We’re Breaking Down Universal’s Epic Universe — Here’s Everything Inside

Universal’s Epic Universe, a brand-new theme park, is now open at Universal Orlando Resort. This new theme park includes a Harry Potter land, a Super Nintendo land, an area themed on How to Train Your Dragon plus a land themed around the classic Universal monsters. This is one of the biggest theme park expansions we've seen in Orlando since the early 2000s.

Universal Orlando went all out for its third theme park expansion with dozens of brand new attractions and out of this world immersion. Universal Orlando already has two existing theme parks: Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida plus their own water park Volcano Bay. Universal counts Volcano Bay as a third theme park making the addition of Epic Universe as a full fourth theme park. We've spent time at Epic Universe since it's opened and here's our full guide along with our thoughts on what the best features of the park are.

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Universal Orlando Expansion

Universal’s Epic Universe is the first major theme park built in the Orlando market since Universal Islands of Adventure in 1999. Epic Universe opened in May 2025 and has five lands:

• Celestial Park
• Super Nintendo World
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
• Dark Universe

Super Nintendo World has been a huge hit at Universal Studios Hollywood and this is an even larger land with MORE attractions. Be sure to read our top tips for visiting Epic Universe to learn all our best hacks and tips for navigating this popular theme park.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Ministry of Magic has the most popular ride in the park with Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. How to Train Your Dragon-Isle of Berk and Dark Universe both exceed expectations at their immersive details. Both of these lands also offer some of our favorite Epic Universe food and snack items.

Epic Universe features a large luxury hotel inside the park at the end of Celestial Park called the Universal Helios Grand Hotel. Two other hotels, Universal’s Terra Luna Resort and Universal’s Stella Nova Resort, bring the total up to three hotels built for Epic Universe. All of these hotels feature a short walk or bus trip to Epic Universe. This is helpful since Epic Universe has been built at a distance away from the other parks.

Express Pass at Epic Universe

Premium Universal Orlando hotels do not include Express Pass for Epic Universe in their hotel stays. Currently, you get Express Pass included with your hotel stay if you stay at one of these three hotels: Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. But for now, that is only for use at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida.

Additionally, only once per ride Express Pass is available at Epic Universe. There is no option to purchase Unlimited Express Pass which allows you to ride attractions using Express Pass more than once.

There are three rides that are not included in Express Pass at Epic Universe and unfortunately, two of these rides are the main e-ticket attractions in the park. Express Pass is not included for:

• Dragon Racer's Rally
• Mine-Cart Madness
• Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry

You can read more about if Express Pass is worth it reading our experience after spending $830 on Express Pass for one day.

Use Early Entry at Epic Universe

Early Park Admission allows guests staying at Universal resort hotels and select Annual Passholders access to the theme parks an hour before official opening.

Epic Universe, the newest Universal Orlando theme park, has offered Early Park Admission since the park opened but it's been constantly changing in terms of how efficient it is and what attractions it offers.

Based on our most recent experience, read more about whether or not waking up early for Early Park Admission at Epic Universe is worth it.

Celestial Park

Celestial Park is the area guests see first as they enter Epic Universe with acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and pathways which Universal states will “put the park back in theme park.” Celestial Park is truly what it sounds like: a park! You can wander through the expansive gardens, waterways, all surrounded by architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements.

Celestial Park is truly a beautiful area of Epic Universe but the main downside is there is not much shade so it can feel pretty hot in the sun. At night is when it truly comes alive with bright LED lighting that connects the entire park. This area of Epic Universe really shows off the beauty of the park.

Stardust Racers

Stardust Racers is a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest! This rollercoaster reaches speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track. This is the most thrilling coaster experience at Epic Universe with unique maneuvers like the “Celestial Spin,” in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air. This is the best ride in Celestial Park and is the most thrilling in Epic Universe.

Constellation Carousel

Constellation Carousl takes guests on a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward, and even make 360-degree rotations. Guests get to experience the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight. This attraction is best enjoyed at night to really take in all the lighting effects in Celestial Park.

Astronomica is an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass to the many wonders of Epic Universe featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests. It's a bit of a stretch to call this an attraction as it's just a splash pad but still a great inclusion for kids to enjoy.

Celestial Park also features fountain shows over seven acres of water with heights reaching up to 135 feet in the air with music and interactive lighting from day to night. If you're looking for a nighttime show in Epic Universe, this is the one! The fountain show focuses on each portal in the land and plays the music associated with each one while the lights change colors. It's a low maintenance, easy show to see since you can see it anywhere in Celestial Park.

Super Nintendo World

This Super Nintendo World land is huge in comparison to the one at Universal Studios Hollywood with enough space to incorporate more attractions like those in Japan like the Donkey Kong Mine Cart rollercoaster. When guests enter Super Nintendo World they go up a themed escalator (or an elevator is available) into the land into Princess Peach's castle. From there you can see the full scope of the land including the two main attractions and levels that you can interact with. Donkey Kong Country is its own themed area within Super Nintendo World that includes the popular Donkey Kong coaster.

Super Nintendo World has easily been one of the most popular areas in Epic Universe for adults and kids alike. Unfortunately, this causes the area to be quite crowded compared to the others which can feel a bit overwhelming due to the smaller walkways in comparison to the other areas. See everything about Super Nintendo World Orlando in our guide!

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge

This driving simulation attraction allows Mario Kart video game fans to enter that world. Guests will enter Bowser’s Castle before embarking on their journey. This ride already exists in Japan and Hollywood based on this popular game. This is one of the most popular rides in Super Nintendo World and often has long waits but it does offer Express Pass. The ride uses advanced VR technology combined with digital and physical sets, it's a great experience especially for Super Nintendo fans.

Yoshi’s Adventure

This family-friendly omnimover-style ride takes guests on a trip around the land. The first version of this ride system exists at Universal Studios Japan. This is similar in concept to Walt Disney World's People Mover with guests riding on the “back” of Yoshi's as they enjoy views of Super Nintendo World while they search for Yoshi eggs. This is a fine ride but it moves very, very slowly which can be rough in the hot sun. This could be a skip if you are low on time.

Donkey Kong Mine Cart Rollercoaster

Donkey Kong Mine Cart rollercoaster features a unique ride system that makes riders feel their coaster vehicle is jumping gaps in the track. Recreating the mine cart levels from the video game, this new Donkey Kong roller coaster makes it look like you’re jumping over gaps in the track. This is such a great coaster, although a bit short, and is one you should try to ride!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

Epic Universe also includes a brand new Harry Potter themed land! This addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Epic Universe blends the 1920s Paris from the Fantastic Beasts films with the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series.

Before guests enter the portal into the land, they journey from a Muggle park in Paris into the 1920’s Place Cachée. The setting of this land brings guests into the 1920's spectacle of “Place Cachée” – a hidden, shopping district in wizarding Paris lined with Haussmannian buildings, shops, sidewalk cafés, and historic Parisian domes rising in the distance.

The land features the same ability for interactive wands and spells the other two wizarding lands Universal offers. The immersion and details in this land are stunning. Harry Potter fans love this area and even guests that aren't Harry Potter fans! You don't need to know anything about Harry Potter to appreciate the beauty of this space.

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry

The biggest draw in the Harry Potter land is the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry attraction. This e-ticket ride combines massive environments, storytelling and “first-of-its-kind ride technology.” Read more about how to ride the most popular Harry Potter ride in all of Universal Orlando in our guide. 

The ride begins when guests travel by “Métro-Floo” which is the form of wizarding travel inspired by the Floo Network seen in the films. Guests will travel from wizarding Paris to the British Ministry of Magic to battle the infamous Dolores Umbridge. Yes, the villain of this ride will be Dolores Umbridge first featured in the Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix films. This is one of the most iconic villains in the franchise. I love this idea to incorporate a different villain as Voldemort is already predominantly featured in the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts attraction.

One of the main features of the attraction is the entrance into the ride itself as guests will get to enter the Ministry of Magic atrium and venture through Ministry departments before boarding the new attraction which will use “omnidirectional lifts.” Guests will watch the trial of Dolores Umbridge take place and then follow the story as she tries to escape.

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are also featured in the ride. The classic trio is joined by a new character, a house-elf named Higgledy. The ride is a “thrilling chase” that “propels guests up, down, forward, backward, sideways” as they chase Umbridge through the Ministry. Guests will also be dodging attacks from Death Eaters, “rampaging creatures” and other obstacles as they chase down Umbridge.

This is a fantastic ride and one of the best in Epic Universe. However, lines tend to be long and it does not offer Express Pass so many guests need to weigh how badly they want to ride and how willing they are to wait.

Le Cirque Arcanus

Le Cirque Arcanus offer guests the first time ever experience in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to enjoy a live, full-scale theatre experience. This stage show features live performers, aerialists, skilled puppetry and amazing special effects.

The show follows the story of Ringmaster Skender, who has stolen Newt Scamander's suitcase, in an attempt to bring the circus back to life. Guests will see characters like Demiguise, Diricawl, Mooncalves and more during this performance. Gwenlyn, a circus employee characterized in the show, will attempt to rescue the creatures from Skender. This is a great way to incorporate the creatures of the Harry Potter world into the land.

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

This area of Epic Universe builds on Universal’s partnership with DreamWorks. How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk features numerous attractions, meet and greets with favorite characters, and an amazing show.

The How to Train Your Dragon land is themed after the isle of Berk from the films where Hiccup, Toothless, and the rest of the vikings and dragons live. In the films, Berk features rocky arches, cliffs, waterfalls, streams and large forests.

In the films, the main village called Hooligan is where all the vikings live. The village is composed of large structures which are all themed around dragons. After the first film when the vikings make peace with the dragons, they add “Dragon Birdhouses” for the dragons to live in. The entire village is bright and colorful featuring many different species of dragons. Universal did an amazing job bringing these dragons to life in the land making it easily one of the most immersive lands in the park.

Hiccup’s Wing Gliders

The main roller coaster of the land is a family friendly ride where Hiccup has invited brave new vikings to take a ride on his latest glider creation. This “winged flying machine” launches new Dragon Riders into the sky for a dragon's eye view of Berk. This is the best ride in the land and is one you should not skip!

Fyre Drill

Viking twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnu, invite teams of Vikings to outscore and out-soak each other on this boat battle. Guests board a colorful dragon-headed boat and blast water cannons at flame-like targets to practice putting out fires. This is a fun ride but you will get soaked so keep that in mind before you ride.

Dragon Racer’s Rally

This attraction allows new Vikings racers to “practice aerobatic maneuvers and high-speed barrel rolls” on this attraction that reaches heights of up to 67 feet in the air. This ride has a very slow loading and unloading procedure so it creates very long waits.

The Untrainable Dragon

This show is inspired by the popular “Untrainable” show at Universal Beijing Resort. This dragon focused live spectacular features favorite characters like Hiccup, Toothless, Gobber, and Astrid as they work together to solve the mystery of The Untrainable Dragon. The show features musical numbers, breathtaking sets and life-sized dragons. This is hands down the best show at Epic Universe! If you have to pick between this or the Harry Potter show, see this one!

Meet Hiccup and Toothless

And of course, the land would not be complete without a Hiccup and Toothless meet and greet! You can also meet Astrid and Stormfly but they are often harder to find unless you go first thing in the morning. These meet and greets are very popular and often have long lines.

There is also a Viking Training Camp which gives “Junior Vikings” a chance to learn everything about dragons as they enjoy this interactive play camp which includes a a Viking agility course, a Toothless-themed teeter-totter, baby Gronckle dragon climbers and more.

Dark Universe

Dark Universe is a land focused on the Universal Classic Monsters where guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to a shadowy landscape where monsters roam. The classic Universal monster family includes well-known creatures like Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. All of these monsters have become pop culture icons and are a big part of Universal's history and connection to classic horror.

The land includes a new generation of monsters and characters including Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. Dr Victoria Frankenstein is the great-great-granddaughter of the infamous Henry Frankenstein who has continued his misguided experiments. You will meet her in the main attraction of the land, Monsters Unchained, and hear of her experiments throughout the village.

The journey to Dark Universe begins when guests enter the portal which harnesses the dark energy of Darkmoor, the village of the land. The focal point of Darkmoor is Frankenstein Manor and holds the main attraction of the land. The immersion of this land is amazing and is even better at night! Don't forget to come back when the sun falls.

Monsters Unchained

Monsters Unchained takes guests into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor where they will see Dr. Victoria Frankenstein conduct her twisted experiments. Dr. Victoria Frankenstein is a new character created for Dark Universe. She is the great-great granddaughter of Henry Frankenstein, the creator of Frankenstein from the original story, and she aims to demonstrate her control over monsters.

Dr. Victoria Frankenstein's attempts to control the other monsters goes wrong with Dracula and this unleashes a horde of enraged monsters. Guests are thrust into an intense dark ride as they try to escape The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula and others. This attraction uses the same ride system as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

There are 14 animatronics in the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment attraction. The animatronic for Frankenstein's Monster is nine feet tall and weighs over 800lbs. You first see this figure in the queue of the ride as he walks within Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s lab during the preshow.

This is the best ride in Epic Universe and one we rank in that top spot, along with Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, in our top ranking of rides of Epic Universe.

Curse of the Werewolf

Curse of the Werewolf is a spinning family coaster inspired by “The Wolf Man” ensuring this land as an attraction for all ages. Guests enter the encampment of The Guild of Mystics where they’ll be greeted by the Maleva, the guild’s all-knowing seer and leader, who warns them that they bear the mark of the werewolf. You then board a wagon and venture into the forest as they race to escape the werewolves. This is a fun attraction but not quite on the same level as Monsters Unchained. This is a fun ride though so if you have the time, don't skip it.

Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience

Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience will allow guests of all ages to don elaborate face paint and temporary tattoos featuring all their favorite classic monsters.

The story goes that monster makers have converted Dr. Pretorius’ infamous old lab into a parlor to continue the spirit of his demented experiments. This is where skilled artists can transform their appearances to showcase their favorite Universal Monsters.

Meet the Monsters

You can also meet the monsters themselves! Character meet and greets in this land include Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein.

Characters also roam the village including Victoria Frankenstein’s servant, Ygor, The Invisible Man, an eccentric monster hunter, and a talented musician who regales guests with songs and tales of the classic Universal Monsters stories.

Watch Out for The Burning Blade Tavern

The Burning Blade Tavern is an old fiery mill that has been transformed into Darkmoor's monster hunters favorite hangout, despite the blades of the windmill still smoldering and flaming periodically. This part of Dark Universe is an attraction in itself, similar to the fire breathing dragon at Universal Studios Florida, with the windmill lighting on fire every 15-20 minutes.

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