Universal Epic Universe opened on May 22, 2025, as the fourth theme park at Universal Orlando Resort and the first major new theme park built in central Florida in over two decades. Owned by NBCUniversal and operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences, the park sits several miles southeast of the original Universal Orlando property and anchors a much larger 750-acre resort development that also includes hotels and retail space.
The park is built around Celestial Park, a central hub that connects four immersive themed lands: Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, and Dark Universe. Across its roughly 110 acres, Epic Universe packs in 16 attractions, including four roller coasters, headlined by the dual-launch Stardust Racers coaster in Celestial Park itself.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Orlando, Florida
- Operator: Universal Destinations & Experiences
- Opened: May 22, 2025
- Size: About 110 acres (750 acres for the full resort development)
- Themed Lands: 5 (Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, Isle of Berk, Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe)
- Signature Attraction: Stardust Racers (Mack Rides dueling launch coaster)
Five Worlds, One Park
Unlike Universal’s earlier Florida parks, Epic Universe was designed from the ground up around fully separated, deeply themed lands rather than a single mixed layout. Super Nintendo World brings Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, an augmented-reality racing ride. How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is themed around the DreamWorks franchise, while The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic adds an elevator-style dark ride to the Wizarding World brand already established at Universal Orlando. Dark Universe revives Universal’s classic movie monsters with attractions like Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
At the center of it all, Celestial Park serves as the park’s hub and home to Stardust Racers, a steel dueling coaster with twin tracks, Pulsar and Photon, that launch riders through a shared inversion element called the Celestial Spin before racing side by side.
Building One of the World’s Priciest Parks
Universal has not officially disclosed a construction budget, but industry estimates from theme park consultants have put the total cost of building Epic Universe as high as roughly $7 billion, making it among the most expensive theme parks ever constructed. Combined with its surrounding hotels and infrastructure, the full development spans about 750 acres, and analysts projected the park could generate billions of dollars in economic impact for Florida in its first year alone.
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Universal Epic Universe FAQs
When did Universal Epic Universe open?
Epic Universe opened to the public on May 22, 2025, becoming Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park.
How many themed lands does Epic Universe have?
Epic Universe has five areas: the central hub Celestial Park, plus Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, and Dark Universe.
What is the signature ride at Epic Universe?
Stardust Racers, a Mack Rides dueling launch coaster in Celestial Park with twin tracks reaching about 62 mph and 133 feet tall, is the park’s marquee thrill ride.
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Photo: Gfgbeach / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.