Let’s Talk about the Recent Progress at Epic Universe
When The Walt Disney Company changed CEOs last week, one of the recurring themes involved Universal Studios.
Some theme park analysts viewed Disney in crisis as Universal emerges as a growing threat.
Now, Disney will spend the next year recovering its lost soul while Universal advances with its Epic Universe development.
Photo: NBCUniversal
Universal holds a rare advantage in this Central Florida feud, and it’s doing everything it can to maximize this upper hand.
So, let’s talk about the recent progress at Epic Universe and what it means.
The Fake Coaster Track
Photo:gameinformer.com
The upcoming Donkey Kong roller coaster unquestionably claims the title of the greatest innovation at Epic Universe.
Universal officials wanted to mimic the absurdity of the Donkey Kong Country mine cart levels. If you’re unfamiliar with the game, here is one:
Did you notice how the mine cart sometimes jumped to the lower track? At other moments, it returned to the upper track.
This roller coaster will simulate that effect. And that knowledge should blow your mind.
Folks, theme parks cannot hurtle guests from one coaster track to another.
Photo:Orlandoparkstop.com
There’s far too much that can go wrong, and that’s before we factor in Florida’s sudden rainstorms.
As such, this premise sounds impossible. However, some genius at Universal must be a magician because they came up with a sleight-of-hand trick.
Epic Universe will employ “fake tracks” for its Donkey Kong roller coaster. What does that mean?
USJ情報局 Photo: Twitter/L.C.A.STUDIOS@LCASTUDIOS_USJ
At various points, riders will honestly believe that their mine cart is jumping across gaps in the coaster tracks.
Visually, they will watch as the track runs out, leaving an empty chasm below the mine cart. At this point, you will fly through the air to the next track.
Photo: Universal Studios Hollywood
Since I just said that’s not possible due to safety standards, you’re probably confused.
Here’s where the fake tracks come into play. Your mine cart isn’t operating the way that your mind will convince you to believe.
The Magician’s Trick at Play
Photo: gameintime.com
Historically, when you’re on a roller coaster, you view the tracks ahead as the visual proof that you’re safe.
With the Donkey Kong attraction, that’s not the case. Universal has invented new technology that will trick you every step of the way.
Your mine cart will hang from a hidden coaster track beneath the vehicle. It’ll never be visual during the ride.
Photo:Nintendo/Universal Studios
However, this tether connects you to the coaster apparatus at all times. The “fake tracks” don’t work the way you think they do.
The only purpose of these tracks is to create the illusion that you’re on the rails.
Then, you’ll occasionally gasp when you go off the rails and “jump” to the next locale.
Photo: Universal Studios Japan
In other words, you’ll believe that your cart has lost the ground beneath it and started soaring through the air.
In reality, nothing has changed with the underlying equipment, but the ride includes sensations that mimic the sensation of flight.
Our friends at Bioreconstruct are all over this development. Here’s a wide shot of the massive Epic Universe campus:
Aerial look at the intersection of the Kirkman Rd extension and Epic Blvd.
Epic Universe day guest parking accessed by Epic Blvd.
1 Universal Blvd
2 Universal hotel construction
3 Donkey Kong roller coaster
4 Believed to be a roller coaster, in Classic Monsters land. pic.twitter.com/zVZOTPVClL— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 25, 2022
The area marked with the 3 reflects the developments with the Donkey Kong coaster. Similarly, the 3 in this picture shows the tracks:
Aerial look at Super Nintendo World in Epic Universe.
1 Mount Beanpole frame. Behind it is Great Hall columns in How To Train Your Dragon land.
2 Donkey Kong roller coaster track
3 Donkey Kong show building/station
4 Mario Kart show building. pic.twitter.com/hWS9WHarC5— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 24, 2022
But here’s the essential shot from a different tweet:
Aerial photo with arrows at some of the mock track placed at the Donkey Kong roller coaster.
Ride track is actually the multicolored sideway track.
Mock track gives the illusion of cars jumping over gaps, or perhaps at 1,2 to avoid an obstacle.
In Epic Universe. pic.twitter.com/98S33ucZMS— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 24, 2022
In this image, you can clearly identify the gaps in the tracks where the “jumps” will occur. And here are the false tracks:
Aerial overview of the Donkey Kong roller coaster in Epic Universe. Track is actually sidewise and multicolored to blend in with the scene at that area.
What seems like normal 2-rail track top right is mock track. Mock track will have gaps, and cars will seem like they jump. pic.twitter.com/MrtG1BBISj— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 24, 2022
You’ll notice they look just like the others because that’s the point. The ride won’t have any hints about what’s fake vs. real. You must figure that out for yourself!
As the images show, progress on the ride cart has advanced rapidly. This lends credence to the thought that Super Nintendo World will complete construction early.
Other Progress Notes about Epic Universe
Photo:howtotrainyourdragon.fandom.com
We’ve also learned a bit more about some of the other themed lands.
For instance, the How to Train Your Dragon Land, Berk, will include a roller coaster. Longtime readers of the site know that we’ve expected that for a while.
However, you never really know until construction begins. Now, we have photographic proof of the development underway:
Aerial overview of How To Train Your Dragon land.
1 Theater attraction
2 The Great Hall
3 Roller coaster station and service bay
4 Water feature of the roller coaster
5 Separate high-speed roller coaster. pic.twitter.com/PUyyXbsZqW— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 25, 2022
Before we get too excited, the other roller coaster they’re mentioning is what I’d previously called the kiddie Sky Fly. It’s a children’s experience to simulate riding a dragon.
If those plans changed into something better, I must confess I haven’t heard the details yet.
Photo: Pinterest
So, the main takeaway here involves the size and scope of the main Berk coaster. The water feature alone takes up a huge portion of the themed land.
Universal has also built the foundation for several impending additions here.
That’s a massive amount of progress given everything the construction crew has faced.
Photo: Pinterest
Central Florida has experienced two recent hurricanes. While one was much more severe than the other, each required securing all the construction equipment.
Also, some minor damage likely occurred. I don’t know any specifics, but we all saw what happened to the Jurassic Park building.
Most of Epic Universe was uncovered at the time of Hurricane Ian. So, the fact that it has (literally) weathered the storm this well is a credit to Universal’s construction teams.
You’ll notice some other features that Bioreconstruct is projecting based on its images. It lists a Great Hall and a projection theater attraction here.
About the Classic Monsters…
Photo: Touringplans.com
Meanwhile, the Classic Monsters land has added a few surprises we’ll discuss next time.
For its part, Universal has already downgraded the Classic Monsters at Universal Studios Florida.
The iconic spinning monsters at Monsters Café are gone now. I presume that Universal is transferring them or at least some version of the concept to Epic Universe.
Photo: tripsavy.com
In our next update, we’ll explore what’s happening at the other Epic Universe lands, the ones that aren’t Nintendo-based.
What I can say based on current construction is that every themed land at this park should offer a premiere attraction, one that will entice guests to visit.
At this point, the Harry Potter Ministry of Magic ride and the Donkey Kong mine cart look like the best of the bunch based on what we know…but that could change!
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Feature Photo: Universal
