‘Most ambitious theme park yet’: Harry Potter, Mario and more set to feature as Universal shares official first look at upcoming Epic Universe resort | Planet Attractions
Universal’s upcoming Epic Universe will feature the likes of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo, How To Train Your Dragon and more, with the operator offering a first look at what has been hailed as a game changer for theme park experiences.
Set to open in 2025, Epic Universe will be split into five immersive lands and has been presented as the operator’s “most ambitious theme park yet”.
Featuring more than 50 attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences, Universal’s fourth theme park in Orlando is all about portals, with visitors travelling from between themed worlds through special pathways taking them to each immersive land.
“Epic Universe is built on an amazing concept - the idea that you can go into a world through some kind of a portal and you come out in a world you never could dream of,” said director Steven Spielberg, who is acting as a creative consultant for Universal Destinations and Experiences. “I think it’s going to feed the imagination of so many people of all ages.”
Starting at the ‘chronos’ visitors first enter Celestial Park - a space with “acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways”. Aiming to “put the park back in theme park”, the area will feature mythology and astronomy-inspired architecture, with three main attractions including a cosmo inspired carousel ride, a dancing fountain area and Starfall Racers - a dual launch coaster where “you race through the sky on a shooting star”.
Anchoring Celestial Park is the Universal Helios Grand Hotel - a 500-room offering with its own dedicated entrance to Epic Universe. In addition to the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal will also feature the already announced Universal Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts. Opening on January 21, 2025 and February 25, 2025, respectively, each hotel will feature 750 rooms and will be inspired by “distant galaxies, new stars and mysterious black holes”.
From the Celestial Park, visitors can use the land’s portals to jump into any of the remaining four worlds.
How to Train Your Dragon Isle of Berk is based on the popular Dreamworks animated hit How to Train Your Dragon and will see visitors “soar with dragons in a colourful world filled with Viking adventures”, with one of the experiences including a chance for visitors to fly their own dragon.
Breathing new life into Universal’s classic monster family, Dark Universe will see guests come across “everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.”
A new Harry Potter-themed world is among the most anticipated additions, with the “new chapter” of the Wizarding World sure to prove a hit based on the successes of its predecessors.
“If you come to Universal Orlando, you’re going to get this trilogy of storytelling that is unlike anything else in the world,” said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations and Experiences, speaking about the trio of Wizarding World attractions that will populate Orlando.
This time taking inspiration from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, visitors will find a magical version of 1920s Paris, as well as the British Ministry of Magic as seen in the Harry Potter films. The ride inside the world hasn’t been revealed, though Universal’s president of creative, Molly Murphy, did say “it has to be a surprise”, with something mind-blowing surely up Universal Creative’s sleeves.
The final themed element sees Super Nintendo World make its long-awaited Florida debut, with guests entering via Mario’s iconic green pipe and emerging into a land populated by characters such as Mario himself, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Bowser and Donkey Kong. The land will be similar to those already existing in Hollywood and Japan, with a Mario Kart ride and Donkey Kong coaster certain to be among the key highlights of the world.
“Epic Universe represents a tremendous addition, almost doubling the size of Universal Orlando Resort,” said Woodbury. “This gives us the opportunity to bring people to Universal Resort for an entire week of the most incredible experiences they can imagine.”
More details on Epic Universe will be revealed later this year, with Universal planning to introduce an interactive preview centre at the nearby Universal CityWalk.
Epic Universe will use ‘portals’ to transport visitors between themed worlds CREDIT: UNIVERSAL
‘Most ambitious theme park yet’: Harry Potter, Mario and more set to feature as Universal shares official first look at upcoming Epic Universe resort | Planet Attractions
Universal’s upcoming Epic Universe will feature the likes of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo, How To Train Your Dragon and more, with the operator offering a first look at what has been hailed as a game changer for theme park experiences.
Set to open in 2025, Epic Universe will be split into five immersive lands and has been presented as the operator’s “most ambitious theme park yet”.
Featuring more than 50 attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences, Universal’s fourth theme park in Orlando is all about portals, with visitors travelling from between themed worlds through special pathways taking them to each immersive land.
“Epic Universe is built on an amazing concept - the idea that you can go into a world through some kind of a portal and you come out in a world you never could dream of,” said director Steven Spielberg, who is acting as a creative consultant for Universal Destinations and Experiences. “I think it’s going to feed the imagination of so many people of all ages.”
Starting at the ‘chronos’ visitors first enter Celestial Park - a space with “acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways”. Aiming to “put the park back in theme park”, the area will feature mythology and astronomy-inspired architecture, with three main attractions including a cosmo inspired carousel ride, a dancing fountain area and Starfall Racers - a dual launch coaster where “you race through the sky on a shooting star”.
Anchoring Celestial Park is the Universal Helios Grand Hotel - a 500-room offering with its own dedicated entrance to Epic Universe. In addition to the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal will also feature the already announced Universal Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts. Opening on January 21, 2025 and February 25, 2025, respectively, each hotel will feature 750 rooms and will be inspired by “distant galaxies, new stars and mysterious black holes”.
From the Celestial Park, visitors can use the land’s portals to jump into any of the remaining four worlds.
How to Train Your Dragon Isle of Berk is based on the popular Dreamworks animated hit How to Train Your Dragon and will see visitors “soar with dragons in a colourful world filled with Viking adventures”, with one of the experiences including a chance for visitors to fly their own dragon.
Breathing new life into Universal’s classic monster family, Dark Universe will see guests come across “everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.”
A new Harry Potter-themed world is among the most anticipated additions, with the “new chapter” of the Wizarding World sure to prove a hit based on the successes of its predecessors.
“If you come to Universal Orlando, you’re going to get this trilogy of storytelling that is unlike anything else in the world,” said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations and Experiences, speaking about the trio of Wizarding World attractions that will populate Orlando.
This time taking inspiration from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, visitors will find a magical version of 1920s Paris, as well as the British Ministry of Magic as seen in the Harry Potter films. The ride inside the world hasn’t been revealed, though Universal’s president of creative, Molly Murphy, did say “it has to be a surprise”, with something mind-blowing surely up Universal Creative’s sleeves.
The final themed element sees Super Nintendo World make its long-awaited Florida debut, with guests entering via Mario’s iconic green pipe and emerging into a land populated by characters such as Mario himself, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Bowser and Donkey Kong. The land will be similar to those already existing in Hollywood and Japan, with a Mario Kart ride and Donkey Kong coaster certain to be among the key highlights of the world.
“Epic Universe represents a tremendous addition, almost doubling the size of Universal Orlando Resort,” said Woodbury. “This gives us the opportunity to bring people to Universal Resort for an entire week of the most incredible experiences they can imagine.”
More details on Epic Universe will be revealed later this year, with Universal planning to introduce an interactive preview centre at the nearby Universal CityWalk.
Epic Universe will use ‘portals’ to transport visitors between themed worlds CREDIT: UNIVERSAL
