How Will Epic Universe Impact Orlando Theme Park Crowds?
Vložit
- čas přidán 18. 06. 2024
- Universal Studios Orlando is set to unveil its most ambitious project yet, Epic Universe. This grand theme park promises to revolutionize the visitor experience, but how will it impact the attendance at the existing Orlando theme parks, especially the legendary Walt Disney World? The rivalry between Disney and Universal has always been intense, with both companies constantly vying for the top spot in the hearts of theme park enthusiasts. The competition between Universal Studios Orlando and Walt Disney World is nothing new, but the introduction of Epic Universe adds a new dimension to this battle. The park's unique themes and cutting-edge attractions, including the highly anticipated Super Nintendo World, are expected to draw massive crowds.
As Epic Universe takes shape, Disney World faces a formidable challenge. The allure of new experiences at Universal Studios Florida is undeniable, and the presence of Epic Universe in Orlando will inevitably shift some of the attendance dynamics. Disney vs Universal Orlando will no longer be just about the existing parks but about how each entity evolves and adapts to the changing landscape. Epic Universe Orlando's impact on Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Florida will be significant, potentially drawing visitors away from other attractions within the Universal portfolio. The showdown of Universal vs Disney World will likely lead to a renaissance of creativity and innovation in both camps. This clash of titans, Universal Studios vs Disney World, could usher in an era of unprecedented enhancements and expansions in the theme park industry. In the grand scheme of things, the rise of Epic Universe Universal Studios may be seen as a catalyst for growth and improvement across all Orlando theme parks. While the exact impact on attendance at existing parks remains to be seen, one thing is certain: the epic battle of Universal vs Disney will continue to captivate the imagination of theme park fans for years to come.
Sources:
Universal’s Epic move could prompt Disney to up its game, too, experts say: www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/...
1998 Theme Park Attendance: www.tampabay.com/archive/1998...
1999 Theme Park Attendance: www.tampabay.com/archive/1999...
2000 Theme Park Attendance: www.ultimaterollercoaster.com...
Walt Disney World Adds Water Park Perk for 2025 Resort Guests: disneyparksblog.com/wdw/walt-...
2024 Theme Park Attendance: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
Video Credit:
Epic Universe Construction: • Epic Universe Construc...
Universal Epic Universe - How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk: • Universal Epic Univers...
Universal Epic Universe - SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: • Universal Epic Univers...
Introducing Universal Epic Universe: • Introducing Universal ...
Virtual Tour of Walt Disney World Resort: • Virtual Tour of Walt D...
Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Theme Park Tour: • Islands of Adventure U...
Islands of Adventure Footage Best Park at Universal Orlando: • Islands of Adventure O...
Epcot Disney World 2024 Theme Park Tour: • EPCOT 2022 Walking Tou...
Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Theme Park Tour: • Magic Kingdom 2022 Wal...
Universal Studios Florida Orlando Theme Park Tour: • Universal Studios Orla...
Disney Hollywood Studios Theme Park Tour: • Disney’s Hollywood Stu...
Disney's Animal Kingdom Orlando, Florida Walkthrough: • Disney's Animal Kingdo...
Universal CityWalk Orlando Florida 2024: • Universal CityWalk Orl...
Universal Studios Islands of Adventure 2000: • Universal studios Isla...
Disney California Adventure Theme Park Tour: • Disney California Adve...
Universal Studios Escape Commercial: • VINTAGE Universal Stud...
Velocicoaster Universal Orlando Jurassic World Roller Coaster: • Velocicoaster Off-Ride...
Universal Epic Universe - Celestial Park Animated Fly-Through: • Universal Epic Univers...
Dinosaur - Full POV at Disney's Animal Kingdom: • Dinosaur - Full POV at...
Twitter: / attractionidea - Zábava
I can imagine Bob Iger and Disney's board members walk around WDW and see visitors wear Epic Universe merch 😂
I saw at least 3 in MK the other day
You think Iger and his cronies actually walk around the park? WITH THE PEASANTS!?
@@Desco9111I was about to say that too I’m like they walk around the parks and actually see what’s wrong with their parks?
I was at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and the ride attendants were roasting guests over the PA speaker who were wearing Disney merch.
I don't think Iger actually understands the parks. He just sees them as brands and dollar signs
You can walk back and forth between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. That's probably why Universal Studios didn't lose any attendance compared to others.
Good point
Yup
Though you can't walk between those parks and epic
@@metallicnole4514 True, but the free shuttle service will be a huge thing for Epic.
@@metallicnole4514unlike Disneys one big bubble, universal could pull off two seperate bubbles or campuses, with the transportation system they are offering, it’s just as good as disneys, and a 4th park could take a layout next to epic universe similar to the main layout universal already has
Son: 'Let's stay another few days Dad?! We did Epic for 3 days, let's do more!"
Dad: "Let's see... Gmaps says that its 45 minutes in bad traffic to get to Hollywood Studios! Look here. It's a 7 minute, door to door bus ride to IOA and Uni studios - AND, on a dedicated bus lane"
Universal is doing their absolute best to assure all tourists will be able to travel easily from one park to another. They are catching up to Disney, and will eventually be THE place to visit. The mouse will, as always, underestimate the globe.
@@batshtcrazy5293after epic universe it is going to be the place to visit
And the Brightline train connection taking you straight from the airport to universal property!!
@@batshtcrazy5293it already is the place to visit, with Velocicoaster and Hagrids. Universal has won over thoosies hearts, and now the general public, foo.
they said the bus ride will take 25 minutes between epic and IOA
I'm a reservations employee with the hotels(Portofino, Hard Rock, etc.) for universal Orlando and I can confirm that our attendance is down already. I'm not saying it's not busy, but it's not as busy as it usually is during the summer. People are hyped for Epic.
There are a number of issues facing the parks that are contributing to that IMO. We went to Orlando last June and decided not to go this year and instead wait for our next trip until after Epic is open and after there is a change in leadership at the governor's mansion in Tallahassee. This year we chose different travel destinations and will likely do the same next year and probably won't be back in Orlando until at least 2026.
@ashleighelizabeth5916 no offense, but good. It's overpopulated and too many foreigners in florida rn
@@ashleighelizabeth5916don’t let politics get in the way of your vacations, as a life long Florida resident it is not bad at all here, in fact never felt more safer than I do now , just come and enjoy yourself
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 this is kind of what the commenter is saying, people are doing what youre doing and waiting until epic universe opens to come next year, or 2026. Whether its because of desantis (like your example) or just people trying to save money, it doesn't much matter they're just saying this is a dead summer.
@@EmillioMelendez sorry but when you are part of the LGBT community that's not always an option.
I think we are seeing two important things at Orlando. Universal makes a move with epic universe and Disneys weakness. Epic Universe is an ambitious themepark and makes even hardcore Disney fans curios.
For Disney this park will be concerning. It may give a sizeable chunk of Disney visitors a reason to give Universal a try. These visitors may find that Universal is a better experience and become Universal fans.
As a SoCal resident, I’ve never visited Universal Orlando. I last visited WDW in August 1998 and we skipped Animal Kingdom in favor of another day at Epcot :)
@@SalivatingSteveso, are you going to give Universal a try, or…?
@@SalivatingStevethis comment was very out of place. Like wth are we supposed to do with the info you gave us??
I'll never quite understand why there's such a split with fandoms. A lot of disney fans do go to universal. Yes they will check out epic universe. But they will never stop going to disney. I will always make the comparison that disney fans are like taylor swift fans. They may listen to other artists music, but that won't stop them from being a swifty. I personally like both resorts and both have their pros and cons.
@@metallicnole4514 nah even most of Disney adults and hardcore fans are disappointed at Disney
One thing to add is that the Brightline train station will eventually be built next to EU. Not sure when that comes online, but it will only add numbers to EU. People will be able to fly in and take the train to EU and not need a rental car to be in the Universal "bubble."
That may or may not happen. They've been wrangling over how to get Brightline through Orland and out to Tampa for years now. Originally there was supposed to be a station at Disney Springs with a route that was entirely south of Orlando. Now they are talking about sharing track with Orlando SunRail and going through the heart of the city. Some are even claiming that Universal doesn't want the station near Epic but claimed to support it so that the station doesn't end up at Disney. The short answer to all of that is, 'this is all local and state politics and commercial interests competing and who TF knows when or if that station ever gets built.
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 All fair points. Although I'm not sure where the rumor about epic secretly not wanting a station near them comes from. It makes sense to me. All the convention traffic that would come in from the airport I don't see how you could pass that potential up. And the spillover effect would be that corporate interest may realign to have certain events at epic universe over Disney. That means the bright line station would Be yet another domino in Universal master plan to take business from Disney.
@@LChatmanFL whether or not Brightline builds a station there corporate events are very likely to do a huge amount of business with Epic since it's very very close to the Orange County Convention Center. In fact the station they are talking about building is actually closer to OCC then it is to Epic.
Part of what I heard was that Universal committed to do a certain amount of funding to get it built but that they might be balking at that. Another sticking point might be congestion around the station or it could be that they don't want to give up the percentage they get for all the shuttle bus trips being made to and from Orlando International.
I can tell you one thing. I Drive in the Universal to Sea World area is probably one of the most congested and fasted growing areas in all of Orlando and whatever is decided that is probably going to continue to be a concern for everybody there.
@@ashleighelizabeth5916I agree the corporate events business is about get a BIG boost. The ability to create an events package so close to OCC is going to be very competitive.
I don't know what the commitment is in dollars, but I think Universal will stick with it.
Over in the UK, they have committed helping build out the two train stations that will deposits guests right on their doorstep. So this is familiar territory.
Lastly, there is the recent news of the new Shingle Creek development district which includes another 1300 acres near and around the current 750 acres. The rumor is more hotels, possible new parks etc. Universal is playing the long game & I expect Brightline to be in the mix somehow.
You don’t even need a rental car to be in the bubble. Everything besides EU is walkable (except endless summer). And if you aren’t at EU, you can just take a less than 10 minute bus ride
I’ll be one of those new guests materializing out of thin air. Can’t wait!
As a travel agent I can tell you they will either drop a disney park likely animal kingdom or the they may drop one of the other universal parks or something I am seeing more of they will just do a full universal trip for 4 to 5 days if not longer.
Personally, i think this is a "rising tide lifts all ships" situation. Most non Universal parks will take a bit of a hit, but the larger Disney parks like Magic Kingdom and Epcot or other major parks like Sea World will probably see an increase in attendance.
I can imagine the average tourist visiting the Universal parks is probably thinking "okay two days for Epic Universe, a day for Universal Studios and Island's of Adventure, then... maybe the last day we'll visit "X" park with our extra day."
The thing is though, Disney has always survived on the guests who stay on their property for most or the entirety of their vacation. With epic universe drawing in guests to stay at universal, even for just 50% of their trip, it will still cause Disney to lose out on a piece of their revenue
Sea World draws a lot more local Florida residents than the other big parts. My last trip last June made it abundantly clear that the majority of guest in Sea World and Busch Gardens Tampa were locals.
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 Correct, they offer an annual pass for all 4 of their parks at a price point that is really affordable. I have their 4 park AP and it's only 25 bucks or so on flex pay. Plus I get 4 guests tickets each yr, cash to use in the parks certain months, preferred parking, etc. The value is hard to beat.
People have to remember that there is no attraction with a bigger draw to your average Joe than a picture in front of Cinderella Castle. MK will probably benefit from Epic Universe’s opening, especially if they add all of the capacity that’s been rumored/announced.
To be honest, it's surprising that Animal Kingdom isn't six feet under in attendance right now. Busch Gardens Tampa has all the same great animals but, they also have world class rides, lower prices, and lower crowds. Just shows how many people are loyal to Disney.
Animal kingdom needs more rides and longer park hours
Busch Gardens Tampa is like 2 hours away from the theme park capital of the world. It’s super easy to get to Animal Kingdom when it’s on the same property that most guests are at.
Plus Animal Kingdom rules, lack of rides be damned.
@@metallicnole4514 Also better transportation. The other 3 parks have many different modes of transportation to and from: bus, boat, and Monorail/Skyliner. Animal Kingdom only has bus.
@@nathanblalock7019 I've never been to animal kingdom, but it looks like the park that needs some major tlc. I always thought of it as a park that is skippable without feeling like I'm missing much
Busch Gardens offers nothing for people who aren't coaster enthusiasts, and the park itself looks abysmal compared to Animal Kingdom. It gets lower crowds for a reason.
The Elephant in the room not addressed in this video, there is not a great deal of good will towards Disney at present like it or not. Star Wars and Marvel popularity waning, polarising politics, park price increases but reduced services. Disgruntled guests now have a viable alternative to Disney in Universal
Babe wake up, Attraction Ideas just uploaded
5-6 million has to be calendar year attendance, not 12 months. All Disney and Universal parks are currently getting attendance of 9 million or more. Epic Universe won't have only half the crowd IOA gets.
Great video, a similar trend will probably happen. I think the biggest difference between now and late 90s is the presence of social media and how that will affect attendance numbers. Also Disney basically has no new attractions opening up in the next 3-4 years, I wonder how that will factor in
The answer to your first bunch of questions? Yes. Yes, its going to be insanely packed. I mean I know people are saying its too much hype, and not gonna happen. But IF the price is right, and IF they don't make it too compicated for guests, this place is going to blow up BIG! We shall see. For those of us in Florida, its super exciting!
The pandemic delayed the construction and opening of Epic by several years so there has been a LOT of time for people to anticipate this place. Social media has a bunch more information on it as well and tons of CCs are going to flood the park when it opens and upload content. If it isn't packed then something has gone terribly terribly wrong IMO.
I’m across the country and *I’m* insanely hyped. So I can’t even imagine how exciting it is to be so close to it!! 😆
I’ve always visited both universal and Disney when in Orlando. 1st time was July 1998. I’ve always told everyone that Disney was miles ahead universal, sea world, Busch garden.
Nothing compared to Disney Magic, Happy cast members, and so on.
I used to defend Disney and couldn’t believe when someone said Universal was better than Disney.
In 2022 was the first time I could understand it. I felt it too, Universal was already ahead of Disney but I was in denial.
In 2023 I was almost certain of it, been there in May 2024 and now it’s impossible to Deny.
Universal has better Employees, better rides, hotel perks, and I can remember the 1998 trip, when we didn’t need a phone to have fun or ride anywhere.
Epic will only show to everyone the simple truth: Universal is Number 1 now.
Disney's been declining for a decade tbh, but Splash Mountain's removal was the last straw. I'd rather go to universal now
Hey AI! Just wanted to say, love the current influx of video releases this past month or so. You're on a roll! Will you do a video on the topic of Disney's new ride Tianas bayou adventure?
I have no plans for a video that's specifically about it (since I probably won't end up riding it until the end of the year), but I do have a video that is tangentially related coming out in a couple weeks.
Your channel is so underrated, im so invested in your Universal studios Orlando vs Disney World saga. You are also very good at narrating your videos, you sound like everything is coming from your mind instead of a script. And your really good at captivating the audience, please keep going!
1999 was the best year for theme parks, I was 14 and had a season pass to universal. Islands of adventure was brand new and empty. MGM studios was empty too. It was great.
I think the difference with Epic this time over Animal Kingdom and Islands of Adventure is its coming at a time where there is a Disney revolt happening. Guests are actively abandoning Disney right now for their poor park decisions and lack luster offering paired with absurd pricing. Look in comments about Disney ride showcases or news and you will see so many people saying they are never going back and leaving Disney for Universal. Epic also has the advantage of likely being more affordable, less of a headache and boasting stronger IP and day one rides then Animal Kingdom. They have Nintendo plus another Wizarding World land both huge hitters and massively appealing with both a kids land and new coasters. Coming off the backs of Hagrids and Velocicoaster even the older coaster head crowd is going to want to check out their offerings. With how advertisement and hype is spread Epic is a way better advertised park and far more anticipated with constant updates and news about its development.
We last visited Universal Studios in April. We were actually contemplating whether or not to renew our annual passes. Unfortunately, Universal staff could not provide us with any information other than that Epic Universe would not be included in any foreseeable future annual passes. With the information we were given, we decided to hold off on renewing our five passes and to save our money for Epic. If we had been given any options for future upgrades on our passes or any benefit for renewing we would have. So that makes sense that attendance would suffer in the own company's parks. If there is an annual pass for all three parks we will pay more and get them. If not we will just go to Epic next year.
THAT is WILD. I have to think that policy will change by the time the park opens. It makes no sense to have an annual pass split up among the parks or that is not inclusive. They would seriously be shooting themselves in the foot if they did and it's going to create a massive imbalance in attendance between the old parks and and Epic.
Our passes expire in Dec and we probably won’t be renewing either. Won’t be able to make it back until at least August 2025 for a decent length stay. We’ll do an Orlando Informer Meetup in between if we need a visit lol
My pass renewal is on January 3rd. If they cannot guarantee me I can add epic access then I will not renew.
I am a new visitor to Universal who was also interested in getting a new Annual pass to include all parks to then do multiple Universal trips. I’ve heard the same as you and this has changed my strategy to just doing one trip for EU specifically and then just renewing my Incredipass for more Disney trips.
Last I heard we didn’t have any information on whether Epic would be included or not.
Its also going to depend on hotel costs. Right now, Disney resort fees are outrageous. With Epic adding more modern luxurious hotels, it might incline people to Stay at Universal versus Disney, which will greatly affect attendance to the parks
Except that Universal Resort hotel prices are inching upward as well. They are nowhere near the outrageous levels at Disney but they are definitely more expensive now than they were on my last trip to Universal in 2022
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 Inflation is a bitch
@@metallicnole4514 that is a fact.
That thumbnail is truly *EPIC*
I think you give Disney more credit than they deserve. The Universal Express pass for staying on property beats what Disney offers. Disney may also give you a break on something, but most people don't know about all the hidden costs. Having to buy Genie Plus and Lightning lanes in very costly but that is the only way if you want to ride the rides. I think Disney will drop slightly but I will attribute that to the current Disney backlash.
One thing to keep in mind with Disney's water park deal is that, unless I'm mistaken, guests will only be able to visit the water park for free on their arrival day. That means it's not necessarily such a good deal, especially seen as they don't usually stay open late.
I wonder what happened to SeaWorld’s attendance between 1998-2000. I could see DAK and IOA create an increase, guests adding it at the end of a trip, but I could also see people choosing to not go at all in those 3 years. Gonna have to go googling!
What happened?!?! Oh I dunno. Maybe people woke up to the fact that they have big sea animals in what amounts to bathtubs. Or maybe it's because they treat said animals as nothing more than $$$. Their coasters are insanely good, and they are much easier to afford. But people tend to vote with their hearts sometimes. It's why Disney has stupid amounts of people still going, even if the prices have gotten out of hand, while the value has dropped dramatically. DIS and SW won't fail, but they're gonna suffer for a while until they get their priorities straight, and start giving a damn about what their customers want and need.
@@batshtcrazy5293 None of that happened in that timeframe. It would be much later than 2000 before that Black Fish film came out.
I like going to seaworld because it's not that crowded. I can walk on to most of the coasters
@@metallicnole4514 depends on when you go. Last June it was like that in the early part of the day we walked right on to Pipeline, Manta, Mako and Kraken. But after lunch the park was PACKED and we stood in very long lines for Atlantis, Ice Breaker and the whitewater rafts (I forget the name).
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 The rapids ride gets the longest line. But I don't do water rides so it matters not to me. Though I think penguin trek will get a long line.
Disney has been bleeding attendance since last year… and that’s without Epic Universe even open
Sure guests will head to Universal more in the next few years, but the guests that will continue to go to Disney World are families with young kids. Universal properties have some family friendly IP but families with little little kids have more options with Magic Kingdom, Epcot for rides and entertainment geared towards their needs.
There is something that is hard to calculate, but needs to be accounted for. When California Adventure, Animal Kingdom and Islands of Adventure opened potential guests didn't have nearly as much of an idea of what to expect as they do now. Yes, guests knew what to expect from the companies, but they didn't know many specific from the parks themselves. First, there wasn't nearly as much information available about what the parks would include. Now there are construction updates, concept art, menus, ride mock up videos, interviews with creators and a ton of other information to let people know what the park will be like that wasn't available 20+ years ago. Second, Nintendo World Orlando is going to be a beefed up version than the one in LA and a fraternal twin, if not carbon copy of the one in Universal Studio Tokyo. People solidly know what to expect and they are hyped. In the past there were people that wanted to try out a park because it's new. But most people held back because they didn't know what to expect and waited for word of mouth. Since people know what to expect much better they're going to chance going sooner. Even if it's just because of Nintendo World and the obscene amounts of good reviews the other worlds have gotten on CZcams.
I also think that because Disney is offering such good deals to retain guests Universal will still be offering good deals to compete. There may be something where Epic Universe is full price, but everything else is cheaper.
M
My thought is that Epic Universe is going to surprise the hell out of everyone and do unexpectedly well bringing a sizable amount of new guests into the area. The other Universal properties will stay relatively the same or do better because of it. While Disney takes a hit because of the bad press it's been getting, there being nothing exciting going on besides the deals they're offering and Universal pulling guests away.
Honestly the opening of Epic Universe is going to be the best time ever to visit Disney. I bet the very day that park opens EVERYONE will be trying to get in there. Us smart people will be flying in and out of Tampa, staying off the resort, and enjoying the other parks Orlando with 75% lines.
I don't know, I actually like the idea of Islands of Adventure being a bit more empty allowing me to maybe get a few more rides of Hagred's
You put Mickey Mouse’s head on squidward’s body. Damn.
You figure if they get 5 million people to visit in the first year and they each spend on avg 500$. That is 2.5 billion in income from this park in its first year. I would say they will have 0 issues getting the money back they spent into making this. I would even go as further the next expansion of the park will begin if they hit that massive number starting 1 year after they open.
Great video! I can only imagine how much work went into to crunching all those numbers and changing factors. Keep up the awesome 👏 work! 👍 🙌
I hate the way everyone just brushes Animal Kingdom aside because it only has a handful of rides. CHECK OUT THE ANIMALS! That is the whole purpose of the park!
You know I’ve never been to Animal Kingdom and then I looked on the map and I did notice that there wasn’t too many rides except for a few and one being expedition Everest
He didn’t mention the 1300 extra acres Epic has for expansion. That is enough space for nearly three Epics. Disney better get going. It’ll take them years to catch up. They better have announcements during D23
I think itll make orlando explode even more tbh, its been 20 years since we have gotten a new theme park gate for major companies. Its gonna be a huge draw.
That airport is already busy AF! I can see a need for expansion again there sooner than later at this rate....
I think you are wrong to assume people will stay at Disney hotels if they are going to Universal parks because of discounts or incentives. Mainly because Disney hotels are significantly higher priced than Universal hotels. Also, the Universal shuttle buses are incredibly more convenient and run more often than Disney. We stayed at Cabana Bay and walked over to Volcano Bay in minutes, 3 days out of our "buy 3 get 2 days" park tickets deal. We had the best time of any of our Orlando vacations and couldn't stop raving/praising it for 6 months after.
I think Universal in the long run will be fine. Now if Universal was going to add a new IP to both USF and IOA, that will balance attendance and see no decrease.
The underdog that you should have included attendance for here are the Sea World and Busch Gardens parks. They’ve been rapidly adding new coasters recently. How did the opening of DAK & IOA affect the attendance at Busch Gardens Tampa and Sea World Orlando? Cos they have animals, well-themed family coasters, and even “drinking around the world” at all their parks. While this chain tends to compete more with Cedar Flags, they’re a worthy competitor in the Orlando market.
If you want to figure out the expected peak hour & daily trip counts for Epic Universe submit a FOIA request to the local government(probably City of Orlando) for the Traffic Impact Analysis and Development Impact Review. They likely had to submit that to get permits released for construction. They may fight you on it though if there is some confidential info but worth a shot.
From how Universal's going out of it's way to promote the heck out of Epic Universe especially with Dark Universe being revealed just yesterday it's clear that Universal's taking what they've learned over the years in the theme park business and learning from their mistakes like making sure their new park gets exposure this time so I wouldn't be surprised if they took into some consideration over their other parks and putting in enough new stuff to keep them attended as well. They've done a lot to garner so much good will for their parks in recent years so I can see them making sure everything as accounted for as much as possible.
As for Disney though well if Epic Universe won't end up bringing down their attendance numbers their poor decision making for their Orlando parks as well as their overall hubris for taking their position for granted will end up doing that job just fine.
The underdog that you should have included attendance for here are the Sea World and Busch Gardens parks. They’ve been rapidly adding new coasters recently. How did the opening of DAK & IOA affect the attendance at Busch Gardens Tampa and Sea World Orlando? Cos they have animals, well-themed family coasters, and even “drinking around the world” at all their parks. While this chain tends to compete more with Cedar Flags, they’re still a worthy competitor in the Orlando market (especially since DAK was a response to BGT)
Also, the world population in 1998 was under 6 billion. The world population now in 2024 is over 8 billion.
The water park deal for Disney is only good for check-in day. IDK how many people want to ride water rides right after getting off a plane🤷♀
I wonder how they treat guest that get in on a late flight after the parks close. Do they get the next day or if you come at 10PM are you just SOL?
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 Considering this is Disney, I think you're SOL if you arrive after the water parks close.
@@BeantownMrs probably. Since I'm not a morning person and always try to avoid flights that leave at the butt crack of dawn I guess I would just be, as you said SOL.
I'm holding off on going to Universal until mid-January '26 and am looking forward to lower crowds at Islands & the Studios. Orlando has needed a new gate for a long time--every park is currently too crowded.
As someone who has been a Statistical Analyst since 1985, the social climate is vastly different today than it was around 2000. The elephant in the room that few people want to talk about is Disney's choice to delve into politics, unnecessarily alienate a huge number of its following, and double down against guests who wishes not to be lectured to. All areas of Disney have suffered tremendously due to this, including the theme parks, due. Their has been down for a while. Their May numbers were way down, even on Memorial Day weekend. Disney inflicted this on themselves. With all of the above happening at Disney, them not willing to simply sell their products and services and leave the politics out of the equation, Disney Execs not taking Epic Universe as seriously as they should, and Epic Universe getting ready to be arguably the best theme park ever created, Disney will more than likely take the biggest hit they've ever taken in their existence. Again, the Orlando theme park climate is exponentially different today than it was in 2000.
I visited Disney World most years from 1977-2016, SeaWorld 1977-present, and Universal 2002-present, we attend Universal/SW exclusively in Orlando now (plus our home park here in the Charlotte area, Carowinds). Our family and some friends (10 of us) will be visiting Epic Universe together for the first time October 2025. We can't wait.
That's not really an accurate read of what happened. Disney was pushed into a corner by a demographic of employees and guests that were demanding they use their voice to oppose policies being put in place by Florida. If they continued to do nothing there was going to be a different group of people that were going to be turned off by their decision. Disney's attendance issues have far more to do with their pricing, general issues with inflation and their shrinkflation tactics (giving their guest less product for more money) than it does politics. The one thing that was really driven home to me last year when I was at Disney last year during the height of their war with the governor was that MOST people really don't give a crap about identity politics. The vast majority of people just want to be able to live their lives in peace and be able to afford a comfortable life and don't particularly care what their neighbors are doing as long as they aren't causing them some kind of direct personal issue.
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 I was also thinking that the drop in crowds at Disney theme parks was due to rising costs, but Disney continues to increase their prices to absurd levels.
Disney obviously analyzes the metrics and data, and I’m sure they’d “read the room” as far as high pricing goes, and make changes accordingly. But they haven’t. They do the opposite, they continue to increase them.
Turns out, Disney are changing their target niche/demographic. From families to DINKS. Thats why they can justify the price hikes, because the parks are no longer geared towards the average family.
I can almost guarantee little to nobody would cite "the political opinion of Bob Chapek" as a main reason for forgoing a Disney vacation. I don't know how much clearer Disney needed to make it for everyone to understand they were doing everything in their power to purposely reduce attendance while simultaneously maintaining record profits. They knew that the number one complaint of the average Disney guest for decades now was over-crowding and long wait times. How do you reconcile that, while keeping shareholders happy? Yearly ticket price increases. Scrapped complimentary airport shuttles. Switching from free to paid-for fast passes. Focusing investments on DVC buildings rather than budget friendly hotels. They did everything they could to squeeze out the lower to middle income guests. And guess what? It didn't even work. Attendance is still up year, after year, after year, after year.
thinking about going to orlando next year (for epic universe obviously) and not sure if i will bother going to disney parks. done them before and i personally prefer universal parks. i think a lot of people might be thinking the same as it isn't cheap to go there haha. a lot of people will choose between disney and universal, with epic being the shiny new thing i could see disney losing guests for a while.
2025 will be the first year we stay on property at Universal and are not planning any days at Disney. It will be entirely a Universal vacation. Don't get me wrong, Disney is great, but over the last few years there's been nothing added we need to revisit. Guardians and Tron are cool. Moana was nice, but a one and done. The EPCOT renovation is, in general, lackluster.
The opening week of epic universe might be the best time ever to visit other lesser parks in the area. Sea world, Busch gardens, funspot etc etc.
I think the argument could maybe be made that that many new people will come? I mean look what happened with Disney springs. It used to just I'll be surface-level parking, then they had a bunch of new stores and restaurants. And those are only stores and restaurants. Yet somehow, those parking garages that more than quadruple the amount of parking at Disney Springs are filled up to the max pretty much every weekend. All those new people did come and they came from somewhere.
Disney Springs and Universal City Walk are harder to quantify since you don't have to buy a ticket to get into those areas. Sure you could look at their comps on those stores and restaurants (if you have access to that information) but even that isn't the whole story there.
@@ashleighelizabeth5916 no, you don't have to buy a ticket but everything there is to do at Disney Springs is very expensive. Everything that you buy at Disney Springs is very expensive. All the food at Disney Springs is very expensive. So they still basically quadrupled or more their parking spaces and just built a few more restaurants and stores and those parking garages are still full every weekend. I wasn't making the comparison with citywalk, however CityWalk you do have to pay to park still unless it's after 6 o clock
Orlando better be upgrading that airport. They can barely handle the crowds as it is.
When it comes to Disney building a 5th gate, they really need it. Even though it would siphon tourists away from their existing parks, it would help with the overcrowding that exists there. Which would increase guest satisfaction significantly. Hopefully Universal builds the rumored 5 parks that they have room for as well.
There adding parks across the world also to who knows about the space with a 5th park
@Paulstar8004 yeah, Universal UK and potentially buying back Port Adventura. Hopefully it all happens. But Universal now has a ton of land to develop. I doubt they'll build a forth or fifth park any time soon after completion of Epic Universe. They'll likely want to see how things fare with Epic Universe and get their phase 2 off the ground that would add like 2 or 3 new portals.
@keiichimorisato98 yeah itll be a bit before they decide to add another park but i wouldn't be surprised if its on the list of ideas
@Paulstar8004 hopefully this whole thing becomes the kick in the nads that Disney needs to finally focus on actually making park improvements and add capacity instead if reducing it or changing an existing ride. They've been talking about the "Beyond Big Thunder Mountain" project for about as long as the park existed and they've done nothing with that expansion plot.
@keiichimorisato98 they did just sibmit plans about it last week well probably get more news when d23 in August about it wouldn't be surprised tho for other parks
Good point on the prediction that Universal attendance will be down in early 2025. I let my Universal pass expire back in February. I went to a Orlando Informer event at the end of 2022, then used my pass for a February trip in 2023 and 2024. I decided I had enough Universal for now, and would wait for Epic to open, and also to see how bad crowds are, how they handle lines, if they have a new pass that includes Epic Universe, etc. I feel like I might go in early 2026, but who knows.
I was going to maybe do Universal Hollywood instead in 2025, but now that the Fast and Furious coaster might not open until 2026, I am not sure when I will get out that way.
I think that Animal Kingdom and Epcot are going to both get HUGE drop-offs. People are willing to spend one of their days at THE Magic Kingdom and maybe a day at another park, usually HS because Galaxy's Edge, but 4 parks, bit of a stretch. Those two are probably going to be affected the most. Which is a bit of a shame, because AK is my favorite of the parks and I don't want Disney to desecrate it
Some of my favorite rides are at Animal Kingdom and I do like shows they have too but… it’s not enough for me to go more than a few hours before I’m like “k, saw pandora, rode Everest, let’s go to another park”. Lol
Love the content and humor. Please keep it up buddy!!
Take a shot every time he says "year over year" in this video😂
God bless! Cant wait for this park!
I don’t want to go to Epic Universe during its first year, since that’s when crowds are highest and new issues will be encountered (rides breaking down, longer waits than the parks anticipated bc the capacity turns out to not be that great, etc). So I definitely like the idea of Disney trying to “win me over” by offering me discounts. Lol
Considering IOA got 11 million last year, I don’t see why 6 million is a stretch. If anything, I think they are definitely underestimating how many people will visit
The last major theme park that opened was Legoland New York
I start puzzling for the data and answers to the same doubts and concerns from Disney fans commenting, then I remember Attraction Ideas exist😅
Great analysis. This difference time is Universal has been in a positive growth mode since the addition of Harry Potter over 10 years ago. Epic Universe is poised to become the flag ship park with expansion plots which more attractions on the horizon. Epic universe will have no other new competing this period where as Animal Kingdom vs Islands of Adventure competed for interest. Disney also skated on their reputation as the benchmark for theme parks.
After 25 years, Animal Kingdom has only added a few new attractions and has not offered many reasons to visit again. Disney does not have quite the shine that it once had.
Disney is hoping that people will still stay on property, where Disney may have some home field advantage, but staying at Universal or in the greater Orlando area gives families the flexibility of Universal, Sea World or other non-Disney parks.
Universal Studios and Islands are a little worn. But if Universal continues to upgrade all of the parks for the next 10 years, we may be seeing the epicenter of theme park interest moving out of Walt Disney World.
Epic Universe could be the end of SeaWorld, so that may help the other parks.
Universal should just buy it add a new jaws ride get rid of the animal shows and make it its 4th park universal seas of adventure that way they match disney park wise.
Great video. I appreciate the research that was put into this!
Epic Universe is actually motivating me to want to get to Orlando sooner than I would, whereas Disney World was motivating me to put it off until they sort out their capacity issues and nickel and diming, not to mention as a no-longer-Disney-adult now there's only about 3-4 rides per gate at Disney that interest me. Tokyo Disney has overtaken WDW now as the dream disney destination.
So yes universal have successfully turned Orlando from the 'Disney World trip' to the 'Epic Universe trip' once I actually researched
Epic universe will benifit both companies by bringing more tourist to Orlando
But they're not going to WDW...so I doubt it'll benefit WDW much.
@@ducktails1695Almost every tourist going to Orlando for theme parks are going to make time to visit the park with the castle- even if Universal is their focus.
@@mr.pencilsharpener8004 that may be true but the difference is, they may only spend 1 or 2 days versus 5 or 6. Time will tell long term.
I subscribed for the 1 fish 2 fish ride video that you promised in the comment section of a prior video. Looking forward to that.
This may come down to how UOAP holders can take advantage of Epic Universe. You may see UOAP sales spike if passholders can visit all three of Epic, Studios, and Islands.
Basically WDW is screwed...people are going to spend their week at UOR. There's nothing special about going to WDW today.
First time I went to Disney World was 2000 funny enough , first time at Universal was about 2003, went a further two times until 2010 when it just felt like it was not the same resort anymore to us.
another great vid!!
Genie plus and lightning lane didn’t exist.. brand value wasnt as tarnished… there are a ton of factors your early examples didn’t account for.
It really depends how universal does the tickets/passes for epic the recent rumors are annual passes wont be sold for the first year.
Somebody else said that and it would be stupid of them to do that IMO.
People who legit think that Epic Universe is going to pull that many visitors from Disney is crazy. I am a Universal fan and yes during the first year we could see less people go to Disney but Disney will remain king. Universal has a stigma that its not kid friendly and that won't change with Epic just because Mario is their. Families will go to Disneyworld and skip Universal still but they will see an increase of course. If people have to chose they will skip Universal Orlando or Islands
I think there’s a relevant difference between types of tourists, specifically international and US tourists. Seeing how Brazilians and Latinos travel to Orlando, even if we say “I’m going to Disney” it always includes all/most theme parks in the area. For Latino tourists, there’s no such thing as staying in one resort only. I totally agree, I think a lot of people will fit islands of adventure and studios in one day and use the “second universal day” for epic.
I’m looking forward to lower crowds at Studios and Islands so I can enjoy those parks while everyone hits Epic.
Don't forget in 2026 you will have the world cup here in the US with some games in South Florida.
It’s too bad Universal didn’t plan/time major new rides in their existing parks to open in 2025 too. That would have really ensured increased attendance across the board.
What if Disney is waiting to open new experiences until after Epic Universe opens? Guests will pick a new park over a new ride/land. Disney will open their expansions and such when Universal isn't adding anything that would draw crowds away. Building a new park costs more than an expansion, but both things get people through the gate.
Animal Kingdom is my favorite park, I love the safari ride, lion king musical!
Although if people travel aboard or far out of state to Orlando go epic universe they’ll most likely also go to Disney as well so will boost their attendance
Not watched the full video yet, just about 2 minutes in. I just wanna put my answer to the question you posed before you answer it
I think guests will most likely not do Animal Kingdom out of the Disney + Universal parks. It may just be my experience, but it has the least to offer the average guest
I'm very lucky to have gone to the parks numerous times with my family. Whenever we go, we tend to spend the least amount of time in that park. We're British so we value AC when available lol, so we automatically aren't the biggest fans of a park with mostly outdoor activities and smaller buildings. It's still a very beautiful park though, don't get me wrong
Not to mention with Dinoland closing soon, it'll probably have the least amount of stuff to do compared to the other Disney parks and Universal
Part of me doesn’t want the Universal Island Of Adventure retired, especially Toon Lagoon.
I love Universal and I'm excited about the new park but the hotel prices are increasing drastically. I go every September and I was comparing prices of September 2024 vs September 2025 and the hotel prices are almost double. Sadly making it unaffordable.
This is a great video with great research. However, on May 8, you said Disney was "delusional" for not being more concerned about Epic Universe. Now it seems you're saying the impact on their bottom line will be minimal outside of the first year Epic Universe opens. Which is it?
I hope Universal has good bundles/ deals next year too.
great video
Honestly I think epic universe will have a larger affect for universal. People stay on Disney property as there are so many parks. Now that universal offers 3 parks, it makes it a single resort destination.
Imagine 5 days at universal, skipping Disney completely.
This is the most fair, well-researched video I’ve seen on the topic. Great work. I think the real loser in 2025 will be SeaWorld. With 7 other theme parks in Orlando, it’s the easiest to shrug off.
keep in mind we have new players in the theme park market.
but universal and disney need to to show the newcomers like mattel adventure park,the great hearland,libertyland on how to run a theme park and suceed.
these newcomers will watch how well these two will do.
cedar fair and six flags are big threat to disney and universal along with seaworld and busch garderns etc
so these parks have to do well in the near future.
I hope this come to Hollywood ❤#DisneyDiva
I agree with some of your points for me I think Epic will 100% make all Universal parks strive. Back in the 90's and pretty much up until 2010 when they opened their first Harry Potter themed area, Disney were the top dogs. Even today when you say oh yeah I went to Orlando people say oh Disney Land? Disney has had a grasp on the Orlando theme park market. But again since Harry Potter came in and even more so when Hagrid's opened in 2019, Universal has slowly been climbing to take the top spot of Disney and Epic Universe will be the park to take the crown.
A lot of people will also take into consideration of crowd levels when comparing Disney to Universal. Epic's crowd levels will be similar to Magic Kingdoms daily crowds. Disney is an absolute nightmare for crowds and truly can ruin the experience if Disney. Disney's Genie+ is an embarrassment especially when compared to Universal's express lanes. Unless you are truly a Disney fanatic there will not be many pro's to chose Disney over Universal once Epic opens.
Disney themselves are taking a huge hit in their film and tv show production side of things where Universal have kept it simple.
The only good thing for Disney is that they may see an investment due to Epic's launch.
Also you said "people will need to appear from thin air" Well I will be one of those people and a lot of people will be travelling for this park launch and i'm sure a lot of people who haven't visited for a long time will be visiting Orlando again purely because of Epic.
Are you not counting Legoland Florida as a new Orlando park between IOA and EU because it was a retheme of Cypress Gardens or because it's in Kissimmee?
Legoland is not it Kissimmee
Legoland is between orlando and Tampa not in Orlando...
I think this might just ratchet induced demand and everyone's numbers go up, the choke point at that point is probably MCO or the expressways in the Orlando metroplex...
When I think of Epic Universe opening I think of the Kendrick and Drake beef
How did MGM drop in 1999,given RnRC opened that year
Great video but Disney is gonna take a massive hit since Tianas and Epcot overhaul and animal kingdom stuff. People are already uninterested.
%s don’t work the way you described. Negative ones can often be larger but let me explain
Say you have 100 guests, and the amount of guests you have goes up by 1000%. You would now have 1000 guests. Next quarter, it goes down by 20%. You didn’t loose 20 guests, you lost 200
But if you lost 20% in both quarters, you would still have 640 guests ,meaning you wouldn’t be down 40% when compared to the quarter you had a 1000 guests.