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The more I see the future of Universal Parks, the more I think Disney should be worried

Umito November 2, 2024

In the world of theme parks, certain companies dominate the rest of the competition. If you asked regular people to name theme parks, most wouldn’t be able to name one that wasn’t from Disney or Universal. With both companies having their flagship resorts in Orlando, Florida, it’s impossible not to see things as competition; one that Disney tends to win, though Universal Orlando is arguably superior in a certain way.

Generally speaking, I don’t participate much in the “Disney vs. Universal” battle. It has been suggested that with Universal Orlando Epic Universe opening next yearDisney World is going to be in trouble because there is no response, in the form of a major attraction opening to compete with him. Universal could steal attendance. Disney will not return. I largely rejected this idea. Disney World is still the vacation kingdom and Universal still has some catching up to do. That said, Universal may be closer to catching up than anyone thinks, so maybe Disney should be worried after all.

Mickey Mouse in the Magic Kingdom — (Image credit: Walt Disney World)

Disney parks will do well in the short term

To be clear, I still don’t buy the idea that Epic Universe will sound the death knell in the powerhouse that is Disney World. There is simply no place in the world like swamp that Walt Disney transformed into an oasis. Even after Epic Universe gave Universal almost as many theme parks as Disney did in Florida, Disney will still be Disney.

In the short term, Disney and Universal will do well. Epic Universe will absolutely increase attendance at Universal Orlando Resort, but there’s a good chance that tourists coming to experience Universal’s new park will stay a few days and visit Disney World as well. It’s quite possible that both companies will hit a record in 2025 in terms of attendance, revenue and profits, all those things that companies love.

Concept art for the Universal Studios Texas project

(Image credit: Universal Parks and Resorts)

Universal Destinations and Experiences Offer a Wider Selection of Themed Entertainment

However, Universal is clearly thinking long term. Epic Universe is just one part of what Universal Destinations and Experiences has planned. The same year that Epic Universe opened its doors in Florida, Universal Horror Unleased will open in Las Vegas.

This will be followed in the not so distant future by Universal Kids Resort, a family theme park in Texas, and more than likely (although not yet guaranteed) a new theme park in Europea first for the Universal brand.

Universal isn’t just building new traditional theme parks. He East Doing so, and Epic Universe, simply by being over a quarter of a century younger than Disney’s newest American park, is guaranteed to be the most technologically impressive park in the world. But what Universal is also doing is expanding its presence from both a geographic and thematic entertainment perspective.

New venues like Universal Horror Unleashed, a permanent version of Universal’s incredibly popular Halloween Horror Nights, as well as its new LEGOland-style family complexare clearly not for everyone. If the scares legitimately make you uncomfortable, then Horror Unleashed is not going to be a place to go. If you don’t have young children, Universal Kids Resort is unlikely to have much to offer you.

But in the same way, Universal Orlando Resort is not necessarily a place for all audiences. If you only visit Universal parks during Halloween Horror Nights, then Horror Unleashed has the potential to make you a more regular guest. If your kids aren’t old enough to take advantage enough of Universal Orlando’s not-cheap ticket price, because they can’t ride the epic roller coasterthen Kids Resort will be the place to go.

Universal plans to do more with the concept of themed entertainment in the future than Disney. But to be fair, Disney tried.

Rey vs. Kylo Ren at Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser

(Image credit: Walt Disney World)

Disney World’s Attempt to Expand Themed Entertainment Concepts Failed

Disney Experiences tried to expand the concept of what themed entertainment was. Unfortunately for the company, and probably all of us, it didn’t work.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser revolutionized the concept of themed entertainment. Although I never had the chance to have a full multi-day experience before Starcruiser closed for good, I was still treated to a chance to see a glimpse of the Galactic Starcruiserand what I saw was incredible. The creativity, design and immersion of the experience was unlike anything I had ever seen before in a theme park.

Unfortunately, as expected, the the Galactic Starcruiser market was limited. The experiment was costly, and although there are probably more than enough Star Wars fans to maintain something like this for decades, the number of fans with that kind of money was not the case.

In comparison, Universal Orlando Resort also opened its own unique themed entertainment experience not too long ago. Universal’s Great Movie Escape answers the questionwhat if your local escape room had an unlimited budget? The answer is very funny, actually. And while it’s unclear to what extent the Great Movie Escape was an absolute success, it’s still open, while Galactic Starcruiser is closedwhich tells you everything you need to know.

Galactic Starcruiser was great but it also failed. The reasons for this failure have been and will continue to be debated. However, given that all entertainment companies are forever destined to learn the wrong lessons from their successes and failures, Disney is unlikely to try anything like this anytime soon, which is unfortunate because it’s exactly what Disney should do if it wants to be in a strong position down the road.

Concept art of Walt Disney's animatronic leaning against a desk

(Image credit: Disney)

Disney Parks Need to Grow, Not Just Expand

Disney Experiences is investing in its parks. Disney has promised to spend $60 billion over the next decade on its parks, and that’s no small thing. Last D23, we saw where a lot of that money was going to be spent. Disney World is planning new lands at three of its four parks, including a new villain land at Magic Kingdom, a Tropical Americas Area at Disney’s Animal Kingdomand a Monsters Inc arrives at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

At the same time, Disneyland Resort is in the early stages of its DisneylandForward, a massive extension this promises to significantly expand both parks and add who knows what else in the way of hotels, restaurants, shops and, if we’re really lucky, a third theme park.

Making parks better is good, and making parks different is better. They could differentiate themselves by existing in new locations or by offering more specialized experiences. I will always wonder if Galactic Starcruiser would have been more successful if it had existed anywhere else in the world other than Disney World.

I fully expect Universal Horror Unleashed to be built in more locations if it succeeds in Las Vegas. It’s the perfect way to build a universal “park” almost anywhere. Galactic Starcruiser could have been that for Disney.

In 10 years, Disney Parks will be bigger and better than ever. It’s almost guaranteed. But in 10 years, universal parks will also be bigger, they will also be better, but they will also be more numerous. There will be more places to go and more experiences to have.

Disney Parks may still be the best place in the world to get the traditional theme park experience we know and love, even decades from now. But if Universal is able to offer the types of experiences that Disney can’t, or simply doesn’t, they have the potential to attract many more consumers to their locations.

Nothing Universal does will ever “destroy” Disney. Ultimately, however, people only have limited resources when it comes to leisure spending. If Universal becomes the place where more people can do more with that money, then a lot of that money won’t be spent at Disney. It could take years, if not decades, for such a change to truly take hold, but if Disney isn’t careful, by the time the damage is done, recovery will only be more difficult.

Apre-salomemanzo

Apre-salomemanzo

The more I see the future of Universal Parks, the more I think Disney should be worried

Disney parks will do well in the short term

Umito

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The more I see the future of Universal Parks, the more I think Disney should be worried

Disney parks will do well in the short term

Umito

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