When and how will Disney respond to Epic Universe?

[maui2k5]

With Universal Epic Universe just over a year away from opening, when and how do you see Disney responding over the next several years? The only "major" attraction for Walt Disney World planned is the Tiana makeover of Splash Mountain. Aside from that, Disney has not formerly announced any major expansions or new attractions coming to WDW. I am all for competition and Epic Universe has to stimulate some kind of significant response from Disney (at least one would think).

Maybe they will finally go ahead with "what's past Big Thunder" and the makeover of Dinoland? D23 this coming year has to be real announcements not just blue-sky renders with no concrete plans. If Disney does nothing, then they will for sure lose ground to Universal.

 

[Smugpugmug]

A new popcorn bucket or cupcake, perhaps?

 

[Marthasor]

There are many, many Disney fans who have zero interest in going to Uni no matter what they build.

 

[Mango7100]

There are many, many Disney fans who have zero interest in going to Uni no matter what they build.

On the other side of the coin, there are many Disney fans who are interested and may end up jumping ship for Universal instead of Disney if they like what they see. Disney should not take their customers for granted and just think they will stay because it’s Disney. They have to take active interest in providing new experiences or improving the park experience. And by new experiences I don’t mean revamping Country Bears.

 

[Minnie1222]

There's no reason why we would decrease our days at Disney or abandon it altogether due to the opening of Epic. Their rides/attractions are very different and it's nice to experience them all.

 

[juxtapose]

There are many, many Disney fans who have zero interest in going to Uni no matter what they build.

Our family would love if they added several lands or another park to Disney, but even if they don't my husband 100% falls into this category. He has zero interest in any Universal franchise and doesn't like large roller coasters or carnival like rides.

 

[Marthasor]

On the other side of the coin, there are many Disney fans who are interested and may end up jumping ship for Universal instead of Disney if they like what they see. Disney should not take their customers for granted and just think they will stay because it’s Disney. They have to take active interest in providing new experiences or improving the park experience. And by new experiences I don’t mean revamping Country Bears.

No die-hard, decades-in-the-making, Disney fan will ever jump ship for Universal. Disney parks are not just theme parks to many, many people. If you are completely jumping ship to Uni, you are simply a theme parks fan and there is nothing wrong with that, certainly. Can Disney survive on die-hard fans alone? - probably not - but any argument that posits that all guests see apples to apples when it comes to Disney v. Uni is simply not true. Disney may not be able to "compete" with Epic Universe given the state of the Walt Disney Co. in its entirety right now. I guess we'll see what they announce at D23. I'm certainly interested in anything new they come up with, but it's not make or break for me and I have zero interest in Uni no matter what they do. It's the same reason I cruise with DCL and have no interest in RCCL or CCL no matter how many bells and whistles they have nor how much cheaper their product may be.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

They won't.

They should have responded to the video put out by Universal with " something "

As someone who goes to Disney a lot. That new park will definitely make me take time away from Disney. I use to go to Universal for a day, maybe 2 tops. Now I would go for 5 days.

 

[kanerf]

There is plenty of yak on the boards about expansions to WDW that are being proposed. Most are new lands attached to MK or HS, but a 5th gate (a new park) is a slim possibility. My personal opinion of the Uni properties is that the rides are always too fast and unforgiving for an old fart like me. Also, being a rather Santa-esque figure, I usually don't fit too well.

 

[Karin1984]

Maybe not for Disney fans, but the casual theme park lover looking for a day of fun, and one park has the newest things...

The first time / one time visitors are a good target group to focus on in the Florida themepark market.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Has there ever been speculation about Universal coming up with their version of DVC? That is something I might be very interested in if it ever happened.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Has there ever been speculation about Universal coming up with their version of DVC? That is something I might be very interested in if it ever happened.

Universal hotels are run by Lowes, so I don't even think that is possible

 

[MICKIMINI]

If I hadn't been going to WDW since 1973, it would be a different story. DH and I are too old to change ships now but that being said we have really lost interest in WDW.

We went to US a few times in the late 1990's and never found it entertaining in any way. Our son and DIL (thirty-somethings) like HP and this might be a game changer for them. They will likely stay on our DVC points and "commute".

WDW better step it up as newbies who don't have that sense of nostalgia and are just looking for the most exciting new thing may go to US once and that will be their annual trek afterwards.

 

[Minnie1222]

Disney should not take their customers for granted and just think they will stay because it’s Disney. They have to take active interest in providing new experiences or improving the park experience.

They have Galaxy's Edge, Runaway Railway, Remy, Guardians, Tron, Moana, Luminous, new area at Epcot, and Skyliner all in the past 5 years (which realistically should be 3 years since 2020 and 2021 were considered the height of the pandemic). May not be adequate for some guests, but good enough for us.

 

[FastPasser.]

I’ve enjoyed US/IA as much or maybe a little more than WDW over the years. I’ve been to WDW enough for now and am looking forward to experiencing Epic. Same is true for DCL, time for a break.

 

[MICKIMINI]

It is some of the details that have been lost over the past decade, especially as we get older that we feel are legit. I've been going for 50 years so seen it all...

*Lack of benches in all parks. Where do we take a break, eat a snack and just enjoy people watching? Put them back! PLEASE!
*Entertainment, specifically outdoor music and entertainment. Give us something besides an indoor ride to enjoy! Oh, and a bench to sit on.
*Quality food and snacks. Okay, we'll pay $400 for dinner for four but it better be good tasting and excellent service (and we tip 30%)! You get one chance.
*Most CM's are great, however it was unusual even 10 years ago to get an attitude...leave it at that.
*Dirty parks, peeling paint and crud. I found a restroom at EPCOT last trip that was clean and the same CM was cleaning it nightly. She got a $10 tip each night though reluctant to take it she deserved it.

Big rides aren't for everybody, but everybody notices the things I listed. All can be remedied easily and quickly and the dollar cost is minimal. Are you listening Disney?

 

[Mango7100]

No die-hard, decades-in-the-making, Disney fan will ever jump ship for Universal. Disney parks are not just theme parks to many, many people. If you are completely jumping ship to Uni, you are simply a theme parks fan and there is nothing wrong with that, certainly. Can Disney survive on die-hard fans alone? - probably not - but any argument that posits that all guests see apples to apples when it comes to Disney v. Uni is simply not true. Disney may not be able to "compete" with Epic Universe given the state of the Walt Disney Co. in its entirety right now. I guess we'll see what they announce at D23. I'm certainly interested in anything new they come up with, but it's not make or break for me and I have zero interest in Uni no matter what they do. It's the same reason I cruise with DCL and have no interest in RCCL or CCL no matter how many bells and whistles they have nor how much cheaper their product may be.

Maybe not jump ship completely but shift. Instead of doing 6 Disney days and 1 day at Universal some families may do 3 days/4 days and do a split stay instead of just driving over for a day at Universal. That shift cannot be discounted when it comes to revenue. We have had APs at Disney for a couple of years and our next trip we are doing 3 days at Universal since we are big Harry Potter fans and only 1 day at Disney. We will let our out of state APs expire at not renew at a cost of $1230 a person. Instead we bought preferred passes for universal at $630 a person and they are good for 15 months. We will still get our Disney fix when we make trips but the time will be much more evenly divided or favor Universal. We still cruise with DCL but also do other lines.

I also think just saying people who jump for Universal are “simply theme park fans” is not necessarily true. I don’t think anyone who has looked at Wizarding World can say “looks like a theme park to me”. Thats fine if you arent interested in it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t equally as impressive as far as immersion and theming compared to areas of Disney just because it’s not Disney. On the other hand, there are also plenty of areas of Disney parks that aren’t exactly impressive…

 

[ucf_knight]

They have Galaxy's Edge, Runaway Railway, Remy, Guardians, Tron, Moana, Luminous, new area at Epcot, and Skyliner all in the past 5 years (which realistically should be 3 years since 2020 and 2021 were considered the height of the pandemic). May not be adequate for some guests, but good enough for us.

This is always missed/not mentioned often enough when people ask but what is Disney going to do to respond. They've been investing into the parks with new experiences/resorts/restaurants etc for the past decade. Disney could certainly do better in other things and that list is long, but they aren't just sitting on the sidelines watching universal develop Epic.

 

[Mango7100]

They have Galaxy's Edge, Runaway Railway, Remy, Guardians, Tron, Moana, Luminous, new area at Epcot, and Skyliner all in the past 5 years (which realistically should be 3 years since 2020 and 2021 were considered the height of the pandemic). May not be adequate for some guests, but good enough for us.

Yes they have built stuff over the past 5 years. Universal opened Velocicoaster and Hagrids in the last 5 years and will now be opening a completely new land. It would be like if Disney opened a 5th park during that time. And everyone had to contend with the pandemic, so that doesn’t matter.

It’s also not just about building stuff. I also said improve on the park experience. A lot of people don’t like Genie Plus and have complained about that (I actually like it except for having to pay for it instead of it being included). It is true that planning a Disney trip is much more of an effort—waking at 7 am to make ILL or LLs, making dining reservations 60 days out, making park reservations (though that is going away except for APs), losing some onsite perks, more upcharge events eating into regular park hours. It all just chips away and eventually becomes the straw that breaks the camels back.

Maybe it’s the age of my kid. DD10 had fun on our last trip 2 months ago but it just wasn’t as exciting. Even DH said he just doesn’t enjoy it as much, it just is feeling stale. Nostalgia can only take us so far. I think I was the one clinging to Disney and forcing them to keep going because that’s what I wanted to do. On the way home he said we shouldn’t renew our passes and I agree. It’s time to branch out.

 

[Brett Wyman]

There are many, many Disney fans who have zero interest in going to Uni no matter what they build.