From Velocicoaster to Horror Nights and Dark Universe, Universal is embracing what once made it feel just a little more daring.
Back when I first visited Universal in 1992, I was absolutely blown away by what I experienced. It was my first trip to Florida to visit my grandparents, who had just relocated, and like most kids, I had one thing on my mind: Disney.
When I asked my dad if we could go, he said, “Sure—but let’s go to Universal Studios too. I’ve been to the one in Hollywood, and I think you and your brother will like it more.”
That sounded like a trap.
What could possibly be better than pirates, space roller coasters, and haunted mansions? Was this going to be some boring movie studio tour? I knew Nickelodeon was there, so maybe—maybe—I’d get to be on Double Dare. That was enough to keep me from complaining.
As it turns out, my dad was right.
I still remember how mind-blowing that day at Universal felt—but more than any individual ride or show, what stuck with me was the tone. Universal felt… PG-13.
You had a near-death encounter with King Kong and an earthquake. In the lagoon, stunt actors were firing at each other during the Miami Vice show, complete with explosions and implications that went way over my head at the time. And then there were the shows—the Horror Makeup Show and Alfred Hitchcock—that leaned into the macabre in a way that felt just a little transgressive for a kid.
It felt like something I maybe shouldn’t be watching.
And that’s exactly why I loved it.
The next day, we went to the Magic Kingdom. I enjoyed it—but I distinctly remember asking my parents, “That’s it? Is there anything for… adults?”
What resonated with me then—and still does now—is that I was a genre movie kid, and Universal was built for kids like me. It didn’t just recreate movies—it reflected a love of the same stories, the same tone, the same willingness to push things a little further.
For a while, that identity felt like it faded. Through ownership changes and financial struggles, some of that creative edge softened. But in 2007, everything changed. Universal’s deal to bring Harry Potter to the parks reset expectations for what themed entertainment could be—and since then, the company has steadily rebuilt its identity.
And now, it feels like they’re fully leaning into it again.
You can see it in rides like Skull Island: Reign of Kong, where the queue is arguably more unsettling than the ride itself—especially when live scareactors were part of the experience. And then there’s Velocicoaster. For one of their first major post-COVID attractions, Universal didn’t just build a coaster—they built one of the most intense rides in the region, while still making it accessible enough for younger guests to experience.
That balance—intensity without restriction—is Universal.
The Edge Returns
But if there’s a true signal that this is a return to form, it’s what we’re seeing right now.
Dark Universe at Epic Universe isn’t just a couple of spooky rides—it’s a full commitment to horror as a themed land. Monsters Unchained is not only one of the best attractions in the park, it’s genuinely eerie in a way that theme parks rarely attempt anymore. Blood, monsters, unsettling environments—it’s all there, and it works.
The details scattered throughout the land reinforce it. Characters like Igor roaming with a bag of limbs, or the Invisible Man interacting with guests in intentionally off-putting ways—it all contributes to a land that feels cohesive, bold, and just a little unpredictable.
It’s the kind of idea that makes you stop and think: only Universal would do this.
And then there’s Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas—Universal’s attempt to take the Halloween Horror Nights formula and make it a year-round experience. On paper, it sounds risky. Halloween Horror Nights thrives on seasonality—on the idea that it’s a limited-time event.
Will that translate to a permanent installation? That’s a question worth exploring further.
But the more important takeaway is this: Universal is willing to try.
That willingness—to experiment, to lean into intensity, to embrace ideas that might not be for everyone—is what defined the company at its best.
And it’s what’s defining it again now.
Universal doesn’t need to be Disney. It never did.
What it needs to be is what it has always been at its best:
a place for guests who want something a little louder, a little stranger, and a little more intense.
And right now, it feels like Universal understands that better than ever.
— Mike Bundy, Park Brief
The Park Brief 
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