Universal Epic Universe details finally revealed: Nintendo, Monsters, Dragons, and another Wizarding World coming to Orlando
Universal Epic Universe will open in 2025 at Universal Orlando Resort, and today Universal finally unveiled the new theme park’s lands — themed to “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Harry Potter,” Universal Classic Monsters, and Nintendo — after years of speculation.
Below are official descriptions from Universal about each land, plus official concept art and recent construction photos by bioreconstruct.
Universal Epic Universe
Emanating from the Celestial Park central hub, portals will transport guests into the four lands of Epic Universe: How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe, and Super Nintendo World.
Universal Creative has been developing the 750-acre Epic Universe since 2016. The company has not publicly specified an opening date other than “2025.” Universal previously said the park will open by summer 2025.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Portal inscription: “We, my friends, have dragons!”
Guests will take to the skies and soar with dragons as they explore the colorful Viking village at the heart of Berk, where they can take part in wild boat battles, feast like a Viking, and more.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Portal inscription: “For in dreams we enter a world that is entirely our own.”
Guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts” films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the “Harry Potter” series.
Dark Universe
Portal inscription: “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
Guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.
Super Nintendo World
Portal inscription: “Here we go!”
Guests will experience a new way to play, from challenging Bowser on the Mario Kart ride to venturing through Donkey Kong Country, and so much more.
Universal said more details about specific attractions within the four portal lands will be announced later. Of the four realms, Super Nintendo World is the only to exist in other Universal theme parks, with versions already open at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Celestial Park
The park’s central hub will be called Celestial Park.
Celestial Park is the center of an ever-evolving universe that, throughout centuries, people — artists, musicians, explorers, adventurers, inventors — have visited for inspiration and connection, and maybe left a little piece of them behind.
Celestial Park will contain the following attractions:
- Starfall Racers, a dual roller coaster reaching speeds of 62 mph and a maximum height of 133 feet
- Constellation Carousel, whose individual ride vehicles will spin in addition to the main turntable
- Astronomica, a water play area
Universal said Starfall Racers is designed to feel like a wooden roller coaster and will be themed as two comets racing through the stars. The back of its coaster trains will have a “Back to the Future” Easter egg.
Celestial Park will also be home to two full-service restaurants:
- Atlantic, a surf-and-turf restaurant
- The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, serving Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food and featuring an indoor courtyard with constellations and dancing lanterns
“These two venues set the tone for what our culinary mission continues to be: quality fresh food with amazing storytelling,” said Chef Robert Martinez Jr., executive chef at Universal Orlando Resort. “I feel like my whole career has been leading up to the Epic Universe project. For me there is nothing more fulfilling than being part of a project from its inception and watching it blossom into an amazing atmosphere with delicious food.”
Quick-service options in Celestial Park will include The Oak & Star Tavern (a barbecue location) and Pizza Moon. Meanwhile, treats will be available at Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets.
Celestial Park will also feature the Nintendo Super Star Store.
An area called Luna Overlook will provide a sweeping view of Celestial Park.
Epic Universe Park Entrance
From the main entrance, guests will step through a structure called the Emerald Gate. From there, they’ll encounter “the Chronos device,” the storytelling conduit that connects the realms of Epic Universe together.
“In our story, Chronos is this giant machine used to harness the energy of the universe that powers all of Celestial Park, allowing us to open the portals to other worlds,” said Adam Rivest, executive producer for Celestial Park.
Universal Helios Grand Hotel
Located inside Epic Universe with its own dedicated entrance to Celestial Park, the 500-room Universal Helios Grand Hotel is “designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite.”
Helios Grand joins the previously unveiled Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort, currently under construction just down the street from Epic Universe. This pair of hotels will open before the theme park (Stella Nova on Jan. 21, 2025 and Terra Luna on Feb. 25, 2025).
Photos by bioreconstruct
Epic Universe Preview Center
Universal confirmed that an Epic Universe Preview Center will open “later this year” at Universal CityWalk. The Universal Legacy Store recently shuttered its doors, possibly to make room for the Preview Center.
Lots More on the Way
Epic Universe will be the first theme park to debut in Orlando since Universal Islands of Adventure opened its gates in 1999. That’s not to say the three major resorts in the area — Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld Orlando — have remained stagnant the past quarter-century. The destinations have introduced dozens of new experiences in that timespan: hotels, water parks, special events, themed lands, you name it. Epic Universe is Orlando’s first full-fledged theme park, though, in 25 years.
If history repeats itself, Epic Universe may enact industry-wide one-upmanship, good news for guests as every park tries to intrigue visitors and outdo competition. After Universal’s 2010 opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, other parks followed suit with über-themed lands based upon singular franchises, from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando. Will Epic Universe introduce any innovations that will influence other parks?
Photos by Blake Taylor
In the immediate future, local competitors to Universal aren’t resting on their laurels. SeaWorld Orlando will open its Penguin Trek roller coaster this spring. The park also recently filed permits for two onsite hotels, which would be its first overnight accommodations.
Image courtesy of SeaWorld
Meanwhile, Walt Disney World will open Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a log flume based on “The Princess and the Frog,” later this year at Magic Kingdom. Disney also has long-term plans to develop large-scale projects that would replace DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and expand “beyond Big Thunder” at Magic Kingdom. The company has not yet formally announced those projects’ details, other than stating vague intentions of potential attractions.
Artwork courtesy of Disney; photo courtesy of Magic City Mayhem
More Epic Universe
Here’s the full video of Universal personnel announcing Epic Universe:
Here’s a virtual fly-through of Celestial Park:
We also have an Epic Universe playlist on our YouTube channel, dating back to the original press announcement in August 2019.
If you’re a Nintendo fan, you’re in luck. You can get a peek at some of the attractions that await you in Orlando’s Super Nintendo World by watching our playlist from other Super Nintendo Worlds around the globe, featuring over 40 videos:
We’ve been covering Epic Universe for several years now, thanks in part to the aerial photography of bioreconstruct. If you’re learning about the park for the first time today — or want to relive its progress so far — here are some previous Epic Universe stories from our archives.
