Walt Disney World followers have been anxiously awaiting an “reply” to the grand opening of Epic Universe on Might 22, 2025 or over the Memorial Day weekend summer time kickoff. We now have a minimum of a partial response, as WDW President Jeff Vahle has congratulated Common Orlando on 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 ardour and dedication to carry new tasks to life. Better of luck to the Common Orlando crew with the opening of Epic Universe! One other large win for tourism in Florida.”
As we’ll focus on under, the message continues a wealthy custom of elegant congratulatory messages among the many rivals. This comes as Common Orlando launches of its third theme park in Central Florida, which formally opened to the general public on Thursday, Might 22, 2025 after a gala occasion for VIPs and choose media final evening. It additionally happens on the precipice of “Cool Child Summer season” at Walt Disney World beginning on Might 27, which I doubt anybody who isn’t deep within the Disney blogosphere has even heard of.
Vahle isn’t the one one who congratulated Common Orlando on the herculean achievement and celebrated the profitable opening and its affect on the Sunshine State. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was in attendance in the course of the grand gala occasion to launch Epic Universe the evening earlier 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 “fairly superb” saying that children would actually take pleasure in Epic Universe and that he’d “advocate you undoubtedly test it out.” DeSantis praised the lands of Epic Universe, and the inventive groups for executing their nice imaginative and prescient very nicely.
The governor additionally touted the constructive financial affect of Epic Universe, explaining that the venture was introduced again in 2019, and that “billions and billions” that have been spent on development to carry the park to life. That it will be a “enormous affect economically for Florida, however extra importantly than that, it’s going to offer a number of recollections to youngsters.” DeSantis closed out this message by saying congratulations to Common Orlando on the grand opening of Epic Universe.
As you’re little doubt conscious, DeSantis and Disney had a really public battle involving litigation and heated rhetoric over the course of a number of years. This was lastly resolved final yr, with the events settling the lawsuits, shuffling up management on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and agreeing to new multi-billion greenback investments in Florida.
Earlier than anybody claims that the governor’s presence at Epic Universe was about “sticking it to Disney” yet one more time–it wasn’t. The perimeters have made up and DeSantis has boasted concerning the billions of {dollars} in deliberate investments at Walt Disney World. I’d totally anticipate him to be in attendance for a significant opening at Walt Disney World on par with Epic Universe…so in all probability not the kickoff to “Cool Child Summer season,” as that’s a bit under his pay grade.
As famous within the opening, Jeff Vahle’s congratulatory message partially solutions the query of what Walt Disney World will do as an instantaneous response to Epic Universe. With that stated, what else will Disney do? Is there one other large announcement within the pipeline?
Once we first coated this matter in How Will Walt Disney World “Reply” Epic Universe’s Opening?, we mentioned quite a lot of rumored prospects and dismissed all of them out of hand. We concluded that the almost certainly outcomes have been debuting summer time choices (now generally known as “Cool Child Summer season”) shortly earlier than or after Epic Universe formally opened. As for substantive information, our view is that they’d make no try and steal the highlight.
One of many issues we’ve been stressing for years is that Walt Disney World wouldn’t announce a fifth gate as a solution to Epic Universe. Not on Might 22 or any time this decade. It’s so far-fetched that we didn’t even entertain the concept, and have rapidly shot in down in all posts like this. (Right here’s Why a fifth Theme Park Will NOT Be Constructed at Walt Disney World within the Subsequent Decade.)
Mockingly sufficient, the Walt Disney Firm arguably did put together its reply to Epic Universe within the type of a brand new theme park. Simply not at Walt Disney World and even in the US. It’s not going to be perceived as such for anybody studying this and clearly just isn’t competitors within the standard sense of the time period, however Disneyland Abu Dhabi supplied a really oblique “reply” to Epic Universe for Wall Road earlier this month.
To be clear, that information is principally simply an (oblique!) reply for traders and analysts salivating on the prospects of extra theme parks, as they’ve lastly come to appreciate they’re a steady and worthwhile enterprise. Actually no followers are debating between a go to to Epic Universe this yr or subsequent, or to Disneyland Abu Dhabi when it opens within the mid-2030s.
So what else is Walt Disney World’s extra direct reply to Epic Universe within the month of Might 2025?
My intestine is that there’s radio silence from Walt Disney World via Memorial Day, with completely nothing carried out to try to steal the highlight from Epic Universe. At the start, as a result of it received’t be efficient. One factor we’ve harassed for years–lengthy earlier than Disney spoke publicly about Epic Universe–is that the one factor that may really “reply” a brand new theme park is…one other new theme park. And since we knew Walt Disney World has no intentions to construct a fifth gate, we are able to surmise that their greatest technique is perhaps staying quiet over the weekend.
Any information introduced within the subsequent few days will likely be buried beneath protection of Common Orlando’s third theme park. It will additionally simply make Disney look petty. About the one exception to this that I can consider is that if Walt Disney World has unfavourable information and it needs to “take out the trash” Might 22-23, 2025. So maybe that is the vacation weekend that we lastly get a deadline for the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island? Now that wouldn’t shock me within the least, and the timing is about proper.
Trying ahead, I’d goal Might 27, 2025 for extra moderately-sized information from Walt Disney World.
We already know that each Villains Unfairly Ever After and Little Mermaid A Musical Journey, two stage exhibits at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, debut on that date. Moreover, “Cool Child Summer season” kicks off then, which suggests new meet & greets and so forth. Nothing earth-shattering.
Nevertheless, we nonetheless don’t have a debut date for Disney Starlight Night time Parade, which was purported to be the anchor of the summer time season at Walt Disney World. It’s our understanding that there have been a number of inner delays to this venture, and Disney is throwing all potential sources at this parade to have it prepared ASAP. Relaxation assured, Disney isn’t sitting on its fingers with this–somewhat, it’s an all fingers on deck scenario.
Accordingly, if it’s potential to have a gap date for Starlight by Might 27, I might anticipate an announcement on that date. It will solely occur if the leisure crew is assured it will probably hit that date. Starlight sounds prefer it’s going to be a race in opposition to the clock, so we might not get a date till absolutely the final 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 in all probability 60/40 that we get a date on Tuesday (or perhaps 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 potential we get dates for all three, with Walt Disney World making an attempt to create a brand new advertising marketing campaign to weave the trio collectively.
Actually, I’m skeptical of that taking place. A minimum of, for Take a look at Monitor. My intestine says that venture goes to take longer. I’ve zero inside data–I’m simply going off what Disney has publicly launched–however I’m skeptical that reimagined trip will open throughout this summer time vacationer season. I believe it’ll be after Labor Day, and nonetheless imagine October 1, 2025 is the odds-on favourite.
Turning again to the titular matter, I wish to conclude by sharing the wealthy historical past of this collegiality among the many “rival” theme parks. That is most notable with Knott’s Berry Farm (above) and Disneyland buying and selling congratulatory newspaper advertisements within the Los Angeles Instances and Orange County Register for many years.
The newest digital occasion of this that I might monitor 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 good friend Jon Storbeck and the whole crew at Knott’s Berry Farm for his or her a hundredth Anniversary! I used to be very touched to be invited to the preview social gathering in your celebration final evening! It was nice to see you!”
There’s likewise precedent for a similar with Common. There are many cases of executives and Imagineers attending grand openings–from the current Tremendous Nintendo World in Hollywood to Eisner at Islands of Journey. Since many individuals inside the two “rivals” have labored for each, and have Annual Passes for the parks the place they don’t at present work.
Talking of which, we’ve heard from a number of Imagineers who attended Epic Universe previews and got here away very impressed with Common Orlando’s new park. Clearly, you shouldn’t anticipate any public feedback about this from administration or creatives, however Epic Universe is already serving as inspiration for Disney’s groups engaged on new tasks.
Right here’s hoping that interprets to budgetary “inspiration” along with inventive inspiration. I’m unsure whether or not Bob Iger or Josh D’Amaro have visited Epic Universe–I think not given the tense relationship between Iger and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. However I do know of a number of Imagineers and TDO leaders who’ve attended, and it’s secure to say that dozens have visited Epic Universe during the last couple months. However I digress.
In the end, it’s good to see Walt Disney World displaying graciousness by congratulating Common on Epic Universe, underscoring the idea that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Disney had no playing cards they may play that might steal Common’s thunder, however this a minimum of make them a part of the dialog in a constructive method.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
How do you assume Walt Disney World will “reply” the opening of Epic Universe over Memorial Day weekend? Or is “they received’t” the almost certainly risk in your thoughts? Is it additionally the greatest transfer? Count on Starlight and different late summer time choices to have their opening dates introduced on Might 27, 2025? Suppose Disney has trigger for concern, or do you typically agree {that a} rising tide lifts all boats? Another ideas or commentary so as to add? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
