Bob Iger has officially spoke out on what Disney’s plan is to combat the incoming theme park beast that is Epic Universe.
In 2019, Universal announced that Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure would be gaining a third theme park, Epic Universe, which blew the mind of the theme park community as this would be the first time that Orlando would get a full new theme park since 1999, when Islands joined Universal as well.
As for Disney, Disney’s Animal Kingdom was their latest park venture in 1998, but over the past 26 years, Walt Disney World has only added to their parks via attractions and lands, but they have not expanded their resort.
In 2013, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering Bruce Vaughn sat with Marty Sklar and spoke on the progress of Universal Creative.
At that time, Universal was developing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which became one of the most impressive and detailed theme park lands of all time, turning heads towards Universal as a possible future contender to Disney. When asked about Universal, Vaughn belittled the park, saying “that *cough* Harry Potter thing?” when asked about the park’s advancements.
Vaughn and the D23 room then laughed. The CCO then said, “Bring it on…No one can touch us.” Little did he know that within a few years, that is exactly what Universal would do.
Now, Universal’s Epic Universe is posing a massive threat to Disney, that Bob Iger has shared today during the 2024 Shareholder Meeting Iger said, “We have been aware of Universal’s plans for the creation of a new park since more than a decade […] We were able to commercially optimize and operationally our new experiences over time, rather than having to do everything at once”.
He referenced that the resort has done this with the expansion of Toy Story Land, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, the entire EPCOT expansion, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway and any other new addition that has come to the parks over the recent years.
Firstly, it is hard to ignore the comment of Iger and Disney being aware for more than a decade in regards to Epic Universe, but 11 years ago, Walt Disney Imagineering Bruce Vaughn mocked the theme park rivals when he would have known what was coming, as we discovered today. From this, it is clear that Disney either knew of Epic for over a decade, as Iger said but chose to just do small additions to their current parks instead of innovate for a 5th, or that they did not actually know, which would make Vaughn’s statement make sense.
Regardless, Disney’s official stance and rebuttal to Epic Universe has essentially already happened, according to the CEO of the company.
The new settlement between Disney and the State (DeSantis) may allow for further Florida expansion as well, Iger hinted. We do know that DeSantis is looking at Disney to fight back against Universal and supports the competition.
Epic Universe is set to open in 2025, and the company has been dropping more and more information on the lands and what they will pertain over the recent months — which is more than Disney can say as Iger stated during the call Disney has nothing “tangible” to show in regard to their $60 billion expansion plan that is supposed to increase capacity over the next 10 years.
As for a 5th gate, according to Iger’s reply today, there is no plan. That being said, when asked about a 5th gate in the past Iger just ignored responding, which is better than a “no”.
First we got a look at Celestial Park, which will be the main area of the theme park, connecting each of the other lands via their portals, and most recently, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk was shown.
“Here, guests will see what it’s like to live amongst dragons as they explore a larger-than-life world that includes exciting attractions, beloved character meet-and-greets, dining, shopping — and even flying dragons — based on DreamWorks Animation’s multi-award winning and Academy Award-nominated trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon, states a press release from Universal Destination & Experiences.
Upon entering this land, visitors are instantly transported to a cinematic realm they’ve only witnessed on screen. Designed to resemble the setting of these beloved movies, the park is adorned with intricate details of the rocky world where Vikings and Dragons coexist.
One of the park’s standout features is the sparkling lagoon, adorned with two 40-foot tall Viking statues. Here, guests can’t miss the thrilling new ride, Fyre Drill, situated within the lagoon. This interactive boat ride allows guests to embark on an adventure, armed with water cannons to shoot targets along the way.
Adding to the excitement, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders offer a family-friendly coaster experience will reach speeds of up to 45 mph as it winds its way around Berk and through the lagoon. For those seeking more thrills, Dragon’s Racer’s Rally elevates guests 67 feet in the air, allowing them to control the intensity of their ride with daring maneuvers and barrel rolls.
Younger visitors can enjoy endless fun at Viking Training Camp, a play area nestled within the park.
Beyond its exhilarating attractions, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk offers a captivating live show titled “The Untrainable Dragon,” inspired by the popular “Untrainable” show at Universal Beijing Resort. This lively production features beloved characters, stunning sets, and memorable musical numbers.
Hungry guests can refuel at Mead Hall, the park’s main dining spot, offering a variety of food options. Alternatively, quick bites are available at Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel food stand or Spit Fyre Grill, a convenient quick-service location.
For souvenirs and mementos, Viking Traders, How to Treat Your Dragon, Hiccup’s Work Shop, and Toothless Treasures provide a plethora of options to commemorate the visit.
We also know that Super Nintendo World will also be joining the park as the biggest version of the land ever created with Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, and Yoshi’s Adventure which can be found at Universal Japan, as well as the all-new Donkey Kong themed coaster, Mine Cart Madness.
Dark Universe will be themed the the classic Universal Monsters, bringing that Halloween Horror Nights feeling in year-round. Curse of the Werewolf will be a rollercoaster and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment will be a dark ride.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will also expand in the park with the Ministry of Magic dark ride titled, Battle of the Ministry of Magic.
Overall, Epic Universe is proving to be incredibly impressive as Universal’s largest expansion yet.
Furthermore, by acquiring land in the U.K. for a potential Universal Great Britain, launching Universal Beijing, constructing Universal Kids in Texas, and introducing a year-round Halloween Horror Nights experience in Las Vegas, Universal Studios is solidifying its position as a formidable rival to the House of Mouse.
Do you think Disney is ready to battle the fury of Epic Universe?