When Universal Studios announced the creation of a brand-new amusement park back in 2019, fans were ecstatic. After the long wait, tickets have finally been announced to go on sale in late October, and its doors will open on May 22, 2025. After sporadically receiving information over the past five years, it gets a little difficult to put it all together, so this article is here to help. Read on for a comprehensive guide to Universal Studios’ fourth park, Epic Universe!
Epic Universe
Epic Universe is a brand-new Universal Park featuring five different worlds: Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, and it almost doubles the size of the Universal Orlando Resort.
The President of Universal Orlando Resorts, Karen Irwin, has said that this theme park will allow guests to experience “a week’s worth of thrills that will be nothing short of epic!” The park features mechanisms that transports you to a different world, starting at the entrance of the park itself. You’ll enter underneath the Kronos, the first portal, where all the planets will align, as you begin your journey into Celestial Park.
Celestial Park
Located in the center of Epic Universe, Celestial Park combines mythological influences with the galaxy in this stunning park. The only hotel in Epic Universe, Helios Grand Hotel, is located here in Celestial Park and is the entrance to all the other worlds, connecting all five lands through the portals. Universal engineers certainly were hoping to put the “park” back in “amusement park,” so this land is filled with lush greenery and dazzling blue water features.
The Universal Helios Grand Hotel
Universal Helios Grand Hotel has a Mediterranean aesthetic dedicated to the sun god Helios. Located in the middle of the theme park themselves, the exit from Helios will deposit you straight into Celestial Park, so there’s no need for bussing when you stay here! Additionally, those staying in Helios are given early admission into the parks, both Epic Universe and the Universal Orlando theme parks.
With inspiration from the cosmos and all of the elements coming together to appeal to your senses, Hellos is more than just an ordinary hotel. Inside, you’ll find a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a grab-and-go option for those in a hurry and a rooftop bar with a fantastic view of the park.
The Universal Helios’ 500-room hotel is integrated seamlessly into the park, which also contains several How to Train Your Dragon suites designed with a woodsy and colorful Viking style and paintings of Toothless and the other dragons flying on the walls.
Surf n’ Turf at the Atlantic and Bona Fide Asian Cuisine at the Blue Dragon
Try out the Atlantic, an undersea culinary fantasy that sits across from the waters of the Neptune pool. Inside, glass walls are reminiscent of enormous Victorian aquariums. As you eat, serene, illuminated fish swim above you and metallic curtains shimmer as they sway, surrounding the fish, to give the illusion of being underwater in a massive aquarium. Atlantic features a seafood and steak menu and the lively Aquaria Bar. With a full-service menu where you are seated and served by waitstaff, expect this dining experience to be a bit more on the pricier side.
With a neon streetscape vibe, Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant is easy to spot within Celestial Park. Seated inside a bustling courtyard with hanging lanterns above you and neon dragons moving across the walls, this dining experience is much more than just a place to get food. Blue Dragon has an authentic Asian menu featuring Japanese, Chinese, and Thai cuisines and a Tiger Bar. This is another full-service dining experience for which you may want to budget accordingly.
Dining experiences in Celestial Park also include The Oak & Star Tavern, a quick-service BBQ place, Pizza Moon, which serves pizza, and Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets to fulfill all of your sweet tooth needs.
Racing Coasters and Carousels, Oh My!
Stardust Racers is a dual-launch racing coaster, and, with no external track lighting, the fully illuminated vehicles appear like comets in the night sky. Reaching speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet as the two trains race each other, this is truly a thrilling coaster. For parents, child swap is available for you and your partner if you both want to ride but have no one to care for your child or children.
The Constellation Carousel is more than just your typical theme park ride. You get to choose between celestial lions, peacocks, or other unique creatures. This ride takes you forward and backward and even makes 360-degree turns, all while lifting riders six feet in the air. The ceiling of this ride is a Star Tracker that features rotating star patterns above you. There is no height requirement, but children under 48” tall must be accompanied by a supervising companion. Hand-held infants are not permitted.
Attractions in the first land of Epic Universe also include the Astronomica, an interactive wet-play area that doubles as a giant compass.
Other Celestial Experiences
Located just outside the portal entrance of Super Nintendo World, the Nintendo Super Star Store features souvenirs, toys, apparel, and collectibles, among other things. With intricately carved columns of Princess Peach and stone Piranha Plants, this is a truly immersive shopping experience.
Experiences also include fountain shows throughout the day and at night. With jet streams capable of reaching up to 135 ft into the air, these crystal blue fountains perform to music and interactive lighting.
Super Nintendo Land
Super Nintendo Land is the only park in Epic Universe that Universal Orlando has done before. It was first seen in Universal Studios Japan early in 2021, and then again in Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023. While there are similarities to both Hollywood and Japan, Orlando has several unique elements.
To enter this world, you walk through the iconic green pipe as your portal. Super Nintendo World features Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country and makes for an incredibly interactive world. With moving blocks and spinning coins, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped right into the game.
A Toad-ally Awesome Dining Experience
There’s not much information about the Toadstool Cafe just yet, but if it’s anything like the one in Hollywood, we can expect to see American cuisine such as burgers and fries, with a heavy emphasis on mushrooms. This restaurant takes theming to the extreme, with pipes along the ceiling that will make you feel like you could jump through them and burgers with Mario hats and mustaches on them. Reservations are required to eat here.
You can also find snacks and beverages at Yoshi’s Snack Island and Turbo Boost Treats if you’re looking for a quick bite. And in Donkey Kong Country, there will be a tropical menu offered in the middle of the jungle, all inspired by the Donkey Kong Country video game franchise.
Three Amazing Nintendo-Themed Coasters
While a version of this ride has already been seen in Universal Studios Japan, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is finally making its way to Orlando. When Bowser challenges Mario to a Mario Kart-style race, you get to join in with tracks all selected from the Mario Kart game. An extremely innovative ride, augmented reality tech is utilized to immerse you in a 3-D and 4-D experience with motion simulation. Here, you can throw shells and choose your own track, and with several alternate versions, this will be a new experience every time you ride. You must be 40″ tall and accompanied by a companion that is at least 48″ tall to ride.
Similar to what you’ll find in Japan, Yoshi’s Adventure is a family ride where you join Yoshi for an exploration of Mount Beanpole in search of three glowing eggs. This is an interactive ride the whole family will love! Riders must be 34” tall to ride. Those under 48″ tall must have a supervising companion with you.
And finally, in Donkey Kong Island, you can ride Mine-Cart Madness, where you’ll help Donkey and Biddy Kong protect the golden banana on a coaster with jumps, turns, leaps, and dives. With technology that allows you to feel and look as if you are jumping the tracks, just like in the game, this is a thrilling experience. You must be 36” tall to ride, and any children under 48” tall must be accompanied by a supervising companion. Hand-held infants are not permitted.
Experience all of Nintendo World
Throughout the park, you can participate in interactive challenges that will test your speed, skill, and timing. If you choose to purchase a Power-Up Band, this will enhance your experience by allowing you to collect digital coins, track your score, and check your rankings, among other things. These bands can be purchased at select Universal Citywalk and in-park locations, as well as at shops inside Super Nintendo Land itself.
You can find Nintendo merchandise inspired by iconic Super Mario characters in both the 1-UP Factory and Mario Motors, an exit store located at the end of Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
And finally, you will have the opportunity to meet and greet characters like Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.
Dark Universe
Universal Studios built its name on horror, with classic films like James Whale’s Frankenstein and Harold Young’s The Mummy. Over a century in the making, Universal’s monsters come to life through the exploration of unearthly legends and monstrous experiments in Dark Universe. As you enter through the portal, it crackles with the dark electricity central to this world. And one thing becomes abundantly clear as you step into this horrifying monster world: you are entering at your own risk.
Spooky Dining Experiences
Das Stakehaus is a mysterious vampire-owned inn and dining hall, built over the ruins of ancient catacombs. Run by vampire servants, or “familiars,” be prepared for an absence of garlic on the menu! And while you’re there, look out for the paintings scattered about that showcase Darkmoor’s history and architecture. This is a quick dining experience that is perfect for filling your stomach in between rides.
Located under a burning windmill that erupts several times an hour is The Burning Blade Tavern. Once a mill, it has since been turned into a hangout for the village’s famed monster hunters, The Hounds. Dine here to hear stories and see trophies and artifacts from these monster hunts. Expect a menu of burgers, bratwursts, wings, pretzels, and other delicious eats. This is also a quick-dining experience, so no reservation is necessary.
You can also dine at De Lacey’s Cottage located near Frankenstein Manor, where guests can find sweet snacks such as ice cream and cinnamon bread. Guests will be excited to hear that twisted taters and other items that are only on the menu at Universal Studios during Halloween Horror Nights and other special occasions will be making their year-round debut here.
Coasters Meant for Screaming
This world hosts two brand new coasters: Curse of the Werewolf and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. The first coaster follows the same story arc as the classic film The Wolfman. Before the ride starts, the mystic Maleva informs you that you bear the curse of the werewolf. You are then put in a cart and sent out into the woods to embark on a thrilling family-friendly ride, where you tear through the forest at 37 mph for over two minutes. To ride, you must be at least 40” tall.
Alternatively, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment may not be a child-friendly coaster. Venturing into the Frankenstein Manor, we see Henry Frankenstein’s great-great-granddaughter, Victoria, conducting heinous experiments on the Universal monsters. With intense and incredibly advanced animated figures, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate reality from fiction. During the ride, you’ll encounter the Phantom of the Opera’s organ, which has individual flame panels that shoot three feet in the air, dancing in synchronicity to the music. You must be at least 48” tall to ride this thrilling motion simulation ride.
A Monstrous Makeup Experience
One of the coolest things you can do in this world is partake in the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience. Here, skilled special effects artists will transform you into any monster you can imagine, and you can wander around the streets of this monstrous world, feeling like you belong there.
You can also meet monsters at various locations, from Frankenstein’s monster and his bride to Ygor and even The Invisible Man (this one may be difficult to get a photo-op with).
You can also stock up on souvenirs at Pretorius’ Scientific Oddities. From the monsters roaming around the park to the Dracula-styled dining experience, once you enter this world, you become part of a real-life horror movie.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic
When Universal Orlando brought Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley to life, a whole new generation of fans were able to experience the parks in an entirely new way. It makes sense, then, that Epic Universe would want to create a third Harry Potter Wizarding World, which meshes together the stories of Fantastic Beasts in 1920s Paris and the Ministry of Magic in 1990s London.
A French Dining Affair
The Cafe L’air De La Sirene in Paris has dining areas both inside and outside. A quick dining experience, Sirene offers French baked goods, sandwiches, desserts, and, of course, Butterbeer. When going inside, look for the display of desserts that were constructed out of almost 2,000 decorative cream puffs.
Dining also includes Le Gobelet Noir, where international dark witches and wizards go to fraternize over courses of soups, salads, a variety of entrees, and desserts. There is also the Buerauberre Cart, where butterbeer can be found, and Bar Moonshine, or a dining place where witches and wizards can go to experience American cuisine amid US Quidditch team pennants and other Americana wizarding items.
Enchanting Witchy Coasters
Journey through the ministry on the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride. Traveling on omnidirectional lifts, you’ll be transported to the trial of Dolores Umbridge. Expect to encounter some friends, as well as some uninvited visitors. You’ll be propelled up, down, forward, backward, and sideways through the Ministry of Magic, all while dodging Death Eaters. Riders must be at least 40” tall.
Experience the Harry Potter Films
Come face-to-face with fantastic beasts inside the tent of Le Cirque Arcanus. You can expect to see a spectacular mix of live performers, puppetry, and special effects. This production follows Ringmaster Skender, who has stolen Newt Scamander’s suitcase of Fantastic Beasts to attempt to bring the failing Le Cirque Arcanus back to its former glory. It’s up to the circus employee Gwenlyn to rescue these creatures.
Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique is the equivalent of Ollivanders Wand Shop in this world. Inside the store, witches and wizards can find wands that are perfect for performing magic around the park. When entering the shop, keep an eye out for the chandelier made with over 800 crystal wands and adorned with brass pixies.
Wand magic is something Universal Studios in Orlando has incorporated into the parks since the opening of Diagon Alley in 2014, and you can expect to see more in Epic Universe. With the ability to cast spells and interact with fantastic beasts and enchanted objects, you will feel like a real wizard or witch, wandering through the streets of Paris.
Guests may also encounter visitors, officials, and residents from the wizarding world, including exchange students, a French Auror, and talking portraits of wizards with which to engage.
Experiences also include Les Galeries Mirifiques, where you’ll find all of your wizarding memorabilia; K. Rammelle, a French confectionary; and Tour en Floo, where you’ll find Ministry of Magic souvenirs.
How To Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk
After years of begging, fans will finally see How to Train Your Dragon in the Universal Studios parks and get a chance to soar with dragons in a colorful world of Viking adventures. Everything occurring in this land takes place between the second and third movies, essentially How to Train Your Dragon 2.5. So, step into a world of Vikings and dragons!
A Grand Viking Dining
The massive Mead Hall is Berk’s main gathering place. Sit in a grand chamber carved from mountain rock with colorful paintings of dragons on the walls and eat from a menu featuring meat, fish, sandwiches, and desserts. This is a quick-service restaurant that’s perfect if you just want to sit down to eat in between attractions.
You can also eat at Spit Fyre Grill, which serves flame-seared meals in a quick service fashion, and at the racing-themed Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel food stand located near the Viking Training Camp.
Dragon-Riding Coasters
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders is a family coaster ride where you’ll join Hiccup to test out his latest glider contraption. Hiccup has created a way for rides to simulate the feeling of flying on a dragon, but Toothless is less than thrilled. This coaster reaches speeds of up to 45 mph, taking riders around the perimeter of the land and across the lagoon. Riders must be 40″ tall to ride; children under 48″ must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
On the Dragon Racer’s Rally ride, you’ll train to become a champion Dragon Racer by practicing aerobatic maneuvers and barrel rolls on a dragon riding trainer. You’ll spin upside down and reach heights of up to 67 feet. You also get to control how much you spin, making the ride as wild or as tame as you wish.
When the sun becomes unbearable, head over to Fyre Drill, a boat ride that is also a game. Blast water cannons at flame-like targets and at the occupants of other boats. Both sides of the boat will compete with each other to see who can hit the most fire targets. With canons that shoot over 28 feet through the air, be prepared to get soaked on this ride. There is no height requirement, but children under 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
A Dragon-Sized Experience
If you’re looking to escape the heat or just want to sit down and see an amazing performance, The Untrainable Dragon is the perfect choice. In an on-stage production featuring the characters and dragons from How to Train Your Dragon, a new dragon shows up to Berk, and no one can train it. Everything from the costumes to the sets to the life-size dragon puppets that fly over the audience will astonish you. There is no age requirement to go, but be aware of the intense sound effects, theatrical lighting, and performers that get close to the audience.
Viking Training Camp is an area dedicated to training kids all about dragons through an interactive play area. With multiple towers to climb and explore, an agility course, Viking instruments to play with, an interactive sheep launcher game, and slides and activities, this is something every child will enjoy. Times for this training camp have not yet been posted.
You can also meet characters like Hiccup and Toothless at Haddock Pavilion, and Astrid, Stormfly, and other Vikings and dragons around Berk. Universal has also hinted that you can catch dragons flying overhead, so keep your eyes peeled.
Other experiences include shops like Viking Traders, How to Treat Your Dragons, Hiccup’s Workshop, and Toothless’ Treasures where you can stock up on merchandise.
There you have it: the complete list of everything we know about Epic Universe so far. As Universal prepares to open its fourth park, be prepared for a ton more information to be released in the coming months.
Tickets are now on sale for both general admission three-day+ tickets and Passholder one-day tickets. For now, non-Passholder guests are required to purchase multi-day passes to visit Epic Universe. These multi-day tickets mostly grant you access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, with just one day at Epic Universe. For more information or to purchase your tickets, click here and get ready to experience the most epic vacation ever!
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