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Tribune News Service

Universal Orlando Resort’s highly anticipated Epic Universe theme park will let visitors soar on dragons’ backs, fly like a comet, cast wizards’ spells and flee werewolves and vampires when it opens in central Florida next summer.
The Universal Epic Universe theme park will open on May 22, 2025, just before Memorial Day Weekend 2025 in the United States, with more than 50 rides, attractions, shows, restaurants and experiences.
Epic Universe tickets went on sale this month; daily visitors will be required to purchase multi-day tickets to visit Epic Universe during the initial launch.
Here is a closer look at each of the themed lands coming to Epic Universe.

1. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Epic Universe’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be the third at Universal theme parks in Florida.
The Ministry of Magic-themed land will recreate the streets of 1920s Paris from the Fantastic Beasts films – set in the same universe as Harry Potter – and the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter franchise.
The Battle at the Ministry motion simulator ride will be the marquee attraction in the new Harry Potter land.
Riders will be able to travel to the Ministry of Magic via the Metro-Floo wizarding mass transit system to attend the trial of one-time Hogwarts headmistress Dolores Umbridge.
Riders will climb aboard a magical lift as they help Harry, Ron and Hermione stop Umbridge, fend off Death Eaters and solve a mystery.

The Ministry of Magic-themed land will also feature a live show called Le Cirque Arcanus blending live performers, puppetry and special effects. The backstory involves the theft of Magizoologist Newt Scamander’s suitcase filled with fantastic beasts.
The wand shop in the new land will be Baguettes Magique, run by designer wandmaker Cosme Acajor.
Café L’air De La Sirène will serve French-inspired food with outdoor and indoor seating. Le Gobelet Noir tavern will have a dark magic theme.
2. How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

Epic Universe will be home to the world’s first How to Train Your Dragon-themed land.
The Isle of Berk will feature a recreation of the rocky island from the animated film franchise, where rugged Vikings and rambunctious fire-breathing dragons coexist in harmony.
There will be 30 dragons in the Viking village – some of them animated.
The thrilling Hiccup’s Wing Gliders roller coaster will take riders on a winged flying machine from young Viking hero Hiccup’s workshop. The multi-launch coaster will feature a show section and baby dragons en route.

The Untrainable Dragon live show will find Hiccup, Gobber and Astrid trying to decide how to handle a new dragon in Berk. Dragons will soar above the stage in the music-filled action-comedy spectacular.
The Dragon Racer’s Rally thrill ride trains aspiring dragon racers to ride dragons while practising aerobatic manoeuvres and high-speed barrel rolls.
The Fyre Drill water ride will see Viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut turning Berk’s fire academy into an interactive boat battle on the high seas. Riders will be able to shoot water cannons up to 8.5 metres (28 feet) through the air at flame-like targets and other boats.

At the Viking Training Camp agility course play area, children will be able to enjoy climbing, sliding and drumming. At the Haddock Paddock, they will be able to pose for meet-and-greet photos with Hiccup, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Toothless and Stormfly.
The Mead Hall restaurant will serve a hearty Viking menu of meats, fish, meads, ciders and ales. Giant Viking statues will flank the entrance of the eatery seemingly carved out of a mountain.
3. Dark Universe

The Dark Universe horror-themed land will celebrate the classic Universal Monsters of the 1920s, 30s and 40s.
Monsters will roam the twisted landscape of Darkmoor village ravaged by unearthly creatures and the diabolical experiments of Dr Victoria Frankenstein.
The Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment dark ride will put riders in the middle of Dr Frankenstein’s latest experiment conducted in the catacombs below the family estate.
The experiment goes awry on the motion simulator thrill ride when Dracula leads a revolt of enraged monsters including the Mummy, Wolf Man and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Flames will shoot three feet in the air and dance to the music of the Phantom of the Opera’s organ during the ride.

The Curse of the Werewolf multi-launch coaster will send riders through a werewolf-infested forest and past a wagon camp belonging to the Guild of Mystics.
The Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience will transform park visitors into werewolves, vampires and mummies for a fee.
The vampire-themed Das Stakehaus will serve steaks while the Burning Blade Tavern, in an old mill that doubles as a monster-hunter pub, will offer burgers, wings and bratwursts.
4. Super Nintendo World
Florida will finally get a Super Nintendo World following openings at Universal parks in Japan and California. Universal Studios Singapore will also get one in 2025.
Epic Universe’ Super Nintendo World will feature a version of the Donkey Kong Country area that is opening at Universal Studios Japan, in Osaka, in late 2024.
The Mine Cart Madness family roller coaster will feature a novel track-jumping element. Riders will enter through the Golden Temple, board a mine cart and help Donkey Kong protect the Golden Banana.
Other attractions at Epic Universe’s Super Nintendo Land will include Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge augmented reality dark ride, Yoshi’s Adventure omnimover kiddie ride, Power-Up Band interactivity games, Toadstool Cafe restaurant and 1Up Factory gift shop.
5. Celestial Park

The Celestial Park entry promenade will serve as the central hub of Epic Universe with portal entrances to the other themed lands.
The Stardust Racers duelling coaster will put riders aboard a comet and send them rocketing through the stars.
The dual-launch racing coaster will reach a top speed of 100km/h (62mph) over 5,000 feet of track, and will feature a barrel roll and a zero-gravity roll.
The fully illuminated ride vehicles with on-board audio will look like colourful shooting stars as they travel along the blacked-out track at night.
The Constellation Carousel will let visitors ride the Milky Way aboard celestial lions, dragons, peacocks and bears.
The Atlantic fine-dining restaurant will focus on seafood and steak beneath an overhead fish tank, while the Blue Dragon restaurant, which will have neon dragons racing along its walls, will feature a Pan-Asian menu.
The new Universal Helios Grand Hotel will open at the same time as Epic Universe on May 22. The 500-room Mediterranean-inspired hotel will offer views of Epic Universe. The hotel will have a rooftop bar and a dedicated entrance in Celestial Park.

Two other Universal hotels will debut before the opening of Epic Universe: Stella Nova, opening on January 21, and Terra Luna, opening on February 25.
Epic Universe will be on Universal’s new south campus near Orlando’s Orange County Convention Centre.
Free shuttle buses will transport visitors between Epic Universe and the Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure theme parks, Volcano Bay water park, CityWalk outdoor mall and Universal hotels.
The debut of Epic Universe could boost attendance at all three of Universal’s Florida theme parks by 8 million during 2025 and 2026, according to an analyst report from research firm MoffettNathanson.


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Universal Epic Universe to bring more Harry Potter magic, Super Nintendo World to Florida

An artist’s rendering of the Isle of Berk at Universal Epic Universe. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of Universal Epic Universe’s entrance. The theme park, opening in Orlando, Florida, in May 2025, will contain more than 50 themed attractions, from film franchises such as Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of the Battle at the Ministry motion simulator ride in Epic Universe’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ministry of Magic. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of the entrance to Le Cirque Arcanus live show in Epic Universe’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of the Isle of Berk, the world’s first How to Train Your Dragon-themed land, at Epic Universe. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders roller coaster in Epic Universe’s Isle of Berk. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of The Untrainable Dragon live show in Isle of Berk at Epic Universe. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, which will celebrate classic Universal Monsters from the early-mid 20th century. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

Dark Universe will be set in the fictitious Darkmoor village. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of the Celestial Park entrance. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

An artist’s rendering of the Universal Helios Grand Hotel in the Celestial Park. Photo: Universal Orlando/TNS

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What to expect when Universal Orlando Resort’s new theme park opens in May 2025, packed with attractions from popular films and video games


What to expect when Universal Orlando Resort’s new theme park opens in May 2025, packed with attractions from popular films and video games.


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