ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — From Harry Potter to Super Mario Bros. to Frankenstein's monster, Universal Orlando Resort is pulling out all the pop culture stops at its newest and largest theme park in Florida.
With five distinctively-themed sections and a 500-room hotel, the multibillion-dollar Universal Epic Universe is slated to open to the public on May 22, just in time for the start of summer, when the Orlando area's theme parks are usually jammed with families and young park-goers fresh out of school.
It's the first major, traditional theme park to open in Florida since 1999, when Universal Islands of Adventure debuted, though Universal opened a themed Orlando water park, Volcano Bay, in 2017. The addition of Epic Universe brings the total number of parks at the Florida resort to four, including Universal Studios.
The opening also raises the stakes in Universal's competition with crosstown rival Walt Disney World for a greater share of Orlando's annual influx of 74 million tourists.
Universal officials also describe Epic Universe as the company's most technologically advanced theme park. For example, it uses a facial recognition system for ride express lines.
Universal's owner, Comcast NBCUniversal, also announced plans this month for its first Universal-branded theme park and resort in Europe, at a location north of London. A year-round horror entertainment experience in Las Vegas should open later this year and a family-oriented theme park is slated to open next year in a Dallas suburb.
Epic Universe is making its big bang, with single-day tickets starting at $139 for adults and increasing to $199 during peak periods, just as the Trump administration stirs up economic uncertainty.
U.S. tariff announcements threaten to limit the desire of some Americans to spend on vacations. And the rough treatment that some U.S. visitors have experienced on arrival, as well as a boycott of the United States by some Canadians, are raising fears that international tourists will stay away.
Tax receipts show Orlando's tourist economy was booming last year, with Orange County collecting a record $359 million in tourist taxes.
Here's a look at Epic Universe's different sections.
Celestial Park
Celestial Park is the hub in the spoke-like design of Epic Universe, connecting the other “worlds.”
The astronomically-themed section is the only one with original characters not based on pre-existing intellectual property. Centered around a football field-sized water fountain and filled with abundant, colorful flowers, it's an oasis of calm between the sensory overload of the four sections.
That's not to say excitement can't be found in Celestial Park, which is home to a 133-foot (40.5-meter) high dual launching roller coaster, Stardust Racers, and an enormous carousel.
Super Nintendo World
Super Nintendo World is the definition of sensory overload, from its bright primary colors that scream “Look at me!” to the loudness of the steel-drum-thumping syncopated calypso music.
It has two levels — rare for theme parks — and creates a completely immersive experience since nothing outside Super Nintendo World can be seen beyond the towering walls of Peach's Castle and Mt. Beanpole. There is an augmented reality dark ride, a kid-friendly, slow-moving omni-mover ride and a Donkey Kong-themed coaster. Character performers dressed as Mario and Luigi greet members of the crowd in a roped-off area.
Dark Universe
Dark Universe is a throwback to Frankenstein's monster, Dracula and the Invisible Man movies that launched Universal's career in horror franchises.
Visitors enter through a recreated central European village that has a storyline about vampires inhabiting the ground underneath. There is a dark ride through Frankenstein's castle, a family-friendly coaster based on the werewolf legend and a tavern topped by a windmill with blades engulfed by flames every few minutes.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Ministry of Magic
This is the third installment of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions that turbocharged the Florida resort into a genuine challenger to Disney World's dominance.
The arched doorways, wrought-iron balconies and cobblestoned streets make visitors feel like they have parachuted into the Fantastic Beasts films set in 1920s Paris. The land's highlight is the Battle at the Ministry's omnidirectional lift ride, whose green-tiled, faux-gold-plated atrium is on a scale reminiscent of New York's Grand Central Terminal.
How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berke
Next-generation animatronic dragons are the stars in this section, based on the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise.
Anchored by a lagoon at its center with Viking statues, the Viking-inspired land has a coaster, a boat ride and meet-and-greets with the surprisingly agile dragons, these aren't your father's animatronics.
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Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky at @mikeysid.bsky.social.
Mike Schneider, The Associated Press
