You can imagine the boardroom meeting back in 2019, when Universal Orlando announced the opening of a new theme park.
“What are we going to call it? I mean, it’s going to be epic….”
And so, it is. Delayed by the pandemic, the 110 acres of Epic Universe (or 20,423 steps, I counted), offers a slew of brand-new rides, attractions and restaurants, and finally opens its giant portal today. So is it worth adding to your (probably very full) to-do list when visiting the theme park capital of the world?
Here’s what to expect from the new kid on the big block.
Celestial Park
Epic follows the tried-and-true theme park layout of a hub with four “worlds” attached, and with rides that exit through the gift shop. Each world is accessed via a unique portal which transports the “traveler” to another realm. Celestial Park is the centerpiece, and the only non-franchised part of the park. The area aims to “put the park back in theme park” and certainly the layout is pretty and pastoral, with lots of flowers and greenery, winding paths through lakes, waterfalls and fountains, and artful statuary. The theme is mythological and astronomical and is particularly lively at night, with light shows adding to the water features at night.
Rides and attractions
You’ll find the park’s big e-ticket ride for thrill seekers here — Stardust Racers. Two dueling, racing coasters tear along 5,000 feet of track, with loops and inversions that provide plenty of airtime (i.e., when you feel as if you are leaving your seat). Fast and smooth, the signature “celestial spin” where the two coasters perform an inverted crisscross elicits the desired screaming. Constellation Carousel provides a quieter centerpiece, where creatures from the constellations gently float to relaxing music. There’s also a water play area, Astronomica, for the kiddos.
Where to eat
You have two full-service dining options here, which are the only ones in the park. Atlantic, surrounded by the lake, is tagged as a Victorian aquarium, with fish shaped lanterns that appear to swim. There are also great views across the park. There’s a good selection of seafood, of course, as well as burgers and pasta. The sweeping Aquaria Bar will be a hotspot for weary park goers, but the Espresso Manhattan there ($18) makes a great pickup. The Blue Dragon Pan Asian restaurant has Chinese, Thai and Japanese fare in a cool space decorated with neon dragons and tigers. Meanwhile, for quick serve, the Oak and Star Tavern features barbecue while Meteor Astropub has pub grub and — pro tip — a spot for outside dining that seems to catch a bit of wind tunnel that creates a nice breeze. Pizza Moon, supposedly a 1900s theater turned into a restaurant, sports a Georges Méliès-style decor and is already becoming lauded as the best park pizza ever (although admittedly the bar for that is pretty low). Certainly, the Pizza Lunare ($18.99) is delicious — roasted garlic béchamel, fromage de lune, ricotta, pancettagarlic confit and ube pizza crust, which is purple!
Super Nintendo World
Similar to the Super Mario themed areas in Japan and Hollywood, this is aimed squarely at Gen X and millennials. Bring your sunglasses and don’t be hungover because the colors are super vivid, there’s princesses and toadstools, and everything is moving all the time. In one corner of the world, a tunnel leads to Donkey Kong Country, a first for the US, which boasts tall trees, waterfalls and the Golden Temple.
Rides and attractions
There’s a gentle ride for the kiddos, Yoshi’s Adventure, which travels slowly through Mushroom Kingdom in search of glowing eggs. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge brings the Mario Kart video games to life, so you race around a track in a 3D virtually enhanced experience, all set in Bowser’s castle. The aim is to beat bad Bowser in a race by zapping coins, and your kids will most likely be better at it than you. In Donkey Kong Country, Mine-Cart Madness is a fast, unique and very fun roller coaster, since the innovative technology couples the carts below the rails, then makes it look as if you are jumping over gaps and careening off the track. For general park fun, a Power Up band ($45) lets you zap 102 hotspots which logs your score in the Universal app, so you can compete against other park goers.
Where to eat
It’s all grab and go here, at Toadstool Cafe (think Mario burgers, which are topped with a little red hat), Yoshi’s Snack Island, Turbo Boost Treats, and sundaes and floats at Bubbly Barrel in Donkey Kong Country (banana flavored, of course).
How to Train Your Dragon: Island of Berk
Because who doesn’t want a pet dragon? This world was developed in partnership with DreamWorks Animation to re-create the hit movie franchise that features a dragon-filled Viking universe. They went to town, with fiery statues, a giant lagoon, lush landscapes and villages, as well as dragons lounging in their natural habitat, as well as occasionally flying overhead at night. The upcoming live film in June will heighten the allure.
Rides and attractions
There’s loads of fun for the kids here, with Viking training camps and live shows, as well as cuteness personified in the animatronic Toothless, who lives at Haddock Paddock. But be warned, his meet and greet has long queues. Expect animatronic appearances, such as those from super-cute baby Light Fury dragon Pouncer and a smoke-breathing Snow Wraith.
There’s also a first-rate show, the Untrainable Dragon, an auditorium performance that melds Imax-style cinematics with dancing, singing, acrobatics and, yes, a flying Toothless. For a fast and fun coaster ride, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders soars through the land with swoops and surprises.
On the Fyre Drill, guests compete in teams to blast water cannons at targets. (You will get wet). And if you like to go upside down, Dragon Racer’s Rally has tippy seats on a rotating pendulum that spins you in all directions.
Where to eat
Mead Hall is a huge, dark stone tavern offering the usual park fare with a Viking meat bent — and yes, there is mead (honey wine) for $14. Spit Fyre Grill has curated bowls and thumbs up that there’s Valka’s vegan option (kale, bean salad, pineapple salsa, candy beets, vegan feta, mango and mint vinaigrette, $15.99). Head to Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel for a mac and cheese (aka “gruel”) fix which offers loaded varieties served up in practically a whole loaf of bread. The one with “fish-shaped crackers” (guess they didn’t get the Goldfish sign off) is weirdly good ($15.99).
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic
All three Universal Orlando parks now have a Harry Potter world, so you’ll have to get a multi-ticket to do them all — see what they did there? Adding to Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley (Universal Studios), this one loops in the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise to bring a Parisian flair to the land.
The re-creation of the 1920s Place Cachée is, like the other Potter lands, jaw-dropping in its intense attention to detail — it would take weeks to catch all the Easter eggs here. And yes, there’s a wand shop (Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique). The baguette will set you back $65 and will bring to life some of the shop windows and artefacts.
Rides and attractions
There’s just one ride, but it’s one of the park’s main attractions. At Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, riders enter the Métro-Flo (inspired by the Floo Network in the films) that allows wizards to zip between countries. This one takes riders to the British Ministry of Magic for the trial of the infamous Dolores Umbridge. After winding though corridors, riders arrive at the awe inspiring, towering offices of the Ministry before joining another queue for a lift. The ride cars look a lot like the ones from Tower of Terror, but these are omnidirectional and “fly” around CGI film and animatronics as Umbridge’s escape prompts a chase. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and a house-elf named Higgledy are involved, and you’ll undulate and bump along until chaos is controlled. Elsewhere in the world, and new for the franchise: A live theater show, Le Cirque Arcanus. Enter into the magical tent where circus performers meld into a world of fantastic beasts and artistry for an over-sensory overload that almost feels like a ride.
Where to eat
There is no fine dining here, strangely, given the French theming, but quick serve Café L’air De La Sirène has French inspired food including breakfasts with crepes, baguettes, and fancier fare. To escape the Florida sun, the dark spooky corners of Le Gobelet Noir offers sandwiches and, for cast iron stomachs, the Alchemist’s Platter (smoked sausage, potato and cheese pierogies, marinated beets, pickled egg, caramelized onions, warm pretzel, German mustard, and cheese fondue, $27.99). The Bièraubeurre Cart plies the much lauded butterbeer, $8.99. (A hard pass from me).
Dark universe
For goths everywhere, this is a classic old school monster mash from Universal’s vaults, complete with lightning strikes and a windmill which bursts into flames several times an hour. Entering the doomed, ravaged village of Darkmoor — complete with monsters on stakes and in gibbets (Universal does dark in a way that Disney really can’t) you’ll see the towering Frankenstein Manor, where Victoria, the great-great-granddaughter of Henry Frankenstein, continues his experiments. What could go wrong? It’s not all scary monsters though, since there is a meet and greet with unusual village people, and a theatrical makeup experience that lets you live out fan fantasies.
Rides and attractions
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment is a big ticket ride and takes you into Victoria Frankenstein’s gory lab and on into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor. She and henchman Ygor plan to take control of Dracula, and mayhem ensues. Riders are seated in robo arms (as used in the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride) and are whirled around huge animatronic and CGI monsters such as the Wolf Man, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and the Brides of Dracula. In another cursed corner of the world, a regular coaster, Curse of the Werewolf, takes riders through a forest to escape being werewolf-ified. The coaster cars spin randomly as you race in various directions in this fun (but short) coaster.
Where to eat
Gory food, anyone? Head to Das Stakehaus, a vampire haunt that’s supposedly been built over catacombs. Sit, click the QR code and food arrives courtesy of a vampire’s familiar. Meat eaters will revel in Carved Staked Steak ($23.99) or “Blood” Orange Chicken sandwich ($17.99). The fiery windmill from Frankenstein overlooks the quick serve Burning Blade Tavern, a supposed cozy hangout for monster hunters. Try the Monocane, the fictional drug from “The Invisible Man” that here is a green mocktail served in a souvenir Erlenmeyer flask ($12).
Where to stay
Epic is about 4 miles south of the other parks, where two hulking new sister hotels, Stella Nova and Terra Nova, offer a whopping 750 budget friendly rooms apiece. They look a bit like beached cruise ships in sparkly tile, but decent facilities along with really cleanly designed, modern rooms make them both big bang for the buck (from $249 a night). For a truly immersive stay, Helios, a Vegas-y looking hotel, stands right on site at the park, with its own dedicated park entrance. The views keep you in the action, and, bonus, there’s a rooftop bar. Mediterranean inspired, there are also “How to Train your Dragon”-themed rooms.
Bottom line
This is a world class theme park, and there’s no doubt it’s a big new addition to the roster. It blends artistry, theming and state of the art rides, has gone overboard in finding new and creative fare, and has something for everyone. As for the cost, one day park passes start at the current usual Orlando area park rate of $139, but you’re currently looking at more like $169 for the summer months and up to $199 for holidays. You need to pick a specific date, which can be changed online if needed (extra fees if that date is a more expensive ticket). There are currently no Express passes and for the foreseeable future, lines are likely to be hours long. So, yes, Epic lives up to its name and is well worth a visit — just be prepared to pack your patience.
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