Guys, let’s be honest: we are all hyped for Epic Universe. I don’t blame any of you, honestly! This is a whole new theme park coming to Florida, the first major one since Islands of Adventure way back in 1999! That was such a long time ago that I was still in High School.
Now, we love when theme parks get new rides and updates, but visiting a brand new one that is built from scratch is something completely new and a very special experience that only happens once every few decades. I get all fuzzy just thinking about it.
A lot of people are wondering if Epic Universe will live up to the hype. We will have, after all, a new theme park coming out in 2024 with huge new lands, and Epic Universe promises to almost double the size of Universal Orlando! We are getting brand new roller coasters, Super Nintendo World, an area dedicated to the Universal monsters and much, much more. Everything built with modern technology and a huge baggage of experience from working in theme parks for years and years. Expectations are high, and that’s completely understandable.
Now, let’s say we move forward two years in the future. It’s 2026, and we have visited Epic Universe a few times. Anyone out there has a crystal ball to try and predict where this theme park will stand when compared to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure?
That’s something impossible to predict now. We have an idea of what Epic Universe will have for us, but not even every ride was unveiled and there are still a lot of surprises in store. However, I’m always hoping that every new ride out there, every new restaurant, every new show and every new theme park is a 10/10. Nowadays, I would rate Universal Studios a 8/10, and Islands of Adventure a 10/10. Islands is one of the best theme parks in the world, so it’s clear that Epic Universe has tough competition ahead.
Let’s not forget that it’s probably not fair to compare Epic Universe to Islands of Adventure. Islands launched back in 1999, and had more than two decades to evolve, get new updates and rides which made it what it is nowadays. In fact, two of the best rides in Islands of Adventure are fairly recent, with Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure launching in 2019 and Jurassic World VelociCoaster debuting in 2021; and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter making an appearance in 2010. Sure, Islands had some amazing attractions from day one like The Incredible Hulk Coaster and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, but it didn’t become one of the best theme parks in the world until much later on. This only shows that time is essential for theme parks to grow and change into something that is truly special for all of us.
I do believe that Epic Universe will launch in a better state when compared to Islands. It will have at least three roller coasters, a brand new interactive water ride, new shows and several new, interesting lands. I do love the idea of putting “parks” back in “theme parks” and having beautiful locations full of green where we can just sit down, relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
There is no chance that every attraction will be a complete success and get amazing ratings from the public. That’s why a lot of rides in theme parks close down with time and give space to fan-favorites that become iconic after a while. I do think that most of the rides presented to us have the potential to be at least I-wanna-ride-it-again-good. Will some of them be big blockbusters like the VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s? I sure hope so, and I will be happy if even two of them reach that status.
So, let me tackle the big question at the heart of this article. Will Epic Universe be as amazing as Islands of Adventure when it first opens? Honestly, I don't think so. But do I believe it'll get better over time and even surpass Islands? Absolutely. I mean, just think about it. They've got the potential for a Zelda land in Super Nintendo World, new Halloween events at Universal Monsters, and they can let us fly dragons higher and higher in Isle of Berk. The future looks bright for Epic Universe.
Now, we've got just over a year to wait and see if my crystal ball was right.
