Credit: UniversalUniversal Orlando Resort has made massive strides in creating an immersive world for its Guests over the last decade.
Just in the past few years, Universal Orlando has opened new hotels– like Universal’s Endless Summer Resort- Dockside Inn and Suites; Universal’s Endless Summer Resort- Surfside Inn and Suites; Universal’s Cabana Bay; and Universal’s Aventura Hotel– added new attractions– like the Jurassic World Velocicoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure– and has even created its own uniquely-themed water park in Universal’s Volcano Bay.
But, the fun doesn’t stop there.
Universal Orlando Resort is always look for new and innovative ways to add to its Guest experience. Here are the latest and most extensive rumors surrounding the Universal Parks, as well as the highly-anticipated Epic Universe that is set to open in 2025.
Universal Orlando Resort Attractions Under Refurbishment
For starters, if you’re visiting Universal Orlando Resort in the near future, you might be wondering what there is to do.
Universal has an extensive selection of hotel choices that provide special benefits to its Guests. If you stay at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, or Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, you are treated to Universal Express Unlimited, which allows you to bypass the standard line queue at participating attractions.
In addition, Universal also has several other hotel options including Loews Sapphire Resort, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort- Dockside Inn and Suites, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort- Surfside Inn and Suites, Universal’s Cabana Bay, and Universal’s Aventura Hotel.
All Universal Orlando Resort hotel Guests are treated to complimentary transportation to Universal’s CityWalk and the Universal Parks, as well as Early Park Admission to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and other select attractions before the Park opens.
Universal Studios Florida Attractions
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem Rides
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
- Transformers 4D: The Ride
- Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
- Revenge of the Mummy
- Fast and the Furious Ride
- Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone
- Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster
- E.T. Adventure
- The Simpson’s Ride
- Kang & Kudos Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
- Men In Black Alien Attack
- Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley
- Hogwarts Express
- The Monster Horror Makeup Show
- The Bourne Stuntacular
- Animal Actors on Location
As of right now, Revenge of the Mummy is the lone attraction at Universal Studios Florida undergoing refurbishment, but there is more construction that we’ll get to in just a second. The popular dark-coaster isn’t expected to reopen until late summer 2022.
Universal’s Islands of Adventure Attractions
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Pteranodon Flyers
- Jurassic Park River Adventure Ride
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster
- Cat in the Hat Ride
- High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train
- Caro-Seuss-El
- One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue Fish
- Doom’s Fearfall
- Incredible Hulk Coaster
- Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
- Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-rat Barges
- Poseidon’s Fury
- Dudley Do-Right Ripsaw Falls
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Right now, Caro-Seuss-El and Poseidon’s Fury are undergoing extensive refurbishments and Universal Orlando has not confirmed when either of those two will reopen.
Related: Massive Universal Attraction Receives Extensive Refurbishment Updates
In addition, Jurassic Park River Adventure just closed for a three-week period and Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is currently closed until February 25, 2022. Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges will temporarily close from February 25 through March 18.
Every Attraction Rumor at Universal Studios Florida
Revenge of the Mummy being rethemed?
We’ll start with the most obvious. With Revenge of the Mummy undergoing lengthy refurbishment, there are plenty of rumors of what might come to the dark coaster when it reopens. Some have speculated that the ride could be turned into a Universal Classic Monsters theme.
There are posters with several classic monsters hanging on the construction walls outside of the attraction and a Classic Monsters store has taken over Sahara Traders– the Revenge of the Mummy gift shop– temporarily.
At the very least, the expectation is that the ‘hot set’ theme that is currently in place will be rethemed and those beloved Brendan Fraser videos will likely be a thing of the past.
Are the Minions replacing Shrek 4-D?
There are Minion-themed signs all over the construction walls surrounding what used to be Shrek 4-D. While Universal hasn’t confirmed, the idea for this attraction is that it will be a Villain-Con walk-through experience and not a ride. It will be using moving walkway technology. There are also rumors that the minions could eventually take over Monsters Cafe just down the street in the theme park, giving them an entire dedicated area.
Is the end near for Men In Black: Alien Attack and E.T. Adventure Ride?
There have been rumors for years that the next two rides to go might be Men In Black: Alien Attack and E.T. Adventure Ride. At this point, however, it doesn’t seem that Universal Orlando is planning to retheme or close those rides in the near future.
Both have shown their age, but they are beloved classic. Steven Spielberg has an agreement in place that if Universal gets rid of E.T., he will no longer be a consultant. Because of that agreement, we wouldn’t expect E.T. to go anywhere anytime soon.
Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone saying goodbye?
Universal did cancel its long-running show ‘A Day In The Park With Barney’ last year and there have been rumors that the KidZone, featuring characters like Woody Woodpecker, Fievel, and Curious George could be due for an update. While Universal Orlando hasn’t confirmed this, it would make sense that this area of the Park receive a retheme at some point in the future, but at least for now, it seems safe.
A new Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction coming?
Universal Orlando has filed demolition permits for the Fear Factor Live show and the rumors are that this area will now become another extension of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. While nothing has been confirmed, this attraction is rumored to be a VR experience that will allow Guests to ‘take flight’ on their own broom. It’s unclear if this will be a part of Diagon Alley or if it will be an extension of the London area at Universal Studios Florida.
Every Attraction Rumor at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Is a Toon Lagoon retheme coming?
Toon Lagoon has been around since the very beginning at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and the two rides in the area– Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges and Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls– have remained unchanged other than basic refurbishments and a lap bar that was added to Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls to ensure Guest safety on the log flume ride.
However, there is a sentiment that these rides could be rethemed at some point in the future, possibly with Toon Lagoon featuring more Nickelodeon, Illumination, and DreamWorks Animation characters. A Secret Life of Pets retheme has been rumored at times.
An update might make sense at some point, but there doesn’t seem to be any current plans in the works and it would seem that both of these water attractions are safe at least until the opening of the Epic Universe.
Will Jurassic Park River Adventure become a Jurassic World attraction?
Jurassic Park River Adventure is another attraction that has been open since the beginning at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. While there are some who believe a retheme of the ride is imminent, it would seem that the Jurassic World Velocicoaster’s opening has delayed that retheme at least for a while.
Jurassic Park River Adventure is iconic and while an update to Jurassic World might come at some point, Universal Orlando seems content keeping the ride as it is for the time being.
Will Universal replace its Marvel Superhero Island?
Ever since the Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel, there have been rumors of Universal replacing its Marvel Superhero Island. None of those have come to fruition thus far.
Universal has a strong agreement in place to use Marvel characters in its theme parks and is no hurry to make a chance. Right now, Six Flags owns the rights to DC characters in theme parks, meaning that there wouldn’t be a good alternative for Universal if it wanted to stick with the superhero theme and give up Marvel.
Is the Lost Continent going to be permanently ‘lost?’
The overarching theme with the Lost Continent is that it is here to stay at least until the inception of the Epic Universe. Poseidon’s Fury is rumored to be reopening this year and Mytho’s Restaurant is still a popular hit in the area. While there are thoughts this area could be transformed, we wouldn’t expect much to change for the next few years.
The overarching idea with most of these rethemes or attraction closures is that we’ll have to wait until the Epic Universe opens to see what Universal Orlando Resort will do next. While there is a chance that we see some sort of changes before 2025, the belief is that most of the focus in terms of development will be on the new theme park, at least for the next couple of years.
Latest Rumors on the Epic Universe
Though it was originally supposed to open in 2023, the Epic Universe experienced some construction delays related to the pandemic. The good news is that the theme park– which will be Universal’s biggest ever– is expected to open in 2025.
What are the rumored lands in the Epic Universe?
Universal has only confirmed one world to be in the Epic Universe and that is Super Nintendo World. While no official rides have been confirmed, the expectation is that we’ll see a Mario Kart-themed ride and something related to Donkey Kong in this world.
Everything else, as of right now, has been left to speculation.
Universal is expected to include more DreamWorks in the Epic Universe, but the exact attractions or movies that will be highlighted have yet to be unveiled. How To Train Your Dragon, Trolls, Kung Fu Panda, and many more have been mentioned.
Other rumored lands include a Universal Classic Monsters land and another addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This Wizarding World of Harry Potter is likely to be set around the time of Fantastic Beasts, but could still entail other areas of the beloved books and movies.
Will there be hotels developed around the Epic Universe?
Universal Orlando has already filed permits to begin construction on the hotel that will be at the back of the Park. This hotel will connect to the Epic Universe and will be a unique experience for Resort Guests. At this point, there is no confirmation on what the theme of the hotel might be.
In addition to the hotel that will be built at the back of the Park, Universal is also expected to develop hotels around the Epic Universe. There have already been permits filed for one and there is another plot right next to it that is rumored to be another hotel.
There have also been rumors that Universal Orlando could develop something similar to Universal’s CityWalk around the Epic Universe, but this is only speculation and no permits filed currently would point to this development.
What do you think of these Universal Orlando Resort rumors? Let us know in the comments!
If you want to visit Universal Orlando Resort, you can today! Click here to get your vacation started! You can go to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, then eat some dinner and grab a drink at CityWalk. Want to take a splash? Volcano Bay is ready for you. With so many fun events like Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and more, Universal will give you an action-packed adventure like you are in the movies! And, who could forget about the Wizarding World of ‘Harry Potter’! Universal is also in the midst of building its biggest theme park ever, the Epic Universe, which is set to open in 2025. Or, how about a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood to experience the movies?