Walt Disney International fanatics were anxiously expecting an “solution” to the grand opening of Epic Universe on Might 22, 2025 or over the Memorial Day weekend summer time kickoff. Now we have a minimum of a partial reaction, as WDW President Jeff Vahle has congratulated Common Orlando at the “large win” of opening the brand new park.
Vahle posted a picture on Instagram that includes a stylized graphic of Florida with a sunshine backdrop and shared the next sentiment: “It takes nice hobby and willpower to deliver new tasks to existence. Absolute best of success to the Common Orlando group with the hole of Epic Universe! Every other large win for tourism in Florida.”
As we’ll talk about beneath, the message continues a wealthy custom of stylish congratulatory messages a number of the competition. This comes as Common Orlando launches of its 3rd theme park in Central Florida, which formally opened to the general public on Thursday, Might 22, 2025 after a gala match for VIPs and make a choice media closing night time. It additionally happens at the precipice of “Cool Child Summer time” at Walt Disney International beginning on Might 27, which I doubt somebody who isn’t deep within the Disney blogosphere has even heard of.
Vahle isn’t the one person who congratulated Common Orlando at the herculean success and celebrated the a hit opening and its have an effect on at the Sunshine State. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was once in attendance all through the grand gala match to release Epic Universe the night time sooner than its public opening.
DeSantis shared an on-the-ground video from Epic Universe on social media praising the “long-awaited new theme park in Central Florida.” He known as the park “lovely superb” pronouncing that children would truly experience Epic Universe and that he’d “suggest you unquestionably test it out.” DeSantis praised the lands of Epic Universe, and the inventive groups for executing their nice imaginative and prescient really well.
The governor additionally touted the certain financial have an effect on of Epic Universe, explaining that the venture was once introduced again in 2019, and that “billions and billions” that had been spent on development to deliver the park to existence. That it will be a “massive have an effect on economically for Florida, however extra importantly than that, it’s going to provide a large number of recollections to youngsters.” DeSantis closed out this message by means of pronouncing congratulations to Common Orlando at the grand opening of Epic Universe.
As you’re unquestionably conscious, DeSantis and Disney had an overly public combat involving litigation and heated rhetoric over the process more than one years. This was once after all resolved closing 12 months, with the events settling the proceedings, shuffling up management at the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and agreeing to new multi-billion buck investments in Florida.
Sooner than somebody claims that the governor’s presence at Epic Universe was once about “sticking it to Disney” another time–it wasn’t. The perimeters have made up and DeSantis has boasted in regards to the billions of bucks in deliberate investments at Walt Disney International. I’d absolutely be expecting him to be in attendance for a big opening at Walt Disney International on par with Epic Universe…so most likely now not the kickoff to “Cool Child Summer time,” as that’s just a little beneath his pay grade.
As famous within the opening, Jeff Vahle’s congratulatory message in part solutions the query of what Walt Disney International will do as a direct reaction to Epic Universe. With that stated, what else will Disney do? Is there some other large announcement within the pipeline?
Once we first lined this subject in How Will Walt Disney International “Resolution” Epic Universe’s Opening?, we mentioned quite a lot of rumored chances and pushed aside they all out of hand. We concluded that the perhaps results had been debuting summer time choices (now referred to as “Cool Child Summer time”) in a while sooner than or after Epic Universe formally opened. As for substantive information, our view is they’d make no try to scouse borrow the highlight.
Some of the issues we’ve been stressing for years is that Walt Disney International would now not announce a fifth gate as a solution to Epic Universe. No longer on Might 22 or any time this decade. It’s so far-fetched that we didn’t even entertain the theory, and feature briefly shot in down in all posts like this. (Right here’s Why a fifth Theme Park Will NOT Be Constructed at Walt Disney International within the Subsequent Decade.)
Sarcastically sufficient, the Walt Disney Corporate arguably did get ready its solution to Epic Universe within the type of a brand new theme park. Simply now not at Walt Disney International and even in the US. It’s now not going to be perceived as such for somebody studying this and clearly isn’t festival within the standard sense of the time period, however Disneyland Abu Dhabi presented an overly oblique “solution” to Epic Universe for Wall Boulevard previous this month.
To be transparent, that information is mainly simply an (oblique!) solution for traders and analysts salivating on the potentialities of extra theme parks, as they’ve after all come to understand they’re a strong and successful trade. Actually no fanatics are debating between a talk over with to Epic Universe this 12 months or subsequent, or to Disneyland Abu Dhabi when it opens within the mid-2030s.
So what else is Walt Disney International’s extra direct solution to Epic Universe within the month of Might 2025?
My intestine is that there’s radio silence from Walt Disney International thru Memorial Day, with completely not anything executed to try to scouse borrow the highlight from Epic Universe. Firstly, as it gained’t be efficient. Something we’ve wired for years–lengthy sooner than Disney spoke publicly about Epic Universe–is that the one factor that may really “solution” a brand new theme park is…some other new theme park. And because we knew Walt Disney International has no intentions to construct a fifth gate, we will surmise that their easiest technique may well be staying quiet over the weekend.
Any information introduced in the following few days shall be buried beneath protection of Common Orlando’s 3rd theme park. It will additionally simply make Disney glance petty. About the one exception to this that I will call to mind is that if Walt Disney International has destructive information and it desires to “take out the trash” Might 22-23, 2025. So most likely that is the vacation weekend that we after all get a last date for the Rivers of The us and Tom Sawyer Island? Now that would now not wonder me in the slightest degree, and the timing is ready proper.
Taking a look ahead, I’d goal Might 27, 2025 for extra moderately-sized information from Walt Disney International.
We already know that each Villains Unfairly Ever After and Little Mermaid A Musical Journey, two level presentations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, debut on that date. Moreover, “Cool Child Summer time” kicks off then, because of this new meet & greets and so on. Not anything earth-shattering.
On the other hand, we nonetheless don’t have a debut date for Disney Starlight Night time Parade, which was once intended to be the anchor of the summer time at Walt Disney International. It’s our working out that there were more than one inner delays to this venture, and Disney is throwing all imaginable sources at this parade to have it able ASAP. Leisure confident, Disney isn’t sitting on its arms with this–somewhat, it’s an all arms on deck scenario.
Accordingly, if it’s imaginable to have a gap date for Starlight by means of Might 27, I’d be expecting a statement on that date. This will likely most effective occur if the leisure group is assured it might hit that date. Starlight sounds adore it’s going to be a race in opposition to the clock, so we would possibly not get a date till absolutely the closing minute. But when ever there have been a strategic time to announce Starlight’s opening date, it will be Might 27, 2025. On stability, I’d say it’s most likely 60/40 that we get a date on Tuesday (or possibly Wednesday morning).
Two different opening date wildcards are Take a look at Monitor 3.0 at EPCOT and the Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern at Magic Kingdom. It’s imaginable we get dates for all 3, with Walt Disney International looking to create a brand new advertising and marketing marketing campaign to weave the trio in combination.
Truthfully, I’m skeptical of that going down. No less than, for Take a look at Monitor. My intestine says that venture goes to take longer. I’ve 0 inside of information–I’m simply going off what Disney has publicly launched–however I’m skeptical that reimagined journey will open all through this summer time vacationer season. I believe it’ll be after Hard work Day, and nonetheless imagine October 1, 2025 is the odds-on favourite.
Turning again to the titular subject, I wish to conclude by means of sharing the wealthy historical past of this collegiality a number of the “rival” theme parks. That is maximum notable with Knott’s Berry Farm (above) and Disneyland buying and selling congratulatory newspaper commercials within the Los Angeles Instances and Orange County Sign in for many years.
The newest virtual example of this that I may observe down got here from a few years again when former Disneyland President and present Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared this on Instagram: “Congratulations to my pal Jon Storbeck and all the group at Knott’s Berry Farm for his or her a hundredth Anniversary! I used to be very touched to be invited to the preview birthday party to your birthday celebration closing night time! It was once nice to peer you!”
There’s likewise precedent for a similar with Common. There are many cases of executives and Imagineers attending grand openings–from the new Tremendous Nintendo International in Hollywood to Eisner at Islands of Journey. Since many of us inside the two “competition” have labored for each, and feature Annual Passes for the parks the place they don’t recently paintings.
Talking of which, we’ve heard from a number of Imagineers who attended Epic Universe previews and got here away very inspired with Common Orlando’s new park. Clearly, you must now not be expecting any public feedback about this from control or creatives, however Epic Universe is already serving as inspiration for Disney’s groups running on new tasks.
Right here’s hoping that interprets to budgetary “inspiration” along with inventive inspiration. I’m now not positive whether or not Bob Iger or Josh D’Amaro have visited Epic Universe–I believe now not given the hectic courting between Iger and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. However I do know of more than one Imagineers and TDO leaders who’ve attended, and it’s protected to mention that dozens have visited Epic Universe over the past couple months. However I digress.
In the end, it’s excellent to peer Walt Disney International appearing graciousness by means of congratulating Common on Epic Universe, underscoring the realization that “a emerging tide lifts all boats.” Disney had no playing cards they may play that may scouse borrow Common’s thunder, however this a minimum of cause them to a part of the dialog in a favorable means.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
How do you suppose Walt Disney International will “solution” the hole of Epic Universe over Memorial Day weekend? Or is “they gained’t” the perhaps risk for your thoughts? Is it additionally the easiest transfer? Be expecting Starlight and different overdue summer time choices to have their opening dates introduced on Might 27, 2025? Suppose Disney has reason for fear, or do you usually agree {that a} emerging tide lifts all boats? Another ideas or statement so as to add? Any questions we will permit you to solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas beneath within the feedback!
