Universal Orlando Resort has revealed the first details of 2025's Universal Epic Universe theme park - a portal-connected land that will send fans to the worlds of Nintendo, Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, the monster-filled Dark Universe, and Celestial Park.
Universal Epic Universe is being called Universal's "most ambitious theme park yet," and it looks set to include over 50 attraction, entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences. These experiences will be spread across Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park.
Speaking of Celestial Park, it will be the first world fans will explore when they first enter Universal Epic Universe and, alongside putting the "park back in theme park" with acres of "rolling gardens, chasing waterways, and strolling pathways" alongside "architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements," it will be the gateway into all the other worlds.
A Portal Into our Favorite Worlds
We'll get to the fun Celestial Park has planned in a moment, but the biggest landmarks it will have will be the "portals" that will take guests to the other worlds of their favorite properties. Universal Epic Universe is all about immersion and telling a larger story, and Celestial Park is being built to be the centerpiece of that tale.
The first portal will take guests to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Universal Orlando's third Harry Potter land following Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
According to the official description, "guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series."
Super Nintendo World is up next, and it will serve as Orlando's much-anticipated version of the Mario-themed land that has already opened in Japan and California. Per Universal, this will be a land "where guests will enter the iconic green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong."
For those with a love for dragons, How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk will be one portal not to be missed. Once guests enter this land, they'll be able to "soar with dragons in a colorful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon film franchise."
Last up is the spooky Dark Universe, a place where guests will "encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery." And yes, this is the same name as Universal's shared monster universe.
Celestial Park Is So Much More Than Just a Gateway
While these worlds inspired by beloved properties will be the big-ticket items, Celestial Park is so much more than just a gateway to other lands. Thrill seekers will be delighted to know Starfall Racers will be one of the star attractions of this world. This dual-launch racing coaster will see two groups of guests racing at speeds of up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track.
Starfall Racers will also feature a maneuver called the "Celestial Spin," in which the "two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeded through the air."
Guest of all ages will be able to enjoy the Constellation Carousel, which is being called the "grand centerpiece of Celestial Park." Unlike a standard carousel, this ride will take place "aboard constellations that glide forward, backward - and even make 360-degree rotations - through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight."
Kids will also be able to escape the Florida heat with the Astronomica interactive wet-play area, a space filled with fountains that also serves as a compass to the other worlds.
Celestial Park will also have a ton of wonderful food options, including Atlantic - a "full service surf and turf restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium complete with captivating views of Celestial Park." There will also be The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, which comes with a menu of authentic dishes from China, Japan, and Thailand and decor of neon dragons and ethereal lanterns.
Additionally, there will be a BBQ joint called The Oak & Star Tavern and a pizza shop called Pizza Moon alongside the Nintendo Super Store, Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, and much more.
As if that wasn't enough, Universal Epic Universe will include the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a place "designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite - complete with 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views, and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park." There will also be two new Universal hotels near the park as well - Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort.
For more, check out our review of Super Nintendo World in Japan, the first details of Donkey Kong Country Theme Park at Super Nintendo World in Japan, and the deleted Universal Studios video that sparked rumors of a Legend of Zelda theme park in Orlando after Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto were spotted.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
