With Japan getting Super Nintendo World in the very near future, the rest of the world is curious about when they'll be able to take a trip to the land of Mario. According to a new report from Tampa, FL news station WFLA, plans have been finalized for the Orlando park with a tentative opening date of 2023.
Construction won't be starting this year but will begin sometime in 2021 when Universal begins work on its third park (the Epic Universe). This park will be built just north of the Orange County Convention Center and concept art shows a potential of four different areas with separate themes. One of these happens to be Super Nintendo World.
All of this was confirmed during a Q4 conference call that Comcast held today. An executive for Comcast confirmed that Super Nintendo World will be a part of the "fourth-gate" in Florida. While Epic Universe will be the third park, this comment likely means Super Nintendo World will have its own dedicated entrance to let park goers forgo the rest of the theme park.
For some curious reason, Comcast is treating this announcement as if it is the first time word of an Orlando based park is being uttered. If I remember correctly, Universal's initial plans with Nintendo included a park in each of its theme parks around the globe. It was pretty obvious Nintendo would want a presence in Orlando, which happens to be one of the biggest tourist locations in the United States.
Still, maybe there weren't concrete plans. Now we know with 100% certainty that we won't need to leave the US to get a taste of Mario. It's surprising how quickly this will be coming together. Previous comments from Universal's CEO Tom Williams stated that a park takes around five to six years to complete. Apparently you can do it in three if you put some muscle in.
It will be interesting to see if Universal brings additional attractions to the Orlando Nintendo World. The Japan location will be celebrating its third anniversary by the time this opens and will likely include many different rides. To not have those in Florida will feel like a missed opportunity.
Source: WFLA