It’s not every year or even every decade that a major new theme park by an industry leader opens in the United States. Yep, after a major wave of expansion around the New Millennium (creating Animal Kingdom, Islands of Adventure, and California Adventure), Disney and Universal have gone pretty silent on the domestic theme park front… until now.
There’s not a theme park enthusiast alive today who doesn’t know about Universal Epic Universe – the celestial third gate en route to the ever-expanding Universal Orlando. Though Universal’s technically been mum about what this otherworldly theme park will include, we’ve taken a look at its thrilling Celestial Gardens hub, and then passed through the four inter-dimensional portals leading guests into immersive lands themed to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Harry Potter, How To Train Your Dragon, Universal Monsters, and of course, Super Nintendo World.
But even as fans online track every development of the brand new park that just might shift the gravity in Orlando for good (the numbers are already leaning in Universal’s direction…), there’s a selfish, lingering question out there: what’s next?
As theme park insider @TommyHawkins illustrated beautifully in an early (and so far, accurate!) look at what insiders expect Epic Universe to entail, both major and minor expansion pads exist all around the park – from single-acre spots where a flat ride or restaurant could be built onto an existing land, to a 20-acre zone that could fit Galaxy’s Edge and Avengers Campus combined… So if Epic Universe is the smashing success most industry enthusiasts expect, then it’s worth talking about a “Phase II” of this multi-billion-dollar park and which new portals may power-up before we know it…
1. Middle Earth: The Realm of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy adventure series The Lord of the Rings (and by extension, its legendary trilogy of film adaptations released in 2001, 2002, and 2003) remains of the few major, theme-park-able IPs that’s left “out there,” unclaimed and largely undeveloped despite how well it seems to align with the “Living Land” model. Given our recent look at how the films’ remaining sets have become tourist attractions in their own rights, there’s clearly a hunger to step into the high fantasy world of Middle Earth.
That’s not to say theme park operators haven’t tried. Disney allegedly began to woo the rights-holders to the Rings books and films in the 2000s, as a potential new addition to Animal Kingdom. Then, rumors suggested that the “Blue Sky” version of Epic Universe had a Lord of the Rings land before it was pared down to its current five-land layout. Part of the problem is that the rights to The Lord of the Rings are complex – split between Warner Bros.’ New Line Cinema, the Tolkien Estate, Middle-Earth Enterprises, and now, Amazon Studios. But Universal made a similarly complex relationship work with Harry Potter, so it’s possible!
In other words, if Epic Universe is a runaway hit, look for The Lord of the Rings as a serious contender for the large, 20-acre expansion pad set aside between Potter and the Starfall Racers coaster.
And that’s not the only major IP that insiders say is a logical next step for Epic Universe…
2. The Pokémon World
Like Middle Earth, bringing to life the world of Pokémon seems like a shoe-in. The only hold-up has been that – like The Lord of the Rings – the rights here are complicated. Universal may have forged a lofty global partnership with Nintendo, but that covers only part of the predicament. The Pokémon Company is only partly owned by Nintendo, with Creatures, Inc. and Game Freak being partial owners, too. Universal has been granted The Pokémon Company’s approval to begin playing with the franchise, but so far, only via a limited partnership in Japan (which has yielded a Pokémon float in a parade).
Here at Theme Park Tourist, we played around with the idea of bringing a full Pokémon land to Islands of Adventure – a pretty fun creative exercise. And frankly, it probably does make sense to follow the Wizarding World model and have Universal Orlando spread out its Nintendo fare across its parks (for example, Mario & Donkey Kong in Epic Universe, Pokémon at the Studios, and Zelda at Islands of Adventure). But it’s hard to look at that 7.5 acre expansion pad next to the existing Super Nintendo World and not imagine a Pokémon metropolis as a perfect fit for the portal-laden Epic Universe.
Sometimes, a “Phase II” expansion doesn’t have to mean a brand new land! Just consider that already, rumors are swirling about “plusses” planned for each of Epic Universe’s themed areas…
3. Across-Park Plusses
Sometimes, a “Phase II” expansion doesn’t have to mean a brand new land! Just consider that already, rumors are swirling about “plusses” planned for each of Epic Universe’s themed areas… For example, a small 3-acre expansion pad within the park’s so-called Dark Universe of classic movie monsters was allegedly planned to become a Creature from the Black Lagoon adaptation of the Lost Legend: JAWS. It could also be used to build the theater once planned for the land (but replaced by a spinning Wolf Man-themed coaster).
We recently covered the latest rumors to be dug up by our friends at Orlando Park Stop, supposing that the park’s Potter land (which is curiously set in France) might gain a full-service restaurant allowing guests to dine in Hogwarts’ Great Hall…. Yes, that’s confusing given that Hogwarts is actually at Islands of Adventure… but suffice it to say, the Floo Network will be working overtime in this French-set corner of the Wizarding World, also allowing its main attraction to take place near Diagon Alley even though that’s already brought to life at Universal Studios. (We already feel bad for Universal Team Members who will be contending with angry guests who’ve gone to the wrong park day-in and day-out!)
And with additional expansion acreage set aside in Super Nintendo World and the Isle of Berk, make no mistake: the best way to strengthen Epic Universe post-opening might be to deepen and enrich its existing lands!
What do you think? Which of these three directions should Universal Creative head when it comes to building out its already-enormous Epic Universe? What do you hope to see in the second wave of additions at this park? Which IPs are worthy of bringing to life in this celestial, otherworldly wonderland?
