With expansions, Pandora, and Galaxies Edge in the rearview mirror is Disney "tapped out" for competing with Epic Universe?

[ChipnDale79]

Tapped out? id hope not. They announced Pandora over 10 years ago. It took them forever to build it.

With what Disney charges its guests, I hope they're never tapped out.

With that being said. Universal will without a doubt be stealing our money from Disney when Epic Universe opens.

I havent been to Universal is 25 years, but we'll be spending time there soon.

 

[jade1]

Considering their process to get things built and approved will be impacted, this matters.

If WDW doesn't change/adapt their process, then yes.

But "if" they want, they can build much faster even without RC IMO.

VelociCoaster opened 2 years after it was announced. Tron is on year 5 and is a copied attraction. The whole park of Epic Universe is looking to be about 6 years, even with the delays.

At a minimum they could hire US to come do it.

 

[tentaguasu]

We didn't have the chance to do Toy Story at night (was doing other things in DHS) but that's a fantastic idea to try and tour it more at night.

The lack of shade in Toy Story Land is TERRIBLE. This upcoming trip I have made it a priority to only go to Toy Story Land in the late evening.

I don't think any other land in WDW is as different day and night as Toy Story Land. During the day, it's brutal. Hot, no shade, packed. Really not great.

But at night, it's really nice.

We did Slinky Dog during the day and enjoyed it. Did it at night and loved it! A much better experience.

 

[jelona]

I don't think any other land in WDW is as different day and night as Toy Story Land. During the day, it's brutal. Hot, no shade, packed. Really not great.

But at night, it's really nice.

We did Slinky Dog during the day and enjoyed it. Did it at night and loved it! A much better experience.

This is kinda off topic, but that was our first trip into Toy Story Land and we really honestly had no clue on what to expect. It was mid October and probably the hottest day of our trip. Didn't help either that my 1yr old was running fever. We didn't know it at the time, but when we hit Toy Story Land, her body couldn't regulate its temp properly because of it and she was miserable. We immediately went back to the room to get her to cool down. Luckily it was nothing serious and just an ear infection (We had a 3am Urgent care visit that night) so once she was 24 hrs over her fever and better we went back... again during the day and it was still equally as miserable. i swore never again!!!

Hoping for redemption on this trip!! The first three days me and my husband took turns going to the parks and staying in the room with her, so the whole trip seemed chaotic to us.
I will say... we haven't done a Disney trip yet without someone getting sick! *knocks on wood*

 

[rstevens333]

I don't know how likely a fifth park is in the next decade, but I'd love to see a fifth *gate.*

The International Gateway is one of the best parts of EPCOT! Imagine if you could enter AK or MK from the back or side – you could share infrastructure, spread crowds, and create some new spaces for lands.

My first visit to AK was during the Express Bus era about five years ago. You entered the park on the side and popped out near the safari. It was pretty cool. The MK bus stop was back behind Buzz Lightyear. Entering the MK via Tomorrowland in a world where TRON is open would be a distinctly different and fun way to experience the park.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

during the Express Bus era

lol omg I had forgotten about that! Disney had def. done some interesting things in the past.

 

[rstevens333]

It was such a cool offering. I took a trip specifically to use it!

 

[Jrb1979]

I don't know how likely a fifth park is in the next decade, but I'd love to see a fifth *gate.*

The International Gateway is one of the best parts of EPCOT! Imagine if you could enter AK or MK from the back or side – you could share infrastructure, spread crowds, and create some new spaces for lands.

My first visit to AK was during the Express Bus era about five years ago. You entered the park on the side and popped out near the safari. It was pretty cool. The MK bus stop was back behind Buzz Lightyear. Entering the MK via Tomorrowland in a world where TRON is open would be a distinctly different and fun way to experience the park.

Before any new gate is added, they should be trying to add more attractions to the parks they already have.

 

[snikki]

I'm in my Early 30s, so I still have Nostolgia for Disney, since I grew up in the Disney Renaissance period, but I also grew up with Nintendo. Not sure if it's because I have a 9 yr. old boy, (maybe it will be different with my 2 yr. old daughter when she's older) But I can not get him into Classic Disney Movies. Last October when we went to Disney World, we started to watch a classic movie each weekend leading up to our trip. It just would not hold his interest. I think Disney is trying to bring back that Nostolgia with live action Remakes.. Just not sure if its working. He's mainly into Marvel and Star wars, and really only the New Star Wars shows like Mandalorian.
Nintendo on the other hand, he is very much into and i think that is the same for the majority of his age group, regardless of gender. We grew up on Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Donkey Kong, etc. and now with the introduction of the switch (awesome console) He is playing these games also. So the Nostolgia for Nintendo will stick around for awhile. Same goes for Pokémon, kids are still taking Pokémon cards and trading them with their friends. My son stashes them in his pockets to take and trade at Recess.

I'm 39 and I still remember getting the first original Nintendo when I was around 7 or 8 (I think). I grew up on Nintendo and Super Nintendo. I haven't been to Universal in about 14-15 years but I will make a trip for Epic Universe.

My kids are late teens/early adult and they grew up on Playstation and they never got into Pokemon or Nintendo so Epic Universe isn't on their radar. They are huge Marvel fans and just watched the Star Wars movies but I wouldn't call them huge Star Wars fans. They like the movies and are happy to see Galaxy's Edge. They also never got into HP. My son is over Disney and would like to go to Universal for the coasters (not necessarily the theming) but my daughter has no desire to do Universal and is all about Disney.

I do know so many kids in my family that are still big into Nintendo and I agree....this Nintendo nostalgia is going to stick around for a while. My nephew is 8 and really into the switch. He has Mario Lego sets.

 

[bbeagle]

VelociCoaster opened 2 years after it was announced. Tron is on year 5 and is a copied attraction. The whole park of Epic Universe is looking to be about 6 years, even with the delays.

3 years.

https://allears.net/2021/12/02/video-go-behind-the-scenes-of-the-making-of-universals-velocicoaster/

Universal filed permits in 2018 to remove Triceratops Encounter and replace it with a new ride. Universal put up walls for the new yet-unnamed coaster in January 2019. In July 2019, it was named 'VelociCoaster' and opened in June 2021.

Disney announced Tron in 2017, but construction began in March 2018. It's been just over 4 years now.

Tron is MUCH MORE labor intensive and a much bigger project than VelociCoaster.

 

[TraderStitch]

I've said it for awhile, I think the 5th gate should be an International Park, meaning all the unique offerings across China, Japan, and Paris should be brought to that gate. As Covid has shown, international travel is never guaranteed in the future. Mounting tensions with China, who knows if they get testy and end up not allowing US travelers. Japan has been very strict on Covid regulations. Lets have an offering state side so we can experience what some of those attractions are like.
I don't know how it would roll out or even work but an easier way to experience those park offerings locally would be awesome.

Some top things like Mystic Manor - HK, Pooh's Honey Hunt - Toykyo, Zootopia and Frozen world, Pirates of the Caribbean - Shanghai, Journey to the Center of the Earth - Tokyo, Monsters Inc Ride & Go Seek, Beauty and the Beast - Tokyo

These are some attractions I'd love to see, heck, maybe even bring back rides that no longer exist and give it a permanent home in Florida. Looking at you Mr Toad's Wild Ride.

It could be the fastest way to compete with Epic Universe. They already have the blueprints and tech to build it. Would just be a matter of clearing the land and building.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I've said it for awhile, I think the 5th gate should be an International Park, meaning all the unique offerings across China, Japan, and Paris should be brought to that gate. As Covid has shown, international travel is never guaranteed in the future. Mounting tensions with China, who knows if they get testy and end up not allowing US travelers. Japan has been very strict on Covid regulations. Lets have an offering state side so we can experience what some of those attractions are like.
I don't know how it would roll out or even work but an easier way to experience those park offerings locally would be awesome.

Some top things like Mystic Manor - HK, Pooh's Honey Hunt - Toykyo, Zootopia and Frozen world, Pirates of the Caribbean - Shanghai, Journey to the Center of the Earth - Tokyo, Monsters Inc Ride & Go Seek, Beauty and the Beast - Tokyo

These are some attractions I'd love to see, heck, maybe even bring back rides that no longer exist and give it a permanent home in Florida. Looking at you Mr Toad's Wild Ride.

It could be the fastest way to compete with Epic Universe. They already have the blueprints and tech to build it. Would just be a matter of clearing the land and building.

I'm not really sure that a park full of cloned attractions from other parks would have broad enough appeal to attract a ton of people. A lot of these attractions are fantastic and better than a lot of rides in the US parks (Pooh's Hunny Hunt specifically is miles better than the US Pooh ride), but I'm not confident the average guest would prefer that over Nintendo, more Harry Potter and the classic Universal monsters. Also Disney has made it clear through their actions that they are not at all interested in building another park at WDW so all I'm hoping for is for them to add more attractions in the non Magic Kingdom parks.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Tron is MUCH MORE labor intensive and a much bigger project than VelociCoaster.

I don't think any of us know that. From what I've read there's been supply issues over at Tron. Tron is a clone to an existing ride, they aren't starting from nothing. We know Disney has also slowed construction projects down irrespective of supply issues (and Universal did that as well primarily on Epic Universe but later said that was an error).

VelociCoaster is also in a tight spot right by Harry Potter and would have building constraints there there's literally Discovery Center right there. Tron isn't quite in that same position as there's more room. And they've had the railroad at WDW closed since December 2018 for this reason due to adjustment in the track.

Start to finish also needs to be tit for tat for comparison. If you're going to use when construction started for Tron you'll have to use when construction started for VelociCoaster.

Tron=February 2018 clearing of land, (there was still copious amount of just dirt in mid-May 2022 on our trip)
VelociCoaster=Jan 17th 2019 clearing of land, opened June 10 2021; previews for AP holders started May 2nd 2021. Permit filed in May 2018

The PP said "2 years after announcement" Universal typically breaks ground, starts doing things and eventually announces what they are doing. Disney announces what they are doing, then breaks ground, starts doing things, etc. Your comment of 3 years is about development which is not the same thing. Things are in the development phase long before they are constructed. I'm sure that Disney had Tron as a development long before they announced it at D23 in 2017. From an article I was reading on VelociCoaster: "Research and development of the coaster has taken about four years, but overall construction took a little more than two years."

Actually from another article I was reading cranes didn't happen at Universal until November 2019. This is a photo from the very beginning of November 2019


Universal continued building the ride during the closure although I'm sure slower. Much of the ride was actually completed quickly as they kept working. This is a photo from towards the end of September 2020 of testing of the vehicles:


Remodeled bridge (which they were constructing during the process) that leads to the coaster opened in March 2021. April 6th they announced the opening date of June 10th and previews occurred very first part of May 2021. It also wasn't just the coaster that was built, the entire queue building (which is quite large) was constructed as well next to Discovery Center.

On the topic of permits, permits filed and work started are not the same thing.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Took a 12 day trip to Disney with my daughter, her husband and 7 and 11 year girls. They took 3 days to visit Universal. They were not impressed with the many virtual rides. The 2 daughters did not like anything but the Harry Potter areas, which is the only place they wanted to be. They took one day for Volcano Bay and all did not like it at all. Just one family opinion, but the consensus was one and done. On the other had, since I am DVC owner, they have all gone every year for the last 7 years to WDW and are looking forward to going again next year. Side note, my wife originally was planning to go one day with them to Universal--one day, park hopper, with their version of fast pass was OVER $450- she decided it just was not worth it (and I hear so much about the high prices at Disney).

 

[bbeagle]

Side note, my wife originally was planning to go one day with them to Universal--one day, park hopper, with their version of fast pass was OVER $450- she decided it just was not worth it (and I hear so much about the high prices at Disney).

We are going to WDW in December. We were thinking about trying Universal for 1 day.

We were planning on using a dummy hotel reservation to get free express passes for our family. I checked the hotels (Hard Rock, Portofino and Royal Pacific) for 1 night (example: December 17), and they were $400 just a week ago. Now they're $800 a night.

We're not going for 1 day now. Universal is EXPENSIVE!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We are going to WDW in December. We were thinking about trying Universal for 1 day.

We were planning on using a dummy hotel reservation to get free express passes for our family. I checked the hotels (Hard Rock, Portofino and Royal Pacific) for 1 night (example: December 17), and they were $400 just a week ago. Now they're $800 a night.

We're not going for 1 day now. Universal is EXPENSIVE!

You're going a week before Christmas..

I highly doubt they were $400 for Royal Pacific a week before Christmas a week ago.

 

[bbeagle]

You're going a week before Christmas..

I highly doubt they were $400 for Royal Pacific a week before Christmas a week ago.

Yes. For the past few months, I kept checking out 1 day for December 17 or 18. The prices were just $400 a week ago. I was shocked it was so low for a weekend night the weekend before Christmas. But it was. Now they're $800.

I just checked December 15. Royal Pacific. It's $339. The very next day, December 16, it's $699.
Hard Rock: $379, then $749.
Portofino: $404, then $789.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes. For the past few months, I kept checking out 1 day for December 17 or 18. The prices were just $400 a week ago. I was shocked it was so low for a weekend night the weekend before Christmas. But it was. Now they're $800.

I just checked December 15. Royal Pacific. It's $339. The very next day, December 16, it's $699.
Hard Rock: $379, then $749.
Portofino: $404, then $789.

The weekend is always more expensive just how it is hotel industry wide. December 15th is a Thursday. Disney is very much like that as well. Our Royal Pacific stay on a Friday night in early May ($419+tax and was rack rate) was more expensive than a Thursday night but we also strategically placed the EP to be for Friday and Saturday when typically speaking crowds would be higher too. Also it was priced a lot higher for EP for a Saturday if we had bought it separately.

RP is $339 for a Thursday not for a Friday and not a Friday a week before Christmas. The rate listed online is "SEASONAL RATE" meaning that's the rack rate for that time period (i.e. pricing season). As far as I'm aware there are no discounts for Universal hotels at this time for room only discount unless it counts under the Savvy Traveler discount which is staying 3 or more nights with the percent off savings and eligibility varying by specific times in the year. There is also AP rates that were released in early May.

If you're doing it for EP check the pricing of it, more that stay in the room the better the savings. Remember EP is for check in day through check out day so 1 night=2 days of EP

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

We are going to WDW in December. We were thinking about trying Universal for 1 day.

We were planning on using a dummy hotel reservation to get free express passes for our family. I checked the hotels (Hard Rock, Portofino and Royal Pacific) for 1 night (example: December 17), and they were $400 just a week ago. Now they're $800 a night.

We're not going for 1 day now. Universal is EXPENSIVE!

A friend of mine had an extra disney ticket they needed to use and his family decided to add on a discovery cove and sea world day. They went to see about staying at universal. Even endless summer they were priced out of.

Also to note on UOR from my family's experience: they do not charge you for your room and package until you leave. We were told and signed papers (yes papers-as mentioned in a now closed thread when it happened apparently only a few other humans have ever gotten these papers to sign-very odd) that stated we paid in full and were paid and they didn't charge us until the end which caused a huge fight and left a very sour taste in our mouth. We thought we had everything done. Please be careful and learn from our experience (there were a lot of other reasons our time at RPR was not the best-some out of everyones control and some that should have never happened. We still love UOR and I do want to try another hotel on property sometime in the future but for right now I am very upset as is my family with our experience)

 

[glocon]

It was last week or maybe the week before us DISer friends were talking about how a Lord of the Rings area would be highly desired. Universal I would agree would give it its better shot. That's an IP that while may be past it's prime is also perhaps the better time to do it as there's been enough time for those of us who really enjoyed it to remember how much we enjoyed it to then get to live out in some way what we saw on screen. Do it right and you get people of all ages coming to enjoy it.

Agree! Though personally I never got into LotR, I did enjoy The Hobbit. LotR was just too confusing with SO MANY characters (at least the books- never saw the movies). I would still love to see a LotR land at either park, though I agree that UO would probably do it better.

Agree that I don’t think it matters that LotR is dated- look at Avatar. The movie was dated when the land was opened but it’s still one of the best lands out there! And it wasn’t even an interesting movie- just one that had incredible filming. It’s still one of the best parts of WDW!

And Tron is pretty dated. I never saw the movie but I can’t wait for the ride. Lots of people are looking forward to it even tho it’s such a dated IP.

So someone should do LotR even if it is dated. It could be really great. And maybe bring popularity to it for a whole new generation.

I'm 39 and I still remember getting the first original Nintendo when I was around 7 or 8 (I think). I grew up on Nintendo and Super Nintendo. I haven't been to Universal in about 14-15 years but I will make a trip for Epic Universe.

My kids are late teens/early adult and they grew up on Playstation and they never got into Pokemon or Nintendo so Epic Universe isn't on their radar. They are huge Marvel fans and just watched the Star Wars movies but I wouldn't call them huge Star Wars fans. They like the movies and are happy to see Galaxy's Edge. They also never got into HP. My son is over Disney and would like to go to Universal for the coasters (not necessarily the theming) but my daughter has no desire to do Universal and is all about Disney.

I do know so many kids in my family that are still big into Nintendo and I agree....this Nintendo nostalgia is going to stick around for a while. My nephew is 8 and really into the switch. He has Mario Lego sets.

Though I never got into it- for sure Nintendo nostalgia will be around for a while. I feel like there is always something new coming out with that and it’s been around for a long time.

I totally have no nostalgia for Disney princesses or lots of the Disney IPs but still have a nostalgia for WDW. I don’t think you have to have nostalgia for an IP to have nostalgia for a park- we don’t. In fact we skip most of FL at MK.

For a land, Donkey Kong and Mario Bros would be so colorful and fun, if some of it was geared towards more family fun and not all thrills, that could really be a draw. Even if a kid wasn’t into it, it could be fun for them. And then maybe even open up a new interest for them. Same with Pokémon. I never got into Pokémon or Tron or Donkey Kong but can’t wait to ride those rides and see those lands. Something new and innovative!

I like more of the UO IPs than Disney ones but have more nostalgia for WDW, and like WDW better. Although UO is pretty darn close.

Though UO will attract many more visitors with their new park, I don’t believe UO will ever surpass WDW in popularity. There’s just something about WDW that is addicting and heartwarming and just draws a person back… But Epic Universe will for sure draw crowds away from Disneyworld… it will be the hot new thing in the neighborhood. And maybe thin the crowds a bit at WDW. That would be something we all would enjoy!