by Ray Keating
Analysis
DisneyBizJournal.com
June 21, 2024
Should Disney and CEO Bob Iger feel angsty about Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe opening in 2025? Bob says “no,” but the answer is “yes.”
And it has been a “yes” for a while now, but after seeing Universal’s video introducing its Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe, now it’s a BIG “YES.”
Watch the following video, and decide for yourself. But especially as a fan of the Universal monster movies, this looks, well, epic.
When asked about Epic Universe at the MoffetNathanson’s Media, Internet & Communications Conference in mid-May, Iger did what any good CEO should. He sounded reasonable and confident. As noted by CinemaBlend, Iger reportedly said, “As we’ve seen in the past, when Universal’s expanded it does bring more visitation to Orlando. That’s fine. We've had competition from them for a long time. I'm mindful of what they're doing. But I’m confident. I like our hand. I’m confident in what we’ve built and I’m confident in what we’ll continue to build. It's not something that should be distracting to us or anxiety-provoking.”
Well, okay. But given the creative lull – to be generous – that Disney clearly is currently suffering, I’m not sure Iger would say the same thing a few drinks in at a bar and the conversation off the record. (I’m buying, Bob.)
While that’s pure, tongue-in-cheek speculation, the reality is that Universal Epic Universe looks like a formidable challenge for Disney – more so than what it’s faced before from Universal Orlando – with five lands opening in 2025. Consider what’s coming.
%20Dark%20Universe%20Portal.jpg)
First, Dark Universe, according to Universal, “will envelop guests in monstrous adventures across various attractions, shops, restaurants and character meet and greets that will thrill everyone from families to classic Monster fans alike.” Dark Universe will bring together legends like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Bride of Frankenstein, with a new generation of monsters and characters. And this promises to be family-friendly, but also pushing the boundaries of such friendliness with greater “intensity.”
%20Dark%20Universe%20-%20Bat's-eye%20View.jpg)
Darkmoor is the “ravaged village within Dark Universe,” and among its features will be:
• “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – Universal Orlando’s most terrifying attraction yet, this state-of-the-art dark ride takes guests deep into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein conducts her twisted experiments. In a vain display of her genius, she invites guests into her laboratory to witness a demonstration of her ability to control monsters – but her plans go awry when her attempts to control the most dangerous of monsters, Dracula, fails, unleashing a horde of enraged monsters. Guests are then thrust into an intense ride through the darkness as they try to evade the grasps of The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula and others.”
• “Curse of the Werewolf – Deep in the woods that sit on the edge of Darkmoor, guests will find Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster inspired by ‘The Wolf Man.’ Guests will enter the encampment of The Guild of Mystics where they’ll be greeted by the Maleva, the guild’s all-knowing seer and leader, who warns them that they bear the mark of the werewolf. Guests then board a wagon and venture into the forest – racing to escape the werewolves before they become one themselves.”
• “Das Stakehaus – Darkmoor’s most ominous restaurant, this establishment is a dining hall run by vampire ‘familiars’ who size up unsuspecting patrons to be part of the vampires’ feast. Surrounded by artwork and artifacts detailing the history of the village’s creatures of the night, guests can enjoy a menu of kebabs, burgers, sandwiches and more.”
• “The Burning Blade Tavern – Despite the blades of the windmill still smoldering and flaming periodically, Darkmoor’s monster hunters have transformed this old fiery mill into their favorite hangout. While enjoying a menu of burgers, wings, bratwurst, pretzels and specialty beverages, guests will hear stories of the infamous ‘Hounds’ – boastful hunters from beyond Darkmoor – all while surrounded by an impressive display of the monster heads they consider their ‘trophies.’”
And there’s more. Yes, Iger should feel anxious.
Consider some choice features for SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. Universal explains, “Inside SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, guests will be able to explore Super Mario Land – where they’ll enjoy adventures alongside Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and other characters; and Donkey Kong Country – where they’ll encounter thrills featuring Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong and other members of the Kong family.” Among the experiences will be:
• “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge: Guests are invited to join Team Mario and battle Team Bowser for the Golden Cup in this groundbreaking attraction that fuses augmented reality, projection mapping technology and elaborate environments to bring the fun of the Mario Kart video game series to life in a compelling ride-through experience. Guests up for the challenge will enter through Bowser’s Castle – where they’ll wind its corridors and get a glimpse of Bowser’s deceptive plans to stack the odds in his favor – before boarding their kart and heading to the starting line. Then, guests steer through a variety of Mario Kart courses – collecting coins, tossing shells at Team Bowser, dodging obstacles, and more – as they join their favorite characters and compete to help Team Mario win the race.”
• “Yoshi’s Adventure: The delightful Yoshi’s Adventure attraction will make its U.S. debut when SUPER NINTENDO WORLD opens at Universal Epic Universe. On this family-friendly ride, guests of all ages will enjoy breathtaking views of Super Mario Land as they join Yoshis and travel through Mushroom Kingdom landscapes in search of glowing eggs – encountering many familiar characters along the way.”
• “Mine-Cart Madness: Guests will hop into a mine cart and careen through the jungle to help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the coveted golden banana on this first-of-its-kind family coaster. Utilizing an unprecedented ride system, innovative technology and a unique coaster design, Mine-Cart Madness will send riders on a thrilling adventure where they will experience the jaw-dropping maneuvers that they’ve seen Donkey Kong and the mine carts perform in the video games – including getting blasted out of a barrel, seemingly jumping over gaps as they speed along a rickety track, and so much more.”
Hey, Bob, still no angst? Well, there’s still more. How about “dragons in a colorful, fully-alive world filled with Viking adventures in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk”? Among the experiences in this land will be:
• “Hiccup’s Wing Gliders – On this family thrill coaster, Hiccup invites brave new Vikings to take a ride in his latest glider contraption – a winged flying machine that launches aspiring Dragon Riders into the sky for a dragon’s eye view of Berk. Guests will fly alongside Hiccup and Toothless and reach speeds up to 45 mph as they soar around the perimeter of Berk – and even through the lagoon – while experiencing firsthand what it’s like to fly on a dragon.”
• “The Untrainable Dragon – Inspired by Universal Beijing Resort’s wildly successful ‘Untrainable’ show, this dragon-filled live spectacular takes guests on an unforgettable journey with beloved characters Hiccup, Toothless, Gobber, and Astrid as they work together to solve the mystery of The Untrainable Dragon. This heartwarming story comes to life with captivating musical numbers, breathtaking sets and life-sized dragons soaring overhead.”
• “Fyre Drill – Mischievous Viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut invite teams of Vikings to compete to out score and out-soak each other on this wet-and-wild boat battle. Guests will board a colorful dragon-headed boat and blast water cannons at flame-like targets to practice putting out fires – a crucial skill to master when living with dragons.”
• “Dragon Racer’s Rally – Berk’s new Vikings racers can practice aerobatic maneuvers and high-speed barrel rolls on two Viking-made dragon-riding trainers that reach heights of up to 67 feet in the air. Guests can control how ‘wild’ or ‘mild’ their experience will be as they perform high-flying, gravity-defying, swooping and soaring skills that are necessary to earn the accolades worthy of a true champion dragon racer.”
• “Mead Hall – The beating heart of Berk and the village’s main gathering hall, Mead Hall is where guests can feast like a Viking and enjoy a savory menu featuring a variety of meats, fish, sandwiches and more along with a collection of meads and ciders.”
And what about Celestial Park, which is referred to as “the heart of Universal Epic Universe and the first world guests will encounter at the new theme park.” What could possibly be included there that would warrant noting? Well…
• “Stardust Racers, a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest of them all. Reaching speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track, Stardust Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience with unique maneuvers such as the ‘Celestial Spin,’ in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air – creating an ‘out-of-this-world’ adrenaline rush.”
• “Constellation Carousel – the grand centerpiece of Celestial Park. Here, explorers of all ages will take a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward – and even make 360-degree rotations – through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight.”
• ‘Astronomica, an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass rose to the many wonders of Epic Universe, featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests.”
• “An array of unique dining experiences” will include “Atlantic – a full-service restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium complete with captivating views of Celestial Park.”
• Located “inside Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park is Universal Helios Grand Hotel, designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite – complete with 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park.”
I admit that one word comes to mind: Wow! And we’re still waiting on key details for “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic” land.
Finally, while there is some truth in what Iger said about Universal’s expansion bringing more people to Orlando, and that can be good for everyone, including Disney, that effect only goes so far. Why? Because individuals and family budgets only go so far, especially given our inflation challenges over the past two-and-a-half years.
And it needs to be understood that Epic Universe will have, as Universal puts it, “more than 50 awe-inspiring attraction, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences.” Yes, given the size of Disney World, Universal is still playing catch up. But catch-up also can lead to leaping ahead in key areas.
As an economist, I understand the benefits of competition, and having businesses vying to better serve consumers. And Walt Disney World apparently is going to see a major step up by its chief competitor, and that’s good news for theme park lovers. Whether it will be good news for Disney depends on how it responds.
__________
Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more.
Never miss any new book by Ray Keating by joining the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship with Ray Keating at
https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship.
Various books by Ray Keating…
• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 19 books in the series now.
• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon.
• Order The Weekly Economist III: Another 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, and The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist at Amazon.com.
• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.raykeatingbooksandmore.com.
Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.
No comments:
Post a Comment