It’s a small miracle that Epic Universe even exists, not to mention is that this good. The third theme park at Common Orlando options revolutionary rides and lands based mostly on Nintendo, Harry Potter, Practice Your Dragon, traditional monsters and extra. As this Epic Universe evaluate will clarify, the park is one thing particular–even when imperfect and falling in need of the hype.
Epic Universe joins the Common Orlando Resort lineup alongside its two established theme parks, Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey. There’s additionally Volcano Bay Water Park and 11 resort resorts–nearly all of which have been constructed within the final decade in anticipation of this new park turning Common Orlando right into a vacation spot resort.
For its half, Epic Universe options 5 themed lands: Celestial Park, Darkish Universe, Practice Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Tremendous Nintendo World, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. The park is located on a 750-acre website with ample enlargement pads, making it the Common website with the most important footprint in the USA.
At opening, Epic Universe options 11 rides and two main exhibits, plus all kinds of atmospheric leisure, play areas, and extra. This evaluate focuses on the themed lands and Epic Universe in a holistic sense, largely eschewing the experience roster in favor of the larger image park. For those who’re in search of an easy have a look at points of interest, seek the advice of our Experience Rankings & Evaluations for Epic Universe.
What we are going to say is that 11 rides is a slightly sturdy roster for a brand-new theme park. It’s a better quantity than Animal Kingdom boasts in the present day, regardless of that park opening in 1998. When it comes to attraction lineups and the general expertise, the Walt Disney World park to which Epic Universe is most comparable is Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a park that opened in 1989.
Not solely that, however the high tier points of interest are good. We awarded three 10/10 scores and one other trio of 9/10 or increased scores. Solely a few points of interest scored under 7/10. All of that is to say that Epic Universe has a formidable experience roster from opening day.
To say theme park followers are anxiously awaiting Epic Universe can be a large understatement. It’s the primary new theme park opened by Disney or Common in Central Florida within the 2000s, following the debut of Common’s Islands of Journey and Disney’s Animal Kingdom within the last years of the Nineties.
Epic Universe is the primary main theme park in the USA since Disney California Journey debuted again in 2001. Within the 5 years that adopted, Disney debuted two new worldwide parks, the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. Clearly, these parks have been constructed by Disney and never Common. Nevertheless, they’re talked about for one easy cause: they have been all boondoggles.
For a wide range of causes, Disney underinvested within the authentic building of DCA, WDSP, and HKDL. Consequently, the corporate has invested huge sums–far exceeding their authentic prices–fixing every of those parks over the course of the final 15 years (additionally an extended timeline than the unique building). The ultimate such challenge is the reinvention of the Walt Disney Studios Park, which is to turn into Disney Journey World subsequent summer season. It needs to be epic!
After placing the challenge on ice in the course of the pandemic, Comcast resumed work on Epic Universe in March 2021. My quick response when that occurred was pleasure. That was adopted shortly thereafter by a sinking feeling, questioning whether or not Common was setting itself as much as observe in Disney’s footsteps with these ill-advised initiatives. Would Epic Universe have a 5-year preliminary build-out adopted by a decade-plus of “fixing” an undercooked idea?
Fortunately, that isn’t even remotely the case. Epic Universe is best than the Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney’s California Journey, or Hong Kong Disneyland have been when every opened within the aughts. This may seem to be feint reward, however these fears have been completely reputable. Comcast opted to energy ahead on Epic Universe at a time when financial uncertainty was excessive, inflation on supplies started skyrocketing, provide chain disruptions have been ongoing, and staffing shortages–particularly on building initiatives in Central Florida–have been rampant.
So sure, the straightforward indisputable fact that Epic Universe is opening just a few brief years later and was not value-engineered or funds lower into oblivion is a small miracle. It’s value celebrating simply what number of sources Comcast threw at this theme park, and simply how shut it seems to aerial idea artwork launched approach again in 2019 when the world was a special place. Given the encompassing actual world circumstances, Epic Universe might’ve turned out very badly–worse than Disney’s worst parks from the 2000s.
As an alternative, Epic Universe will go down as one of the vital costly theme parks ever constructed (if not the costliest), with an estimated price north of $6 billion and probably above $7 billion.
Fortunately, each Disney and Common realized loads of classes from the underbuilt parks of the aughts, making the actual query if Epic Universe lives as much as its personal hype and is best than the newer parks which have opened in Asia. Particularly, is Epic Universe is nearly as good or higher than Common Studios Beijing, Shanghai Disneyland, and even Tokyo DisneySea?
To reply that, we’ll take a portal-by-portal go searching Epic Universe, coming into by means of the towering Chronos on the entrance entrance…
Celestial Park
Whether or not arriving by means of the entrance entrance or Helios Grand Lodge, company circulation by means of Celestial Park to the left or proper of the water options that likewise circulation from Luna, goddess of the moon, to Apollo, god of the solar. With acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways, Common Orlando has boasted that “Celestial Park places the ‘park’ again in ‘theme park.’”
Celestial Park options over two-dozen lush residing gardens nestled alongside shimmering waters surrounded by gorgeous structure impressed by astronomical and mythological parts. Right here, company can calm down whereas taking within the sights and sounds round them, board a taking pictures comet for an exhilarating curler coaster journey, dine on delectable delicacies, store unique merchandise to commemorate their go to and extra.
Celestial Park’s seven acres of water the place a mess of fountains sway, dance – and even attain heights as much as 135 toes within the air – to music and interactive lighting from day to nighttime. Celestial Park acts as a world between worlds, and is basically the hub by means of which company enter the portal for every substantive land within the park. Consider it like Most important Avenue at Magic Kingdom or World Celebration at EPCOT.
Let’s half by specializing in the strengths of Celestial Park. Nighttime is an apparent one, when the realm is definitely at its prettiest–and is arguably the most effective land within the entirety of Epic Universe. (Word: this part is a summarized model of our standalone Celestial Park Evaluate: Epic Universe’s EPCOT Killer or Weakest Hyperlink?)
At nightfall, the colourful fountains and lights of Celestial Park have interaction and appeal to company as they’re leaving Epic Universe, and the elevated dynamism will make Celestial Park a draw within the night. The one drawback with that, as with the EPCOT overhaul, is that nighttime is a small sliver of the Epic Universe working day.
One other excessive level is the structure and inside design throughout Celestial Park. The land is that this cool mixture of Jules Verne, Artwork Nouveau, exhibition-architecture, and cosmos stylization. Restaurant and store interiors are all diverse and fascinating, begging to be explored. Common went above and past with these, allocating important artistic and financial sources to getting this all proper. Large kudos right here.
Sadly, Celestial Park is sort of insufferable in the course of the daytime hours because of reflective pavement, sparse tree cowl, and restricted shade—making it virtually empty at instances. That is one thing we lined at size in Why You Ought to Skip Epic Universe in 2025, so I don’t need to belabor the purpose, however Celestial Park is sizzling.
Past being sizzling, the issue is that little or no of Celestial Park is partaking or explorable. For an space that allegedly goals to place the park again in theme park, Common oddly designed Celestial Park to be guest-flow corridors. There may be little or no alternative to get misplaced alongside little trails and uncover quiet areas, sit again and calm down or just decelerate. For essentially the most half, every thing within the middle of Celestial Park is for viewing from a distance–you stroll alongside the periphery, with a few cut-through factors.
Even as soon as the bushes mature and there’s extra shade, Celestial Park is basically going to be a conduit for getting company from level A to B, no less than in the course of the daytime hours. There are only a few areas that have interaction with company, and provide satisfying locations to sit down. Celestial Park is basically one large loop of a really vast walkway–it’d work effectively as a efficiency hall if Common ever decides so as to add a parade, but it surely doesn’t really feel significantly park-like.
It’ll be fascinating to see how visitor response to Celestial Park evolves over time, or if it does. My expectation is that this space within the middle of the park will at all times hole out in the course of the daytime, with the numerous eating places and retail areas seeing comparatively much less foot site visitors and fewer patrons than these in portals. I might see Celestial Park feeling useless in the course of the day for years to return, even because the portals themselves are slammed.
Lastly, let’s discuss sightlines in Celestial Park, significantly these of Stardust Racers, an uncovered curler coaster. Disney wouldn’t have accomplished this, and there’s a sure aversion to uncovered metal (besides when defined away by story) and stringence on sightlines amongst Disney followers vs. Common followers.
Not each sightline encroachment or thematic incursion is unforgivable. Some, equivalent to seeing a German fort or Swiss mountain from Midwestern most important road are completely superb, including a component of caprice and cohesion. There’s no onerous and quick rule to this. What works or is permissible for the circumstances, based mostly on whether or not it provides to the power versus distracts from the immersion.
To every their very own, however I view the position of Stardust Racers as a internet optimistic and am not in the slightest degree bothered by seeing it from elsewhere within the park or seeing backstage from it. The coaster simply oozes pleasure and exhilaration, and the locations from which it’s seen are superb.
It’s additionally most likely honest to say “Disney wouldn’t have accomplished this” with Stardust Racers as a result of this curler coaster would’ve been the very first thing lower when the park invariably went over funds. Whereas we’ll have some “standard Common” criticism for perplexing selections all through this evaluate, one factor it fails to think about is the counterfactual if Disney constructed Epic Universe. Positive, it wouldn’t have a number of the identical sightline points, but it surely’d have 6 rides as a substitute of 11 as a result of they’d’ve every gone $100 million over funds. Oh, and the park would open in 2028.
Practice Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Talking of sightlines, we subsequent transfer to essentially the most sturdy of the portals at Epic Universe. Isle of Berk is arguably the park’s finest total land, however is one thing of a ‘warts and all’ space. Practice Your Dragon – Isle of Berk excels at capturing the guts, humor and scale of the movies.
As quickly as you step contained in the portal, you’re greeted with one of many park’s finest and largest reveals: an genuine re-creation of the rugged, rocky world the place raucous vikings and rambunctious dragons dwell collectively in concord. The panorama feels huge and all-encompassing, and the sweeping view is among the finest environments Common has ever created.
It’s actually essentially the most expansive and sweeping. Common Artistic normally does intimate settings higher, one thing that’ll be evident once we get to the opposite portals. That is the exception to that. Isle of Berk feels infinite–such as you’re immersed within the rolling hills of the Scottish or Scandinavian countryside.
That feels like excessive reward and it ought to. The waterfront vista in Isle of Berk is among the single-best in any theme park.
The issue is that this breaks down as you delve deeper into the land. A part of that is that the sightlines are an absolute mess, and never within the forgivable and eccentric approach that Stardust Racers provides kinetic power to Celestial Park.
All through Isle of Berk, you possibly can see Stardust Racers, Helios Grand Lodge, and much more that would have been hid at varied factors if even a modicum of thought got to sightlines.
Much more perplexing and disappointing is that there’s no berm round Isle of Berk. As you get wherever close to the land’s edges, it turns into apparent that Isle of Berk will not be a part of an unlimited rolling hillside that goes on perpetually.
Fairly, it’s plopped down in city Orlando, surrounded by backstage buildings, a water reclamation facility, and parking zone. This isn’t an exaggeration–all of this stuff are actually proper behind Isle of Berk.
Fortunately, you principally can not see this from the bottom stage in Isle of Berk. However there may be the distinct feeling that the land has simply been plopped down someplace, with an absence of landscaping in a approach that jogged my memory of far lesser amusement park. Much more curious is the choice for 2 of the points of interest in Isle of Berk to raise company and provides them clear-as-day views of stated water therapy plant, backstage, parking, and many others.
All of that is immersion-breaking, and is completely not what I’d’ve anticipated of this land, which is in any other case a masterpiece of themed design. Common apologists may hand-wave this away, claiming it doesn’t matter and that solely dorks fixate on these items. That’s actually their prerogative.
However for Common Artistic to have put such painstaking efforts into designing such an ornately-detailed and transportive land–just for that to be thrown out the window with the blatant visible intrusions–simply looks like a slap within the face. The sightlines completely matter in Isle of Berk, and it’s a borderline travesty that extra thought (or extra doubtless, cash) weren’t invested into fixing for them.
The sightlines in Isle of Berk are one of many greatest issues that had me shaking my head about Epic Universe, considering “standard Common.” That is in any other case such a beautiful portal brimming with consideration to element…besides on this one crucial regard.
Apart from that, Practice Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is an absolute triumph. It’s not my private favourite portal in Epic Universe, but it surely’s undeniably essentially the most full. Isle of Berk gives extra points of interest than every other land in Epic Universe, with a curler coaster, a splash battle experience, a sky-fly experience, spectacular stage present, meet & greet venue, and the park’s greatest play space.
Though it’s extra of a subjective evaluation, Isle of Berk additionally feels essentially the most lived-in of the park. The whole lot is extremely detailed, from the benches to the sunshine fixtures, and gives a home made sensibility.
There’s infinite exercise within the village of Berk, from lively dragons of their pure habitats to quirky buildings to sporadic bouts of fireside and brisk blasts of cool air. Then there are the free-roaming viking performers, who add hilarity and hijinks as they work together with each other and company (though one nearly scared me into dropping my digicam into the lagoon!).
Merely put, Isle of Berk is essentially the most alive of any portal in Epic Universe. As somebody with no prior emotional connection to the Practice Your Dragon movie franchise, I used to be blown away by the design, particulars and worldbuilding in Isle of Berk. That is exactly why my rant concerning the sightlines is so ‘passionate.’
This land comes so near greatness, is one berm away from being top-of-the-line theme park environments on the earth. Common followers may assume they’re “defending” the creatives who poured their hearts into this challenge, however they actually aren’t. Isle of Berk doesn’t aspire for mediocrity, so it shouldn’t be dismissed as such with such feeble excuses.
Tremendous Nintendo World
I’ll by no means forgive Disney for letting Common rating the theme park rights to Nintendo. Clearly, this can be a evaluate of Epic Universe and never a treatise on the largest blunders Disney has made, however that’s gotta be up there. I’m reminded of this each time Disney touts its partnership with Epic Video games, which simply looks like a determined try and chase the present factor. (Nobody will ever persuade me that Nintendo+Common and Disney+Epic makes extra sense than the opposite approach round.)
Anyway, Tremendous Nintendo World is a triumph. It’s proof that Common Artistic is each bit as succesful as Walt Disney Imagineering at adapting beloved settings from different mediums and translating them into theme parks. Simply in case anybody thought that the Wizarding World(s) of Harry Potter was a one or two off. It’s not, and this third Tremendous Nintendo World showcases Common’s skill to do for beloved video video games what it did for these books and films.
The place Tremendous Nintendo World excels most is in want success. Seeing the Mushroom Kingdom come into sight for the primary time after exiting the Warp Pipe is like stepping foot into the Wizarding World and seeing Hogwarts Citadel for the primary time. The important thing distinction being that I’m really a Mario fan.
It’s inconceivable to articulate the overwhelming rush of nostalgia and pleasure felt upon coming into this portal for a Nintendo fan. It’s all so acquainted and immediately recognizable, but completely surprising. Working across the land as an grownup is shockingly much like being in a basement again within the Nineties, and makes me really feel like a child once more.
Tremendous Nintendo World gives this unparalleled sense of communal pleasure, enjoyable and–better of all–play. We’ve seen lands which can be like moving into movie units earlier than (Vehicles Land being the most effective instance). Tremendous Nintendo World is basically like stepping foot right into a online game, doing interactivity higher than any land earlier than it. That sense of “play” is clearly finest completed by way of the Energy Up bands, however even within the absence of these, it’s endlessly partaking.
Getting into the portal and going by means of the Warp Pipe into Tremendous Mario Land looks like being transported from Epic Universe right into a 3D Mario stage. If it have been an precise Nintendo sport, the extent design can be unparalleled from an aesthetic perspective. The realm packs a strong punch in a small footprint, utilizing panorama to interact company up and down (and down and up) a number of ranges of the land.
The tight, 360-design is extremely immersive, and there may be actually one thing taking place in each path inside Tremendous Mario Land. It actually looks like a highly-concentrated Mario 3D stage, bursting on the seams with kinetic power due to the entire movement, vibrant visuals, sound design, and extra. (No sightline points right here!)
Then there’s Donkey Kong Nation. On the subject of Nintendo franchises, Donkey Kong is up there for me–increased than Tremendous Mario, and decrease than solely Zelda. This space is anchored by Mine-Cart Insanity, which envelopes the sides of the realm. Donkey Kong Nation is totally different than Tremendous Mario Land–extra linear–however, as the children say, “the vibes are immaculate.” I dare you to stroll round that space with out a smile in your face, grooving with the beat of the music. It’s candy and easy, but additionally spectacular.
Tremendous Nintendo World packs a strong punch and delivers an immense quantity of satisfaction and enjoyable. My greatest “critique” is that it left me wanting extra. This isn’t essentially a foul feeling to have, as a result of I don’t really feel that both subsection is incomplete. Fairly, it’s so good that I would like extra of it.
This land proves that these video games lend themselves so effectively to theme parks that Tremendous Nintendo World, and never Isle of Berk, needs to be the largest land. This might’ve been double its present measurement and nonetheless not large enough. It feels nearly prison that Epic Universe doesn’t have Zelda, Pokemon, Luigi’s Mansion, and a variety of different characters, settings, and eventualities (see High 10 Rides Common Orlando Must Construct in Tremendous Nintendo World.)
Common Artistic has confirmed the theme park variations of those characters are in succesful palms, and I’m actually trying ahead to see them evolve the concepts and interactive know-how over time. Frankly, I hope that is the primary enlargement to be greenlight for Epic Universe–and that the Nintendo properties are concentrated into this park versus spreading them throughout Islands of Journey and Common Studios Florida.
Darkish Universe
Darkish Universe was my most highly-anticipated new theme park land since Fantasy Springs. I used to be trying ahead to this land greater than anything in Epic Universe, and even the upcoming additions to Walt Disney World–Tropical Americas, Monstropolis, and many others.
One cause I cherished the thought of (re-)animating Darkish Universe as a land in Epic Universe was as a result of I used to be absolutely on-board for Common’s Darkish Universe cinematic universe again in 2017. That shared universe for reboots of traditional Common Monster motion pictures had great potential, and will’ve revived long-dormant franchises. And I say that as somebody who will not be usually a fan of remakes.
I additionally love what Common Artistic has accomplished with horror, and whereas this can be a far cry howl from Halloween Horror Nights, it’s no less than adjoining or within the ballpark. I used to be curious to see what these groups might accomplish when working with considerably bigger budgets and extra permanency.
Principally, I used to be excited as a result of I view Darkish Universe as authentic theme park mental property. As everybody else is gushing about how Celestial Park is an IP-less land, I’m over right here considering that reward is misplaced–as a result of Darkish Universe is the higher instance.
Nobody below the age of 97 years outdated needs to be viewing Darkish Universe as an IP land. You can not level to a single profitable movie from latest many years that gives the synergistic foundation for Darkish Universe. It’s extra a theme park adaptation, and a free one at that. The kind that’s pretty widespread with literature inspiring motion pictures and theme park points of interest that aren’t based mostly on motion pictures. Not fairly invented entire fabric, however as authentic as Frontierland or Adventureland.
From my perspective, Darkish Universe is principally a land based mostly on folklore and centuries-old horror tales. Two issues I really like. Its central village jogs my memory of a haunted Hogsmeade blended with Resident Evil 4, one other factor I really like. It’s stuffed with authentic characters and atmospheric entertainments, one more factor I actually love. It’s additionally house to Monsters Unchained, my T1 attraction in Epic Universe, and the experience I’ll be doing greater than anything within the park.
But someway, Darkish Universe falls brief for me. Maybe it’s a matter of sky-high expectations that have been inconceivable to fulfill. I hoped and anticipating Darkish Universe to be the anchor land of the park, and it positively isn’t that. Genuinely, this portal is one the place the entire looks like lower than the sum of its elements, if that is sensible.
The whole lot that Darkish Universe does effectively is completed higher by different portals. The quaint-village like setting is bested by Berk, which gives far more to discover and feels extra lived-in. The eye to element and European design sensibility is superior in Ministry of Magic. The sense of immersion and land design is best in Tremendous Nintendo World.
All of this wouldn’t be a difficulty by itself–Darkish Universe didn’t must be the best-in-class at every thing to be a top-tier portal. However there are additionally points with Darkish Universe. The land is without delay small and sprawling, with the village part feeling all-too-brief however there being an ungainly distance between it and the Burning Blade Tavern.
The sightlines and lack of berm are each bit as unhealthy in Darkish Universe as they’re in Isle of Berk. (Nothing like plopping down a centuries-old village on the sting of a Lockheed Martin campus!) Then there’s all of the netting for Curse of the Werewolf, which isn’t hid by mature bushes for causes past me, and attracts your eye away from the gorgeous Frankenstein Manor because of this. This side-by-side visible is one other reminder of Common’s worst impulses.
To Darkish Universe’s credit score, its facades are breathtaking and lavishly-designed. The Burning Blade Tavern is cool all through the day, and hot-as-heck when it’s set ablaze. The Frankenstein property is completed within the model of a European chateau, with the manor itself being one of many all-time nice theme park facades. The gothic structure is gorgeous and foreboding, and one in all many assertion items for Epic Universe. This continues on the within, from the ornate foyer with its grand staircase to the lighting–and actually every thing else.
Darkish Universe is one other superb, warts and all land. It advantages from Monsters Unchained being a high tier attraction, Curse of the Werewolf being a enjoyable coaster, together with nice eating places and retail. The atmospheric entertainers and free-roaming characters are additionally improbable, with Ygor carrying all of Darkmoor on his again (now you recognize why it’s hunched!).
However it’s a land that I wished to make a robust assertion, setting a excessive bar that will pressure Walt Disney World to up its sport to ensure that Villains Land to be the #1 ‘darkish’ land. I don’t assume that’ll be a lot of a problem, in the long run.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Upon coming into the portal to Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, you’re teleported to a brand new place and time. Move below the Phoenix Arch and also you’ll end up in Place Cachée, a pocket of Paris catering to the witches and wizards of the Nineteen Twenties! The bustling stone streets forward are lined with retailers, cafés and a collection of banners promoting Le Cirque Arcanus, all beckoning you for a go to.
I’ll be the primary to confess that I’m clueless about Harry Potter and/or Improbable Beasts. (Sure, I’ve heard the books are nice–we’ll learn them with Megatron some day!) However I do know Paris. Not essentially Nineteen Twenties Paris, though Midnight in Paris is one in all my favourite movies. I additionally recognize good and immersive themed design.
Ministry of Magic looks like a love letter to each Nineteen Twenties Paris and the Wizarding World, showcasing a Common Artistic workforce that’s each on the high of its sport and unburdened by budgetary constraints. Properly, that’s not utterly true–in a wizarding world of infinite monetary sources, this land most likely would’ve gotten a second experience. Minor element.
That apart, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is a “no notes” land for me. That is Paris accomplished higher and extra authentically than the France pavilion at EPCOT. The streets of Paris are without delay huge and imposing with a scale that’s larger and higher than even Diagon Alley, whereas additionally providing a sense of heat and intimacy. It’s pure magic…or wizardry, or no matter.
The Ministry of Magic is the structure of reassurance that’s harking back to the highest-level Disney lands, and takes the high-bar set by the prevailing Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter and manages to boost it even additional. It’s actually spectacular how Common Artistic has managed to succeed in new pinnacle after new pinnacle with this trio of lands, however that’s precisely what they’ve accomplished in Ministry of Magic.
What the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic does significantly effectively is creating a wide range of areas to discover and get misplaced in, all of that are distinctive and distinct regardless of being quintessentially Parisian. The land is subdivided extremely effectively, and has an incredible quantity of consideration to element and looks like a fully-inhabited place.
The one little bit of criticism I might see followers having for Ministry of Magic is that it lacks a focus, just like the dragon in Diagon Alley. Changing that’s, basically, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica and compelled perspective streets of Montmartre. To every their very own, however I really choose the grounded realism of this Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which trades that awe-inspiring visible for better depth.
It’s a residing, respiration metropolis that feels prefer it might go on perpetually, and is much less one-note because of this (not that Diagon Alley is one-note; I nearly really feel responsible for suggesting as a lot, simply making an attempt to play satan’s advocate on this being the higher strategy).
In the long run, I’m not a Harry Potter or Improbable Beasts fan, which most likely explains why I choose the setting I acknowledge–Paris–versus the one I don’t. This resonates extra with me, whereas I might see why some hardcore Potterheads may be much less enamored with Ministry of Magic (possibly? I’m truthfully not even positive).
What I can say with full confidence is that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is Tokyo DisneySea-caliber, and a masterpiece of Common Artistic, and an exemplar of theme park land design.
Epic Universe Evaluate – Conclusion
The comparability to Tokyo DisneySea is an effective place to wrap this up and reply the query which may now be front-of-mind: Is Epic Universe the brand new #1 theme park on the earth?
Positively not. Epic Universe doesn’t even come near dethroning Tokyo DisneySea for the highest spot. Whereas it has flashes of that high quality and a spotlight to element, there are some areas the place it’s so clearly missing that there actually isn’t a lot of a comparability. Not less than, not on a holistic stage when viewing the totality of the park.
Once more, there are completely DisneySea-esque particulars and even complete lands! And I might see Nintendo, Harry Potter, or Practice Your Dragon followers and others preferring Epic Universe. Zooming out and viewing each by means of an goal lens, Epic Universe as an entire falls far in need of Tokyo DisneySea.
Then once more, so does each different theme park on the earth. And whereas many people have been hoping for a brand new contender for the throne, I don’t assume we needs to be all that stunned by this. Tokyo DisneySea captured lightning in a bottle, coming alongside at a singular second in time below the precise proper circumstances and with the proper sources.
It’s sort of just like the pyramids. I truthfully query whether or not it’s even doable to construct Tokyo DisneySea these days, particularly because the latest port-of-call in that park, Fantasy Springs, arguably has extra in widespread with Epic Universe than the remainder of that park–regardless of each having sky-high budgets.
On the very least, I feel it’s extremely unlikely {that a} for-profit firm might construct a Tokyo DisneySea-quality park in 2025. (So possibly there’s nonetheless hope with Disneyland Abu Dhabi?!)
That’s why the extra apt comparability might be Shanghai Disneyland, which is a extra favorable comparability for Epic Universe. (Even then, Shanghai Disneyland was barely a for-profit endeavor, because it was a legacy challenge for Disney’s CEO and half-funded by the Chinese language authorities.)
Epic Universe has so much in widespread with Shanghai Disneyland, from each being blockbuster mental property playgrounds to each being house to some true fashionable marvel points of interest that push the technical and artistic envelope. Whereas Shanghai Disneyland remixed the fort park components to make one thing new, Epic Universe reinvents the studios park model with its portals that provide self-contained IP playgrounds.
With each of those parks, there have been issues that the evolution they introduced didn’t advance the medium of theme parks, however slightly, made it extra about manufacturers and IP portfolios than it’s about bigger-picture concepts or unifying ideas. Epic Universe pays face to the latter with its Chronos and portals, however on the finish of the day, it’s an IP park, by means of and thru.
Actually, at the same time as somebody who prefers the fort park or Tokyo DisneySea model, this doesn’t actually trouble me that a lot. The only IP land conceit isn’t that outdated, and there’s nonetheless loads of inventiveness and originality to be present in this kind of challenge as Common Artistic and Walt Disney Imagineering discover its bounds.
Epic Universe faucets into that, with lands that which can be concurrently IP-centric and locations that individuals need to go to–a quaint European village, the streets of Paris, the viking-inhabited countryside, and the Mushroom Kingdom (okay, that final one is pure IP). I by no means as soon as felt IP fatigue in Epic Universe, and that’s regardless of solely having a eager curiosity in Nintendo.
Finally, Epic Universe is a good theme park. It’s not an ideal theme park, however it’s higher than anybody might have realistically anticipated again within the shadow of the pandemic when this challenge resumed. For Epic Universe to be opening solely 4 brief years later with this robust of lands, this sturdy of a experience roster, and shockingly little left on the chopping block is really and sincerely a small miracle.
Epic Universe is definitely the most effective Common theme park I’ve ever visited, a league above its counterparts in Central Florida (and making them look subpar by comparability). Epic Universe can also be the most effective opening day Common or Disney theme park exterior of Asia within the 2000s, and Florida’s first new full-day park in ages. It’s fairly the feat for a brand-new theme park in 2025.
Suffice to say, Epic Universe is the actual deal–with a formidable attraction slate, themed lands, consideration to element, and a few nice authentic concepts. It’ll be loads of enjoyable watching Epic Universe develop and blossom into its personal within the years to return. From the get-go, Epic Universe would be the favourite theme park of many guests to Central Florida, giving no less than 2 of the decades-old gates at Walt Disney World a run for his or her cash.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Epic Universe? Have a favourite portal: Tremendous Nintendo World, Darkish Universe, Isle of Berk, or Ministry of Magic? Do you assume Epic Universe is on par with Shanghai Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea? Is it the most effective Common theme park, and one that offers Walt Disney World a run for its cash? Agree or disagree with our evaluate? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share every other ideas or questions you will have within the feedback under!
