May 22, 2025, will be one EPIC day in Orlando—the grand opening of Universal’s brand-new theme park, Epic Universe. I had the incredible opportunity to explore it ahead of time, and let me tell you: it lives up to the name. My little ones (both under 5!) and I stepped into not one, but five fully immersive themed worlds—and yes, it was just as magical as it sounds.
At first, I wasn’t sure how kid-friendly this new park would be—bringing two toddlers into an unfamiliar (and massive) theme park felt a little intimidating. But to my surprise, Epic Universe is hands-down Universal’s most family-friendly park yet. There’s something here for every age, and the thoughtful details made it surprisingly easy to navigate with little ones in tow.
Before diving into our full experience, I wanted to start with an overview—what Epic Universe is, what makes it unique, and what you can expect when you visit.
What is Epic Universe?
Epic Universe is the fourth park at Universal Orlando Resorts and is designed to fully immerse guests into five themed worlds. Each of these five distinct worlds offers its own unique attractions, dining, and shopping experiences, designed to make you forget the real world and fully immerse yourself in the universe around you.
Celestial Park
You’ll first land in Celestial Park– the beautiful central hub when you step through the emerald gates and the Chronos device. You will hear “portal” and “Chronos” a lot from Universal in this new park. This is where energy is harnessed to open the portals to the other worlds in Celestial Park. Think lush gardens, 26 to be exact, sparkling fountains, interactive water play areas, and magical pathways leading you to the other portals. The views here are truly something of the stars and are out of this universe.
You will feel a connection to the world of Greek gods and goddesses while in Celestial Park, as Apollo rules the park during the day, while Luna takes charge at night, illuminating the park with her stunning glow. The concept of Apollo and Luna represents the Greek pantheon and their roles in the cosmos.
Celestial Park-Attractions
- Stardust Racers
- Constellation Carousel
- Astronomica
Celestial Park- Restaurants
- Atlantic (Full-service restaurant)
- The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant (Full-service Restaurant)
- The Oak & Star Tavern (Quick Service Restaurant)
- Pizza Moon (Quick Service Restaurant)
- Comet Dogs (Quick Service Restaurant)
- Frosty Moon (Quick Service Restaurant)
- Meteor Astropub (Quick Service Restaurant)
- Star Sui Bai (Quick Service Restaurant)
How to Train Your Dragon-Isle of Berk
This world brings the Vikings and dragons from this franchise to life, offering thrilling experiences that capture the essence of dragon flight. If you didn’t think dragons existed before entering this portal, you will be convinced walking out.
Isle of Berk – Attractions
- Hiccup’s Wing Glider
- Dragon Rally Racer
- Fyre Drill
Isle of Berk – Shows
- The Untrainable Dragon
Isle of Berk- Restaurants
- Mead Hall (Quick Service)
- Spite Fyre Grill (Quick Service)
- Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel (Quick Service)
Isle of Berk- Meet and Greets
- Hiccup and Toothless
- Astrid
- Tuffnut and Ruffnut
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Ministry of Magic
Here you will enjoy a blend of 1920s Paris in the Fantastic Beasts Films with the Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series, allowing guests to travel across countries and timelines using the Metro-Floo. You will discover a whole new era of wizards.
Ministry of Magic – Attractions
- Battle at the Ministry
Ministry of Magic – Shows
- Le Crique Arcaus
Ministry of Magic- Restaurants
- Cafe L’Air De La Sirene (Quick Service)
- Le Gobelet Noir (Table Service)
Dark Universe
This world reimagines Universal’s classic movie monsters, offering a multifaceted exploration of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s experiments and their fables, including a gothic village called Darkmoor. You can discover the unearthly legends like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, and a new generation of monsters and characters. This ravaged village is still a family-friendly experience that will bring fun to all.
Dark Universe- Attractions
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
- Curse of the Werewolf
Dark Universe- Restaurants
- Das Stakehaus (Quick Service Restaurant)
- The Burning Blade Tavern (Quick Service Restaurant)
Dark Universe – Meet and Greets
- Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bride
- Ygor
- The Invisible Man
Super Nintendo World
Guests can enter Nintendo’s video game realm with attractions, dining, and shopping inspired by the Super Mario Bros. franchise, including the first-ever Donkey Kong Country in the United States. If you are a fan of nostalgic video games and are looking to relive your childhood, this will be the perfect world for you. With interactive elements woven throughout the land, you won’t just walk through it—you’ll play your way through it. Grab a Power-Up Band to collect digital coins, unlock hidden areas, and compete in mini-games that make you feel like you’re part of the action.
Super Nintendo World – Attractions
- Mario Kart: Browser’s Challenge
- Yoshi’s Adventure
- Mine Cart Madness
Super Nintendo World- Restaurants
- Toadstool Cafe (Quick Service Restaurant)
Super Nintendo World- Meet and Greets
- Mario
- Luigi
- Princess Peach
- Donkey Kong
Where is it located?
Epic Universe is located about 2 miles from the rest of the Universal Orlando Resort area. Sitting on nearly 750 acres of land, the new Epic Universe is near the Orange County Convention Center. To get to Epic Universe while staying on property, complimentary bus transportation connects you to all Universal Orlando Resorts. If you are driving, you will park at the new parking area located at Epic Universe, not at the main parking garage by CityWalk, as that will only prolong getting to this new park and require getting on the bus.
When can I purchase tickets?
You can already start purchasing your tickets! There are currently two options: you can get just 1 Day Epic universe base tickets, or you can get the “Plus 1 day Epic universe tickets which are included in 2 or 3 day, 2 or 3 park, Park to Park tickets. These tickets allow you to move freely between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure while including an extra day at Epic Universe.
Express Passes and VIP Experiences
Tickets aren’t the only thing you can grab now—Express Passes are also on sale! You can choose a 1-Day Epic Universe Express Pass, or opt for a 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-Day Express Pass that works across Epic Universe, Universal Studios Florida, and Islands of Adventure. These are standard Express Passes (not Unlimited), and as of now, Unlimited Express is not available for Epic Universe—and Universal hasn’t announced if or when it will be.
If you want the ultimate Epic experience, VIP Experiences are the way to go. There are two options: a standard VIP tour or a private one. Beyond having a private tour guide, additional differences and perks are available for each tour.
- The standard VIP experience entitles one guest to enjoy a 4-hour tour, priority entrance at participating rides and attractions based on the itinerary, one Express Pass, a VIP experience souvenir lanyard, exclusive behind-the-scenes experience in the park, a VIP discount at select merchandise locations within the park that day, and one complimentary valet parking option on the day of your VIP tour.
- The private VIP experience includes a personal guide for up to five guests on an 8-hour tour, priority entrance at select rides and attractions, one complimentary breakfast, one full service lunch, one Universal Photo package per tour, Universal Express Unlimited pass per person, complimentary valet parking on day of VIP tour, VIP discount at select merchandise locations in the park on day of tour, VIP experience souvenir lanyard, and exclusive behind the scenes tours.
Photos
If you want to savor every memory of your travels across the universe, you can add the My Universal Photos Package to your trip. You can either include a 1-Day Photo Package, which includes one day of unlimited digital downloads of your theme park photos from participating locations within Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe. You can also add on a 3-Day Photo Package, which includes three consecutive days of unlimited digital downloads of your theme park photos from participating locations within the four theme parks.
Already working with your Smart Moms Travel Agent? They’ve got you covered and can help plan every detail of your family’s next epic adventure. Not booked yet? I’d love to help! Click here to start planning your Epic Universe vacation with me—complimentary planning included.
