Universal Orlando Resort has done it again. As if the world didn’t have enough reasons to lose its collective mind over theme parks, they’ve gone ahead and unveiled the first look at Universal Epic Universe, a place so extravagant and ambitious it makes other theme parks look like a kiddie carousel in a shopping mall. Opening on May 22, 2025, this behemoth of entertainment will feature five elaborate worlds, each more fantastical than the last: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
Step Right Up to Chronos: The Grand Portal to Madness
Guests begin their Epic Universe journey through Chronos, a portal so grand and sweeping you half expect to hear an omniscient narrator announcing your heroic arrival. Once through, you land in Celestial Park, a place where you can shoot through the cosmos on a comet-shaped roller coaster, dine on meals so tantalizing they may cause mild existential crises, and shop for exclusive memorabilia (because no adventure is complete without a t-shirt to prove it happened).
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic: Where Bureaucracy Meets Magic
Next, you’re whisked away to 1920s wizarding Paris, specifically Place Cachée, the magical district so well hidden that even Google Maps would struggle. Here, guests can sip coffee at Café L’air de la Sirène (which sounds just fancy enough to make you feel underdressed), browse the chic shops of Les Galeries Mirifiques, and, naturally, witness the trial of everyone’s favorite pink-clad menace, Dolores Umbridge, in Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. (Finally, a theme park attraction that lets you cheer on the downfall of a truly detestable villain.)
Super Nintendo World: Where Pipes Lead to Pure Joy
Emerging from an actual green pipe, guests will land in Super Nintendo World, where everything is so bright and cheerful that even the most cynical adult will feel an unshakable urge to collect gold coins and leap enthusiastically into the air. The land features all the beloved Nintendo staples, from Mario and Luigi to Donkey Kong, and includes the towering Mt. Beanpole—which, to be honest, sounds like an absolute delight to climb if there weren’t a suspiciously large number of things trying to knock you off.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: Vikings, Dragons, and the Occasional Splash
If you’ve ever wanted to actually live inside an animated film, welcome to Isle of Berk—where the towering Viking statues glare approvingly as you gaze across a shimmering lagoon and contemplate whether your life choices have adequately prepared you for dragon-riding. Here, guests can hop onto Hiccup’s Wing Gliders for a simulated flight through the sky, challenge fellow park-goers to a soggy battle on Fyre Drill, and even grab a selfie with Toothless, who, despite his name, still manages to be the most charming dragon in existence.
Dark Universe: Because Who Doesn’t Love a Good Monster Chase?
Finally, there’s Dark Universe, which is precisely the kind of place your parents warned you about but you’ll visit anyway. Here, in the shadowy village of Darkmoor, legendary monsters like Dracula, The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s Monster lurk around every corner. The pièce de résistance is Frankenstein Manor, a grand, foreboding estate where guests can delve into the eerie catacombs and attempt to not get mauled by a horde of enraged creatures in Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. (And if that ride name doesn’t give you chills, you may already be one of the undead.)
So, there you have it—an entirely new universe to lose yourself in, courtesy of Universal Orlando. Whether you’re soaring through space, dodging fireballs, or gleefully watching the downfall of a wizarding bureaucrat, one thing is certain: this theme park will be the most outrageously fun way to question all your previous life choices.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go book a ticket before the rest of the world beats me to it.
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