Universal Epic Universe
Concept art
LocationUniversal Orlando, Orlando, Florida, United States
Coordinates28°26′32″N 81°26′56″W / 28.4422°N 81.449°W / 28.4422; -81.449
StatusUnder construction
Opens2025
OwnerNBCUniversal
(Comcast)
Operated byUniversal Destinations & Experiences
Area750-acre (300 ha)
Websiteuniversalorlando.com
Universal Orlando
Theme parks
Resort 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
  • Universal's Endless Summer Resort
Entertainment district

Universal Epic Universe is an upcoming theme park under construction in Orlando, Florida. Announced in August 2019,[1] the park will be the fourth theme park at Universal Orlando.[2] Construction was delayed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in March 2021.[3][4] The park is scheduled to open in 2025.[5]

History

On August 1, 2019, NBCUniversal announced that it was building a fourth theme park at Universal Orlando named "Universal's Epic Universe".[6] Without releasing details, Tom Williams, then chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Parks and Resorts, said Epic Universe would be the company's "most immersive and innovative theme park." Comcast and NBCUniversal officials said it would create an additional 14,000 jobs, including professional, technical, culinary and other specialized positions.[1] A possible opening date for the park was not immediately announced.[7] In October 2019, Universal announced that the park would open in 2023.[8]

Concept art released by Universal during the official announcement in August 2019 left details purposefully vague.[1] Many IPs were rumored to appear in the park, including lands dedicated to How to Train Your Dragon, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Universal Classic Monsters, and the Nintendo franchises Super Mario and Donkey Kong. In January 2020, the presence of Super Nintendo World in the park was confirmed by multiple Comcast executives.[9][10] Epic Universe's version of Super Nintendo World was officially announced in February 2023, with CEO Mark Woodbury calling it the "worst-kept secret in history".[11]

The project was delayed indefinitely in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but on March 3, 2021, Comcast announced the immediate restart of construction.[3] On January 27, 2022, Jeff Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal, stated during an earnings call that the park would be opening in Summer 2025.[12] This was hinted at by the resort's official Twitter shortly thereafter.[13] On May 5, 2022, Universal offered 13 acres (5.3 ha) of land near the site where Epic Universe is being built for a Brightline rail route commuter station.[14]

On March 8, 2023, Universal Parks and Resorts CEO Mark Woodbury announced that they would be rebranding the division to "Universal Destinations & Experiences". With this change also came the announcement that the name of the upcoming park in Orlando would be adjusted slightly from Universal's Epic Universe to Universal Epic Universe.[15][16] A modified logo was unveiled, which removed the apostrophe and letter "s" from the design.[17]

Areas and attractions

Epic Universe will use a hub-and-spoke format, consisting of four themed lands branching off a central hub, with each land featuring a uniquely-themed gateway.[18] The themed lands will be, in clockwise order from entry, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe (themed to Universal Classic Monsters), The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

Celestial Park

The main hub of the park is Celestial Park, a garden featuring design motifs based on astrology and astronomic equipment connecting the other four areas together, as well as incorporating the Helios Grand Hotel. The two rides in the area are Constellation Carousel, a celestial-themed carousel flat ride similar to the SeaGlass Carousel in New York, and Starfall Racers, a dueling roller coaster manufactured by Mack Rides.

Attractions:

Super Nintendo World

Super Nintendo World will be themed to various Nintendo-owned franchises, with a primary focus on the Mario franchise. Its entrance from Celestial Park will be themed as a Warp Pipe. Like the version of the land constructed in Universal Studios Japan, it will feature Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, an augmented reality racing simulator based on the Mario Kart series, as well as Yoshi's Adventure, an omnimover attraction themed to the character Yoshi from the Mario franchise. The land's layout will be less compact than its Japanese equivalent, however, with the courtyard area being more spread out. The land will also feature an additional section themed to the Donkey Kong franchise which will include a new type of roller coaster patented as the "Boom Coaster". The coaster will run over a false track while being attached to a hidden track underneath, allowing designers to implement gaps in the false track to create the illusion that the trains are jumping over the gaps.[26][27]

Attractions:

Dark Universe

Attractions:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic

Attractions:

Entertainment:

How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk

Attractions:

Entertainment:

Possible expansion

There have been several rumors from insiders suggesting there will be a "phase two" of the park featuring a few additional attractions that will be built almost as soon as the park opens in 2025. This most notably includes an expansion for Super Nintendo World, revolving around the Luigi's Mansion franchise. Another large attraction said to be a part of this early expansion is a Creature from the Black Lagoon indoor boat ride in Dark Universe.[28]

Location

The Universal Epic Universe theme park campus is located a few miles south-east from the existing Universal Orlando Resort, within a larger 750-acre (300 ha) site south of Sand Lake Road and east of Universal Boulevard.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Universal Orlando Resort Announces Ambitious New Theme Park" (Press release). Universal Orlando Resort. August 1, 2019.
  2. ^ "Universal Orlando Resort Shares First Official Look and Details About Its Highly Anticipated New Theme Park, Universal Epic Universe". Comcast Corporation. January 30, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Universal's Epic Universe is Back". blog.universal.com. March 3, 2021.
  4. ^ Russon, Gabrielle; Hudak, Stephen (April 30, 2020). "Universal Orlando's new Epic Universe theme park will be delayed because of coronavirus pandemic". Orlando Sentinel.
  5. ^ "Epic Universe. Five Immersive Worlds. One Amazing Theme Park". Universal Orlando Resort. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  6. ^ Russon, Gabrielle; Bevil, Dewayne (August 1, 2019). "Universal's Epic Universe theme park is coming to Orlando, ramping up war with Disney". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Newspapers. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  7. ^ Andrew, Scottie; Ries, Brian (August 1, 2019). "Universal Orlando announces new Epic Universe theme park". CNN Travel.
  8. ^ "Comcast Confirms 2023 Opening for Universal's Epic Universe". Orlando ParkStop. October 24, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  9. ^ "Super Nintendo World Confirmed for New Universal Theme Park". January 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "Super Nintendo World will be part of new Universal theme park". WESH. January 31, 2020.
  11. ^ Tapp, Tom (February 16, 2023). "Super Nintendo World Confirmed For Universal Orlando Resort, Called "The Worst-Kept Secret In History"". Deadline. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  12. ^ "Comcast Says Epic Universe to Open in 2025, Theme Park Business in Orlando Better than Before Pandemic". Orlando ParkStop. January 27, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  13. ^ "Universal Orlando Resort Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  14. ^ "Universal executives pledge to donate land to support SunRail/Brightline corridor". WESH.com. May 5, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  15. ^ "4 Exciting New Things We've Learned About Universal Epic Universe". Theme Park Tourist. March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  16. ^ "Name change: Universal Parks & Resorts becoming Universal Destinations & Experiences". Yahoo Sports. March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  17. ^ Orlando, Gotta Go (March 8, 2023). "New Logo revealed for the upcoming Epic Universe Theme Park at Universal Orlando Resort". Gotta Go Orlando. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  18. ^ Stella, Alicia (April 30, 2020). "New Permits Reveal Full Layout for Epic Universe". Theme Park Stop. Theme Park Stop LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  19. ^ Stella, Alicia (March 22, 2023). "Epic Universe Update: Trademarked Ride Names, Construction Progress, and New Permits". Theme Park Stop. Theme Park Stop LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  20. ^ White, Abbey (January 30, 2024). "Universal Orlando Resort Unveils Epic Universe Celestial Park, Teases 'Harry Potter', 'How to Train Your Dragon' Lands". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  21. ^ "Epic event: Universal Orlando drops details about new theme park". Orlando Sentinel. January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Yossman, K. J. (January 30, 2024). "Harry Potter, Nintendo and Monsters Lands Set for New 'Epic Universe' Theme Park at Universal". Variety. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  23. ^ "Get a first look at Universal Resort Orlando's new 'Epic Universe'". www.today.com. January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  24. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (January 30, 2024). "Universal Shares First Details Of Epic Universe Lands: Super Nintendo, How To Train Your Dragon, Harry Potter & More At New Orlando Theme Park". Deadline. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  25. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (January 30, 2024). "Universal's New Epic Universe Theme Park Revealed: Nintendo, Harry Potter, Dark Universe, and More". IGN. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  26. ^ Stella, Alicia (January 2, 2023). "Everything We Know About Epic Universe: Super Nintendo Word". Theme Park Stop. Theme Park Stop LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  27. ^ US 10315120B2, Kieth Michael McVeen & Eric Parr, "Boom Coaster", published 2019-06-11, assigned to Universal Studios LLC 
  28. ^ Boardwine, Andrew (December 9, 2021). "Universal Could Add a 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' Ride". Inside The Magic. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
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