I’ve just got back from the media tour of Universal Epic Universe. The first new theme park built in Orlando in 20 years, Epic has been a decade in the making (and across a pandemic!).
The new park is ready to welcome the public on 22 May 2025. Here are my main takeaways:
1. The scale of this park is enormous
There is a sense of space and scale across the lands and attractions.
The Atrium at Harry Potter and The Battle at the Ministry is jaw-droppingly large, with forced-perspective ministry offices and a projection-mapped ceiling to really make you think you have left the French Wizarding World and entered the 1990s British Ministry of Magic.
Place Cachée, the French Diagon Alley, is deceptively big, too. There are multiple side streets including photo opportunities and interactive wand moments, as well as several shops and restaurants.
See also: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Epic Universe
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is 15.5 acres large, with a central lake including two 40 foot statues, three rides, a training camp and a theatre.
Celestial Park, the park’s central land, connects all portals with a huge central lake with dancing fountain shows. It connects to Universal Helios Grand Hotel as well.
Even Super Nintendo World, which is in a compact area, felt like it had more space with the inclusion of Donkey Kong Country, too.
Epic will no doubt be packed upon opening. However, it felt like a lot of space for crowds and certainly lots to explore. The portals into each world are the only entry and exit points to each land, which keeps the reveal moment and sightlines hidden for guests. It will be interesting to see how the visitor flow works across the park. I’m sure it’s been modelled to death in the design phase!
2. Epic Universe is identical to the concept art
It’s not often that in a project of this scale, the final result looks like the first released concept. Budgets are often pushed or the final product changed for various reasons. But with Epic Universe, they really did deliver what they promised.
3. Universal is officially away from purely screen-based attractions
A few years ago, Universal went through a phase of adding screen-based motion simulator rides like Fast and Furious – Supercharged and Skull Island: Reign of Kong, which weren’t very popular with visitors.
Universal then changed its mix of attractions with coasters like Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure and Velocicoaster. Both were huge commercial successes that combined animatronics and story with intense thrills.
Epic Universe seems to strike the balance perfectly. The coasters like Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Curse of the Werewolf have some animatronic characters to add theming and storytelling to the coaster path.
The dark rides like Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment both have incredibly high resolution screens that are integrated within sets, props and animatronics to seamlessly tell the story together. This adds depth to a scene and makes it hard to distinguish the difference.
With all the sound, visuals, and effects working together, the show control for these two attractions must be incredibly complex and a real achievement.
4. The lands are dynamic at Epic Universe
Every land we visited had a real sense of being alive with stories and interactions. The music was incredible throughout the lands.
Isle of Berk for example has several animatronic dragons throughout the land. You can hear sleeping dragons overhead in the rock work, you can see the coaster or the Dragon Racer’s Rally flat ride moving in the distance, and you can interact with a full-size Toothless meet and greet or a smaller robotic Dart the Dragon.
We didn’t see them on our trip, but they will have Dragons (drones) flying above the land, too.
Little details catch the eye. For instance, in Darkmoor, a shop sign for an alchemist has liquid and air bubbles pumping around the edge. That probably was a high cost for what is just a sign, but it draws you into the land, making it all more believable.
In Darkmoor, there are significant details too, like the regular electric crackling show across the Manor House or the erupting flames on the Burning Blade Tavern. Inside the pub, live actors interact with guests, discussing rumours of monsters in Darkmoor.
Super Nintendo World is bright and cheerful. There are coins, Piranha Plants and pacing Goombas all as animated figures throughout the rooftops and different levels throughout the land, as well as Yoshi’s Adventure winding across the roof.
In Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic, around Place Cachée’s shop windows were several interactive experiences. In one corner of the land, guests can interact and talk with a witch in a painting. The image is generated in real time to entertain guests.
Meanwhile, in another corner, visitors can wave their interactive wands and reveal the Philosopher’s Stone and that the house is, in fact, that of famed alchemist Nicolas Flamel.
In another, pointing your wand at a Niffler, the creature would move its head, staring at the guest’s wand tip as it waved around with great intensity as if it was about to steal it.
These experiences invite guests to play an active role in their stories, making more meaningful memories.
5. Universal’s hotel ecosystem is ready for the extended length of stays
Universal Orlando Resort now has 11,000 rooms across 11 hotels on the property. These all range in price and amenities to cater for all types of guests.
Universal Helios Grand Hotel, the new luxury hotel with its dedicated entrance into Epic, will open on 22 May with the park. The operator also recently opened two Prime Value hotels near the Epic location, Stella Nova and Terra Luna. We stayed in Terra Luna, which was good value and a short bus ride from Epic Universe.
With Epic Universe as the 4th park at the resort, there is more to experience. So, guests will need to stay longer if they want to do it all. Universal’s offering is robust, with complimentary transportation across the resort (bus and boat) and extensive CityWalk restaurants and shops.
Orlando is a growing market. According to British Airways Holidays, it was the most searched term globally during the January sale this year. With the announcement of Epic Universe, searches jumped 11%. This shows the keen interest in the Orlando market and, specifically, the new theme park.
Overall, the park is a brilliant achievement from Universal Creative and all their partners who brought it to life.
