd project. And I'd guess they'll open Terra Luna and Stella Nova as soon as the road is ready even if the park isn't ready to open yet. Possibly Holiday 2024 openings for those?

They won't be able to open the 2nd of the twin Nova/Luna hotels until the roundabout is finished, but they can definitely open the other one late next year if that's the plan.

As far as I've heard Team Members coming in, and other stuff like furnishing room isn't until Dec 2024/Jan 2025. I still think summer 2025 for the whole shebang, but we'll see.

Hopefully June/July Summer not "Mummy" Summer.

 

[graspthesun]

As far as I've heard Team Members coming in, and other stuff like furnishing room isn't until Dec 2024/Jan 2025. I still think summer 2025 for the whole shebang, but we'll see.

If furnishings are going in around January, they can soft by mid-March to early April. Grand opening would probably be 45-60 days after soft opening.

They won't put furnishings in until the vast majority of the punch list is completed.

 

[Alicia]

If furnishings are going in around January, they can soft by mid-March to early April. Grand opening would probably be 45-60 days after soft opening.

They won't put furnishings in until the vast majority of the punch list is completed.

That's about when I expect to see TM previews for select areas of the park too.

And 60 days later would be early June, the target grand opening for Epic I am sure.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

As far as I've heard Team Members coming in, and other stuff like furnishing room isn't until Dec 2024/Jan 2025. I still think summer 2025 for the whole shebang, but we'll see.

Is the order for furnishings already established this far out due to the sheer number of items required to populate the entire park?

 

[Alicia]

Is the order for furnishings already established this far out due to the sheer number of items required to populate the entire park?

I dont want to have to think about such a grand task. It hurts my brain. But, I assume so!

 

[Clive]

I dont want to have to think about such a grand task. It hurts my brain. But, I assume so!

In my experience handling furniture procurement for themed hotels, especially the many (no doubt) custom pieces... they have to be pretty far along in the planning phase if not outright production by this point.

 

[graspthesun]

In my experience handling furniture procurement for themed hotels, especially the many (no doubt) custom pieces... they have to be pretty far along in the planning phase if not outright production by this point.

We have a 5 month lead time for replacement furniture where I work and we're just reordering the same items that we used in our most recent renovation in 2017. We're also only ordering 20 sets of each item.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Universal probably had agreements in place before COVID shutdown.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Universal probably had agreements in place before COVID shutdown.

They might have gotten lucky with some of those contracts as well with just how expensive things have gotten now.

Can't imagine the price tag now had they started from scratch today.

 

[GAcoaster]

There was a lot of stuff that was well under way pre pandemic, so it wouldn't surprise me to hear that things like furnishings were ordered as well.

I know even when things were "on hold" in the middle of the pandemic, some of the groups were still sourcing and ordering things (fabrics, equipment, etc.). I'm hopeful that between the work done ahead of time, the long lead time, and the improving supply chain situation that it will all come together for 2025.