In a call this morning at the MoffettNathanson media conference, Disney CEO Bob Iger continued to reiterate that Disney isn’t concerned about Universal’s Epic Universe theme park. When asked about the new theme park being built minutes away from Walt Disney World, Iger noted that Epic Universe isn’t “distracting or anxiety provoking” for Disney, and that he is confident in the slate of attractions that Walt Disney World has rolled out over the past few years.
Igers statement today is consistent with his comments in early April, where he said that Disney has been aware of Universal Orlando’s plans for more than a decade, and that Disney has been rolling out new offerings such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Pandora – The World of Avatar, TRON Lightcycle Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and more.
In a statement to the New York Times, a Disney spokesperson also brushed off the potential impact of Epic Universe, saying that “Epic [Universe] is Universal playing catch-up on a decade of nonstop development at Walt Disney World”.
Iger said that Universal expansions in the past have brought more tourists to Central Florida, and that Disney has had competition from Universal for a long time. Iger said that he’s mindful of what Universal is doing, but that he likes Disney’s hand and that he’s confident in what Disney has built and what they’ll continue to build. Iger said that Disney will not stray from its path and continue to mine great IP in the parks.
For more on Universal Epic Universe, check out our page below!
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
I hope Universal makes him eat these words. But consumers with their wallet will tell the tale as old as time.
Terrific. Universal can capitalize for decades.