Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[Parkscope Joe]

They were let go in June and July and most of the layoffs in UC aren't from EU. God these people are sad.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

If this is going to be a 3+ year build, Universal need something else to fill the void that the JP coaster would have.

 

[shiekra38]

I know that online chatter doesn't always reflect reality, and that we don't know the actual validity/hierarchy of the source. But the following was posted by a user on Theme Park Insider: "I work at Universal and most of the layoffs from the Creative department are from the Epic Universe project: So many of my friends and co-workers I knew were among the ones who were laid off. While what was initially planned for Epic Universe will be no more(You can’t build a theme park/attraction when the creative people behind it are let go), I’m just worried about all the layoffs and the lack of federal financial help to everyone in these hard times."

 

[Jerroddragon]

Maybe I am just a debby downer...but I can see after the Raptor coaster nothing coming (at least nothing big) for years at either coast.

It's going to take at least 2+ years for them to get back to 100% why build rides when most people (for money....or other reasons) won't be in the parks until past 2023? So I sadly can't see a third gate even being worked on until the other parks seem back to normal

 

[shiekra38]

Maybe I am just a debby downer...but I can see after the Raptor coaster nothing coming (at least nothing big) for years at either coast.

It's going to take at least 2+ years for them to get back to 100% why build rides when most people (for money....or other reasons) won't be in the parks until past 2023? So I sadly can't see a third gate even being worked on until the other parks seem back to normal

All I know is some expansion still happened under terrible economic conditions and terrible owners in Universal's past

I see Studios needing something within the next two years to keep interest high. I'm typically a debby....upper..though

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

All I know is some expansion still happened under terrible economic conditions and terrible owners in Universal's past

I see Studios needing something within the next two years to keep interest high. I'm typically a debby....upper..though

Why all visible signs, in my opinion, are pointing towards Nintendo going in Kid Zone.

 

[Mad Dog]

All I know is some expansion still happened under terrible economic conditions and terrible owners in Universal's past

I see Studios needing something within the next two years to keep interest high. I'm typically a debby....upper..though

Yes...and I think crowds (not 2019 levels, but fairly close to them) will come back quicker than a lot of people think....once the vaccines become widespread. Never underestimate pent up demand.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Yes...and I think crowds (not 2019 levels, but fairly close to them) will come back quicker than a lot of people think....once the vaccines become widespread. Never underestimate pent up demand.

Possibly, but I'll just take 2021 being "better"--i.e., if 2019 was an 11-win football season, and 2020 was a 2 win season, I just want a 5 win season in 2021.

 

[shiekra38]

Why all visible signs, in my opinion, are pointing towards Kid Zone.

I was thinking Shrek, but I like your optimism

 

[HandsomePete]

Maybe I am just a debby downer...but I can see after the Raptor coaster nothing coming (at least nothing big) for years at either coast.

Well SNW is already half done in Hollywood.

2022 is looking rather thin at UOR - even at Universal’s construction pace they’d need to already have a shovel in the ground unless they try to do SLoP on a Transformers timeline. But ‘22 would be the return of things like proper Mardi Gras parades and concerts, so they may just play up stuff like that or the Summer Concert Series.

I get that it doesn’t sound great to us hardcore fans, but they should really kick EU to ‘25-26 at the earliest.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Well SNW is already half done in Hollywood.

2022 is looking rather thin at UOR - even at Universal’s construction pace they’d need to already have a shovel in the ground unless they try to do SLoP on a Transformers timeline. But ‘22 would be the return of things like proper Mardi Gras parades and concerts, so they may just play up stuff like that or the Summer Concert Series.

I get that it doesn’t sound great to us hardcore fans, but they should really kick EU to ‘25-26.

At least HHN might cater to the fans for a couple of years?

 

[Jerroddragon]

All I know is some expansion still happened under terrible economic conditions and terrible owners in Universal's past

I see Studios needing something within the next two years to keep interest high. I'm typically a debby....upper..though

I mean they are getting a new Coaster next year.

That isn't enough when literally they still wont be filling up the parks like normal?

To me if we have to go 2ish years without a new ride thats cool. Hollywood is getting a new land, and we have 2 rides and one big upgrade waiting for us. We can ride that for a while and won't complain if we don't get something new until 2024. As long as HHN comes back next year I'm good

 

[shiekra38]

Well SNW is already half done in Hollywood.

2022 is looking rather thin at UOR - even at Universal’s construction pace they’d need to already have a shovel in the ground unless they try to do SLoP on a Transformers timeline. But ‘22 would be the return of things like proper Mardi Gras parades and concerts, so they may just play up stuff like that or the Summer Concert Series.

I get that it doesn’t sound great to us hardcore fans, but they should really kick EU to ‘25-26 at the earliest.

I suppose it's possible that they take a Diagon Alley type break in between Velocicoaster and something else

I mean they are getting a new Coaster next year.

That isn't enough when literally they still wont be filling up the parks like normal?

To me if we have to go 2ish years without a new ride thats cool. Hollywood is getting a new land, and we have 2 rides and one big upgrade waiting for us. We can ride that for a while and won't complain if we don't get something new until 2024. As long as HHN comes back next year I'm good

I was talking purely Florida. It's to early to know what version of normal we will return too and when that will happen

However, I can see something small happening at Studios within two years after Velocicoaster

Shrek replacement, new parade, or something of the sort...I'm not talking $100 million projects

 

[joelbryant11]

I think they can add new experiences to existing attractions in the meantime. It probably wouldn't be as hard to add variations to attractions like Race Through New York or Despicable Me as it would be to build something from the ground up. I've never understood why those don't have alternating storylines to begin with. That's the one thing Smuggler's Run gets right. Anyways, even something like a serious refurbishment of ET could be marketed as a "new" experience. There are a lot of little things they can do between now and then that would help keep people interested.

 

[violarum]

If they “reimagined” Mummy and ET in the same vein as Hulk, added SLoP, all the while doing smaller projects to bring USF and IOA to Potter standards, I think that’d help. I personally just don’t see Epic Universe restarting without a new attraction coming every year for revenue recovery.

 

[belloq87]

I think Universal should absolutely be looking to try to open a new ride at USF by 2023. Especially if Epic Universe pushes even further back than it (seemingly) already has.

Ideally, an all-ages-friendly, AA-driven dark ride.

 

[Brian G.]

A little relevant..

Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan to open February 4, 2021

Universal Studios Japan has announced that it will hold its grand opening of Super Nintendo World on Thursday, February 4th, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Nc9au7FjY The multi-layered land, with familiar landmarks such as Bowser’s Castle, Peach’s Castle, Toad’s House, and the familiar

www.insideuniversal.net

 

[Jushin Thunder Liger]

I suppose it's possible that they take a Diagon Alley type break in between Velocicoaster and something else


I was talking purely Florida. It's to early to know what version of normal we will return too and when that will happen

However, I can see something small happening at Studios within two years after Velocicoaster

Shrek replacement, new parade, or something of the sort...I'm not talking $100 million projects

Hypothetically speaking...maybe a Transformers re-do a la Spider-Man?

For what it’s worth, Universal’s licensed the Bumblebee version of...Bumblebee, the version that turns into a VW Bug. While the sequel to that movie’s being worked on, why not retool the ride to be like a half-sequel to bridge the gap?

If they “reimagined” Mummy and ET in the same vein as Hulk, added SLoP, all the while doing smaller projects to bring USF and IOA to Potter standards, I think that’d help. I personally just don’t see Epic Universe restarting without a new attraction coming every year for revenue recovery.

How would you refresh E.T.?

I was reading Adventures in Amity, this book that’s all about the JAWS ride but also about early Universal in general. Peter Alexander, who designed most of the opening day attractions, said he butted heads over how the Green Planet should look. He imagined that you’d enter through a big metal space station with all kinds of species hanging around, while Universal corporate wanted it to look as it did in the Book of the Green Planet novel - I believe there’s also a storybook that shows more. Peter’s response, and I’m paraphrasing here, went:

“You mean to tell me that E.T.’s people built this spaceship that could travel billions of miles, from their planet to ours...and they basically live on a sweet potato? Give me a break.”

I’d be down for a refresh that includes a change of scenery.

 

[Mad Dog]

Universal will really need to open up something new, besides V coaster, to remain in step with WDW , since Disney has those big E tickets in the pipeline, plus what Disney opened in the past year. Universal is actually on a nice roll, in lieu of covid attendance restrictions. They've been doing better than WDW, partly because they are still giving as much value to their customers as they can (price deals and covid adjusted entertainment) under the circumstances, unlike Disney which is making it hard to visit and cutting everything but rides, while charging the same. Perception is important, so Universal really needs to make it look like they're moving forward, not sitting still. Build it and they will come......CNBC had a good perceptive comment concerning tourism and entertainment last week. They said that when this vaccine fully mitigates the virus, there's going to be a boom like alcohol had the day Prohibition ended.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I'm in the same line of thinking of that too.

Once the vaccines get forward--as MD says; the boom that the tourism sector will have will be on a level we have not seen in a looong time. It makes complete sense that if EU is delayed to 2025; that they get small projects on the pipeline. Which if they need to do it with less UC members--then I see no other option doing as good of an opportunity, like Pets.

You have the blueprints from multiple versions of the attraction. Especially as Hollywood is all but complete. They can easily look at what to do for the Orlando version--and to make it cheap and fast. It'd be a welcome addition for either USF or IOA. And it'd be a way to tide things over with some time.