Universal Unveils Epic Universe

Calling all Universal Orlando fans – are you ready for the biggest, brightest and downright exciting-est theme park development of 2025?

Well, you’re going to be in for a treat, as Universal has just unveiled all the essential detail of their massive expansion for next year, and it looks like this will truly be Epic.

To be fair, we have known about Epic Universe, which is taking shape on a 750-acre area separate from their current site (but only a mile or so away) since its big announcement in August 2019.

But, after the pandemic put it on hold for a year, there had been very few official mentions of it from Universal’s owners, other than it would be due to open in 2025.

What is Epic Universe?

Going back to basics, this major expansion of the Universal parks adjacent to International Drive, just off Sand Lake Road, is the result of more than 10 years’ planning by the company’s owners, Comcast, who acquired NBC Universal in 2011 and immediately gave the green light to more theme park development.

Having quietly acquired all 750 acres of the land between Sand Lake Road and Universal Boulevard, they then drew up elaborate plans for a mega resort even larger than the existing site.

The 2019 press announcement revealed a full theme park, several hotels, another entertainment district with shops and restaurants like CityWalk, and plenty of parking.

The initial hints led us to believe we could expect sections of the new park to include a Nintendo land, plus more Harry Potter, an area themed to the How To Train Your Dragon films, and something to do with the classic Universal monster movies, but absolutely nothing was confirmed, and the arrival of Covid-19 put an end to speculation for quite a while.

And then, Everything!

Well, almost. The big January 30 online “reveal” finally gave us pretty much chapter and verse on the big-ticket items for Epic Universe. There is still a lot to be detailed, but we now know for certain the overall look, style and content of the park.

To start with, the main entrance will be a hub-style “land” called Celestial Park, which will both act as the key to the other sections of the park, as well as being a creative construction.

It will include several attractions and some eye-catching dining venues, including a steak-and-seafood extravaganza set in a Victorian-era aquarium! The big draw is likely to be the duelling coaster, Starfall Racers, “a roller-coaster race across the Cosmos,” featuring two fast-launch sequences and a top speed of 62mph.

There is also a gorgeous looking carousel ride called Constellation Carousel that lifts and twirls “across the Milky Way” on fantasy animals, while the whole area will also feature a creative park-style vibe with a central lagoon and fountains.

More importantly, Celestial Park will act as the gateway to the other four lands, through a series of tunnel-like “portals” that create an air of mystery and imagination.

Tell us about the other Lands

First among the other quartet of areas within the park will be Super Nintendo World, which is likely to borrow heavily from the Nintendo lands in Universal Studios Hollywood and Japan, with a Mario Kart ride, Donkey Kong, interactive games with a Power Up band and more. This will also include a dazzling – and highly detailed – store devoted to all things Nintendo, plus a fun Toadstool Café.

Next up is How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, creating the first ever realm of this popular Universal film franchise. Featuring a colourful Viking village, the main attraction will be a wild boat battle, as well as a chance to enjoy a Viking feast.

Harry Potter fans will be excited to learn that the next part of the Potter-verse will be another highlight. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic will act as a complementary site to the other two Wizarding Worlds in Universal Orlando, combining the 1920s Paris of the Fabulous Beasts film prequels with the Ministry of Magic setting from the original Potter books.

Finally, there is Dark Universe, a thrilling dive into the world of Universal’s classic monster movies, like Dracula, the Wolfman and, intriguingly, new character Dr Victoria Frankenstein. Knowing Universal’s success with their annual Halloween Horror Nights programme, this could be the most vivid land of all.

Stay tuned for more!

There are no further details at the moment but be sure to keep track of our blog for more as soon as it is announced, as you know Universal will want to keep this particular pot boiling as they build up to the grand opening.

We still don’t know exactly when that will be, but we expect it to be in the first quarter of the year, as Universal is already taking bookings for its first two Epic Universe hotels next January.

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