Universal Orlando Resort has a mix of news this autumn. Its newest park is getting a new coaster, one of its rides is going offline next week, and parent company Comcast has acknowledged that the summer did not go as hoped.
On Comcast’s most recent earnings call, CFO Jason Armstrong told investors that demand at the theme parks weakened over the summer months. Universal’s parks generated $2.6 billion in revenue for Q3 2026, a drop of 4.4% year over year.
Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh was candid about the reasons. He said rival operators, Disney among them, “were quicker to anticipate and recognize softness in demand” and changed course in response. He also flagged “capacity challenges” at Epic Universe, which opened in May 2025.
Universal is still expanding the park. A new indoor coaster is planned for Dark Universe, the gothic land dedicated to Universal’s classic monsters. It will be built close to Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
The resort shared the news on its official X account: “Universal Epic Universe is preparing for its next thrilling addition: an all-new indoor coaster coming to Dark Universe – immersing guests in an all-new story inspired by the Universal Monsters franchise.” The post added, “Construction is underway, with an opening planned in the years ahead.”
Universal has not revealed the coaster’s storyline, ride technology, or target date. Given the capacity concerns raised on the earnings call, another major attraction could help spread guests more evenly across the park. Monsters Unchained will also be closed down to all guests in the near future.
In the nearer term, guests should note a brief closure in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. Universal’s official website lists Fyre Drill as unavailable on November 9 and 10. No reason has been given, so it is unclear whether this is routine upkeep, a refurbishment, or something else.
Fyre Drill puts riders on a boat armed with water cannons and tasks them with putting out fires around Berk’s Viking village, with plenty of drenching along the way. The ride also faces a longer closure next year, from January 25 through February 4.
The rest of Berk is unaffected, including the popular Hiccup’s Wing Gliders coaster.
Epic Universe made Universal Orlando a four-park resort, joining Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Volcano Bay. Its themed worlds lean heavily on recognizable franchises: SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe, and Isle of Berk. Celestial Park links them all.
Eighteen months in, the park remains a major draw, but leadership’s own remarks show there is work to do. The park’s next chapter will depend on how Universal handles crowd flow and what the new Dark Universe coaster turns out to be.
What do you think of Epic Universe so far? Share your thoughts in the comments.
