Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[SarahKay]

Well, it does depend on what your definition of a full day is. If you're only here for the rides, you might end up being disappointed (not in the quality, but the quantity). For example, Hollywood Studios is a half day park, Six Flags Magic Mountain is a full day park.

But, if you're here for the full package, this absolutely is the park. There's so much to do here, you got 12 rides (if that dome in the hub is a flat ride like I think it is), three built in shows, a parade, fireworks, and a ton of interactive experiences and play areas. Not to mention that two of the rides (AKA Mario Kart and the Fantastic Beasts shoot-em-up) are interactive, leading to tons of re-ridability. You can just relax and take in the atmosphere if you want. There's stuff to do in the rain. There's stuff to do if you don't want to ride anything. It's perfect in a way that no park in Florida outside of Magic Kingdom is.

I may be getting too hyped, but i really think this park is going to be what I thought Universal would be when I went there. I was expecting everything to be like Wizarding World so I was pretty disappointed with a lot of the park, but I loved the theming in Wizarding World and Jurrasic Park area. (I think I would've loved Seuss land too but didn't have kids yet so felt too creepy hanging out there at the time, but that was the land I was most excited to explore with my toddler this year in our now cancelled trip ) Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed the parks, but my expectations of immersiveness had been a bit too high. I think epic might meet those expectations though.

 

[Magic-Man]

I may be getting too hyped, but i really think this park is going to be what I thought Universal would be when I went there. I was expecting everything to be like Wizarding World so I was pretty disappointed with a lot of the park, but I loved the theming in Wizarding World and Jurrasic Park area. (I think I would've loved Seuss land too but didn't have kids yet so felt too creepy hanging out there at the time, but that was the land I was most excited to explore with my toddler this year in our now cancelled trip ) Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed the parks, but my expectations of immersiveness had been a bit too high. I think epic might meet those expectations though.

It absolutely should. I'm guessing you visited Islands of Adventure and thought that Toon Lagoon and Marvel seemed tacky, and you're not alone in thinking that. But this park won't have anything like that, everything should have great theming throughout.

 

[WaterToWade]

I feel like the entrance to FB could be the arc de triomphe, though it seems the entrances are meant to keep you from being able to see the hub from the land so idk if that’d work
SNW is the mario pipe, UCM seems to be some sort of bavarian tower, and HTTYD looks like some sort of caves, which are much more dense in the plans than the concept art

 

[SarahKay]

It absolutely should. I'm guessing you visited Islands of Adventure and thought that Toon Lagoon and Marvel seemed tacky, and you're not alone in thinking that. But this park won't have anything like that, everything should have great theming throughout.

I was expecting lots of coasters and theming.... I went when Hulk was being refurbished haha. The newer stuff was incredible, but I was confused by the point of some of the older stuff like Twister (I'm from Moore, Oklahoma and literally lived through an F5 tornado so not the fairest comparison haha). I also HATED ET (I know blasphemous haha). I like comic book characters so didn't mind that area. But I think my dissapointment really came down to I only really knew about Wizarding World and expected EVERYTHING to be that detailed. Now that I've done more research that's a bit like expecting every ceiling to be like the Sistine chapel haha. I still had fun just wanted an entire Wizarding World theme park haha.

 

[Legacy]

Hmm, that makes sense.

I do wonder though, what if they mixed both IP's? Like, they can have Newt's Fantastic Beast Hunting Adventure Deluxe exist but it would be rethemed to London, and the Ministry would be rethemed to the one seen in the Potter films. It's not as if the British Ministry doesn't exist at the time. That way, you have the iconic setting without having to remake everything in its entirety. The buildings, rides, and characters remain the same, but the architecture theming changes.

Which was actually a rumor I heard a while back: Potter-era characters in the Fantastic Beasts locations.

 

[Disneyson1]

Which was actually a rumor I heard a while back: Potter-era characters in the Fantastic Beasts locations.

Though I imagine now it would be easier to get the leads from Fantastic Beasts to record their attraction scenes before (or after) normal film production, if it’s not already done. Especially because the problem is not the characters, but rather the lack of interest in the locations.

Personally, Paris would be a means to get inside Newt’s trunk. The ministry I could truly care less about, but then again I could care less about a museum in Diggs County Florida that has time machines and it’s turned into one of my favorites. It depends on the quality of the ride in the end. Hopefully the ride doesn’t rely on our knowledge of the film’s characters and plotline (lIke Fast and the Furious) and instead uses the characters to tell it’s own fun story (Dudley Do-Right).

 

[Legacy]

Though I imagine now it would be easier to get the leads from Fantastic Beasts to record their attraction scenes before (or after) normal film production, if it’s not already done. Especially because the problem is not the characters, but rather the lack of interest in the locations.

Personally, Paris would be a means to get inside Newt’s trunk. The ministry I could truly care less about, but then again I could care less about a museum in Diggs County Florida that has time machines and it’s turned into one of my favorites. It depends on the quality of the ride in the end. Hopefully the ride doesn’t rely on our knowledge of the film’s characters and plotline (lIke Fast and the Furious) and instead uses the characters to tell it’s own fun story (Dudley Do-Right).

The “magic” of the Wizarding World, however is that you can have both organically. Have Newt talk to you from a painting, while Luna or Fleur is the one who is physically opening the suitcase. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes can expand into Paris (which makes perfect since Fleur marries into the family). The French Ministry can be going after lingering Deatheaters. This helps the land maintain relatability for people who don’t actually know much about Fantastic Beasts.

 

[MatthewFair]

I KNOW i speculated this before, but i think i may have, with the FB permits, concrete evidence as to which attraction building will be the french ministry of magic. Take a look at the outdoor area i circled below. notice the grooves on the square in the center, with the lines going through it, making a cross like shape and a black dot in the center:
View attachment 12088
NOW, look at this image of the entrance to the ministry in FB2:
View attachment 12089
the EXACT same cross like groves are there (which separate the concrete from the dirt the trees grow from) and there’s a structure in the center (the black dot from the permit). The details are too similar to be a coincidence, in my opinion.

But if the decision to change to the British Ministry of Magic was only decided on recently, maybe these plans were made before that decision was made? Or if they'd decided on the change before these plans were submitted there wouldn't have been time to design the new area before the plans were submitted so they just left them in?

 

[GAcoaster]

So what are the chances they make adjustments at this point? What if they decide to hold off building the park for a longer time because the economy tanks so badly?

My thought last night (while I couldn't sleep) was what if they decide to move Nintendo back to Kid Zone to get it open sooner than 4-5-6-7 years out to bring people to the existing parks? I could see that happening if EU is delayed beyond 2024 (and it may be).

If that were to happen, what takes Nintendo's place in EU? Or does EU get scrapped and re-designed completely?

This is a company that is agile and changes plans on the fly to anything is possible, and I don't think they've done any site work that couldn't be changed and altered fairly easily.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

My main exictmenet with Fantastic Beasts is that honestly I think what was great about it was that it was going to feel different and more unique from the other Wizarding Worlds, if they do a 3rd Potter specific one that feels like overkill, and people already think there's overkill. Id stick with the Beasts if I were them, I will always standby that franchise being good fro world building and more specifically a world class theme park land.

So what are the chances they make adjustments at this point? What if they decide to hold off building the park for a longer time because the economy tanks so badly?

My thought last night (while I couldn't sleep) was what if they decide to move Nintendo back to Kid Zone to get it open sooner than 4-5-6-7 years out to bring people to the existing parks? I could see that happening if EU is delayed beyond 2024 (and it may be).

If that were to happen, what takes Nintendo's place in EU? Or does EU get scrapped and re-designed completely?

This is a company that is agile and changes plans on the fly to anything is possible, and I don't think they've done any site work that couldn't be changed and altered fairly easily.

This is interesting, I think the main reason to move SNW was to have a land that would draw guests to the new park immediately. Other than Pokemon or LOTR, I'm not sure they have a property that can do that just yet. If they fully secure the rights to those above properties, and have plans, I could see SNW maybe, maaybeeeee opening in kid zone for 2023, a year or 2 before EU opens. However I don't see a change, if anything I think they push back and actually add one more land to EU to really make it a hot ticket but we shall see. Id love SNW in USF, but I don't see it happening.

 

[JungleSkip]

So what are the chances they make adjustments at this point? What if they decide to hold off building the park for a longer time because the economy tanks so badly?

My thought last night (while I couldn't sleep) was what if they decide to move Nintendo back to Kid Zone to get it open sooner than 4-5-6-7 years out to bring people to the existing parks? I could see that happening if EU is delayed beyond 2024 (and it may be).

If that were to happen, what takes Nintendo's place in EU? Or does EU get scrapped and re-designed completely?

This is a company that is agile and changes plans on the fly to anything is possible, and I don't think they've done any site work that couldn't be changed and altered fairly easily.

I think the only way Nintendo goes back to KidZone is if they cancel the park outright. Not redesign, it just doesn't happen.

I don't think it gets delayed much more than the year though. Comcast has seen what having a great new offering available when tourism rebounds after WWOHP. I expect them to treat EU the same.

EDIT: I was personally thinking more on the Hub last night, and man is it a disappointment. The park is like 75% restaurant. The Hub needs at least 2-3 more small scale flat rides IMO.

 

[Mad Dog]

Which was actually a rumor I heard a while back: Potter-era characters in the Fantastic Beasts locations.

After the bad feedback Disney has received on Batuu not having the original beloved characters, that could possibly influence Universal to rethink and tweek things so that issue doesn't happen with Potter at Epic. Learn from other's mistakes.

 

[Alicia]

EDIT: I was personally thinking more on the Hub last night, and man is it a disappointment. The park is like 75% restaurant. The Hub needs at least 2-3 more small scale flat rides IMO.

If the hub is like the CityWalk for EU, (place to eat dinner when the lands close around 5/6pm,) then it already has more rides than the original CityWalk... what it needs is a theater show.

There's an open hole in the plans that is part of the hub's project number. No markings for phase 2 or anything. The only other spot in the plans I know of like that was for a cut restaurant in Fantastic Beasts... So, now I'm wondering, did something get cut from the hub plans? It's just to the right of Mario Kart and is fairly massive. Even has paths leading to nothing. Could be back of house, but shows as nothing on other plans as well. Guess the hub has a little bit of expansion space after all?

EDITED to remove images.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The lands won't be closing at 5pm or 6pm.

 

[Alicia]

The lands won't be closing at 5pm or 6pm.

This is Universal, I'm just used to it at this point.

The parks have been staying open later in recent years during the summer, so I am proud of them for that.

In any case, lands closed or not, it's pretty clear they want most guests eating dinner in the middle. Why else would they have so many table service locations there? Feels like a CityWalk more than a USF/IOA number of table services.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

The lands won't be closing at 5pm or 6pm.

I don't see how they don't close at 6/7 if they want the Hub to be able to fill their restaurants, I'm sure Citywalk gets help from that so I can't imagine that tbh.

 

[Alicia]

I don't see how they don't close at 6/7 if they want the Hub to be able to fill their restaurants, I'm sure Citywalk gets help from that so I can't imagine that tbh.

If the lands don't close by 6, I bet the restaurants IN the lands do. Evil geniuses. They'll get guests to the hub to eat one way or another.

Even when IOA is open till 9, my Thunder Falls Terrace still closes at 4, lol.

 

[JungleSkip]

This is Universal, I'm just used to it at this point.

The parks have been staying open later in recent years during the summer, so I am proud of them for that.

In any case, lands closed or not, it's pretty clear they want most guests eating dinner in the middle. Why else would they have so many table service locations there? Feels like a CityWalk more than a USF/IOA number of table services.

I'd argue that's because CityWalk *isn't* over there. CityWalk is basically an extension of the parks for the original resort. It's easy to pop over there for lunch during park hours.

Not so in the new resort area. They just need more places for people to eat.

Now they also need more rides in an area of the park that will, primarily, be part of a *theme park*

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This is Universal, I'm just used to it at this point.

The parks have been staying open later in recent years during the summer, so I am proud of them for that.

In any case, lands closed or not, it's pretty clear they want most guests eating dinner in the middle. Why else would they have so many table service locations there? Feels like a CityWalk more than a USF/IOA number of table services.

When and why does Universal close the parks early? Even during the slowest periods the parks were closing at 7 or 8 with anything earlier being due to HHN, park buy outs, or grad events.

I get what you're saying but I don't want people to walk away from this thinking EU will be open from 9am-6pm.

 

[Alicia]

When and why does Universal close the parks early? Even during the slowest periods the parks were closing at 7 or 8 with anything earlier being due to HHN, park buy outs, or grad events.

I get what you're saying but I don't want people to walk away from this thinking EU will be open from 9am-6pm.

Then I retract my statement to read, 5/6pm when the RESTAURANTS in the lands close.