Universal Orlando has been a theme park lover’s destination for years and now they have added a brand new exciting park!
Epic Universe joins Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay and officially opens May 22.
I had the opportunity to attend a preview day a few weeks ago and am so excited to share!
Epic Universe features 5 distinct worlds – Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Dark Universe. Celestial Park is the hub for Epic and you enter the other 4 lands through portals!
From the second you enter a portal you are completely immersed in that world! The other worlds can not be seen from the land you are in and the details are incredible! I can not wait to go back and explore again as I am sure there are things I missed!
Let’s talk about each land!
Super Nintendo Land is actually 2 lands in 1! Stepping through Princess Peach’s Castle you feel like you have entered a Mario Brothers game. There is so much to see and do and most of it is completely interactive! You can race alongside your favorite characters in Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, take in the details from high above on Yoshi’s Adventure, fuel up with food from ToadStool Cafe and meet Mario, Peach, Luigi and Toad!
And be sure to grab a Power Up Band to participate in the interactive fun throughout this land!
The second part of Super Nintendo Land puts you in Donkey Kong Country where you can jump the track in Mine Cart Madness! And keep your eyes “peeled” to meet Donkey Kong himself!
Super Nintendo Land also offers one hour early park admission to guests staying at a Universal Resort!
Next up for me was Dark Universe! This land is full of fun character interactions, delicious food, hidden spooky details and heart-pounding thrill rides!
Be sure to experience Universal Orlando’s most chilling attraction ever – Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. The animatronics are next level! I also loved Curse of the Werewolf! It’s a great coaster and my only complaint was that the ride was a bit too short.
For the Harry Potter fans, The Ministry of Magic is the place to be. Set in 1920s Paris, as seen in the “Fantastic Beasts” movies, guests can actually enter the British Ministry of Magic and travel to the 1990s to witness the trial of Delores Umbridge. This world also includes a first-of-its-kind live show, Le Cirque Arcanus and so many interactive windows that you MUST see to believe!
Be sure to try Butterbeer in its newest form during your visit! Café L’air De La Sirène serves a Butterbeer Crepe that is to die for!
I saved my favorite portal for last. Prior to my preview I knew very little about “How to Train Your Dragon.” This land made me want to go home and watch all of the movies! It is absolutely adorable!
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk features some really fun rides including Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, Fyre Drill, where guests compete to outscore and out soak fellow guests on Viking ships and practice your barrel rolls on Dragon Racer’s Rally. No visit to Berk is complete without stopping for a photo with Toothless! And don’t miss “The Untrainable Dragon” live show!
Bringing it all together is Celestial Park, home to the coolest Carousel you‘ll ever ride and the major thrills of Stardust Racers coaster.
Each land features multiple dining options, as well as shops to find the perfect souvenir to remember your visit!
Universal also added 3 new hotels to serve park guests – Terra Luna, Stella Nova and Helios Grand Resort, which features direct entry into Epic Universe. I’ll be sharing more on the resorts in a separate post.
Reach out today to plan your visit! Universal Orlando is booking through 2026 and offers a variety of tickets and packages.
