Epic Universe turns 1, change continues: 'All good things will come'

Universal Orlando Resort’s newest theme park celebrates its first anniversary on May 22 — and it's already experimenting with a new way for visitors to experience its sprawling property.

On May 30 and June 1, Universal Epic Universe will welcome attendees of the Premiere Orlando beauty convention to Celestial Park, its gateway world, and the park's main artery. Corporate events are regularly held at theme parks, but what’s new is that these particular convention attendees will be able to access part of the park for free, according to the event organizer’s Instagram post.

This follows speculation that Universal was testing an open-hub concept that would broaden access to Celestial Park to wider audiences while restricting access to the park’s other worlds.

"We will always be testing things to try to figure out what the best way is to leverage the experience for all guests," Universal Orlando’s Executive Vice President and General Manager Jeff Polk told USA TODAY ahead of the park’s anniversary. "Over the next year and a half, we're going to experiment with a lot of things, to see what works, what doesn't work."

He added: "We're not gonna do anything en masse, though, until we have a comfort level that what we're doing is not upsetting the balance of the daytime guest experience and whatever these corporate or other activities might be."

Here's what guests can expect from Epic Universe in its second year and beyond.

What is in Epic Universe? 

Epic Universe invites guests to step inside five intricately detailed, immersive worlds.

"Our guests continue to tell us … they want to be inside the story. They want to feel like they are a part of it. They want to feel like they're experiencing it, viscerally," Polk said. "What we've learned over the past year is that we can't lean into that enough."

▶ Celestial Park is the heart of Epic Universe, not only because it runs along the middle of the park and serves as the gateway to the other four worlds, but because its theme is exploration and discovery. At night, the original concept world comes alive with lights, especially during its dazzling fountain show.

▶ How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk immerses guests in the vibrant world of the DreamWorks Animation franchise. Fans eagerly line up to meet characters like Toothless and see the popular live show "The Untrainable Dragon." Young kids will enjoy the multi-level Viking Training Camp play area.

People use their phones as they enter the “How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk” portal at Universal Epic Universe theme park ahead of the grand opening ceremony in Orlando, Florida, U.S. May 20, 2025.

▶ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is largely set in 1920s Wizarding Paris, the era of the "Fantastic Beasts" films, and this world's must-see live show, Le Cirque Arcanus. With a little magic, guests are transported to Harry Potter’s timeline and a life-size British Ministry of Magic for one of Epic Universe's most popular rides, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.

▶ Super Nintendo World is home to two smaller lands, Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country. Both make guests feel as if they’ve stepped into their favorite video games with interactive challenges and rides.

▶ Dark Universe is where monsters from Universal’s classic horror films — like Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Invisible Man — live on in the village of Darkmoor. The village is a family-friendly environment, but its Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment attraction may scare some guests.

What's changed at Epic Universe?

Guests may not see many visible changes in the park, besides trees and other landscaping growing in, but they may feel some differences. Team members have been fine-tuning operations while increasing capacity.

"It's a continuous layered experience of making things better, smoother, faster, more available," Polk said.

Universal is also focused on enhancing experiences that have already resonated with guests, such as shifting operating hours because many guests enjoy the illuminated park after dark, ramping up production of high-demand mac-and-cheese cones, and leaning into live entertainment.

What's new at Epic Universe?

Starting May 22, Captain Cacao, an original Epic Universe character with a cult following, will begin making character appearances in the park.

Universal describes Captain Cacao as a chocolate bear who was brought to life by the cosmic energy of Celestial Park. He and his best friend Maya of the Skies travel the universe looking for treats for her shop, Moonship Chocolates and Celestial Sweets.

Captain Cacao stuffies are available in Universal Epic Universe's Celestial Park.

Up until now, Captain Cacao has been available only as merchandise, such as plushies.

"Now people are gonna get a fully realized version of him that they can kind of interact with and hug," Polk said.

What's next for Epic Universe?

There has been a lot of speculation about new attractions or worlds that could come to Epic Universe. 

Polk acknowledged the team is thinking of "what's the next best exciting story that we can tell," but that will take a while.

"We’ve got a lot of space here, but a lot of time to grow into it," Polk said, adding that the resort's next big addition will be the new "Fast & Furious" roller coaster opening at Universal Studios Florida next year.

How many rides are at Epic Universe? 

There are 11 rides at Universal Epic Universe.   

• Celestial Park: Constellation Carousel, Stardust Racers
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: Dragon Racer’s Rally, Fyre Drill, Hiccups’ Wing Gliders
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic: Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
• Super Nintendo World: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Mine-Cart Madness, Yoshi’s Adventure   
• Dark Universe: Curse of the Werewolf, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment

Can you do Epic Universe in one day? 

There's no way to experience everything at Epic Universe in one day.

Polk said many guests spend a day at Epic, then come back the same trip after falling in love with its nighttime atmosphere.

The park has helped cement Universal Orlando as a multi-day destination, which was always the goal. 

"That has literally been in our minds since the early '90s," Polk said. "All that really has come together in the last year."

How much do tickets to Epic Universe cost? 

A single-day adult ticket (ages 10 and up) to Epic Universe starts at $139, while tickets for children ages 3 to 9 start at $134. Prices vary by date and demand.   

Guests get a bird's-eye view of Universal Epic Universe's Celestial Park from Bar Helios, atop Universal Helios Grand Hotel.

Will Epic Universe be part of annual passes?

"All in good time, all good things will come," Polk said.

He acknowledged the process may feel slow, but reiterated the importance of finding the right balance between guests and guest experience, noting it’s something they have to get right.

"Knowing that passholders are certainly some of our most important guests, we always want to give them as much as we can, but … we're also being mindful about the level of experience we could have, and we have lots of annual passholders," he said.

Is there a hotel inside Epic Universe? 

No, but Universal Helios Grand Hotel is adjacent to Epic Universe and has its own entrance at the back of Celestial Park.

Universal Orlando has 11 resort hotels in all, in partnership with Loews. Each offers perks like early park entry and free delivery of in-park purchases to hotels.

But guests should note Epic Universe is not included in the free Universal Express Unlimited passes given with stays at select Universal hotels.