Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025

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bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
Aug 5

Aerial overview of Epic Universe. From the guest parking lot at top of this photo, to the in-park hotel rising in foreground.Construction workers are using the parking lot.

Aug 6
Aerial photo looking across Epic Universe. A view of the dual-racing coaster and the domes.A recent change to this skyline is the addition of two spinning rides, at right, in How To Change Your Dragon land.

Aerial overview of Epic Universe.

Aerial look at part of the Donkey Kong roller coaster.1 A waterfall will pour into this basin. Water then flows to the track at right, for a splash.2 Railroad ties added to the mock track. Actual track is sideways.In Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of the front of the Epic Universe dual-racing roller coaster.A crane and boom lift are actively working on a celestial theming frame that trails inside the station. Perhaps representing a shooting star or a comet.


Aerial overview of a Harry Potter related land in Epic Universe. Five streets intersecting in Paris. Large show building at right contains a theater attraction, and also likely is a Ministry of Magic.

Aerial photo of the highest hills of the Epic Universe dual racing roller coaster. Each is crested immediately after a launch below. Trains will twist around and cross over each other in the Celestial Spin at left.Second launch of the separate Dragon coaster at right.

Aerial photo of Dark Universe in Epic Universe.1 Portal of the land2 Village3 Entry to the featured attraction. A large manor is currently hidden behind scaffolding.4 Believed to be a food stand5 Second launch of a roller coaster. Believed to be a spinner.

Aerial look at where 5 streets intersect in a Harry Potter related land. Full scale Paris building facades, in Epic Universe.

Aerial overview of what will be guest areas at front of the dual-racing roller coaster in Epic Universe.

 

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bioreconstruct
https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
Aug 6
Aerial overview of part of Epic Universe.At left is How To Train Your Dragon land.Landscaping underway near the dual racing coaster, at center.Top right is a Harry Potter related land.

Aerial photo of the portal to Dark Universe in Epic Universe. A large tree trunk with roots sprawling over rocks.The portal is tall! Workers add scale for the height.

Aerial photo of the in-park hotel at Epic Universe.1 Tiered features at the park's fountain are centered with the hotel.2 Portal to Dark Universe.3 Portal to a Harry Potter related land. with a green roof layer.

Aerial photo of part of the roller coaster in Dark Universe at Epic Universe.Arrow at a small roof.Frames in front of the station are believed to be for tents.This may be a spinning coaster, and it has a second launch in the small building with a green roof layer.

Aerial look at the Mushroom Kingdom of Super Nintendo World.1 Portal up into the land2 Peach's Castle3 Toad's Cafe4 Yoshi's Adventure, with track temporarily covered5 Mario Kart entranceIn Epic Universe.

Aerial overview of Super Nintendo World in Epic Universe. Large show building is Mario Kart. At right is the Donkey Kong roller coaster. At bottom is the Mushroom Kingdom.

Features at center of Epic Universe include two round kiosk buildings, and a restaurant with rounded rooflines.Dark Universe is at top of this aerial photo.

At left in this aerial is a waterside restaurant near the entrance of Epic Universe.Some columns of the entrance gateway in lower right.

Aerial look at an entrance building of Epic Universe.

A nearly straight-down aerial overview of Dark Universe. The featured attraction is in the large show building bottom right. A roller coaster (likely a spinner) is top center.Also at left is part of the central corridor of Epic Universe.

 

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bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
Aug 5
Aerial overview of How To Train Your Dragon land in Epic Universe. Also seen at top of this photo is the dual-racing roller coaster.

Aerial overview of the entrance area of Epic Universe.

Aerial photo with a series of concrete forms along the front of the in-park hotel of Epic Universe. These lead to the center of the tower. The form at arrow seems to indicate stairs.

Aerial look at columns for the gateway entrance to Epic Universe.1 Concrete forms being removed at a pair of archways.2 A likely VIP room. Similar to rooms above entrances of Universal Studios in Florida and in Hollywood.

Aerial look at a waterside restaurant in Epic Universe. Plumbing seems to be for fountains along the windows.Arrow where a curved walkway will be between two water features. Workers are preparing the floor of one feature. Walls to be cast later.

Aerial photo of what will be the ticketing building outside the entrance of Epic Universe.

 

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bioreconstruct
@bioreconstruct
22h
Aerial overview of the entrance of Epic Universe.It could be a long term design that parking garages are on the rectangle of land at top center of this photo. Then the flat parking lot is developed into an additional theme park. This is how Islands of Adventure was added 1990s.

Aerial photo of reflective colorful tiles on the exterior of a Universal Orlando resort South of Epic Universe.

Aerial photo of colorful tiles on the exterior of a Universal Orlando resort South of Epic Universe. The tiles are mostly reflecting the ground and look dim. Tiles reflecting the lobby roof are more colorful.

Scott Walker
@scottwalker88

21h
@UniversalORL in 1994 compared to today.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Universal is lucky they never painted themselves into the Disney corner, they are known for highly themed areas but aren’t held to such a narrow standard they can’t have massive outdoor coasters that are visible from the whole park.

Disney would never get away with something like Velocicoaster or the new dueling coasters, which is simultaneously fortunate and a shame.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Universal is lucky they never painted themselves into the Disney corner, they are known for highly themed areas but aren’t held to such a narrow standard they can’t have massive outdoor coasters that are visible from the whole park.

Disney would never get away with something like Velocicoaster or the new dueling coasters, which is simultaneously fortunate and a shame.

 

[JT3000]

Universal is lucky they never painted themselves into the Disney corner, they are known for highly themed areas but aren’t held to such a narrow standard they can’t have massive outdoor coasters that are visible from the whole park.

Disney would never get away with something like Velocicoaster or the new dueling coasters, which is simultaneously fortunate and a shame.

We don't really know how much of the park the dueling coasters will be visible from yet, but considering they've purposely sequestered each land away ala Diagon Alley, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect it to be hidden from most places outside the hub.

View attachment 736948

I'm steeling this.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

View attachment 736948

I always forget about Incredicoaster when I think of visible coasters, I guess because it looks so good thematically, same with Slinky Dog, it works because it fits the theme (and is short).

I was thankful to see Primievel go though, technically it fit the theme but it was a horrible theme for a Disney park. I’ll be glad when Goofys Sky school finally disappears also, I think it gets overlooked because it’s tucked into a corner and you don’t really see it unless you are right in front of it. It’s one of the worst looking rides in a Disney park though.

Velocicoaster is my favorite ride, so I’d love something similar at Disney, but the uproar would be deafening. (For sight and intensity reasons).

 

[J4546]

I always forget about Incredicoaster when I think of visible coasters, I guess because it looks so good thematically, same with Slinky Dog, it works because it fits the theme (and is short).

I was thankful to see Primievel go though, technically it fit the theme but it was a horrible theme for a Disney park. I’ll be glad when Goofys Sky school finally disappears also, I think it gets overlooked because it’s tucked into a corner and you don’t really see it unless you are right in front of it. It’s one of the worst looking rides in a Disney park though.

Velocicoaster is my favorite ride, so I’d love something similar at Disney, but the uproar would be deafening. (For sight and intensity reasons).

sky school is def one of the worst lookings ride in DCA imo. I would love to see a dark ride or something else in its place but theres so much more to do at DCA before that

 

[TalkToEthan]

Will Epic have 11 rides???
looks like 7 significant ones and 4 low tiers

Also, Epic will have 3 shows, right?

 

[Andrew25]

Will Epic have 11 rides???
looks like 7 significant ones and 4 low tiers

Also, Epic will have 3 shows, right?

Yes, double what DAK has today with expansion pads ready to go. Universal isn't kidding around

 

[danlb_2000]

Will Epic have 11 rides???
looks like 7 significant ones and 4 low tiers

Also, Epic will have 3 shows, right?

Yeah, here is the current list of rides. I can only think of two shows, How to Train Your Dragon and Potter, unless you are counting the hub fountain show.

Land	Type	Name	Sub type
How to Train Your Dragon	Ride	Coaster	Coaster
Super Nintendo	Ride	Donkey Kong	Coaster
Universal Monsters	Ride	Family Coaster	Coaster
Hub	Ride	Starfall Racers	Coaster
Super Nintendo	Ride	Yoshi	Dark Ride
Super Nintendo	Ride	Mario Cart	Dark Ride
Universal Monsters	Ride	Kuka Arm ride	Dark Ride
Harry Potter	Ride	Dark Ride	Dark Ride
How to Train Your Dragon	Ride	Sky Fly	Flat Ride
Hub	Ride	Hub Flat Ride	Flat Ride
How to Train Your Dragon	Ride	Interactive Boat Ride	Water Ride

 

[MisterPenguin]

Yeah, here is the current list of rides. I can only think of two shows, How to Train Your Dragon and Potter, unless you are counting the hub fountain show.

...and fireworks.

But for stage shows, it is indeed currently just two. The planned Monster stage show got replaced by a family coaster.

 

[TalkToEthan]

yes, I was counting the fountain as the third show.


I’m hoping 2 things from Epic: limit screens and have at least one single earth shaker or game changer.


Time for Universal to change its MO; leave that overused screen/video/projection model for attractions back at the main campus and step up its 3 dimensional sets game for this new park. But already its signature ride for Nintendo Land is headgear. Headgear not good. It costs us real speed and thrills. And I think it’s safe to say whatever anchors the Paris Potter section is destined to use a lot of screens like Gringotts and FJ— even Hagrid couldn’t lay off them.

The only real chance at an earth shaking attraction is the Potter elevator. The Dark Universe ride should have been the one but unfortunately it’s going to be a robot arm ride.

 

[sedati]

Will Donky Kong be single cars with four to a car? Seems the effect hinges on seeing the track ahead and not the heads of others.

 

[maxairmike]

Will Donky Kong be single cars with four to a car? Seems the effect hinges on seeing the track ahead and not the heads of others.

Same vehicles as Hollywood and Japan AFAIK, so yeah, 4 per kart. Seeing the other two in your kart doesn't affect anything at all, in my limited experience with the attraction. I'm so excited to have this here in Orlando, it's a killer attraction.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Same vehicles as Hollywood and Japan AFAIK, so yeah, 4 per kart. Seeing the other two in your kart doesn't affect anything at all, in my limited experience with the attraction. I'm so excited to have this here in Orlando, it's a killer attraction.

I think it’s going to premiere in Epic, it’s not in Hollywood and I’m fairly sure it‘s not in Japan either, although I’m less confidant on Japan. I’m not a Nintendo fan but this coaster looks amazing enough on its own to get me to visit the land once Epic opens.

(at least the concept is amazing, until it’s done I guess we won’t know really know if it lives up to the expectations but I hope it does)

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think it’s going to premiere in Epic, it’s not in Hollywood and I’m fairly sure it‘s not in Japan either, although I’m less confidant on Japan. I’m not a Nintendo fan but this coaster looks amazing enough on its own to get me to visit the land once Epic opens.

(at least the concept is amazing, until it’s done I guess we won’t know really know if it lives up to the expectations but I hope it does)

It’s under construction in Osaka. Orlando is basically getting a clone of the Japanese land, just built all at once instead of being phased.

 

[maxairmike]

I think it’s going to premiere in Epic, it’s not in Hollywood and I’m fairly sure it‘s not in Japan either, although I’m less confidant on Japan. I’m not a Nintendo fan but this coaster looks amazing enough on its own to get me to visit the land once Epic opens.

(at least the concept is amazing, until it’s done I guess we won’t know really know if it lives up to the expectations but I hope it does)

Oh whoops, I for some reason read that as Mario Kart (I guess I fixated on the K?). This must be a sign I should be going to bed earlier. Also, clearly I am hyper focused on one thing with this park.

Yes, Kong is likely premiering here. Not sure what the vehicle design will end up being. 4-6 seems likely, I think?