Universal Reveals New Details About Epic Universe’s “Feature-Length Storytelling,” In-Park Hotel

As a theme park enthusiast who has traversed countless lands and dimensions, I must admit, the lineup of attractions at Universal Studios Epic Universe leaves me utterly astounded! The blend of classic favorites like Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Adventure with fresh, innovative experiences such as the barrel-blasting coaster and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is nothing short of breathtaking.

During a recent presentation at New York Comic Con, Universal Destinations & Experiences expressed their anticipation that Epic Universe will revolutionize the theme park industry upon its opening day on May 22, 2025. This groundbreaking experience is now available for pre-sale to annual passholders, just two days before tickets officially went on sale.

At the October 19th gathering, it was announced that Epic Universe, a sprawling 750-acre theme park and the first major American amusement park in a quarter of a century (and the first in Orlando for over two decades), is now offering multi-day tickets starting today. These passes grant entry to the five distinct lands within the park for one day each, with options ranging from 3-day, 4-day, or 5-day tickets.

Among the attractions are Celestial Park, Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World, and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. Those with tickets can also reserve lodging at Helios Grand Hotel, a historic first as it’s the only hotel inside an Orlando Resort park.

Universal Orlando Resort is planning to evolve it into a comprehensive seven-day vacation spot, featuring four theme parks, 11 hotels, and numerous experiences. This transformation will significantly alter the resort and our business operations as we currently understand them, as stated by Steve Tatum, the executive creative director of Universal’s Epic Universe, during his speech to a packed audience on Saturday.

“It’s also going to transform the way theme parks are designed. It is a different model.”

Tatum highlighted the 2010 debut of Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter as the beginning of a significant change, moving away from the amalgamation of experiences or “vaguely themed areas” that have been characteristic since the parks first opened. Now, he explains, instead of having brief encounters spanning just a couple of minutes, visitors are fully immersed in a single narrative. Previously, we were in the business of short storytelling; now, we’re in the business of telling full-length, epic stories. Epic Universe is the world’s first theme park dedicated entirely to long-form narratives.

Those stories, Tatum teased, are driven by the belief that the reason people attend theme parks is, at its core, about making “memories with people that they love,” with parks themselves needing to “create the environments that will support this activity.” According to Epic Universe’s executive creative director, the new park will do this by tapping balancing emotions and storytelling.

“When you’re making a brand new theme park, you want to have a full range of emotions that appeal to a full range of guests,” he explained. “The reason that we’ve selected the stories that we have is because they are epic stories. I mean that in the sense that they’re brand expansive stories. We connect to people’s emotions, whether it is the exhilaration of flying on a meteor in [Celestial Park’s] Stardust Racers, whether it’s soaring with dragons, confronting monsters that scare and thrill and fright. Whether it’s the giddiness, the exhilaration or the terror, you have to have this full menu of emotions.”

Here are fresh insights about the five realms within Epic Universe, along with the magnificent Helios Grand Hotel. For a better understanding…

Celestial Park

During the presentation, Tatum countered some initial characterizations of Celestial Park that labeled Epic Universe as having merely four lands based on intellectual properties (IP). “Sometimes people tell me that your park has just four IP-based areas,” said Tatum, “and I reply, no, it actually has five. One of these is an IP land we’ve created ourselves, which adds another layer to the creative process that we’re really excited about.

The primary objective for Universal Destinations & Experiences, as stated by Patrick Braillard, senior show writer at Universal Creative, has been centered around a core concept: a setting where the essence of a theme park is reinstated. Braillard often referred to visitors as ‘explorers’, emphasizing that the land, housing four gateways to other park experiences, aims to make the narrative, questing, and the act of exploration largely dependent on the park guests themselves, as he explained.

Starting at the park’s initial entrance, known as Kronos, Braillard playfully remarks that “it harnesses all the cosmic energy necessary for us to unlock portals leading to a myriad of potential universes.” Unlike any carousel you’ve experienced before, the Constellation Carousel, as Braillard describes, is not just a carousel; it’s misleading to label it as such. It’s more accurate to say that it’s grandiose, for in Epic Universe, everything is on a monumental scale.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic

Without a doubt, one of the park’s most eagerly awaited attractions is generating excitement. Anisha Vyas Burgos, assistant director of projects at Universal Creative, has hinted at a fresh narrative within the Wizarding World, collaborating with the Ministry of Magic on this intriguing development.

Visitors will access this area through the “Metro Floo,” a portal developed jointly with the creators of the Harry Potter movies, and engage with various magic-themed activities. This venue will showcase a distinctly French flavor, while also being a life-size replica of certain sets from Fantastic Beasts. Braillard further mentioned that even the smallest structures in Wizarding Paris are larger than the largest building found in Diagon Alley.

The events unfold following the previous movie, allowing us to further develop the story you’ve grown fond of,” Burgos elaborated. “One aspect I particularly enjoy is our live show called Le Cirque Arcanus. We drew inspiration from the Fantastic Beasts films for this… You’ll have the opportunity to step inside a massive circus tent and encounter various enchanting creatures.

Visitors for the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry experience will step into an authentic, grand, and majestic ministry atrium, hinted the assistant director. Afterward, they’ll be able to journey through various Ministry offices, such as the Hall of Ministers, where former ministers can be observed arguing among themselves and deliberating on Umbridge’s upcoming trial. The innovative ride, according to Burgos, will introduce characters like Umbridge, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and a new house elf.

Dark Universe

The conversation about the Classic Monsters revival within Universal’s theme parks kicked off by likening the ride of this highly anticipated land to the team’s work on its newest Florida thrill experience, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster. “[VelociCoaster] changed the roller coaster industry,” Greg Hall, assistant director, creative design at Universal Creative, told the NYCC crowd. “We want to do it again, but be able to provide that experience in a totally new fashion.”

Inside the queue area, guests will find themselves privy to a series of intriguing experiments led by Victoria Frankenstein, a descendant of Henry Frankenstein several generations removed. The ride, titled Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, as explained by Tatum, is not recommended for young children due to its high intensity. However, thrill-seekers can look forward to observing how different monsters, liberated by Dracula, engage with each other and with us – an unprecedented experience that has yet to be portrayed, even in movies, according to Hall.

Braillard remarked about Darkmoore, ‘You’re observing where the movies are headed.’ The locale itself can be seen as a continuation of the initial films. We utilized elements from the original films as the foundation for all subsequent narratives.

During the presentation, it was shared that this will be different from what Halloween Horror Nights fans have experienced, even as Hall touched on a similar monster slate for“Darkmoor,” a ravaged village where Universal Creative has managed to amass horror’s earliest and most famed creatures. That includes Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, Bride of Frankenstein, the Brides of Dracula, Wolfman, the Phantom of the Opera and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. “We also have some cameos that we won’t reveal now, but you’ll be able to see them in the park,” Hall teased.

Super Nintendo World

The third partnership between Universal Creative and Nintendo for a theme park, this time around will revive the Mushroom Kingdom. As previously mentioned, when you engage with the park, it responds in kind. If you’ve visited any of the previous collaborations between these two companies, you’ll know that this is true. You’ll have the chance to interact with those lands and earn rewards or achievements as you journey through.

For enthusiasts of the Donkey Kong video game series, an exciting change lies ahead with the U.S. park’s expansion into Donkey Kong Country. This development will introduce new attractions such as Mine-Cart Madness, a one-of-a-kind roller coaster that mimics the sensation of being blasted out of a barrel and leaping over gaps at high speed on a rickety track. Additionally, there’s Yoshi’s Adventure, a play experience designed for various age groups, and Mario Kart, which is already present at Universal Studios Hollywood but will now be found inside Bowser’s Castle.

During a recent discussion on Super Nintendo World, Braillard underscored the significance of enabling visitors to have a sense of control and continually feel like they’re accomplishing goals as they navigate and explore the park.

How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk

In his own words, Tatum described a potential 2.5 installment of “How to Train Your Dragon” as a blend of exceptional design and compelling narrative for this particular series. He shared with the audience, “These films are not only captivating stories but also stunning pieces of artistry. Our task isn’t merely about breathing life into Hiccup, Astrid, and their fellow characters, but also about conveying their emotions and doing so through artistic expression. That was our focus,” he explained. “Throughout the series, dragons and Vikings learn to live in harmony, and it is during this pinnacle of peace that our story unfolds.

As I step foot on the Isle of Berk, two towering statues – one Viking, one dragon – greet me with a vibrant spectacle. The art directors behind these films have shared that as harmony grows, so does the world’s color. We’re right at the height of this chromatic explosion, and every design element is meticulously chosen to underscore this story’s essence, as Tatum put it.

Within this themed land dedicated to “How to Train Your Dragon”, fans can enjoy a multitude of attractions unlike any other realm. The area will also include character interactions, although Tatum didn’t elaborate on the details, he did mention that there have been significant improvements in the meet and greet experiences. He added that these advancements are not just for spectacle, but rather to enrich the narrative and heighten guests’ overall experience.

Helios Grand Hotel

As a thrilled admirer, I’m excited to share the unique partnership between the park and Loews Hotels, which promises a fresh resort adventure. Tatum hinted that the park will be right next to the hotel, allowing for an entrance straight from the hotel into the park. He emphasized that this is an unprecedented setup in the U.S., stating, “There’s no other park we’ve ever created that offers this experience.” If you’re curious about the theme park happenings at 3 a.m., this hotel room could be your key!

“The hotel will boast suites inspired by ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, and a more substantial link with Celestial Park. As we delved into our research, we considered various celestial aspects: images from the Hubble Space Telescope, maps of our solar system, planetary orbits. Tatum elaborated, ‘The reason for the celestial theme is because it represents the ultimate frontier, a symbol of exploration. Epic Universe aims to transport guests to uncharted territories, places never before seen, where no one has ever been.’

2024-10-22 23:28