EPIC things are coming to Universal Orlando in 2025! If you haven’t heard, Universal Studios Orlando is constructing a new theme park called EPIC UNIVERSE that will open sometime next year. The theme park will tie together five distinct worlds, each with its own attractions and immersive experiences. Several announcements and details have been revealed about what we can expect from this new park in the last few months. Check out the highlights of what we know about Epic Universe so far below:
Celestial Park
Celestial Park is the entrance to Epic Universe, with a stellar theme. This space-themed land will provide access to the other lands through themed portals that will bring you into the different universes. It’s all tied together with gardens, water fountains, and monuments paying tribute to ancient gods and constellations. Celestial Park will feature three attractions:
- Constellation carousel—an out-of-this-world carousel where you ride on top of the creatures that make up constellations in the night sky, like Leo the Lion and Ursa Major (the “Great Bear”). The creatures move in swirling patterns, mimicking the movements of a galaxy.
- Astronomica—a water fountain playground for guests to cool off.
- Stardust Racers—a dual-launch roller coaster that will have you racing other riders and simulate what riding on a shooting star is like.
There are two notable dining experiences within this section of the park: Atlantic, a fine-dining seafood and steak restaurant themed after the god of the sea, Neptune, and The Blue Dragon, a Pan-Asian restaurant with a neon dragon outside as its landmark and where you’ll dine under shining lanterns.
Dark Universe
Cross over from the electrified portal in Celestial Park and enter Dark Universe, where classic Universal monsters come to life and roam free in a town called Darkmoor. Here, you can meet Frankenstein’s monster, Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and more. You can even transform into your favorite monster with a monster makeover experience for all ages. The anchoring landmark is Frankenstein’s Manor. Inside the foreboding castle is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, a motion simulation thrill ride where you must escape the clutches of Dracula, The Wolf Man, the Creature From the Black Lagoon, and more. There will also be a “family friendly” dark ride coaster called Curse of the Werewolf, where you’ll try to escape a haunted forest and evade The Wolf Man. There will be a Dracula-themed steakhouse and a quick-service burger, bratwurst, and pretzel eatery inside a flaming windmill.
Super Nintendo World
One of the most anticipated areas of Epic Universe is Super Nintendo World! Modeled after the successful lands at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood, the iconic characters and world of Super Mario Bros will come to life once you enter the classic “green pipe” into this land. You’ll see Peach and Bowser’s Castle, star and ? Blocks, Goombas, Piranha Plants, Yoshis, and much more. Step inside Bowser’s Castle for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, a team racing ride that uses AR and projection mapping to experience the thrill of a real-life Mario Kart race. Yoshi’s Adventure is a family-friendly look-and-see ride that will allow you to explore all the details of Super Nintendo World up close. Guests can purchase “power up” bands to interact with various gaming features throughout the land, such as blasting ? Blocks to gain coins. Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe will also feature a section devoted to Donkey Kong, with the Golden Temple as its landmark. The area will feature Mine Cart Madness, a family coaster where you’ll experience Donkey Kong elements like being blasted out of a barrel and jumping broken tracks in real time (no screen simulations needed). You’ll also have the opportunity to meet classic Nintendo characters like Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.
Isle of Berk – How to Train Your Dragon
Enter a world where dragons and Vikings live in harmony, where you’ll soar through the sky on a dragon or experience a Viking feast. At the center is the sweeping vista featured in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise and a lagoon with 40-foot-tall Viking statues. Meet Hiccup and everyone’s favorite dragon, Toothless, at a meet-and-greet experience unlike any other. Attractions in this land include Hiccup Wing Gliders, a family thrill coaster that takes you aboard a flying machine and launches you into the sky for sweeping views of Berk; a boat battle ride where you can squirt opponents with water cannons and sprayers; and Dragon Racer’s Rally, a gigantic sling-like, spinning ride where you’ll learn the skills you need to ride a dragon—including barrel rolls and 360 spins. The Isle of Berk will also feature a live show, The Untrainable Dragon, a humorous and heartwarming musical tale that features larger-than-life dragon puppets, dragons floating overhead, dazzling sets, and amazing costumes.
Ministry of Magic – Wizarding World of Harry Potter™
In true Ministry of Magic fashion, this land remains mostly a mystery. However, we do know that this section of Epic Universe will let you explore both the 1920s Paris Ministry of Magic (featured in the Fantastic Beasts franchise) and the 1990s British Ministry of Magic (featured in the Harry Potter books and movie series). Details will be released soon, so sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.
New Resorts Near Epic Universe
Several new resorts will open in conjunction with Epic Universe. The most notable is Helios Grand Hotel, a 500-room experience unlike any other. That’s because Helios will be located and integrated inside the theme park. We can’t wait to see what this will mean for guests who want to book their stay at Helios and visit Epic Universe! Stella Nova and Terra Luna are two sister resorts opening in January 2025. These hotels celebrate the mysteries of the unknown universe, sticking with the ethereal, cosmic theme of the Epic Universe resort area. These two resorts will open ahead of Epic Universe’s official opening date, so guests at these hotels can experience the three other Universal parks with a complimentary shuttle.
Make 2025 EPIC!
An official opening date hasn’t been released for Epic Universe, but we can’t wait to see what else this fantastic theme park will offer guests. Park executives hope Epic Universe will turn Universal from a one or two-day trip to a week-long stay with unique immersive experiences. There will be many more updates on what’s in store for Epic Universe this coming year. Follow Wishing On A Star Travel® on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with all your travel news. Also, sign up for our email newsletter for the latest updates!
