Universal Studios Orlando’s epic universe will open this week. Glimpse inside the new Florida theme park.

Universal Orlando Resort will catch the gates of the Universal Epic Universe theme park on Memorial Day weekend on Thursday.

The epic universe will open to the public on May 22, the fourth place in Universal Orlando’s Florida portfolio, immersing visitors in the world of Harry Potter, Super Mario, “How to Train Your Dragon” and other beloved franchises. Located southwest of downtown Orlando, Epic Universe is the first major theme park to open in Florida in 25 years and is expected to compete with the fixture of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida since its first opening in 1971.

"Will the epic universe bring Disney to bankrupt?" said Dennis Speigel, founder and CEO of consulting firm International Theme Park Services. "Will that jingle on their armor? Yes."

Common Announces the launch of an epic universe 2019.

Harry Potter is in the Wizarding World of Magic in the New Epic Universe of Orlando, Florida. Thomas Simonetti/Bloomberg by Getty Images

Although official figures have not been released yet, Speigel estimates that it will bring Epic Universe to life, costing $7.7 billion to NBCUNIVERSAL's parent company. Comcast made $8.6 billion in revenue for its theme park segment in 2024, according to regulatory filings.

Universal Orlando did not respond to a request for comment from CBS MoneyWatch.

On Saturday, April 5, 2025, guests pass through the entrance to Donkey Kong Country in the Super Nintendo World region during an opening ceremony held at the epic Cosmic Theme Park in the Super Nintendo World region. Thomas Simonetti/Bloomberg by Getty Images

Celestial ParkAccording to the website, the "Heart of the Universe" of the new epic universe features "lush green plants, tree-shaded sidewalks and dance fountains."

The Epic Universe is expected to bring good news to Orlando’s local economy, known as the entertainment capital of the world, and is deeply rooted in the tourism industry. According to the Trade Association Orlando, the amusement park center welcomes more than 75 million visitors in 2024. Orlando's president and CEO Casandra Matej called the opening of the Epic Universe a "important milestone" for the Orlando community.

Universal Orlando has not released details about the park’s capabilities yet, but Speigel estimates the epic universe can accommodate between about 45,000 and 50,000 people a day. He estimates that the new park will attract at least 6 million visitors a year, especially if U.S. economic growth remains a strong concern for tariff reductions.

"The park actually has the physical ability to attract at least 8 million people," Speigel told CBS MoneyWatch.

However, other factors may affect these numbers. More than half of Americans are expected to spend less on travel, dining or entertainment this year, a new survey from Bankrate shows.

This is the exterior inside Universal Studios Orlando’s latest theme park.

The epic universe inside

Visitors to Orlando destinations will have the opportunity to visit five different “Immersive Worlds”, each with their own special themed restaurants, rides and entertainment:

Celestial body garden. The first guest will enter the portal of the rest of the park, which Universal Orlando Studios calls Celestial "the epic heart of the universe."
Harry Potter's World of Wizards - Ministry of Magic. The wand-waving world is scheduled for Paris in the 1920s, blending details from the "Wonderful Beast" movie and the "Harry Potter" movie series. The park is built on Universal Studios in Florida and two other Harry Potter attractions offered by Universal Studios at Universal Studios.
Super Nintendo World. From the moment they pass through the green warp tube, visitors will encounter many attractions, sounds and characters of the Nintendo video game. There, they can also compete in a Mario Kart race, a ride that offers augmented reality headsets.
How to train your dragon - Burke. The Vikings and Dragon live in the "Rakiroki World" in the "Dreamworks Movie" series.
The dark universe. On a common site, In the epic universe, the "most mysterious world", the dark universe will be immersed in the storylines of Dracula, werewolf, Frankenstein and other weird creatures.

A couple travels through the "dark universe" world in an epic universe. Universal Studios Orlando

How to Train Your Dragon - Burke Island is based on popular Dreamworks animated movies. Adrian Ruhi/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

trv-ust-epic-universe-preview-3-mi — Harry Potter's Great Atrium at the British Magic Department recreates Harry Potter's queues, as well as the battle of departmental attractions in the epic universe of the world. Adrian Ruhi/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Price and hours

Tickets for the new theme park start at $139 for adults and pre-tax children’s tickets are $134. The Universal Studios Orlando website notes that prices may vary from day to day.

According to the website, theme park time is between 9 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. ET, but fluctuates every day, so visitors should check in advance when planning.

Mary Cunningham

Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance verticals, she worked at "60 Minutes", CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Assistant Program.