There are enough theme parks in Florida for everyone to be happy
In the past few weeks, I’ve read online that some guests believe Disney should respond to Universal by announcing a blockbuster new ride or even a completely new theme park to compete with Epic Universe. For those who don’t know, Epic Universe is Universal’s fourth park in Florida, complete with brand-new attractions, restaurants, and stores for guests.
What many people don’t realize is that Epic Universe is actually great news for Disney World. And also for SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and of course, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. See, this is another theme park located in Orlando, which might just be the world’s theme park capital.
Let’s be honest, many people visit Florida during their vacations primarily to enjoy Disney and Universal with their families. That may be less true for American residents, but for international visitors, it’s 99% true. The other 1% are likely those who want to go on a cruise departing from Port Canaveral or Miami.
Disney World doesn’t need to “fight” Epic Universe because most guests visiting Epic Universe will also go to Disney World. I don’t think people will travel to Florida just to visit Epic Universe once and leave. Once you’re in the Orlando area, there’s a good chance you’ll stay for a week and visit some of the best theme parks in the world, like Islands of Adventure, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.
With the launch of Epic Universe, there will be more visitors than ever to Florida this year, and these guests will also pay Mickey Mouse a visit, 100% guaranteed.
You know what’s a true competitor to Disney World and most theme parks? Bad weather, especially hurricanes that cause parks to close for several days. Now that’s a real challenge, and there’s nothing that Mickey and friends can do to fight it,at least not for now.
Also, it’s not like Disney World is sitting idly by, watching Universal. Disney is transforming Magic Kingdom with a new Cars Land and a Villains-themed area, Animal Kingdom is being overhauled with Encanto, Indiana Jones, and Zootopia, and Hollywood Studios will soon welcome a brand-new Monsters, Inc. Land, replacing Muppets Courtyard.
