Universal CEO Mark Woodbury has spilled new details for Universal’s highly anticipated new theme park. Here are all the plans for turning Universal into a weeklong vacation that could rival the Disney experience.
Epic Universe
Universal Orlando gave theme park goers something truly groundbreaking when it introduced The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now, Universal Orlando is working on Epic Universe, an entirely NEW theme park, which will join Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure when it opens in 2025.
Universal CEO Mark Woodbury spoke at the Bank of America Media, Communications, and Entertainment Conference to deliver all the details! It was said Epic Universe will bring even more technological advances than ever before to the theme park experience.
In fact, this park could be groundbreaking in that it can add just enough in terms of guest experience to make Universal Orlando a week-long vacation destination. According to Woodbury, “Epic is really the driver of that full-week transformation to really make us the destination of choice in Orlando for families with kids eight and above.”
The 4 Lands of Epic Universe
According to Woodbury, Epic Universe will have 4 themed lands. Woodbury stated, “One of those we’ve announced will be the Nintendo Land that we created in Japan and now in Hollywood but a bigger footprint.” So, it sounds like there will be room for even MORE fun than what we have seen in California.
He went on to describe the layout of the rest remaining lands as a unique opportunity by saying, “And then three others, all surrounding a center hub, which is our opportunity to bring the park back into theme parks. This is a lush landscape, a beautiful environment with attractions, food service, all kinds of opportunities in there.”
New Technology
Woodbury also promised that Epic Universe is “the most technologically advanced park we’ve ever done.” He stated that next-generation robotic and drone technology will permeate the parks’s attractions.
Moreover, he stated that the park will also “be managed through a facial recognition, photo validation technology that will enable you to have a real — a very frictionless experience throughout your visit to all of our properties by that time in Orlando.” This may drum up some concerns for some theme park visitors who are skeptical of such technologies. However, it will likely be a welcome change for just as many visitors.
Epic Universe will bring with it facial recognition and drone technology.
Hotel Updates
There are also plans to expand Universal Orlando’s hotel capacity to 11,000 rooms by 2025. Woodbury shared, “We’re taking our hotels from the 6,000 hotel rooms up, adding another 2,000 hotel rooms as part of Epic. And with that, you’re going to see hotel integration into the park experience at a level that is really unprecedented. These hotels are part of the Epic experience in a way that is unique.”
We can’t wait for more details on the plans for this unique hotel integration!
Transportation
Next, Woodbury talked about transportation! Even the bus transportation system is getting a bit of a makeover. He stated, “We have rebuilt a road that has a center median, and on that center median will run a fleet of electric buses. And those electric buses kind of speak to our commitment to meet our Comcast objective to be carbon-neutral by 2035.”
Should You Wait To Visit Universal?
Often, when Theme Parks expand, guests hold off on visiting until after the big opening. This is especially true for those with plans for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. But, Universal has lots of plans in the works for keeping the parks exciting and enticing visitors to head their way prior to the Epic Universe grand opening.
For example, Universal Studios just reimagined an area of the park to bring you Illumination’s Minion Land, complete with an all-new attraction and plenty of fun dining. Moreover, A Dreamworks-themed Land is in the works as a draw for younger travelers. Woodbury stated, “Trolls and Shrek and the whole DreamWorks cast of characters that will come to life in Orlando.”
If you want to plan a visit, be sure to check out our guides for Universal Express Pass and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And, be sure to follow along with us at Kennythepirate.com, your source for theme park planning, as details continue to emerge!
Based on these updates, do you think that Epic Universe is setting Universal Orlando to become the destination of choice in Orlando? Let us know in the comments. And, as always, feel free to share this story with others so they can join in the fun!
Discover more from KennythePirate.com
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
What do you think?