Universal Orlando starts pitching Epic Universe with details about Celestial Park

PhantomTails:

You'll be scanned for a ticket every time you enter a portal to a specific themed area.

This seems as annoying as going to Magic Kingdom

PhantomTails:

Anyone can go into Celestial Park, even without a ticket.

Where are you getting this info? Since we're casually looking into a trip in the next couple years I've been digging a little (albeit nothing too in depth), and anything I see beyond a bit more detail into Celestial Park says that further details are coming later, which makes sense as we all have a trip around the sun before the place opens.

I'm just not seeing how a park with rides/attractions (now matter how few) is just open to the public. I would envision the exact opposite.

OhioStater:

we all have a trip around the sun before the place opens

Unless you are a flat earther.

Does that mean the park opens sooner for them?

Free admission into Celestial Park is the rumor I've been hearing about for a while now. Cameras are said to scan everyone's face as they enter and let them pass if they have a ticket. Reasons for this theory, is that they are adding hidden security stations near each portal into each themed area, each themed area has a designated entrance and exit, and that Universal has been testing facial recognition technology for a while now. The published designs and actual buildings are showing that this could be true.

However, I do not believe it myself. I believe it was an idea they had at one time but changed their mind recently. I could be entirely wrong. The main entrance doesn't appear to me to be built to do this, and I don't understand how they would allow access to the coaster and carousal without adding more hassle. I could be wrong though. Using facial recognition technology may become the way theme parks operate in the future.

Can you imagine this technology becoming a part of our everyday life? It's pretty interesting to me. If used for good, it could be amazing. If used for evil, it is really scary. Some police already use something like this with license plates. A camera attached to the cop car scans every license plate it comes by, quickly compares it to a database of plates that need attention.

It is rumored that some Walmart stores have facial recognition technology like this used in their stores. It is said they compare every customer to a database of "banned" or previously suspected people as they enter the store. I worked close with loss protection when I worked at Walmart. I asked if this was true or not and it wasn't confirmed either way. Need to know basis, I guess.

LostKause:

and I don't understand how they would allow access to the coaster and carousal without adding more hassle

Unless those too have facial recognition at the entrance of the attraction.

But I don't understand the benefit to have this area of the park open for anyone and not require addmision. Unless it is filled with shopping/restaurants like CityWalk and Springs, and is advertised heavily as such, I find it hard to believe Universal wants a cool spot for locals and tourists to just hangout at.

The parking will be 99 dollars.

Not only have I not seen "the hub will be free" I also haven't seen "each land is separately gated."

I wonder if people looked at the portal design with no lack of land-to-land access and are making assumptions? Either way, my money is on "no free hub."

I could have sworn there was information from Universal that this was their plan but I can't find it and don't really want to keep looking.

This article says the following.

Epic Universe will take this to a new level, potentially allowing access to the central hub of the park to everyone, while restricting themed lands and rides to ticket holders. This “Open Hub” concept, if implemented, could transform the park into a more inclusive and accessible space, with facial recognition scanners at land entrances ensuring smooth entry for guests.

"potentially" is doing a lot of work there, given the evidence appears to be this:

Speaking at the Bank of America Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference, Woodbury said the new park is the “most technologically advanced park” yet for Universal. This park will also usher in the use of “facial recognition, photo validation technology” that will allow guests to have a “frictionless experience” at this park, as well as at the company’s other parks in Orlando.

Link: https://www.hollywoodreport...235591019/

Yeah, that could have been the original plan in the blue sky phase but once they realized they wanted attractions in that land, the idea was tossed. Or not and we will have to wait for more details.

What are the chances they open the hub to the public and just sell individual tickets for the hub rides? Doesn't seem like it'd be too hard to incorporate such sales into their app.

What would the draw to only visit the hub be though? A few restaurants and shops? Maybe the entertainment around the big fountain will be free? What's the vision? Will tourists visit a theme park without wanting to access the themed areas? Locals?

I can't wait for more information.

I'm thinking it's something along the lines of City Walk, maybe on a slightly smaller scale. I could see that it might be a draw for resort guests on a day they aren't paying to go to one of the parks. Like an arrival or departure day destination.

If you ever wondered how suggestions fester into fact, look no further than this thread.

Yeah, I should have qualified what I said with, “I don’t think this is actually happening.”

Hey now, the Lemon Chill guy has been turning suggestions into fact for far longer than this thread.

I think the suggestions in this thread are coming from us trying to make sense of the rumors already out in the wild. I don't see any of them being factual until they are corroborated by Universal.

The easiest way to make sense of that rumor is by saying: "That rumor makes no sense."

So now there will be three separate Harry Potter lands? Too much of a good thing?

3 Harry Potter lands means Potter Heads have to visit all three parks, making Universal more money. Unlike WDW where a lot of patrons only visit MK as that’s the iconic park, Universal guests typically visit both parks. Thats either a more expensive ticket or a longer stay. It’s smart business sense.

Rumors have them planning to do this again with Nintendo, Mario & DK in Epic, Zelda in IOA (rumored replacement for Lost Continent,) and Pokemon at the Studios (rumored replacement for the Simpsons and the 2 Sprung tents used for HHN.)