This is what to expect at Universal’s new theme park, Epic Universe, which opened yesterday in Orlando.
Epic is Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park and its most ambitious project yet. Spanning 750 acres, it features five immersive themed worlds: Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
Guests can expect a highly immersive, tech-driven adventure with something for all ages. From intense coasters like Stardust Racers to family-friendly rides like Yoshi’s Adventure, the park balances thrills with storytelling.
Themed dining, interactive elements (like spell-casting wands), and character interactions deepen the experience. With an estimated 6m visitors in its first year, crowd management is aided by the hub-and-spoke layout and facial recognition tech. Universal is calling it a “game changer,” potentially drawing visitors from Disney due to its modern IPs and immersive design.
The new theme park is expected to generate $2bn for Florida in its first year, creating 17,500 jobs.
Universal is also adding new hotels, besides Helios Grand, Universal Stella Nova Resort (opened January 21, 2025) and Universal Terra Luna Resort (opened February 25, 2025) add 1,500 rooms, themed to cosmic exploration, with free shuttles to other Universal properties.
Phase two of the park is rumored to start post-opening, potentially adding a Luigi’s Mansion attraction to Super Nintendo World.
Attractions
There are 50 attractions (some repurposed), new dining, and shopping experiences, the park aims to rival Disney by offering a weeklong holiday destination.
Celestial Park is the central hub, designed with lush gardens, waterways, and pathways, emphasizes the “park” in theme park. It features astronomical and mythological theming, with attractions like:
- Stardust Racers: A dual-launch racing coaster reaching 62 mph and 133 feet, with 5,000 feet of track and a unique “Celestial Spin” maneuver where trains crisscross.
- Constellation Carousel: A beautifully lit carousel with animals spinning in multiple directions.
- Fountain Shows: Seven acres of water host choreographed fountains reaching up to 135 feet, synced to music and lights.
- The Oak & Star Tavern (barbecue), Pizza Moon (pizzas), Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, and the Nintendo Super Star Store for Super Nintendo World merchandise.
- Universal Helios Grand Hotel: A 500-room hotel within the park, offering exclusive park access for guests. Reservations opened October 22, 2024, for stays starting May 22, 2025.
Celestial Park serves as the gateway to the other four worlds via themed portals with LED signage, using a hub-and-spoke layout.
- Super Nintendo World immerses guests in the Mario universe with iconic elements like Peach’s Castle, Piranha Plants, and Goombas. Key Attractions include:
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge: An augmented reality dark ride where guests race in karts, collect coins, and throw shells to win.
- Mine Cart Madness: A Donkey Kong-themed roller coaster.
- Yoshi’s Adventure: A family-friendly ride through the Mushroom Kingdom on Yoshi, spotting eggs.
- Toadstool Cafe offers themed dining, while the 1-Up Factory Store, Mario Motors Store, and Funky’s Fly ‘n’ Buy (featuring a banana-shaped fanny pack) provide unique merchandise.
- Meet-and-Greets feature Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Fantastic Beasts with the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter films. Key Attractions include:
- Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry: A groundbreaking motion-based dark ride where guests chase Dolores Umbridge, time-traveling from Paris to 1990s London via the Metro Floo. The queue features a Ministry atrium with statues and office details.
- Le Cirque Arcanus: A full-scale theater show with live performers, puppetry, and special effects in Place Cachée.
- Dining and Shopping includes Bar Moonshine, Café L’air De La Sirène, Le Gobelet Noir, and Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique for Parisian-inspired wands with lights and haptic vibrations for interactive spell-casting. Eddie Redmayne features as Newt Scamander in new filmed scenes and there are Hogwarts/Ilvermorny exchange student meet-and-greets.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: A vibrant Viking village inspired by DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon, filled with dragons and colourful wooden structures. Key Attractions include:
- Hiccup’s Wing Gliders: A family thrill coaster simulating dragon flight with Hiccup and Toothless, offering views of Berk.
- Dragon meet-and-greets, including Toothless, and robotic dragons flying overhead.
- Themed eateries and shops reflect Viking aesthetics, with character interactions like Astrid Hofferson and Stormfly.
- A live-action How to Train Your Dragon film is due for release this year.
Dark Universe is themed to Universal Classic Monsters like Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein, with advanced animatronics. Key attractions include:
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment: A dark ride with cutting-edge robotic technology, featuring a 2.7-meter, 368kg Frankenstein’s monste
- Das Stakehaus, a vampire-themed restaurant, enhances the eerie atmosphere.
Epic Universe is leveraging advanced technology for a “frictionless” experience;: Facial recognition will be used to speed up entry, locker access, and express lanes, eliminating ticket fumbling. Next-gen robotics and animatronics can be seen in Dark Universe’s monsters and Isle of Berk’s dragons. Augmented reality and spatial audio enhances rides like Mario Kart and Dark Universe attractions. Omni-Directional Ride Vehicles are used in Harry Potter’s Ministry ride for dynamic movement. In dark Universe, the tech includes spatial audio and high-resolution projections for a menacing experience.
The park’s design is designed to achieve total immersion, with no outside world visible, and theming extends to music, smells, staff uniforms, and even toilets (black in Dark Universe).
Multi-day tickets (3, 4, or 5 days) include one day at Epic Universe, with remaining days at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, or Volcano Bay. Prices range from $352–$521 ($118–$174 per park/day).
Single-day Epic Universe tickets for the general public are available for dates from June 1, 2025, with annual passholder priority starting October 24, 2024, at $122+.
Holiday packages with hotel stays save up to $200.
