Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Renting out one of the lands for private after-hours parties where they can still let day guests shop and dine in the hub is a good use of the setup over the traditional parks too.

Or, special holiday or Weekend type events like the Wizarding Weekend they used to have, it does give them options for many things.

 

[natespf]

With what we currently know about the hub I don't see a huge advantage to letting people in for free, especially if it makes the experience clumsy for paying guests. I think they'll want hotel guests to have tickets and locals to have annual passes. Though there's intriguing possibilities about an after 5pm aspect, there would need to be more to it than what is known.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

With what we currently know about the hub I don't see a huge advantage to letting people in for free, especially if it makes the experience clumsy for paying guests. I think they'll want hotel guests to have tickets and locals to have annual passes. Though there's intriguing possibilities about an after 5pm aspect, there would need to be more to it than what is known.

Isn’t free if they still have to pay for parking and their $40+ meal though. I only see it being open for the restaurants and maybe the coaster, but I don’t see Comcast giving away many things for free frankly lol

 

[RFRees]

Renting out one of the lands for private after-hours parties where they can still let day guests shop and dine in the hub is a good use of the setup over the traditional parks too.

Being in very close proximity to the Orange County Convention Center should help to boost the appeal of the private events.

They could also easily use the lands for other after hours guest events, similar to HHN or Disney After Dark. This would be especially attractive if the hub opens to the general public at night.

Though there's intriguing possibilities about an after 5pm aspect, there would need to be more to it than what is known.

We know they're planning an area for shops, dining, and entertainment. They are likely referring to the hub.

If we stop thinking about the hub as a theme park land, and more as a highly themed Disney Springs or CityWalk (with a couple of rides), then the hub makes a lot of sense as an attractive location for tourists and locals to visit even without a park pass.

What doesn't make sense to me, is if this hub is strictly meant for theme park guests. Look at the number of shops and full service restaurants. Now point me to one Universal park that even comes close to this. You'd have to look at Epcot as a comparison... So unless we think they're making a rival to Epcot, to me it makes more sense that this hub is meant for more than just park guests.

 

[natespf]

I have yet to see a themepark that does not have shops and restaurants. We call it a hub because it's in the middle, but it's not just a walkway connecting the lands. It is laid out more like a themepark rather than a shopping center. From the concept art and the known details it doesn't seem anyone can just park and walk in the main gate, when it can be a benefit to upsell park hopper and annual passes. I am pondering other possibilities but wide open gates doesn't seem to be it.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I have yet to see a themepark that does not have shops and restaurants. We call it a hub because it's in the middle, but it's not just a walkway connecting the lands. It is laid out more like a themepark rather than a shopping center. From the concept art and the known details it doesn't seem anyone can just park and walk in the main gate, when it can be a benefit to upsell park hopper and annual passes. I am pondering other possibilities but wide open gates doesn't seem to be it.

The difference here seems to me to be thay most theme park restaurants close very early, pre dinner time even, so this would add something different where these are likely open until park closes, or maybe even after. Eventually land access I’d imagine is cut off.

 

[quinnmac000]

Nothing in life is free. That's why I don't understand this astonishment about the hub being open to the public. Universal gets free marketing from Instagram as guests pack the hub taking photos, locals will likely visit here to eat dinner or shop and those with young children will probably have their parents beg them to come back later.

According to Statista, the number of people that visited specifically Universal Studios Florida hit 10.92 million in 2019 (USH was 9.15 Million). That averages to 29,917...almost 30,000 per day for one park. Universal currently has 9,000 hotel rooms on site. Assuming the average group staying at the hotel is 3 people...that's 27,000 guests already. Add in the locals and those staying offsite, that's even more people. Stuff at the hotel closes rather early from what I remember to push people to Citywalk. Lets make the assumption that 1/3 actually visit Citywalk. That's 9,000 hotel guests alone visiting for now but will go up in the future with ~22 percent staying on I-drive at Endless Summer (1,980 guests). Universal is responsible for transportation for the guests right. Citywalk closes at 2am. Lets say 500 guests actually stay until 2AM from Endless Summer and assuming 50 people per bus...that's a long operational day of expenses slowly for transportation. Assuming buses run back to the resort every 5 minutes then it will take 50 minutes.

Now lets bring in the expansion adding what we know that Helios will likely have 350 rooms. Using the same guest occupancy average as before of 3 people, that's an additional 1,050 people Universal will have to entertain not including locals or those staying off site. Making Citywalk more crowded at night isn't a good answer with people leaving the parks walking through citywalk and entering to go eat and party the night away with the additional guests, it creates security concerns and guest satisfaction concerns. However, the free hub at Epic Universe provides a way where Universal still gets revenue for those eating and dining at the hub, keeps them in the bubble and spread people out to where they are likely transportation cost savings especially in the form of labor.

I honestly think the free hub is a part time solution until Citywalk 2.0 opens up and it make senses to have a second nightly entertainment venue to prevent guests from going to I-drive or driving to Disney Springs.

 

[JungleSkip]

Nothing in life is free. That's why I don't understand this astonishment about the hub being open to the public.

Have you ever been to Disney Springs when it's busy? Imagine being a person who paid to get into the park having to dodge around all the people in the hub who got in for free to get from on land to another.

Sounds miserable to me

 

[RFRees]

I have yet to see a themepark that does not have shops and restaurants. We call it a hub because it's in the middle, but it's not just a walkway connecting the lands. It is laid out more like a themepark rather than a shopping center. From the concept art and the known details it doesn't seem anyone can just park and walk in the main gate, when it can be a benefit to upsell park hopper and annual passes. I am pondering other possibilities but wide open gates doesn't seem to be it.

The parking lot to hub would currently be easier than the UOR site A garage to CityWalk experience. People go to CityWalk for the shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Generally these people are going at night, and avoid paying for parking. This could be no different at EU.

And yes, theme parks have a number of restaurants and shops, but the number of full service restaurants at the EU hub far outnumber anything we've ever seen at Universal. That's just what we see as confirmed... If we see a comedy club, dance club, concert venue, theater, etc, then it's pretty much game over.

Have you ever been to Disney Springs when it's busy? Imagine being a person who paid to get into the park having to dodge around all the people in the hub who got in for free to get from on land to another.



Sounds miserable to me

This is how it currently works at UOR, except replace "land" with "park." Need to stop comparing it to Disney Springs, better comparison is CW, where parking is only free at night and it's directly connected to theme parks.


As someone who has visited the parks hundreds of times, I see no difference in dodging people in CityWalk compared to those in the parks. In fact, it's *much* less crowded in CityWalk, and less of a headache, compared to actually navigating inside of the lands themselves.

The only time you can tell the difference between a CityWalk guest and a theme park guest is at night, when you start seeing people dressed up for dates and dancing show up. They smell better and are less frustrated. I'll take these fancy people over smelly tourists any day (or night rather). In the day, there's literally no difference... Everyone is just walking through CW to get to the parks.


But showing your pass several times a day just to bounce from one land to the next is annoying, and likely a reason they'd not have the hub open during the day.

 

[Alicia]

The parking lot to hub would currently be easier than the UOR site A garage to CityWalk experience. People go to CityWalk for the shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Generally these people going at night, to avoid paying for parking. This could potentially be no different at EU.

And yes, theme parks have a number of restaurants and shops, but the number of full service restaurants at the EU hub far outnumber anything we've ever seen at Universal. That's just what we see as confirmed... If we see a comedy club, dance club, concert venue, theater, etc, then it's pretty much game over.


This is how it currently works at UOR, except replace "land" with "park."

As someone who has visited the parks hundreds of times, I see no difference in dodging people in CityWalk compared to those in the parks. In fact, it's *much* less crowded in CityWalk, and less of a headache, compared to actually navigating inside of the lands themselves.

At least one of those sit down restaurants services the on site hotel as well, with its own entrance from the hotel as well as from the hub.

The on site hotel guests staying at the back, and all theme park guests, will probably have the hub’s dining to choose from for dinner, (especially if the lands close before the hub). The question still remains on whether outside guests will be let in too. But I argue that if they are, it may not be until after a certain time, to really only cater to the evening crowd, when parking can be free (like CityWalk after 5).

Even if they did allow outside guests in before 5, where they’d have to pay for parking to access a theoretical free hub, the number of these guests would possibly be so small as compared to regular park guests as to practically be inconsequential to the park guests’ day.

I’ve argued before that, I bet nowadays, practically no one is visiting CityWalk before 5pm that isn’t visiting a theme park or an on site hotel guest. And I imagine a theoretical free hub could act the same way.

This hub isn't Disney Springs with dozens of retail outlets and third party entertainment. It’s a small handful of restaurants, snack stands, and a few theme park gift shops.

 

[RFRees]

At least one of those sit down restaurants services the on site hotel as well, with its own entrance from the hotel as well as from the hub.

The on site hotel guests staying at the back, and all theme park guests, will probably have the hub’s dining to choose from for dinner, (especially if the lands close before the hub). The question still remains on whether outside guests will be let in too. But I argue that if they are, it may not be until after a certain time, to really only cater to the evening crowd, when parking can be free (like CityWalk after 5).

Even if they did allow outside guests in before 5, where they’d have to pay for parking to access a theoretical free hub, the number of these guests would possibly be so small as compared to regular park guests as to practically be inconsequential to the park guests’ day.

I’ve argued before that, I bet nowadays, practically no one is visiting CityWalk before 5pm that isn’t visiting a theme park or an on site hotel guest. And I imagine a theoretical free hub could act the same way.

This hub isn't Disney Springs with dozens of retail outlets and third party entertainment. It’s a small handful of restaurants, snack stands, and a few theme park gift shops.

I agree, but I'm curious about the purpose of the "multi use" buildings near the main gate. Could these not be additional entertainment? Not sure if it's entirely retail or if there's room for more.

 

[Alicia]

I agree, but I'm curious about the purpose of the "multi use" buildings near the main gate. Could these not be additional entertainment? Not sure if it's entirely retail or if there's room for more.

Multi use, as in bathrooms, guest services, storage, offices, small dining and retail. They're not as big as they look either.

 

[RFRees]

Multi use, as in bathrooms, guest services, storage, offices, small dining and retail. They're not as big as they look either.

Makes sense. Thanks for clarification

 

[natespf]

It is not like they have a CityWalk crammed right inside the entrance. The restaurants are spread out like Monsters Cafe, Luigi's Pizza, Rictor Burger.... and small shops strung about like the giftshops in the parks. It is the largest area of the universe, and I think it would cheapen the experience if it were not paying guest quality in that area too... it'd really cut down the scale to just count the 4 lands.

I just don't see you park and walk in being a thing, especially on opening. Though it's highly likely IMO for the hub to be open much later than the lands. There's plenty of guests with tickets that could take advantage of it. The connected hotel could possibly be a top tier that just comes with tickets. But everyone called me crazy when I insisted there'd even be a hotel back there.

 

[Jack Kannenberg]

Hey all, its been a long while since I've read up on this thread! That being said, has anyone looked at any patents that have been issued to universal and have any comments on them? I was browsing and there seems to be a lot of new and more recent ones published that all look like they tie back to a couple new ride systems! To find them I went on google patent and searched "Assignee: Universal City Studios Llc." Sorry if this has been brought up, I have like a years worth of forum reading to do lol.

 

[Alicia]

Hey all, its been a long while since I've read up on this thread! That being said, has anyone looked at any patents that have been issued to universal and have any comments on them? I was browsing and there seems to be a lot of new and more recent ones published that all look like they tie back to a couple new ride systems! To find them I went on google patent and searched "Assignee: Universal City Studios Llc." Sorry if this has been brought up, I have like a years worth of forum reading to do lol.

There’s definitely some interesting things in there. And we got a lot of small tech upgrades after Mario Kart opened and Beijing wrapped up that all had patents post too that will help with new rides moving forward too.

 

[shiekra38]

Have you ever been to Disney Springs when it's busy? Imagine being a person who paid to get into the park having to dodge around all the people in the hub who got in for free to get from on land to another.

Sounds miserable to me

Hub not being exclusive to a ticket and/or hotel guests cheapens the experience IMO

Also, messaging that the hub is open to everyone, again, seems like a nightmare

 

[kingcooger]

Does anyone have an idea how big the How to Train Your Dragon Theater in Beijing is compared to the Jurassic World Adventure ride in Beijing?

Like, could the rumors of the show being scrapped be more like it was being swapped for a HTTYD version of the JWA ride?

 

[Alicia]

Like, could the rumors of the show being scrapped be more like it was being swapped for a HTTYD version of the JWA ride?

I don’t think so.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

This ride system could work great for a Potter ride though I will say.