Know Before You Go to EPIC Universe

Slated to open May 22, 2025, Universal EPIC Universe is one of the most anticipated theme park openings to happen in decades. Universal Parks and Resorts have created a brand new theme park with five destinations and four portals to transport you to EPIC destinations. Announced in August of 2019, this theme park experienced a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was it worth the wait? I say wholly yes. Here’s what you need to know before you go to EPIC Universe.

based on a visit in April 2025 during the preview for media, passholders, and the travel industry

Five immersive worlds, including four portals, comprise this complete theme park. Here is a little about each of these worlds to know before you go to EPIC Universe:

• Celestial Park: the main area you enter upon going into the theme park. This is also the space that you will re-enter when you are transitioning between the four portals. This area boasts beautiful fountains, stores for shopping, two Starbucks locations, a roller coaster, a carousel, and both quick locations to eat at as well as sit down locations.
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: this portal transports you to the Isle of Berk Viking village from the How to Train Your Dragon movie franchise. An entirely unique concept to EPIC Universe, this area has a stage show, three rides, places to grab a quick bite to eat, and a playground.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Ministry of Magic™: this portal transports you to the streets of 1920s Paris and the 1990s British Ministry. Two spots to dine, one bar, and one butter beer cart as well as shopping, a circus, and the Battle at the Ministry ride are waiting for you to discover them within this portal.
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™: this portal houses two lands— Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario Land. Eat at Toadstool Cafe, collect stamps and achievements with the power up brands, and ride one of the three rides.
• Dark Universe: this portal immerses you into the horror of doctor Victoria Frankenstein’s experiments as they come to life around you. Two rides and three quick places to feast are waiting for your appetite in Darkmoor.

Let’s explore each of these lands a little more in depth and get my tips on what you need to know before you go to EPIC Universe.

Celestial Park

Celestial Park is at the center of this universe of five worlds. Personally, it feels similar to a steampunk feel— futuristic, but also not at the same time. A little of it feels like how the lost city of Atlantis is portrayed in movies too. There’s an abundance of water features here and lots of story telling in all the details. The water features flow through the center of Celestial Park, culminating in the new signature property, Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel.

Celestial Park is home to the two sit down restaurants:

• Atlantic: A full service seafood-based restaurant

• The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant: A full-service fusion restaurant

Reservations are recommended and available now for both restaurants.

This is also a great place to grab a quick bite as Celestial Park has two quick restaurants and several bars and snack spots:

• The Oak & Star Tavern: BBQ
• Meteor Astropub: Burgers and beer
• Pizza Moon: Pizza
• Star Sui Bao: Bao buns
• Frosty Moon: Ice cream
• Comet Dogs: Hotdogs
• Celestiki: Bar with frozen cocktails
• Plastered Owl Bar: Connected to the Oak & Star Tavern
• Bar Zenith: Near the fountain in front of Helios

The Oak & Star Tavern is a great value if you’re looking for a meal that’s a shareable size. You pick your meat (one or two types) and then a side (one or two). Then it comes with bread and all the sauces are on the table for you to try. There’s a sweet, spicy, mustard, and ketchup based sauce.

Celestial Park also has two Starbucks locations. One at the front on the right as you enter next door to North Star Wintry Wonders and then an additional walk-up location past the carousel to the left where you can grab your coffee order and enjoy the fountain shows.

Tip: The line was out the door during early entry at the Starbucks location at the front, but we waited less than 2 minutes to place our order at the walk-up location that also serves all-day breakfast bites. You can purchase the exclusive Discovery Series EPIC Universe mug at both locations. They close promptly with the park right now.

For shopping, in addition to North Star Wintry Wonders, Moonshine Chocolates and Celestial Treats is available where you can find “otherworldly treats collected by young adventurer Maya of the Skies and her navigator, Captain Cacao.” Sensorium Emporium and Other Worlds Mercantile offer portal world-themed souvenirs and EPIC Universe merchandise.

Celestial Park is home to the Stardust Racers thrill ride. Think Velocicoaster level thrill ride with two sides, green and yellow, that ‘race’ to the finish line with a double launch. Both sides are intense and offer a different experience. Try to ride this twice to do both. It looked like the ‘green’ side had a slightly longer line on our visit because it’s rumored to be more thrilling. Don’t worry, the yellow side is plenty exciting. Per the team members, try green in the back and yellow in the front for some of the most intense rides. At night, only the ride car is lit making it look as if a space ship is flying through the sky.

You can also ride the Constellation Carousel, which has no height requirement, and has 3 different sound tracks to enjoy, so you can ride it a few times. There is also an interactive water fountain play area behind the carousel called Astronomica. This wasn’t operating on my visit, but is slated to be ready on grand opening day.

Know before you go to EPIC Universe that you’ll find three freestyle souvenir cup refill locations in Celestial Park. One is outside the Isle of Berk portal entry. One is on the side of Frosty Moon. Then one right inside Astropub. All are very convenient. If you’re in need of guest services, there are four concierge kiosks as well.

Celestial Park is a beautiful place to spend time. The fountain shows are short. I was able to see a 2-minute long show at official park opening since we took advantage of the one hour early entry for Universal resort guests. There’s also a stage in front of the Celestiki bar to listen to a band as the sun sets. This world is sure to grow with entertainment as we get closer to the grand opening date. It’s not to be skipped and a great place to take it all in— it’s very majestic.

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk is a brand new intellectual property to be brought to a theme park and was done right! Isle of Berk is a colorful Viking island where the movies are set. When you enter, it feels as if you’ve crossed an ocean onto the island. Within Isle of Berk, you can find three places to eat, one stage show, three attractions, and a playground. Don’t forget the merch! Isle of Berk offers some of the cutest themed merchandise including clothing, accessories, and toys. You can even experience the joy of hatching your own dragon! You can do this at Toothless Treasures.

Three attractions bring big variety to the Isle of Berk. Dragon Racers Rally is a spinning and tilting ride that kiddos will love. It does have a height requirement of 48 inches since you can throw yourself into an upside down barrel roll. Fyre Drill is a boat water ride where up to eight people can aim water guns at targets that have the ability to shoot back at you.

Tip: If you hit a blue target, prepare to get soaked! Beware if you're on the right side closest to the dock because at the sharp curves in the ride, other boaters can aim their water guns at you and soak you even more. Pick your spot wisely!

The star of the show in this world is Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. Think Hagrid’s, but in a traditional seat. It doesn’t go backward for long and is very cute. It has a 40 inch height requirement. I love this ride and it was one of my favorites in the park. They did a wonderful job with this coaster and I could ride it all day long. Make this one a priority.

Another must-see attraction in Isle of Berk is the Untrainable Dragon Show. Hiccup is faced with a true challenge. Kids and adults alike will be delighted by this show and it will be a good place to escape the heat of the day since there’s not a ton of shade yet at this young park. The show is 20 minutes long and has a surprise everyone will love so try to sit in the stadium seating in the lower half of the theater. Trust me!

Tip: Want to be showered with dragon smoke? Make sure that you're in the first three rows of the show to be a part of this interactive element of the Untrainable Dragon Show.

Food fit for a feast is available at Mead Hall, where there’s a specialty mead ale; Spit Fyre Grill, for a variety of grilled meats; and Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel, home to the already viral macaroni and cheese bread cones. Both the Grog and Gruel and Spit Fyre Grill have freestyle Coca-Cola machines where you can refill your mug.

Before you’re transported back to Celestial Park, say hi to Hiccup and Toothless at their meet and greet for some of the most adorable photos you’ll ever see and a meet and greet with so much heart.

Isle of Berk is built to hold the crowds. The walkways are wide, there are tons of interactive elements to engage with to keep people busy (like dragons that you swear are looking right back at you), and a massive playground for all ages of kids to spend hours running around. Like Celestial Park, the details are all there to get mesmerized by. Listen closely and you’ll hear snoring dragons, roaring dragons, and bleating sheep.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Ministry of Magic™

Ministry of Magic portal is the closest thing to Paris I’ve seen built in Florida! Rumor has it this area is slated for a future expansion since it only has one attraction so far. Despite this, it is beautiful and easy to spend an entire day just looking at the stores and casting one of the 12 brand new spells. This area will be insanely popular, as are the other Wizarding World areas in the other two Universal parks.

Ways to spend your time in the Ministry of Magic include two quick restaurants, one butter beer cart, and a bar to grab a snack and an alcoholic beverage. You can also see the circus and experience the headliner attraction—visiting the 1990s Ministry of Magic for the trial of Dolores Umbridge.

Magical locations to dine at include Café L’air De La Sirène™, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or Le Gobelet Noir™. The cafe is immediately within the portal to the left, but it may take you a minute to find Gobelet Noir. Your search will be worth it as you’re rewarded with a space that feels entirely different from the main streets. Bar Moonshine is adorable and feels just like you’re sitting on the streets of Paris. They serve drinks in cute branded glasses.

Le Cirque Arcanus (pronounced “ark-anoo”) is a 30-minute show with amazing stage effects and a sweet story where, of course, the good-hearted person prevails. It centers around the fantastic beasts, who are adorable. You cannot help but be drawn in by the cute beasts with big eyes who just want to be understood. There are no photos allowed in the circus after you’ve gone through the queue.

Tip: Be prepared for a 10-minute standing-only pre-show that sets up the story line of the show.

The stage show mechanics are impressive for a theme park production. I could see this show more than once because I’m sure I missed details.

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is the main attraction in this portal and probably one of the most anticipated rides in the park. Think Spider-Man but smoother. Going down the metrofloo is open to everyone and it’s impressive with the use of 125,000 emerald tiles. There’s something to see in every nook and cranny. Where you actually enter the queue for the ride, the team member will check the QR code. (See the ‘planning your day’ section for the virtual queue information)

Dark Universe

Explore a village ravaged by the wrath of unearthly creatures and the monstrous experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. Dark Universe is a shadowy world where the unknown lurks around every corner.

Dark Universe may be the smallest-feeling world, but it holds some of the largest surprises. Darkmoor is full of photo ops, hidden surprises, and storytellers who bring the area to life. For example, the Invisible Man appears at times and walks into the center of the world while electricity sounds come from every area around you. It is truly immersive and impressive all at the same time. This portal features two attractions, three places to dine, several shops for monster-themed goods, and the monster makeover experience that lets you transform into your favorite creature. View Pricing for the Darkmoor Make Up Experience

Like Isle of Berk, Dark Universe has excellent flow. It’s very easy to get around this world. Immediately to your right as you emerge from the portal are some very creative photo ops that are not to be missed. When it opens up into the central area of Dark Universe, to the right is the largest of the three dining options in this world. Das Steakhouse offers, as you can deduce, lots of freshly grilled items. This includes a section of the menu that is served on steaks. I got the chicken on the steak and it’s served with vegetables and mashed potatoes. The chicken itself was very good. I enjoyed the chimichurri sauce to enhance the flavor. Currently, this meal option comes with eight large chunks of white meat chicken. Inside Das Steakhouse, the theme and atmosphere are done just right. At times, the lights will flicker and dim. A red glow will come over the restaurant while you are dining. As with the other quick locations, there are Coca-Cola freestyle machines for you to fill your mug or cup.

The other location to grab a bite at in Dark Universe is the Burning Blade Tavern. This is where you can get some of the more Instagram-worthy food items like the garlic pretzel twist and the blackened cheese bites. A helpful tip to know before you go to EPIC Universe is to order an alcoholic beverage, you go in the front door of the Burning Blade Tavern. To order anything to eat, place your order in the mobile app. Pick it up at the window that is on the right side of the restaurant if you are facing the Burning Blade. Alcoholic purchases cannot be made in the app because you have to show your ID. This is why they are unable to be picked up at the window. A specialty mocktail is available here—you can order a glass of Monocane to enjoy with your meal.

For your third quick bites option, you can grab something at the walk-up spot De Lacey’s Cottage near Frankenstein’s manor.

Onto the two attractions in this world. First is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. Think Forbidden Journey, but much smoother and without the 3-D glasses. It is truly an experience. There are 14 larger-than-life animatronics that are the experiments coming to life. Be aware that this ride has been closing earlier than park close currently.

The other attraction choice for you here is Curse of the Werewolf. Think of a far more modern kiddie coaster with a slightly darker theme. A ride vehicle seats four and is built with a mechanism to spin while on the track. This ride is all of 20 seconds. Keep that in mind when you’re choosing when to get in line to ride.

Casting Some Light into the Shadows of Dark Universe: Over 6,500 different lighting elements bring to life the rich stories of Darkmoor’s history. Many fixtures were custom-designed and fabricated to tell the Darkmoor stories of the vampires and scientists.

When you’re in Darkmoor, you will likely come to a surprising conclusion. It is not the attractions or the dining establishments that are the true draw to this world. It’s the citizens of the village themselves. Who better to learn about the stories of this village than from the people who lived there? Interact with the citizens and be ready for moments when the entire village will interact with them. The Invisible Man may just steal the show for this entire area. I was not aware of the history behind the Monocane drink until a citizen appeared. This resident was lurking in the shadows and emerged to tell me what I was drinking. They warned my companions about the side effects of this elixir.

You’re sure to spend more time in this portal than you previously may have thought. There is more than enough to discover.

Super Nintendo World

This is the world that I was most excited to experience after seeing it be built at Universal Studios Japan and a version in Universal Hollywood.

Tip: The Nintendo Super Star Store is outside of the portal and a great place to grab your power-up band before entering the portal.

Entering the portal here is reminiscent of going down a green tube in the original Super Mario Brothers games. Then you walk out of Princess Peach’s castle into Super Mario Land. Donkey Kong Country is located within Super Nintendo World and features its own distinct atmosphere.

As I mentioned, this was the world I anticipated most, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. The theming is so complete that you truly feel immersed inside the game. This world offers three attractions, four locations for themed food, several shops, and 199 different interactions available with the Power-Up Band.

The Power-Up Band truly brings this world to life. While you can punch blocks without it, the experience isn’t nearly as satisfying. With the band, you’ll hear the iconic coin sound and can collect stickers and points for your team in the app. Eight different themed Power-Up Bands are available for purchase, each representing your team. I chose the Toad Power-Up Band and bounced around collecting points for Team Toad. As of April 2025, a Power-Up Band costs $47.95 with tax.

Know Before You Go to EPIC Universe: Super Nintendo World is the only portal open during the early entry hour for resort guests.

All rides in this world have limited capacity. Your top priority should be Mine-Cart Madness in Donkey Kong Country. Loading is slow since each cart only holds four people, and the attraction frequently experiences brief delays.

Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge is another slow-loading ride with four-person carts. Expect wait times of 80+ minutes, though the queue is entertainingly decorated. Bowser’s Library contains 500 books with humorous titles to keep you amused while waiting. Before boarding, you’ll enter a pre-show area where instructions are explained twice. The ride requires a visor that fits on your head, with a screen that attaches magnetically that you will find once loading into the ride vehicle. You compete not only against the three other people in your cart but also against four riders in the adjacent cart on the course.

Yoshi’s Adventure is perfect for guests 38 inches or taller. This gentle ride takes you above Super Mario Land as you search for the golden egg. If lines are short, you might miss the explanation of the ride’s interactive elements. When you lower the lap bar, you’ll notice three eggs: green, red, and blue. Press each egg when you reach its matching scene during the ride. At the finale, where Toad holds the golden egg, your vehicle’s egg light will illuminate.

All three rides feature adorable theming, as do the food locations. Toadstool Café appears modest from outside but opens into a spacious interior. Other themed treats can be found at these three grab-and-go spots:

• The Bubbly Barrel (Donkey Kong Country)
• Yoshi’s Snack Island
• Turbo Boost Treats

An important thing to know before you go to EPIC Universe is that Super Nintendo World has more stairs than any other portal in the park. You’ll encounter numerous stairs when exiting the world and when entering or exiting the Mario Kart attraction queues. Elevators are available but are limited in number and size. Please reserve these for guests requiring accessibility accommodations.

Know Before You Go to EPIC Universe

Planning Your Day

Since Super Nintendo World is the only portal currently open during the extra hour in the morning, this is where I would recommend starting. Any of these three rides, but specifically Mine-Cart Madness, is where I encourage you to head first. The wait time can get very high due to the low ride vehicle capacity and the potential downtimes. In addition to purchasing express pass for your day at EPIC Universe, stay at a Universal Orlando Resort to get the extra hour in the morning. This is key to get ahead of the crowds.

Your other priority rides are:

1. Battle at the Ministry
2. Monsters Unchained
3. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
4. Stardust Racers

I’ve listed them in this order based on ride vehicle capacity and the amount of times that the rides experienced intermittent delays during my preview day.

Know Before You Go to EPIC Universe
When you sit in the trial seats to see if you're comfortable, there's a green light that will turn on if you're good to go.

For Battle at the Ministry, the ride capacity is rather low and the ride is not opening with the park. Right now, Battle at the Ministry is running on a virtual line basis. You will need to be in the park at the time the virtual line opens, but you do not need to have your ticket attached. The line will open to try and obtain an entry time at 11 am, 3 pm, and 6 pm currently. It opens around those times. Our 6 pm try for the queue didn’t actually open until more like 6:07 pm. You can go back and forth on the attraction page in the app until the queue opens up to get it to refresh. Try different group sizes and keep trying time spots that are showing available to see which one will confirm. This ride has been experiencing some delays. It’s complicated with a lot of moving parts, so pack your patience. If it were not to run on the virtual line basis, the full queue is seven hours long.

Tip: Pre-ride lockers in EPIC Universe are operated by a face/eye scan. You still have to remember your locker section. You may experience a delay of recognition in the dark queues like Monsters Unchained. Use a little light from your phone to get it to recognize your face. If you choose to put your phone in the locker, you may have to phone a friend (pun intended) to get it open on the exit side.

A key to know before you go to EPIC Universe, especially if you only have one day, is to strongly consider adding a purchase of Express Pass with your ticket to experience as much as possible in the short time you have in the park.

What’s Included With Express Pass as of April 2025:

Celestial Park

• Stardust Racers
• Constellation Carousel

Dark Universe

• Monsters Unchained
• Curse of the Werewolf

How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk

• Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
• Fyre Drill
• The Untrainable Dragon (show)

Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic

• Le Cirque Arcanus (show)

Super Nintendo World

• Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
• Yoshi’s Adventure

These top attractions are not included with express pass:

• Dragon Racer’s Rally
• Mine-Cart Madness™
• Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry™

With most theme parks, peak meal times see long lines! Plan ahead and try to snag your meal early or later than these times. Consider going to eat your dinner order about 30 minutes prior to park close to maximize your time riding the day time.

Also you will need to bring your own shade since there is not much of it in the parks yet. Pack your hats, shade umbrellas, and fans as the foliage is still young. Take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.

The hype is real for EPIC Universe and well founded on how amazing these five immersive worlds are. What you need to know before you go to EPIC Universe is that each portal offers unique experiences that transport you to entirely different realms – from the magical streets of 1920s Paris in the Ministry of Magic to the Viking village of Isle of Berk and the nostalgic gaming worlds of Super Nintendo. The attention to detail throughout the park is extraordinary, with interactive elements, themed dining, and attractions that push the boundaries of theme park design.

As you plan your visit, remember to prioritize those lower-capacity rides early in the day and consider how the Power-Up Bands and spell casting opportunities enhance the overall experience. Don’t overlook the atmospheric details and character interactions that make each world come alive beyond just the rides. Another key thing to know before you go to EPIC Universe is to take time to savor the themed food options and perhaps schedule your meals during off-peak hours to maximize your enjoyment.

EPIC Universe represents a remarkable achievement in immersive theme park design, offering something for visitors of all ages and interests. Whether you’re a Harry Potter enthusiast, Nintendo fan, monster movie buff, or simply someone who appreciates beautiful environments, this park delivers an unforgettable experience. I hope this guide tells you what you need to know before you go to EPIC Universe and helps you make the most of your magical day.

Contact me to book your trip to experience EPIC Universe today