Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[Parkscope Joe]

I've been curious about this for a bit and I haven't been able to find anything so I wanted to ask, do we know anything about how Disability Access will work at Epic and if it'll work the same as it does in the other Universal Orlando Parks?

It’ll work the same as the existing parks.

 

[DrStarlander]

I have dozens of beautiful, photo-filled coffee-table type books about Walt Disney Imagineering and the Disney Parks. I've been collecting them since the 1980s. Boy, I sure hope Universal works with a publisher like Taschen or Chronicle Books or something and makes a big behind-the-scenes book about the making of Epic Universe showing the models and concept art and stuff and explain the design challenges they faced. Maybe a book for each land in a box set!

(btw, I think Universal Creative deserves this "treatment" given the caliber of work, Imagineering doesn't deserve to sit alone at the top with all the bragging rights, so to speak.)

 

[UniversalRBLX]

(btw, I think Universal Creative deserves this "treatment" given the caliber of work, Imagineering doesn't deserve to sit alone at the top with all the bragging rights, so to speak.)

I agree - there's more than enough content at the parks to justify an Imagineering-style coffee book.

Like you, I have all the ones I can find for Disney/WDI and yet none for Universal. Closest thing I have is the Jaybangs book. There's also a few film-based 'Ultimate Visual History' books that will occasionally feature the attractions (currently Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, E.T. and Ghostbusters).

I know there's licensing issues in the way, but there's enough non-IP attractions/events/parks that can be featured.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Man, an Islands of Adventure art book would be magical. I wonder if it’s still possible.

 

[GAcoaster]

The only issue I could see is rights issues from outside Universal.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

The only issue I could see is rights issues from outside Universal.

And a lot of the Epic stuff is derivative to an extent. But hey, we could still get a lot of use from a Celestial Park/Dark Universe/Berk book.

 

[Loki]

And a lot of the Epic stuff is derivative to an extent. But hey, we could still get a lot of use from a Celestial Park/Dark Universe/Berk book.

And Harry Potter. Since this is technically a first and only version of the French/MoM

 

[DrStarlander]

The only issue I could see is rights issues from outside Universal.

It certainly could be. But, if Universal is paying a license to use a property (from Nintendo, or Warner Bros., say), as long-term partners, I'm not sure quite why they'd have an issue. It's just marketing, and the more respected their lands are (and their decision to partner with Universal), the more in licensing fees they make!

 

[HHN Maddux]

Something genius I'm just noticing, you essentially have two lands more family-focused (Nintendo + HTTYD) with rides that everyone can enjoy, and two lands (Dark Universe and MoM) that, while one of the two is still family-friendly, will have more intense thrill rides. Nice balance.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

"epic is derivate" is a new one

 

[Journey_On]

Something genius I'm just noticing, you essentially have two lands more family-focused (Nintendo + HTTYD) with rides that everyone can enjoy, and two lands (Dark Universe and MoM) that, while one of the two is still family-friendly, will have more intense thrill rides. Nice balance.

I noticed this recently, too! Agreed.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

"epic is derivate" is a new one

I meant in a sense that you can find art books for stuff like Mario and Potter already, but also — yeah? It’s no secret that Epic is an IP park. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not exactly teeming with originality either.

 

[Jake S]

I meant in a sense that you can find art books for stuff like Mario and Potter already, but also — yeah? It’s no secret that Epic is an IP park. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not exactly teeming with originality either.

i guess i don’t really think that’s what derivative means. i think of derivative as being heavily borrowed from other art in its own genre (in this case, theme parks). epic certainly has some clones, but i don’t think it’s conception or execution is all that derivative.

i would be curious to do a look at how many truly original attractions each of these major theme parks have and where epic ranks among them.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

i guess i don’t really think that’s what derivative means. i think of derivative as being heavily borrowed from other art in its own genre (in this case, theme parks). epic certainly has some clones, but i don’t think it’s conception or execution is all that derivative.

i would be curious to do a look at how many truly original attractions each of these major theme parks have and where epic ranks among them.

You’re right, my language is pretty unfair, especially for a park I haven’t yet been to!! I think it stems from my distaste for Epic's overall concept, but I'm not going to pretend I don't love my big IP lands with neatly executed rides.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I meant in a sense that you can find art books for stuff like Mario and Potter already, but also — yeah? It’s no secret that Epic is an IP park. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not exactly teeming with originality either.

I still think we could find some fun and interesting things from the park design that could be included. "IP Park" is pretty dismissive considering the original stuff in Dark Universe and Celestial Park.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

I still think we could find some fun and interesting things from the park design that could be included. "IP Park" is pretty dismissive considering the original stuff in Dark Universe and Celestial Park.

I promise I don’t mean that aspect as particularly dismissive — I’m not harsh on the IP parks like many in the community. I was at DCA last night which is 100% a hodgepodge IP park and it’s still one of my favorites in the world. I expect Epic to surpass that. But on the scale of “IP park-ness” I think Epic is conceptually much closer to a California Adventure or Hollywood Studios than it is an Islands of Adventure or Animal Kingdom.

And I don’t think that necessarily undermines originality. They may not be “teeming with originality” like I said earlier but can showcase great examples of it — even the Dubai parks, which are basically late-stage extreme IP parks, have wonderful original lands and attractions.

But again I think I was being mean earlier. The originality is not my issue. I just don’t really like Epic’s organization/portals and how Celestial Park looks like it’s turning out.

 

[cricket]

Is anyone else more excited to just be in the parks, see the sights, smell the smells, and hear the music than ride anything?

 

[Lucky Planet]

Is anyone else more excited to just be in the parks, see the sights, smell the smells, and hear the music than ride anything?

technically with how long the lines will be, yes

that's why scarezones during Halloween horror nights are so important to me, same issue.
yeah, if the lines are 2 hours then I'll be happy to just walk around.
( but even if the lines were shorter, I still am more happy about the surroundings specially around the monster area and potter)

whenever I visit the potter area during horror nights I never really ride gringotts ride, but just walk around. I spend hours in there. hours.

I expect to spend hours in the dark universe. just walking

 

[Scott W.]

I'm a big fan of the signs so far.

 

[BigRed98]

I'm a big fan of the signs so far.

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I want them to sell merch with these logos on them! I would buy a shirt in a heartbeat!