The Ultimate Guide to Universal Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort

For the first time in more than two decades, there's a new major theme park in the U.S.: Universal Orlando Resort's immersive Epic Universe.

Officially opened May 22, 2025, Universal Epic Universe offers five themed worlds featuring attractions, live shows, dining, shopping and character interactions.

“This moment marks a significant milestone in our company’s journey, as we redefine the theme experience for a global audience and for generations of families to come,” said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations and Experiences.

The gateway to Epic Universe is the Chronos, a steampunk-style machine that harnesses energy from across the universe, opening portals to four worlds. There’s Super Nintendo World, with experiences based on popular video games; How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, which is inhabited by Vikings (and, of course, dragons); The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, which recreates wizarding Paris from “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald;" and Dark Universe, where stories of classic Universal movie monsters come to life.

"In each of us lies the desire to explore new worlds in search of adventure, joy, discovery and even to face our fears," said Steven Spielberg, Oscar-winning director and Universal creative consultant at the park’s opening celebration. “Universal Epic Universe has brought those worlds to life in a way that can only be described as epic.”

What to Expect at Celestial Park

Celestial Park acts as the hub for the park’s hub-and-spoke layout.

Thrill seekers can ride the high-speed dueling Stardust Racers launch coaster, where trains race along two tracks — Photon (yellow) and Pulsar (green) — at speeds up to 62.6 miles per hour. Photon is described as more intense, and Pulsar has more airtime (both have one inversion), but no matter which track clients choose, they’ll be rewarded with an exciting race through the cosmos. (An Easter egg to look out for: On the back of each Stardust Racer vehicle is a flux capacitor, Doc Brown’s time travel invention from Universal’s 1985 blockbuster “Back to the Future.”)

Also located in Celestial Park is the Constellation Carousel, a unique and family-friendly merry-go-round attraction where riders board colorful ships based on zodiac constellations. As the ships move around the free-form carousel in interwoven circles, they rise and lower at varying heights. This attraction is particularly beautiful at night when the starry ceiling is illuminated.

Kids will love the Astronomica waterplay area, too — especially on a hot Orlando day. And dancing fountain shows at Cosmos Lagoon are sure to be a hit for guests of all ages.

Inside Super Nintendo World

Clients (and their kids) who love Nintendo video games won't want to miss the chance to join Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and the rest of the gang in this playful world, where nearly everything is part of an interactive game — and thanks to wearable Power-Up Bands, clients can track their points in the Universal app (Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong bands are Epic Universe-exclusive).

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Following the Super Nintendo Worlds at Universal parks in Japan and California, Epic Universe’s version (the largest of the three) is divided into two areas. There’s Super Mario Land, which houses Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, a 3D racing simulator that puts riders inside their favorite video game, and the family-friendly Yoshi’s Adventure and Donkey Kong Country, which features the Mine-Cart Madness roller coaster where cars “jump the track” just like Donkey Kong. Yoshi’s Adventure and Mine-Cart Madness are the first U.S. versions; Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge debuted at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023.

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

The Viking village from the animated “How to Train Your Dragon” movies features hilarious character interactions (including a meet-and-greet with Toothless the Dragon), top-notch fare (the hand-held macaroni and cheese cones are already social media stars) and a live musical stage show.

If clients are unfamiliar with the movies, suggest they watch the "Untrainable Dragon" show, which introduces the film’s storyline and characters through music, projections and amazing full-sized dragon puppets. And friendly “locals” in the land are happy to share dragon lore with guests.

"In the films, [the characters] are always doing something,” said Katy Pacetti, senior director and executive producer for Universal Creative. “They’re restocking fish, they’re repairing something, they’re building something. So, we wanted to make sure Berk has the feel of an active Viking Village.”

That means clients will find kinetic Viking-built gadgets throughout Berk with buttons, levers and wheels that trigger sounds and movement. But the world is also jam-packed with attractions, so clients should allow plenty of time to explore. Plus, there are animatronic dragons everywhere, which is exceptionally cool.

On the high-flying Dragon Racer's Rally, riders can practice spins, barrel rolls and other airborne maneuvers in a dragon-riding training contraption. Hiccup's Wing Gliders is a fun and family-friendly coaster with great storytelling and music — and even a few dragon encounters along the way. And the Fyre Drill water-based boat ride (with no height requirement) encourages water fights, so prepare to get wet.

The Viking Training Camp play area has interactive activities for kids of all ages, but a bonus is panoramic views of Berk from the top level.

Inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

This world will not disappoint Harry Potter fans. Clients will find themselves in wizarding Paris —Place Cachee, to be exact — where the traveling circus, Le Cirque Arcanus, has set up shop. The charming live stage show inside the circus tent features magic, puppetry and more than a few fantastic beasts.

The world's "E-Ticket" attraction is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry; however, clients must first travel from 1920s Paris to 1990s London via the Metro Floo — a magical mode of transportation based on the Floo network in the Harry Potter stories. The Metro transports guests to the awe-inspiring atrium of the British Ministry of Magic.

The attraction (which takes place after “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” in the wizarding world timeline) is a high-tech adventure onboard omnidirectional elevators. In the ride’s storyline, Harry, Ron, Hermione and a house elf named Higgledy attempt to capture Delores Umbridge, who has escaped her trial. The motion simulation ride combines projections, large-scale set pieces and impressive animatronic figures. While it's not a roller coaster, motion sickness sufferers may want to skip it. Non-riders can still tour the Ministry.

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As clients explore Place Cachee, they may encounter a mysterious auror (or magical law enforcement) from the French Ministry of Magic. They’ll also see students from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Ilvermorny (wizarding schools in England, France and America), musicians, magical creatures,talking portraits and the French wandmaker Cosme Acajor. And who wouldn’t want a frosty mug of Bieraubeurre (also known as Butterbeer)? That’s available here, too.

Interactive wands trigger magical experiences in shop windows. Forgot your wand at home? Pas de problem! Cosme sells Epic Universe-exclusive wands in her shop.

What to Expect in Dark Universe

Universal Parks are well-known for their Halloween haunts, so I was apprehensive about visiting Dark Universe. Thankfully, my fears subsided when I realized Darkmoor (the world’s gothic village) is not a horror-filled scare zone — though Frankenstein and his bride, the Invisible Man and Dr. Victoria Frankenstein's assistant Ygor can be spotted chatting with guests.

“We wanted to stay true to our original classic monsters,” said Frances Franceschi, production designer for Universal Creative. “But the way we delivered [them] in this world is unlike anything we’ve ever done.”

The signature attraction, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, is housed inside the imposing Frankenstein Manor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein (a descendent of the original Dr. Victor Frankenstein) conducts her research. While not Halloween Horror Nights-level, there are monsters (14 animatronic monsters, to be exact), so clients who are faint of heart may want to sit out. (Another Easter egg here: Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s crypt can be seen in the attraction’s outdoor extended queue.)

Darkmoor’s second attraction, Curse of the Werewolf, is a spinning family coaster that puts riders in a chase to escape a pack of werewolves.

After eluding monsters, the logical place to recuperate is the Burning Blade Tavern, where monster hunters known as "The Hounds" rally patrons to their cause with chants and other monster-hunting activities. The tavern’s windmill periodically bursts into flames, an homage to the original 1931 “Frankenstein” movie.

"It is our ethos to make the next thing we do better than the last,” Woodbury said. “[Epic Universe] takes the things we’ve done particularly well and makes them better — and then introduces new stories and new technology.”