Universal Orlando's Epic Universe: World's largest theme park opens May 2025

Universal Orlando Resort's Epic Universe, a 750-acre theme park, will open on May 22, 2025. The park, potentially the world's largest, features advanced technology and immersive experiences, including new instalments of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World. It will also be is the first major theme park to open in central Florida in 26 years.

Experts predict the park will impact the Orlando theme park landscape and Disney, Universal's main competitor. Ticket prices range from $139 to $199 for single-day admission, with dynamic pricing based on demand.

While Dennis Speigel of International Theme Park Services estimates the park's cost at up to $7.7 billion, Universal has not confirmed this figure. He called the Epic Universe theme park as "too damn good".


The park with an immersive design, blocks out the outside world. A central hub, Celestial Park, features rides and dining, and connects to four themed "worlds" via portals.


Dark Universe features Universal's classic monsters and the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic offers a new ride, Harry Potter: Battle at the Ministry, which involves time travel from 1920s Paris to 1990s London.

The Isle of Berk, based on "How to Train Your Dragon," includes roller coasters, a boat ride, and a show featuring Toothless the dragon. Super Nintendo World includes Donkey Kong's Mine-Cart Madness, Bowser's Challenge, and interactive elements using "Power-Up" bands.

Universal developed new technology for the park's attractions, especially for Monsters Unchained and the Harry Potter ride. The Harry Potter ride combines trackless systems, augmented reality, and high-resolution projections.

Single-day tickets for Epic Universe range from $139 to $199 for adults and $134 to $194 for children, plus tax, depending on the date. Multi-day tickets are available, and Universal's "Express Pass" for quicker access to rides costs extra.

Industry experts believe Epic Universe will pressure Disney to respond. Speigel predicted Disney, which opened its last theme park in central Florida in the last century in 1998, will come up with an answer in about a year or so.

Universal's attendance increased 36% after opening its first Harry Potter-themed area in 2010, according to Speigel. Disney's CFO Hugh Johnston noted positive early bookings for summer 2025 and mentioned historically positive impacts on Disney bookings from new non-Disney park openings in Florida.