A New Theme Park is Here

I was blessed to get into Epic Universe early. A few weeks before passholders got to, and several more weeks from when it officially opens. This last weekend was the first weekend that we didn’t have a trip to Epic Universe in three weeks. This was such a lucky experience, and I had some amazing days in the newest theme park of Orlando.

Unfortunately, I don’t know when I will ever get back in the park. Will it be a month after opening, a year after opening? I am not sure. Which makes me pretty sad with ho awesome this new park is. I haven’t wanted to go to any other theme park except that one. The amount of detail, the number of groundbreaking attractions, the amount of food I need to try. The hotels I need to try. There are just so many unknowns with this massive theme park that I need a few more days back there. Actually tonight, I get to tease myself even more as I eat dinner at the Helios hotel that overlooks Epic Universe.

This visit to the brand-new theme park is just a huge validation of wanting to move to Orlando. To have these unique experiences that I just couldn’t get in Panama City. The shine has worn off on these theme parks. I don’t go almost every single day anymore, but Epic was the first theme park where I am watching vloggers go enjoy the park because I can’t go. Something I would commonly do when I lived in my hometown. I have season passes everywhere but I can’t go to the theme park that I want to go.

I am a bit sad about this. I think it is mostly due to the newness but also, it is a very good product. Riding Pirates of the Caribbean is a great experience at Magic Kingdom but knowing that Monster’s Unchained is 30 minutes away makes me envious of the other side. Typically, I have thought that Disney has made the best product when it comes to theme parks. Some attractions are better at Universal, but I like Disney attractions more. They had better theming, better food, everything was better at Disney.  Now? It is a bit different. I feel like this is a huge shot back at Disney. Monsters Unchained and Stardust Racers are my favorite attractions of all time. Perhaps it is a little recency bias but they both are incredible. Not very much spinning, not very many inversions. Two perfect attractions. Also, the lands are just incredibly well themed. The feelings I get when I walk into Berk, or Nintendo World, or Darmoor at night are just unmatched. Even the weakest land, in my opinion, being Darkmoor during the day or the Harry Potter land are better than most of the lands almost anywhere. I loved the direction they went with different “worlds” with one main entrance and being completely immersed in the land. It makes the world class theming of Disney really look weak compared. And most of their lands and attractions are outdated. I love the nostalgia and the historical aspect of Disney but there is just no comparison of Pirates of the Caribbean and Monsters Unchained. One of the lands coming to Walt Disney World is the Tropical Americas. Doesn’t really roll off the tongue very well and I am not sure if it will have the level of theming as Berk does. The way all of the worlds transport you to magical places. Disney needs a huge counter. They need to announce a new theme park. Universal now has Hagrid, Velocicoaster, a world class water park and all of Epic at lower price points to compete with Disney. The level that Universal is taking their theme parks has to be a wakeup call to Disney. Seaworld is not even close. The two competitors are Disney and Universal. The crazy part is that Seaworld and Universal was a conversation 15 years ago. Now, they have been chipping away market share from all theme parks and is beginning to become an epic tourist destination. In FIFTEEN years. There are special concerns at Universal, they just don’t have the space to compete with Disney World. The way you can enter that bubble and never have to come out until the end of your vacation. Universal just doesn’t have the same as that. Dockside and Surfside are very much in the middle of tourist town Orlando. I think they have done their best with what they have and have gone above and beyond to be honest. In another fifteen years could we be talking about Universal being the King? They are throwing up parks all around the world, could they possibly be adding more parks to Orlando? They seem landlocked as of right now, just several expansion plots to spruce up Epic but no more massive land to work with. They now need to focus on Universal Studios. That park has fallen behind. Attractions are very old there. It is now starting to remind me of Epcot with it being an exclusive festival park with Halloween Horror Nights, Mardi Gras, and Christmas just to name the main ones. Unfortunately, that is the state of the park. Islands of Adventure has a strong lineup but could be improved. Once they get all the parks updated it will be a constant cycle of updating plus finding new ways to expand the parks using the expansion plots of Epic and maybe even changing cast areas at their original parks. I don’t think they will have another major theme park opening for 30+ years. They will have their hands full with the parks they have.

The ball is in Disney’s court to respond. Will a Monster’s Inc mini land and Tropical Americas be enough? I don’t think it will be. They are getting more and more outdated.