Celestial Park (Epic Universe)

[GAcoaster]

Set expectations low for it being anything more than warehouse/soundstage style space-- the park facing façade will most likely fit the themed buildings around it, but the space will probably be a rectangle.

 

[DrStarlander]

Set expectations low for it being anything more than warehouse/soundstage style space-- the park facing façade will most likely fit the themed buildings around it, but the space will probably be a rectangle.

Yeah, expectations managed. If it was a circle they could do something like the Disney Circlerama and project onto the seamless circular wall all around the room to transform the room into any theme or setting they want, depending on the event. It would be extra cool.

 

[alomar]

I have been wondering this for months and I haven't seen anybody else questioning this feature until I found this old post. Thank you, I'm not crazy!

It is a tiered (like a wedding cake) foam berm with artificial grass glued to it, perhaps lighting points hidden all over the surface, a handful of trees...and just recently it's showing a rounded notch or "bite" taken out of the top.

It is truly the most puzzling thing in all of EU for me. It's unclear what its purpose is, that is if it has a purpose, such a place to do seasonal/holiday displays or a stage? If it had real or artificial topiary (which would fit Celestial Park thematically) then I would understand the tiered artificial grass "look" more, but I see no evidence of that in the fly-by videos (though this feature is elusive in those videos!).

I guess it could be for blocking some views but seems like that could have been done using the existing "vocabulary" of natural materials from Celestial Park, like rock work or just dirt and foliage. (And if it is blocking a view, why block a view from or at a carousel?)

If it doesn't have functional purpose, or thematic justification (like topiary), I just can't see why this unusual material and sculptural approach would be necessary or appealing to the park designers. Why was it worth any expense at all -- why not just grass and trees? Nowhere else in the park, or Celestial Park, is this artificial grass used yet and given how naturalistic Celestial Park is, the tiers/artificiality seem unexpected.

Seems like in a project this big with so many people involved, something unusual would need to be explained and justified in meeting after meeting to bosses after bosses...which I would expect would "weed out" weird things that can't be strongly justified. So obviously this has made the cut!

I have tremendous faith in Universal given how extraordinary everything is, but this one stumps me. If anyone has any theory please share! I posted some recent photos taken from a Bioreconstruct video -- THANK YOU Bioreconstruct, hope that's okay!

There is a perfect half pipe in the middle of it, so lets get an X-Games show in there!!


im kidding.

 

[Rhian]

Thank you, I'm not crazy!

Let's not rule anything out here as I thought I was a bit crazy bringing it up in the first place.

It is truly the most puzzling thing in all of EU for me. It's unclear what its purpose is, that is if it has a purpose, such a place to do seasonal/holiday displays or a stage? If it had real or artificial topiary (which would fit Celestial Park thematically) then I would understand the tiered artificial grass "look" more, but I see no evidence of that in the fly-by videos (though this feature is elusive in those videos!).

I guess it could be for blocking some views but seems like that could have been done using the existing "vocabulary" of natural materials from Celestial Park, like rock work or just dirt and foliage. (And if it is blocking a view, why block a view from or at a carousel?)

If it doesn't have functional purpose, or thematic justification (like topiary), I just can't see why this unusual material and sculptural approach would be necessary or appealing to the park designers. Why was it worth any expense at all -- why not just grass and trees? Nowhere else in the park, or Cele

A while back I thought the comet of Starfall Stardust Racers and the carousel had a story or some kind of thematic connection. If you look between the berm and the coaster entrance you could see what I interpret as an impact zone of a meteor.



I wonder if we'll see something as part of the ceremony for the Chronos? Or it's own mini show within the lagoon around the carousel which might involve the coaster too.

There is a perfect half pipe in the middle of it, so lets get an X-Games show in there!!


im kidding.

I think the half pipe does have some use. It's hard to tell from the angle of the shot but I believe it allows riders on the carousel to easily see the comet statue of the coaster if you were too look out in that direction.

It makes me think it's possible we'll have some kind of narration on the carousel to give some light exposition and use the areas surrounding the carousel as storytelling components. Even if it's nothing outright explained in the park it seems like there's some intention to the design and how the sight lines of the two rides are framed.

 

[DrStarlander]

Let's not rule anything out here as I thought I was a bit crazy bringing it up in the first place.


A while back I thought the comet of Starfall Stardust Racers and the carousel had a story or some kind of thematic connection. If you look between the berm and the coaster entrance you could see what I interpret as an impact zone of a meteor.

View attachment 23956

I wonder if we'll see something as part of the ceremony for the Chronos? Or it's own mini show within the lagoon around the carousel which might involve the coaster too.


I think the half pipe does have some use. It's hard to tell from the angle of the shot but I believe it allows riders on the carousel to easily see the comet statue of the coaster if you were too look out in that direction.

It makes me think it's possible we'll have some kind of narration on the carousel to give some light exposition and use the areas surrounding the carousel as storytelling components. Even if it's nothing outright explained in the park it seems like there's some intention to the design and how the sight lines of the two rides are framed.

I totally agree, and also noticed the alignment of the comet statue and half-pipe, and wondered if there would be some light effect...for example the comet would illuminate as if shooting forward, then the half-pipe would sparkle (there are lights scattered under the artificial grass) and then the carousel would light up due to "impact."

I actually went to some effort to try to find a view to see if the Pizza Moon facade/sign was also in alignment but doesn't look so.

To be honest, I'm not sure an effect like this would quite justify a terraced artificial grass berm (which is kind of unappealing to me), and was hoping there was even more purpose to this thing, but I do love how intentional this and many other aspects of this park are, and have a lot of confidence in UC!

 

[GAcoaster]

New aerials incoming from Bio--



The foam berm is gone--

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Testing if BlueSky embeds work:

EDIT: Ah, que triste, no funcionaron

bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct.bsky.social)

Aerial look at current construction at Constellation Carousel and Stardust Racers in #EpicUniverse

bsky.app

 

[GAcoaster]

Testing if BlueSky embeds work:

EDIT: Ah, que triste, no funcionaron

bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct.bsky.social)

Aerial look at current construction at Constellation Carousel and Stardust Racers in #EpicUniverse

bsky.app

I did the same— still a work in progress for Bluesky posts

 

[DrStarlander]

I am very happy to see the Berm gone. I don't want anyone at UC to feel bad, it clearly looked like a bold idea of some sort. And that takes creative courage. And I realize I don't know what the ultimate result would have been. But I really felt like it was a distraction from the natural, turn-of-the-century vibe of Celestial Park.

 

[GAcoaster]

Nice before and after— glad to see they recognized the issue and addressed it!



So, now do they change it to rockwork or make it grass/trees/flowers or something else?