The Complete Guide to Universal's Epic Universe

Universal Epic Universe is the first new theme park in Orlando in over 25 years, finally opening its gates on May 22, 2025. This massive 750-acre destination isn't just another addition to Orlando's attractions—it's the largest Universal park in the United States and the second largest globally.

When you visit Epic Universe Orlando, you'll explore five distinctly themed worlds connected through a central hub called Celestial Park. The park features more than 50 attractions spread across The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park. Epic Universe tickets start at $139 for a single day, with various multi-day options available. Since park-to-park access won't be available when Epic Universe opens, you'll want to dedicate a full day to experience everything this new destination offers.

Ready to master Universal's newest park? This guide will help you navigate Epic Universe's lands, prioritize attractions based on your interests, and make the most of your first visit to this long-awaited theme park.

Understanding the Five Epic Universe Lands

When you enter Universal’s Epic Universe, you'll find yourself in a wheel-and-spoke design park where five distinct worlds await your exploration. Unlike traditional theme parks, Epic Universe features completely isolated themed areas connected through a central junction, creating unprecedented immersion.

Overview of Celestial Park and its central role

Celestial Park is the heart of Epic Universe, functioning as both a standalone experience and the gateway to the park's other four worlds. This astronomical-inspired garden features greenery, tree-lined walkways, and dancing fountains that transform into glowing oasis at night. Celestial Park is the thematic hub, seamlessly connecting all other lands through themed portals. Each portal features a tall, obelisk-like structure symbolizing the monsters, dragons, wizards, or video game avatars awaiting inside.

What makes each land unique: themes and experiences

Beyond Celestial Park, four extraordinary worlds invite deeper exploration:

• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic transports you to wizarding Paris from the Fantastic Beasts films and the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series. Here, you'll discover a hidden shopping district, restaurants, and the most ambitious Universal ride ever created.

• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk features a sprawling lagoon, 40-foot-tall Viking statues, and a bustling village above the seas. This colorful world offers three rides, themed eateries, and shops where you can dress as a Viking or adopt your dragon.

• Super Nintendo World brings beloved Nintendo characters to life, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and—for the first time in the U.S.—Donkey Kong. Access this vibrant realm through a large green pipe, an iconic characteristic of Nintendo games.

• Dark Universe begins with an electrifying portal harnessing the dark energy of Darkmoor. This gothic-themed area features the towering Frankenstein Manor as its focal point, housing Universal Orlando's most chilling ride.

How to Prioritize Lands Based on Your Interests

First, deciding which areas to visit at Universal Epic Universe depends on your group's preferences. With five distinct lands competing for your attention, a strategic approach ensures you experience what matters most.

1.    For families: Isle of Berk and Celestial Park

Families with children should head straight to How to Train Your Dragon – the Isle of Berk, which experts consistently rank as a standout land for younger visitors. This colorful world offers Hiccup's Wing Gliders, a family-friendly coaster reaching speeds of 45 mph where you'll soar alongside Hiccup and Toothless. The Viking Training Camp provides an interactive adventure playground where junior Vikings can climb, slide, and explore, complete with a Viking agility course and baby Gronckle dragon climbers. Don't miss the Untrainable Dragon stage show, a Broadway-style production with heartwarming storytelling.

Celestial Park also caters wonderfully to families with its Constellation Carousel, where riders aboard vibrant celestial creatures turn 360 degrees and lift up to 6 feet in the air. Notably, the area offers child swaps for Stardust Racers, allowing thrill-seekers in your group to ride while little ones wait comfortably.

2.    For thrill-seekers: Dark Universe and Stardust Racers

Adrenaline junkies should prioritize Stardust Racers, Epic Universe's most thrilling coaster experience. This dual-launch racing coaster sends you rocketing through the skies at speeds up to 62 mph and heights reaching 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track. The ride's signature "Celestial Spin" features an inverted crisscross maneuver for an out-of-this-world rush.

For those seeking scares, Dark Universe delivers  Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, which is already billed as Universal Orlando's most terrifying attraction. Consequently, you'll also find Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster hidden in the woods on Darkmoor's edge.

3.    For fans: Super Nintendo World and Wizarding World

Devoted fans will discover specially crafted experiences in the franchise-based lands. Super Nintendo World features the debut of Yoshi as a meet-and-greet character, plus a scavenger hunt to locate colorful Yoshi eggs throughout the land. Meanwhile, The Wizarding World offers new magical creature encounters with a Niffler, a baby dragon, and Occamy. Particularly exciting is "Hogwarts Always," a breathtaking projection mapping show that illuminates Hogwarts Castle.

Navigating Epic Universe requires a different approach than other theme parks due to its unique hub-and-spoke design. With five immersive worlds to explore, mastering the layout will maximize your enjoyment and minimize unnecessary walking.

How to enter and exit through portals

Epic Universe's layout revolves around Celestial Park, which serves as the central hub from which you access all other lands through themed portals. These distinctive gateways feature digital LED signage and unique architectural elements that signal what awaits inside. Upon entering the park, you'll first encounter the Emerald Gate, followed by the Chronos device, the storytelling conduit that connects all realms.

The themed lands radiate outward in clockwise order from the main entrance: Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk. Each portal completely isolates its world from the others, creating unprecedented immersion. Remember that once you exit a land, you'll always return to Celestial Park before accessing another area.

Dining, Shopping, and Entertainment Highlights

Beyond rides and attractions, Epic Universe Orlando offers extraordinary dining, shopping, and entertainment experiences across its five immersive lands. These elements enhance your adventure through carefully designed themes and interactive opportunities.

Top food spots in each land

Culinary journeys await at Epic Universe, with over 100 menu items across 30 dining locations. In Celestial Park, The Atlantic serves delectable sea bass paired with carrot mochi and sugar snap peas in lemongrass broth, alongside the playful Landlubbers Snickerdoodle Loot dessert served in a beach pail. For Asian cuisine enthusiasts, The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant offers tonkotsu ramen with chashu pork.

The Wizarding World features Café L'air De La Sirène with French-inspired dishes like Quiche Lorraine and the must-try Butterbeer Crêpe filled with cookie butter and Bavarian cream. In Super Nintendo World, Toadstool Cafe serves themed burgers named after iconic characters, with Bowser's Fireball Challenge featuring a one-pound meatball.

Isle of Berk's Mead Hall offers the Thawfest Platter with wild berry BBQ glazed chicken and grilled salmon, while Dark Universe's Das Stakehaus presents "Stakes" like Fish on a Stake and the striking "Blood" Orange Chicken Sandwich in a black bun.

Where to find character meet-and-greets

Throughout Epic Universe, beloved characters bring each land to life. In Super Nintendo World, meet Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, and—making his U.S. debut—Donkey Kong at his treehouse in Donkey Kong Country.

How to Train Your Dragon's Isle of Berk features Hiccup and Toothless at Haddock Paddock, alongside Astrid with her Deadly Nadder, Stormfly, and twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. The interactive Toothless animatronic responds to guests in real-time—he even enjoys head scratches.

Dark Universe's Darkmoor Village hosts Frankenstein's Monster, his Bride, Ygor, and The Invisible Man roaming freely. Similarly, the Ministry of Magic features Hogwarts and Ilvermorny exchange students carrying The Monster Book of Monsters, plus Aurors from the Paris Ministry.

Conclusion

Universal Epic Universe truly stands as a groundbreaking addition to Orlando's theme park landscape. With its May 2025 opening, this 750-acre destination promises unprecedented immersion across five distinct worlds. Certainly, the park's unique hub-and-spoke design centered around Celestial Park creates an experience unlike any other Universal destination. With 30 dining locations, character meet-and-greets, and exclusive merchandise throughout the park, Epic Universe offers experiences beyond just attractions.

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