Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[UniversalRBLX]

Right, but the trees will grow in Monsters and should block certain angles when they get tall enough.

It should for the rest of the land, however the angle in which this discussion originally spurred off from doesn't have much foliage in the way.

Over in the Dark Universe reviews thread someone who has been to the park reports the sightline of the Helios is bad from the coaster side of the land. I'm sure tree growth will help a lot of this as having tall trees right next you will block the view of something -- even something tall -- farther away. But I suspect the worst problem is where walkways align with the direction of the hotel so there's nothing between you and the visual intrusion...ever.

For that reason, I suspect the walkway leading from Darkmoor back to the coaster -- highlighted in red in these images, with Helios in blue -- is where the sightline will remain the worst long after trees have grown in around the coaster and queue.

This stretch, which also sub-optimally runs along a backstage building, would be a great place to put a spooky Old World covered bridge, as in these examples. Not only would this "tunnel" block views of the Helios along this stretch but it would serve as a transition from the village of Darkmoor to "the country" where the encampment of the Guild of Mystics is.

There's about 5ish pine trees that will grow tall eventually, but they aren't thick enough to obscure.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I hope to try as many things as possible before the less popular items get removed. Watch it be something I really enjoy too!

Yeah I'm prepared to love something my first time at EU and then watch it disappear

 

[Brian G.]

It should for the rest of the land, however the angle in which this discussion originally spurred off from doesn't have much foliage in the way.



There's about 5ish pine trees that will grow tall eventually, but they aren't thick enough to obscure.

It's all based on suspicions and educated guesses, though.

IDK - I just don't think seeing the park's hotel from a couple of areas is that big of a deal. Showbuildings, the outside world... Sure! But not parts of the theme park itself.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

IDK - I just don't think seeing the park's hotel from a couple of areas is that big of a deal. Showbuildings, the outside world... Sure! But not parts of the theme park itself.

I don't really care about sightline 'intrusion' of other park areas (they end up offering some of the greatest views of the park - Everest from DAK's Africa bridge, MSHI from Jurassic Park, etc.), but there's something odd about a giant & bright Mediterranean-inspired resort looming over a dark & shadowy gothic village.

 

[Alicia]

I saw Cinderella Castle from Splash Mountain and my illusion that critters can talk was instantly dissolved.

 

[Brian G.]

I don't really care about sightline 'intrusion' of other park areas (they end up offering some of the greatest views of the park - Everest from DAK's Africa bridge, MSHI from Jurassic Park, etc.), but there's something odd about a giant & bright Mediterranean-inspired resort looming over a dark & shadowy gothic village.

Sorta moving the goalposts here. It either breaks the illusion, or it doesn't.

Either way, it's a theme park. Not the real world. Just like I don't get mad when I can see a gothic-style medieval castle from Frontierland, Bay Lake Tower from Tomorrowland, or Norway from Mexico, etc.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

I saw Cinderella Castle from Splash Mountain and my illusion that critters can talk was instantly dissolved.

Cinderella from Splash is totally fine, but the Contemporary from a lot of MK is pretty bad.

This is where I come clean and say Helios is a lame park icon and it’s more a Contemporary-type issue for me. Sure, it’s technically inside the park and “themed” — but is it, though?

EDIT: Also, I think Epic’s concept places a higher burden. I personally don’t really care about sightline mix-ups, but isn’t the entire point of the park to be these four incredible immersive and separate worlds? What’s the point of the portals if they just bleed into each other anyways?

 

[Lucky Planet]

I don't really care about sightline 'intrusion' of other park areas (they end up offering some of the greatest views of the park - Everest from DAK's Africa bridge, MSHI from Jurassic Park, etc.), but there's something odd about a giant & bright Mediterranean-inspired resort looming over a dark & shadowy gothic village.

maybe it won't be as bad as night. ( maybe fog can cover it a little

 

[Brian G.]

This is where the fanatic part of being a fan gets too much for me, and I gotta bow out.

 

[Tbad556]

Honestly, I've noticed good instances of sightline placements, but I never think about bad ones while in a park. Tower of Terror's placement & design lining up with Morocco in EPCOT is incredibly cool. But I never think about or feel like the immersion is broken when I see the giant guitar or the Earffel Tower (RIP) from the elevator shaft.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Sorta moving the goalposts here. It either breaks the illusion, or it doesn't.

Either way, it's a theme park. Not the real world. Just like I don't get mad when I can see a gothic-style medieval castle from Frontierland, Bay Lake Tower from Tomorrowland, or Norway from Mexico, etc.

I do think the lands in Epic Universe are advertised and presented as aiming for different levels of immersion than the historic norm (if we consider the historic norm to be theme park lands as they existed pre-Diagon Alley). Doesn't really bother me either way, but I do think there are justifiably different expectations for a World Showcase pavilion versus something like Galaxy's Edge or Super Nintendo World (a land that arguably has more egregious sight line issues at it's original park than anything at EU).

 

[Steptwice]

Honestly, I've noticed good instances of sightline placements, but I never think about bad ones while in a park. Tower of Terror's placement & design lining up with Morocco in EPCOT is incredibly cool. But I never think about or feel like the immersion is broken when I see the giant guitar or the Earffel Tower (RIP) from the elevator shaft.

While I agree, being 200 feet in the air and seeing park icons is a bit different than walking in the footpaths and seeing them.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I do sometimes wonder what it must be like to have a sightline conversation with a child. "Huh? You can see stuff up there?"

 

[Tbad556]

While I agree, being 200 feet in the air and seeing park icons is a bit different than walking in the footpaths and seeing them.

Sure, just wanted to use the same ride as a comparison for how I feel. As a whole, I truly just don't care about the issue in general honestly. I feel the same way when most "suspension of disbelief" arguments come up with movies. I'm here for a good time, not a pedantic time when I'm in the parks.

 

[Brian G.]

I do think the lands in Epic Universe are advertised and presented as aiming for different levels of immersion than the historic norm (if we consider the historic norm to be theme park lands as they existed pre-Diagon Alley). Doesn't really bother me either way, but I do think there are justifiably different expectations for a World Showcase pavilion versus something like Galaxy's Edge or Super Nintendo World (a land that arguably has more egregious sight line issues at it's original park than anything at EU).

I just can't get that bothered with it, especially when none of us have stepped foot inside the area, and it's based on one report where we aren't sure how sightlines matter to them.

It just seems a lot of the time, it's goalpost moving. Piggying off Tbad's "suspension of disbelief," I also think there should be an understood reality that not everything can be hidden (unless it's something reallllly egregious.)

I'd bet money that if Japan were in Morocco's spot, we would still have the same style building for ToT but alas, we got a fun fact out of it.

I know there's a subset of fans that this really matters to them, and that's fine - but it's not something that enters my mind.

 

[DrStarlander]

I care a lot about sightlines, I'm mostly interested in themed environments and immersion. I think of sightline issues in a theme park as varying in negative impact in terms of how much they take you out of the fantasy. A grade can be given to a park, a land, a specific queue, a dining area or stretch of walkway, etc.. So there can be Grade A lands in a park that overall would be Grade D.

Grade A -- Guests are fully immersed and cannot see any intrusions that break the fantasy.

Grade B -- Guests can see thematic elements from other lands/themes (e.g., seeing Matterhorn from Frontierland).

Grade C -- Guests can see designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities, such as seeing the portions of a park-integrated/adjacent hotel or retail that are designed -- detailed, embellished, decorated -- to be seen by guests.

Grade D -- Guests can see any backstage or non-designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities (e.g., show buildings, backside of a hotel, parking garage, transportation system).

Grade F -- Guests can see off-property elements (e.g., unrelated office buildings, hotels, transmission lines/towers).

I imagine some theme park fans don't care about any of this, or just care about Grade D or F intrusions, it's really individual. And while no intrusion -- not even a Grade F park like Disney Califoirnia Adventure -- would keep me from having fun, I do really appreciate the effort and cleverness when theme park designers deliver a Grade A experience.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

not even a Grade F park like Disney Califoirnia Adventure

You are now my archnemesis.

 

[belloq87]

I care a lot about sightlines, I'm mostly interested in themed environments and immersion. I think of sightline issues in a theme park as varying in negative impact in terms of how much they take you out of the fantasy. A grade can be given to a park, a land, a specific queue, a dining area or stretch of walkway, etc.. So there can be Grade A lands in a park that overall would be Grade D.

Grade A -- Guests are fully immersed and cannot see any intrusions that break the fantasy.

Grade B -- Guests can see thematic elements from other lands/themes (e.g., seeing Matterhorn from Frontierland).

Grade C -- Guests can see designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities, such as seeing the portions of a park-integrated/adjacent hotel or retail that are designed -- detailed, embellished, decorated -- to be seen by guests.

Grade D -- Guests can see any backstage or non-designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities (e.g., show buildings, backside of a hotel, parking garage, transportation system).

Grade F -- Guests can see off-property elements (e.g., unrelated office buildings, hotels, transmission lines/towers).

I imagine some theme park fans don't care about any of this, or just care about Grade D or F intrusions, it's really individual. And while no intrusion -- not even a Grade F park like Disney Califoirnia Adventure -- would keep me from having fun, I do really appreciate the effort and cleverness when theme park designers deliver a Grade A experience.

This very clearly, cleanly, and concisely articulates the situation as I also see it!

(Grades D and F are really the only ones that tend to irritate me.)

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I care a lot about sightlines, I'm mostly interested in themed environments and immersion. I think of sightline issues in a theme park as varying in negative impact in terms of how much they take you out of the fantasy. A grade can be given to a park, a land, a specific queue, a dining area or stretch of walkway, etc.. So there can be Grade A lands in a park that overall would be Grade D.

Grade A -- Guests are fully immersed and cannot see any intrusions that break the fantasy.

Grade B -- Guests can see thematic elements from other lands/themes (e.g., seeing Matterhorn from Frontierland).

Grade C -- Guests can see designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities, such as seeing the portions of a park-integrated/adjacent hotel or retail that are designed -- detailed, embellished, decorated -- to be seen by guests.

Grade D -- Guests can see any backstage or non-designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities (e.g., show buildings, backside of a hotel, parking garage, transportation system).

Grade F -- Guests can see off-property elements (e.g., unrelated office buildings, hotels, transmission lines/towers).

I imagine some theme park fans don't care about any of this, or just care about Grade D or F intrusions, it's really individual. And while no intrusion -- not even a Grade F park like Disney Califoirnia Adventure -- would keep me from having fun, I do really appreciate the effort and cleverness when theme park designers deliver a Grade A experience.

Well said. I vote to start using this system within the theme park fandom.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Grade D -- Guests can see any backstage or non-designed portions of on-property yet non-park amenities (e.g., show buildings, backside of a hotel, parking garage, transportation system).

Every park is a grade D then. This whole discussion feels in bad faith.