Universal's Epic Universe - News and Discussion

[hertamaniac]

What they need to do is add a back car, similar to Tron, to Hiccup's Winged coaster. Even though it's a pull down lap bar, those leg restraints are not "larger size" friendly. The overhead restraints are still not made for folks with girth at EU.

 

[Minnie1222]

This feeds, no pun intended, into my comment about the QS locations serving as a refuge and not necessarily being the "Q" in a QS eatery. I don't think it's only a Toadstool Cafe issue; I saw it too at Das Stakehaus.

I also saw park guests claiming the veranda dining area of Flora Taverna in Helios Grand. I think if you're going to take up a table, then please order something, no matter how small.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This feeds, no pun intended, into my comment about the QS locations serving as a refuge and not necessarily being the "Q" in a QS eatery. I don't think it's only a Toadstool Cafe issue; I saw it too at Das Stakehaus.

Over at Tokyo Disneyland when we were there this past October for Fantasy Springs it was limited in that you had to obtain a Standby Pass, a DPA, or a 40th Anniversary pass to gain access to it (until this March when that was removed) plus you had hotel guests who had the ability to add a 1-day pass that allowed unlimited in/out access (unlike the other methods where if you left you could not re-enter without getting another one of those passes).

This limiting aspect helped in some ways but the busy aspect of in-theme dining like Snuggly Duckling where you needed a mobile order to even get it (and you still need this) still meant a super busy interior. It was difficult for us to find a spot for 2 people and I just barely managed to do so.

Back over at Disney I know Docking Bay 7 used mobile ordering and that barely helped IMO (I don't know if they still require it as last we went was in 2022 when a lot of pandemic-related things were still around).

Back to Epic I'm sure some of it is people seeking shelter from the elements (though at MK you would have people using Pecos Bills for example) for a respite too so it happens at other places) but it's also super high-themed places that will always garner a ton of attention. People fighting for spots and waiting for a table sometimes for a long time.

Quick Service is how long it takes for food to be served with the additional understanding of how it's supposed to be served as in no waiters coming around taking your order, giving you a bill, getting you refills, etc. It's up to the company whether they want to impose a time limit such that Oga's had when it first opened where it was fairly strict on the 45 mins (I know they still have it but it's fairly loose in enforcement these days).

 

[Minnesota!]

Height/legs is going to be the issue I feel like. I've seen a few videos of some fluffier people, because I am one, but most are like 6'0 or under and similar weight or less. I can tell you I was 6'1 350 at Islands and Universal and struggled. Could not do escape from gringotts, hagrid, mummy or forbidden journey. I am just under 300 now, and had no issues last time on hagrids, mummy or gringotts. Forbidden Journey was still a no go for me, largely due to my shoulders being broad as well (former football/rugby player). I will. be at epic in a few weeks and can give you my feelings on it (going June 18-21st). I wont be the ideal test candidate for you, but may be able to give you a gauge at least.

I know epic is friendlier then the other UO parks. But it's not that much better. I have a feeling the legs will be the issue more than the stomach.

Thank you both! Yeah, he has super long legs and thick thighs...his calves were too thick, feet too big to fit in Avatar. Plus the broad shoulders and his stomach. Ugh. I really want to see Nintendo World but not sure it, alone, is worth the price of admission.

 

[hertamaniac]

Quick Service is how long it takes for food to be served with the additional understanding of how it's supposed to be served as in no waiters coming around taking your order, giving you a bill, getting you refills, etc. It's up to the company whether they want to impose a time limit such that Oga's had when it first opened where it was fairly strict on the 45 mins (I know they still have it but it's fairly loose in enforcement these days).

True. But if many guests use, or perhaps in the cases listed above, overuse, the table spot(s), then the QS aspect is sort of diminished as there is less available table inventory (even if the food is picked up at the counter). There could be a ripple effect where guests think QS means you can grab your food, even via mobile order, and find a place to sit/eat.

I can see where QS can be interpreted of how quickly your order is prepared/fulfilled. And then I can also see where the QS intent is a place to more rapidly enjoy a meal without the concerns of lack of seating.

What EU mobile ordering does right is the ability to find a table first, place the mobile order and have the food delivered.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Thank you both! Yeah, he has super long legs and thick thighs...his calves were too thick, feet too big to fit in Avatar. Plus the broad shoulders and his stomach. Ugh. I really want to see Nintendo World but not sure it, alone, is worth the price of admission.

My husband is 6ft 5 1/2 inches and hasn't had issues at Universal yet other than Flight of the Hippogriff er well we have a blast on it but mostly because it's a kid coaster and we're adults but he still fits just quite awkwardly and Seuss High in the Sky for the same reason. However he is quite skinny so it doesn't help with your husband's exact situation. My husband does have long legs but proportionally with his height it's actually his long torso there (he needs the Tall but not the Big in terms of shopping for clothes).

I know for him Hulk was getting too rough for him but I think his height also interacts with that.

There hasn't been an attraction yet that we've tried between Universal and Disney that my husband hasn't been able to go on with his height, sometimes a tad tight but not unable to do. He does frequently shift his legs at an angle on bench style seating as the distance between where he is sitting at and the edge of the ride vehicle or seat in front of him is too short. I don't think your husband's height is as much a problem as his size in other ways.

Have you searched some YouTube videos yet for Epic? I know that might spoil things but there's a good amount of people who specifically go out there and do the test seats or go over details on how they have or haven't been able to ride a specific attraction.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

True. But if many guests use, or perhaps in the cases listed above, overuse, the table spot(s), then the QS aspect is sort of diminished as there is less available table inventory (even if the food is picked up at the counter). There could be a ripple effect where guests think QS means you can grab your food, even via mobile order, and find a place to sit/eat.

I can see where QS can be interpreted of how quickly your order is prepared/fulfilled. And then I can also see where the QS intent is a place to more rapidly enjoy a meal without the concerns of lack of seating.

What EU mobile ordering does right is the ability to find a table first, place the mobile order and have the food delivered.

Yeah don't disagree as a whole. It just is harder with the high theming places to adjust it enough that appeases everyone.

As far as lack of seating everyone's traveling party is made up of different people with different components (such as children or mobility devices, etc). There's no way any place can account for that. 2 people may only be able to find seating at a 4 person tableat that given time which would then put out the 4 people trying to find a table (and people could easily huff and puff over that). Or 4 people have to split up and use two 2 person tables which puts 2 people out looking around.

Ironically I have wondered if they had stuck to more what Japan's Toadstool Cafe had if that would lessen it a bit because while it's even more in theme it's a bit too much for the more adventurous than the U.S. parks could likely handle.

Your last statement is why it's on the guests to adjust their expectations for better or worse as I don't know that much will alleviate the high demand of high theming places. Some places you go to the social norm expectation is you don't sit down without ordering something (which is as we know on the DIS a hotly debated topic so social norm is used loosely here), others the opposite. I personally also liked being able to sit down, order the food and get it. But with that means it's not as easy to judge what someone is doing sitting next to you (the prior example from a PP might show an overstay but not against the place's rules and is hard to discern what exactly occurred when those two groups of people entered the place).

I don't think Universal, as of yet, wants to go down the route Disney did with Be Our Guest where people just wanted to be able to see inside a lot.

 

[PrincessV]

For those who’ve done Stardust Racers, where how much queue is left after leaving stuff in a locker? Is it similar to Monsters and Hiccup’s?

 

[Jessem1133]

For those who’ve done Stardust Racers, where how much queue is left after leaving stuff in a locker? Is it similar to Monsters and Hiccup’s?

It's pretty much identical to Velocicoaster. Lockers are downstairs, then a bit of a wait once upstairs.

 

[disneyseniors]

Thank you both! Yeah, he has super long legs and thick thighs...his calves were too thick, feet too big to fit in Avatar. Plus the broad shoulders and his stomach. Ugh. I really want to see Nintendo World but not sure it, alone, is worth the price of admission.

Have you thought of getting in touch with Universal and checking with them? I would think they could give you the ride specifics. Good luck!

 

[Keladry84]

For those who’ve done Stardust Racers, where how much queue is left after leaving stuff in a locker? Is it similar to Monsters and Hiccup’s?

I just did stardust racers today. There was an insane amount of queue left after the lockers, and I ended up needing an escort midway through :/ Mario kart and ministry of magic also have long queues after the merge.

 

[Keladry84]

It's pretty much identical to Velocicoaster. Lockers are downstairs, then a bit of a wait once upstairs.

Velocicoaster wasn’t near so long on the after locker wait…..

 

[DarthEsquire]

For those who’ve done Stardust Racers, where how much queue is left after leaving stuff in a locker? Is it similar to Monsters and Hiccup’s?

The lockers are right after the Express Pass merge and there are a significant number of lockers. I have gone on the ride a few times and I believe it was about 15-20 minutes if the ride is running smoothly (I had delays or only one side running most times I rode).

 

[kassonvike]

Seeing wait times the last couple days makes me really worried about our time in early June when the park hours reduce from the current 9-10 to 10-9. I can't imagine crowds are going to be any less (I would assume more or at best same) but we are losing 2 hours of park time.

 

[Minnie1222]

Seeing wait times the last couple days makes me really worried about our time in early June when the park hours reduce from the current 9-10 to 10-9. I can't imagine crowds are going to be any less (I would assume more or at best same) but we are losing 2 hours of park time.

Expect to lose more hours due to evening thunderstorms. All outdoor rides will shut down, including the carousel.

 

[hertamaniac]

Expect to lose more hours due to evening thunderstorms. All outdoor rides will shut down, including the carousel.

We got pounded a little while ago just north of O-town. It's the first time I thought of the movie Twister and them driving through the house as it was rolling across the road.

We have thousands of new homes being built nearby. As such, an unsecured and huge retention pond drainage tunnel came rolling across the road in front of me with virtually zero visibility (ultra hard rain) while doing ~12 mph. And it was oriented so I could drive right thru it. Scary!

Back to Epic, it's an issue that should be addressed in the expansion(s).

 

[GhostHost24]

We got pounded a little while ago just north of O-town. It's the first time I thought of the movie Twister and them driving through the house as it was rolling across the road.

We have thousands of new homes being built nearby. As such, an unsecured and huge retention pond drainage tunnel came rolling across the road in front of me with virtually zero visibility (ultra hard rain) while doing ~12 mph. And it was oriented so I could drive right thru it. Scary!

Back to Epic, it's an issue that should be addressed in the expansion(s).

im in south orlando, and looked as bad as a hurricane rolling through. I think there's some small trees that got blown down

 

[Minnie1222]

Does anyone else wonder why there are so many stairs at Epic?

 

[Charade67]

Does anyone else wonder why there are so many stairs at Epic?

Yes!!
I need to get into better shape before going back.