10
Credit: Inside The Magic2025 will be a big year for both Disney and Universal, though one may be favored to come out on top.
Related: Pirates of the Caribbean Suffers Emergency Breakdown, Guests Scream and Urinate in Theme Park Water
The rivalry between Universal and Disney dates back decades, primarily due to both having theme parks in California and Florida. Disney and Universal’s theme parks are all worthy of guests’ time, but considering just how expensive a trip can be, the majority of guests may only see one or the other if they are able to plan a trip at all.
This “rivalry” is mostly kept alive by fans, as both Universal and Disney tend to stick to their own lane, though the two have certainly taken shots at one another on occasion.
The official social media account for the Universal Orlando Resort can be quite playful and borderline mean when it comes to calling out The Walt Disney Company, though these jabs never manifest into something concrete or viewable by guests inside the theme parks.
However, 2025 may be the year many hardcore Disney World fans are swayed in Universal’s direction, with the two companies embracing drastically different approaches in the new year.
Disney World’s Impending Closures
Related: Disney Faces Criticism After Fans Find ‘Lazy’ Mistake
The Walt Disney Company will use 2025 to begin construction on some of its upcoming attractions and expansions. Classic areas and experiences, like Magic Kingdom’s Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, as well as DINOSAUR, will be closed in 2025.
Disney first hinted at these large-scale changes years ago at a D23 event, announcing it was in the early stages of overhauling DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
This announcement was eventually followed by other bombshells, with Disney’s 2024 D23 event being one of the biggest in the company’s history.
Alongside the closure of Magic Kingdom’s waterways, the park will also receive a brand new land inspired by some of Disney’s most iconic villains, something that has been rumored for decades. Magic Kingdom will also get a new area themed to Pixar’s Cars franchise, including at least two new attractions.
These changes and closure continue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where Disney will eventually transform Muppets Courtyard into a new land inspired by Pixar’s Monsters Inc. This transformation means that Muppet*Vision 3D will close, a decision that may go down as one of the most controversial in Disney’s history.
Aside from big changes, several iconic and popular rides are also slated for refurbishments, with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closing for an entire year beginning January 2025.
Universal’s Bold 2025 Plan
Related: Disney Shares New Muppets Message After Dropping Bombshell on Theme Park Fans
Universal, on the other hand, is using 2025 as the launch year for its ambitious new project, Epic Universe. This massive new theme park will be unlike anything theme park fans have seen, blending the real world with fantasy.
Construction started years ago, with guests eagerly waiting for more updates regarding Epic Universe. Plenty of information has been leaked over the last few years, especially within the last few months, though guests are close enough that Universal has begun to release its own official looks at the upcoming theme park.
Universal finally confirmed Epic Universe’s opening date earlier in 2024, announcing that the massive new park would open on May 22, 2025.
While maybe more exciting than Disney’s 2025 slate, Epic Universe is also a big risk and has garnered criticism. Some worry the land’s main anchors, which include How to Train Your Dragon and Harry Potter, may not be enough to truly carry Universal into the next generation.
While Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter proved to be a huge hit, it’s been over a decade since the immersive land opened, with the Harry Potter brand finding itself in an entirely different cultural landscape than in 2010. Epic Univers will use both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises as inspiration at a time when interest in either seems to be bleeding.
The reception to HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series has been mixed, to say the least, though only time will tell how the new show and Universal’s ambitious new theme park actually turn out.
Regardless, 2025 marks a historic time for all theme park fans, with Universal and Disney set to embark on the most transformational and important paths the two companies have ever seen. Hopefully, guests can reap the benefits from this rivalry going into the next decade and beyond.
Will you be visiting Disney or Universal in 2025? Are you excited about Epic Universe?