Universal Orlando Resort announced this month that its new Universal Epic Universe theme park will open on May 22. Trip Advisor last week had the first look at multi-day ticket sales for the park, which joins Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Volcano Water Park. Bay on the Universal Orlando campus. Editor-in-Chief Jamie Biesiada spoke with Adam Duckworth, president and founder of Fort Lauderdale-based Travelmation (No. 59 on Travel Weekly’s Power List), the day before tickets go on sale Oct. 22.

Adam Duckworth

Q: We finally have a date. What are you hearing from customers? Are they excited?

A: We’ve had lists a mile long for what seems like months of people ready to reserve this product. Customers are delighted; they have been waiting for this day.

Q: Why is the level of excitement for Epic so high?

A: I think when you’re a fan of amusement parks or like going on theme park vacations, you’re always going to find yourself with new things. And outside of the water parks, I don’t think we’ve had a new theme park, especially in Orlando, since Islands of Adventure (in 1999).

Q: That’s right, and this was right after Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened in 1998.

A: And then Disney California Adventure (at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California) opened in 2001.

I think theme park guru or fan, yes we are excited about attractions. Yes, we are excited about the dining deals in the park. But there’s nothing that pisses us off like a new park. When a new park opens and you smell the new theme park and taste the new theme park and have new hotels, people are excited. There are so many corners they’ve never seen before and so many snack options and not to mention the new attractions — it charges you up.

Q: Speaking of new hotels, we’re getting three: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort. I’ve heard Helios is the most popular, with its dedicated Epic entry.

A: We hear the same. I heard Helios is this experience inside a theme park. There’s always the buzz surrounding how close you can get to the park; it makes your experience much easier. However, the other two properties that they create, there is some buzz around them. My understanding is that Universal is opening them before Epic so people can try them out and see the shiny new toy before Epic opens. I think it’s a smart move.

Q: Looking at the park itself, one of the things that intrigues me is that the five themed worlds of the Epic Universe can apparently only be entered and exited through a single portal — one way in, one way out. what do you think

A: It will certainly be interesting. I bet not many people know that portals are the only way in and out of a certain area. I bet they will look for ways out. When that’s not there, I think you’ll see people pick up on it pretty quickly.

The question will be about guest flow. Not having been in an experience like this before, my question is: what will the guest flow be like? Will it work? Are (universal) going to have to drill holes in this thing, or drill out walls and put some doors in other places?

I think they are quite dedicated to its design as it is so pure in nature. As a theme park fan, I love it. There is a way in and there is a way out. I think the jury is out on guest satisfaction on that strategy, but I’m excited to see.