Niles: Universal Studios wraps an ‘Epic’ month for the industry’s leaders ...Middle East

This was the month when everything changed in the theme park industry.

More than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic closed businesses and vacation destinations around the world — including theme parks — the industry this month showed that it was back, with a stunning announcement and an “epic” debut. With these developments, it has become clearer than ever that Disney and Universal have pulled so far away from their competitors that maybe it’s time to start considering this as two separate industries going forward — the Disney/Universal duopoly and everyone else.

First, the debut. Universal Epic Universe opened officially last week at the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. Featuring two of the most impressive dark rides in the industry today — all-new adventures themed to Harry Potter and to Universal’s classic monsters — Epic Universe also offers two amazing live shows that offer some of the best production effects I have ever seen on stage.

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Epic Universe sets a new creative standard for theme parks. But of course archrival Disney is not just going to ignore this challenge. Earlier in the month, Disney announced a deal with Abu Dhabi-based Miral to develop a new theme park resort on Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates. Promising “the most technologically advanced theme park ever built” — a claim just staked by Epic Universe — Miral will use its almost unlimited financial resources to build and operate a park of Disney’s design.

It’s a great time to be in the attraction design business, if you can hook up with Disney or Universal that is. In addition to the Abu Dhabi project, Disney is expanding its parks in Anaheim and Orlando, while Universal is building new parks in Texas and the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, competitors such as Six Flags and SeaWorld owner United Parks continue to flounder, according to their earnings reports this month. Attendance and revenue are sluggish at both companies, with United Parks confirming that half the company’s stock is now controlled by private equity firms. Those investors do not exactly have a reputation for boosting customer service. Speaking with SeaWorld employees in Orlando last week, their frustration with corporate management was unmistakable.

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Six Flags has been laying off many employees across the company after the merger of the old Six Flags with Cedar Fair last year. Yes, both companies offer some great roller coasters that continue to be well worth riding. But countless fans have complained to me over the past year about greedy surcharges, understaffed operations and diminishing quality at many of these parks.

While Six Flags and United Parks are trying to cut their way to profitability, Disney and Universal are spending their way to dominance. Epic Universe is a beautiful theme park. No, it’s not loaded with attractions. But the dozen or so experiences it does offer include some of the best in the world. As word gets out about the high quality of the experiences to be found at Epic Universe, Orlando’s summer heat and humidity might be the only obstacles keeping fans from filling this park every day of the year.

Now let’s see what Disney does to respond — and if Six Flags and United Parks can do anything positive at all to not fall even further behind.

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