Universal's Epic Universe Construction Thread

[Stitch_101]

I could see that area become a major hotel complex with convention space like Sapphire & Royal Pacific, but would Uni really invest into a new entertainment district?

Just doesn't make sense to separate it from Epic/potential 4th gate and other hotels unless it's a new type of CityWalk-type concept with experiences like Area 51 in Vegas or Meow Wolf that have attractions to draw people in? (e.g. maybe sort of Area 51 complex with Horror Unleashed?)


I think this area is likelier to become a large value resort complex in the style of Dockside/Surfside

It makes sense that it's separated when you look at the logistics of the land they have in the South campus. The original Citywalk was designed to be one massive campus guests wouldn't leave. That's changed for the company now. The South campus land is scattered all over. Even Helios, the one Epic main campus hotel, would have to have bus transportation when the park is closed for the evening if a new "CityWalk" was attached the parks. Most of the new South campus hotels are expected to be built on the smaller plots around Epic equally as already disconnected, and not right on the main chunk of land by the Park like Hard Rock or the others in the North Campus. I don't think they have the same incentive to make it attached to Epic the same way they made Citywalk attached to UO.

 

[Imperius]

Just build Universal Quest. VR broom riding, fight a dementor, Jurassic Park river raft escape, fast and furious racing sim, Autobots vs Decepticons astroblasters.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

It makes sense that it's separated when you look at the logistics of the land they have in the South campus. The original Citywalk was designed to be one massive campus guests wouldn't leave. That's changed for the company now. The South campus land is scattered all over. Even Helios, the one Epic main campus hotel, would have to have bus transportation when the park is closed for the evening if a new "CityWalk" was attached the parks. Most of the new South campus hotels are expected to be built on the smaller plots around Epic equally as already disconnected, and not right on the main chunk of land by the Park like Hard Rock or the others in the North Campus. I don't think they have the same incentive to make it attached to Epic the same way they made Citywalk attached to UO.

I could be wrong, but a retail & dining space immediately adjacent to theme parks that pull 10M+ guests a year is far more lucrative then putting it away from your parks unless there's a major attraction/draw there (ala Area 51, Meow Wolf, Horror Unleashed, etc.) Disney Springs works due to the amount of experiences, restaurants and retail there... a concept that Universal will never dedicate so much land for (you're already competing with Icon Park, Outlets (x2), and Pointe Orlando in the immediate area).

I'm not expecting a 2nd CityWalk complex adjacent to Epic/4th park, but a smaller hub with a Starbucks, large Universal store and maybe 3-4 dining concepts.

What makes the UOR North Campus amazing is, unlike Disney World, everything is only 1 transit/parking stop away with CityWalk and the parks all in one general area.

 

[Stitch_101]

View attachment 29523
I could be wrong, but a retail & dining space immediately adjacent to theme parks that pull 10M+ guests a year is far more lucrative then putting it away from your parks unless there's a major attraction/draw there (ala Area 51, Meow Wolf, Horror Unleashed, etc.) Disney Springs works due to the amount of experiences, restaurants and retail there... a concept that Universal will never dedicate so much land for (you're already competing with Icon Park, Outlets (x2), and Pointe Orlando in the immediate area).

I'm not expecting a 2nd CityWalk complex adjacent to Epic/4th park, but a smaller hub with a Starbucks, large Universal store and maybe 3-4 dining concepts.

What makes the UOR North Campus amazing is, unlike Disney World, everything is only 1 transit/parking stop away with CityWalk and the parks all in one general area.

You are forgetting the Convention Center of it all though. It's practically right across the street, catty corner, in the image you shared. Orange County Convention Center is the second largest by size in the US and 3rd largest for yearly attendance... and its a stones throw away from this new development and closer than even Epic itself. And yes, UO gets roughly 10 million visitors a year and Citywalk benefits... But International Drive pulls an estimated 12 million people every year outside the Universal Parks and a lot of those people never step foot in Citywalk or anything Universal related. Those are the crowds Universal would be targeting with a South campus development like this.

 

[JohnHammondsCane]

View attachment 29523
I could be wrong, but a retail & dining space immediately adjacent to theme parks that pull 10M+ guests a year is far more lucrative then putting it away from your parks unless there's a major attraction/draw there (ala Area 51, Meow Wolf, Horror Unleashed, etc.) Disney Springs works due to the amount of experiences, restaurants and retail there... a concept that Universal will never dedicate so much land for (you're already competing with Icon Park, Outlets (x2), and Pointe Orlando in the immediate area).

I'm not expecting a 2nd CityWalk complex adjacent to Epic/4th park, but a smaller hub with a Starbucks, large Universal store and maybe 3-4 dining concepts.

What makes the UOR North Campus amazing is, unlike Disney World, everything is only 1 transit/parking stop away with CityWalk and the parks all in one general area.

Not a lot to add, but want to thank you (and the usual others on here) for the maps/designs/layouts that you post. I'm basically a lurker that loves the theme park discussion, but I don't have much to add, so I love these types of posts!

Based on your map, could they build a water taxi route to take guests from the two hotels south of the 4th gate to Epic? One of my favorite parts of North campus is the water taxi as an alternative to busses.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

You are forgetting the Convention Center of it all though. It's practically right across the street, catty corner, in the image you shared. Orange County Convention Center is the second largest by size in the US and 3rd largest for yearly attendance... and its a stones throw away from this new development and closer than even Epic itself. And yes, UO gets roughly 10 million visitors a year and Citywalk benefits... But International Drive pulls an estimated 12 million people every year outside the Universal Parks and a lot of those people never step foot in Citywalk or anything Universal related. Those are the crowds Universal would be targeting with a South campus development like this.

I do expect a convention center hotel (ala Sapphire Falls) somewhere on that west parcel, but I just don't think another entertainment district there is the plan (excl. if they end up doing a Horror Unleashed type concept.)

Logistically, you'd have to put a parking garage there and unless they intend on moving parking there for Epic Universe (which the area's current roads can't accommodate) you run into logistical nightmare.

 

[Stitch_101]

I do expect a convention center hotel (ala Sapphire Falls) somewhere on that west parcel, but I just don't think another entertainment district there is the plan (excl. if they end up doing a Horror Unleashed type concept.)

Logistically, you'd have to put a parking garage there and unless they intend on moving parking there for Epic Universe (which the area's current roads can't accommodate) you run into logistical nightmare.

... You would have to put parking there for a convention hotel as well though. You wouldn't need North Campus Parking Garage size parking for just an entertainment area, as those are supporting two parks alongside Citywalk. You would need no more parking than currently exists at Icon Park. The fact that it would most likely have bus service to all Universal Hotels would also alleviate some of that.

 

[Disneyhead]

Parking is one reason that this may be a dining/entertainment complex. Since it is not connected to the park they could have free parking. I think CityWalk having parking tied to the parks very expensive paid parking squelchs CityWalk's numbers.

What if Universal entered into a symbiotic relationship with ICON Park. An elevated walkway connecting the two over Universal Blvd. Universal could also add a couple of attractions like a big beautiful RMC coaster like Arieforce One at Fun Spot Atlanta as the backdrop, Horror Unleashed, and now that Area 15 Orlando is dead possibly Meow Wolf.

Team that up with The Orlando Eye, Blue Man Group and Madame Tussauds and you would have a pretty solid tourist attraction.