‘How to Train Your Dragon: Flight Academy’ brings Berk to Philadelphia for free
A new free immersive experience at Philadelphia’s Comcast Technology Center invites guests to train alongside Toothless and fellow Vikings in ‘How to Train Your Dragon: Flight Academy.’
Comcast did not rest on its laurels after financing Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park and its immersive land, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. Instead, they asked themselves what fans of DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” movie franchise would like to do next, and the answer was, train as an apprentice Dragon Rider.
The result is virtual reality ‘How to Train Your Dragon: Flight Academy’ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a collaboration between Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Destinations & Experiences and Comcast Labs.
This free experience invites visitors to join Toothless, Hiccup, Stormfly, and Astrid on the adventure of a lifetime, riding high in the sky over land and sea as they learn the ins and outs of joining an exclusive team of Dragon Riders.
Courtesy of Comcast
Soar with Toothless and Hiccup
The family-friendly experience is totally free, and takes place at the fictional Isle of Berk Visitor Center, where characters from the movie greet guests and welcome them into an interactive dragon egg hatchery. This is the place to take plenty of photos, along with showing off your best Viking roar.
Then, it’s on to an instructional session on safe dragon riding before entering the training area, located inside the 360-degree Universal Sphere dome theater, where trainees and their dragons “take flight.”
Although the theater’s seats are stationary, the nature of the dome and its immersive visuals create a convincing sensation of soaring through the air, so those with a motion-discomfort disorder should take note.
Courtesy of Comcast
Throughout the seven-minute journey, riders get a dragon’s-eye view of Berk and the surrounding sea, but this isn’t just a gentle meander through the skies. It wouldn’t be true to Toothless and Hiccup’s story without a few thrills along the way!
Graduates of the Flight Academy are rewarded with a credit-card-sized souvenir Dragon Rider license, featuring the Viking name they have chosen, their favorite dragon, and their photo. Best of all, just like the experience itself, the keepsake license is free.
A grand Viking tradition
This isn’t the first time the franchise has spun off a Virtual Reality tour. As Attractions Magazine reported in 2019, the traveling show “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” offered a VR teaser for the then-upcoming movie of the same name.
But the new setting inside Comcast’s theater, The Universal Sphere, is much grander and more immersive, a testament to the popularity of its characters and storylines.
Karen Foster, who co-produced the movie “How to Train Your Dragon,” shared her thoughts. “The Universal Sphere is such an exciting canvas for immersive storytelling because it surrounds guests in a world of possibility from the moment they enter. With ‘How to Train Your Dragon: Flight Academy,’ we wanted to create an experience that captures the spirit of adventure at the heart of the franchise.”
Sensory-friendly shows, too
‘How to Train Your Dragon: Flight Academy’ was exclusively created for Comcast Technology Center’s indoor venue, The Universal Sphere, and is open now through November 20, 2026, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., with the last show starting at 4:45 p.m.
It’s perfectly paired with ‘Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition,’ which is at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia through Sept. 7, 2026.
Timed reservations for the 15-minute delve into the world of dragons are strongly suggested but not required. Closed-captioning and audio descriptions can be requested, and sensory-friendly shows are available (daily, including 10 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. on Saturdays, with quieter music and less-dim lighting), as are translations into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, Hindi, German, and American Sign Language. Those who would like to experience the attraction without taking the “flight” are welcome to do so.
Comcast Technology Center is located at 1800 Arch Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and ‘How to Train Your Dragon: Flight Academy’ can be found in the lobby on the second-floor. On-site food and beverages are available, ranging from casual Vernick Coffee Bar to gourmet fine-dining.
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