Universal's Epic Universe Wish List & Speculation

[Alicia]

In that case--would they opt in and start as early as Fall/Winter 2020, and go Transformers in construction timeline speeds?

I haven’t heard any timeline details.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

It was rumored for 2021 with those original plans. Always planned to open after Japan. Japan has to be first.

With DK planned from the start for the original KidsZone plans, that would explain the longer build time and why they were starting as early as they were. (Plus, time for demolishing KidsZone of course.)

Do you think Donkey Kong would be included in this expedited build of SNW at Kidzone?

 

[jseal777]

Monsters won’t show up in Islands. If it comes to Orlando outside of EU, I think it’s replacing MiB.

And Berk in Lost Continent would be a significant downgrade and require a massive rework. LC doesn’t have that much space.

Losing MIB would be awful. But the thought of doing stay and scream in the shadows of Frankenstein’s castle or whatever they build sounds great.

 

[Legacy]

I mean, the only major thing they would have to trash is the coaster. The Sky-Fly's, the Splash Battle, the show, the main restaurant, and the play area could reasonably fit (although it would obviously be a different layout to Epic Universe). Also, I could never see Monsters going to USF, it would look way too out of place (at least Nintendo is hidden behind fake hills and Springfield, what would hide Monsters?).

Current LC is about half the size of planned Berk. it would need a drastic rework.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Current LC is about half the size of planned Berk. it would need a drastic rework.View attachment 12890

And the last things IOA needs are more coasters and water rides.

EDIT: I don't think we should be so quick to assume that many of these rides will appear around USF/IOA, especially when they're purposes are served by pre-existing attractions. Unless they don't modify the plans when they get around to building EU, I'd assume that most of Berk in its current form never gets built.

 

[Mike S]

@Mike S redeemed

 

[Alicia]

EDIT: I don't think we should be so quick to assume that many of these rides will appear around USF/IOA, especially when they're purposes are served by pre-existing attractions. Unless they don't modify the plans when they get around to building EU, I'd assume that most of Berk in its current form never gets built.

I don’t think anything is going to be built anywhere for a long time. SNW may very well only be due to obligations. Otherwise, expect nothing new, anywhere, for a long while.

 

[Tobias]

I don’t think anything is going to be built anywhere for a long time. SNW may very well only be due to obligations. Otherwise, expect nothing new, anywhere, for a long while.

Pretty much, SNW is a very unique exception because it has this combo going on...

1. Possible contractual obligations where it has to open by a certain time, and since EU is paused indefinitely, there's no word or guarantee when it'll open. So they gotta' open it somewhere, thankfully...

2. SNW was originally planned for KidZone till EU suddenly showed up, and since it doesn't seem like the land got any significant modifications for EU, it could easily be placed back into KZ.

3. With Barney now closed, a good chunk of KidZone is currently closed. Making it all the easier to get to knocking it down for SNW. The main things that would need to be taken care of is Animal Actors and figuring out access to E.T. via temp rerouting etc.

 

[scomo]

I know details are murky, but do we know if the layoffs yesterday were limited to EU folks, or were they more widespread? My heart hurts for those whonl lost their jobs.

 

[Tristan]

Wait so is EU dead? I saw the tweets from @Alicia but I thought it was paused?

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

I don’t think anything is going to be built anywhere for a long time. SNW may very well only be due to obligations. Otherwise, expect nothing new, anywhere, for a long while.

Oh, I think SNW (even without DK) and VC could tide people over through the end of the decade. Combined with a solid D-ticket stunt show, that's already better than the 2000s in terms of additions.

 

[Tobias]

Wait so is EU dead? I saw the tweets from @Alicia but I thought it was paused?

EU is currently not dead, as mentioned it's paused indefinitely while they wait and see how everything goes.
But when it comes to Super Nintendo World, it may be under contractual obligations to open within a certain amount of time. Since EU is currently paused, they may be forced to go with the original plan of building and opening SNW in the studios to not break the contract.

 

[Teebin]

How far up the ladder do these decisions go? Is it Universal Parks deciding to shut down the project so to look good to NBC/Universal who wants to look good to Comcast? Or is Comcast the puppeteer micro managing such decisions?

One would think Nintendo would bend on contract obligations considering. Shutting it all down after 5 months befuddles me in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Alicia]

How far up the ladder do these decisions go? Is it Universal Parks deciding to shut down the project so to look good to NBC/Universal who wants to look good to Comcast? Or is Comcast the puppeteer micro managing such decisions?

One would think Nintendo would bend on contract obligations considering. Shutting it all down after 5 months befuddles me in the grand scheme of things.

Supposedly Comcast wanted to see action on how to save money right now. They’re preparing to hunker down for several years of low to no tourism.

Saving (a reported) $6 billion by not building your new theme park for awhile is probably the quickest way to help stop the bleeding.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Supposedly Comcast wanted to see action on how to save money right now. They’re preparing to hunker down for several years of low to no tourism.

Saving (a reported) $6 billion by not building your new theme park for awhile is probably the quickest way to help stop the bleeding.

Would that still be be $6 billion after base Nintendo?

 

[Magic-Man]

Would that still be be $6 billion after base Nintendo?

Close to it. Nintendo in KZ would probably cost around 300 or 400 million given the fact that all research and development has been done already.

 

[JawsVictim]

Random thoughts on EU getting canceled and projects going into existing parks...

USF really needs a water ride and it would be very fitting to have UCM with Creature replace MIB.

Berk would bring another IP featuring a dragon into IOA if it replaces LC. 2 in IOA, 2 in USF (until SLOP happens). Here a dragon, there a dragon, everywhere a...you guessed it, dragon.

I don’t think many will care if a FB-based land gets axed. I’m a mild Potter fan, and my friends that are ride or die hardcore fans don’t even care for it. Anecdotal, I know, but I do think it’s the easiest to let go of and instead focus on the existing HP areas being expanded - FF getting a Knight Bus conversion and MoM going into FFL. FF gets MIB or Simpsons plot.

 

[Jushin Thunder Liger]

with Creature

Just...give me Gill-man. Don’t care when/how/where, just bring him to me, because he’s my favorite Universal Monster.

 

[ChrisFL]

I could be wrong, but EU seemed to have a bit of a "modular" design with each land being separated completely from each other and, in that sense, more easily "swapped out" with another idea/theme.

In that case, it may be easier to "pause" the land and also make some changes. Obviously they haven't really begun full construction yet, I'm just commenting on the way it seems they were going to build it.

Maybe another property will lend itself by the time they un-pause it, if they push SNW into the existing parks. I still like the Mario stuff in Kid Zone and Zelda in Lost Continent personally.

 

[Disneyhead]

I could be wrong, but EU seemed to have a bit of a "modular" design with each land being separated completely from each other and, in that sense, more easily "swapped out" with another idea/theme.

In that case, it may be easier to "pause" the land and also make some changes. Obviously they haven't really begun full construction yet, I'm just commenting on the way it seems they were going to build it.

Maybe another property will lend itself by the time they un-pause it, if they push SNW into the existing parks. I still like the Mario stuff in Kid Zone and Zelda in Lost Continent personally.

After Universal bought Dreamworks, Universal Creative started working with the concept of "mini- lands". Self contained lands that during the planning phase, can be moved around like chess pieces.

On a related note, this "indefinitely postponed" thing could help them out with another problem they have with an unpopular IP by a recently unpopular writer.