UniversalParksBlog News for January 29th, 2026

Hi, there! I didn’t expect to speak with you again so soon.

Alas, a LOT has changed in the five days since the previous news update.

Universal Studios finally confirmed a longstanding, thrilling rumor.

Also, we just learned how well Universal Epic Universe performed last quarter.

So, let’s just go ahead and do another round of UniversalParksBlog News.

I can assure you that this one is much more upbeat than some of the other recent ones.

Comcast Struggles, But…

Now is when I remind you that Comcast purchased NBCUniversal in 2013.

We’re entering year 13 of Comcast controlling Universal Studios, which has worked well.

As a Fortune 50 company, Comcast can spend plenty more on the parks.

In fact, that strategy has paid dividends for Comcast over the past nine months, as we’re about to discuss.

Sadly, Comcast’s struggles can cause a trickle-down effect at the parks, though.

That’s why we must pay attention to every Comcast earnings report, including the latest one.

On January 29^th, 2026, Comcast reported earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter of 2025.

In case you’re unaware, that’s the busiest time of the year at theme parks. If only it were that simple.

As a fully diversified corporation, Comcast’s purview includes much more than the parks, though.

And that’s why this story starts on a bad note, with Comcast posting mixed results for the quarter.

The company slightly surpassed its earnings per share (EPS) estimate with $0.84.

However, the company missed on its earnings estimate, with $32.31 billion.

Wall Street appears happy enough with the results, as the stock is up $0.83 at the end of Thursday.

The news really isn’t great under the hood, though, as Comcast lost another 181,000 domestic broadband customers.

On the bright side, the company’s recently streamlined mobile service is doing well, gaining 364,000 subscribers.

The Peacock Problem

Then, we have Comcast’s nightmare that just won’t end, Peacock.

With NBA licensing fees kicking in, Peacock lost $552 million for the quarter, which is inexcusable.

Comcast points to an inflection point in February, with Peacock poised for greatness.

In a span of four weeks, the service will host the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the NBA All-Star Game.

This current news is grim, though. Every other major streaming service is profitable.

So, how is Comcast still losing half a billion dollars in a quarter?

The Walt Disney Company fired former CEO Bob Chapek over similar results.

Since Comcast is a family-owned business, that won’t happen, but it’s alarming nonetheless.

As an aside, you’re probably about to add Peacock for February, given what I just said.

If so, you should check out a pair of Peacock originals currently available.

Inside the Worlds of Universal Epic Universe provides a 42-minute look at the new theme park.

Then, for a more behind-the-scenes study, you can watch the three-part mini-series about it.

Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks features 162 minutes of Epic info.

It’s definitely worth a look since you’re already subscribing anyway.

Besides, it’s not like any of us will resubscribe to Peacock later in the year.

Speaking of Epic…

Now, we get to the main event, and the Epic Universe news is absolutely glowing.

You can read the specifics here, but the gist is that theme park EBITDA increased by 24 percent.

We can (accurately) call that the Epic Universe Spike, as that’s how Comcast executives described it.

The year-over-year comparison includes Epic for the first time in the fourth quarter.

You can tell by the growth just how much of a difference Epic makes to the bottom line.

Comcast’s parks division surpassed $1 billion in EBITDA for the first time ever.

Long story short, Comcast’s new theme park gamble is paying huge dividends.

Universal theme parks grossed $2.893 billion for the quarter or nearly $1 billion per month.

The parks division likely surpasses that total once Universal Kids Resort opens later this year.

For their part, Comcast executives gushed about the performance, stating:

Newly appointed Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh states: “We have had a phenomenal year with Epic!”

Later, he adds, “the opening of Epic Universe is already acting as a catalyst across Orlando, driving longer stays, higher per cap spending, and increased demand across our parks and hotels.”

Epic Universe also drives “higher per cap spending and attendance across the entirety of the resort.”

Finally, he summarizes Epic’s first year this way: “I think we could not be more pleased with Epic.”

So, despite all the hiccups and negative press, the park appears to be performing well financially.

Also, Universal indicates that the park still isn’t operating at full capacity yet.

Hopefully, they will continue to make “meaningful progress expanding ride throughput” as promised.

You can learn more about that when I post Epic Universe’s monthly wait times on Monday.

Gotta Catch ‘em All!

I’ll discuss this one more in the coming days and weeks, but the cat is finally outta the bag.

As Kristin Sabol detailed the other day, “Pikachu and friends are officially leveling up at the parks.”

I cannot write anything better than that, so I’ll just tip my cap to her while admiring the move.

For a long time, rumors have persisted that Pokémon would arrive at Universal Studios soon.

That day has nearly arrived, with Universal officials confirming the debut of the highest-grossing media franchise.

You can look at that chart to understand just how popular Pokémon is. It’s staggering.

In terms of revenue, this brand has outgrossed Star Wars and Marvel combined!

So, this is an absolutely titanic addition to Universal Studios, one that could surpass Harry Potter.

I’m not expecting that to happen, but it’s definitely a possibility based on brand popularity.

Universal hasn’t revealed many specifics yet, but we’ve all heard the rumors.

A themed land seems likely, and Epic Universe definitely has the space. Then again, the license for The Simpsons runs out in 2028, so…

Stay tuned, everyone! It’s about to get good!

 

Thanks for visiting UniversalParksBlog.com! Want to go to Universal? For a FREE quote on your next Universal vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from Let’s Adventure Travel will be in touch soon! Thank you!

Feature Photo: Universal