We Just Visited Epic Universe for the First Time EVER and We Have So Much to Tell You!
Theme park fans have been waiting for this day for years. We’ve been right there with you — poring over every piece of concept art, analyzing every press release, and daydreaming about new rides. And at long last, the time has come. We went INSIDE Universal’s brand-new theme park in Orlando, Epic Universe. We stepped through the portals and dared to go on the biggest, wildest, most innovative new attractions in Orlando. And now? We’re sharing it ALL.
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Alright. Here’s the lowdown. Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe officially opens on May 22nd, 2025. This park has been heralded as Universal’s “most ambitious theme park yet,” with theme park immersion and innovation we’ve never seen. There are over 50 new attractions. There are new restaurants. New gift shops. New shows. New stories! There’s a lot (like, a lot) to see and do, but we’re taking you along for the ride.
We’ll be updating this post as we explore more of Epic Universe throughout the day, so make sure you check back for the latest news!
Before we get into it, we need to note that while we were able to experience Epic Universe as part of a preview, photos and videos are still not currently allowed in the park. But, we will get to experience Epic Universe again before it opens and will be able to take photos and videos then, so make sure you stay tuned for that!
Epic Universe consists of five themed lands: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe. People are really excited about Dark Universe (and for good reason! more on that later). Below is a handy map!
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Entering the park works the same way as Universal’s other two theme parks. Prepare for some long lines to get in — this is a new park with a lot of excited fans. We’re going to take you land by land through the park, so settle in, get comfortable, and let’s go.
Epic Universe
Before you officially enter the park, you’ll have to park in the parking lot (unless you’re taking Universal transportation or a rideshare service) and the sections are: Gamer, Hero, Monster, Viking, and Explorer. Oddly enough, the parking lot itself is quite pretty! There are flowers and other landscaping that keep the area looking nice.
View from Stella Nova Resort
You’ll also find a ticket office near security when you get to the gate, and a handy-dandy height chart for all the rides in the park so you can check your kiddo’s height for every ride all at once.
Celestial Park
New theme park lore just dropped! We love a good story, and Celestial Park is filled with unique elements that really transport you to another world. Here, you’ll find lush living gardens, shimmering waters, and stunning architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements.
©Universal
Inscribed on the Chronos Tower, which is the large, main tower entrance to the park, it reads, “Beyond this gate, find gardens green and epic worlds to fill your dreams.” The Chronos is decorated with references to each of the lands in the park.
©Universal
Also, as we went through the Chronos, it had lots of gears and all the different layers underneath it similar to walking through Cinderella Castle and Magic Kingdom
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Celestial Park has TWO new rides — Stardust Racers (a dual-launch racing coaster) and Constellation Carousel. We’ve been hearing a LOT of buzz about the new Stardust Racers coaster, and from the looks of it, we can see why.
©Universal
There’s a play area called Astronomica, which is a wet-play area that — fun fact! — doubles as a compass.
©Universal
Another highly-anticipated addition is the new full-service “surf and turf” restaurant called Atlantic. Additionally, you can stop by The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, which features an Asian-style menu with authentic Chinese, Japanese, and Thai meals.
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There are also multiple new quick-serve restaurants, including The Oak & Star Tavern (serving barbecue) and Pizza Moon (serving a variety of pizza.) Finally, there’s also a cute little sweets shop called Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets.
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We could spend HOURS in this part of the park, but there’s so much more to see and do, and we’ve only got one day here. After exploring Celestial Park, we traveled through a portal to visit the next land.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Oui oui! We’re in Paris! More specifically, we’re in the NEW Ministry of Magic land at Epic Universe, which is Universal’s third Harry Potter-themed land.
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This land really transports you to another place and time. We’re in the 1920s wizarding world of Paris, but you might recognize some elements from the British Ministry of Magic from the original Harry Potter series.
©Universal
Forget the Marais! We’ve got something even better. Yep, there’s a cute little shopping district called Place Cachée, which is filled with shops, sidewalk cafés, and even a Butterbeer stand (YESS!).
©Universal — Ministry of Magic
Of course, one of the biggest parts of this new land is the new ride! It’s called Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry and has a height requirement of 40 inches.
©Universal
If you want something to eat (perhaps a croissant?), you can visit Café L’Air De La Sirène, Le Gobelet Noir, Bar Moonshine, and a French confectionery shop, K. Rammelle.
©Universal Orlando Resort
We’re not gonna lie. We were VERY excited about this. Universal has a new full-scale theatre experience called Le Cirque Arcanus. There are fantastic beasts. There are aerialists. There are special effects. It’s AMAZING!
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Whew! Now, that was fun. We hate to say goodbye, but we’re off to our next stop!
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
Classic video games are so last year. We’re leveling up with a REAL LIFE SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
©Bioreconstruct
Once you enter through the portal, you’ll find yourself in the world of Super Mario! Super Nintendo World is divided into two areas: Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country.
One thing that’s different about this version of the land versus the one in Hollywood is that once you go through the portal, you are immediately met by some escalators and that’s where it will take you up to the main floor.
©Universal
OK, we’ve got two attractions in Super Mario Land to talk about here. Number one is Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge (previously seen at Super Nintendo World lands in Universal Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood).
We’ve experienced this ride at Universal Hollywood, but we loved it just the same when we got to experience it as part of this preview!
Concept Art for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge ©Universal
There’s also Yoshi’s Adventure, with a minimum height requirement of 34 inches.
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Also in this land is Bowser’s Castle, which was only a 10-minute wait. We loved all the fun elements that you can choose and pick out from the game and the kids with us especially loved spotting all the hidden ghosts throughout the queue line.
But the real excitement is over at Donkey Kong Country, where you’ll find Mine-Cart Madness. We’re anticipating some long-line madness here, too. This is going to be a POPULAR new attraction.
©Universal
All that gaming might make you hungry, so stop by Toadstool Cafe, The Bubbly Barrel, Yoshi’s Snack Island, or Turbo Boost Treats for a little Super Mario-themed snack.
Inside Toadstool Cafe at Universal Studios Hollywood
The Epic Universe version of Super Nintendo World has a lot of familiar food options that you might recognize from the Hollywood and Japanese versions of this land.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
One word: DRAGONS. Need we say more? We didn’t step through this portal. We GALLOPED to How To Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk.
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There is a LOT to do in this new land. We’re talking LIVE DRAGON meet-and-greets. A new show. A play area for little Vikings. Three dining locations. And, most importantly, THREE new attractions. Where to start?!
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Let’s kick things off with Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, a family thrill coaster where we join Hiccup to test out “his latest glider contraption” that he’s invented! That Hiccup — he’s a tricky one!
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You can also check out a cute little attraction called Fyre Drill, an interactive boat battle where you should be prepared to get WET.
©Universal
Finally, there’s the new Dragon Racer’s Rally, which is a mind-boggling attraction that sends you up to 67 feet in the air. Hope you don’t mind heights!
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Food time! You can stop by the grand Mead Hall…
©Universal | Mead Hall
…Spit Fyre Grill (which overlooks the Fyre Drill water attraction)…
©Universal
…or the racing-themed Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel food stand.
Throughout your day on the Isle of Berk, be on the lookout for characters! You can meet Hiccup and the beloved Toothless at Haddock Paddock, but we also spotted some other friends wandering the area.
©Universal
Finally, there’s the epic live show called The Untrainable Dragon. This show is based on the Untrainable show in Universal Beijing Resort. From the set to the characters, this is truly an incredible show.
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Will we ever get over the fact that we met a REAL DRAGON? No. No, we won’t.
Dark Universe
Alright, it’s time. We’re putting on a brave face for this. We’re going to Dark Universe…
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Dark Universe draws on Universal’s rich history with horror. There are plenty of monsters and spooky vibes to really set the mood, so be prepared for a wild time. This land is home to two attractions, including the MAJOR new ride Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. This ride has 14 animatronics, but they aren’t your average animatronics. These things are SO REALISTIC that we could have sworn it was a real werewolf coming at us.
©Universal
The land’s second attraction is a spinning family coaster inspired by The Wolf Man. It’s called Curse of the Werewolf, and you’re gonna want to RACE to escape the werewolves before you become one.
©Universal
All that screaming can really work up your appetite! Luckily, there are plenty of places to eat, like Das Stakehaus (a quick-service restaurant)…
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…The Burning Blade Tavern (another quick-service restaurant) with a BURNING WINDMILL…
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…and De Lacey’s Cottage (serves ice cream, cinnamon bread, twisted taters, and more).
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If you have time, we highly recommend you stop by for a monster character meet-and-greet while you’re here…
Dark Universe ©Universal
…along with a Universal Horror Monster Makeup experience!
©Universal
WHEW — what an ADVENTURE! We had SO much fun at Epic Universe, and we’re already dreaming about the next time we can return. Stay tuned for more — we’ll let you know about ALL the updates, tips, tricks, and secrets of Epic Universe!
And remember, we’ll be updating this post as we explore more of Epic Universe throughout the day, so make sure you check back for the latest news!
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