Epic Universe Orlando: Park guests, theme park experts weigh-in on grand opening

ORLANDO, Fla. - Universal's Epic Universe opened on Thursday in Orlando, Florida. It is Universal's fourth theme park in Florida, joining Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and Volcano Bay. 

Epic Universe is the first major theme park to open in Orlando and Central Florida in nearly 30 years and is home to five lands: Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe, How To Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, and Celestial Park. Epic Universe theme park – 

First guest through the gate!

Opening Day Experience:

Nikki Zamorano, the first official guest to walk inside the Chronos at Universal's Epic Universe, joined FOX 35's Garrett Wymer to talk about her day at Epic Universe and how Universal Team Members picked her and her Luna outfit to be the first official guest at Epic Universe. 

FOX 35's David Martin, Ryan Elijah and Morgan Parrish spoke to some other guests as they headed into the park.

PHOTOS: Share your Epic Universe photos with us. Click here. 

Technical issues & Wait Times:

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry experienced a few delays and also had the longest average wait time at around 120 minutes.

However, for much of the morning, wait times for most attractions and rides at Epic Universe have ranged between 15–20 minutes. 

What theme park experts are saying

Theme Park Experts Weigh In:

Tharin White, lead publisher at EYNTK.info joined FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live from Super Nintendo World at the grand opening of Epic Universe, Universal Orlando's newest theme park. 

Drew Smith, Drew The Disney Dude joins FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the response online to the Grand Opening of Epic Universe, the current state of the park, eight hours into its first official day.

Matthew Miller, Senior Director of Orlando Informer joins FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live from Epic Universe to talk about the low crowd capacity on the Grand Opening Day of Universal's newest theme park.

Dustin Sparage, the Theme Park Shark joined FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live in-studio to discuss his perspective on Epic Universe. Sparage says he's been to Universal's newest theme park more than 10 times ahead of today's Grand Opening and says How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk is a SLEEPER world you need to check out.

What are the Epic Universe rides?

What we know:

Epic Universe features a total of 11 rides: three in Super Nintendo World, three in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, two in Celestial Park, two in Dark Universe and one in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, according to Universal Orlando Resort. 

Celestial Park rides:

Stardust Racers is the marquee attraction in Celestial Park. The dual-launch rollercoaster sends guests racing through the skies. The two intertwining tracks run parallel and criss-cross multiple times during the race. Racers can expect speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet.

The Constellation Carousel allows guests to "ride the constellations themselves", according to Universal. Guests board celestial animal carriages, including lions, dragons and peacocks, to ride across the Milky Way. Each is built with the capability of turning 360 degrees and lifting up to 6 feet in the air. Guests can expect celestial music and colors during their journey.

Isle of Berk rides:

Hiccup's Wing Gliders is a coaster where guests will climb aboard Hiccup's latest contraption to speed through the sky with dragons. The ride reaches speeds up to 45mph.

Dragon Racer's Rally is a thrill ride where guests will be in complete control of their dragons and able to practice aerobatic maneuvers and high-speed barrel rolls while soaring through the sky. This ride reaches heights up to 67 feet in the air.

Fyre Drill makes quite the splash! Created by the viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut this ride allows guests to be part of an interactive boat battle at sea. After boarding the ship the goal is to blast the water canons at the flame-like targets and the vikings aboard the other ship. Expect to get wet on this ride!

Super Nintendo World rides:

Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge is a 3-D / 4-D Experience, Motion Simulation where guests will put on special goggles and steer through the iconic Mario Kart courses just like in the game! The goal is to collect the digital coins and throw shells to try to defeat Team Bowser and win the Golden Cup. There is a minimum height requirement of 40 inches to ride. | Super Mario Land™

Mine-Cart Madness™ is a thrill coaster where guests board a mine cart and zoom through the Golden Temple. The goal is to help Donkey Kong protect the Golden Banana! There is a minimum height requirement of 40 inches to ride. | Donkey Kong Country™

Yoshi's Adventure™ is a ride for the whole family! Guests will weave through Mushroom Kingdom landscapes, encountering characters while searching for the hidden colored eggs. There is a minimum height requirement of 34 inches to ride. | Super Mario Land™

Ministry of Magic rides:

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry™ Guests will first have to travel by Métro-Floo from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic™ where Dolores Umbridge™ is about to stand trial. Guests will then board a lift with Harry, Ron, and Hermione who will journey deep into the Ministry’s many departments. It is a thrill and motion simulation ride with a minimum height requirement of 40 inches.

Dark Universe rides:

Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment - In Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, Dr. Victoria Frankenstein carries on her family’s dark legacy in a secret lab beneath their estate. During a live showcase of her groundbreaking attempt to control monsters, chaos erupts when Dracula leads a rebellion, rallying furious creatures like The Wolf Man, The Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and others. It is a thrill and motion simulation ride with a minimum height requirement of 48 inches.

Curse of the Werewolf - Maleva, the wise leader of The Guild of Mystics, invites you into a hidden wagon camp deep in the forest. There, you’re cautioned about the fearsome beasts that lurk in the shadows. Soon, you’ll find yourself aboard Curse of the Werewolf—a wild, twisting ride through the dark woods, dodging glowing eyes and snapping jaws as a relentless pack of werewolves closes in. It is a thrill coaster with a minimum height requirement of 40 inches.

What are the food and dining options? 

Universal Orlando Resort officials said there are more than 100 new themed menu items being released across 30 unique dining locations.

Epic Universe will feature a plethora of unique food items across the theme park's 30 dining locations that will offer everything from full-service restaurants to fast-casual cuisine. 

The food items were created after Epic Universe's five themed worlds: Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic and Celestial Park. 

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

• Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines
• Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar
• Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines
• FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV 

NewsFlorida