Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
- Epic Universe, Universal Orlando's third park, opens May 22, spanning 750 acres.
- The park features advanced technology, including life-like dragons and omnidirectional elevators.
- Single-day tickets range from $139 to $199, with Express Passes costing extra.
ORLANDO, Fla. — As if the words from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" have jumped off the page into reality, fluorescent green fog shrouds people walking through a wizarding world Floo Network transit tunnel, to be greeted on the other side by an atrium with soaring ceilings depicting moving storm clouds. It might be the first time Muggles (non-wizards) have been inside the Ministry of Magic.
That is just one jaw-dropping moment for guests to experience when Universal Orlando Resort officially opens its third and newest theme park, Epic Universe, on May 22. It is the first major theme park to open in central Florida in 26 years.
At 750 acres, including both guest areas and backstage space for employees, it is believed to be the largest theme park in the world and estimated to have cost up to $7.7 billion to build, according to Dennis Speigel, owner and founder of consulting firm International Theme Park Services. Universal hasn't commented on the park's cost.
That first impression has everything to do with Universal's use of the most advanced technology available coupled with intentional design to build a sense that the visitor is truly in a fantastical space with no glimpse of the outside world.
At a media preview ahead of the public opening, CNN saw each of the park's "worlds" and the experiences in them, including technology never seen in a theme park before.
When you enter
It all begins with walking through Chronos, a portal that takes guests into the main hub of Epic Universe: Celestial Park.
Here, guests will find Stardust Racers, a dual-track roller coaster, as well as Constellation Carousel, beautifully lit with animals that spin in different directions.
There are shops, restaurants and bars nearby. But that's just the beginning. From this hub, guests can choose to enter four other portals, each leading them to a different world.
The four 'worlds'
"It's as if all of the worlds of Epic Universe are closed off from the rest of the park," said Alicia Stella, owner of Orlando ParkStop.
Stella, who has been tracking the development of the park since its inception, said "when you enter those portals … you are no longer in a theme park. You are in the Isle of Burke, from 'How to Train Your Dragon.' You are in the video games of Nintendo. You are in the Wizarding World, and you are in the world of Universal monsters, at Dark Universe."
When guests are inside one of these spaces, the only thing visible beyond its walls and sets is perhaps the top of Helios, a glittering new hotel located in the center of the park.
Through one portal, in the world called Dark Universe, Universal brings to life its signature monsters including Dracula, the Wolf Man and the Invisible Man. The anchor attraction in this world — and one of the best in the park — is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, utilizing some of the most advanced, life-like robotic technology ever created.
But it's through another portal, to Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, that the resort has introduced its most ambitious ride to date. Universal Orlando Resort already has two themed Harry Potter areas in its existing parks, but the third installment within Epic Universe brings people into the 1920s Paris of the "Fantastic Beasts" offshoot story, full of street atmosphere, shops and restaurants.
Guests will then be expected to time travel to experience the impressive ride, Harry Potter: Battle at the Ministry, going via metro tunnel from 1920s Paris into 1990s London, after the original Harry Potter series has concluded. Staff at the awe-inspiring Ministry of Magic are preparing for Dolores Umbridge's trial, and guests will ride an omnidirectional elevator, chasing her through the building.
Epic Universe's third portal transports guests to the first-ever theme park land devoted to the "How to Train Your Dragon" franchise. Guests have told CNN that they have seen tests of large, extremely life-like dragons flying through the sky via drone, although those were not on display during media previews. Guests will find roller coasters and a kid-friendly boat ride in the midst of an elaborate Isle of Berk, where dragons breathe fire and ice. A technically impressive show inside a theater features Toothless, the lovable dragon from the series, who flies above the audience, landing on stage.
Super Nintendo World, which currently exists in Universal's Japan and Hollywood park locations, now comes to Epic Universe through a fourth portal with a beloved Mine-Cart Madness ride themed to Donkey Kong, in addition to the go-kart racing ride, Bowser's Challenge. Guests can wear special "Power-Up" bands on their wrists to play games and win points, running around a life-sized video game while Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach mill about.
The rides people will be talking about
Universal officials told CNN the company invented new technology and secured patents for Epic Universe experiences, including special animating effects, ride design and robotics.
The results are most obvious on two rides guests are most likely to be talking about after their visit: Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.
The Harry Potter ride feels like an experience combining elements of Universal's existing Spiderman ride and Disney's Rise of the Resistance. It features trackless ride systems, augmented reality, and high-resolution projections combined in new ways.
What it costs to visit
Like many theme parks, Universal employs dynamic pricing for tickets, which varies depending on the season and how busy the parks are anticipated to be.
Single-day tickets for Epic Universe recently became available, starting from $139 for adults and $134 for children ages 3-9, plus tax. Those prices currently apply to some weekdays in September, with the most expensive single-day tickets priced at $199 and $194 for children, plus tax, during the late December holiday season.
Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the most visited theme park in the world, also has a ceiling of $199 during the same time frame.
Multi-day ticket packages are also available, which allow guests to visit Epic Universe on one of those days. Per-day pricing on multi-day tickets is lower than single-day tickets.
Universal's "Express Pass," which allows guests to enter attractions through a faster line, can vary by date. These passes often cost more than the park ticket itself. For example, buying an Express Pass for the busy July 4 holiday at Epic Universe will cost $250 for a single day, a cost in addition to the ticket price.
