Universal’s Epic Universe is racing along in development and construction, with new attractions, shops, dining establishments, and more all taking shape behind construction barriers on Universal Boulevard, just past the current Universal Orlando Resort. Though we already have a pretty good idea of what guests will be able to experience when this brand-new extension of Universal Orlando Resort opens in 2025, some new developments have come to light in recent weeks, that will hopefully get fans even more excited about this new park!
As is always the case with rumors and speculation, it is important to note that none of this is final, or has been officially announced by Universal. However, based on current rumors, here are some interesting things that seem to be happening with this exciting new project:
1. Universal’s Epic Universe is being specifically designed to transform Universal Orlando Resort into a week-long destination.
We already knew that Universal’s Epic Universe was going to be big. At 750 acres this new area is set to double the current size of the resort, not only with a massive new theme park, but also an entertainment district, hotels, shops, and restaurants. And while that might sound like it will add another day or two to a visit to the resort in 2025, parent company Comcast CEO Brian Roberts recently said that the addition of Universal’s Epic Universe is designed to turn Universal Orlando Resort into a weeklong destination.
While we don’t know exactly what that means, and Comcast executives are notoriously secretive about theme park projects, it seems reasonable to think that, in addition to the theme park and adjacent shopping, dining and hotels, there could be even more to the Epic Universe project. Could we see an expansion announced in the coming years as we get closer to opening? Attractions in the entertainment district? There are plenty of possibilities, and hopefully, we’ll hear more soon.
2. Track for the new dual-track racing roller coaster in the center of the park is currently being installed
Construction is moving along quickly at Universal’s Epic Universe, including an exciting roller coaster that will be at the park’s center. According to rumors, the park’s central area will be its own, IP-free land that will include a number of attractions, shops, a restaurant, a large water feature and even a dual-track roller coaster as well. And now it looks like track for this new attraction is already being installed, according to photos from Twitter user Bioreconstruct.
When completed, this attraction will have two tracks that will travel side by side for the majority of the ride, mimicking a race. Though no name has been rumored yet, with track construction finally underway, we’ll hopefully learn more about this attraction soon.
3. Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe may have a unique dual-level entry portal
Super Nintendo World in Japan (as well as soon in Hollywood) both feature a fun entry portal that has guests walking through a big green pipe to get to the land while the iconic video game noise from the Mario game series plays overhead. However, according to Orlando Park Stop, this entry area may look a little different at Universal’s Epic Universe. According to their report, this entry will still use a pipe, but instead of being a flat area that guests can walk through, it will have an escalator that will bring guests from up through Peach’s Castle on the upper part of the land.
4. Universal Monsters roller coaster could be themed to the Wolf-Man
When the Universal Monsters area was first rumored for Universal’s Epic Universe, sources were very confident that it would include a roller coaster of some type, with some suggesting that the new ride could be themed to Frankenstein. However, new rumors have surfaced in recent months that seem to suggest that the Mack family spinning coaster, will actually be based around the Wolf-Man character, with Screamscape adding that the possible name for this upcoming ride may be “The Curse of the Werewolf.”
5. New vertical dark ride technology could power some new attractions in the future
Earlier this year Universal Creative filed an interesting patent application for a vertical dark ride system, which could power one or more attractions at Universal’s Epic Universe in the future. The technology described in this patent allows for ride designers to create a system where guests use specialized vehicles to move up and down through show scenes in a dark ride, instead of forward along a track (like on ET or Men in Black: Alien Attack). According to Theme Park Insider, this technology could move guests through scenes that could include animatronics, projections, and theatrical effects. And because this new system could support ride platforms entering the same scene at once, there is a potential for guests to experience multiple points of view for a particular scene, possibly enhancing re-rideability.
Not only would this new technology allow Universal to create an exciting new style of dark ride, but it would also allow developers to create new attractions when there isn’t a lot of space available. Currently, we don’t know what kind of ride this would be for at Universal’s Epic Universe, but even if this technology isn’t used in an opening day attraction, it could power some of the rides in the future at this park as it expands in 2026 and beyond!
When it opens in 2025, Universal’s Epic Universe will be the most ambitious Universal theme park in the world, with new attractions that harness the most cutting-edge technology to deliver experiences that will be unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Though we already know a lot about what to expect from this new land, Universal will likely continue to make changes in the months to come and may even surprise us down the line with something that we were not expecting! Which part of Universal’s Epic Universe are you looking forward to the most? And do you have any predictions about the future of this upcoming theme park?
