Californian-in-Florida Reviews Epic Universe Part 2: Why I think it’s the Best Park in Florida
I’ve already reviewed the rides at Epic Universe, but I’d like to offer some thoughts about the park’s other elements and its overall presentation, now that the official grand opening is just a couple of days away.
I’ve spent six full days at the park during Passholder Previews. As a theme park fan who grew up visiting Disneyland every year with my family—and hold that original masterpiece as my standard of theme park excellence—I believe, absolutely, that Epic Universe is the best theme park in Florida, and the best U.S. park that isn’t named Disneyland.
Besides opening with a diverse and well-chosen ride lineup (which includes two of the best dark rides in theme park history), the park is rich with quality in every area:
THE THEMING
This park is a treasure trove of effective, lovingly-crafted, layers-upon-layers world-building. After six full day visits, I’m still discovering new details every time. Every world is a delight.
But what genuinely caught me off-guard is the overall impact that the five worlds have in making Epic Universe—as a whole—come to life as a warm, welcoming fantasy realm.
THE WORLDS
The portal theme works in unifying everything and giving Epic a distinct, fun, lovable personality all its own. Even without the Celestians/travelers backstory (which is there for fans to discover and enjoy) the idea that Celestial Park is your home base for a day of world-hopping via the portals is clear on a straightforward, intuitive level.
And this collection of worlds provides a satisfying variety of atmospheres, and every land is packed with detail and lore.
Celestial Park is a calm, beautiful oasis, which at night comes vibrantly alive with lights and music. Day or night, it’s like walking through a gigantic fountain show that decided to turn itself into a theme park land so that you could take part.
Isle of Berk, is a jovial, welcoming, colorful (and slightly rowdy) Viking village. Its big-sky open vistas and hand-carved architecture/craft style create a combination of adventure and whimsy that’s like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. This might be my favorite theme park land ever.
Dark Universe presents a foreboding, aloof, creepy front to its visitors, but it’s also full of humor, imagination and genuine care for its classic film origins—and takes care to keep its most graphic visuals inside the attractions and restaurants. The result? It’s actually kind of lovable.
Wizard Paris (my shorthand name for WWoHPMoM) is spectacular and grand on a Tokyo DisneySea level. Thematically, it’s very different from Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, because—storywise— it’s an area shared by wizards and muggles alike, so its fantasy elements are outwardly more subtle and camouflaged, coming to life when you discover them, turning the whole land into a whimsical game of hide and seek.
Super Nintendo World is, of course, the most bright, bizarre, happy explosion of surreal sensory overload imaginable. It makes Toontown, by comparison, look as normal and serene as a public library.
THE STAGE SHOWS
The 2 live shows are outstanding. Untrainable Dragon is the perfect theme park musical, with a great cast and a centerpiece “Wow” moment that can make adults tear up in joy. And the Wizard Paris Le Cirque Arcanus feels like a full-fledged park adventure. It begins as a slightly sinister circus performance before taking a wonderful surprise twist. Both shows qualify as don’t-miss attractions.
THE LIVE CHARACTERS
From wait-in-line Meet n’ greets (with the Toothless encounter soaring to rope-drop popularity levels) to the many free-roaming “citizens” of Berk, Darkmoore and Wizard Paris, Epic’s character actor talent pool is astonishing. These performers are creating magic right and left every day, and bringing their respective worlds roaring to life. Berk, in particular, frequently turns into a real-time improv RPG/comedy skit that is actually a joy to be pulled into. Gobber and the Twins are my favorite park characters ever. I highly recommend a Youtube search of “Epic Universe Gobber impersonating Hiccup,” in which he selflessly tries to save everyone the trouble of getting in line for the Toothless meet n’ greet.
Other highlights: Ygor in Dark Universe is hilariously fantastic, well supported by The Invisible man, the yarn-spinning minstrel and the bounty-hunting “Hound.” In Wizard Paris, you have to look closely to spot the “Aurors” (plain clothes 1920’s wizard cops), but talking to them will open an entire extra level of lore for the area.
Also, in Paris, look for the live-interaction paintings in an out-of-the-way shop window. It’s a prime example of the park’s unsurpassed attention to detail and backstory (and mind-blowing tech).
THE FOOD
I’m not a foodie, but having now eaten 18 full meals and a good number of snacks in the park (trying nearly every venue at least once), I think the food in Epic is—overall—fantastic. I haven’t been unhappy with anything I’ve tried. My favorite restaurants include The Blue Dragon, Cafe L’air De La Sirene, Pizza Moon, Mead Hall, Burning Blade, Meteor AstroPub, and the Oak & Star Tavern.
THE SHOPS
Epic’s provided me with the most fun I’ve ever had browsing for park merch. The shops are themed to the hilt, full of secrets and wild details.
As a theme park fan, I’m particularly happy about the abundance of great attraction merch. Lots of posters and wall art. Lots of home furnishing/kitchen items. Figurines, ride vehicle models, and—of course oodles of clothing, mugs, popcorn buckets, and just about everything any visitor could be searching for…
Except music, so far. I know everything is going digital these days, but I do hope that at some point some of the wonderful park music somehow becomes available to purchase and enjoy at home.
WRAPPING UP
One major aspect of Epic Universe took me by surprise on my first visit, and it’s just become more clear with each return trip: Epic Universe is incredibly charming. All of it—even Dark Universe. The park is bursting with personality and an overarching vibe of creativity, energy…
…and FUN. Most importantly, this park is fun beyond belief.
At least, that has been my experience visiting the park with preview-sized crowds. I’m hoping Universal keeps the crowd levels capped at a point where the park is allowed to continue to shine.
So, overall, yes: I honestly, wholeheartedly pick Epic Universe as the best theme park in Florida and the second best park in the U.S. The fact that it’s this satisfyingly complete, unique, and effective with its opening offerings—and will most likely keep getting bigger and better over the next decade—is mind boggling. It’s not perfect, but no park on Earth is perfect. Epic’s strengths far, far outweigh its few (very fixable) weak spots—and I can’t think of any issue that can’t be attributed to initial Growing Pains.
Well done, Universal. Please take good care of this park. Please keep all the character performers. You have a winner on your hands. Keep striving for this kind of excellence, and the sky’s the limit.
