Universal Orlando’s brand-new theme park, Epic Universe, definitely lives up to its name. I went on a trip to Orlando a few weeks ago, and I went into this park expecting another typical theme park– long lines, overpriced snacks, and maybe some cool rides – but this place surprised me and my family and me in the best way!
This new park in Universal Orlando’s family of theme parks is built around a huge central area called Celestial Park, which basically is the main hub that connects all the other themed lands to Epic Universe. Even though it’s the chillest part of the park, it still looks amazing. There are gardens, fountains, statues – the kind of stuff my parents liked, but even my brother and I admitted they were pretty cool.
Super Nintendo World
This was easily one of my favorite areas. You enter through a giant green pipe just like in the video games, and suddenly, you’re surrounded by Mario-themed everything– blocks, characters, bright colors, all of it. The rides are fun and surprisingly detailed. Even if you’re not a hardcore gamer, the whole area feels energetic and just super fun to walk around. Some critics say the Yoshi ride is too slow, but I enjoyed the slow pace and the opportunity to see all of the park. Donkey Kong’s Coaster was so fun! Many critics say the line isn’t worth the wait for how jerky the ride is, but my family had express passes, so we bypassed the lines. If I had to wait four hours to ride it, I’m not sure it would have been as fun!
Dark Universe
This is the “Monster” land, and the vibe is totally different from the others. It’s darker, spookier, and feels almost like you’re walking through a movie set for classic monster films. It’s not super scary, but it definitely has an eerie, cool atmosphere that makes it stand out. The ride Monsters Unchained was phenomenal. The animatronics on it were some of the best I’ve ever seen. Critics even agree that it’s one of the best rides in the park. There’s a coaster in this land that spins, and let’s say, don’t eat the Frankenstein pretzel with green cheese before going on this one!
Isle of Berk
This island themed around How to Train Your Dragon is amazing. There are several rides and so much good food. There’s even a wet ride for those hot Florida days! The coaster here is awesome, there’s no big loops or drops, but it’s awesome, and you get to see baby dragons hatch! Critics agree that this is an awesome part of the park; it really feels like you step right into one of their movies.
Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic
If you like the Harry Potter universe, this land is basically a dream come true, but it does leave something to be desired. There’s one ride in this land, and while it is a cool ride, without the express passes, some fans are left waiting up to 5 hours in line for it. There’s a Fantastic Beasts show too, and that was good, but I think they can do more! The world itself is great to enjoy some frozen butter beer or do some spells with your park wand, but overall, it’s a flop.
The Overall Experience
One thing about Epic is that every land feels completely separate, like you’ve actually walked into a whole new world, when you walk through a portal! The rides here are more immersive, more detailed, and just more…well, epic! There’s a coaster in the celestial area called Star Dust Racers, and WOW, it is awesome! Just that ride is well worth a visit, if you like coasters like me!
The downsides are the lines are LONG, and food is pricey (not a shock), but the experience makes up for it, and hey, it’s my parents’ money, not mine, for the express passes and good food!
Epic Universe really impressed our family. We give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars! If you’re heading to Orlando, check it out!
