Universal's Epic Universe General News & Discussion

[DOOMBOT]

If memory serves me correct, I think Hagrids was in the top five in TPI's 2024 rankings. Bottom line though, all the attractions on your list
are excellent. Compliment to Monsters for being rated so high in their first year. That says a lot.

Despite seemingly consistent technical issues, it's a well-plotted attraction with really bold special effects, tech, and scope, paired with incredible operations and throughput, and tied to a classic fan-favorite IP. It's thankfully very difficult to argue its' merits. It's wonderful to see a Universal Classic Monsters ride get this much acclaim.

If we get Creature this decade, I feel like a major reason for that would be just how big of a win Unchained has been for UDX.

 

[Lightningbolt]

I would never wait more than 60 minutes for flight of passage. Hagrids is a much, much better attraction and it ain't even close.

Facts. I genuinely do not understand why people like FOP so much. Very overrated imo. Quite literally is just a single screen and some scents. I’d replace FOP with Ministry any day of the week on this list.

 

[belloq87]

Flight of Passage is the most successfully-executed pure simulator in the major Orlando parks.

It couldn't make the cut of my personal top favorite attractions, but I totally get the appeal: bright, colorful 3D animation, great music, and excellent pacing (the "breather" scene in the cave is an inspired moment before the ride ramps up for the climax). And the feeling of flight is something a lot of people find exhilarating.

I also wouldn't wait an hour for it, but I'm not sure I'd wait an hour for anything at this point (unless it's something new-to-me).

 

[DOOMBOT]

Flight of Passage is the most successfully-executed pure simulator in the major Orlando parks.

It couldn't make the cut of my personal top favorite attractions, but I totally get the appeal: bright, colorful 3D animation, great music, and excellent pacing (the "breather" scene in the cave is an inspired moment before the ride ramps up for the climax). And the feeling of flight is something a lot of people find exhilarating.

I also wouldn't wait an hour for it, but I'm not sure I'd wait an hour for anything at this point (unless it's something new-to-me).

Walking up to and sitting on a pretty standard bike-style seat, only to "plug in" to your Avatar body and suddenly feel the Ikran breathing between your legs? That effect still wows me to this day. Such a simple illusion, but it's so wonderfully tactile and magical.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Never mind, not worth it.

 

[UOR92]

Where’s Simon and that diabolical news?

 

[DOOMBOT]

This post is about Epic Universe sightlines.

It's a thought I've had since my first visit, but a more recent trip is the reason why my mind has been on the subject.

Most of Celestial Park has solid sightlines showcasing cool elements of the other lands. They all feel purposeful and well-coordinated to create a dynamic view all around you. While not entirely seamless, they keep you within the liminal, interconnected world of Celestial pretty solidly.

Darkmoor's Monsters Unchained showbuilding has wonderful stonework lining its' outer walls, covering up what would clearly be a tan box building, just like the other lands and Helios utilize.

---

So, given all of that ... why is the view from Celestial Park towards Paris dreadful? To me, it's equivalent to the ugly scaffold-littered backside of Galaxy's Edge prominent on the drive up to DHS. Could they not theme the Potter showbuildings like they did for Unchained? or the huge outer structure of Nintendoland? Why is it that looking towards Potter from any angle feels like looking backstage, when every other land looks great? It's so strange to me.

Was the Potter store really meant to cover more of this up? Or did they just not think that much about it? Was it a Joanne / WB request? Cost-cutting measure?

 

[Clive]

This post is about Epic Universe sightlines.

It's a thought I've had since my first visit, but a more recent trip is the reason why my mind has been on the subject.

Most of Celestial Park has solid sightlines showcasing cool elements of the other lands. They all feel purposeful and well-coordinated to create a dynamic view all around you. While not entirely seamless, they keep you within the liminal, interconnected world of Celestial pretty solidly.

Darkmoor's Monsters Unchained showbuilding has wonderful stonework lining its' outer walls, covering up what would clearly be a tan box building, just like the other lands and Helios utilize.

---

So, given all of that ... why is the view from Celestial Park towards Paris dreadful? To me, it's equivalent to the ugly scaffold-littered backside of Galaxy's Edge prominent on the drive up to DHS. Could they not theme the Potter showbuildings like they did for Unchained? or the huge outer structure of Nintendoland? Why is it that looking towards Potter from any angle feels like looking backstage, when every other land looks great? It's so strange to me.

Was the Potter store really meant to cover more of this up? Or did they just not think that much about it? Was it a Joanne / WB request? Cost-cutting measure?

Thank you. I was getting to this in my review, but it is the most abhorrent and baffling view in the entire park. They even made an effort to theme some of it with the mural advertisements... and then they just... stopped? If they'd simply finished the rest of the bare buildings that way, I think it would've looked great. But it looks hideous even from prime tables in The Atlantic.

The Untrainable Dragon building, by comparison, is barely a blight!

 

[Alicia]

This post is about Epic Universe sightlines.

It's a thought I've had since my first visit, but a more recent trip is the reason why my mind has been on the subject.

Most of Celestial Park has solid sightlines showcasing cool elements of the other lands. They all feel purposeful and well-coordinated to create a dynamic view all around you. While not entirely seamless, they keep you within the liminal, interconnected world of Celestial pretty solidly.

Darkmoor's Monsters Unchained showbuilding has wonderful stonework lining its' outer walls, covering up what would clearly be a tan box building, just like the other lands and Helios utilize.

---

So, given all of that ... why is the view from Celestial Park towards Paris dreadful? To me, it's equivalent to the ugly scaffold-littered backside of Galaxy's Edge prominent on the drive up to DHS. Could they not theme the Potter showbuildings like they did for Unchained? or the huge outer structure of Nintendoland? Why is it that looking towards Potter from any angle feels like looking backstage, when every other land looks great? It's so strange to me.

Was the Potter store really meant to cover more of this up? Or did they just not think that much about it? Was it a Joanne / WB request? Cost-cutting measure?

Not just the Potter gift shop on the left, but the canceled Meteor Burger on the right would have blocked the worst backstage view with those backstage stairs behind the alley section of the land.

Otherwise, there’s meant to be trees blocking much of it, but there just not there right now.

 

[GAcoaster]

And that's why they had to have the scenic painters go in and give character paint to the backs of the buildings last minute-- they weren't going to be visible until they were.