We are only weeks away from the grand opening of Epic Universe, and Unofficial Guides author Seth Kubersky is one of the first journalists to be invited inside. Here, he brings you this exclusive look at Universal Orlando’s eagerly anticipated new theme park.
Universal Orlando will officially debut its newest theme park to the public on May 22nd, nearly six years after it was originally announced. Epic Universe is currently open for testing only to employees and their families, but on April 5th, I was part of the first group of media allowed to experience the park and all of its attractions. Start by watching this full walking tour of Epic Universe, then read on for a tour of all five worlds that make up the new park:
Celestial Park
Celestial Park is the gateway to the rest of Epic Universe, and the towering Chronos portal serves as its iconic entrance. Here you’ll find the usual shops, restaurants, and guest services, but Celestial Park also acts as a soothing transition between the other immersive worlds, with acres of lush gardens and tranquil lagoons to admire while leisurely strolling.
The area is also home to Stardust Racers, dueling twin-launched roller coasters that intertwine as they navigate the land, and Constellation Carousel, a unique merry-go-round with animal mounts that elevate riders 6 feet above the ground.
TIP: Stardust Racers’ green side provides extreme ejector airtime, especially in the back row.
Super Nintendo World
The colorful world of Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom has come to life at Epic Universe, following its prior appearances in Universal Studios Japan and Hollywood.
Orlando’s land closely resembles Osaka’s version, including all three rides: an augmented-reality Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge dark ride; the kid-friendly Yoshi’s Adventure omnimover; and a track-jumping Donkey Kong Country Mine Cart Madness roller coaster, which is fun to watch but disappointingly rough to ride. One unique aspect is the warp pipe escalator that guests use to enter the land, complete with 8-bit sound effects.
TIP: Purchase a Power-Up band to enjoy interactive activities, like this Bob-omb puzzle game and the hidden Bowser Jr. Showdown.
How to Train Your Dragon—Isle of Berk
The DreamWorks animated franchise comes to life in Epic Universe’s largest and most family-friendly land, which is dominated by a lagoon with towering Viking statues. The headlining ride here is Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, a smooth (but surprisingly thrilling) launch coaster that is a perfect midpoint between Islands of Adventure’s Hippogriff and Hagrid rides.
There’s also a Fyre Drill soaking boat ride, a Dragon Racers Rally spinning ride, and a Viking Training Camp playground.
But the real must-see attraction in Berk—aside from the multitude of adorable animatronic dragons around every corner—is the Untrainable Dragon musical stage show, which uses enormous puppets and astounding effects to create a Broadway-quality spectacle that is unexpectedly emotional.
TIP: Sit towards the center in the front half of Untrainable Dragon’s theater to see Toothless fly directly overhead.
Dark Universe
It’s alive! Frankenstein, Dracula, and the rest of Universal’s classic monsters are back and better (or badder) than ever in the cursed village of Darkmoor, home to the darkest attraction in any Universal theme park. Warm up with a lap around Curse of the Werewolf, a family-friendly spinning coaster that’s like a pint-size outdoor version of EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Then, if you’re bold enough, brave Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, a thrilling dark ride that brings nightmares to life using Kuka robotic arms (similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey) and uncannily realistic animatronics. It might have instantly leapt to the top of my list of all-time favorite attractions, if not for the park’s final land.
TIP: Don’t miss the Burning Blade Tavern in the back corner of the area, which bursts into flames every time the village bells toll.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Ministry of Magic
Last but certainly not least, step through the portal into a stunning recreation of 1920s Paris for the third and grandest Harry Potter land of them all.
In addition to magical shops and restaurants lining the mercifully wider boulevards, you’ll spot red circus tents marking the entrance to Le Cirque Arcanus, an illusion show featuring Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts.
However, the big draw that will have guests queueing for hours is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, a next-generation dark ride that is hands-down the most jaw-dropping attraction I’ve ever experienced. The queue alone, which takes you through the Floo Network into the Ministry’s tile-lined lobby and beyond, is a masterpiece in of itself, as you can see in this full walk-though video:
Between the elevator-style ride vehicles—which have a vertical range of motion similar to Flight of Passage or Rise of the Resistance’s escape pods, enhanced with seamless video screens—and animatronics that are so fluid they can be mistaken for live actors, Battle at the Ministry sets a new bar for themed attractions. It is worth every one of the many minutes you’ll wait for it.
TIP: Battle at the Ministry is prone to technical delays and does not operate during early entry, so make it your first priority at rope drop.
Final First Thoughts about Epic Universe
After covering its development for well over half a decade, my first day at Epic Universe lived up to my high expectations—and then some. I only had about 9 hours inside, which wasn’t enough to experience every ride, much less explore the worlds in-depth. And early adopters should be aware that the headliner rides are still temperamental (they closed periodically for technical difficulties during my preview visit). But with a balanced mix of E-Ticket thrills, family-friendly entertainment, and immersive atmosphere, Epic Universe has the potential to be not only the best theme park in Orlando, but perhaps on the planet.
Are you planning to visit Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe? Let us know in the comments below!
For all there is to see and do at Universal Orlando, check out The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando.
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