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Universal Epic Universe is an upcoming theme park under construction in Orlando, Florida. Scheduled to open in 2025, Epic Universe will be the third theme park and fourth park overall to open at Universal Orlando.[2] The park is part of a larger 750-acre (300 ha) development and will feature five themed areas named Celestial Park, Dark Universe, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Super Nintendo World, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.[2]

History

On August 1, 2019, NBCUniversal announced that it was building a new theme park at Universal Orlando named Universal's Epic Universe.[3] Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts at the time, Tom Williams, released a statement labeling Epic Universe the "most immersive and innovative theme park" the company has ever created.[4] Comcast and NBCUniversal officials expected the new park to create 14,000 additional jobs, and Governor Ron DeSantis shared positive feedback in a public statement.[4]

Concept art released by Universal during the official announcement in August 2019 left details purposely vague.[4] Many IPs were rumored to appear in the park, including lands dedicated to How to Train Your Dragon, Fantastic Beasts, 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.[5][6] 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".[7]

The initial opening was scheduled for 2023,[8] but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic when construction was halted.[9] Construction resumed in March 2021,[10] and Jeff Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal, announced the following year that the park would open by Summer 2025.[11] This was confirmed by the resort's official Twitter account soon after.[12] 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.[13]

On March 8, 2023, Universal Parks & Resorts CEO Mark Woodbury announced the rebranding of the division to Universal Destinations & Experiences. The name for the upcoming park was slightly adjusted from Universal's Epic Universe to Universal Epic Universe.[14][15] A modified logo was unveiled, which removed the apostrophe and letter "s" from the design.[16] An official unveiling of Celestial Park and an overall layout of Epic Universe was released in a press release on January 30, 2024.[17]

In its coverage of the Ministry of Magic themed area, Deadline Hollywood reported that the nearby Orlando airport is building a new terminal to increase capacity in anticipation of the Epic Universe expansion.[18] A road connecting Epic Universe to the rest of the resort is being rebuilt with a new median, which is reserved for Universal's fleet of electric buses to transport park guests.[18]

Areas and attractions

Epic Universe will use a hub-and-spoke format, consisting of four themed lands branching off a central hub called Celestial Park, with each land featuring a uniquely-themed gateway.[19] 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.[20][21][22][23][24][25][26]

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 Stardust Racers, a dueling roller coaster manufactured by Mack Rides.

Dark Universe

Home to the Universal Classic Monsters and intended as a modern day follow-up to the classic era of films, Dark Universe is set in the dreary Darkmoor Village, where Victoria Frankenstein, the great-great granddaughter of Henry Frankenstein, has continued to follow in her family's footsteps of monster making. Her current experiment, intended to bring all of the legendary monsters under her control, backfires when Dracula starts a revolt.[27] Elsewhere in the village is a camp of Mystics that study the curse of the werewolf, an old windmill that has become a headquarters for a local group of monster hunters, and a steakhouse run by Dracula's thralls.

One of the rides will be Curse of the Werewolf, a launched spinning coaster manufactured by Mack Rides. In late 2021, patents for a new motion-based dark ride, which features elements similar to the technology used on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, led to speculation that a new Dark Universe ride themed to Creature from the Black Lagoon would be part of the new expansion as well.[28] This was later revealed to be Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, a dark ride using KUKA arm technology.[citation needed]

How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk

As its name suggests, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk is themed to the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and is set between the second and third movies. The three rides are Hiccup's Wing Gliders, a launched roller coaster manufactured by Intamin, Dragon Racer's Rally, a pair of Gerstlauer Sky Fly rides, and Fyre Drill, an interactive boat ride manufactured by Mack Rides.

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.[29] 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.[30][31] The land is divided into two sections: Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country.[32]

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic

The Ministry of Magic themed area will be set in Paris during the 1920s, primarily drawing inspiration from the Fantastic Beasts prequel film series with scenes, characters, and creatures from the film franchise.[33] The area's main attraction, a dark ride named Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, will feature a simulation of Floo Network fireplaces transporting park guests to the British Ministry of Magic in 1990s London, as depicted in the Harry Potter film series.[33] The ride will be set shortly after Voldemort's defeat in the final film, as Dolores Umbridge is put on trial and attempts to escape.[33] Harry, Ron, Hermione and a house-elf named Higgledy join the chase to capture Umbridge, while guests riding on "omnidirectional lifts" are dodging Death Eaters and other creatures along the way.[33][34]

Early speculation surfaced that a stage show attraction based on Circus Arcanus, the name of a circus depicted in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, as well as a dark ride were both under construction for Ministry of Magic.[35] A marketing teaser on Twitter in late July 2024 indicated that further details about the themed land would be released on July 31, 2024.[35][36] Additional promotional details were released as anticipated, confirming the earlier speculation.[33] The stage show attraction was revealed as Le Cirque Arcanus, which will be a full-scale theatre experience located in Place Cachée and will feature live performers, puppetry, and special effects.[34][37] There will also be a variety of shops, dining, and other experiences to match the wizarding theme.[38]

English actor Eddie Redmayne will reprise his role as Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts in new scenes that have already been filmed.[39] The footage will appear throughout the Ministry of Magic themed land according to Entertainment Weekly.[39]

Possible expansions

Industry insiders have suggested that phase two of the park's expansion will begin soon after Epic Universe debuts in 2025, with potential attractions for Super Nintendo World revolving around the Luigi's Mansion franchise and a themed The Legend of Zelda area replacing The Lost Continent in Islands of Adventure.[40]

Location and infrastructure

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.[4]

New infrastructure under construction for the park includes a $315 million, 1.7-mile (2.7 km) extension of the southern end of Kirkman Road to connect with Universal Boulevard. A circular interchange is under construction at the intersection of Kirkman Road and Sand Lake Road to facilitate traffic flow into Epic Universe. The extension will feature dedicated bus lanes and "bicycle/pedestrian facilities". Construction began in 2021 and is expected to end in late 2024.[41][42]

Unlike the other Universal Orlando parks, Epic Universe will feature an open-air parking lot located to the southeast of the park itself. Permits suggested the construction of a ground-level moving walkway through the parking lot, but there had been no signs of such construction as of July 2024.[43]

References

  1. ^ Stella, Alicia (September 6, 2021). "How Big Will Universal's Epic Universe Be?". Orlando Park Stop. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Chen, Eve (January 30, 2024). "Universal Orlando Resort reveals first details on highly anticipated Epic Universe". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b c d "Universal Orlando Resort Announces Ambitious New Theme Park" (Press release). Universal Orlando. August 1, 2019. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019.
  5. ^ "Super Nintendo World Confirmed for New Universal Theme Park". January 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Super Nintendo World will be part of new Universal theme park". WESH. January 31, 2020.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Comcast Confirms 2023 Opening for Universal's Epic Universe". Orlando ParkStop. October 24, 2019. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  9. ^ Russon, Gabrielle; Hudak, Stephen (April 30, 2020). "Universal Orlando's new Epic Universe theme park will be delayed because of coronavirus pandemic". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024.
  10. ^ "Universal's Epic Universe is Back". Discover Universal. March 3, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "Universal Orlando Resort Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  13. ^ "Universal executives pledge to donate land to support SunRail/Brightline corridor". WESH.com. May 5, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  14. ^ "4 Exciting New Things We've Learned About Universal Epic Universe". Theme Park Tourist. March 21, 2023. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  15. ^ Bevil, Dewayne (March 8, 2023). "Name change: Universal Parks & Resorts becoming Universal Destinations & Experiences". Orlando Sentinel. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ a b Tapp, Tom (July 31, 2024). "New Details Revealed About The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic At Universal Orlando's Epic Universe". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  19. ^ Stella, Alicia (April 30, 2020). "New Permits Reveal Full Layout for Epic Universe". Theme Park Stop. Theme Park Stop LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ "Epic event: Universal Orlando drops details about new theme park". Orlando Sentinel. January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ "Get a first look at Universal Resort Orlando's new 'Epic Universe'". www.today.com. January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  25. ^ 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.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ https://blogmickey.com/2024/06/its-alive-details-revealed-for-monster-filled-dark-universe-land-coming-to-universal-epic-universe/
  28. ^ Boardwine, Andrew (December 9, 2021). "Universal Could Add a 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' Ride". Inside The Magic. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  29. ^ "Epic Universe Super Nintendo World Reaction | Vertigo Views". May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  30. ^ 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.
  31. ^ US 10315120B2, Kieth Michael McVeen & Eric Parr, "Boom Coaster", published 2019-06-11, assigned to Universal Studios LLC 
  32. ^ "Super Nintendo World coming to Universal Epic Universe in 2025". www.nintendo.com. May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  33. ^ a b c d e Zukowski, Chelsea (July 31, 2024). "Universal Orlando unveils new Wizarding World – Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  34. ^ a b Bevil, Dewayne (July 31, 2024). "Epic: Universal Orlando details its next 'Harry Potter' land". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 31, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  35. ^ a b Libbey, Dirk (July 29, 2024). "Universal Orlando Has Picked The Perfect Date To Reveal The Final Piece Of Epic Universe, And Of Course, Harry Potter Is Involved". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  36. ^ Glenn, Brian (July 29, 2024). "Universal Orlando to share Epic Universe's 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic' details on July 31". Inside Universal. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  37. ^ White, Abbey (July 31, 2024). "Universal Orlando Resort Reveals The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic Land". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  38. ^ Chen, Eve (July 31, 2024). "Alohomora. Unlocking Epic Universe's plans for new Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts land". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  39. ^ a b Nolfi, Joey (July 31, 2024). "Eddie Redmayne to reprise Fantastic Beasts role in new scenes for Universal experience tying Beasts to Harry Potter films". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  40. ^ "Universal Orlando Rumors: Pokémon Replacing Simpsons, Zelda in Lost Continent & Luigi's Mansion for Epic Universe". Orlando ParkStop. January 11, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  41. ^ Hume, Jerry (April 5, 2023). "Work underway to extend Kirkman Road to Epic Universe". mynews13.com. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  42. ^ Lynch, Ryan (November 7, 2023). "What's next for Kirkman Road extension near Epic Universe theme park". WFTV. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  43. ^ Stella, Alicia (July 3, 2024). "Epic Universe News Update: Chronos Tower Topped Off, Entry Area Permits, and Parking Lot Changes". Orlando Park Stop. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
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