An Epic Trip – First Look at Universal’s Brand New Park, EPIC Universe

ITTN’s Louise Ducrocq had the immense privilege to be part of a FAM Trip with Aer Lingus & Universal Studios to Universal Orlando, Florida including a sneak peak at the new Universal Epic Universe experience!

With four theme parks, Universal Orlando offers the perfect blend of entertainment, wonder and thrill with the original park, Universal Studios, alongside Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay and their brand new park EPIC Universe. On day 2 of that wonderful journey, we were among the firsts to be able to tour the latter, set to open May 22, 2025.

NBC Universal’s Grant Daley kept teasing us about EPIC, describing that new park as the best Universal has to offer so far, whether you’re a seasoned theme-park-enthusiast or a rookie as I was. I can safely say now that, after experiencing the many wonders of EPIC on a VIP tour, whatever park I may visit in the future, EPIC will remain an unforgettable experience that has undoubtedly upped my theme-park-standards to an unreachable level.

We will of course get into detailed descriptions of the rides and wonderful roller-coasters’ in EPIC, but I have to start with what striked me the most. That is, how unbelievably immersive the whole of EPIC is. We were guided through the park’s 5 worlds, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, Ministry of Magic™, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park by Josh and Cyndi on a VIP tour. Whether you’re interacting with the most whimsical cast members, meeting Toothless, walking through Super Nintendo World, biting into the Dark Universe’s Wings of Death or fighting Dolores Umbridge alongside Harry Potter and his merry sidekicks, you will spend the whole day immersed into Universal’s endless enchantment. The mere innovation in simulation-based rides combined with the detail of the park’s decor makes for the most magical Universal experience.

The group started off strong with a site inspection of EPIC’s exclusive hotel, Helios. Stay tuned for a full write up coming soon. With EPIC opening its majestic doors at 11am (opening time will switch to 10am on certain days of the week), we headed there straight after the site inspection, where we met Josh and Cyndi, ready to show us the best time all around the park. And that’s exactly what they did, bringing us to How to Train Your Dragon first. We boarded two iconic rides, before heading to the auditorium to watch the spectacular Untrainable Dragon show – a touching new storyline based on the movies where Hiccup attempts to train a newfound dragon, after literally flying into the stage on the oh-so realistic Toothless animatronic. We then got to attend the post-show Meet & Greet with Astrid and her dragon Stormfly, and Toothless accompanied by a brave viking, Wobble.

After the most magical time in that first Universe, the merry bunch headed to the Dark Universe for a spooOooky lunch! I strongly recommend the Wings of Death and the roasted beef with a plate of crunchy fries on the side. Following lunch, we got to try Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, where Victoria Frankenstein shows us her new creations, while Frankenstein’s monster himself makes a surprise appearance. The group was flabbergasted by how ‘lifelike’ the monster animatronic was – it looked as if Frankenstein’s original creation came to life before our eyes. Monster’s Unchained’s ride is perfect for people who like coasters but do not wish to be thrown around too much, as you’ll feel very secure in that seat being held by a shoulder strap too, which should prevent you from getting nauseous!

Now, get ready for my favourite part: SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™! To say I was excited for this is a wild understatement. I have grown up with anything Mario-related, and let me tell you, stepping into Super Nintendo World threw me right back into some of my most magical childhood memories. Everything from the iconic Mario track playing all around this universe, Peach’s castle, the Piranha Plants creeping around every corner and the 1Up Factory (best gift shop I’ve ever seen!), I was absolutely amazed. We headed to Donkey Kong Country™ where we got to ride Mine-Cart Madness™, a ride that has already became one of the park’s rising stars as, from the outside and the inside, the cart you’re riding looks like it’s flying through the obstacles thanks to mind-blowing innovative features.

We also got to defy Bowser in Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge, riding actual carts in a 3D Mario Kart simulation! Isn’t that every Mario fan’s dream?! It was certainly mine.

We proceeded to head into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Ministry of Magic™, which took us from the Magical Streets of Paris to the British Ministry of Magic™. Stepping into a strikingly perfect replica of the Ministry of Magic to defy Dolores Umbridge with Harry, Ron and Hermione was an absolutely mind-blowing experience. My jaw literally dropped stepping into this green-brick 10-feet tall walls through the iconic chimney. After this incredible simulation-based ride, we got to walk the street of Paris to chase beasts alongside Newt Scamander™ himself. As a certified Frenchie, I can attest the resemblance is absolutely striking.

Last but certainly not least, we got to have dinner levitating on water in the Atlantic restaurant, where I enjoyed delicious fresh oysters, followed by the best grilled scallops I have ever had the pleasure of tasting!

My EPIC experience was simply unforgettable – feeling completely immersed into these magical worlds at 25, just like when I was a kid, is a privilege I will never forget. A heartfelt thank you to Universal Studios and Aer Lingus for providing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience some of the world’s most exhilarating attractions. The VIP treatment and the fantastic company made for an unforgettable day.