Universal has announced official details for another one of the worlds of Epic Universe, opening in Orlando in 2025, this time for How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. We now have confirmation of the names and details for all of the land’s rides and attractions, as well as new information for dining, dragon meet and greets, and more.
Let’s dive into today’s announcement, as well as talk about what was not mentioned but still expected, in today’s news update. See the video version of this story above for additional visuals.
One of the five worlds of Epic Universe, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk takes up 15 and a half acres and features three rides, an indoor theater show, kids’ play area, and meet and greets.
The time period of the land is set between the second and third films, when Vikings and dragons are living together in harmony. Thanks to new official concept art and renderings we can see how the many dragon houses we recently saw in photos will be installed all around the land.
Universal says that this Viking village features 30 animated and static dragons, with 17 unique dragon species represented. Entering the land, we encounter the 40-foot tall fire-breathing statues within the lagoon in front of us, with the coaster train skating along the surface of the water.
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
The Intamin steel launched roller coaster for Isle of Berk is officially named Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, which will reach speeds up to 45 mph and feature Hiccup, Toothless, plus other dragons on the ride. This family coaster has a minimum height requirement of 40″.
The story of the attraction has Hiccup putting the finishing touches on his new Wing Glider, but before he’s finished installing all of the wings, Toothless launches us off prematurely, which causes us to skim along the lagoon and low to the ground, instead of soaring up high in the sky.
“From Hiccup’s workshop comes his latest contraption: a winged flying machine that launches aspiring Dragon Riders into the air, swooping and soaring and encountering Hiccup and Toothless along the way. Get ready to board Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, a fun coaster that invites Vikings to prove they’re brave enough to speed through the sky with dragons.”
Dragon Racer’s Rally
The two Sky Fly spinning rides are officially named Dragon Racer’s Rally, where riders soar up 67 feet in the air and have the choice to control the intensity of their ride. This attraction has a minimum height requirement of 48″.
New concept art gives us our best look at how the grandstands and queue areas will appear once this attraction is completed.
“The sport of dragon racing is a celebrated pastime on the Isle of Berk. At Dragon Racer’s Rally, Berk’s new Vikings can practice aerobatic maneuvers and high-speed barrel rolls on a Viking-made dragonriding trainer. You’ll need these high-flying, gravity-defying, swooping and soaring skills if you hope to become a champion dragon racer.”
Fyre Drill
The land’s boat ride is named Fyre Drill, which has no height requirement so everyone who can stand on their own can ride! The boat’s mounted water cannons can shoot over 28-feet through the air.
“With fire-breathing dragons everywhere, villagers have to be prepared. Viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut have transformed Berk’s Fyre Skööl into a watery, interactive boat battle at sea. Board your ship in Fyre Drill and blast your water cannons at flame-like targets – and the occupants of every other boat – to out-soak other Vikings.”
Viking Training Camp
The interactive play area within the Isle of Berk is named Viking Training Camp, located near the front of the land.
“At Viking Training Camp, junior Vikings will discover all types of dragons in this sprawling, colorful, interactive play area. Adventures include multiple towers to climb and explore, a fun agility course, Viking drums and chimes to play, an interactive sheep launcher game, plus slides and activities for the youngest Vikings.”
The Untrainable Dragon
The live theater show, located at the very back of the land, is named The Untrainable Dragon. Loosely based on the show that debuted with Universal Beijing, Epic Universe’s version takes place in a different time period and features some different characters—but it is confirmed that Toothless will soar above the audience, weighing in at 1,157 pounds, with a wingspan of nearly 27 feet.
“When a new dragon shows up on the Isle of Berk, the Vikings think they may have finally met their match. Hiccup and Toothless, with help from Gobber and Astrid, work together to solve the mystery of The Untrainable Dragon. Experience the wonder of dragons onstage and soaring overhead in this spectacular, music-filled, heart-warming live show.”
Haddock Paddock
After the show, you can meet the characters and dragons at the Haddock Paddock meet and greet. These large-scale dragons are brought to life through a combination of human puppetry and animatronics.
Universal says Hiccup and Toothless will be available for meet and greets, as well as Astrid, Stormfly, and more.
They also confirm that we may even catch dragons flying high overhead. This could be alluding to possible “robotic drone technology” that Universal has been developing to allow dragon-shaped drones to fly overhead around the back of the land.
Dining
The land’s main dining location, located beneath the large centerpiece mountain, is called Mead Hall. This is an upscale quick service location that features a large dining room.
“The massive Mead Hall is Berk’s main gathering place, a grand chamber hewn from mountain rock where Vikings feast on a hearty menu including meat, fish, sandwiches and desserts. Beverages include assorted meads, ciders and ales.”
Other dining locations that did not receive their own concept art with today’s official announcement include Spit Fyre Grill featuring “hearty meals flame-seared by a helpful (unseen) dragon fry cook,” with covered seating overlooking the Fyre Drill boat ride, as well as a snack stand named Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel near Dragon Racer’s Rally.
Shopping
Shopping locations for the land include Viking Traders in the middle of the land, Hiccup’s Work Shop which is the coaster’s exit shop, and Toothless’ Treasures located near the theater.
A few pieces of concept art for the interiors of shops were shown in today’s reveal video, including the atrium of the land’s candy store named How to Treat Your Dragon.
Rumored merchandise for the Isle of Berk include adoptable baby dragons, which are thought to be able to interact with the land. These small electronic dragons are expected to make noises, can be trained to do tricks, and will interact with the larger dragons throughout the area.
All of the worlds of Epic Universe are expected to include some sort of interactive item to be purchased, like the wands in the Wizarding World or Power-Up Bands in Super Nintendo World, and baby dragons is what is rumored for here.
That’s all for now, but be sure to check out the video version of this story for additional visuals, and see our recent construction update from just a couple days ago for the latest look around progress within the How to Train Your Dragon area, as well as the rest of the upcoming Epic Universe theme park.
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