Universal continues Epic reveals with Dark Universe video

serious question here:

the preview announcement stresses how cool this land will look in low light, after dark. However, given the early closing hours for the existing universal park, how many nights a year are those parks actually open when it’s dark? With the exception of the year end holiday week, and perhaps Spring Break, are the existing two parks open late enough to actually capture the mood portrayed in the concept art?

If you look at the back end of Celestial Park, by the hotel, you’ll notice a large pond with tons of fountains. All the promo art of that area also contains fireworks exploding behind the hotel. Thats because Epic is Universal’s first park not located next to a residential zone and will contain their first for real full Disney style nighttime extravaganza show. Epic will be open late, it’s just that some lands may close early for coperate buyouts, but the park can function with normal guests and private party guests mixing.

I am going to go out on a limb and assume that the brand new park will not have the same hours. But also the existing parks are open later more often than they used to be. Gone are the 5pm close days. They don't keep late Disney hours but Xmas-Mardis Gras they are open late enough for me to have more night rides on Velocicoaster than Phantom's Revenge.

Lord Gonchar:

I don't think anyone suggested as much.

It's a terrible name that's hilariously "corporate output" in nature. People actually got paid for that.

Not directly but there are at least three active threads where terrible names have been discussed. I just found it curious. People are going to call it whatever they want. My view may be colored by being from the Chicagoland area where most of us still refer to the Sears Tower, Comiskey Park, and Marshall Field's decades after they changed.

On topic this is the land I am most excited for. I love the classic Universal Monsters movies and horror films in general. The two rides look solid with some great potential. I'm excited for the restaurant and tavern too. Those look like some really cool immersive experiences.

i was just in orlando on and after Memorial day, but pre-“summer season”. Both parks closed at 7-8-9, nowhere close to dark.

I know that for summer (June 14- Aug25) they’re open late, and as mentioned xmas and spring break (some mardi gras Friday/Saturdays). That still leaves approximately 190-200 days where they currently aren’t open late enough to fully capture what is portrayed as the Darkmoor mood.

If they’re the only park open late, is there now going to be an Epcot style rush of park hoppers flooding into Celestial Park after 6? (that might be the intention, and design, fireworks, night time fountain show, etc). I’m just pointing out how the other two parks have managed to operate less hours than the Disney parks for decades, and that this will be a radical change.

Don’t forget the Studios is also open until 2 am most nights Sept-Oct, it just requires an extra ticket (HHN.)

HHN isn’t the same thing, and won’t be happening at EU anytime soon, but thanks for playing.

Well on nights HHN happens, typically IOA stays open until 9, late enough for night shows.

IOA is open until 10pm every night until August 21. After that they haven't posted the hours yet.

Edit: Saturday August 17, not 21, as I previously typed. I originally typed 21 but so meant Saturday August 17. as others have pointed out, it appears to be a buyout or other aberration.

leaving this here from my original post: still within the summer season as defined by Universal, Studios closes at 7. on a SATURDAY.

That's why we still haven't gone back with passes. Even 7 is too early on a weekday. After work, with the drive, at best I get there at 6 if traffic cooperates, and it probably won't. I love the place, but the hours suck.

I wonder if that 8/21 close is a buyout. It doesn’t help the regular guest, but it at least explains a head-scratcher.

To think the creative team at Cedar Fair could have done something similar at Kings Island by not only bringing back and expanding the Oktoberfest theme area with Der Spinnen Keggers, Vikings Fury, etc. but then used it as a portal into “The Black Forest” with haunted/sinister rides like Banshee, The Bat, Screamin’ Demon, Poltergeist Falls, Delirium, Adventure to Werewolf Canyon, etc. The former Action Zone is a concrete nightmare that could be reimagined with dense tall pine trees and maple trees for fall foliage to immerse the guest into a more natural and beautiful landscape.

CreditWh0re:

Saturday August 21, still within the summer season as defined by Universal, Studios closes at 7. on a SATURDAY.

Since August 21st is a Wednesday I assume you meant August 17th. The hours for the 18th through the 25th are 9-9. As Brian mentioned it sounds like a buyout since the hours surrounding are a few hours later.

With demand at Epic Universe I would imagine the hours would be more like IOA than Studios. Time will tell since we don't even have an opening date yet.

CreditWh0re:

HHN isn’t the same thing, and won’t be happening at EU anytime soon...

I initially envisioned Horror Nights being spread out over a large portion of the European continent.

I'm not very deep into the game anymore, but still rarely stumble over the acronyms.

EU.

Eww.

(This is in no way an indicator that I believe the park is bad in some capacity)

For clarity, we should use "UEU" when referring to Universal's Epic Universe. And DUUEU when referring to Dark Universe at Universal's Epic Universe.

Interesting, the biggest shock to me was being in Disneyland for the 50th and announcing on the speakers that instead of closing at 12am, the park would close at 1am, at a Disney castle park!

Looking at the hours this week and 12a closing all week long. Hell CP closes at 11 on Saturdays now.

I hope after Dinoland and Indy AK’s is allowed to stay open later.

I find it interesting that the MK is now open till 11, and IOA doesn’t match it.

Magic Kingdom often has late closes and will routinely close later than advertised on busy days. Those announcements are usually only made in the park day of the change but I would say Magic Kingdom probably has the most late closings of any other theme park.

Sharpel007:

Hell CP closes at 11 on Saturdays now

The name change won't be official until the Six Flags merger is completed next week.

I am curious to see how much this park suffers from the frequent complaints about new parks, where it doesn't stack up against the more established parks on the day it opens and is therefore thought of a lesser product because of it.

My closest experience would be the second park at Paris that I visited a few months after it opened or Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi which was 12 months old by the time I got there. They both felt like they could grow into whole day destinations (I am not sure either of them have done yet).

It's difficult, you can't provide several decades of development and new attractions on day 1, the pricing is high because it needs to be given all that was spent and the hype has to be there to get the folks there in the first place.

Did IoA feel complete upon opening ? I recall that they had to rush a family coaster in for the second year.