Look out, Disney World: Universal Orlando's new park looks pretty awesome
Epic Universe, opening in 2025, will include lands themed for Harry Potter, How To Train Your Dragon, Nintendo, and more
Won’t anyone cut poor Bob Iger a break? The Disney CEO already had a bad year in 2023, but it’s about to get so much worse. Universal Studios, long regarded as the slightly less impressive little sister of the Disney theme parks, is about to get a major upgrade—one that might totally upend the hierarchy of Orlando-based attractions as we know it.
Universal unveiled the plans for their new Epic Universe park this morning, and they look like they could convert even the biggest theme park skeptics out there. This is the resort’s biggest expansion since it added its water park, Volcano Bay, in 2017. Epic Universe joins Universal’s two long-established sections: the original Universal Studios Park, which opened in 1990, and Islands Of Adventure, which opened in 1999.
The new park will contain five (mostly) IP-based lands and more than 50 new attractions, detailed below:
- The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter—Ministry Of Magic: While the much-maligned Fantastic Beasts franchise seems like an odd choice for a themed land (to say the least), it makes a little more sense considering the fact that this section of the park really just seems to just be after… the streets of Paris? Looks like Universal wanted their own Epcot. Connecting “1920s Paris to the 1990s British Ministry,” the new Wizarding World expansion joins Diagon Alley at the OG park and Hogsmeade at Islands Of Adventure.
- How To Train Your Dragon—Isle Of Berk: The abundantly delightful How To Train Your Dragon franchise is finally getting the recognition it deserves with its very own land inspired by Viking lore and aesthetics. No updates on specific attractions yet, but maybe this is a chance for the park to bring back the late, great Dueling Dragons roller coaster.
- Super Nintendo World: Orlando is also getting the popular land that’s already been successful in California and Japan, only bigger and better. Here, guests can race virtual Mario Karts and meet some of their favorites like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong. There will also be a large Nintendo store.
- Dark Universe: The park’s spookiest land will celebrate classic Universal monsters, all at the beck and call of a gender-swapped Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. Enter if you dare.
- Celestial Park: Intended to put “the ‘park’ back in ‘theme park,’” Epic Universe’s center hub will be filled with gardens and water features, as well as a massive dual rollercoaster called Starfall Racers, a ride called Constellation Carousel, and more.
Click through for artistic renderings of Universal’s plans for the park.
