Universal Orlando Resort has finally confirmed the opening timeframe for highly anticipated theme park Epic Universe. Initially announced in August 2019, the "third gate" park faced a series of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted construction for nearly a year, but has now been confirmed by be open in 2025 by the beginning of the summer season.
The announcement came during Comcast’s quarterly earning call, where NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell praised the theme park division and their hard work. Shell confirmed the park’s ongoing construction and timeframe stating, “Epic is full steam ahead. I was down there a few weeks ago and the construction is going really well. We expect that park to open 2025, and certainly in time for the summer of 2025. We'll be back to you and everybody when we get more granular on the date."
Despite the delay of Epic Universe, the theme park giant has kept quite busy. 2021 saw several major attractions open worldwide in the company’s various theme parks, including the popular VelociCoaster in its Orlando Resort, a Secret Life of Pets dark ride in Universal Studios Hollywood, and the holy grail of nerdy theme park lands, Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Japan. Due to its immense popularity, Super Nintendo World has been confirmed as a land in Epic Universe, as well as an expansion to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Singapore.
"I think part of that, by the way, is because we continued to invest in our attractions during the pandemic,” stated Shell, “with the VelociCoaster in Orlando and Pets in Hollywood and Nintendo which is doing really well in Japan, and has led that park to rebound really, really quickly. So, all signs are pointed up in our theme park business and I agree we have a lot of growth ahead.” Comcast CEO Brian Roberts added, “We are going to make a fabulous park at Epic, and we are going as fast as we can now to make up for lost time.”
Before the pandemic and subsequent delays, the 750-acre park was rumored to open sometime in 2023. It will be Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park, following Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay. While only Super Nintendo World has been confirmed, rumored lands based on art work and patents suggest lands centered around Universal's iconic classic monsters, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and an additional Harry Potter land themed around the Fantastic Beasts spin-off.
As construction continues, fans wait with excitement to see more of their favorite franchises come to life and explore what will truly be, an epic universe.