Universal Studios announce their next strategy to challenge Disney’s dominance in the theme park market. Universal’s Epic Universe will be their fourth theme park at Universal Parks & Resorts in Orlando, and fifth in the United States. It joins three existing Universal parks in Orlando, Florida; as well as others located in Los Angeles, California; Osaka, Japan; Sentosa, Singapore; and one more under construction in Beijing, Japan.
“Our vision for Epic Universe is historic,” said Tom Williams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Parks & Resorts. “It will build on everything we have done and become the most immersive and innovative theme park we have ever created.” Williams announced the new park at an event attended by Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida; Jerry Demings, mayor of Orange County; and Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comcast Corporation, Universal Studios’ parent company.
What Attractions will Universal’s Epic Universe Bring?
Epic Universe will be developed on 750 acres of land south of Sand Lake Road and east of Universal Boulevard. Its size will be almost twice the current total surface area of Universal in the state of Florida. The cost of the park “represents the single-largest investment Comcast NBCUniversal has made” in Florida, according to Roberts. It will also include an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more.
Little else is known about Epic Universe and how it will differ from other Universal parks in existence. Most likely it will share a connection to the world of cinema, just like the previous theme parks. It probably won’t be a water park like Volcano Bay, or won’t focus on roller coasters and thrills like Islands of Adventure. Surely it’ll feature Super Nintendo World, an area inspired by the characters from the renowned video game company, which will open next year in the Japan park. More details will be revealed in the future on the Universal Orlando website.
Our only clue, included in the official announcement of Universal’s Epic Universe, is that its visitors will witness how “where beloved stories expand into vibrant lands” where the “journey is as much a part of their adventure as the ultimate destination.” The only certainty is that its featured attractions must be true to the park’s name in order to compete with both existing Universal offerings, as well as the Disney parks. Being the creators of popular intellectual properties (Fast and the Furious) and renowned classics they can exploit once more (Back to the Future, E.T. the Extraterrestrial), the new Universal Park will no doubt exceed all expectations.