Universal's Epic Universe - News and Discussion

[asgur5]

A family ride is by definition a ride anyone can ride. Therefore anything with a height restriction or a warning that expectant mothers or those with medical problems shouldn’t ride aren’t family rides. The werewolf coaster and the donkey Kong coaster will almost certainly have height restrictions. I’m pretty sure only a couple of rides in EU won’t.

I disagree with that description. A family ride is one which is aimed at multiple generations. Most rides (but not all) with no height restrictions are aimed at young children with little for older siblings and parents to enjoy. They dont qualify as family rides in my books. They are young children rides.

The donkey kong and wolf man rides looks to be very much aimed at multiple generations including most school age children.

 

[tony67]

Even Cat in the Hat and MIB spin a lot for dark rides.

Cat in the hat does have an option to not spin - and it does not spin as much as it used to IMO

. The werewolf coaster and the donkey Kong coaster will almost certainly have height restrictions. I’m pretty sure only a couple of rides in EU won’t.

I think its 40 inches wolfman and 36 for mine cart. Pretty sure most of the rides in Epic have a height requirement.
Universal is calling them family rides. They are not calling them a kiddie coaster. Maybe that is the distinction.

I think a lot of folks wont do the wolfman coaster because of the spin - so although its not a thrill ride - its not for everyone.
I think most will do Donkey Kong and even the Dragon racer - that is supposedly 48 inches - the same as Stardust??

https://touringplans.com/epic-universe/attractions/height-requirements

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Universal is calling them family rides.

No, they are calling them thrill rides. Only four rides at EU aren’t thrill rides: the carousel, Mario kart, Yoshi’s, and the boat ride in isle of berk.

 

[tony67]

No, they are calling them thrill rides.

This is what I have seen (for example) - Deep in the woods that sit on the edge of Darkmoor, guests will find Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster inspired by “The Wolf Man.”

 

[Skywalker3]

The video that Universal put out calls The Wolfman coaster a family-friendly coaster

 

[Skywalker3]

While my kids are older teens, young adults now, I'm glad to see a few more family friendly options coming. We've been going to Universal since 2000, brought the kids at all kinds of ages and heights, and there were trips where they basically rode stuff in Seussland, played in that awful chuck e cheesesque ball shooting place in Curious George area, or just played in the water/splashpads....one parent stayed with them while the other one rode, or when 1 sibling was taller than the other, 1 parent went w the tall one, 1 parent stayed w the shortie. I'm so glad they added stuff like Minion land and revamped the Curious George area at least for more options. Dreamworks land is something we will probably look at once, then we can just walk on by. Like we do now with almost everything in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. Or really like we do with almost all of Magic Kingdom.
All that said, I've always felt Universal had more of a PG13 vibe. Most of the movie franchises are PG 13, or at least a bit more mature than the G rated princess stuff at WDW, and that translated to the overall park feel. and that was all good too. So I don't want to see Universal lose that vibe/appeal. I am looking forward to the balance.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I'm so glad they added stuff like Minion land and revamped the Curious George area at least for more options.

Minion land doesn’t offer anything much different than Jimmy Neutron and Shrek did. And Dreamworks land isn’t too much different than the Fivel and Curious George areas did. They mostly just updated the IP.

 

[tony67]

Minion land doesn’t offer anything much different than Jimmy Neutron and Shrek did. And Dreamworks land isn’t too much different than the Fivel and Curious George areas did. They mostly just updated the IP.

Well...I don't disagree - but I can tell you the IPs on Minions and DreamWorks are drawing in way more families than Curious George.
Never say that area as busy as it is as DreamWorks.

Im in the minority but I actually like MinionCon or whatever its called - I ride it several times a day when I am in the parks.

I actually preferred Curious George - the ball factory and water area were a lot of fun - its one of the few things my kid remembers from many trips to Disney and Universal way back when.

Younger kids today probably don't know or care about Curios George or Woody Woodpecker or most of the characters in Toon Lagoon - they are dated. Just updating the IP can make a big difference.

 

[Skywalker3]

Well...I don't disagree - but I can tell you the IPs on Minions and DreamWorks are drawing in way more families than Curious George.
Never say that area as busy as it is as DreamWorks.

Im in the minority but I actually like MinionCon or whatever its called - I ride it several times a day when I am in the parks.

I actually preferred Curious George - the ball factory and water area were a lot of fun - its one of the few things my kid remembers from many trips to Disney and Universal way back when.

Younger kids today probably don't know or care about Curios George or Woody Woodpecker or most of the characters in Toon Lagoon - they are dated. Just updating the IP can make a big difference.

I agree! I like the new Minion ride, but I do wish they'd spread us out more. I kept getting off my dot, and the kid next to me was getting into our space. I also can't figure out what I'm shooting at or sync phone, but still it's fun. We like shooter games like that. The line can be tedious though, so hopefully can get some turns on it quicker with express , when we go week after next.

My kids LOVED the Curious George playground. My son stayed in there for hours......I was not a huge fan, but it was like when they'd run around that Honey I Shrunk the audience playground, or Tom Sawyer Island, just running around having fun.

I'm also glad the IP has been updated. I wish they'd update Toon Lagoon in IoA.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I'm also glad the IP has been updated. I wish they'd update Toon Lagoon in IoA.

Aw man, we love Toon Lagoon. But I get it. We're just old school and love old cartoons.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Aw man, we love Toon Lagoon. But I get it. We're just old school and love old cartoons.

I don't mind the cartoons, but I would appreciate more current IPs.

I think this would be a good area to revitalize, but after Epic is done. There's nothing wrong with the rides/area right now, so no need to reinvent it until they can devote the resources to doing a bangup job.

I'm also not sure how much more popular it would be even with a retheme - if you want to get soaked, you go on those rides. If it's not, you don't. I don't think people gravitate towards or away from the barges and flume based on the IP, but rather the type of rides they are. And if you're just walking through anyways, it's a successfully "comic" looking area even if you aren't familiar with the specific comics.

 

[asgur5]

No, they are calling them thrill rides. Only four rides at EU aren’t thrill rides: the carousel, Mario kart, Yoshi’s, and the boat ride in isle of berk.

The speed and height requirement of the wolfman and donkey kong ride (and harry potter dark ride) is not consistent with thrill rides. My 6 year old is gonna love them. 4 year olds will probably love the donkey kong ride.

I just hope they aint to tame for my 11 year old and us parents

 

[Douglas Dubh]

The speed and height requirement of the wolfman and donkey kong ride (and harry potter dark ride) is not consistent with thrill rides. My 6 year old is gonna love them. 4 year olds will probably love the donkey kong ride.

I just hope they aint to tame for my 11 year old and us parents

And still they are thrill rides, not family rides.

 

[asgur5]

And still they are thrill rides, not family rides.

If they are thrill rides then most rides at magic kingdom are thrill rides too. Basically what you call thrill rides are simply rides.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

If they are thrill rides then most rides at magic kingdom are thrill rides too. Basically what you call thrill rides are simply rides.

That’s incorrect and I’ve already explained why.

 

[Lewisc]

Back in the day Radio Shack used to build stores near a McDonalds - because McDonalds already did the research for locations.

The story was Burger King picked locations near McDonald's. Similar customers.

Radio Shack NOT

 

[tony67]

The story was Burger King picked locations near McDonald's. Similar customers.

Radio Shack NOT

Well. having worked at Radio Shack for several years back in the hay day and knowing people in high positions and reading the Charles Tandy book - that is how I understand it.