We went inside Universal’s new $7 billion Epic Universe weeks early

We’re lower than two months away from the grand opening of Epic Universe, the brand-new park on the Common Orlando Resort. Initially introduced in 2019, the park, which joins the prevailing Common Studios, Islands of Journey, and Volcano Bay and is estimated to have price over $7 billion, has been extremely anticipated by theme park nerds like myself. And, because it seems, the title is extremely becoming. Throughout a media preview of the park, I skilled the brand new points of interest, and the sights had been really epic.

Epic Universe is constructed as a sequence of hubs, related by Celestial Park, a fantastical nexus. Branching off are the Isle of Berk from Prepare Your Dragon, a magical model of Nineteen Twenties Paris impressed by Harry Potter, a horror-filled Darkmoor Village impressed by the Common Monsters, and the world’s largest iteration of the now-infamous Tremendous Nintendo World. Every world is accessed by way of a portal, all of which have distinctive particular results that transport vacationers from Celestial Park to a totally new realm.

Right here’s a peek at among the standout experiences from every world (click on to increase photographs):

The day began at The Chronos, the park’s imposing entrance gate that results in Celestial Park, the central hub of Epic Universe. The realm is a chilled, lush panorama of gardens and fountains that acts as a pleasant palate cleanser when shifting between the park’s 4 different elaborately themed worlds.

The marquee attraction of this space is Stardust Racers, a pair of intense dueling curler coasters that act as a non secular successor to Islands of Journey’s previous Dueling Dragons coasters.

The 2 sides of Stardust Racers are colour coded, yellow and inexperienced, and have distinctive layouts that flip, dive, and dodge each other endlessly.

As somebody who can’t get sufficient of Islands of Journey’s VelociCoaster, I personally loved Stardust Racers much more.

Isle of Berk ( Prepare Your Dragon land)

The Isle of Berk is the park’s largest space and stands out as the most elaborately themed, all the best way right down to its distinctive benches carved like dragons and lampposts lit by piles of smoldering tinder.

Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, a household coaster that launches riders at a clean 45 mph, offers the world a kinetic power because it twists and turns all through.

There’s additionally Fyre Drill, a moist and wild battle by way of the world’s lagoon the place you’re completely assured to get moist.

Elsewhere in Epic Universe’s Berk is The Untrainable Dragon, a stage present the place Hiccup and Toothless fly over the gang of their try to avoid wasting Berk as soon as extra. It jogged my memory of a Broadway-style musical crammed into a good 20-minute run time, full with reside Viking drummers, impeccable vocalists, and imposing, life-size dragons managed by hidden puppeteers. Puppetry is all around the land, which is stuffed with character actors and large-size dragons with an identical vibe to Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

My favourite journey within the land was the high-flying Dragon Racer’s Rally, the place the depth of the journey is totally as much as every particular person rider. Every automobile sits a single particular person and might tip aspect to aspect freely, even rotating the wrong way up. It’s utterly as much as you in the event you’d like a calming flight by way of the sky or a wild journey of limitless barrel rolls. (And relaxation assured, tipping your self the wrong way up is not straightforward — I attempted my hardest and solely managed to do it as soon as!)

The Ministry of Magic (the brand new Harry Potter land)

Upon stepping by way of the Harry Potter-themed portal, I used to be transported to Nineteen Twenties Paris with magical moments lurking behind each nook. On this world, impressed by the Unbelievable Beasts and core Harry Potter movies, guests can browse a brand-new wand store, eat at one in every of a number of magical eateries, and even catch a present at Le Cirque Arcanus, a magical circus that slowly devolves right into a battle between its ringmaster and Newt Scamander’s beasts.

The centerpiece attraction of Epic Universe’s new Wizarding World is Harry Potter and the Battle on the Ministry, hiding in an entrance to the Parisian Metro.

Attending to the journey is an expertise in and of itself. After touring by way of the magical Metrofloo system in a burst of inexperienced flames, I walked my approach by way of a jaw-dropping, four-story atrium with views into varied workplaces all through the ministry.

After passing by a number of rooms of speaking portraits and listening to a warning from Umbridge’s elf Higgledy, I used to be led onto the journey automobile: a 14-seat elevator that resembles Disney’s Tower of Terror.

The distinction right here is that this elevator doesn’t drop, it strikes sideways. The journey makes use of particular results to simulate a magical elevator journey caught in the midst of a battle to seize Umbridge and produce her to justice. No pics from inside simply but, as Common is making an attempt to maintain just a few surprises for the general public.

Darkish Universe (the Common Monsters land)

Darkish Universe is a smoldering, brooding world tucked away behind the park. After passing by way of the foreboding portal, I entered Darkmoor Village, a gothic land the place monsters roam the streets. Instantly upon getting into I had an in depth name with the Invisible Man, wrapped in his bandages, as he slowly stalked harmless bystanders all through the world.

As I entered deeper into Darkmoor, I encountered the Burning Blade Tavern, an eatery tucked beneath a windmill that’s ceremoniously set ablaze as soon as each 20 minutes.

Weaving all through the world is Curse of the Werewolf, a mid-size spinning curler coaster that launches you each ahead and backward.

The principle attraction right here is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, the place the great-great-granddaughter of Dr. Frankenstein makes an attempt to lure Dracula within the catacombs beneath the imposing fortress. The journey is totally spectacular, using the identical robotic-arm journey system as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey however with next-level particular results.

And whereas the journey (and park on the entire) is stuffed with monsters galore, together with Frankenstein’s monster, Swamp Factor, and the Wolf Man, that is no haunted home. Relaxation assured, for the horror-averse vacationers like myself, there are completely zero leap scares all through the journey. Somewhat than making an attempt to scare riders out of their seats, Darkish Universe focuses on wowing riders with a very immersive expertise.

Epic Universe’s Tremendous Nintendo World is a close to duplicate of the one in Common Studios Japan (versus the smaller model in Common Studios Hollywood). After getting into the warp pipe, I used to be instantly transported to a extremely saturated panorama of cash, query blocks, Koopas, Goombas, and mushrooms so far as the attention can see.

I walked by way of Peach’s fortress and witnessed magical warping portraits, rode on a Yoshi for an journey to seek out the golden egg, and used particular power-up bands (offered individually) to play mini challenges scattered internationally.

The third iteration of Mario Kart: Bowser’s Problem really cements Mario Kart as the last word “shoot-’em-up”’ journey throughout Common’s theme parks. Because of the AR headsets that will let you choose up merchandise containers and shoot enemies, it actually does really feel such as you’re dwelling in a online game quite than merely using a journey that simulates one. By gamifying the expertise, Bowser’s Problem is type of like the larger quarter-eating arcade cupboard ever, full with a leaderboard that makes you wish to play (or ought to I say journey) over and over till you hit a excessive rating.

Tremendous Nintendo World is the one realm with a portal-within-a-portal, transporting vacationers from the Mushroom Kingdom to Donkey Kong Nation. This space boasts a wide ranging sequence of waterfalls that cascade from the golden statue’s mouth. (The Japanese model has no waterfalls; as a substitute, the golden statue exhales a a lot much less spectacular wisp of fog.)

Whereas DK’s Mine-Cart Insanity is definitely probably the most anticipated rides within the park, it’s truthfully as thrilling to observe as it’s to journey. The journey automobile is hooked up to an arm that extends far above the coaster’s actual observe, permitting journey designers to make the most of pretend tracks to simulate Donkey Kong Nation’s notorious mine cart degree.

By the tip of my day, I felt like I had simply scratched the floor of all that Epic Universe has to supply. Whereas speeding from journey to journey, I handed by numerous costumed characters that had been imploring me to decelerate and work together with them, which I used to be determined to do — each inch of the park is so fastidiously constructed and meticulously themed, you simply wish to cease and stare on the edges.

I like theme parks and curler coasters, and I left Epic Universe with loads of deeper impressions. Examine again quickly for extra.