Theme park fans, including myself, have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Universal Orlando Resort park Epic Universe since it was first announced in 2019.
This weekend, I got an early preview of the park and can confirm that it was well worth the wait.
As a member of the press, I attended Universal’s media preview event for Epic Universe on Saturday.
I was able to tour all five “worlds” that comprise the massive park:
- Celestial Park
- Dark Universe
- How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
- Super Nintendo World (which already exists in Universal’s Hollywood and Japan parks, though the three versions differ slightly)
The sprawling park, which reportedly cost around $7 billion to build, is an incredible feat of engineering and design. (Universal has not publicly confirmed the cost of the expansion, and a representative declined to comment when reached by Business Insider via email.)
As a theme park fan — and a lifelong Disney World lover — I can absolutely see Epic Universe drawing some of the crowds from the Disney parks about nine miles away.
Here’s what I thought of Epic Universe, including the best rides in the new park, and why it may give Disney a run for its money.
Epic Universe has five themed areas that each immerse visitors in a different ‘world’
We all started our experience by entering through the Chronos, a spectacular clocktower-style monument where each of the “worlds” is visually represented. The Chronos acts as visitors’ portal to Epic Universe.
My group then branched off and headed toward the Isle of Berk, which is themed on the animated movie franchise “How to Train Your Dragon.”
This world will be an obvious hit for kids who are fans of the movies (or just dragons generally), but the attention to detail and immersive landscape are what really blew me away.
Stepping into the Isle of Berk, you’re immediately transported to a Viking village populated with dragons. Some are costumed employees walking around, while others are full-blown state-of-the-art animatronics peeking out from their perches.
I rode all three rides in this section (the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders roller coaster, Dragon Racer’s Rally, and the Fyre Drill water ride). They were enjoyable, but hands-down the best part was “The Untrainable Dragon” show.
At roughly 20 minutes and with several performances daily, it’s a fun musical experience that wows the audience with dragon animatronics that fully interact with the cast — including a flying Toothless that soars out over the audience.
The attention to detail in the creations of these creatures is unbelievable. For instance, as Toothless lands on stage, you can actually see his feet flex in a lifelike way.
I was fully prepared to award the Isle of Berk as the most immersive until I stepped into Super Nintendo World.
Visitors enter through Princess Peach’s castle and when you step through the portal, you literally feel like you’re in a video game.
It’s almost sensory overload — there are chomping Piranha Plants and question mark blocks everywhere, and towering palm trees in the Donkey Kong Country section.
I spent less time in the remaining three worlds, but it was enough to leave an impression. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic was also incredibly immersive, with shops, restaurants, and street performers that bring the magical version of 1920s Paris from the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” franchise to life.
As a lover of all things spooky, Dark Universe was another highlight. Frankenstein’s castle was so creepy, and I loved the street performers — like the woman playing violin, and the bandaged Invisible Man stalking through the crowd and avoiding selfies with excited guests.
Celestial Park has an astrological motif and, unlike the other four worlds, it’s not based on any pre-existing Universal intellectual property — rather, it just plays into the “Universe” theme, serving as the “hub” of the park that connects the other four worlds. While the least immersive of the five worlds, design-wise, Celestial Park had one of the best rides.
The best rides in Epic Universe
I rode most of the attractions during the preview, and a few stood out.
The best roller coaster ride in Epic Universe is Stardust Racers in Celestial Park, an intense dueling coaster that reaches speeds of 62 miles per hour, sending riders through steep drops, loops, and corkscrews. There are two separate tracks that cross over one another during the ride. FYI: The right side when you enter the queue is the slightly more intense experience, I’m told.
The single best ride in the park, however, is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
The thrilling dark ride takes you into the castle of Victoria Frankenstein, a descendant of Victor. During the course of the ride, you encounter all of Universal’s classic movie monsters, including the Wolf Man, Dracula, Frankenstein, and even the Phantom of the Opera (who’s playing an organ that shoots out flames when you first see him).
The animatronics on this ride are unreal and better than any I’ve ever seen in any theme park rides.
Starting with the preshow, visitors are treated to a face-to-face encounter with Henry, a massive eight-foot-tall Frankenstein’s monster that moves so smoothly you’d easily mistake it for a real, albeit very tall, actor in a monster suit. It even takes a few steps.
The runner-up for best overall ride (by a very slim margin) is the Battle at the Ministry of Magic. If you thought Universal Island of Adventure’s Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was impressive, just wait.
The pre-show almost rivals the ride itself. Riders enter via the “Metrofloo” (powered by green “floo powder” that allows wizards to magically travel instantaneously) before walking through a massive, painstakingly detailed replica of the Ministry of Magic from the movies. The ride is set in the middle of Dolores Umbridge’s trial as she breaks loose, assisted by Voldemort’s Death Eaters, and it feels like you’re right in the film alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they attempt to re-capture Umbridge.
Once again, the robotics work here is out of this world. The massive Death Eaters loom over riders as you zoom through the dark ride, and there are several moments where the animatronics and augmented reality are virtually seamless. The storytelling and build are on par with some of Disney’s most advanced (and expensive) rides, like the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction in Hollywood Studios.
Epic Universe is going to lure plenty of Disney lovers through its portal, and it’s worth the money
I’ve been to Universal Orlando Resort before, but not for many years. I’ve personally always opted for Disney World during my trips to central Florida, specifically because of how immersive it feels and how specifically branded each of the four Disney theme parks — Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Magic Kingdom — are.
The existing three Universal parks in Orlando — Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the Volcano Bay water park — are great but have never quite hooked me the way Disney has.
Epic Universe accomplishes that full immersion in a way I haven’t experienced at Universal Orlando before. It’s clear the company has leveled up with its massive investment in the park, which is the first completely new theme park built in Orlando in over a decade.
Disney has also increasingly become known for its dining options — many epicures make an annual pilgrimage just for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival — but Epic Universe’s food scene may rival that aspect too.
While we were too busy taking in the five “worlds” to sample many of the park’s food and beverage offerings, theme park reporter Carly Caramanna attended an early preview and previously wrote for Business Insider that Epic Universe’s dining options will be a foodie’s paradise. It will introduce over 100 menu items new to Universal’s parks.
I did get to eat at the Oak and Star Tavern in the Celestial Park section of the park, and the selections were impressive. We dined buffet-style for the event, but the menu will typically be à la carte during regular opening hours.
There are a number of solid barbecue selections (including a vegetarian BBQ jackfruit option) and some great sides (I’m still thinking about the delicious mango bread days later), as well as a full bar. The spacious interior, with its pretty “cosmic garden” theme, even looks like it could be a wedding venue.
Dennis L. Speigel, the founder of International Theme Park Services, Inc., previously told BI’s Lauren Edmonds that he estimated Epic Universe could draw at least 6 million visitors in its first year. (For context, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park alone had an estimated 17.7 million visitors in 2023.)
After visiting, I can easily see how that could be the case. The genuinely excellent rides, solid dining options, and fun attractions and shows will make a visit to Epic Universe well worth the money for families.
Like Disney, Universal operates on a dynamic ticket pricing system. Single-day tickets start at $139 for adults and $134 for children ages 3-9, plus tax.
Will Epic Universe topple Disney’s longtime dominance in the area? Probably not, but it’ll certainly give the House of Mouse a run for its money.
