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USA Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Everything you need to know before visiting Universal Epic Universe
Universal likes to say it 'put the park back into theme park' with Universal Epic Universe, but it also stepped up the theme with the park's rich, immersive worlds. 'It's an entirely different kind of theme park,' Steve Tatham, executive creative director for Epic Universe, told USA TODAY. 'I like to think of it as we're moving really from the short storytelling business into this feature-length storytelling business.' From next-level attractions to highly themed foods, here's what to expect from Universal Orlando Resort's fourth park and what you should know before visiting. What is in Epic Universe? Epic Universe features five themed worlds. Guests enter each one through an ornate, oversized portal. ▶ Celestial Park is the heart of Epic Universe, not only because it runs along the center of the park and serves as the gateway to the other four worlds, but because this original concept world is all about exploration and discovery. 'You can meander and be in the shade and see water fountains and all these other very park-like experiences, which are super enjoyable, particularly for people who don't want to go on thrill rides,' Tatham said. However, those who do will also find Epic Universe's most thrilling roller coaster, Stardust Racers, in Celestial Park. ▶ How to Train Your Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk brings guests into the colorful world of its namesake DreamWorks Animation franchise. "On screen, it was already three-dimensional, and now you're living in the actual Berk," Justin Rupple, the actor who voiced Tuffnut in the third film and "How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming" special, told USA TODAY. " I have never felt more like a kid... I got to do my own character's voice on my own ride." "How to Train Your Dragon" fans won't want to miss meeting characters like Toothless and Hiccup, soaring on Hiccups' Wing Gliders and the live show 'The Untrainable Dragon.' Families with young kids should also stop by the multi-level Viking Training Camp play area. ▶ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is largely set in 1920s Wizarding Paris, in the era of the 'Fantastic Beasts' films. With a little magic, guests are transported to Harry Potter's timeline and a life-size British Ministry of Magic for one of Epic Universe's most popular rides, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. 'Everything in the Ministry of Magic that's described in any of the books or seen in the movies, we have built in that queue line,' Tatham said. Expect a long but impressive wait through this one. ▶ Super Nintendo World is home to two smaller lands, Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country. Both make guests feel like they've stepped into their favorite video games with interactive challenges and rides like highly popular Mine-Cart Madness, which also has long waits. 'That whole world really is an attraction in and of itself, because you can use the Power-Up Bands. You can interact with the whole land,' Tatham said. At least one person in your party will need a band to qualify for a showdown with Bowser Jr. ▶ Dark Universe is where monsters from Universal's classic horror films – like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Invisible Man – live on in the village of Darkmoor. The village is mostly family-friendly, but Tatham warned its largest ride, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, 'is an intense ride, which is scary, and it's something only Universal would do.' This queue is also spectacular. How many rides are at Epic Universe? There are 11 rides at Universal Epic Universe. Celestial Park: Constellation Carousel, Stardust Racers How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: Dragon Racer's Rally, Fyre Drill, Hiccup's Wing Gliders, Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic: Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry Super Nintendo World: Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, Mine-Cart Madness, Yoshi's Adventure Dark Universe: Curse of the Werewolf, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment Guests should note that Dragon Racer's Rally, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, and Mine-Cart Madness are not included with Universal Express Passes. Also, Epic Universe is not included in the free Universal Express Unlimited passes given with stays at select Universal hotels. Can you do Epic Universe in one day? There's no way to experience everything Epic Universe has to offer in a day. You might be able to hit all the rides, but there's much more to the park. "Each one of these worlds can be a full day experience where you're really immersed in the world,' Tatham said. 'It's about living a story for an extended period of time.' If you only have one day, pick a few priorities and give yourself time to explore. Two days would be ideal. How much does it cost for Epic Universe? Single-day Epic Universe tickets start at $139 for guests age 10 and older. Like many other theme parks, prices vary by date and demand. Annual passholders and Military Freedom Pass holders are eligible for specially priced single-day tickets. Where is Epic Universe located? How far is Epic Universe from the other parks? Epic Universe is located at 1001 Epic Blvd. in Orlando, Florida. It's about 4 miles away from Universal's other parks or a roughly 15-minute bus ride, pending traffic. Universal offers free transportation between its original campus and Epic Universe. Free shuttles are also available from Universal's hotels. Is Epic Universe bigger than Universal's other parks? Yes. Epic Universe is the largest of Universal Orlando's parks and while there are shaded queues and indoor restaurants, much of the picturesque landscaping is still young, so there's a lot of open space, exposed to the elements. 'Look at all the green, and this is the worst it's ever going to look. It's only going to mature and grow and blossom and bloom and be augmented,' Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO of Universal's parent company Comcast Corporation, said on the eve of the park's opening. Guests should plan for all types of weather, bringing sunscreen and refillable water bottles for the heat and reusable ponchos for possible rain. Does Universal do mobile ordering? Yes. Mobile ordering is big at Epic Universe, which some guests may not be used to. In-person ordering is available for guests who can't order on their cell phones, but most guests will order online at some walk-up stands and most sit-down restaurants. 'It's truly designed so that you could sit down, have that conversation with your family about what you guys are going to hit next, enjoy the A/C while this food is being prepared in the background, all while you're just relaxing,' explained Chef Robert Martinez Jr., culinary director and executive chef at Universal Orlando Resort. 'It's really with the thought process of our guests being able to unwind just a little bit more and then when that food comes out, it's totally elevated.' Celestial Park's Atlantic and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant at notable exceptions, as fully table service. Is there a hotel inside Epic Universe? No, but Universal Helios Grand Hotel is adjacent to Epic Universe and has its own entrance at the back of Celestial Park. Twin resorts Universal Stella Nova and Terra Luna are also located nearby. Universal Orlando has 11 resort hotels in all, in partnership with Loews. Each offers perks like early park entry and free delivery of in-park purchases to hotels. There are also plenty of places to stay off property for every budget.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More San Diegans opting to take MTS over cars, new survey shows
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego Metropolitan Transit System ridership has still yet to fully rebound to pre-pandemic levels, but a recent survey conducted of its customers found they are becoming more satisfied with its services. The survey, which was conducted by ETC Institute for the transit system last November, also found the transit system is far exceeding the national averages in every performance metric — from timeliness, convivence and reliability to cleanliness and safety. On top of that, its results suggested the transit system's efforts to attract higher-income people who have a car or access to other options appear to be working, with greater shares of riders making $75,000 yearly or more saying they are choosing to use the system to get to their final destination than in years past. 'It's truly incredible,' Chris Tatham, CEO of the Kansas-based research firm who led the survey, said to the MTS Board of Directors during Thursday's monthly meeting. 'I do these presentations regularly. Very rarely do I see ratings as high as these.' San Diego once had an extensive streetcar network. Can it make a comeback? Of the roughly 4,000 randomly selected survey respondents, more than 80% expressed overall satisfaction with the transit system, with about five times as many people giving a better rating of the services than they did a year ago, compared to those whose opinion worsened. The shifts came in tandem with high marks from respondents in areas like on-time performance, ease with finding out whether MTS buses or Trolleys are experiencing delays, level of convivence and efficiency, and presence of security throughout the network. Each of these areas, which are ones MTS has made a concerted effort in recent years to improve upon, had more than 60% to 90% of surveyed customers respond positively to the transit system's performance, according to Tatham. The metric where MTS performed the lowest — but was still above the national average — was in cleanliness at transit stops and in buses and trolleys. Only about 65% of bus riders and 53% of Trolley riders said the vehicles were clean, while 54% of respondents said stations were clean. And it does not appear to be deterring riders. The survey found that far more bus and Trolley riders would recommend using MTS's services to friends or neighbors than those who would not or actively promote against it. This has spilled into more people from higher-income levels choosing to take public transit compared to the last survey two years ago — something that Tatham noted he has observed nationally over the last few years. In the study's demographic snapshot, roughly 23% of Trolley riders and 16% of bus riders reported annual income above $75,000. Similar portions of MTS customers stated they were not dependent on transit to get around, meaning they have alternatives like driving alone or calling a rideshare service. About 28% of Trolley riders and 17% of bus riders reported having other options. Of the people who said they were not reliant on MTS, many said they viewed the bus and Trolley 'just as convenient as walking or driving' or as a way to save money on car expenses like parking and gas. Parking rate increases take effect in San Diego Bay waterfront Work and school remained the top reasons why riders across the board were taking their respective trip when surveyed, but Tatham noted there has been an uptick in recent years of people using the system for leisure or to get to special events like sports games or concerts. The survey is a promising sign for MTS as it sets out on another comprehensive analysis of the system operations and the effectiveness of its services. The transit system's Board of Directors voted unanimously earlier this year to pursue the study, which would be the first since major capital projects like the Blue Line extension have come online, alongside one exploring a possible fare increase to avert a brewing budget crisis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
02-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
'I'm proud of where I'm from': Olympian joins film, industry changemakers to celebrate Malvern
Social Sharing For two-time Olympian Tamara Tatham, Malvern is more than just the place she grew up — it's also where her love of basketball took off. "That one choice, that one opportunity to just say yes for the sport, really dictated the direction of my life, so I'm proud of where I'm from," she told CBC Toronto. Tatham and other changemakers with Scarborough roots were in the spotlight this week, with the Malvern Family Resource Centre (MFRC) giving them the stage to tell their success stories in the hopes of inspiring others in the community. Tuesday marked the second year the centre held its Malvern Made event, which program director Dominique Robinson hopes shows how homegrown talent can make a difference locally and around the world. "Malvern is often seen in a very narrow lens," he told CBC Toronto. "It really gives an opportunity to really think about shifting that narrative." With the event aligning with Black History Month, Robinson says the centre featured three Black speakers from the community. CBC News got the chance to catch up with two of them. 'You can do anything you want to do' Tatham's successful basketball career sprouted when she was a teenager playing in Malvern's community centre and Scarborough's local team. She considers herself a late bloomer to the sport, but that never stopped her from taking a chance. "I wasn't supposed to be playing basketball, but it was something that kind of just fell on me," she said. By 2007, Tatham joined Canada's senior national basketball team where she played until 2016, bringing home the gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games and FIBA American Basketball Championships. While with Team Canada, she played in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic Games. She later became a mentor coach for the Raptors 905, making her the first Canadian woman to join the staff of a G League team. She then went on to become the head coach with the University of Toronto's Varsity Blues women's basketball team. She said she's excited to share her journey with the next generation in Malvern. "I think that's something that's going to continue to really build up the community and give young kids and people that are growing up in the community opportunities to see that you can do anything you want to do," she said. Uber policy advisor hopes to inspire youth Malvern was the first place Yanique Williams called home when she immigrated to Canada as a kid, later building her career as a public policy manager at Uber. From her family, the church to the teachers she had, she attributes much of who she is today to Malvern. "It's just a really great opportunity to be able to continue to give back to the community that I hail from," she said of the MFRC event. Williams previously served on the board of MFRC, where her favourite memory was taking former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne on a visit when she was part of Wynne's staff. "The community centre for me was just sort of a space for you to be able to go, to be yourself, to show up authentically," Williams said. In her current role as a public policy manager at Uber, she helps with operations ranging from rides to grocery delivery along with working to make the platform more inclusive to people who are blind or low-sighted. She hopes youth watching her speak see her as a living representation of what they could become. "Hopefully folks will be able to see themselves reflected to say, hey, you know, if Yanique has done it, I can do it too."
