New Universal Theme Park Featuring Mario And Harry Potter Opens In May—Here’s What We Know

17 Oct 2024 by Mary Whitfill Roeloffs · Forbes

Topline

A fourth Universal amusement park in Florida with five brand new themed worlds—including those based on "Harry Potter," Super Nintendo and "How To Train Your Dragon"—will open to the public on May 22, 2025 and tickets will go on sale for the first time next week.

Celestial Park is one of five new worlds to be included at Universal Epic Universe when it opens in ... [+] 2025.Universal Orlando Resort

Key Facts

Universal Orlando Resort earlier this year revealed details of the new Universal Epic Universe park that will include five new “worlds,” three hotels and new restaurants among its more than 50 attractions.

The new addition to Universal Orlando’s ultra-popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter will send visitors back in time to experience the Ministry of Magic as seen in 1920s Paris—inspired by the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise—and 1990s London, as Harry, Ron and Hermione would have known it in the “Harry Potter” books, the first of which released in 1997.

The Super Nintendo World will build off of the success of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and see guests enter through an iconic green pipe to a Mario Kart ride and other attractions, and the Isle of Berk based on “How To Train Your Dragon” will feature Viking-themed attractions, the company says.

The park’s Dark Universe area seems to gender-flip the mad scientist of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel "Frankenstein," and will be based on the experiments of a Dr. Victoria Frankenstein in a "world of myth and mystery."

The fifth new themed world is called Celestial Park, a nature-based area featuring gardens, waterways and a constellation-inspired rollercoaster.

Three new hotels will open, including a galaxy-themed hotel, a resort inspired by the "diverse planetary elements of the universe” and the 500-room Universal Helios Grand Hotel that comes with a dedicated entrance to Celestial Park.

A new theme park called Universal Epic Universe will open in 2025.Universal Orlando Resort

What To Watch For

Multi-day ticket packages including access to Universal Epic Universe will go on sale to the public Tuesday, Oct. 22. Reservations for the Universal Helios Grand Hotel will open the same day for stays starting May 22, 2025. Single-day tickets will be made available first to annual pass holders on Thursday, Oct. 24.

Tangent

Universal has slowly unveiled additional details about new attractions at Epic Universe over the last 10 months. New rides include the Curse of the Werewolf rollercoaster in Dark Universe, an elevator ride inside the Harry Potter Ministry of Magic, a Mario Kart-inspired ride in Super Nintendo World, a Donkey Kong thriller rollercoaster and a water ride on a dragon in the Isle of Berk. A monster "makeup experience" will turn visitors into werewolves, vampires and mummies; the Harry Potter land will include a new French restaurant and the “How to Train Your Dragon” world features a sprawling a "viking training camp" playground.

Crucial Quote

Mark Woodbury, CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences, in September said Epic Universe would be the "most technologically advanced park we’ve ever done." He said the park will use facial recognition, photo validation technology and robotics drone tech to take the experience of visiting a park "to a whole new level."

Key Background

Universal opened its first theme park destination, Universal Studios Hollywood in California, in 1964. It expanded to Orlando in 1990 with Universal Studios Florida and now includes the Islands of Adventure theme park and Universal CityWalk, which leads guests to the two parks. There are currently six Universal hotels and resorts serving the Florida parks, and an estimated 21.7 million people visited in 2022. Universal parent company Comcast’s theme parks generated some $7.5 billion in revenue in 2022, up 49% from the Covid-impacted prior year. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been the undeniable centerpiece of Universal's Florida attractions since it first opened in 2010 and expanded in 2014. Attendance at the Universal parks surged by an average of 32.1% in the years following the opening of the Wizarding World. The Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure ride is the longest roller coaster in Florida and, at the time it opened in 2019, was the most expensive roller coaster ever built at a cost of $300 million. Today, that title is owned by Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which opened in 2022 in Disney's competing nearby EPCOT park.