The Epic Universe Preview Center at Universal CityWalk Orlando is now open, offering guests a first look at the upcoming theme park opening in 2025. We were able to see it for ourselves during a soft opening on Wednesday evening.
Epic Universe Preview Center Opens to Guests
The Preview Center takes over the space formerly occupied by the Universal Legacy Store. A screen mounted on the facade displays the Epic Universe logo and concept art, along with digital flyover videos of the park.
The windows display merchandise around golden rings. Starry clouds are along the bottoms of the displays and the backgrounds feature more celestial theming. Each display is set inside a large silver frame with a rounded opening.
The entrance marquee resembles one of the golden portals that will be in Epic Universe. The portals lead guests to each of the lands: Celestial Park, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Super Nintendo World.
The portal is gold with green accents. The main gate of Epic Universe will be the Emerald Gate. Above it will be the Chronos device, the magical machine that transports guests to different worlds.
A black-and-white image of the Chronos device is in a frame behind the glass entrance doors.
The interior uses more gold and green decorative elements, like these platforms displaying a family of mannequins wearing Epic Universe apparel.
The gray floor features golden circular decals.
The circle motifs are reminiscent of planets and stars. In addition to Celestial Park, Epic Universe’s Helios Grand Hotel and the nearby Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts will have celestial theming.
Some of the store’s intricately detailed paneling has an Art Deco style. Gold railings surround the Epic Universe model.
We shared a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Epic Universe model earlier this month.
We have a closer look at the completed model later in this article.
There are merchandise displays across the floor. Four golden archways are on the walls, showing concept art of one of the four IP-based lands beyond.
The golden archways are topped with medallions representing the respective land. Similar medallions will top the real portals in Epic Universe. The concept art gives approximately what the real view through the portal will be.
This new Dark Universe art features a “Dark Moor” sign on a broken stone wall. A manor house is in the distance. The medallion features lightning striking a rod.
The How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk art features the island’s mountainous features beyond a lagoon. In the lagoon are a Viking statue and a dragon statue. The land’s medallion features a dragon.
This new concept art for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic features long Parisian streets. The entrance to Le Cirque Arcanus is at the end, next to a building featuring an Eiffel Tower decoration. The medallion features a hand holding a wand.
The Super Nintendo World concept art is a look down into the Mushroom Kingdom with Donkey Kong Country in the background. Part of Yoshi’s Adventure is across the center. A toadstool is on the medallion.
The walls and some display shelves are shades of blue, representing the sky.
The blue walls have white specks representing stars.
The room is roughly split into sections for each IP. There is new merchandise for each of the IP-based lands.
There is a collection dedicated to the Epic Universe logo.
Some generic “Harry Potter” merchandise, like creature plush, is also available.
Golden stanchions with blue velvet ropes are in front of the cash wrap. Golden celestial decorations are on the wall behind it.
Golden lighting fixtures resemble stars.
Epic Universe Model
All of the Epic Universe concept art comes to life on the model. The model took nine months to complete and cost approximately $1 million. It was created by a team of 10 scenic artists and seven make-up artists, who painted the small details.
It was continuously updated as plans for the park changed but helped Universal creatives visualize the park they were building.
At one end is the Universal Helios Grand Hotel. This palatial in-park hotel will have an entrance dedicated to hotel guests. In front of it is a fountain. The model actually includes fake streams of water shooting into the air.
The hotel is curved with the park’s fountain. The building behind it is a parking garage.
This is the main entrance for non-hotel guests: the Emerald Gate and Chronos device. The pavement of the park will feature circular celestial motifs, just like in the Preview Center.
There are hundreds of tiny trees on the model.
There are even roller coaster trains on the Stardust Racers model. The dual-racing coaster was originally called Starfall Racers. It’s located in Celestial Park.
It stretches between The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon lands.
There are QR codes posted next to some of the attractions. These lead to the Epic Universe Preview Center app and AR features.
This one included information about Stardust Racers.
Feel what it’s like to board a comet and race through the stars on Stardust Racers. Blaze across the sky as this dual-launch coaster sends all who ride racing to the furthest reaches of the cosmos.
The coaster tracks are yellow and green, with the trains meant to resemble comets. The ride will reach up to 62 miles per hour and a maximum height of 133 feet on 5,500 feet of track.
The model includes every building and structure, including those that will house ticket booths and guest services.
A building near Stardust Racers features a sign reading “Meteor,” seemingly confirming this is the rumored Meteor Astropub restaurant.
In clockwise order from the Helios Grand Hotel, the park is organized in the following way: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, main entrance, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe.
The two round structures near the center of the park are Constellation Carousel.
The large show building on the left side is for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge in Super Nintendo World.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is mostly white. It’s one of the most enclosed lands, not unlike Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida.
This large show building is for the land’s Ministry of Magic ride.
Though the land’s facades are inspired by the streets of Paris and Place Cachée from “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” the ride will take guests to the British Ministry of Magic.
The main entrance is inspired by the Porte Saint-Denis archway. A golden phoenix sculpture is on the back of it, facing the land.
The red tops of Le Cirque Arcanus tents are in the center of the streets. This circus also appeared in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
Dark Universe
Next up on the Epic Universe Preview Center model display is Dark Universe, a land populated with Universal Monsters. This show building is in Dark Universe.
Tiny strings run from the Dark Universe manor to a tree in a nearby courtyard.
Dark Universe’s coaster is rumored to be named The Curse of the Werewolf.
There’s a tiny stone courtyard in the monster-inspired land.
There is also an AR feature available via QR codes on the model.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
The large building in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is a theater for “The Untrainable Dragon.” The Broadway-level production is a copy of “Untrainable” at Universal Studios Beijing.
The land will have a boat ride named Fyre Drill.
A tall craggy mountain towers over the Isle of Berk. Mead Hall is at the base of this rock.
The Epic Universe Preview Center app describes Mead hall as:
Mead Hall is Berk’s main gathering place, a grand chamber where Vikings feast on meat, fish, sandwiches and more. Drinks include a variety of meads and ciders. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
The land’s roller coaster is Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, which the Epic Universe Preview Center app describes as:
Climb aboard Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and get ready to fly like a dragon. This winged contraption sends brave Vikings swooping and soaring, offering a dragon’s eye view of the Isle of Berk.
The last ride is Dragon Racer’s Rally. This ride has two structures that will fly guests into the air as dragon-riding practice. It’s inspired by Snotlout and Astrid.
There will also be the Viking Training Camp play area for kids.
At Viking Training Camp, young Vikings will discover all types of dragons as they climb, slide and explore their way through a sprawling, colorful, interactive adventure play area.
Super Nintendo World
Versions of Super Nintendo World already exist at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood but currently only feature the Mushroom Kingdom. Universal Studios Japan will soon get the Donkey Kong Country expansion while it will open with Epic Universe.
The expansion’s coaster is Mine-Cart Madness. It uses a new ride system developed in-house by Universal Creative that recreates the maneuvers of the mine carts from the Donkey Kong Country video game series.
Mushroom Kingdom will include the Mario Kart ride and Yoshi’s Adventure from Universal Studios Japan.
Per the Epic Universe Preview Center app, Yoshi’s Adventure is described as:
Yoshi’s Adventure
Take a ride with Yoshis and help them find three glowing eggs on Yoshi’s Adventure, an enchanting family-friendly attraction that takes you on a journey through familiar Mushroom Kingdom landscapes.
Guests enter the main area of the land through Princess Peach’s castle after traveling through a warp pipe.
Guests will also get to dine at Toadstool Cafe, run by Chef Toad. We reviewed every item from the restaurant at Universal Studios Hollywood.
The AR feature on the Epic Universe Preview Center app also highlights Toadstool Cafe.
Toadstool Cafe
Dine on tasty dishes at Toadstool Cafe, where you can watch playful scenes of the Mushroom Kingdom through the windows and see Chef Toad cooking in the kitchen.
Watch our video tour below.
What’s your favorite part of the Epic Universe model? Have you gone to see it in person since the Epic Universe Preview Center has opened to guests? Sound off in the comments and on social media.
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