Are you ready, theme park fans from all over the world? There is a brand new universe being prepared for summer 2025, and the first images and information of what we can expect from this project have finally arrived. We cannot contain the excitement of sharing all the huge news with you!
Now, let’s unwrap all the details surrounding this exciting and Universal project!
Have you heard of Epic Universe?
More than five years ago, it was just an idea…
If we go back to 2016, we may have heard that Universal’s CEO, Mark Woodbury, asked his team an interesting yet ambitious question: “What would we create if we had the opportunity to build another domestic park?”
I can only imagine the number of ideas, concepts, lands, and universes that could have come out of that critical question. I mean, the power of imagination has no limits. The outcome certainly surpassed our expectations! There was some sort of Big Bang and a brand-new Universe was born.
Epic Universe is on the way to Orlando
If we thought we had seen it all with the current Universal theme parks, we were certainly light years behind what is coming in Summer 2025 (an official opening date may be coming very soon!)
Just try to imagine it, five unique worlds that are going to be connected with the help of mystical portals, immersive and interactive experiences, groundbreaking roller coasters, and sophisticated technology. We bet Universal will leave us with our chin on the floor when we visit this incredible place for the first time.
Gabriela Lander, director of Facility Design for Universal Creative, describes this magical creation as the future meets up with the present moment, where guests are guided by the stars while being surrounded by nature and impressive elements that will surprise them.
All the concept is inspired by the exploration of new worlds, and you will be immersed from the moment you go past the main gates. Steve Tathan, the executive creative director for Universal Epic Universe, mentions “…We’re setting a new standard, and that’s what it means to be a modern theme park,” certainly a major milestone for all the minds behind Universal Studios.
All the (amazing) concept art you see in this article were made by talented artists that work for Universal, which just make our imagination run wild as we wonder how the final project will look like.
What can we expect?
The main entry point is going to be called the Celestial Park, which acts like a hub where the five worlds will be connected. This area can be considered the beginning and end of everything (like the center of a cosmic burst). This first world is going to be the first immersive experience visitors get to enjoy after stepping into the Emerald Gate, but before that they have to say hi to Chronos.
Who’s Chronos?
According to Adam Rivest, executive producer for Celestial Park, 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”.
Where are the portals heading to?
After entering Celestial Park, guests can take one of the four magical portals, which are in fact tall sophisticated pillars that will take you to your favorite land. Now, the moment we have been waiting for, the FIVE exciting worlds of this universe are *drum rolls*...
- The already mentioned “Celestial Park”
- “Dark Universe”
- “How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk”
- “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic”
- “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD”
We cannot wait to immerse ourselves in a deeper story for each world, meeting up with our favorite characters and getting scared by classic Universal monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula. There will be plenty of thrilling encounters too, and even the chance to "tame" your own dragon in a brand new, mega roller coaster.
Celestial Park, the Beginning and the End
As we mentioned before, there is a good chance that this first world will be the star of the show, offering top tier rides, incredible concept restaurants (like The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant and Atlantic Restaurant), and unique shopping spots (like Nintendo Super Star Store) for guests to enjoy. We know souvenirs and food are essential during your visit, and I'm pretty sure a lot of People on Famvia can't wait to buy all the Mario and Yoshi plushies they find.
And to top it off, the day and night experiences are going to be unique in their own way. During the day, expect a pop of natural elements, impressive fountains, and vibrant gardens that will ensure a great experience. When the sun goes down the lights come up, and the atmosphere changes completely creating a unique world filled with magic and neon for all-night owl visitors.
Let's talk Rides
A lot of people go to Universal for one reason alone: amazing rides. Having fun is one of the core elements of this universe, and some of the rides available at Celestial Park are:
- Constellation Carousel - prepare to spin and spin into the cosmical space with celestial creatures that are turning 360 degrees during the ride. it seems to be a completely new take on a carousel.
- Starfall Racers - explore the heavens with this dual-launch coaster, reaching a to height of 133 feet which will make you feel like you are touching the sky.
- Astronomica - probably better to visit at night when this “interactive wet-play attraction” will be as lively as ever filled with music, vibrant colors, and light!
- There are more attractions coming, of course! Although not officially revealed, we can safely say that Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge will be part of Super Nintendo World. There is a very good chance that a Donkey Kong roller coaster will also be there!
What about hotels?
It's safe to say that we will need several days to explore Epic Universe, even more so close to the opening date when queues will be... hard... to deal with, to say the least. Well, what better way to explore Epic Universe than staying at a hotel inside the park? We mean literally inside, by the way. We are talking about the...
Universal Helios Grand Hotel
The unique name is inspired by the God of the Sun, and this place is where the heavens and Earth become one, offering guests a full-service experience while staying at Epic Universe. The structure by itself is breathtaking, decorated with cosmic designs that merge perfectly with the Mediterranean style that the hotel possesses. It is certainly one of our top hotel options to try in 2025, we can't wait to see it in person.
Universal Stella Nova Resort & Universal Terra Luna Resort
These sister hotels are inspired by the cosmic beauty of the galaxies and the different planets, making each of them unique on their own.
Stella Nova will stand out with purple-ish and teal palette colors that represent her galaxy, while Terra Luna will dominate the palette colors of gold and green, inspired by the excitement of surpassing the limits of exploring and discovering.
The facade promises to be breathtaking and blur the limits between the future and the present… here is where innovation and the cosmic world meet up with the current reality, how exciting!
Plus, guests will get to choose between 750 guest rooms available, plus numerous food and drink options. And the best news of all you can BOOK NOW!
- Stella Nova: Opens doors on January 21st, 2025
- Terra Luna: Opens doors on February 25th, 2025
Contact our team and we will make sure to save you a spot in the hotel of your preference.
Getting to Epic Universe
Epic Universe will be the fourth theme park that Universal Orlando Resort owns and is under construction on 750 acres of land (yes, it's massively impressive).
Even though the land size may seem huge, it is located pretty close to its older brothers: Universal Studios, Universal Volcano Bay and Islands of Adventure. Expect Epic Universe to be connected to the other parks through complementary shuttles, which will make it easier for visitors to move between parks.
Epic Universe will have its own parking lot, which is good news, since Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure share the same parking lot, which makes you walk (a lot), pass through Universal's CityWalk and then select your destination.
Time to discover new worlds!
We surely cannot wait for Summer 2025. This is one of those news that will keep us up at night of excitement. We will keep you updated when the official opening dates are announced, meanwhile, we can help you plan a wonderful time in this new Universal Park, plus book your favorite hotel right away.
Share with us your thoughts about this incredible addition to Universal Orlando. Are you as thrilled as we are? What do you expect from these wonderful new worlds?
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