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By Dawn Chmielewski
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - For decades, Universal Orlando Resort was a pit stop on a vacationer’s way to the “Most Magical Place on Earth,” Walt Disney World.
Now, NBCUniversal owner Comcast aims to rewrite the travel itinerary with Epic Universe, a major new theme park in Central Florida set to open on Thursday.
An estimated $7 billion investment has doubled the resort’s size, adding 750 acres and populating it with familiar movie and game characters, which it owns or licenses. It features five themed worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Ministry of Magic; Super Nintendo World; How to Train Your Dragon-Isle of Berk; Celestial Park; and Dark Universe.
Epic Universe represents the largest investment Comcast has made in Universal’s theme parks since gaining control of the business in 2011. Analysts say it poses a heightened competitive threat to Walt Disney World, whose last major expansion was in 2019.
“This is the one part of the media ecosystem that is not vulnerable to screen-shifting. It's still beloved as a thing to do with friends and family,” Comcast President Mike Cavanaugh told Reuters on Tuesday. "It would be silly not to be stepping on the gas."
Comcast's big investment in parks is one of six areas that will contribute to growth. The Experiences group is experimenting with new concepts, including the August launch of a permanent attraction in Las Vegas, Universal Horror Unleashed. It includes four haunted houses inspired by movies like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Exorcist: Believer.” A family-friendly regional park, Universal Kids Resort, debuts next year in Frisco, Texas, inspired by “Shrek,” “Minions” and SpongeBob SquarePants.
“One of our key pillars of growth is how we bring the Universal brand to new audiences in new markets,” Mark Woodbury, chairman of Universal Destinations & Experiences, said in an interview. “And you can see that in our Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, for our horror genre venue in Las Vegas.”
Universal also has another major theme park resort planned for the United Kingdom, Comcast’s first in Europe.
The theme park business is not without risk. It's vulnerable to economic downturns - something the industry experienced during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said he is comfortable making long-term, capital-intensive bets.
"When you find something extraordinary, that's when you make these bets," said Roberts, citing the example of the first Harry Potter themed land in Orlando. "When that Harry Potter opened, I think there was a massive increase in attendance the next day, and it never went backwards."
