Files spotted and analysed by the great bunch of guys at WDWNT all point to big changes at the current location for Universe of Energy.
Paperwork has been filed by Disney with the South Florida Water Management District that seem to point to significant work happening in and around the Universe of Energy area. By the looks of the below screenshot it would seem we are going to be getting one giant attraction or several new additions.
While all of this is just speculation (it is possible Disney are just improving water works) lets explore the possibilities for the area if Ellen and Bill Nye are truly going to be leaving.
Big Marvel Attraction
It is fair to say that this would be my ideal scenario but at this stage I also feel it is the least likely due to contracts that Universal have with Marvel.
Rumours of a Guardians of the Galaxy attraction have been around for well over a year now but IF (and its a big if) Disney can get around the Marvel contract that Universal has in Florida then it makes far more sense to replicate what they have done to Tower of Terror in Disneyland. Not my ideal scenario it is very unlikely that Disney would create two very different Guardians of the Galaxy attractions.
The other Marvel option here is to take the Iron Man attraction that recently opened in China or indeed something brand new.
Tron Coaster
Given the space Disney has to play with here (based on the permits filed) then it is more than possible to fit the hugely popular Tron Coaster from Shanghai Disneyland into this space. Though there are still a lot of rumours that this attraction will be replacing the Tomorrowland Speedway at Magic Kingdom, it would fit in equally as well in Epcot’s Future World.
We have seen height balloons circulating around this space over the last 12 months so a coaster would make a lot of sense and give Epcot its first rollercoaster.
Something Brand New
This I feel is the most likely option given the contract problems Disney would have to negotiate through with Marvel. The space is big enough for Disney to do a lot here and it will be great to see something that no other Disney Park has.
Though it would be incredibly sad to say goodbye to Ellen, the attraction is rapidly becoming irrelevant and is ageing fast.
Regardless of what is happening at Universe of Energy, hopefully we will hear something more concrete at D23 in July.
What would you like to see occupy the space at Universe of Energy?
Ryan has been attending theme parks since as long as he can remember and his first proper memory comes from when he was just three years old sitting in Main Street USA drinking a Nesquik milkshake from a carton while the piano was being played outside Casey’s Corner.
