Now that we have an opening date and the first tickets are on sale, things are definitely starting to feel real for Universal Epic Universe. With less than 7 months until grand opening we’re seeing blue waters in all of the lagoons, carousel seating being installed, and scaffolding has come down in front of the main ride for Dark Universe.

Let’s check in on construction for every area of Epic Universe, as well as opening date details and more, 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 Opening Date and Tickets

Universal Orlando recently revealed the official opening date for Epic Universe, May 22nd, 2025. This date is on the Thursday before Memorial Day, which is known unofficially as the kickoff to the summer season.

As part of the official opening date announcement, a new piece of promotional concept art for the park was released. This art features some more accurate and updated representations of elements within Celestial Park, as well artistic renditions of elements from each of the worlds of the park.

Since the opening date was revealed a couple weeks ago, the first phase of tickets to Epic Universe have gone up for sale. The company stresses that more ticket types will come online later, but for now all tickets for the general public are multi-day tickets, which include multiple days at the existing parks (Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure) and only one day at Epic Universe. You must specify the first date you plan to utilize these vacation packages, and dates that include the opening day for Epic Universe are still available for purchase as of now.

A special early access single-day discounted ticket option is also available for purchase, but only for current Universal Orlando annual passholders. These single-day tickets must be purchased individually and can only be connected to an annual pass, so cannot be transferred to others. You specify the date you plan to visit when buying these tickets, and the first few weeks of opening are sold out.

Annual passes that include Epic Universe, or a way to upgrade your existing annual pass is not available at this time, with the company saying more information will be revealed later. Since the calendar for the single-day passes goes all the way until the end of 2025, many believe we may not be able to add Epic Universe to our annual passes until January 2026.

More Epic Universe tickets—including single day and two-day passes—as well as Express passes and VIP Tours, will become available before the park opens.

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Epic Universe Hotel News and Permits

Universal has confirmed that all on-site hotel guests are able to utilize early park entry for Epic Universe, allowing them to enter the park before general guests. And that perk starts from day one, May 22nd, no matter which on-site hotel you’re staying at!

Universal Terra Luna Resort’s opening date has been delayed by a month, and will now open on March 25th, 2025. Those guests with reservations prior to that date are being called to move their reservation to Stella Nova or other resorts for their upcoming stays. Stella Nova is still scheduled to open on January 21st.

New permits, which were filed with Orange County this week, are offering us a glimpse at what the main signs along the streets for each of the Epic Universe area hotels will look like.

Permits show the location for each of the signs, like this one for the Stella Nova Resort along Epic Blvd.

These permits also show the final designs for each of these, “monument signs,” as the documents refer to them. Below is the look for the Stella Nova sign, with the silhouette of a person for reference.

Here is how the Terra Luna Resort sign will appear, which is similar but with its own color scheme.

And here is how the Universal Helios Grand Hotel sign appears in official documents. Looking closely at this image, it appears as though the details around the sign will be illuminated.

According to these documents, the Helios Resort will receive two signs, one on either side of its entry road.

The Universal Helios Grand Hotel will open on May 22, 2025, the same date as Epic Universe, and is now available for booking. Room start as low as under $300 a night. This hotel does not include free Express passes, despite being part of the resort’s highest tier of hotels.

While behind schedule according to permit information, the pool are for the Helios Grand Hotel seems to have made up for lost time, and is even filled with water currently. The nearby hot tub is filled with water as well.

This pool area also now features a nearly complete looking pool bar and restrooms building, cabanas, and palm trees encircling the area.

Foundation work and the installation of supports for a divider wall is happening now. It appears that this wall will be for blocking the view of backstage areas of the theme park from the pool area. The Dark Universe section of the park is located on the other side of this future wall.

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Dark Universe

Moving into the worlds of Epic Universe, and checking on construction progress for Dark Universe, scaffolding is coming down around the front of the portal, revealing shiny notches around its ringed entryway.

What may be more of these golden notches can be found on the ground, sitting in a staging lot across the street from Epic Universe, and ready to be installed elsewhere.

Inside of Dark Universe, scaffolding has completely come down around the manor facade at Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.

Being called the scariest ride Universal has ever created, this ride will feature Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Brides of Dracula, and Phantom of the Opera. These characters made famous by the classic Universal Monsters films have been given a modern update to be scarier according to the designers.

Universal just this week revealed a closer look at several of the now confirmed 14 animatronics for this ride, which they say are the most technologically advanced animated figures that have ever been built. And they say that they will move faster than any other figures they’d developed prior. See the official images below.

A 15th animatronic figure was also confirmed for the attraction, but not to be seen on the ride. As had been rumored previously, we will see a walking Frankenstein’s Monster figure during the ride’s preshow, set within Dr. Frankenstein’s lab. This figure is 800 pounds and stands 9-feet tall.

What may be audio from that preshow is also shared in a new video from Universal. In it we hear from the newly created character, Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, explaining that she is continuing the work of her great grandfather.

With the scaffolding down, we can get a better look at the top of the completed tower for Frankenstein Manor.

At the top of the tower we can see what appears to be simulated lightning damage on its roof. This gash in the tower’s peak is surrounded by what looks like burn marks, and it meanders from the front to the left side of the tower.

Also on this tower are two windows on the two smaller peaks in the front. These will light up to create special lighting effects. Below is a nighttime photo showing testing for this lighting effect in the smaller turret.

To accomplish this effect, it appears that there are flat LED screen panels within the turrets. The flat edge of this screen is visible at the base of the window here.

Looking towards the base of the manor facade, we can see finished details, like overgrown roots reaching up the walls and a portcullis gate at the main entrance.

Moving on to the land’s other attraction, a roller coaster named Curse of the Werewolf, it looks like a tremendous amount of trees have been planted all around the ride track and the barn at the center.

This barn-like structure is where a swing launch will take place for this spinning roller coaster ride, where we will catch glimpses of the werewolves that in story are chasing us. Universal confirms that this building is known as the “Darkmoor Armory” in the story for the ride.

The queue for this attraction is set in the camp of The Guild of Mystics, where colorful tents continue to be installed.

New colorful fringing along the sides of these canopies are being added now as well, including on this covering over the ride’s final brake run.

Here is a recent aerial look at the front of The Burning Blade Tavern.

The directional lighting we saw installed for the windmill atop this dining location in an earlier update was caught testing in the next two photos by Adventuring with Annie.

Different color lighting can be seen projected onto the windmill itself from the blades in front.

Within the village of Darkmoor area, near the front of the world, a plastic covering has been placed over the bell tower on the right section of Das Stakehaus.

A new gate has been installed below this tower, in front of the exterior covered seating area for this fast-casual dining location.

It appears that when these photos were taken, some exterior lighting was being tested along the retail building’s front.

We can see how the well in the center of the village has been progressing, with its posts now fully themed.

A new trademark filed by Universal may be related to the Dark Universe world of Epic Universe. The trademark application is for the term “SO MANY STORIES: THE TRAVELERS’ SONG” and is listed for use in theme parks for entertainment and live performances.

One element of this world that has been announced officially is a traveling musician, who will regale us with a tune, and is seen in official concept art performing near the well in the village. Perhaps this new trademarked name could be for this element of the land?

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Celestial Park

Moving now into the central part of Epic Universe, called Celestial Park, Universal has actually addressed one of the earliest rumors for the hub areas of the park.

In a Frequently Asked Questions page for Epic Universe ticketing they respond to the so-called “Open Hub” rumor that has been floating around the internet since a year before the park was even announced.

Universal says that yes, you will need a theme park ticket to be able to explore Celestial Park. They say “Celestial Park is one of the five imaginative worlds of Universal Epic Universe,” so guests will need admission to the park to be able to enter it.

Looking at progress around the entry area for Epic Universe, we can see bathrooms outside of the park, ticketing and will call on the right, and security with credentials check in the center under those two large roofs. A smaller VIP entrance with its own security can be seen off to the left.

The yellow line in the next photo shows the possible separation from the outside and inside of the theme park area. While the Chronos tower’s portal may be the entrance into Celestial Park, once you cross this line here, you are inside of Epic Universe.

Before you even enter the portal, you have access to Guests Services on the right, and Stroller and Wheelchair Rentals, plus Lost & Found, on the left.

On the other side of the main portal, design imprints for the courtyard just inside of Celestial Park are taking shape within this courtyard area in front of the Luna Overlook.

The basins for the cascading waterfalls stemming from Luna Overlook have all been painted now.

One of the two rides for Celestial Park, the icon for Stardust Racers has been fully revealed. This comet icon can be seen jutting out of the station building for this dual-track racing roller coaster.

Train cars for Stardust Racers have been arriving in crates, and then are assembled on this track spur beside the maintenance and station building.

Over at the other ride for Celestial Park, Constellation Carousel has finally seen its first ride seating installed within its large domed roof.

The ride seating for this unconventional carousel is designed to look like animals inspired by constellations in the night sky.

The seats for this ride move up and down like a traditional carousel, but then rotate in small circles while the entire ride platform rotates as well, creating an extra dimension of movement.

Nearby, covers are seen removed over all of the sprayers for the kids’ splash pad named Astronomica.

Fountains are being worked on within the large show basin, but a show for the park has not yet been announced. Fireworks can still seen above hotel in the new official concept art, as well as in animated promotional art for the Universal Helios Grand Hotel.

A ring structure is taking shape around the Helios statue at the back of the park, in front of the hotel.

A bird figure has been added as part of the statue’s ring as well.

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

Heading to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic we can spot the icon medallion installed atop the portal into this world.

This medallion features the Time Turner as its icon, which is fitting given that the land itself features locations set within two different time periods.

Scaffolding has been moving down as sections of the entry arch behind the portal received weathering from the top down.

The other side of this arch features a large phoenix statue looking towards the full-scale streets of Wizarding Paris.

New signs and etchings have been added to the front window of the cafe, one of two dining locations for this world.

Work continues on the main entrance to the world’s main attraction, an indoor ride named Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. This entry is being themed as the Metro-Floo, a mass-transit system for wizards.

To the right of the entrance, it looks like these are three Floo-based travel posters on display.

More window displays are beginning to take shape, like the musical instruments seen in the window below.

Additional window displays are visible near the candy store in the front of the world, like this false front cauldron shop and a Wizarding florist.

Lampposts are being added on multiple streets around the world.

Additional supports have been added around tent’s perimeter for overhanging material to be added. This tent will serve as the main entrance to the world’s indoor stage show.

What may be seating for this circus-themed stage show can be seen in this backstage area near the theater building.

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Super Nintendo World

Moving now to Super Nintendo World, where we had previously seen some colorful pipe coverings on the poles above the portal are now missing while work on this area continues.

Inside of the world, Peach’s Castle is now surrounded in scaffolding as it prepares for color and finer details to be added.

The shape of the grand staircase in front of Peach’s Castle looks to be complete, and has been primed for color.

On the other side of the upper level of this two-level world, the shape of Bowser’s face for the entrance to the Mario Kart ride looks to be completely assembled.

The front of the Mario Motors gift shop, located to the right of the Mario Kart entrance, appears to have been primed for color to be added. This will serve as the exit for the ride.

Posts with speakers and directional lighting have been installed all around this area.

Green and yellow colors are being added to the pathways along the ground on this level.

On the lower level, framing for the mushroom-shaped roof of Toadstool Cafe is being installed.

An egg shape has been added to the courtyard in front of the main entrance to the Yoshi’s Adventure ride.

This omnimover-style family ride could be seen testing when these photos were being taken.

In addition to the ride itself, the Conkdor animated figure can be seen testing as well, moving up and down towards the ride vehicles as they pass.

Behind the Conkdor, this hidden Yoshi egg can be spotted. To make this attraction interactive, riders must spot all three hidden eggs and press the corresponding colored button on ride vehicle as they pass.

Heading behind this area, and into the Donkey Kong Country section of Super Nintendo World, we can see the first color detail being added to the airplane-shaped retail kiosk.

The statue figures that make up the arch at this mini-land’s entrance are seeing their separate assembled pieces sealed together.

Palm trees are being painted onto the mural at back of this area which separates Super Mario Land from Donkey Kong Country.

Progress continues to be made on Donkey Kong’s treehouse. A decorative lattice ring is being added to the drink stand next to the treehouse. Framing to hold this kiosk’s sign has been installed as well.

Clean water can be seen in the water feature on the Mine Cart Madness roller coaster ride. Here it will appear that our carts are skating across the water.

Scaffolding can be seen added around this screaming pillar near the water feature.

The glowing eyes of a golden monkey head can be spotted at the ride’s entrance, just inside the opening into the golden temple.

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How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

The last world to check in on is How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where dirt is being added into this section of the entry portal on the left, so it may contain real landscaping elements once completed.

Inside of the world, the fountain in the center of the village plaza is finally beginning to take shape.

Here is how this fountain appears in official concept are for this world.

Also visible in the art above, are the steps and accessibility ramp leading to the entrance of the Mead Hall dining location, seen on the left side of the image.

Below we can see how progress on this staircase and ramp matches the concept art.

Additional theming details around this village plaza area were being installed as these photos were being taken.

Dragon Racer’s Rally can be seen testing while these aerial views were taken. This ride has been seen testing since at least December of last year.

Canopies have been installed over the exterior queue areas for Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, a launched roller coaster attraction.

Stone pillars can be spotted within a section of the queue now.

A mural is in progress on the exterior walls of the world’s indoor theater building. This is where The Untrainable Dragon show will be performed.

New trees have been painted on the front of the theater, blending well behind the real trees in front.

The gift shop near this theater’s exit is receiving roofing tiles.

Work continues on the station roof for the Fyre Drill boat ride.

Grass is being added to the angle roof over the ordering stations of the Spit Fyre Grill. Sod roofs are a traditional Scandinavian building style.

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Epic Universe Transportation

As we wrap up, let’s check in on the large traffic circle ramp, which appears to be making great progress. This circle structure is actually a large overpass ramp, which will be the main way that guests coming from the original Universal Orlando Resort will arrive to Epic Universe.

As seen in the official concept art below, through-traffic will utilize the intersection underneath the circle when traveling past the theme park area, going to and from Universal Blvd.

Universal probably hopes to see this traffic circle, along with the rest of the Kirkman Rd. extension, will be completed as soon as possible. That way it is ready not just by the time the park has its grand opening in May of next year, but likely several months sooner to help with traffic during team member previews, passholder soft opens, and any other testing periods with guests.

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 | Aerial Photos: Bioreconstruct | Permit Documents: fasttrack.ocfl.net | Graphics and Overlays: Alicia Stella | Other Images as Captioned

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