3
Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicThe new Comcast Q4 2023 earnings report is now out, and with it, we have the current stats of the Universal theme parks, and what guests can expect when it comes to the future of Universal Orlando Resort.
Now that the pandemic is over, we are once again seeing an increase in travel and tourism back into the state of Florida. While things are looking better than 2020 and 2021, theme park attendance is still not what it used to be. At Walt Disney World, we have continued to see guest count on the lower side in comparison to previous years, and now, Universal is following in the footsteps of Mickey Mouse.
At Universal Orlando Resort, guests have the option of visiting either Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure. Additionally, guests can enjoy CityWalk with no admission, and if they want a splash, they can purchase a ticket for Volcano Bay. With all of these options, guest attendance has been reported down in terms of revenue.
It was reported that there is a lower revenue at Universal Orlando, but still above “comparable pre-pandemic 2019 levels”, however, on the other side of the country at Universal Studios Hollywood, we saw that Super Nintendo World continued to bring financial success to the park, with their revenue increasing.
Overall, revenue was up 12.2% to $2.37 billion, which does show upward progress.
One thing that these numbers prove, however, is that by 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will be a dominating force in the theme park industry. If Super Nintendo World was credited for the financial success of Universal Studios Hollywood, one can only imagine what Epic Universe will do for the Orlando theme park mogul.
Epic Universe will not only contain a Super Nintendo World, but it will be the largest to have ever been built, with three attractions: Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Donkey Kong Mine Cart Coaster, Universal Studios Hollywood only has one attraction in the land. This new land is expected to be more on scale with Universal Studios Japan, which hosts a two-story Super Nintendo World, but with only two rides.
On top of that new land, we will see an expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as the Ministry of Magic comes to life from both the J.K. Rowling novels as well as the Fantastic Beasts franchise. A new Dark Universe will also emerge, bringing the classic Universal Monsters characters to life. Considering the popularity of Halloween Horror Nights and all things spooky, this new land will surely drive guests.
As Theme Park Tourist wrote, “Progress is taking place in Darkmoor, a themed village with a massive, ominous mansion looming in the background. This mansion will eventually house this land’s main attraction, rumored to be titled “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment”, a dark ride that will utilize a four-person bench attached to a robotic arm similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Another ride is currently taking shape in the area—a steel coaster dubbed “The Curse of the Werewolf”. As the name implies, this coaster will feature appearances from the Wolf Man and will take guests on a wild chase through the woods.”
A How to Train Your Dragon land will also exist within a larger celestial-themed park, that will also have a grand hotel attached to it. With new state-of-the-art attractions, shopping, dining, and resorts, and nothing coming down the pipeline for Disney World, we will certainly see attendance flourish at Universal in the coming years.
Reporter Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) shared that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts on Epic Universe, “It’s completely original. It’s maybe the most exciting project I’ve seen since we bought NBCUniversal getting built…we’re so excited, we’re taking the board of directors to see the construction in the next couple of weeks…” The CEO continued, “Y’all will wanna be there.”
With all of this knowledge, it seems that Universal feels confident that the money that they are putting into the park, and the slower climb to pre-pandemic revenue will rectify itself once Epic Universe is able to open.
With attendance already down, and only one new attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, confirmed to open within the timespan of now until Epic Universe’s reveal, they may lose some of their guests to the theme park giants next door. When guests visit Orlando, they only have a select amount of days that they are able to visit theme parks, and both Universal and Disney want to be chosen.
While Epic Universe may give Disney some extra traffic, it seems likely that those who have been to Orlando in the past will want to see the new “original” theme park, as opposed to Disney, which will be the same as they last saw in 2024. On top of that, the report confirms Comcast was the #1 studio in worldwide box office for the first time since 2015, beating out Disney in the entertainment department as well.
Do you plan on visiting Epic Universe when it opens in Summer 2025?