Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I’m not supporting this…

But do you all have a cell phone? Face and voice recognition is right there. This is a larger problem I don’t support, but we’ve all experienced this.

 

[mainejeff]

I love invasion of privacy in public areas....only the people breaking laws or rules need be concerned. They can put cameras everywhere as far as I'm concerned....I don't really care if they catch me picking my nose.

 

[Alicia]

I’d even go further back - the old ticket system always struck me as preferable and often faster than the modern fingerprint based system. I’ve recently tangled with Disneys admission system and it seems to have constant issues.

Having worked USF Exit in the early 2000’s, having to manually stamp every guest’s left hand with a hand stamp in case they’d like to return later that day was not an easier or more reliable system than what we have now.

 

[Mike S]

Having worked USF Exit in the early 2000’s, having to manually stamp every guest’s left hand with a hand stamp in case they’d like to return later that day was not an easier or more reliable system than what we have now.

That…. was a thing….?
……….like Chuck E. Cheese…..?

 

[Alicia]

That…. was a thing….?
……….like Chuck E. Cheese…..?

Like a nightclub in the 80s lol, yes.

Fingerprints attached to your ticket cut down on ticket fraud/sharing. But also makes it less stressful coming back from the hotel worried the pool washed off your hand stamp.

 

[Jwhee]

That…. was a thing….?
……….like Chuck E. Cheese…..?

It’s still like that in Hollywood

*edit- or was up until recently

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Just to play Mouse's Advocate, because I feel this thread getting out over its skis a bit ...

• How to Train Your Dragon looks like it will be a blast -- once you're in the park. Millennial parents will bring their tween kids, but outside them marketing tough. Teens and convention-going adults aren't going to want to visit a "kiddie land" (even tho I bet they have fun if they do, whether or not they'll admit it), and the preschool set is too small/scared for dragon rides.
• The last Potter movie will be two Disney vault cycles old when the park opens, and while the books still feel evergreen, the brand has lost some luster as fans grew old enough to be political. Plus the law of diminishing returns--the most iconic places in the books are already covered, we're getting Paris from a flop of a prequel and a government building. Is this really a must-do for casual fans?
• Universal Monsters land will scare away most kids under 10. Just the name and concept, doesn't matter how it's executed. And to be blunt, the IP isn't even that big even among its obvious fans. Historically Monster houses tend to be in the middle of the pack of wait times at HHN. This IP isn't Stranger Things. I know this isn't a haunted house. but also worth noting the permanent haunted house in USH and multiple attempts at year-round haunts in Orlando have failed. Gen pop might not want this outside September/October.
• Nintendo will be a massive hit. The one guarantee. But ... it's a 3-ride land. Depending on tickets/transportation, easily paired with a "greatest hits" day at IoA, effectively replacing Studios.
• Speaking of transportation, it's shaping up to be a mess. They have a year and a half, but the roads aren't ready yet. Hour long entrance and exit traffic will definitely cloud opinions.

Could I be wrong? Of course. But I'm also old enough to remember when 2001 IoA was the best theme park in Orlando, but no one visited it until Hogsmeade opened. Being the best doesn't mean guests will automatically beat down your door.

I desperately hope I'm just being a Debbie, but certain geopolitical events could very easily cause Epic to underperform. They are taking a gargantuan risk by building a whole new park in this day and age.

 

[Alicia]

I desperately hope I'm just being a Debbie, but certain geopolitical events could very easily cause Epic to underperform. They are taking a gargantuan risk by building a whole new park in this day and age.

IOA survived 9/11’s effect on travel. USF survived nothing working for a year. Volcano Bay’s opening went “shockingly” well.

Even if it has a shaky start, long term I think it’s the right move for the Orlando resort.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Dusts off thread cobwebs

Universal Parks and Resorts & Facial Technology

I think it’s a fair question. By the time facial recognition tech is feasible on the scale a theme park will need, privacy concerns will have likely shifted. It was always understood that companies had our data if they wanted it... but to hear "privacy concerns will have likely shifted" is...

forums.insideuniversal.net

It’s still like that in Hollywood

*edit- or was up until recently

I think they discontinued it in 2022, as I knew for a fact I couldn't do it even during park hours.
__
I think Facial Recognition is oddly something that has been a long time coming to be implemented more properly. Whether people like it or not. Does it mean it's good to have it? no. But I think the key is to allow alternative options for those who do not wish to do so, be if it's through the UOR app, or by plastic passes that can be scanned.

 

[jarmor]

I desperately hope I'm just being a Debbie, but certain geopolitical events could very easily cause Epic to underperform. They are taking a gargantuan risk by building a whole new park in this day and age.

Like what. . .

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I desperately hope I'm just being a Debbie, but certain geopolitical events could very easily cause Epic to underperform. They are taking a gargantuan risk by building a whole new park in this day and age.

Theme parks have proven they can survive rough patches in history. Oil embargo in the 70s threatened WDW, 9/11, etc.

I'd be very surprised to see facial tech be implemented Day at Epic without any sort of testing at the current parks. The express system does that, but I'd assume they would like to test it out at a wide scale at one of the current parks first.

 

[Alicia]

Theme parks have proven they can survive rough patches in history. Oil embargo in the 70s threatened WDW, 9/11, etc.

I'd be very surprised to see facial tech be implemented Day at Epic without any sort of testing at the current parks. The express system does that, but I'd assume they would like to test it out at a wide scale at one of the current parks first.

They’re already testing it. I expect to see it roll out completely to IOA and USF next year ahead of Epic.

 

[salismetho]

That…. was a thing….?
……….like Chuck E. Cheese…..?

Isn’t it still in use at USH?

 

[Mike S]

Isn’t it still in use at USH?

No idea I live in Florida.

 

[salismetho]

No idea I live in Florida.

Lol sorry I got you confused with @Michael S haha

 

[ReelJustice]

That…. was a thing….?
……….like Chuck E. Cheese…..?

It’s still a thing at Universal Hollywood

 

[Mike S]

Lol sorry I got you confused with @Michael S haha

 

[SeventyOne]

I get what you’re saying, but the world has shifted dramatically in 22 years. We’re a culture where newness, “first”, and experiences have only increased in importance. Get them in with these concepts, get them to come back with quality. People who don’t think highly of Universal won’t be breaking down the door, but word of mouth and more importantly FOMO will inevitably kick in.

The “it’s too scary” logic is kind of weird especially when Tower of Terror and Haunted Mansion are beloved attractions.

Also, calling the Ministry of Magic a “government building” is so reductive its hilarious. I don’t remember the Gringotts is a “financial institution” back in the day.

We all have sides, but all we can really do is wait and see what happens.

Haunted Mansion isn't all that scary, after the anteroom (where you'll routinely hear kids cry and even melt down). By the end of the ride, it's downright silly. Stitch's Great Escape was scary throughout. Remember they raised the minimum height not for safety reasons but simply to discourage little kids who loved Stitch from riding. (And let's not get into Alien Encounter.) ToT and Mummy are protected by height requirements, but neither really anchors a land, either..

And yeah, I'm being cute with MoM, but it's not Hogwarts or Ollivanders or any fan's top 10 must-see places. To borrow a term from collecting, it's mostly for the completists.

But also agreed this will be slammed for a couple months at first. Figment drew a 3-hour line his first day. End of the week, now he's a walk-in, but opening day he drew.

Agree with most of your points. Most here would disagree, but Monsters isn't a major IP. The Monster houses at HHN have been terrific... but they're not a major draw. All renditions of them have posted similar waits to what the originals do. Oddfellow this year is drastically more popular (judging by waits) than Monsters (and it's not the location since last year it had the fortunate placement adjacent to the big IP last year).

On Transportation, I know it's not the main draw of a theme park fansite, but Orlando traffic is messy at the moment. Anyone who has been to HHN the past 2 years knows how bad getting into Universal is at the moment, specifically Universal Blvd - imagine that with who knows how many more buses shuttling guests between the current resort and EU.

Monsters Houses have made my top 3 pretty much every year except Dracula Untold--I'm just going by the hard numbers on Thrill Data. Long-term it's questionable, but right now a daytime Stranger Things ride would blow Monsters away.

And really my point on transportation. 528 can't really handle Aquatica on Summer weekends, I-4 can't handle HHN. What is EU going to do? Not a direct reflection on the park itself, but going to play into its reputation.

That…. was a thing….?
……….like Chuck E. Cheese…..?

My earliest discovery of UV light was the stamps they used at Magic Kingdom in the 70s. Virtually invisible without it.

 

[Loki]

Has anyone heard or seen from Tommy Hawkins? He used to contribute a lot to our understanding of the construction of Epic. But I haven't seen him in months.

 

[GAcoaster]