ORLANDO, Fla. – Life in Orange County is about to get epic.
Universal’s Epic Universe is set to bring millions of tourists and significant revenue to the area. It is the first theme park to open in Orange County in 25 years.
“I think it’s gonna help in a lot of ways. Number one, the most obvious, people are gonna want to check it out,” said Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond.
He also noted that Universal has three hotels in the pipeline, offering about 2,000 rooms. “That’s a lot of rooms,” Diamond said.
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As Orange County comptroller, Diamond tracks the tax dollars tourists spend. He expects visitors to stay longer and spend more money, though he is unsure exactly how much more.
“The year after Animal Kingdom opened, there was about an 8% increase in spending, which is a good increase. However, the year after Islands of Adventure opened, there was about a 1.8% increase. After Harry Potter opened, there was about a 7% increase,” he explained.
The excitement of the new park also brings challenges. Diamond warned that finding tickets might not be easy.
“I don’t know that we’re gonna be able to buy tickets to Epic Universe by itself anytime soon. I think you’re gonna run into a situation where they’ve got sold-out crowds,” he said.
“You have to buy a bundle. They’ve started three-day to five-day bundles. No matter which one you choose, you only get one day at Epic Universe,” said Dr. Duncan Dickson, a retired professor of theme park management.
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The park is also expected to bring hundreds of new jobs, but Dickson noted potential hiring challenges.
“The biggest issue they’re going to have is staffing—both for the hotels and the park. With the current labor market, there’s not a lot of available workers,” he said.
Diamond highlighted that the extra revenue from the park would help replenish reserves, which were used during the pandemic.