An immersive world diving into the epic universe of universal
Universal’s epic universe in Orlando, Florida is the first theme park to open in the region in five different immersive worlds in 25 years.
- Don’t focus solely on vehicles. Explore character interactions, live entertainment and interactive elements.
- Prepare for Florida’s heat and potential rain, stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and bring the right accessories.
- Check your ride height requirements in advance to avoid disappointment, especially for children.
- Don’t let the super Nintendo world stairs stop you. Use the available elevators for accessibility.
Universal Epic Universe is a theme park for theme park lovers.
A new addition to Universal Orlando Resort brings immersive themes to a new level in five completely fleshed-out worlds connected by ornate portals throughout the park.
“It changes the nature of the theme park design itself,” Steve Tasam, executive creative director of everything in the epic universe, told USA Today ahead of the park’s grand opening on Thursday. “When you think about theme parks, over the last half century, three minutes of experience has been built within themed land, and this is completely different… each of these worlds becomes a one-day experience.”
There’s no shortage of things to see and do, but there are some things to avoid in the epic universe.
1. Don’t focus on vehicles alone
I’ve only rode the epic universe 11 times, but there’s a lot more to experience throughout the park.
You won’t miss out on character interactions and live entertainment. The “The Trainable Dragon” show is one of the best attractions in the park, and it’s unforgettable to meet characters like the bride of Frankenstein and Ygor from Dark Universe. There are also many interactive elements and Easter eggs all over the world.
“It’s about living the story for a long time,” Tasam said. “I like to think of it as waders, swimmers, divers. So waders just go for a walk and say, ‘Oh, this is fine. This is nice. I’m going for a ride.’ And people dive a little deeper, they’ll be rewarded because they can find certain things, those divers, something that’s very specific. ”
2. Do not overheat
The queues for most attractions are either shaded or indoors, with many air-conditioned restaurants and shops, but the spectacular space with no shade has even wider open spaces.
- I drink a lot of water. This is available free of charge if processed drinks are on sale.
- Apply sunscreen and reapply regularly.
- Bring sunglasses, hats, cooling towels, umbrellas and/or personal fans.
- Whether you’re watching a show or sitting in an air-conditioned eatery and drinking a cold drink, take a break indoors.
If overheating makes you feel sick, ask your team members for help. The park also has two first aid stations. One is by guest services near the main entrance, and the other is the Ministry of Magic, the magical world of Harry Potter. You can find them on the maps in the Universal Orlando free app.
Likewise, you’ll want to prepare for the rain, just like the heat. Packed with reusable ponchos and wearing shoes that can be handled wet. And if the ride has to be closed due to weather, it is for your safety and control of team members.
3. Check height requirements to avoid disappointment
The three attractions at the Epic Universe have a height requirement of 48 inches. MonstersUnchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, Stardust Racers, Dragon Racer’s Rally.
Most other vehicles have a 40-inch requirement, which is preschool height and may require an adult to supervise.
Yoshi’s adventures have a 34-inch height requirement, but it is slow and gentle, and the infants on hand are not permitted in the carousel or fire drills of the constellations.
Looking into the height requirements in advance will avoid the disappointment of children who may not be tall enough for some rides. Most rides have family waiting rooms where parents and guardians can switch between children they cannot or don’t want to ride.
There are also two play areas for kids. Viking Training Camp How to Train Your Dragon – Astronomical Splash Pads in Berk Island and the Astronomical Park.
Children of all ages also enjoy key challenges and other interactive activities of power-up bands in the interactive cane area of Super Nintendo World and Harry Potter’s Magical World, but at least one guest in the party should have a power-up band or an interactive cane.
4. Don’t skip the world of Super Nintendo for stairs
Just like the original Super Mario game, the world of Super Nintendo has many stairs, especially in Mario Kart: Bowser’s challenge. This has been a pain point for some guests previewing the park, but it doesn’t have to be.
The two-storey world has multiple elevators, with multiple elevators in the rest of the park, especially for guests with wheelchairs and other mobility needs.
As soon as you enter the portal, instead of heading straight towards the escalator, turn right and find an equally themed path to the elevator you will take to the second floor.
Here you can play a variety of key power-up challenges and qualify for an interactive showdown with Bowser Jr. It is also a place where you can enter one of the three vehicles in the world, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. If you are unable to climb or descend the stairs, you can ask a team member at the entrance to the attraction to escort the elevator in the queue. It won’t reduce your waiting time, but it will help you avoid stairs.
On the second floor there is another elevator on the second floor for guests who want to descend to the ground to enjoy other parts of the world, including Donkey Kong Country. It is located on the right side of Mario Kart and Mario Motors Shop.
From the ground level, guests can catch the same elevator on the left side of Yoshi’s adventure and go upstairs. Yoshi’s Adventure also has an elevator for that particular vehicle. You don’t need an elevator to get into Minecart’s madness.
