Universal Orlando Resort opened its highly anticipated third theme park, Epic Universe, for previews on April 11, 2025, adding a major new vacation destination to Florida.
The resort currently hosts two theme parks, 11 hotels, and a water park, Volcano Bay, which opened in 2018. One year after the opening of Volcano Bay, Universal announced Epic Universe, the third theme park in Orlando, Florida under the Universal branding. Unlike the previous two parks, Epic Universe is located several miles away from the main resort.
Universal initially bought the land in 1998 with the intention of building a third park; but plans fell through due to financial issues. Following a major increase in popularity and a 36% increase in revenue due to the opening of the Harry Potter themed areas of the park, Universal acquired the land once again with the same intention.
Construction began in 2019, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, until it resumed in March 2021. On April 11, 2025, Epic Universe opened for previews to guests around the Orlando area.
The highly anticipated park spans 750 acres and contains five highly immersive lands, or “portals”: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter- Ministry Of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How To Train Your Dragon- Isle Of Berk, and Dark Universe. The Park features over 50 rides, shows, restaurants, and experiences for guests.
Of the 11 rides included in the park, 2 have stood out to those who visited the park during the previews. One of those rides in Monsters Unchained- The Frankenstein Experiment. According to SFGate, the ride is so groundbreaking that they claim “other theme parks will have no choice but to rise up to this new bar that’s been set.” The ride is very intense, featuring a dozen fully articulated animatronics of iconic Universal monsters including: Frankenstein, Dracula, and the wolfman, just to name a few. Monsters Unchained is the first theme park ride to be based on the iconic Universal monsters.
Harry Potter has a large presence at the Universal Orlando Resort, Epic Universe will be no different housing the third Harry Potter themed land in the resort. The crown jewel of this iteration of the Wizarding World is its main attraction: Harry Potter And The Battle At The Ministry. The attraction is a trackless ride experience that combines augmented reality with real sets. CNN writes that the ride “is indicative of the spectacle Universal has created in the entire park” and “where else can you literally step into a movie like this.”
The opening of Epic Universe positions Universal as a significant competitor to Disney in the Orlando theme park landscape, with the only winner of the competition being the guests, who are now offered an expanded array of entertainment options in the Orlando area.
