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Tribune News Service

“It’s alive! It’s alive!”
That quote from the 1931 film adaptation of Frankenstein ushered in an era of classic monster films for the production company Universal Pictures. Now, almost 100 years later, it is helping Universal herald a new era of theme parks in the US state of Florida.
Opening on May 22, Universal Epic Universe is the third theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort – fourth if you count Universal Volcano Bay water park – and the first major traditional park to open in the state since 1999’s Universal Islands of Adventure.
Located about 5 miles (8km) southeast of the existing Universal resort, the new complex includes Epic Universe, as well as three hotels. There is plenty of expansion space for future additions.


In a media preview, five of Epic Universe’s fantastic worlds – Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk – were open recently for exploration.
So, what can you expect to experience when the park officially opens? Here is an inside look.
What are the best rides at Epic Universe?
Epic Universe has 11 rides, and three are show-stoppers.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is a simulated lift ride that not only goes up and down, but every other direction as well. It thrusts riders into a mission to find the villainous witch Dolores Umbridge on the day she is set to stand trial for the crimes she committed in the Harry Potter book and movie series.

After travelling through a queue that takes you into the British Ministry of Magic, you board a ride that feels like a hybrid of two Florida attractions: The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, at Universal Islands of Adventure, and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Blending live sets, crystal-clear enormous screens and animatronic figures so fluid they could pass for real people, Battle at the Ministry is Epic Universe’s ultimate statement piece.
Meanwhile, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment is a modern twist on both a classic haunted house attraction and Universal’s historic monster movies.
With an overwhelming amount of animatronics, including Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula and the Phantom of the Opera, this powerhouse pushes the boundaries of theme park technology.
Stardust Racers is the park’s signature roller coaster featuring two intertwined, duelling tracks. With multiple launches, a relentless pace and a manoeuvre that puts you mere inches from another train full of upside-down riders, this “shooting star across the cosmos” is a must-do for thrill seekers.

How to pet a dragon – and cast a spell
Beyond rides, Epic Universe provides a surprising amount of interactive elements and experiences that were first teased in the existing Harry Potter lands in their two previous Florida parks.
Casting spells with wands (US$85) trigger all sorts of effects in the windows and shops of 1920s Paris in the Ministry of Magic world, including floating feathers, talking portraits and mystical creatures emerging.
In Isle of Berk, guests can pet a dragon as they meet with human Viking Hiccup and his dragon buddy Toothless. The convincingly lifelike dragon blinked, smiled and moved its head in reaction to each person’s touch. Elsewhere in the world, a robotic dragon blasted those passing by with an icy blast, and a baby animatronic dragon hopped with, and reacted to, a small girl.
In Super Nintendo World, guests with Power-Up Bands (US$42) can hit the familiar question-mark boxes of the Mario universe, track their Mario Kart score and play drums like Donkey Kong to unveil hidden effects and Easter eggs.

What is there to eat and drink at the park?
Each world in Epic Universe is overflowing with themed food and drink items.
Mushrooms are appropriately a staple of the Super Nintendo World menus. In Dark Universe, Das Stakehaus serves a “blood orange” chicken sandwich with black buns and a grisly red sauce. And the nearby Burning Blade Tavern is a monster hunters’ hang-out, complete with the severed heads of creatures behind the bar and a giant windmill outside that periodically catches fire.
In Celestial Park, you can grab pies at the kitschy Pizza Moon, which recalls author Jules Verne’s stories about fantastical trips into space, or exotic cocktails at Celestiki, an outdoor bar billed as an outpost of Universal Volcano Bay.
But the grandest option is Atlantic, a waterside, seafood-centric, fine-dining location with a mostly glass exterior that looks like a giant aquarium.

Is Epic Universe good for children?
Will your children love Epic Universe? It depends on how old and how tall they are.
Nine out of the 11 rides have a height requirement, ranging from 86cm (34 inches) for Yoshi’s Adventure in Super Nintendo World to 122cm for multiple rides, including Stardust Racers and Monsters Unchained. The remaining two attractions require a supervising companion for riders under 122cm.
Besides the luxurious Constellation Carousel, the dragon-themed Fyre Drill water ride and Yoshi, there is not much for children under 102cm, and especially not for infants or toddlers.
Where can I stay when visiting the park?
Epic Universe is paired with three new hotels, bringing Universal Orlando’s total to 11, all of which Universal runs in partnership with hospitality company Loews Hotels.
Twin budget-friendly options Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort are already open and offer space and discovery themes with pools, bars and quick-service dining options.

The signature hotel, Universal Helios Grand Hotel, bookends Epic Universe and offers a dedicated entry for its guests into the park.
It officially opens with the park on May 22, but an early preview of the resort offered an up-close look at the enormous statue of Apollo, Greek god of the sun, that sits at the edge of the hotel and the theme park; a lift mural that animates into a story about the transition between day and night; and a constellation-adorned rooftop bar.
Were there any issues with Epic Universe?
Universal warned that during the early preview, attractions would be in technical rehearsals and that downtime should be expected. But during our visit, all rides and shows seemed to be operating smoothly, with no obvious problems.
One of the few overall downsides of Epic Universe was the lack of shade. Celestial Park, with its wide stretches of concrete pathways, and Isle of Berk, with its walkways and uncovered queues, were both particularly hot under the blazing Florida sun.
However, as the freshly planted trees begin to grow around the park, the issue should be somewhat mitigated.


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Guide to Universal Epic Universe theme park in Florida, from rides and worlds to hotels

Guests ride Stardust Racers, a new dueling roller coaster ride in Celestial Park, during a preview day for Universal Epic Universe on April 5, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. The new theme park, the first in Orlando in a generation, is set to open to the public on May 22. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

At Universal Epic Universe’s Super Nintendo World, guests with Power-Up Bands (US$42) can hit the familiar question-mark boxes of the Mario universe, track their Mario Kart score and play drums like Donkey Kong to unveil hidden effects and Easter eggs. Photo: TNS

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic features a recreation of the grand atrium of the series’ British Ministry of Magic. Photo: TNS

Guests ride Stardust Racers, a new duelling roller coaster ride in Celestial Park which reaches speeds of nearly 100km/h. Photo: TNS

Aspiring dragon trainers can meet Toothless from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. Photo: TNS

Stardust Racers is must-do for thrill seekers. Photo: TNS

The Universal Helios Grand Hotel features a dedicated entry into Epic Universe for hotel guests. Photo: TNS

Europe’s first Universal theme park to be built in UK. Harry Potter fans can rejoice

A roller coaster in the Universal Beijing Resort in Beijing, China. Photo: Xinhua



UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that a Universal theme park would be built in the UK, creating thousands of jobs and bringing in billions of dollars in revenue. Photo: TNS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the deal with Comcast, owners of Universal, to build the theme park. Photo: Reuters/Pool

The opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood, in Universal City, California, in 2016. A Harry Potter attraction is seen as a possibility for the Universal theme park in the UK. Photo: AFP 

Visitors enjoy a roller-coaster ride at the Universal Studios Beijing theme park, one of five around the world. Photo: Xinhua

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Lifestyle

Travel & Leisure

Featuring favourites from Nintendo to Harry Potter to How to Train Your Dragon, Universal Epic Universe opens on May 22


Featuring favourites from Nintendo to Harry Potter to How to Train Your Dragon, Universal Epic Universe opens on May 22.


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