Universal Orlando announces opening date for highly anticipated Epic Universe theme park
By Natasha Chen, CNN
(CNN) — Universal Orlando Resort announced Thursday morning that its highly anticipated new theme park, Epic Universe, will open on May 22, 2025, just before Memorial Day weekend.
The new park will be the largest of three theme parks at the resort, part of a 750-acre development that will more than double the size of Universal’s footprint in Orlando. The property currently consists of two theme parks and one water park.
This new park, Epic Universe, will consist of five “worlds”: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic; Super Nintendo World; How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk; Dark Universe and Celestial Park.
“This is such a pivotal moment for our destination, and we’re thrilled to welcome guests to Epic Universe next year,” said Karen Irwin, president and COO of Universal Orlando Resort.
“With the addition of this spectacular new theme park, our guests will embark on an unforgettable vacation experience with a week’s worth of thrills that will be nothing short of epic!”
Impact of Epic Universe
Dennis Speigel, founder and CEO of International Theme Park Services, is a consultant for theme parks around the world. Speigel was not involved in the building of Epic Universe but has been tracking Universal’s spending of more than $6 billion and development of this project since its beginning.
He said the themes included in this park speak to a new generation of visitors who love fairy tales but are also looking for characters and friends with whom they have grown up.
“I anticipate that this new Epic Universe theme park will easily crack 6 million plus visitors during its first 12 months of operation,” Speigel told CNN in an email. “Universal Studios theme parks have been on a huge roll since Harry Potter was introduced in 2010.”
Speigel said this park will ratchet up the Orlando theme park market, where Universal and Disney are the biggest players.
Disney has not opened a new theme park in Central Florida since 1998. Speigel – along with many theme park fans – wonders how Disney will respond to its competitor’s moves and whether it will also open a new theme park in the coming years.
Tickets and pricing
Tickets to Epic Universe will be sold in phases.
At first, only vacation packages and three-day tickets (or longer) to Universal Orlando Resort, which include one day at Epic Universe, will be sold beginning October 22. In one pricing example, three-day tickets would range from $374.88 to $554.87 (after tax) per person, depending on dates.
Current Universal Orlando annual passholders will then get priority access on October 24 to purchase single-day tickets to Epic Universe before the general public.
Additional ticket options, including single-day tickets for the general public, will be sold in the months leading up to the opening of the park.
A 500-room Loews hotel called Universal Helios Grand Hotel will also open on May 22 (taking reservations beginning October 22). It will be located in the new theme park, with Universal’s first dedicated theme park entrance for hotel guests. Two other new hotels will open before then, near the park.
Highlights of the new park
Guests will first enter Epic Universe via Celestial Park, which will have a carousel, a roller coaster, stores, restaurants and portals to each of the four other worlds.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic will be an extension of the Harry Potter universe, creating the atmosphere of both 1920s Paris – where much of the Fantastic Beasts franchise takes place – and the 1990s British Ministry, where famous Hogwarts students faced Voldemort.
A new attraction called “Battle at the Ministry” will allow guests to enter the Ministry’s atrium via the Floo Network and have them join Harry, Ron and Hermione in an omnidirectional lift, dodging attacks from Death Eaters.
Two other Harry Potter areas already exist in Universal’s other theme parks: Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure, and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios.
Super Nintendo World will be similar to what’s been opened recently at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles and Universal Studios Japan. Guests will be able to ride attractions called “Bowser’s Challenge” and “Mine-Cart Madness with Donkey Kong.”
The world themed to How to Train Your Dragon will include a Viking village, a family roller coaster called “Hiccup’s Wing Gliders,” a water ride and a live show.
Dark Universe is a shadowy world, with “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment” putting guests in the middle of a monster revolt.
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