Universal Orlando Resort has been on a roll lately with announcements, confirming a new parade, nighttime show and limited-time Harry Potter show for the summer just this week. The resort also announced that the all-new Dreamworks Land at Universal Studios Florida is just about finished, and will open officially on June 14, 2024. And of course this is all in addition to the new Super Nintendo World preview happening this week for Epic Universe as well!
There is a LOT to be excited about if you are a Universal fan, and with so much happening, you might be wondering if there’s something that Universal ISN’T announcing. And if you believe the rumor mill, there is a ton happening behind the scenes that simply hasn’t been announced. From the imminent opening of the long-awaited Epic Universe preview center to an expanded CityWalk retail location and even the potential closure of a much-hated attraction, here are all the rumors swirling around Universal Orlando Resort that we can’t ignore!
1. Epic Universe preview center to open later this summer
Earlier this year Universal Orlando Resort confirmed via press release that “an interactive preview center at Universal CityWalk” will open later in 2024 and offer a sneak peek of the park. However, since that announcement almost 5 months ago, there has been no news about an updated timeframe for the opening of this exciting new location.
However, with Universal officially announcing the How to Train Your Dragon Land, Dark Universe, and Super Nintendo World, there are only a few more lands to go before the park is officially revealed, which could mean that an official opening of the preview center could come as early as June or July.
2. Summer Throwback Tribute Store to open alongside new parade and drone show
And speaking of summer openings, though Universal has confirmed that it will be throwing it back this summer with CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular, debuting in June and The Universal Mega Movie Parade, which will be marching across the park in July, they curiously have not announced what the theme for their summer Tribute store will be.
Last year, they celebrated the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park with a store that featured photo ops, props from the film, and of course limited-edition merchandise. And though nothing has been announced yet, rumors seem to indicate that a store celebrating the history of Universal Orlando Resort is in the works, with merchandise, props and more from bygone attractions, similar to the now-closed Universal legacy store.
If this is the case we’d expect an announcement fairly soon as Universal’s summer programming officially kicks off in just a few weeks.
3. Expanded CityWalk Studio store to open later this year with Nintendo-themed area
Over at CityWalk walls have gone up around the former Quiet Flight Surf Shop and Cinnabon location, which are now permanently closed. Though no replacement for these stores have been officially announced, rumors seem to indicate that these locations are going to be completely gutted and absorbed into the larger Universal Studios Store, which will use the additional space to create a new area specifically for Super Nintendo World merchandise.
4. Rip Ride Rockit set to be demolished next year
Late last year, Universal Studios Florida made a curious change to the Rip Ride Rockit rollercoaster, downsizing the on-board official playlist from 30 tracks (which have all been a part of the ride since it opened in 2009) to just 5, new tracks. No reason was ever given for this change, but it fueled speculation that Universal was looking to cut operating costs for this attraction ahead of a potential closure. And now rumors have surfaced yet again that actually suggest a closing timeframe: 2025.
Of course, this isn’t at all official, but given the negative reputation that this attraction has, we wouldn’t be surprised if this does end up being true. As for what could replace this attraction, there are plenty of options, but some have suggested a close of the Fast and Furious roller coaster that is being constructed for Universal Studios Hollywood.
No matter what happens with this attraction, it will be interesting to see if Universal actually follows through with this potential closure next year, especially as 2025 is also the year that Epic Universe is opening.
