Universal Orlando’s long-awaited new theme park, Epic Universe, officially opened on 22 May 2025, becoming the first major, ground-up theme park to debut in Orlando in a quarter of a century. Accordingly, demand has been such that, in its opening months, even visitors armed with week-long passes have been permitted only one day inside Epic Universe itself, the park operating the sort of crowd-management rules normally reserved for Glastonbury and papal funerals.
When finally I got my golden ticket, I found an Epic Universe structured around a central hub, Celestial Park. From here, four distinct lands radiate outward like spokes on an improbably well-funded wheel. Each land has its own aesthetic, tone and narrative logic, content not to merely entertain, but to immerse and, occasionally, overwhelm.
Of the four lands branching from Celestial Park, Dark Universe was, perhaps, my favourite. As someone with a long-standing affection for classic horror – particularly the slightly camp, dry-ice enshrouded Universal monster films of the 1930s and ‘40s – this land feels like it was designed by people who not only understand that legacy, but actively revel in it.
Set in the brooding Darkmoor Village, the land is dominated by an imposing castle, its jagged silhouette looming over crooked rooftops and foggy streets in a way that feels knowingly theatrical rather than accidentally gloomy.
Here you’ll find Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, one of the very best rides not just in Epic Universe, but across the entire Universal Orlando Resort. The premise is simple and satisfyingly hubristic: Dr Victoria Frankenstein, continuing the proud family tradition of questionable scientific judgement, is attempting to demonstrate her ability to control the monster created by her ancestors along with his spiritual brethren.
Deep beneath the family castle, the demonstration inevitably goes awry when Dracula leads a revolt, unleashing a furious menagerie that includes The Wolf Man, The Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
What follows is a masterclass in modern dark-ride design. The attraction combines astonishingly lifelike animatronics with immersive CGI, motion simulation and carefully paced storytelling to create something that feels genuinely thrilling rather than merely impressive. The monsters have physical presence, weight and expression, and the sense of escalation is superbly handled.
Darkmoor Village itself is a delight, particularly The Burning Blade Tavern, a pub set beneath a towering windmill whose sails periodically burst into flame. The reference is almost certainly to James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein, in which an enraged mob sets fire to a windmill with the titular Monster trapped inside – one of the most indelible images in horror cinema.
Here, that moment is repurposed as a looping piece of environmental storytelling, flickering ominously above your pint. It is darkly atmospheric, just knowing enough, and exactly the sort of detail that makes Dark Universe feel so richly considered.
The land’s second thrill ride, Curse of the Werewolf, is a more conventional spinning coaster. It is undeniably fun and perfectly serviceable, but after the operatic spectacle of Monsters Unchained, it feels comparatively commonplace. Enjoyable, yes, but not revelatory.
If Dark Universe appeals to the horror obsessive, then The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic caters to both Potterheads and lovers of set design. It was my joint-favourite land, largely because its theming is so extraordinarily accomplished. Arrival at the Ministry of Magic itself is handled with ‘floo powder’, magically depositing guests in a puff of green smoke into an iconic row of fireplaces. In that instant, you really do feel transported – in every sense of the word.
For anyone who has long admired the production design of the Harry Potter films, this place is astonishing. The Ministry interior, with its soaring spaces, the Fountain of Magical Brethren, and those famously gorgeous green tiles – which I have long coveted for my bathroom – is recreated with uncanny accuracy. It feels less like homage and more like the film sets themselves have been quietly relocated to Florida.
The headline attraction here is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, another of Epic Universe’s standout rides. Combining CGI technology, immersive video, animatronics and motion simulation, it tells the story of Dolores Umbridge escaping her restraints en route to trial at the Wizengamot, determined to help restore Voldemort.
An era-appropriate, de-aged Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint (Harry, Hermione and Ron) are, of course, on hand to chase her down – but it does make me wonder if such a new ride’s CGI cast will soon be dated, or indeed need to be digitally reskinned with the new-era of actors (Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout) when HBO’s rebooted Harry Potter TV show drops in early 2027.
Regardless, the ride is fun, fast and frenetic, delivering set-piece after set-piece with breathless enthusiasm, even if the resolution relies on something of a deus ex machina ending. Still, narrative quibbles fade quickly when the execution is this polished.
Somewhat puzzlingly, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic also encompasses a meticulously realised 1920s Paris, inspired by the Fantastic Beasts films. While visually sumptuous – all wrought iron, Art Nouveau shopfronts and magical flourishes – it is an undeniably strange creative decision. To deem a film series unsuccessful enough to abandon before completing its overarching story, and then to build an entire theme-park land based around it, is an odd kind of corporate logic.
It is difficult to imagine children or adults being quite so thrilled by Jazz Age Paris as they were by the Hogwarts Express, Diagon Alley, Gringotts or even London’s Knight Bus in Universal Studios – nor Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle at Universal Islands of Adventure.
Still, the familiar wand experiences are present, the streets look beautiful, and the Circus Arcanus live show is genuinely impressive. Teenagers with a love of wordplay will, of course, extract additional enjoyment from the name alone.
Super Nintendo World came next in my personal ranking. It is impossible not to admire the sheer visual commitment on display here; stepping inside feels like falling bodily into a video game. Everything is bright, geometric and in constant motion, and the land does an excellent job of translating a digital aesthetic into physical space.
The rides skew younger, with the biggest thrills coming courtesy of Donkey Kong Country’s Mine-Cart Madness coaster, whose clever design creates the illusion that your cart is hopping over broken track. It is great fun, though it doesn’t hold a candle to the sustained thrills of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure over in Islands of Adventure.
The Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge augmented-reality ride is enjoyable but can be slightly headache-inducing, and does not particularly reward repeat visits. Overall, though, Super Nintendo World succeeds in doing exactly what it sets out to do, and I left it dazzled.
I approached How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk with relatively low expectations, largely because I am not especially familiar with the films. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to find that the rides here were among the most straightforwardly enjoyable in the park.
Fyre Drill, a Viking boat-themed water ride that sees galleys firing water cannons at targets – and each other – left me absolutely soaking wet and grinning like a child. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, meanwhile, is an incredibly enjoyable traditional roller coaster, swooping and energetic in all the right ways.
My only issue with the land was one of nomenclature. I repeatedly confused Hiccup’s Wing Gliders with Dragon Racer’s Rally, a much more sedate spinning ride that feels like standard fairground fodder. From looking at the rides you might think their names had have been swapped, and when I asked several staff members about it, they agreed that almost everyone thinks so. It is a small thing, but an ongoing source of confusion for visitors repeatedly joining the wrong ride queues, I was told.
Finally, everything returns to Celestial Park, Epic Universe’s central hub and home to its most thrilling attraction. Celestial Park itself is beautifully rendered, with landscaped walkways, genuinely high-quality restaurants that rise well above standard theme-park fare, and the charming Constellation Carousel.
It is, however, Stardust Racers that defines the space. This dual-launch, duelling roller coaster is an absolute triumph, reaching speeds of up to 62mph, climbing to 133 feet, and racing along 5,000 feet of track. Riders board comets and rocket skywards, engaging in an inverted criss-cross manoeuvre known as the Celestial Spin, all set to a wash of blazing colour and ethereal music.
It is exhilarating, beautifully choreographed, and easily one of the most thrilling rides I have ever experienced, standing proudly alongside the Jurassic World VelociCoaster as one of Universal’s finest achievements.
By night, when the track is lit and the trains streak past like blazing meteors, Stardust Racers looks even more spectacular. Eagle-eyed observers will also notice that each coaster is fitted with a flux capacitor, a sly nod to Back to the Future, whose beloved ride closed at Universal in 2007. When I asked a member of staff about this, they suggested – entirely seriously – that Doc Brown had probably travelled far into the future to help design the attraction.
Epic Universe is very often brilliant. It is a park that demands your attention, your stamina and, for now at least, your patience – or a fast-pass. One day inside may be all you are currently allowed, but it’s going to be an epic day.
More information: Universal Epic Universe
If you’re short on time and can only go on three rides, our recommendation would be, in order:
- Stardust Racers
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
- Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
For more information on what’s new in Orlando, go to visitorlando.com.
