Universal's Epic Universe Construction Thread

[Mad Dog]

I’ll just say the Mack designed boat system for Nightflight for Dollywood debuted yesterday. Here’s how it held up:

1. Was running with only 6 out of 11 vehicles
2. Back row was sectioned off, so only 8 out of 10 seats were being used.
3. It ran for only three hours.
4. By the end of the three hours only TWO boats were working.

I think Universal might have predicted these issues and decided to go a different direction.

Yeah. When I saw the video on the ride the Dollywood attraction is based on, the immediate thought that went through my mind was that it looked like something that so many things could go wrong with it. Don't need any more of those type of rides at Epic. Dependable and high capacity should be the primary ingredients.

 

[tommyhawkins]

If the rumors/speculation is that Potter is a pretty basic ride system, they really need to Transformers that thing and have it spring 2028. Monsters then take a full 2 years and open around fall. It’ll make HHN numbers go crazy at least for that year, when they make their most money anyways.

Where are these rumours that it's a basic ride system coming from?

 

[Magic-Man]

Yeah, a coaster. As we’ve been saying.

Wait, the Monsters expansion is a coaster? Then what will Potter be?

 

[Alicia]

Universal replaced one addiction (screenz) with another (coasterz)

 

[Magic-Man]

I guess an indoor coaster is a big gap in the lineup, but I don't get why it's a priority over a dark ride or a water ride. Weird choice.

 

[Killer Klown]

I kinda think there’s been some wires crossed here not gonna lie. I haven’t been able to find anything that tied the creature rumor to the rocking boat. Just Zelda

The ride building also doesn’t really seem like it lends itself well to a coaster. It’s only three stories tall and it doesn’t seem like the ride will be using all three stories.

 

[OrlLover]

I kinda think there’s been some wires crossed here not gonna lie. I haven’t been able to find anything that tied the creature rumor to the rocking boat. Just Zelda

The ride building also doesn’t really seem like it lends itself well to a coaster. It’s only three stories tall and it doesn’t seem like the ride will be using all three stories.

Once we see the ride manufacturer in the permits our question will be answered.

 

[Jake S]

Isn't the rumor that it's a coaster in the same way Gringotts is? That the ride system is, yes, a roller coaster ... but it's not exactly Revenge of the Mummy.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I guess an indoor coaster is a big gap in the lineup, but I don't get why it's a priority over a dark ride or a water ride. Weird choice.

“Coaster” as in how SSE, Imagination, and high in the sky are coasters. Or Gringotts.

 

[MagdolHauntsMe]

Space Fantasy at USJ, DarKoaster as BGW, and Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City are other examples of indoor coasters that blend dark ride elements in different ways. Some of these indoor coasters are more coaster-focused and some more dark-ride. The coaster is just a way to move guests through the experience. From what I've read (but I'm no expert) it can be cheaper to build and maintain an indoor coaster than a Kuka-arm or Scoop-style vehicle system. I think that's why BGW had to let Curse of DarKastle go and eventually replace it with DarKoaster. In theory this could leave a creative team budget for in-ride and queue theming. If the Potter and Darkmoor additions are meant to be secondary attractions to Ministry and Monsters Unchained, maybe going with indoor coasters allows Universal the $ to also make sure the theming, capacity, and overall experience is up to snuff as well. Again, I'm no expert on ride costs. Only speculating.

 

[PenguinCowboy]

Isn't the rumor that it's a coaster in the same way Gringotts is? That the ride system is, yes, a roller coaster ... but it's not exactly Revenge of the Mummy.

Interestingly enough, I have heard more aligning with Mummy than the other way around, but remains to be seen.

Certainly distinct from the Quiddich World Cup taking place across the way regardless.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

From what I've read (but I'm no expert) it can be cheaper to build and maintain an indoor coaster than a Kuka-arm or Scoop-style vehicle system.

(Or a boat and water ride system)

 

[Patrokls]

Universal replaced one addiction (screenz) with another (coasterz)

I’ll take the coasterz. I am 54 so I may be in for the screenz in a few years

 

[Alicia]

Diggers on site in Darkmoor eating the ground today

 

[DragonSlayer]

I genuinely thought Dark Universe expansion was going to be the next ‘one that got away’ — 10 years of ‘almost’, like Nintendo in USF (or the old old JP coaster discussions, TL theatre replacements…) while everyone wished for it and it got endlessly passed over for other things and eventually dropped. I’m amazed the riskiest land in Epic has actually ticked all the boxes for gsat, creative, merch sales etc sufficiently to make this happen.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I genuinely thought Dark Universe expansion was going to be the next ‘one that got away’ — 10 years of ‘almost’, like Nintendo in USF (or the old old JP coaster discussions, TL theatre replacements…) while everyone wished for it and it got endlessly passed over for other things and eventually dropped. I’m amazed the riskiest land in Epic has actually ticked all the boxes for gsat, creative, merch sales etc sufficiently to make this happen.

Oh I think there will be a lot of folks still dreaming about what the original version of this ride was.

 

[Killer Klown]

Once we see the ride manufacturer in the permits our question will be answered.

Yeah, it just seems off to me that the ride being a “coaster” is seemingly stemming from the premise that it was a rocking boat originally but isn’t anymore when from what I can find it wasn’t a rocking boat in the first place (again if I’m wrong can someone can point me to where the rocking boat creature rumor has been mentioned prior to this?)

 

[Magic-Man]

Diggers on site in Darkmoor eating the ground today

Probably too early to speculate, but Dark Universe expansion in 2028 and Potter in 2029? I doubt they would start this one first if it wasn't opening first.

 

[OrlLover]

Yeah, it just seems off to me that the ride being a “coaster” is seemingly stemming from the premise that it was a rocking boat originally but isn’t anymore when from what I can find it wasn’t a rocking boat in the first place (again if I’m wrong can someone can point me to where the rocking boat creature rumor has been mentioned prior to this?)

I’m okay with a Gringotts style “coaster” but I hope this isn’t screens galore.

The budget should be big.

 

[Killer Klown]

I’m okay with a Gringotts style “coaster” but I hope this isn’t screens galore.

The budget should be big.

Yeah I don’t have a problem with the ride system so much as I’m seeing a red flag in the origins of the “coaster” rumor itself. I just can’t find anything that actually links creature to a rocking boat from the past at all. It makes me wonder if this “coaster” rumor is spawned out of an entirely unrelated rumor (Zelda)