It looks like a new Universal Studios Florida hotel is on the way, and sooner than we expected. Are you ready for the first Epic Universe offering?
Real Capital Analytics has uncovered information that reveals one of Epic Universe’s hotels will be a five-hundred room, full service resort that will open significantly sooner than the rest of the theme park development. The new details are in addition to a second hotel which we already know will house more than seven-hundred rooms. With a third hotel rumored, we could easily be looking at an Epic Universe that features more than two-thousand total hotel rooms on site for guests to use and reserve.
Source-provided Real Capital Analytics data given to Orlando Business Journal shows a “500-unit, full-service hotel developed by Universal Studios to be completed by Q4 2023.” That is more than a year before the theme park is slated to open in 2025.
Universal renderings of the park revealed in 2019 when the expansion first was announced showed a hotel directly attached to the theme park. In addition, fan speculation is that the hotel will be on the north end of the park near the rumored Universal’s classic monster and Harry Potter-themed lands.
— Richard Bilbao (link above)
If the hotel at Universal’s Epic Universe opens before the theme park I predict every room facing the park will sell out. We are in the social media age and to document the new park would be irresistible. Parks only have one opening. #universalorlando
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) August 3, 2022
According to WDWNT, the addition of these new hotels could put Universal Studios Florida over the 10,000 hotel room threshold — that’s a huge increase and formidable against Walt Disney World Resort.
As of now we do not yet have theming details locked down for the hotels. It would not be surprising at all, however, if one of the hotels is themed around Nintendo properties. We suspect such a themed experience would be extraordinarily popular for families of all types.
Epic Universe construction continues, what we're likely looking at:
Image 1: Donkey Kong Roller Coaster (Maintenance Bay Track/Station/Lift Hill)
Image 2: Hub Circular Water features,
and at far right: Footers for racing MACK coasters.
Image 3: Super Nintendo World at Forefront pic.twitter.com/jSiFGX5zbZ— Amusement Insider (@AmusementInside) August 2, 2022
So what do you think? Are you excited about new hotels attached or nearby to Epic Universe? And if one opens so far in advance, would you be interested in staying there even if nothing else is opened yet?
Let us know in the comments below. And as always, keep reading That Park Place for all the latest news that should be fun!
