Work continues on the “most technologically advanced” Universal theme park, Epic Universe, which is still on track to open by summer 2025. Aerial photographer bioreconstruct has shared more construction images on X (formerly known as Twitter) taken over the past weekend, and we’ve collected the latest updates to share with you here.
Epic Universe Construction
General Construction & Staging
As crews continue to work on Epic Universe, various tests are taking place in staging areas at the site. The following three photos illustrate a pavement test in action for Epic Universe. The photo above is from August 18, 2023.
This photo is from September 1. 2023, and shows a huge amount of progress from just a couple of weeks before.
The final image is from September 15, 2023, and now we can see art of a stylized sun and what could be planets orbiting around it. Since this is just a pavement test, it’s likely that crews are working to see what paints will stand up to weather and wear over time.
In these photos, taken August 18 and September 15, respectively, we can see some small changes taking place in a staging or prototyping area for the park.
In this lot, exterior samples are being staged for Super Nintendo World. The arrow in this shot points to a themed roof sample, which can be seen atop Yoshi’s Adventure in the land further down in our report.
These photos show the prototyping process at work, with a sample staged in the first image, and the final painted viking ship in Isle of Berk below.
Epic Universe In-Park Hotel
The Epic Universe in-park hotel is a bit taller now than our last update. It curves along the edge of the park, located at the far end from the main entrance.
Here we can see end-cap rooms being worked on.
Work is now underway on the outdoor recreation and pool area for the hotel.
Concrete forms extend out from the lobby area.
Nearby the lobby area are more concrete forms, for what could be services like valet parking.
The arrows in this photo point to exterior walls going up on the hotel. There are no windows here, and the hotel has a service basement, so this could be a meeting or event space.
The arrow on the left points at an exterior wall panel for the in-park hotel. Bioreconstruct also captured trucks driving in, delivering materials to the construction team.
Here’s another look at more hotel walls going up.
Just off to the left of the hotel when looking at it from inside Epic Universe, a restaurant is taking shape. A cascading water feature will be located nearby.
Park Entrance
This photo offers a look at construction worker parking as Epic Universe is being built. Eventually, this will be guest parking. Team Members will park in their own lot, located at Sand Lake Rd. The arrow in this image points to the park’s entrance.
This aerial look offers a glimpse at the oval courtyard that will be seen upon admission (metal framework on the left) to Epic Universe. On the right is the signature Universal gateway to the park.
Another angle of the gateway to the park shows nearby work on columns that will eventually frame the tall center arch of the structure.
At the top center of the image above, we can see metal framing that will eventually become the security and admissions area for Epic Universe. Universal Destinations & Experiences CEO Mark Woodbury recently said that the park will utilize facial recognition technology to allow guests to have a “frictionless experience.”
Just past the Epic Universe gateway arch, excavation is underway for a water feature.
According to bioreconstruct, the building at the top center of this photo will be the admission sales location for the park.
Looking toward the gateway and water feature excavation, we can see an octagonal building on the right, which will reportedly be a waterside restaurant.
Here, thanks to the crews at work, we can get a better idea of the sheer scale of the central fountain in Epic Universe. The tiered concrete forms are for audience viewing.
In addition to the tiered audience areas, semi-circular concrete forms have gone up around the perimeter of the fountain area.
How to Train Your Dragon Land (‘Isle of Berk’)
The How to Train Your Dragon land is rumored to be named “Isle of Berk.” Here’s an aerial photo of current work on the portal to the land, viewing it from behind.
Viewing the portal from the front, bioreconstruct supposes that dragons will be located on top of the rocks in the middle of the coaster track at number 1. In the rock formation, a service door can be seen, as well as three mounts on top of the rocks.
At number 2, we can see what looks to be guest walkways made of wood panels. At number 3, the sculpting of a viking boat has been paused by a recent storm; you can see the water collected in a puddle to the left of the boat, as well as inside it.
Here’s another angle of the mount points among the coaster track.
This aerial photo shows an overview of what guests will experience in the land. Number 1 marks the portal, or the entrance to the land itself. Number 2 is the location of a pair of spinning riders. Number 3 is the station for the roller coaster.
Number 4 is the Great Hall, a restaurant inspired by the location of the same name in the films. Number 5 marks the location of a boat ride. At number 6 is a theater, which is reportedly like the How to Train Your Dragon show titled “Untrainable” at Universal Studios Beijing. Finally, at number 7, we get a look at the dual racing coaster outside the land.
This image offers a look at the bay in the front of the land. Just like in the films, guests’ adventure will begin here once they spot the viking and dragon statues. The wood-faced walkways can also be seen here, along with two bridges. The roller coaster track goes underneath the bridge on the right.
These two statues will be located in a large body of water. Viking ships are being worked on behind them.
Here you can see crews at work sculpting large diameter wood poles to hide their inner steel framing. This is theming for where the roller coaster will diver under a bridge.
Here, a building is being faced with rockwork. This also shows where the roller coaster will skim a body of water.
In this photo, a large wood pole is actively being placed at a structure at number 1. Number 2 shows waterproofing that was added to a recently-build wooden building. Number 3 shows current work being done at the load and unload platform for the land’s boat ride.
At the boat ride for Isle of Berk, the arrow at the top right points to where boats will travel over a ramp to the load and unload platform.
More work is being done near the theater, located on the right in this photo. A guest bridge can be seen at the bottom center, with a service building at the top center.
At number 3 in this photo, a landing pad is being cast for a spinning ride.
Here’s a closer look at the Great Hall restaurant, currently being faced with rockwork and their supports, at number 1.
This image offers a closer look at that rockwork and its supports.
Taking a look at the back of house for the Great Hall restaurant, we can see the rockwork for the building on the left, and roller coaster track traveling over a frame that will hide this area from riders.
Super Nintendo World
The only land that’s ben confirmed for the land so far is Super Nintendo World. The land is already open at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood. The Florida version will open with both the Mario Kart and Yoshi attractions from Japan, as well as a Donkey Kong expansion area, shown in the photo above. This expansion is also under construction in Japan.
This photo shows off the Donkey Kong roller coaster in Super Nintendo World. At number 1, we can see newly-added framing for a themed kiosk. Number 2 marks steel framework for ride theming. Number 3 is Mount Beanpole, where more theming is being added. Number 4 will be the future location of Yoshi’s Adventure, where we can see more rooftop theming being added.
At the arrow, one of the mine car ride vehicles for the coaster is in place, with a reach tester attached. This test is used to replicate the maximum reach of a guest, and to assure that the ride vehicle doesn’t strike the fake track, which will make the riders feel as though they’re “hopping” over gaps.
The sideways track at number 1 will allow the mine car to go across a water feature. At number 4, you can see some of the themed “breaks” in the fake track.
The arrow is this photo points toward recently-cast pavement in a back of house area behind the Donkey Kong roller coaster.
Here’s a better look a the sideways track underneath the fake, broken track for the roller coaster. In the middle left of the shot, you can see a giant “gap” that riders will “jump” over.
Arrows here point to foam trims that have been piled on the floors of Super Nintendo World. Earlier in September, this area was staged with foam blocks. The foam is used for sculpted theming in the land.
Here we can see the façade for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, known as Koopa’s Challenge in Japan.
This closer look at Mount Beanpole shows theming being added within the scaffolding.
Artists are hard at work on theming for the land near Mount Beanpole.
Over at Yoshi’s Adventure, the yellow arrows point to where slotted track has been covered.
On the left, a pyramid of metal framing has ben put together, which will likely be themed to match the smaller peak on the right.
This photo shows some of the doorways in Super Nintendo World. Number 1 is the exit from Peach’s Castle into the land, number 2 is the entrance to Toad’s Cafe, and number 3 is the entrance to the Mario Kart attraction.
In the bottom left of this photo, the arrow points to scaffolding near what will be the escalator that takes guests up and into Super Nintendo World.
This will be the portal to Super Nintendo World.
This building is located just beyond the portal to Super Nintendo World, and is reportedly going to be a Nintendo-themed shop and café.
Universal Monsters (Dark Universe)
Another rumored land for Epic Universe is “Dark Universe,” an area inspired by Universal Monsters.
Here we can see the proximity of Dark Universe to the central fountain area of Epic Universe. The portal to the land toward the middle right is just a short walk away.
It appears that reach testing is also taking place at the Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster. The arrow above points to a metal frame, which represents the maximum reach of a rider.
Above is a staging area, which appears to have tubes for protecting roller coaster track ready for overhead construction.
In this photo, you can see that tubing in action, protecting the Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster from upcoming overhead work. The arrow at the top middle marks a themed fence over a spur to the coaster’s service bay.
Forest landscaping is in progress between the Dark Universe coaster and nearby buildings. Universal recently said that it will “bring the park back into theme parks” with Epic Universe’s central hub.
Curse of the Werewolf is reportedly a spinner coaster, with the barn above concealing a shuttle launch that will send riders careening backward before propelling them forward in the circuit route to the station.
The multiple large metal frames near the coaster station are reportedly supports for themed tents.
This image shows what is allegedly The Burning Blade Tavern. The arrow above points to scaffolding that has gone up around framing for a windmill.
Here, stone blocks are being used to theme concrete walls. These walls contain a berm, which will make it appear as though guests are entering a hillside underneath the windmill. The arrow above points to scaffolding put up for workers to paint the ceiling of outdoor seating for the tavern.
Here is the mansion-like building in Dark Universe, with arrows pointing to areas where gothic-style stone can be seen through the scaffolds.
The mansion will reportedly house the land’s main attraction, a robotic arm ride like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
At the arrow on the top left, a fountain courtyard area appears to be in development.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Paris
Here we can see the column that will eventually mark the portal to Florida’s third land themed to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, inspired by the Paris version of Diagon Alley seen in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” — named Place Cachée.
This land has some of the tallest structures in the park, with the arrows here pointing to different kinds of Haussman-style roofs.
Work continues on an inner courtyard of a Parisian-style building. The arrow points to one of three openings at street level, which guests will use to reach this area. The show building in the foreground of this shot will reportedly be a restaurant.
A frame is under construction in this courtyard area.
The framework is part of a façade for the potential restaurant, which can only be reached by this courtyard.
Meanwhile, outside the land, landscaping is underway, as seen in the top left of this image.
The tower framing seen at the bottom right of this image will reportedly be themed as a spire of Sacré Couer Basilica in Paris, as if the nearby street is in Montmartre.
Additional Hotels
Offsite of Epic Universe are two more hotels. Above is a look at the current number of floors for one of them.
Taking a close-up look at the other hotel, we can see pool construction is underway, with crews actively working in the pool site. This image also gives us a better look at the reflective tile mural being installed on this side of the hotel.
Are you excited to see more of Epic Universe as it continues to take shape? Which rumored land are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for more construction updates as we await the opening of Epic Universe in 2025!
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The post PHOTOS: Epic Universe Construction Continues with Themed Elements Added in Super Nintendo World, Pavement Tests, and Exterior Work on In-Park Hotel appeared first on WDW News Today.