Universal has opened several new attractions in the last few years, with Fast and the Furious: Supercharged, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon at Universal Studios Florida and Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Islands of Adventure representing the newest class of Universal attractions. However, though these attractions garnered some attention when they opened, they haven’t really had much of an impact long term, and in the case of the Fast and the Furious attraction, have actually gotten some backlash for not living up to expectations.
And while Universal may be working on their new tentatively-named (and still unannounced) Fantastic Worlds theme park behind the scenes, they still have some construction plans for their current park, including a ride that is going to open in just a few months!
1. Today Cafe
Image: Universal
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: Spring 2019
Universal Studios Florida has been looking to parent company Comcast’s NBC corporate offices in New York for inspiration a lot lately, with the most famous example being the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon attraction, which opened in 2017, and is modeled after 30 Rockefeller Plaza, which houses several NBC Studios, including that where the Tonight Show is filmed. And now it looks like Universal is drawing on its entertainment offices in NYC for another attraction: a restaurant inspired by the TODAY show.
Designed to look and feel like Studio 1A in New York City where TODAY broadcasts daily, the new TODAY Cafe will serve grab and go meals, snacks and coffee. Guests can sit inside and watch a live TODAY broadcast or sit outside in a specially designed area meant to recall the TODAY plaza in New York City.
This new dining location is replacing the former Beverly Hills Boulangerie quick service stop at the front of Universal Studios Florida, and across from the Universal Studios Store. No specific opening date has been announced, but according to the official announcement from Universal, this new dining location should be opening sometime this spring.
2. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Image: Universal
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: June 13, 2019
Back in 2017 the Dragon Challenge roller coaster closed forever, and Universal confirmed that replacing this attraction would be an unnamed Wizarding World dark ride that “will take [guests] deeper into J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, where you will encounter some of your favorite characters and creatures”. And then, just a few days ago, Universal officially announced Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
Set within the original Harry Potter universe (and not the expanded Fantastic Beasts world) this new attraction that will bring guests flying on Hagrid’s motorbike beyond the grounds of Hogwarts castle on a roller coaster ride, where they’ll see “some of the Wizarding World’s rarest magical creatures.”
Though Universal hasn’t shared much about the plot of this new attraction, it is now calling this the most “highly themed” roller coaster ever in a Universal park, and has confirmed that it will be opening in just a few months on June 13th. You can learn more about this upcoming attraction here.
3. Untitled live action experience (Project 126)
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA 2019 (?)
Terminator 2: 3D closed forever back in 2017, and while it has been over a year and a half since this attraction shuttered its doors forever, details are still scarce at the moment about what is going to eventually be housed in this massive theater space.
Universal has previously confirmed that the theater that formerly housed this attraction will not remain empty, saying that “an all-new live action experience based on a high-energy Universal franchise” that’s set to open in 2019. However, considering we’re almost a quarter of the way into 2019 and so far there have been no announcements about what the future occupant of this space will be, we’re starting to wonder if this project has stalled.
The lone update about this project comes from the Orlando Business Journal, who reported last year that permits were filed for a Project 126 (rumored to be the new show coming to this theater) that seemed to indicate that some construction work was happening inside this facility. But aside from that and the occasional social media report of movement inside this theater, nothing has been reported yet about this project, which definitely has us scratching our heads in regards to this project.
While a lot of the future of Universal Orlando Resort is still shrouded in secrecy, we do know one thing for sure: the next few years will be quite exciting for theme park fans in Orlando. With ambitious projects in the works at both Universal and Disney parks, it has never been a better time to be a theme park fan. Which of these new projects are you most excited to see?
