Epic Universe is finally here—well, almost. The new Universal theme park officially opens on May 22, but I got a sneak peek thanks to their technical rehearsals, which opened ticket sales to the public. I had originally planned to visit in June, but when I saw May dates open, I jumped at the chance to go early.
So, what was my Epic Universe experience like? Equal parts grueling and magical.
Let’s dive into my full Epic Universe review, from attractions and food to fun and frustrations.
Entering Epic Universe
Unlike Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe has a flat parking lot rather than a garage. The parking lot is divided into five sections: Dragon, Explorer, Hero, Monster, and Viking.
Be warned: It’s a long, unshaded walk to the park entrance. I didn’t see any trams operating during my visit. So bring your sunscreen.
You enter Epic Universe through the Chronos Tower, which contains icons of the four portals. It’s not the most imposing structure, but the inscription sets the stage: “BEYOND THIS GATE FIND GARDENS GREEN AND EPIC WORLDS TO FILL YOUR DREAMS.”
The park consists of five immersive worlds:
- Celestial Park
- Dark Universe
- Super Nintendo World
- How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
- Wizarding World of Paris
Celestial Park
Celestial Park is the tranquil hub of Epic Universe, designed as a “world between worlds.” The combination of celestial theming, steampunk/classical decor, and nature elements gives this land a relaxing vibe. I was utterly enchanted.
Universal wanted to put the “park” back in “theme park,” and they succeeded. Here, you’ll find wide paths, green spaces, and dancing fountains. The land was so vast, I didn’t even see it all.
I stopped on the way to my first portal to scope out The Atlantic, a seafood restaurant with a nautical steampunk theme and a stunning view of the park’s fountains.
Celestial Park has a lot of restaurants, including barbecue at Oak & Star Tavern and pizzas at Pizza Moon.
TIP: Even if you don’t eat there, stop at Pizza Moon. The interior is inspired by the 1902 French sci-fi film A Trip to the Moon, and the décor is out of this world.
This land also has several shops. My favorite was Moonship Chocolates & Sweets, an adorable candy store with a bear mascot named Captain Cacao. He’s become a cult hit with visitors.
At night, Celestial Park becomes absolutely magical. The Grand Helios Hotel in the distance is lit up, creating an inviting space around the fountains. The fountains weren’t running the night I was there, but my coworker told me they did a fountain show around 8:40 when she visited.
I lingered near the Chronos Tower after the park closed, enjoying the lights, music, and ambiance.
Celestial Park Attractions
Celestial Park has two rides: Stardust Racers and Constellation Carousel. There’s also a splash pad for kids, Astronomica.
Stardust Racers is a dual-launch coaster with two tracks that race each other. I didn’t ride it because I can’t do looping coasters, but many fans are saying it’s better than Island of Adventure’s VelociCoaster. Universal might have another classic on their hands.
I rode Constellation Carousel in the evening. This slow-moving carousel features light-up animals that rotate independently on the platform, a mesmerizing spinner ribbon in the middle, and a light show on the ceiling. Ride this one at night when it’s all lit up. Trust me.
Dark Universe
Dark Universe was my first portal and the one I was most excited about. It delivered.
The land is small but full of atmosphere. From the smoke-billowing well to the looming Frankenstein Manor, Dark Universe leans hard into Universal horror history and brings a spooky vibe.
Dark Universe Attractions
Dark Universe has two rides: Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Curse of the Werewolf.
I immediately got in line for Monsters Unchained. In this dark ride, Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, a descendant of Dr. Frankenstein, has found a way to control monsters. Her latest experiment goes awry when Dracula escapes.
I made a huge error with this ride. It kept breaking down, and the wait ballooned to 160 minutes. At this point, I was well into the queue and had been waiting nearly an hour.
This was my most anticipated ride, and I had already waited so long. So I stuck it out despite my better judgment. I wound up waiting around 3 hours.
Was it worth the wait? Well, no.
The animatronics are incredibly lifelike, and the ride is impressive. But I think people are expecting this ride to be scary. And it’s not. Aside from two scary moments, it’s more of an action-adventure ride.
I think the ride would have benefited from a pause in the action, something to ramp up the tension. Monsters Unchained moves so fast, it’s hard to process it all—especially at the end. I was like, “Wait, that’s it? What just happened?”
(It didn’t help that one of the key animatronics wasn’t working at the end.)
So yeah, it’s a neat ride. But manage your expectations.
TIP: If you’re stuck in the Monsters Unchained queue and need a bathroom break, ask a Team Member. There’s a restroom in the Child Swap room. (I got this tip from Universal Guest Services.)
I rode Curse of the Werewolf later in the day. People have complained about this spinning coaster being too short, but I found it surprisingly fun, if light on the theming.
(This photo makes it look like a looping coaster. It’s not.)
Super Nintendo World
Next up: Super Nintendo World. I’ll admit this land isn’t my thing. I’m not into video games, and you need a PowerUp Band to do many of the activities here.
But I can see the appeal for Nintendo fans. The land is very colorful and kinetic, and I think Mario fans will geek out over all the game references.
Dinner was at Toadstool Café, where I had a pesto chicken sandwich on a gluten-free bun with truffle fries. The sandwich tasted bland, but the fries were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and they came with a delicious aioli.
TIP: In the Universal app, add an Allergen Note to your mobile order to flag any dietary restrictions. A manager or chef will come out and discuss your options with you.
An important note: Most of the Epic Universe restaurants are mobile order only. After ordering, when you get to the restaurant, you have to wait in line for a table, then scan a QR code on the table to tell them to prepare your food.
This can be frustrating if you’re hungry. I wound up canceling orders at two restaurants because the table line was so long. Just be aware, especially if you’re traveling with kids.
Super Nintendo World Attractions
Super Nintendo World has three rides: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Donkey Kong: Mine Cart Madness.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is an augmented reality ride that puts you in the middle of the game. It was deafeningly loud, the headset was heavy and uncomfortable, and I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t enjoy it, but die-hard fans might.
I also rode Yoshi’s Adventure, a relaxing dark ride for kids that winds through the land. It’s like a Nintendo version of the PeopleMover.
Donkey Kong: Mine Cart Madness was down in the morning and later had 2-hour waits. I wound up skipping it. But early reviews say this coaster’s a little rough.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Isle of Berk is the best land at Epic Universe. It’s huge, full of detail, and has lots to do. You can even meet Toothless, although the line was too long for me.
The theming of this land works so well, from the landscaping to the dragon houses to the animatronic dragons. This snow wraith actually moved and blew smoke!
Lunch was at Spit Fyre Grill, a quick-service restaurant. I ordered Meatlug’s Chicken Bowl, modified to be gluten-free by subbing rice for the ancient grains. The harissa-spiced chicken was rather tough, but the paprika sauce and veggies added lots of flavor. I would order it again.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk Attractions
Isle of Berk has three rides: Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, Fyre Drill, and Dragon Racer’s Rally. There’s also a fantastic show, The Untrainable Dragon, and a children’s play area called Viking Training Camp.
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders is one of the best rides in the park. This family coaster has cute animatronics and fun storytelling, while still providing thrills.
Unfortunately, I had a bad experience on this ride. A ride attendant pushed my lap bar down so far it crushed my thigh, leaving it painful and partially numb. After my visit, I read of a similar issue on someone else’s blog. What’s up with that, Universal?
Fyre Drill is a splash battle boat ride. You aim at targets but can also hit the other boats. I got SOAKED on this ride but enjoyed the element of surprise.
TIP: If you don’t want your belongings to get wet, put them in the trunk at the end of the boat.
Dragon Racer’s Rally is the weakest ride in the park. It’s a flat ride where you sit in a dragon-shaped flyer. You can turn the flyers upside down, but I hear the controller is tough to operate. The ride was extremely short and not very entertaining.
The Untrainable Dragon is a must-do. The puppetry, sets, and special effects in this musical are fantastic—especially when Hiccup and Toothless fly over the audience.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Universal Orlando’s third Harry Potter land is set in 1920s Paris from the Fantastic Beasts series.
The setting is beautiful, filled with vintage-style posters, magical shop windows, and charming little corners. I saw a talking portrait in one of the shop windows interacting with guests.
I read a complaint that the shops here are small. They are. I wanted to look around K. Rammelle’s, a candy shop, and Cosme Acajor’s Baguettes Magique, a wand shop, but there wasn’t much room.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic Attractions
Ministry of Magic has two attractions: Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry and Le Cirque Arcanus.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is an elevator-style dark ride that goes up, down, and sideways. It’s supposedly one of the best rides in the park, but I didn’t get to ride it. The ride has an awful virtual queue that few can get into.
The VQ opens at 11am, 3pm, and 6pm. I’ve read that additional times sometimes open randomly. Fans seem pretty unhappy with the system, and it remains to be seen how Universal will handle the VQ once the park officially opens.
I tried to make the last showing of Le Cirque Arcanus, but it was full. I hear this magical circus show has some great special effects.
My Takeaways from Visiting Epic Universe
My main takeaway from visiting Epic Universe is to manage your expectations. The hype around this park is unreal and may set you up for disappointment. Epic Universe is fun, but the truth is this: It’s a gorgeously themed park with some great rides and some not-great rides.
Also, Epic Universe is a 2-day park. I’m an extremely fast walker and tried to cover as much ground as I could. But even without my Monsters Unchained fiasco, I couldn’t have seen and done it all.
Epic Universe is big and detailed. It’s meant to be lingered over rather than rushed through. So take your time. Enjoy everything this incredible park has to offer.
Conclusion – Epic Universe: My Honest Review of Universal’s New Park
Epic Universe is a stunning, ambitious park. But it still has some kinks to work out. The park doesn’t seem to have a handle on its ride breakdowns or its virtual queue system.
Despite the issues I had, I’m glad I went during previews. The crowds were lighter, and there was something special about experiencing a brand-new park before it officially opened. I’m already daydreaming about my next visit—hopefully with fewer breakdowns.