Universal unveils new info on Epic Universe park coming in 2025

The new theme park buzz in Orlando is not about Walt Disney World, but its major competitor, Universal Orlando Resort, which today shared an exclusive deep dive into Universal Epic Universe theme park scheduled to open in 2025.

This 750-acre theme park will be Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park (Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Volcano Bay are the other three) and located a few miles from the current hub of parks, and Universal Citywalk, the restaurant and shopping area connecting the theme parks.

Five different worlds make up Epic Universe and contain rides, restaurants and three hotels. This park will have parking and complimentary transportation connecting to the remainder of the Universal Orlando Resort.

Here’s information Universal has released this morning about new park:

Inspired by the exploration of unknown worlds, the theme park offers an entirely new level of experience by putting guests into five fully-themed worlds. “We’re telling stories that resonate with our guests, immersing them right from the front gate,” says Steve Tatham, the executive creative director for Universal Epic Universe, who moved back to Orlando from Osaka, Japan, to work on this project. “Universal redefined theme-park entertainment forever. We’re setting a new standard, and that’s what it means to be a modern theme park,” he adds. 

What is Epic Universe?

“Epic is the future meeting the present,” says Gabriela Lander, director of Facility Design for Universal Creative, who’s been involved in the Epic project (what at the time was being called the “new project”) since the very first brainstorm session. “We’ll have a park where we’ll be able to walk through nature and be guided by the stars, surrounded by iconic elements that materialize dreams into immersive worlds of epic stories, and with a level of technology that will take the experience to a new level,” she adds.

The idea for the park started out as a doodle on a piece of napkin.

“Here’s a layout of how this could work,” said Mark Woodberry back in 2016. At the time, Universal’s current CEO was president of Universal Creative and had just tasked his team with setting up a brainstorm session with one topic on the agenda: “What would we create if we had the opportunity to build another domestic park?” 

The Worlds of EPIC Universe

Epic Universe is made up of five different worlds, all connected through its first world – Celestial Park. You will initially walk through the Emerald Gate and the Chronos device at the entrance to Epic. “In our story, Chronos is this giant machine used to harness the energy of the Universe that powers all of Celestial Park, allowing us to open the portals to other worlds,” explains Adam Rivest, executive producer for Celestial Park. He has worked at Universal for 24 years and was the one who set up that first-ever brainstorm about Epic almost a decade ago;

Once you’re in Celestial Park you’ll have access to four portals, which are tall, obelisk-like structures, that take you into the other fully-themed, immersive worlds.

“They’ll come face-to-face with scary monsters, they’ll tame dragons and encounter new magical eras,” Tatham said.

• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic – From 1920s Paris to the 1990s British Ministry, explore international wizarding communities and the magic that connects them.
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD – Experience a new way to play, from challenging Bowser on the Mario Kart ride to venturing through Donkey Kong Country and more.
• How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk – Take to the skies and soar with dragons as you explore the colorful Viking village at the heart of Berk. Take part in wild boat battles, feast like a Viking and more.
• Dark Universe – From the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to a shadowy landscape where monsters roam, Dark Universe is a world of myth and mystery.

“We’ve got worlds that are more geared toward children, some that are more geared toward the adventurous, others that are geared more toward adults. There’s a nice mix and within each world there’s also levels of demographic and appeal,” Rivest said.

Celestial Park

Celestial Park holds the entrance (portals) to the other immersive areas of the theme park (worlds) and it’s also where you’ll find restaurants on property, must-do attractions, retail options and the most unique hotel in Universal’s portfolio. It was created as a space for people to (re)connect with each other and with nature. 

Celestial Park also has a transformative function between day and night — during the day, it’s this beautiful, lush living garden with spectacular fountains, and at night, the entire area lights up and transforms into a completely different environment.

Celestial Park is the center of an ever-evolving universe that, throughout centuries, people — artists, musicians, explorers, adventurers, inventors — have visited for inspiration and connection, and maybe left a little piece of them behind. 

Celestial Park Rides

Constellation Carousel

It may seem like a traditional carousel, with an array of celestial creatures to choose from, but as it goes round and round, the creatures are also turning 360 degrees, making you feel like you’re caught within the Milky Way, riding on constellations through the galaxy. The ride is also covered in hundreds of points of starlight, creating a breathtaking cosmic ambiance.

Starfall Racers

This attraction is a racing dual-launch coaster that goes at 62 mph and reaches a max height of 133 feet. “While it’s giant and looks really intimidating at first, it’s designed to feel like an old wooden coaster, but smooth as a button. So, you’ll rise up in your seat and get those zero G feels,” says Adam. “Although there are a couple signature moves in there, most of the 1.8 mile track is a side-by-side race between two comets to see who gets to the end first,” he adds. With no break zones, by the way. 

Riding it at night will be an attraction in itself — because the coaster is covered with hundreds of points of light, the vehicles look like shooting comets racing across the sky.

Astronomica

At the center of Celestial Park lies Astronomica, an interactive wet-play attraction designed as a compass rose that points to the portals and attractions around Epic. At night Astronomica comes alive with light, color and music! 

Where to Eat in Celestial Park

There are two restaurants, Atlantic and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant. (When creating the menus for the restaurants around Epic, the Food & Beverage team took all guests into consideration, making sure to cover dietary restrictions and preferences. 

Atlantic Restaurant: Nestled in the middle of Celestial Park, Atlantic is Chef Robert Martinez Jr., executive chef at Universal Orlando Resort’s Chef Martinez’s “precious gem.” The restaurant is surrounded by the shimmering waters of Neptune’s pool and has floor-to-ceiling Victorian glass walls. You’ll be able to find the freshest seafood and typical — and not so typical — surf and turf options on the menu.

The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant : Staying true to the electric neon dragons that snake the interior of the dining room, the restaurant has a vibrant and delectable menu. “Our guests will have the chance to enjoy flavors from China, Southeast Asia and Japan, all while dining under the constellations, as lanterns dance overhead in this beautiful indoor courtyard,” says Martinez.

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.

Where to Shop

There will be plenty of retail options for you to stock up on souvenirs through Celestial Park, including the Nintendo Super Star Store. Founded by explorers that have been on multiple excursions into SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, this store is filled with colorful keepsakes themed around Nintendo’s beloved characters.

Where to Stay

Universal Epic Universe will open in 2025 alongside three new hotels — yes, three new hotels: 

Helios Grand Hotel: The restaurant encircling the theme park will be a full-service hotel for guests looking to go all-out during their Universal Orlando Resort stay. Named after the God of the Sun, Helios is where the heavens and earth unite: it’s adorned with celestial patterns and constellation details in the decor and has a casual, elegant Mediterranean-inspired feel throughout. The hotel will have a dedicated and exclusive entrance into Celestial Park.

Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort: Galaxies and planets inspire these sister hotels. They’re related in concept, but offer two different experiences — Stella Nova is highlighted in teal and purple colors and represents its own galaxy with a black hole vortex porte-cochère while Terra Luna is highlighted in gold and green. Stella is inspired by the infinite vastness of the unknown universe and Terra is inspired by the thrill of pushing the limits of discovery. Both hotels will have 750 guest-rooms, resort-style amenities and several food and drink options. The exterior facades of the hotels are layered with thousands of dichroic panels, with every panel slightly unique, which makes the facade ever-changing depending on where you stand, time of day and weather. And guess what? You can already book your room at Stella Nova (opening Jan. 21, 2025) and Terra Luna (opening Feb. 25, 2025)! See you there.