It’s Universal vs. Disney in an epic ‘prize fight’ for theme park dominance in Florida

The park competed in Orlando, Florida. heating.

This week, Universal will open its latest park, Epic Universe, according to a $ 7 billion bet for the company owned by COMCAST and the latest Salvo in a continuous batch to expand its tourism and entertainment empire.

This puts pressure on the Walt Disney company, which has long dominated Walt Disney Global Resort on the Orlando Vacation scene, but is now witnessing an increase in competition, especially from UNIVERSAL.

Epic Universe, which extends across 750 acres, is the largest expansion of the World Park since the opening of the magician world of Harry Potter 15 years ago.

It connects five different regions under the title, four of which are linked to well -known privileges: “Harry Potter”, “How to Train your Dragon”, the dark universal world of classic films and Nintendo video game features, as well as the Conctive Center Center Park.

The resort, which also includes three hotels, features technically advanced prosecution and detailed horsebacks like Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experience, which displays many universal monsters. The garden reviews were largely positive, as critics highlight the overwhelming nature of the attractions.

Dennis Spiege, founder and CEO of International Consulting International Park Services in Cincinnati, said, “Dennis Spiegel, founder and CEO of International Consulting International Park Services in Cincinnati, has become very strong with what they have developed and brought in the Orlando market,” and they brought this distance between UNIVERSAL and Disney in a great way, and it has already become already. Award battle.

Disney was the first from Monday to the Orlando market in 1971, Matthew The magic kingdom opened in the world of Disney. It was not until 1990 that Universal opened its Orlando Park, giving Disney the beginning of the head of nearly two decades.

By that time, Disney I have already opened the Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios entertainment (Which will later be known as the Hollywood Studios). Also in this mixture in the rising sun: Seaworld Orlando, Which opened in 1973And what is now known as Busch Tampa Gardens, which first appeared in 1959.

Today, Disney World has four entertainment gardens and two water parks, while Universal Orlando will get three, including Epic Universe and Islands of Adventure (opened in 1999), a water park, Berkano Bay (2017).

Despite the delay of the UNIVERSAL in the market, its opening for the year 2010 for the world of magicians in Harry Potter Land via the Universal Studios and the adventure islands in Orlando pushed the park competition to new horizons. The building of a land about a specific intellectual property-instead of a general theme-was at the time, and the concept will appear later in the Disney Gardens, such as Cars Land in Anheim and then, the “Star Wars” that the lands in California and Florida.

Spiel said that the demand at the time for “Harry Potter”-pushed the land bearing the name “Universal” an increase of 36 % compared to the previous year.

“They have yet realized” Harry Potter “that it was a new global system,” he said. “They kept the pedal on the metal on everything they did in terms of growth and internal experience.”

There is a good reason for that.

The Universal and Disney hurt in the entertainment parks as part of their business generated less volatile than the continuously changing media, television and movies. The Disney Experience Department, which includes entertainment gardens and cruise flights, It has long brought the lion’s share From the company’s profit, especially with the definition of payment TV.

“Disney was very fixed and consistent, but Universal expands very quickly,” said Carissa Baker, an auxiliary professor of amusement park and gravitational management at Rosen University Hospitality University. “They are strongly encouraging their parks sector now.”

The two companies recently announced new real estate – Disney in Abu Dhabi And UNIVERSAL with the smaller children’s resort in Texas, an entertainment park in Britain and Halloween horror experience throughout the year in Las Vegas.

“The plan is to continue leading growth in a company that we believe is one of the players in a market, who are not exposed at all to shift in time on screens from one place to another,” said Kumkas Cavanag president. “Live experiments, garden experiences were exciting for people, and we believe that we tend to do so and continue to do so.”

He said that prior ticket sales and hotel reservations are “strong” so far in Epic Universe and other global gardens in Orlando. One day ticket begins from $ 139.

For this reason, the analysts have constantly reported the next garden during the profits calling for Disney competition, and inquiring about the executives about the potential pressure on the Disney world and how the company plans to compete.

But if Disney is anxious, he may show little signs. Last week, the financial director of Disney Hugh Johnston said that hotel reservations for the third fiscal quarter increased by 4 % compared to last year, with about 80 % of the available nights. He said that for the fourth quarter, reservations increased by about 7 %, with about 50 % to 60 % of the full capacity.

This is despite the broader concerns that the concerns related to potential stagnation – which President Trump’s tariff for foreign goods – will make mistakes in traveling and spending on the consumer.

“It is clear that the experiments are an important company for Disney and also an important growth platform,” said Bob Egger, CEO of the company, in a rear profit call. “Despite questions about any total economic uncertainty or the impact of competition, I encourage the strength and flexibility of our business.”

The company previously announced that it invests $ 30 billion in its gardens in Florida and California, which will finance additions such as “Monsters Inc”. Parks have also added attractions over the past ten years, including the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Trip (which has replaced Splash Mountain).

Disney is betting that the flow of visitors coming to Florida for Epic Universe will continue to stop at his gardens. Last year, Orlando achieved more than 75 million visitors, an increase of 1.8 % compared to 2023, according to the Orlando Trading Association. Josh Damaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, said at a conference for investors last week that Disney is getting more tourists at any time when something new opens in central Florida – even if Disney’s ownership is not.

“If we just go back five or 10 years, and you are thinking about what happened in the Walt Disney world, we have always been in the attack,” said Damaro. “If something new is built in the center of Florida, such as Epic Univeerse, and if it brings additional tourists, I can almost guarantee you that the new new tourists to the market will have to visit the magic kingdom.”