Now that early ticket packages are on sale, Universal has started advertising Epic Universe on TV ahead of its May 2025 opening. Around the work site roller coaster testing is ramping up, multiple signs have been installed around Nintendo, and a structure has been demolished in the center of the park.

Let’s dig into all that, as well as progress in all of the worlds of Epic Universe, in today’s news update. See the video version of this story below for additional visuals.

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The image below is an official piece of concept art, with labels added for all of the main attractions for Universal Epic Universe.

Thanks to recent aerial photography from @bioreconstruct on social media, we’re able to compare the latest construction progress to permit details and official concept art for this new theme park.

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Epic Universe Commercials

New commercials have started airing on television and online to promote Epic Universe to the general public. (Click here to view full-length version.) These adverts feature the different portals, helping to show how they take you into the five themed worlds for the park. Each portal segment features its own character exploring one of the worlds.

The ads all end with the phrase “You gotta see this.” Universal actually applied for a trademark for the You Gotta See This term last year. They filed the trademark for use with theme parks, as well as hotels, and even merchandise. Perhaps we could see this catch phrase used in early Epic Universe souvenirs?

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Super Nintendo World

Checking in on construction around the worlds of Epic Universe, and starting inside of Super Nintendo World, Peach’s Castle continues to receive color.

To the right of Peach’s Castle we can see the entrance taking shape for the Slot Machine Power-Up Band mini game.

Alarm clocks are being installed for the interactive Piranha Plant Nap Mishap key challenge game.

The AR binoculars are being installed in multiple points around the world.

These binoculars allow you to view the world with additional characters and elements added on top of reality.

Bowser’s face is receiving metallic theming details at the entrance to the Mario Kart ride, scaffolding is up around the tower as part of Bowser’s Fortress.

The Mario Motors sign has been installed, and color added for this exit gift shop for the Mario Kart ride.

These question blocks appear to be lit, perhaps testing lighting.

Work on the mushroom-shaped roof for Toadstool Cafe continues.

The yellow pipe framing for the entrance to the Yoshi’s Adventure ride has been installed.

The green pipes on the ride that lead in and out of the indoor scene have been completed.

Multiple baby Yoshis can now be seen along the ride’s finale.

A three-dimensional tree design has been painted along the flat backdrop behind this area.

Scaffolding is coming down from around a completed-looking face atop the Golden Temple in the Donkey Kong Country area of Super Nintendo World.

The Mine Cart Madness sign has been installed at the entrance to this roller coaster attraction.

The height stick is visible in front of the sign, on the left.

An exit sign can be seen at the exit bridge, which is themed as spears.

A new look within the Donkey Kong area at Universal Studios Japan was recently shared in a Nintendo Direct. It was announced that their version of the area and ride will be opening December 11th.

The video showcased elements around the Donkey Kong Country area in Universal Studios Japan, which is similar to the one being built in Epic Universe, but not an exact copy.

Part of the video showed off elements from the queue in Mine Cart Madness, confirming talking Cranky Kong and Squawks animatronic figures.

The continuously moving load platform for the ride was also confirmed, and Dixie Kong was shown at the start of the ride.

Back in Epic Universe, great progress has been made at Donkey Kong’s Treehouse.

The treehouse will be used as a backdrop for meet and greets with Donkey Kong, as revealed in the recent video from Japan.

New DK barrels have been added all around the area in Epic Universe, and the K O N G letters can be spotted here. These will be for collecting stamps using the Power-Up Bands.

The interactive barrel game, which can be spotted covered in Epic Universe, was also showcased in the official video from Japan.

After working with others to complete the challenge, an animatronic Rambi the rhino does make an appearance.

Outside of Super Nintendo World, temporary walls have gone up around the fountain with Mario on top, presumably to keep him from escaping.

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How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

Moving now to How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where roller coaster testing has been happening with multiple trains in recent weeks. See the video below for multiple angles of full circuit coaster testing.

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Named Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, we’re seeing the ride testing with the splash effects when the train passes under the lagoon.

A fog effect under this bridge has been testing as well.

This is also the first time we’ve seen the baby dragons in motion along the coaster’s second launch.

A fog effect has been testing around the baby dragons and eggs in this show scene as well.

It appears that for this scene, the train stops, starts to launch, but then rolls back, before fully launching. It is not yet known if this is only for testing or if it will be the final programming for this sequence.

Across the area, a faux wood facade has been painted for the live stage show theater, seen here with a mural of trees and sky behind it.

Zooming out, what we believe is a launch pad for dragon-shaped drones is visible to the left of the theater.

Another dragon drone was spotted testing recently. In footage, seen below, captured once again by Adventuring with Annie near the site we can see that this new flying dragon is a different type than the one we’ve seen prior. It appears at points that its wings and tail are moving as it flies. We believe dragons like this will appear over the Isle of Berk periodically throughout the day while the park is open.

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Back on the ground, theming elements have been added to the bridge between the stage show and the boat ride.

Roof work continues for the boat ride station area, now with posts added on top.

The boat ride, named Fyre Drill, has been drained again.

All of the boats have been taken out of water and parked near the maintenance building backstage.

A covering over the outdoor dining area for Spit Fyre Grill has appeared. The entire roof over the order station is now covered in grass.

Progress continues on the village square, including work on the fountain in the center.

Sheep can be spotted inside of the blacksmith shop in this area.

The entry into the world’s play area, named Viking Training Camp, looks complete.

A slide has been installed inside of the play area.

A themed kiosk is taking shape near the entrance to this world, along the walkway around the lagoon.

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Celestial Park

Moving into the central areas of Epic Universe, which is its own world named Celestial Park, we’re discovering that something that was under construction has actually been demolished recently.

A large tiered berm that was being constructed out of foam blocks has been completely removed.

This berm was being built along the side of the park’s central lagoon. It was rigged with sparkling points of light, and was to be covered in a green material—similar to what can be seen on the other side of the lagoon, near the carousel—but now there is no sign of it left.

The next two photos are a comparison to how it looked just a few weeks ago, as compared to now, where it has been completely removed.

Presumably it was designed to help manage sight lines in some way, likely as seen from the carousel, it is not known if a different structure, or even a more natural berm, will be built in its place.

The pegasus figure has been removed from the top of the domed roof of the Constellation Carousel, likely only temporarily.

New ornate design details have been added to the sections of this ride’s domed roof. And light bulbs can now be seen installed along each of the dome’s supports.

The other ride for Celestial Park, a dual track roller coaster named Stardust Racers, is seeing canopy roofs installed along sections of its exterior extended queue.

This framing over a section of the queue passes across a backstage access path.

The service road located directly between Stardust Racers and the How to Train Your Dragon area has been paved.

The courtyard design is nearly complete just inside of the park near the Chronos tower.

This design seems to look like a compass, pointing directly into the park.

Celestial-inspired designs in green framing are being added to the covered walkways near the shops just inside of the park.

Celestial designs are also visible on the glass domed roof as part of this covered walkway.

A swirly courtyard design is being created in front of the two connected dining locations near this area.

The awning over the entrance to the Atlantic seafood restaurant can be seen taking shape here.

Columns and decorative seashell elements for the Atlantic restaurant can be seen being unpacked on the access road near Super Nintendo World.

Below shows how these columns and seashells look on the aquarium-inspired building in official concept art.

The first completed lampposts for Celestial Park can be spotted near the entrance to Dark Universe.

Landscaping work has been happening between the park’s large show fountain and the Helios Grand Hotel at the back of the park.

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

Quickly checking in around The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, scaffolding is down temporarily around the entry arch behind the portal.

On the side of the arch facing the Parisian streets of the world this reveals the carved relief designs. Unlike the real arch that inspired this structure in Paris, this version features carvings of Fantastic Beasts.

We expect scaffolding to return to the arch, as we can see how the aging of this structure’s front still has much more to go.

On the left side of the world the awning looks more complete over the Metro-Floo themed entry into the main ride, named Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.

The official commercials for Epic Universe that have been airing recently seem to confirm one of the rumors for this ride, as it shows a charging erumpent, a magical creature we’ve expected to see on the ride.

Just today Universal shared new actual photos from inside of the Ministry ride, including a view of the large atrium.

As part of today’s reveal, we got our first glimpse of the ride vehicle seating as well, which will seat 14 guests. See the full story for more photos released today.

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Dark Universe

The final world to explore is Dark Universe, which is already seeing its first fog effects in use.

The well in the center of the village of Darkmoor can be seen spewing fog in recent tests.

But that’s not all that is testing, as smoke can be seen coming from two chimneys in the village as well at the same time.

The sign above the front entry door to the world’s main dining location has been installed for Das Stakehaus, but it is still covered in plastic.

The menu board for this restaurant can also be seen to the right of the door.

On the right of the entrance we can get a good look at the dungeon-style gate over the opening into the open air seating area for this restaurant.

Moving deeper into Dark Universe, the ride safety and wait time sign can be seen installed to the right of the entrance into Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.

Lighting tests have continued on the spires at the top of the central tower for the manor facade, as seen in the video below. These latest tests are now utilizing animated electricity effects.

Lighting test at Frankenstein Manor pic.twitter.com/Jiy0BHCrJN

— Adventuring with Annie (@AnniesUniUpdate) November 18, 2024

Behind the manor facade for this massive indoor ride, trees have been planted all throughout its exterior extended queue.

The Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster continues testing.

This is a spinning roller coaster, so we can see how the cars are facing different directions in these photos.

The posts along the turn closest to the entrance to Monsters Unchained are expected to have large scrims added, which are shown with projections in official renderings.

That’s all for this update, but be sure to check out the video version of this story for additional visuals. A huge thank you to Bioreconstruct for the amazing aerial and on the ground photographs. You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky, or Mastodon for more incredible theme park photos.

Subscribe to the news feed or enter your email address below to never miss an update. Official Art: Universal Destinations & Experiences & Nintendo | Aerial Photos: Bioreconstruct | Permit Documents: fasttrack.ocfl.net | Graphics and Overlays: Alicia Stella | Other Images as Captioned

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