Epic Universe Set To Open Next Month, Giving Orlando Businesses a Boost

Next month, something epic is coming to Orlando, Florida. Universal Studios is opening its newest theme park, Epic Universe, on May 22.

Epic Universe will be the biggest Universal property and include five themed worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – The Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – The Isle of Berk, Celestial Park, and Dark Universe. Covering 750 acres, Epic is the first major theme park to welcome Orlando visitors in a quarter century.

“This is the first major, entirely new theme park in the U.S. in 25 years. This is a compelling reason to visit Orlando,” said Casandra Matej, CEO of tourism trade association Visit Orlando, per CNBC. “So, when you see a major milestone project such as Epic Universe, you know it’s going to have definitely a domino effect of economic benefits for our community.”

Epic is expected to bring in roughly $2 billion for the state of Florida, and that is just in the first year of operation. An estimated 17,500 new jobs will be created.

Orlando Gets a Boost From Epic Universe

The area around Epic Universe has seen substantial growth. More housing, restaurants, and hotels have popped up since construction began.

Once the park opens, other destinations could see a rise in business. Tourists visiting Epic will likely extend their stays in an effort to experience other mega parks, like Disney World, in the Orlando area.

“When Disneyland Paris opened in ’92, there were concerns from the theme parks around Paris,” Jakob Wahl, CEO of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, told CNBC. “But the opposite actually happened. They increased their audience. And that is something which is likely to happen also in Orlando because it strengthens the destination.”

Local Orlando businesses will get a boost from Epic as well. With more visitors, hotels book more rooms, restaurants see an increase in hungry diners, and car rentals go up.

Comcast, Universal Studios’ parent company, initially announced plans to build Epic Universe in 2019. The new theme park is reportedly Comcast’s largest single investment in such a project. Other Comcast entertainment parks include Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and Volcano Bay.