The mullti-billion dollar Epic Universe represents the largest ever theme park investment in all of Florida
It’s been rumoured for some time, but Universal has finally confirmed plans for a fourth gate in Orlando, officially unveiling its multi-billion-dollar Epic Universe theme park plan.
Announced at an official event at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Epic Universe will be the latest addition to Florida’s lucrative theme park sector and has been touted as “an entirely new level of experience that forever changes theme park entertainment.”
“Our new park represents the single-largest investment Comcast has made in its theme park business and in Florida overall,” said Brian Roberts, Comcast chair and CEO. “It reflects the tremendous excitement we have for the future of our theme park business and for our entire company’s future in Florida.”
While no specific details have been revealed about what IPs will feature (Nintendo is heavily rumoured to be included), Universal did confirm that the 3sq km (1.2sq mi) site will feature an entertainment centre, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. The development will nearly double Universal’s total available space in central Florida.
“Epic is a word that gets tossed around a lot in today’s day and age,” said Mark Woodbury vice chair at, Universal Parks and Resorts and President of Universal Creative. “When we label something as epic, we want that experience to live up to the promise that the word makes.
“Universal’s Epic Universe will offer an entirely new level of experiences that will forever redefine theme park entertainment. Guests will venture beyond their wildest imagination, travelling into beloved stories and through vibrant lands, with the journey as astounding as the destination.”
Theme park design “Our vision for Epic Universe is historic,” said Tom Williams, chair and CEO for Universal Parks and Resorts. “A Universe is bigger than a World and it will build on everything we have done and become the most immersive and innovative theme park we have ever created. It’s an investment in our business, our industry, our team members and our community.”
With Universal promising to change the game when it comes to immersive experiences with the new park, its design is the most important element. When asked about the process, Williams explained the company’s approach: “There are three key ingredients,” he said.
“The first is the environment, which hopefully people are familiar with. They want to be immersed in a world that they have become very affectionate with through books, movies and TV shows. They know it well and they want to be immersed in it.
“The second ingredient is characters. In this environment, there are characters hopefully that people of all ages and genders can identify with. We want our visitors to be part of this world along with the characters they love.
“The final piece of the puzzle is storytelling. We want to tell a story in these worlds in new and different ways.”
Technology is also a key part of the design process, with the right technology in the right place taking an immersive experience and raising it up a level:
“We want to take it to a whole other level but we don’t do technology just for the sake of technology,” said Williams. “If technologies offer us an opportunity to tell a story in a way that really sucks you into a world and makes you feel like you’re part of it, that’s when we use it.
“It’s about telling the story in the most effective way. You can see this as an example in the way we delivered Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or our brand new Hagrid ride” (see p90).
Laying the mousetrap Joining Universal Studios Orlando, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay, a fourth Universal property will offer increased competition in Florida to Disney, which operates four theme parks, two waterparks and Disney Springs in the Orlando area.
To support longer stays and to draw a larger share of the 75 million people that visit Orlando each year, Universal has significantly grown the hotel side of its business in Orlando, with the launch of its Aventura hotel on 16 August bringing its total rooms in Orlando up to 6,000 – two-and-a-half times more than just five years ago. Another hotel development from Universal opened in early July and another is set for March 2020, bringing total room count for Universal in Orlando to 9,000.
Improving Orlando In addition to investment into the new park, Orange County mayor Jerry Demings revealed Universal would also be investing US$160m in a 50/50 public-private partnership to extend Kirkman Road into the area where the new park will be located. Universal is also working to protect the wetlands on the property, which includes the Shingle Creek watershed connected to the Florida Everglades.
“The investment Universal is making in our community and the benefit all of us will see is substantial, benefitting nearly every segment of our economy – from tourism to high-tech,” he said. “The Kirkman extension will improve transportation through a busy and growing portion of our county and open up the entire area for additional development – including an important expansion of our convention centre.”
Such a major investment is projected to have a huge effect on Orlando and the wider Florida economy, with the construction of the new park alone expected to contribute a total of US$11.5bn in direct and indirect economic benefit.
At present, Universal contributes more than US$302m in annual state and local taxes. This number will nearly double when the new park opens. Universal will also hire an additional 14,000 people, adding to the 25,000 it already employs in Florida.
“Epic Universe will bring a new level of entertainment and innovation to one of our state’s most important industries,” said Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor.
“We look forward to Universal’s continued contribution to our state’s economic growth and development and we’re especially grateful for its partnership in improving Shingle Creek, which plays a critical role in serving the Everglades.”
Work has started on the development, with ground having already being broken. Universal is yet to reveal a timeline for the park’s opening.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2019 issue 3
People profile: Tom Hennes
Tom Hennes discusses how he has transformed the Empire State Building's visitor experience
People profile: Dimitrios Pandermalis
The Acropolis Museum has just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Its president, Dimitrios Pandermalis, talks about his plans to take the museum forward in the next decade and beyond
People profile: Gus Antorcha
SeaWorld's new CEO Gus Antorcha on the company's new direction as it starts to recover following several years of turmoil
Museums: A museum in motion
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image
is undergoing a AUS$40m renewal. CEO
Katrina Sedgwick talks about the plans
Tourism: The dark side
With locations like Chernobyl increasing
in popularity, Kath Hudson looks at the
dark side of the global tourism sector
Promotional feature: Whitewater
WhiteWater thinks outside the box to create memorable,
immersive experiences that go beyond the thrill
Rides: Monsters, myths and motorbikes
We take a look at some of the biggest ride
openings for visitor attractions worldwide,
including Universal’s new Hagrid coaster
Promotional feature: OurPeople
Home to the world-revered peppa pig world and welcoming more than one
million visitors every year, paultons park was voted Tripadvisor’s number
one UK amusement park for the fourth year running in 2019
The mullti-billion dollar Epic Universe represents the largest ever theme park investment in all of Florida
It’s been rumoured for some time, but Universal has finally confirmed plans for a fourth gate in Orlando, officially unveiling its multi-billion-dollar Epic Universe theme park plan.
Announced at an official event at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Epic Universe will be the latest addition to Florida’s lucrative theme park sector and has been touted as “an entirely new level of experience that forever changes theme park entertainment.”
“Our new park represents the single-largest investment Comcast has made in its theme park business and in Florida overall,” said Brian Roberts, Comcast chair and CEO. “It reflects the tremendous excitement we have for the future of our theme park business and for our entire company’s future in Florida.”
While no specific details have been revealed about what IPs will feature (Nintendo is heavily rumoured to be included), Universal did confirm that the 3sq km (1.2sq mi) site will feature an entertainment centre, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. The development will nearly double Universal’s total available space in central Florida.
“Epic is a word that gets tossed around a lot in today’s day and age,” said Mark Woodbury vice chair at, Universal Parks and Resorts and President of Universal Creative. “When we label something as epic, we want that experience to live up to the promise that the word makes.
“Universal’s Epic Universe will offer an entirely new level of experiences that will forever redefine theme park entertainment. Guests will venture beyond their wildest imagination, travelling into beloved stories and through vibrant lands, with the journey as astounding as the destination.”
Theme park design “Our vision for Epic Universe is historic,” said Tom Williams, chair and CEO for Universal Parks and Resorts. “A Universe is bigger than a World and it will build on everything we have done and become the most immersive and innovative theme park we have ever created. It’s an investment in our business, our industry, our team members and our community.”
With Universal promising to change the game when it comes to immersive experiences with the new park, its design is the most important element. When asked about the process, Williams explained the company’s approach: “There are three key ingredients,” he said.
“The first is the environment, which hopefully people are familiar with. They want to be immersed in a world that they have become very affectionate with through books, movies and TV shows. They know it well and they want to be immersed in it.
“The second ingredient is characters. In this environment, there are characters hopefully that people of all ages and genders can identify with. We want our visitors to be part of this world along with the characters they love.
“The final piece of the puzzle is storytelling. We want to tell a story in these worlds in new and different ways.”
Technology is also a key part of the design process, with the right technology in the right place taking an immersive experience and raising it up a level:
“We want to take it to a whole other level but we don’t do technology just for the sake of technology,” said Williams. “If technologies offer us an opportunity to tell a story in a way that really sucks you into a world and makes you feel like you’re part of it, that’s when we use it.
“It’s about telling the story in the most effective way. You can see this as an example in the way we delivered Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or our brand new Hagrid ride” (see p90).
Laying the mousetrap Joining Universal Studios Orlando, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay, a fourth Universal property will offer increased competition in Florida to Disney, which operates four theme parks, two waterparks and Disney Springs in the Orlando area.
To support longer stays and to draw a larger share of the 75 million people that visit Orlando each year, Universal has significantly grown the hotel side of its business in Orlando, with the launch of its Aventura hotel on 16 August bringing its total rooms in Orlando up to 6,000 – two-and-a-half times more than just five years ago. Another hotel development from Universal opened in early July and another is set for March 2020, bringing total room count for Universal in Orlando to 9,000.
Improving Orlando In addition to investment into the new park, Orange County mayor Jerry Demings revealed Universal would also be investing US$160m in a 50/50 public-private partnership to extend Kirkman Road into the area where the new park will be located. Universal is also working to protect the wetlands on the property, which includes the Shingle Creek watershed connected to the Florida Everglades.
“The investment Universal is making in our community and the benefit all of us will see is substantial, benefitting nearly every segment of our economy – from tourism to high-tech,” he said. “The Kirkman extension will improve transportation through a busy and growing portion of our county and open up the entire area for additional development – including an important expansion of our convention centre.”
Such a major investment is projected to have a huge effect on Orlando and the wider Florida economy, with the construction of the new park alone expected to contribute a total of US$11.5bn in direct and indirect economic benefit.
At present, Universal contributes more than US$302m in annual state and local taxes. This number will nearly double when the new park opens. Universal will also hire an additional 14,000 people, adding to the 25,000 it already employs in Florida.
“Epic Universe will bring a new level of entertainment and innovation to one of our state’s most important industries,” said Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor.
“We look forward to Universal’s continued contribution to our state’s economic growth and development and we’re especially grateful for its partnership in improving Shingle Creek, which plays a critical role in serving the Everglades.”
Work has started on the development, with ground having already being broken. Universal is yet to reveal a timeline for the park’s opening.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2019 issue 3
People profile: Tom Hennes
Tom Hennes discusses how he has transformed the Empire State Building's visitor experience
People profile: Dimitrios Pandermalis
The Acropolis Museum has just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Its president, Dimitrios Pandermalis, talks about his plans to take the museum forward in the next decade and beyond
People profile: Gus Antorcha
SeaWorld's new CEO Gus Antorcha on the company's new direction as it starts to recover following several years of turmoil
Museums: A museum in motion
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image
is undergoing a AUS$40m renewal. CEO
Katrina Sedgwick talks about the plans
Tourism: The dark side
With locations like Chernobyl increasing
in popularity, Kath Hudson looks at the
dark side of the global tourism sector
Promotional feature: Whitewater
WhiteWater thinks outside the box to create memorable,
immersive experiences that go beyond the thrill
Rides: Monsters, myths and motorbikes
We take a look at some of the biggest ride
openings for visitor attractions worldwide,
including Universal’s new Hagrid coaster
Promotional feature: OurPeople
Home to the world-revered peppa pig world and welcoming more than one
million visitors every year, paultons park was voted Tripadvisor’s number
one UK amusement park for the fourth year running in 2019
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
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