Universal Epic Universe

Lands, rides, shows, food, dates and tickets

By BRADY MACDONALD

The Orange County Register (TNS)

The highly anticipated Epic Universe theme park coming to central Florida will let visitors soar on dragonback, fly like a comet, cast wizard’s spells and flee werewolves and vampires when the newest addition to Universal Orlando debuts next summer.

The new Universal Epic Universe theme park will open on May 22 just before Memorial Day Weekend 2025 with more than 50 rides, attractions, shows, restaurants and experiences.

Epic Universe tickets will go on sale Oct. 22 for multi-day packages and on Thursday, Oct. 24 for single- day admissions for Universal Orlando annual passholders.

Daily visitors will be required to purchase multiday tickets to visit Epic Universe during the initial launch.

Multiday ticket holders will only be able to visit Epic Universe for one day to avoid overcrowding – spending the other days at Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure.

Single-day tickets will only be available to passholders when Epic Universe initially opens and will go on sale to the general public at some point before the park opens.

Three-day ticket packages range from $352 to $521 ($118 to $174 per day). Four- to seven-day packages are also available.

The 750-acre Epic Universe will feature five themed lands: Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon’s Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World and Celestial Park.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the themed lands coming to Epic Universe.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will expand to its third Universal theme park in Florida with the opening of Epic Universe.

The Ministry of Magic themed land will recreate the streets of 1920s Paris from the Fantastic Beasts films and the British wizarding governmental headquarters from the Harry Potter franchise.

The Battle at the Ministry motion simulator ride will be the marquee attraction in the new Potter land.

The queue will let riders travel to the Ministry of Magic via the Metro-Floo wizarding mass transit system in order to attend the trial of one-time Hogwarts Headmistress Dolores Umbridge.

Riders will climb aboard a magical elevator as they help Harry, Ron and Hermione stop Umbridge, fend off Death Eaters and solve a mystery.

The Ministry of Magic themed land will also feature a live show called “Le Cirque Arcanus” blending live performers, puppetry and special effects. The backstory involves the theft of Magizoologist Newt Scamander’s suitcase filled with fantastic beasts.

Baguettes Magique will serve as the wand shop in the new land run by designer wandmaker Cosme Acajor.

Cafe L’air De La Sirene will serve French-inspired food with outdoor and indoor seating while Le Gobelet Noir tavern will have a dark magic theme.

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

Epic Universe will be home to the world’s first themed land based on the How to Train Your Dragon animated film franchise. The Isle of Berk themed land will recreate the rocky island from the films where rugged Vikings and rambunctious fire-breathing dragons coexist in harmony. Visitors will spot 30 dragons in the Viking village – some of them animated.

The thrilling Hiccup’s Wing Gliders roller coaster will take riders on a winged flying machine from young Viking hero Hiccup’s workshop. The multi-launch coaster by Intamin Amusement Rides will feature a show section and baby dragons along the track route.“The Untrainable Dragon” live show finds Hiccup, Gobber and Astrid trying to decide how to handle a new dragon in Berk. Dragons will soar above the stage in the music- filled action-comedy spectacular.

The Dragon Racer’s Rally thrill ride trains aspiring dragon racers how to ride dragons while practicing aerobatic maneuvers and highspeed barrel rolls.

The Fyre Drill water ride finds Viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut turning Berk’s fire academy into an interactive boat battle on the high seas. Riders will shoot water cannons up to 28 feet through the air at flame-like targets and other boats during the watery warfare.

Kids will enjoy climbing, sliding and drumming at the Viking Training Camp agility course play area and posing for meet-and-greet photos in the Haddock Paddock with Hiccup, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Toothless and Stormfly.

The Mead Hall restaurant will serve a hearty Viking menu of meats, fish, meads, ciders and ales. Giant Viking statues will flank the entrance of the eatery seemingly carved out of a mountain.

Dark Universe

The grim, mythic and mysterious world of the Dark Universe horror themed land will celebrate the classic Universal Monsters of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s.

Monsters will roam the twisted landscape of the Darkmoor village ravaged by the wrath of unearthly creatures and the diabolical experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein.

The Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment dark ride puts riders in the middle of Dr. Frankenstein’s latest experiment conducted in the catacombs below the family estate.

The experiment goes awry on the motion simulator thrill ride when Dracula leads a revolt of enraged monsters including the Mummy, Wolf Man and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Flames will shoot three feet in the air and dance to the music of the Phantom of the Opera’s organ during the ride.

The Curse of the Werewolf multi-launch coaster from Mack Rides will send riders through a werewolf-infested forest and past a wagon camp belonging to the Guild of Mystics.

The Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience will transform park visitors into werewolves, vampires and mummies for a fee.

The vampire-themed Das Stakehaus will serve steaks while the Burning Blade Tavern in an old mill that doubles as a monster-hunter pub will offer burgers, wings and bratwursts.

Super Nintendo World

Epic Universe will be home to Florida’s version of the Super Nintendo World video game-themed lands already found at Universal parks in California and Japan and coming to Singapore in 2025.

Epic Universe will get a version of the Donkey Kong Country area coming to Universal Studios Japan in late 2024.

The Mine Cart Madness family roller coaster will feature a novel track-jumping element. Riders will enter through the Golden Temple, board a minecart and help Donkey Kong protect the Golden Banana.

Epic Universe will also get the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge augmented reality dark ride, Yoshi’s Adventure omnimover kiddie ride, Power-Up Band interactivity games, Toadstool Cafe restaurant and 1Up Factory gift shop found at other Universal parks.

Celestial Park

The Celestial Park entry promenade will serve as the central hub to Epic Universe with portal entrances to the other themed lands.

The Stardust Racers dueling coaster will put riders aboard a comet and send them rocketing through the stars.

The dual-launch Mack Rides racing coaster will reach a top speed of 62 miles per hour over 5,000 feet of track while navigating a barrel roll and zero-G roll.

The fully illuminated ride vehicles with ethereal onboard audio will look like colorful shooting stars as they travel along the blacked-out track at night.

The Constellation Carousel will let visitors ride the Milky Way aboard celestial lions, dragons, peacocks and bears.

The Atlantic fine dining restaurant will focus on seafood and steak beneath an overhead fish tank while the Blue Dragon restaurant will feature a Pan-Asian menu with neon dragons racing along the walls.

The new Universal Helios Grand Hotel will open with Epic Universe on May 22. The 500-room Mediterranean- inspired hotel will have views of Epic Universe, a rooftop bar and a dedicated entrance in Celestial Park. Two other Universal hotels will debut before the opening of Epic Universe – Stella Nova (opening Jan. 21) and Terra Luna (opening Feb. 25).

Epic Universe will be located on Universal’s new south campus near Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Free shuttle buses will transport visitors between Epic Universe and the Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure theme parks, Volcano Bay water park, CityWalk outdoor mall and Universal hotels.

The debut of Epic Universe could boost attendance across all three of Universal’s Florida theme parks by 8 million during 2025 and 2026, according to an analyst report from research firm MoffettNathanson.

Concept art of the Dark Universe themed land at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park in Florida.

Universal Orlando / TNS

Conceptual aerial map of Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park in Florida.