The debut of Epic Universe has started a theme park brawl among Disney World, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Legoland to determine who will be the winners and losers in the fight to attract the millions of visitors heading to Florida to see Universal’s newest destination.
The $7 billion Universal Epic Universe officially debuted on May 22 in Orlando with five themed lands: Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World and Celestial Park.
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The opening of Epic Universe transforms Universal Orlando from a one- or two-day visit into a weeklong destination, Comcast CFO Jason Armstrong said during the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference in mid-May.
“We’re incredibly optimistic as to what Epic in itself represents,” Armstrong said during the conference.
Universal officials said advance bookings for Epic Universe remained ahead of internal expectations during a Comcast earnings call in April.
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Epic’s debut has the potential to both draw millions of new tourists to the Orlando area and steal visitors away from Universal’s Florida rivals.
Walt Disney World attracted 48.8 million visitors in 2023 compared to Universal Orlando’s 19.8 million, according to TEA/AECOM.
Epic Universe could “siphon off at least some of the demand” from Disney World, according to a MoffettNathanson investor report.
The MoffettNathanson report estimates flat attendance at Disney World through 2026 and a decline of 1 million visitors to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida over the next two years.
The greater near-term impact may be felt at SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa and Legoland Florida “which could find it increasingly difficult to maintain their share of the Florida vacation itinerary,” according to the MoffettNathanson report.
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MoffettNathanson forecasts Epic Universe will attract 5.2 million visitors in 2025, 9.5 million in 2026, 10.2 million in 2027 and 10.7 million in 2028.
MoffettNathanson estimates Epic Universe could eventually attract 13 million visitors annually — more than Islands of Adventure (10 million) or Universal Studios Florida (9.8 million) today, according to Reuters.
Annual attendance of 13 million visitors would make Epic Universe the second biggest theme park in Florida behind Disney’s Magic Kingdom (17.7 million), third largest park in the United States behind Disneyland (17.3 million) and sixth largest in the world behind Universal Studios Japan (16 million), Tokyo Disneyland (15.1 million) and Shanghai Disneyland (14 million), based on 2023 TEA/AECOM attendance data.
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Universal’s newest theme park could lift Disney World with the rising tide.
“In the long run, I think it makes Orlando an even more attractive vacation destination,” TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz told Reuters. “That’s probably good for Disney.”
Disney theme park chairman Josh D’Amaro downplayed any negative impacts on Disney World from the arrival of Epic Universe during the MoffettNathanson conference.
“If something is built new in Central Florida, like Epic Universe, and if it brings in additional tourists, I can almost guarantee you that that new tourist coming into the market is going to have to visit the Magic Kingdom,” D’Amaro said during the MoffettNathanson conference. “They’re not going to miss Star Wars at Hollywood Studios. They’re absolutely getting on Guardians of the Galaxy in Epcot.”
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D’Amaro pointed to Disney World’s “very strong” bookings for the rest of 2025 and the company’s plans to invest $60 billion in the theme parks business over the next decade.
“We have a very solid strategy in place, always on the offensive,” D’Amaro said during the MoffettNathanson conference. “And as you see our investment plan in the future, you’ll notice that that’ll continue.”