Universal Orlando Resort has revealed the first official look and details of its new theme park, Universal Epic Universe. Located a few miles from the current Universal footprint, the park is set to open in 2025, promising an “unmatched level of theme park innovation” that includes five immersive worlds featuring attractions, dining, shopping and more, all set in “breathtaking gardens.”
UOR’s fourth park is also designed to encourage guests to stay for a week with Universal, combining with Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Volcano Bay (waterpark). The destination also boasts eight hotels – Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal’s Aventura Hotel and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside, and Dockside Inn and Suites – along with the Universal CityWalk entertainment district.
Universal Epic Universe, meanwhile, will feature more than 50 entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences, all centred around Celestial Park, the heart of the park:
Celestial Park
With acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways, and strolling pathways, Celestial Park puts the “park” back in “theme park.” As soon as guests enter the imaginative world, they’ll wander through lush living gardens nestled along shimmering waters surrounded by stunning architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements. Here, guests also board a shooting comet for a roller coaster adventure, dine on at a range of eateries, or shop.
Celestial Park is also the gateway to explore the four additional worlds of Epic Universe:
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, where guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, where guests will enter the green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where guests can soar with dragons in a colourful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular “How to Train Your Dragon” film franchise; and,
• Dark Universe, where guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.
Attractions and experiences
Celestial ParkHere are additional details about exploring Celestial Park:
• Starfall Racers, a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest of them all. Reaching speeds up to 100 kph and heights up to 40 m. along 1,500 m. of track, Starfall Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience with unique maneuvers such as the “Celestial Spin,” in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air – creating an “out-of-this-world” adrenaline rush.
• Constellation Carousel – the grand centerpiece of Celestial Park. Here, explorers of all ages will take a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward – and even make 360-degree rotations – through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight.
• Astronomica, an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass rose to the many wonders of Epic Universe, featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests.
• An array of unique dining experiences ranging from full-service restaurants to quick-service locations that offer something for every palate, including Atlantic – a full-service “surf and turf” restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium complete with captivating views of Celestial Park…
• … and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant – where diners take a culinary journey across Asia as they enjoy authentic Chinese, Japanese and Thai fare in this full-service restaurant accented with neon dragons and ethereal lanterns. Additional “must-eat” locations within Celestial Park include The Oak & Star Tavern, where guests can enjoy savory barbecue, Pizza Moon, which will serve up a tasty menu featuring a variety of pizzas, and more.
• Incredibly detailed retail locations, including the Nintendo Super Star Store, where guests can shop an assortment of merchandise themed to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD; Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets.
• Plenty of entertainment, including various fountain shows throughout Celestial Park’s 2.8 hectares of water where a multitude of fountains sway, dance – and even reach heights up to 41 m. in the air – to music and interactive lighting from day to night.
Hotel
And located inside Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park is Universal Helios Grand Hotel, featuring 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views, and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park.
More details about Universal Epic Universe – including the debut of an interactive preview centre at Universal CityWalk later this year – will be revealed in the months ahead.