Universal Orlando Resort has revealed the first official look at one of the five new lands set to open as part of its Universal Epic Universe park, and confirmed the themes of the three additional lands.
On Tuesday, the Florida-based NBCUniversal theme park and resort teased Celestial Park, a land that embodies the literal “park” experience with lush gardens, living spaces, sparkling waterways and hiking trails combined with astronomical and mythological-inspired architecture. It also confirmed the themes of the three previously unannounced Epic Universe parks outside of Super Nintendo World: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.
“Universal Epic Universe represents a huge, transformative moment for Universal Orlando Resort and will change everything about our destination,” Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer of Universal Orlando Resort, said in a statement. Hollywood Reporter. “This will be an exciting culmination of our incredible growth over the past 30-plus years and will transform Universal Orlando into a week-long vacation destination filled with the most exciting experiences imaginable.”
Courtesy of NBCUniversal
Serving as a gateway to the other four lands in the Epic Universe, Celestial serves as the first stop for all park guests, and will feature in-park accommodations, fountain shows, a wet play area, a carousel, a double-launch racing roller coaster, and themed restaurants. And shops.
The centerpiece of Celestial Park is the Constellation Carousel, an all-ages attraction that takes guests on a tour through the Milky Way. Park attendees will not only slide back and forth on the constellations, but perform 360-degree spins in what the park describes as a “dance of music and starlight.”
Among the park's other attractions are the Starfall Racers, which launch guests into a rocket race down 5,000 feet of track aboard competing comets, reaching speeds of 62 mph and a height of 133 feet. The coaster, a dual racing attraction, also features various maneuvers such as a 'sky spin' which sees two vehicles perform an inverted crossover while speeding through the air.
Courtesy of NBCUniversal
The park's central and immersive feature will be the Astronomica interactive wet play area. A collection of crystal blue fountains that come to life around guests, the attraction doubles as a giant compass, guiding park attendees to the different lands of the Epic Universe. Additional fountain shows, some reaching 135 feet in the air and programmed to impact music and interactive lighting throughout the day, will take place throughout the seven-acre water-filled grounds.
The park will serve as home to the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a 500-room resort located at the end of the park, with unique views and a dedicated entrance, transporting guests to a place in the world where heaven and earth unite. There will also be a range of themed restaurants and shops, including Atlantic, a full-service surf and turf restaurant inside a Victorian aquarium with views of the land, and Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, another full-service experience featuring neon dragons and lanterns. Ethereal, featuring a Chinese, Japanese and Thai menu.
Oak & Star Tavern's delicious barbecue, a variety of pizza pies from Pizza Moon, and the unique Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets lineup will serve as faster service options, along with retail locations like the Nintendo Super Star Store.
Courtesy of NBCUniversal
Portals embodying the distinct theme and creativity of the four remaining lands transport guests from Celestial Park into the Ministry of Magic, where park visitors will experience the 1920s era of the wizarding world. This land acts as a combination of Paris in Fantastic beasts British Ministry of Magic films from Harry Potter series.
Super Nintendo World — which already opened at Universal Studios Hollywood last year and is confirmed as part of Epic Universe in 2023 — will lead guests through the iconic green tube where they can access attractions and experiences based in the shared universe of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong.
Following the announcement of a separate Dreamworks land last July, the introduction of the Isle of Berk promises park-goers the ability to soar with dragons and take part in Viking-inspired adventures. How to train your dragon Movie franchise. Finally, the Dark Universe will invite fans of Universal's classic horror films, with encounters featuring Dr. Victoria Frankenstein's experiences amidst mysterious landscapes home to monsters, mythology and mystery.
Courtesy of NBCUniversal
Universal's Epic Universe is part of a larger strategy by its Universal Destinations & Experiences division to increase week-long vacations on site. Together, the five lands will feature more than 50 attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences. It is the newest of four NBCUniversal theme parks based in Florida, the other three being Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.
In September, Universal Destinations & Experiences CEO Mark Woodbury announced that the park would use “facial recognition and photo verification technology” to support a “frictionless experience.”
“It's the most technologically advanced park we've ever done,” Woodbury said at the Bank of America Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference. “This speaks to the attractions themselves, the next generation of robotic drone technology, all the way to the guest experience. The entire guest journey has been taken to a whole new level.”
In a video detailing the new park, the destination's creative consultant and global experiences, Steven Spielberg, described the foundations of Epic Universe as an “amazing concept.”
“The idea that you go into a world through a portal, and then emerge into a world that you never dreamed of — you can experience it,” he added. “I think it will feed the imagination of a lot of people of all ages.”
An earlier version of this story misidentified the Dreamworks land as part of the Epic Universe.
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