New Theme Park, Universal Epic Universe, Opens in 2025
By Cathy Padilla
Universal Epic Universe, set to open in 2025 at Universal Orlando Resort, will include five "worlds" for visitors to explore and is boasting the tagline "The Journey to Epic Begins Now." Perhaps Universal's most ambitious theme park, Epic Universe hopes to transport visitors to other worlds and immerse them in that time and place. The park will feature more than 50 attractions, hotels, dining, shopping, and entertainment. The addition of Universal Orlando’s fourth theme park will also transform the award-winning resort into a week-long vacation destination.
The Five Worlds of Epic Universe
Celestial Park: The gateway to the other four worlds where visitors will enter, this area will have gardens, dancing fountains, and attractions inspired by astronomical and mythological elements to create imaginative sensory delights. Here, guests can relax while taking in the sights and sounds around them, board a shooting comet for a roller coaster adventure, dine, and shop.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™- Ministry of Magic™: A world where it is 1920 in Paris and the British Ministry of Magic.
Super Nintendo World™: Guests will experience a new way to play, from challenging Bowser on the Mario Kart™ ride to venturing through Donkey Kong Country™, and so much more.
How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk: A colorful Viking village inspired by Berk where guests can take to the skies and soar with dragons, take part in wild boat battles, or feast like a Viking.
Dark Universe: A place to encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to a shadowy landscape where monsters roam in this world of myth and mystery.
Universal is releasing information on each of the five worlds one-at-a-time, with details about Celestial Park being the first:
• Starfall Racers, a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest of them all. Reaching speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track, Starfall Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience with unique maneuvers such as the “Celestial Spin,” in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air – creating an “out-of-this-world” adrenaline rush.
• Constellation Carousel – the grand centerpiece of Celestial Park. Here, explorers of all ages will take a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward – and even make 360-degree rotations – through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight.
• Astronomica, an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass rose to the many wonders of Epic Universe, featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests.
•An array of unique dining experiences ranging from full-service restaurants to quick-service locations that offer something for every palate, including Atlantic – a full-service restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium with captivating views of Celestial Park; The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant – where diners take a culinary journey across Asia as they enjoy authentic Chinese, Japanese, and Thai fare in this full-service restaurant accented with neon dragons and ethereal lanterns. Additional locations within Celestial Park include The Oak & Star Tavern, where guests can enjoy savory barbecue, and Pizza Moon, which will serve up a variety of pizzas and more.
• Incredibly detailed retail locations, including the Nintendo Super Star Store, where guests can shop an assortment of merchandise themed to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD; Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, where guests can satisfy their cravings with a unique selection of sweet treats.
• Entertainment, including various fountain shows throughout Celestial Park’s seven acres of water where a multitude of fountains sway, dance – and even reach heights up to 135 feet in the air – to music and interactive lighting from day to night.
Located inside Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park is Universal Helios Grand Hotel, designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite – complete with 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views, and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park.
More details about Universal Epic Universe – including the debut of an interactive preview center at Universal CityWalk later this year that will offer a sneak peek at the new theme park – will be revealed in the months ahead. For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com.
