Get ready to step into a whole new world of adventure—Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe is set to redefine theme park thrills! Opening May 22, 2025, this highly anticipated addition to Universal’s lineup promises immersive lands, groundbreaking attractions, and jaw-dropping technology that will transport guests to otherworldly realms. In this blog, we’ll dive into everything we know so far and what you can expect from this epic new destination.

Epic Universe is 15 - 20 minutes from the main Universal Orlando Resort (Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, etc.). We were able to preview this park during technical rehearsals before it opened to the public, and we are excited for it to be added to the resort. This is the fourth park at Universal Orlando Resort (Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay).

This brand new theme park features five new lands:

How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk - Based on the popular animated franchise, How to Train Your Dragon, this land offers dragon-themed attractions, Viking-themed dining, and even meet and greets with dragons set in a colorful, larger-than-life environment.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic - This land transports guests to the magical streets of 1920s Paris and the British Ministry of Magic, offering Harry Potter fans a new experience within the beloved universe. Keep your eyes out for magical creatures as they are hidden throughout the land!
Dark Universe - This land is perfect for those who are fans of Universal’s Classic Monsters, Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolfman, and more! Here you can encounter these creatures in a dark and spooky landscape.
Super Nintendo World - Step into the world of Nintendo in this brightly-colored land that makes you feel like you stepped right into a Mario and friends video game. This land is full of interactive games, attractions, and dining locations.
Celestial Park - Serving as the central hub, Celestial Park features gardens, interactive fountains, and a variety of dining and shopping options. It's the gateway to the other four other themed lands in Epic Universe.

In this blog, we will explore the five lands of Epic Universe.

How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk

Step into a world where dragons and Vikings live together as you explore the Isle of Berk from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. This land features adventurous attractions, Viking-themed dining establishments, and even meet-and-greets with dragons!

Dining

This land features two quick-service dining options: Mead Hall and Spit Fyre Grill. Mead Hall and Spit Fyre Grill both offer a variety of meats and fish served with grains and salads. Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel is a food stand where you will find the popular mac and cheese cones.

All quick-service dining locations (not food carts) offer mobile ordering. You can order before heading to the restaurant or while sitting down. Then, just enter your table number in the Universal app and wait for a team member to drop off your order!

Goldfish Mac & Cheese Cone from Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel

Attractions

This land features three attractions: Hiccups Wing Gliders, Dragon’s Rally Racers, and Fyre Drill. Hiccups Wing Gliders is a roller-coaster that takes you flying throughout the Isle of Berk. Dragon’s Rally Racers take you high in the sky to practice dragon-riding. Fyre Drill is a water ride where you battle to see who can score the most points (and who can soak the other team/riders - you do get soaked on this ride!).

Hiccups Wing Gliders - a fun family coaster

Shows

Isle of Berk is also home to The Untrainable Dragon Show. This is a must-do as it is a great mix of live actors, practical effects, puppets/animatronics, and screens!

Shows happen several times throughout the day. You can find showtimes in the Universal Orlando app.

Hiccup and Toothless in The Untrainable Dragon Show.

Entertainment

In Isle of Berk, you can also meet Hiccup and Toothless as well as seeing wandering characters like Ruffnut and Tuffnut. The wait times for Toothless are listed in front of his meet and greet area, and from what I can tell, when Ruffnut and Tuffnut come out is random, though they may publish meeting times in the app when the park opens to the public.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic

From the world of Newt Scamander in the 1920s Paris to the world of Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the 1990s British Ministry, this land adds to Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and Hogsmeade at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure and is sure to delight any Harry Potter fan! Keep your eyes out for fantastical creatures hidden throughout the land!

Check out our walkthrough of the land below!

Dining

Cafe L’air De La Sirene serves French-inspired cuisine, including quiches and crepes, and is home to the famous butterbeer crepe. Le Gobelet Noir offers similar cuisine seen at the Leaky Cauldron or Three Broomsticks at the other Universal parks (think your fish and chips and British-style pub food).

All the quick service dining locations (not food carts) offer mobile ordering. You can order before heading to the restaurant or while sitting down, and then just enter your table number in the Universal app and wait for a team member to drop off your order!

This land also includes one bar, Bar Moonshine, that serves a variety of themed cocktails.

Attractions

This land features one attraction, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, where you watch as Dolores Umbridge stands trial for her crimes in the Ministry of Magic. The queue for this attraction is stunning and makes you feel like you have stepped foot into a Harry Potter movie.

At the time of writing, this attraction utilizes a virtual queue system that drops at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. You will need to log into the Universal Orlando App to secure a virtual queue time.

Shows

Step into 1920s Paris at the Le Cirque Arcanus, where you can come face to face with some of the fantastical creatures of the world of Harry Potter. This show is a great mix of live actors, screens, and puppets. I would definitely recommend seeing it!

Shows happen several times throughout the day. You can find showtimes in the Universal Orlando app.

Dark Universe

Dark Universe is the land that your favorite classic Universal Monsters call home. From the Wolf Man to the Invisible Man to Frankenstein’s Monster and his bride, any Universal Monsters fan will love this land! Darkmoor, the town in this land, is home to new characters like Ygor and monster hunters that add even more to the stories you know and love of classic Universal Monsters.

Check out our walkthrough of the land below!

Dining

This land features Das Stakehaus and The Burning Blade Tavern. Das Stakehouse is a sit-down quick-service location offering burgers. The Burning Blade Tavern is a tavern offering bar bites and alcoholic beverages. De Lacey’s Cottage is a food stand offering quick bites like pretzels and cinnamon roll bites.

All quick-service dining locations (not food carts) offer mobile ordering. You can order before heading to the restaurant or while sitting down. Then, just enter your table number in the Universal app and wait for a team member to drop off your order!

Burning Blade Tavern - listen for when the bells toll as that is the sign of the tavern being lit (This is an homage to the end of the classic Universal movie Frankenstein when the villagers burn down the tavern).

Attractions

This land is home to two thrilling attractions. Curse of the Werewolf is a rollercoaster that spins as you race through the woods the wolves call home. Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment follows Dr. Victoria Frankenstein as she shows off her latest experiments.

Entertainment

This land has some of the best entertainment in my opinion. You can meet Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Invisible Man, and my personal favorite, Igor (he is Victoria Frankenstein’s assistant and truly the best part of the land).
From what I can tell, the characters come out at random times, as I did not see meeting times in the app during the preview. This may change when the park opens to the public. As always, check the Universal app for more information.

In Dark Universe, you can also transform into a monster at the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience (additional fees apply).

Super Nintendo World

This land feels like you have entered a Mario and friends video game. From the bright colors to the sounds of the land, to all the interactive experiences and attractions. This land will surely bring out nostalgia for everyone who grew up playing Nintendo video games (I mean, you get to ride real-life Mario Kart).

Dining

This land features Toadstool Cafe, The Bubbly Barrel, Yoshi’s Snack Island, and Turbo Boost Treats. Toad Stool Cafe is the only sit-down quick-service location and offers burgers, sandwiches, and salads. The Bubbly Barrel, Yoshi’s Snack Island, and Turbo Boost Treats are snack stands throughout the land.

All quick-service dining locations (not food carts) offer mobile ordering. You can order before heading to the restaurant or while sitting down. Then, enter your table number in the Universal app and wait for a team member to drop off your order!

Toad Stool Cafe - Toad greets you as you walk into the Toad Stool Cafe.

Attractions

This land features three attractions Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Mine-Cart Madness, and Yoshi’s Adventure. The Mario Kart attraction is like playing real-world Mario Kart, where you throw shells, collect coins, and try to defeat Team Bowser. Mine-Cart Madness is a family coaster through the world of Donkey Kong (at the time of writing this is one of the few attractions in Epic Universe that does not accept Express Pass). Yoshi’s Adventure is a family-friendly ride through the Mushroom Kingdom that gives you great views of the entire land.

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – Jump into a real-life Mario Kart race! Toss shells, grab coins, and battle it out to take down Team Bowser in this thrilling interactive ride.

Entertainment

You can meet Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong in this land.

From what I can tell, the characters come out randomly, as I did not see meeting times in the app during the preview. This may change when the park opens to the public. As always, you can check the Universal app for more information.

Celestial Park

Dining

This land features two full-service restaurants, Atlantic and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, as well as several quick-service restaurants and food stands, such as The Oak & Star Tavern, Pizza Moon, Meteor Astropub, Plastered Owl Bar, Star Sui Bao, Frosty Moon, Comet Dogs, Celestiki, and Ban Zenith.

The Atlantic is a stunning restaurant that takes you underwater into a Victorian aquarium. Here you can dine on exceptional seafood or steaks, or grab a drink at the Aquaria Bar. Reservations are recommended for this restaurant and can be made on the Universal app.

The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian restaurant was not open during previews but will require reservations that can be made through the Universal App.

Pizza Moon is a kitschy pizza place featuring an ube (a purple yam that gives this pizza a distinct purple crust) crust pizza you may have seen on social media.

All quick-service dining locations (not food carts) offer mobile ordering. You can order before heading to the restaurant or while sitting down. Then, just enter your table number in the Universal app and wait for a team member to drop off your order!

Pizza Moon, a quick service dining location in Celestial Park that serves pizzas and pastas.

Attractions

This land features two attractions Stardust Racers as well as Constellation Carousel. Stardust Racers is a dueling coaster (similar to Dueling Dragons in Islands of Adventure) with both an instense side and a less instense side. Constellation Carousel is a unique and fun twist on your standard carousel ride.

Constellation Carousel - a family attraction featuring fantastical creatures

Shows

Celestial Park features a nighttime fountain show in the middle of the park/land.

Entertainment

Musicians are playing as well as statues brought to life throughout the land.

From what I can tell, the characters come out randomly, as I did not see meeting times in the app during the preview. This may change when the park opens to the public. As always, check the Universal app for more information.

takeaways

We attended the park during its technical rehearsals, and here are our thoughts:

THE PARK

Park Entrances - I love how the worlds each have their own entrances. It makes it feel very immersive... you literally are stepping into another world!
Go at night! - The park lights up at night and all the portals and worlds truly come alive. Make sure to see each land in the day and at night as it is a different experience!
Super Mario Land – This was for sure the best! Incredible park and it brought me back to when I used to play Mario Brothers.
Plenty for Parents - There are tons of spots for adults to grab a beer or cocktail!
All Ages Fun - With the four different "lands" and tons of rollercoasters, there's something for everyone! (Note that there are not a lot of rides for small children.)
Come Prepared! - This park has little shade, so take breaks, use sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. All quick service locations and bars will give you a cup of ice water, and there's many bottle refilling stations!

THE FOOD

Atlantic Fine Dining - This establishment was amazing - definitely didn't feel like I was in a theme park!
Harry Potter Treat - The butterbeer crepes were my favorite "theme park" food. Super Yummy!

THE STAY

Helios Grand Hotel - This is truly STEPS from Epic Universe. For those looking for a 2-night stay only, then you can't beat Helios.
Know how to get around! - Epic Universe is about 15-20 minutes from the other parks. You will need to take the shuttle buses or Uber to get to it, so plan to be here all day if you are staying at one of the other Universal hotels.

Interested in planning a vacation to Epic Universe and the Universal Orlando Resort, but need help figuring out where to start? Let us help get you there! We will help you find the perfect resort and plan a custom itinerary.

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