Universal vs. Disney: The $7 Billion Prize Fight

Let’s be clear: Epic Universe isn’t just a new park. It’s a heavyweight punch aimed directly at Disney’s gut, and it’s already drawing blood.

Comcast reportedly spent more than $7 billion on Epic Universe, making it one of the largest theme park investments in U.S. history (New York Post, May 2025). The company didn’t just build another gate, it constructed a mission statement: modern, tech-forward, IP-rich, and engineered from the ground up to redefine what a theme park can be. Meanwhile, Disney has spent the past few years announcing rebrands, trickling out small updates to aging rides, and offering vague blue-sky presentations with no firm timelines.

According to Dennis Spiegel, a leading theme park consultant, Universal could steal 1 to 2 million visitors from Disney World in Epic Universe’s first year alone (Business Insider, December 2024). That’s not a trickle, that’s a redirected stream of ticket sales, hotel bookings, and butterbeer purchases.

So what’s really happening here? Let’s break it down.