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Universal Epic Universe - New Florida Theme Park
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
Construction on Epic Universe is really flying along now:
Source: bioreconstruct
In the foreground of that photo is Super Nintendo World. I believe the building at the park will be part of the Harry Potter/Wizarding World area, with Universal Monsters on the left and How to Train Your Dragon over on the right.
Some coaster track is also now onsite:
Do we know what sort of coaster this track is for? if not I cant work out if it’s Mack or Gerst.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
It’s a Mack, I think. The big dueling coaster duo was certainly destined to be Mack, last time I heard, and that track strongly resembles Mack’s thrill coaster track.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
It's Intamin apparently, and speculated to be for the How To Train Your Dragon coaster.
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Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Ah, my mistake; that does look quite like the old Intamin track, actually!
Intamin really do need to decide what track type they want to use, surely all these different sorts of track they make cost them more than just having one sort of track for all there rides? Anyway if that is Intamin it will be interesting to see what they are doing with a how to train your dragon coaster as I don't think a coaster would be my first thought for an attraction based on that franchise.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
I think the park can pick a track type dependant on the context. For instance, it’s alleged that Taron purposely used old track so as not to overpower the theming, whereas other Intamin coasters don’t have that problem.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Also remember that different track types can handle different stresses and forces. A suitable one will be chosen taking the above into account for the proposed layout.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Yeah I would assume that the new style was developed for higher-stress coasters. Does Velocicoaster use the new style? I'd assume that Hagrid's uses the old style.
The rumour for family based how to train your dragon coaster is it will feature multiple launches similar to Hagrids and the story (will apparently be a very story driven ride experience) and theming will be along the lines of the riders being trained how to ride/train the dragon. No real rumours on what the actual train will be like- one possibility could be similar to hagrids sidecars but themed to a dragon so each guests is riding in their own dragon.
Shipping documents for same port the intamin track arrived at (Miami) have also confirmed the arrival of Mack coaster parts shortly. With it rumoured they have replaced the planned monster show building with a mack spinning coaster will be interesting to see if is as one rumour suggested an off the shelf Mack spinning coaster layout or could it could be one of the spinning powered Mack coasters.
Shipping documents for same port the intamin track arrived at (Miami) have also confirmed the arrival of Mack coaster parts shortly. With it rumoured they have replaced the planned monster show building with a mack spinning coaster will be interesting to see if is as one rumour suggested an off the shelf Mack spinning coaster layout or could it could be one of the spinning powered Mack coasters.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
That is correct. I believe there are rumoured to be a couple of dark rides for that land, so hopefully the spinning coaster will be replacing another one and not the Roboarm ride.
With a few exceptions like Europa Park and Dollywood, shows certainly seem to be in decline. For example, Disney World were happy to lose Lights, Motor, Action for Galaxy’s Edge. If you exclude nighttime shows, most of the ones they’ve still got are looking very stale, for example The Little Mermaid show and Indiana Jones stunt show have been there since the eighties. Aside from this new Finding Nemo show, pretty much all the shows have been there for a long time. Although they did freshen up the street theatre in Epcot a few years ago.
Islands of Adventure have lost their Sinbad stunt show and the Toon Lagoon Theatre. The Studios park has closed Fear Factor. Although they did introduce the Bourne Spectacular.
Clearly Universal and Disney know their market, study guest behaviour, do market research etc. The kinds of attractions they’re building are certainly very impressive and very fun. But they have converged on the same type of attraction. Rides are in, shows are out. Education is out. Intellectual properties are in. Fewer bigger rides. Throw in a pre-show, probably using a Pepper’s Ghost. By and large rides are serious, rather than comic. Don't bother with water rides, they're too seasonal. Don't do special effects, they're too expensive to run. Maybe have a few animatronics, but you can do a lot of it with screens. Have some kind of themed food in each area, although it probably won't make as much sense as Butter Beer.
There's a lot we still don't know about Epic Universe, and Universal have a strong track record. I'm sure it will be an amazing park, with some cool technology and some big theming, but it does feel like more of the same. That's not a terrible thing, given that it's more of something very good, but it does sound like a park coming from a fairly obvious mould.
Islands of Adventure have lost their Sinbad stunt show and the Toon Lagoon Theatre. The Studios park has closed Fear Factor. Although they did introduce the Bourne Spectacular.
Clearly Universal and Disney know their market, study guest behaviour, do market research etc. The kinds of attractions they’re building are certainly very impressive and very fun. But they have converged on the same type of attraction. Rides are in, shows are out. Education is out. Intellectual properties are in. Fewer bigger rides. Throw in a pre-show, probably using a Pepper’s Ghost. By and large rides are serious, rather than comic. Don't bother with water rides, they're too seasonal. Don't do special effects, they're too expensive to run. Maybe have a few animatronics, but you can do a lot of it with screens. Have some kind of themed food in each area, although it probably won't make as much sense as Butter Beer.
There's a lot we still don't know about Epic Universe, and Universal have a strong track record. I'm sure it will be an amazing park, with some cool technology and some big theming, but it does feel like more of the same. That's not a terrible thing, given that it's more of something very good, but it does sound like a park coming from a fairly obvious mould.
The major monsters dark ride is not affected and the rumour is the spinner replaces the show. It’s just a rumour so might not be the case.
There is an indoor theatre in the permits for the Harry Potter area (think if remember has 600 seats). There is also a very large indoor theatre in the dragons area.
CSLKenny
TS Member
According to Alicia Stella the permits for the Monsters Area theatre were changed to permits for ride foundations. The dark ride does remain unaffected.
From this overview, also by Alicia Stella, made up from permits and rumours there would appear to definitely still be two large theatre shows. The overview isn't updated for the mack spinner and still says show for Monsters. I'd also assume with the large fountains in the hub and fireworks on the concept art there must be some kind of night time show too?
All Roller Coasters Rumored for Epic Universe
How many coasters will Universal Orlando's new park have, and what thrill level will each coaster be at Epic Universe?
orlandoparkstop.com
From this overview, also by Alicia Stella, made up from permits and rumours there would appear to definitely still be two large theatre shows. The overview isn't updated for the mack spinner and still says show for Monsters. I'd also assume with the large fountains in the hub and fireworks on the concept art there must be some kind of night time show too?
jon81uk
TS Member
The Little Mermaid show is from the early 90s so not quite that old, but given it is one of the only places at WDW still using film projectors it does show its age, not sure if that will come back now or not, rumours are that it’s dead too. Indiana Jones did open with the park back in 1989 but has had minor updates, although some such as removing some guns are due to outside influences (the Alec Baldwin incident) rather than improving the show. I’d say it’s still a much more impressive show that’s Lights Motors ever was though. Beauty and the Beast at DHS is probably the most dated feeling as it was low budget to start with!
Also Bourne replaced Terminator so that went from a stunt show replacing a stunt show, but I think Bourne is a bit more live action.
The Nemo show isn’t new, it’s the 2007 show cut from 40 minutes to 25 by removing some of the larger puppets and reworking scenes. Probably the best show at WDW still though due to the original music.
But yes it does seem like live entertainment is going away, I expect mainly because paying Equity cast is expensive. Also I think guests are partly to blame as they don’t want to sit still for 30+ minutes as it’s all about ride count nowadays!
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Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Here's the video version for those who are interested;According to Alicia Stella the permits for the Monsters Area theatre were changed to permits for ride foundations. The dark ride does remain unaffected.
All Roller Coasters Rumored for Epic Universe
How many coasters will Universal Orlando's new park have, and what thrill level will each coaster be at Epic Universe?orlandoparkstop.com
From this overview, also by Alicia Stella, made up from permits and rumours there would appear to definitely still be two large theatre shows. The overview isn't updated for the mack spinner and still says show for Monsters. I'd also assume with the large fountains in the hub and fireworks on the concept art there must be some kind of night time show too?