Credit: Thomas Hawk, FlickrSomething is shifting at Universal Orlando Resort, and longtime fans can feel it in a way that’s hard to ignore.
This isn’t the kind of theme park change that comes with a flashy announcement or a big reveal on social media. It feels quieter than that. More emotional. Almost like Universal is letting something fade away on purpose, knowing full well that fans are going to notice.
Guests have started paying closer attention to construction walls, blocked-off pathways, and subtle signs that a familiar corner of the resort is being prepared for something new. And for many visitors, it’s not exciting yet—it’s heartbreaking.
Because Universal isn’t just building the future right now.
It’s dismantling the past.
Universal Orlando Keeps Growing
Universal Orlando Resort has turned into the definition of momentum. While other theme park companies have spent recent years playing it safe, Universal has been doing the opposite—expanding, investing, and making it clear they plan to stay aggressive.
That energy became impossible to ignore when Epic Universe officially opened in May 2025.
The opening didn’t just add another park to Universal’s lineup. It changed the entire resort. Universal went from being a two-park destination with CityWalk in the middle to a full-blown multi-day vacation powerhouse that now competes even more directly with Disney’s massive footprint.
And once Universal proved it could successfully launch a third gate, fans started asking the obvious question: what happens next?
The answer seems to be… everything.
Because Universal isn’t acting like Epic Universe was the finish line. It’s acting like it was just the start of a bigger plan.
The Resort’s Future Is Expanding Beyond Epic Universe
Epic Universe may be the newest and most significant piece of the puzzle, but Universal has also been quietly reshaping the parks it already has.
Universal Studios Florida continues to feel like a park preparing for major shifts. Islands of Adventure has also started evolving again, even though it already has some of Orlando’s most iconic themed areas.
That’s what makes the current situation feel so emotional for fans.
Universal doesn’t just add new lands anymore. It replaces them.
And when that happens, it usually means something classic gets pushed aside—whether people are ready or not.
Once a Crown Jewel of the Islands of Adventure
For years, Lost Continent has existed in a strange place inside Islands of Adventure.
It hasn’t been the loudest land. It hasn’t been the most popular. It hasn’t even had the most rides. Universal slowly turned it into a quieter pass-through area, almost like a scenic break between the bigger franchises.
But longtime fans never stopped caring about it.
Even after attractions and entertainment disappeared, the land still held something rare: atmosphere. It felt like old-school theme park storytelling. Themed rockwork. Mythology. Mystery. A world that didn’t exist anywhere else.
And even though Universal clearly shifted its priorities, guests still treated Lost Continent like it mattered.
Now, many of them believe their time is officially running out.
One Fan’s Goodbye Shows Just How Deep This Land Runs
Recently, one guest took to Reddit to share a heartfelt goodbye after visiting Lost Continent, saying it would be the final time.
They wrote, “I said goodbye to Lost Continent yesterday, setting foot in that land for what is certainly going to be my final time.”
That line alone hit hard, because it reflects what a lot of longtime Universal fans have been thinking: the land’s days are numbered, and the next time they return, it may be something completely different.
The fan also talked about their earliest memories at Universal, saying they could barely remember most of the other park areas from their childhood trip, but they remembered Lost Continent clearly.
They mentioned walking through Poseidon’s Fury, cheering during the Sinbad show, and feeling transported by the music and atmosphere.
In their words, Lost Continent felt like the kind of immersive world theme parks didn’t really build back then. It was the sort of place that made a kid believe they weren’t in Florida anymore. And for this guest, it wasn’t just nostalgia—it was personal.
They even shared that they returned in 2023 after losing both of their parents, and being back in Lost Continent felt like reconnecting with a piece of their childhood that still existed.
That’s why this goodbye wasn’t casual. It was emotional.
Universal’s Demolition Push Is Forcing the Issue
What makes this story feel so intense is that Universal isn’t just letting Lost Continent sit quietly anymore. Guests believe the resort has already started dismantling parts of the land and preparing the area for a replacement.
And when Universal starts clearing space, it usually means the decision has already been made.
That has sparked an entirely new wave of speculation online. Fans aren’t just mourning what’s leaving—they’re trying to figure out what’s coming.
Because Universal doesn’t clear land unless it plans to build something big.
And Lost Continent sits in a prime location inside Islands of Adventure.
It’s too valuable to leave untouched forever.
Pokémon and Zelda Are the Two Biggest Theories
Right now, the strongest possibilities being thrown around are Pokémon or The Legend of Zelda.
Both would make sense for Universal and instantly draw massive crowds. Universal already has a strong Nintendo partnership, and Epic Universe only strengthened that connection.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is now one of the most talked-about additions Universal has ever built. It’s the kind of land that attracts hardcore fans, casual visitors, and families all at once.
So when people start thinking about what could replace Lost Continent, they naturally look at Nintendo properties.
Pokémon feels like the obvious blockbuster choice.
The franchise has global recognition, built-in merch demand, and theme park potential that practically sells itself. Universal has also worked with Pokémon before through its partnership with Universal Studios Japan, and many fans believe the company wants to expand Pokémon into a global theme park presence.
If Universal wants something that can rival Disney’s biggest IP lands, Pokémon checks every box.
Zelda also remains a serious possibility. The world-building fits perfectly into Islands of Adventure, and it could easily become one of the most immersive fantasy lands Universal has ever created.
Either way, the writing feels like it’s on the wall. Lost Continent is making room for something enormous.
Other Universal Lands Could Face Similar Goodbyes
Lost Continent may be the one currently making fans emotional, but it likely won’t be the last.
Universal Studios Florida has several areas that feel like they’re living on borrowed time. Many fans have speculated for years that Springfield (The Simpsons) could eventually be replaced if licensing changes or Universal decides to move in a different direction.
The same goes for areas like Men in Black, which has remained popular but still feels like a property Universal could retheme if the company wanted to refresh the park.
The difference is that those potential changes still feel like “someday” problems.
Lost Continent feels like it’s happening now.
And that’s why the reaction is so intense.
Universal’s Future Comes With a Cost
Universal Orlando Resort is building an empire, and there’s no denying the resort has entered a new era.
Epic Universe proved Universal can deliver a modern, next-level theme park experience. The company now has the confidence to reshape its entire destination, not just expand it.
But every new land comes with a tradeoff.
And for fans who grew up walking through Lost Continent, it doesn’t just feel like a construction project. It feels like the end of a chapter they didn’t want to close.
Universal may replace the land with Pokémon, Zelda, or something even bigger.
But for many guests, Lost Continent will always be the place where theme park magic first felt real.