Dateline: March 3, 2025; T-minus 82, and counting. Orlando’s newest theme park is now less than three months away from its official launch, and the air of excitement around this 750-acre, multi-billion dollar project is palpable.
We are getting more and more “sneak peeks” at what’s inside, and the way it is taking shape is truly, well, Epic. Yes, Epic Universe now has just 82 days before the public gets its first look inside, but we already have some pretty clear indications of what’s in store.
To start with, Universal spent much of 2024 drip-feeding us information about and glimpses of what to expect from their third major theme park here in Orlando. From the names of the different lands to features of the rides, there has been a steady stream of news and detail geared towards raising the eagerness for their latest creation.
Only last month, Universal also revealed a tantalising look at the food we can expect inside places like Le Gobelet Noir in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic and the truly dark Das Stakehaus inside the Dark Universe section of the park (if you missed it, be sure to check out this AT.com blog all about the food and drink elements we now know about).
We especially like the sound of the menu in The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, which will be one of the top culinary features of the Celestial Park central area, with stand-out dishes such as the Tonkotsu Ramen (ramen noodles immersed in a rich pork broth, topped with tender pork, tare egg, shiitake mushrooms and fragrant togarashi oil).
Super Nintendo World fans will surely love the selection of burgers on offer at The Toadstool Cafe, while the Helios Grand Hotel promises to up the ante even further with their rooftop bar and Flora Taverna, which will offer the likes of shish kebabs, Mezzes and spreads, charred octopus and a super-tasty scallop dish using some of Florida’s freshest ingredients, plus its own range of hand-crafted cocktails. And, yes, there WILL be a Starbucks coffee shop inside the park!
Just as importantly as this eye-opening dive into Epic’s restaurants and other dining venues – some 20 in all – there are clear signs of the level of detail and the vibrant colours we can expect when we step through the gates into Celestial Park – the hub of the park and starting point for every visitor.
May 22 remains E(pic)-Day and all signs are that everything will be ready in time as all the main construction now looks to be complete and much of the work is now being done on the interiors as well as the landscaping. There is still a LOT of work to be done, including testing the various rides and attractions, but the fact there are no longer hundreds of technicians, engineers and other construction crews on site is indicative of how close we’re getting.
Local theme park industry expert Dennis Speigel was also quoted in the local Orlando Sentinel newspaper, saying he has talked with many of the manufacturers and installers, and none have expressed doubt about hitting the deadline. “That’s rare,” he said. “And there’s the swagger factor. I’ve never seen a park open with such fanfare this far in advance of that readiness and showing the pictures and providing the information that they have. I just think that’s a very bold statement on their part, which leads me to believe, from what I see, that they are going to be ready.”
At the same time, Orlando itself is now on full alert for any snippet of news as we count down to May, and there is very much a sense of keen anticipation in the local media. In the last few weeks, the Sentinel has released the latest info on tickets and hotel packages for Floridians and a 100-day countdown, in addition to all the food news and insight from various industry insiders.
Best of all, we can actually SEE the progress for ourselves, thanks to a local aerial photographic specialist, who has been flying over the site almost daily to post the latest photos of the various lands, their rides and the general state of readiness of Epic Universe. He posts on both X (formerly Twitter) and BlueSky Social as Bioreconstruct, and is well worth following.
One of the truly jaw-dropping videos he posted also showed some of the testing of a full-scale animatronic dragon for the How To Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk land, which looks absolutely astounding.
Or, as local TV news station WESH 2 revealed in their latest YouTube video: “With less than three months to go before opening, Universal’s Epic Universe is moving from the construction phase to the perfection phase.” They also interviewed Katie Puccetti, assistant director and executive producer of the park, who insisted: “Everybody should be very proud of the work that’s being done out there. Just being out there every day and seeing all the lands grow, it’s beautiful. I think it’s going to knock everybody’s socks off.”
You can see the full WESH 2 video, including a look at the stunning Stardust Racers roller-coaster, on this link. For more of the basic details of Epic Universe, check out this AT.com blog from December.
What most excites you about Epic Universe? Give us your thoughts on the friendly AttractionTickets.com Community Facebook page, on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.
