I visited Universal's new theme park, Epic Universe. I see why some people wouldn't like it, but I'd happily go back.
The park only has 11 rides, but this felt like enough for me, and I enjoyed the ones I went on.
Overall, the immersiveness and theming of the worlds blew me away and made my ticket a great value.
Universal has officially added another theme park to its Orlando repertoire — and it may be one of its best yet.
Epic Universe officially opened to the public on Thursday, and it's the first major theme park to debut in Orlando in over 20 years.
It was first officially announced in 2015 and is located a few miles away from Universal's other Florida parks: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.
I've been impressed by Universal's other parks for years and even used to be a season passholder, so I was thrilled to see Epic Universe for myself.
I visited the weekend before the park's official opening date and paid $164 for a preview ticket. It came with the caveat that some experiences would not be available since the park was still putting the final touches in place before its grand opening.
Here's what my experience was like.
Epic Universe consists of five themed worlds.
Epic Universe has five themed worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park.
Since they're all part of Epic Universe and only spread across about 110 acres, they're generally within walking distance from each other.
The themed areas feel more impressive than the rides at Epic Universe.
With the massive sculptures and design details, I really felt like I was being transported into each world I visited, which was the highlight of the trip for me.
The park also has 11 rides, and I rode at least one in each world. For comparison, Universal Orlando is a bit smaller and has more than double that number of rides.
When I visited during previews, only the Curse of the Werewolf (Dark Universe) and Mine-Cart Madness (Super Nintendo World) rides were closed.
In terms of worlds, I was most excited to explore the one from the Harry Potter universe.
When I first entered the Harry Potter world, I felt immersed in 1920s France. The world is inspired by Place Cachée, which is shown in the franchise's " Fantastic Beasts" movies.
There were magical statues, signs, and pretty pastel buildings everywhere I looked. While exploring the world, I even tried the series' famous Butterbeer — my first ever — for $10.
It lived up to the hype and was a refreshing drink on a 90-degree day.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry was my most anticipated ride.
I'm a huge Harry Potter fan who grew up reading the books and watching the movies, so I was most excited about the Battle at the Ministry ride.
In order to get to the screen-based ride, guests go through a "Floo" (a magical transportation system in the wizarding world) station from 1920s France to contemporary London.
Once there, I got into one of the most visually stimulating queues I've ever seen. I felt like I'd been transported into the Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter movies.
Unfortunately, the single-rider line I was in bypassed several of the themed areas of the queue. The parts I did see were spectacular, though.
All in all, I waited in line for three hours. The ride itself was exciting and filled with recognizable characters.
It felt like a great nod to the Harry Potter world, but I wouldn't wait so long to ride it again unless I could be more fully immersed in the queue.
Super Nintendo World felt nostalgic.
There are several themed Super Nintendo World areas throughout the world, but this is the first one in Florida.
It felt incredibly immersive and nostalgic, with giant character statues and item replicas from popular games I used to play as a kid.
While here, I rode Yoshi's Adventure, a slow-moving train ride, and Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.
The latter was my favorite because I got to walk through an impressively themed Bowser's Castle before being transported into my own real-life racing game.
Isle of Berk was a pleasant surprise.
The Isle of Berk world is based on the "How to Train Your Dragon" movies, which I haven't seen in years.
I remember almost nothing about the franchise, so I wasn't particularly excited to visit the world, but I'm so glad I went.
While here, I tried the mac-and-cheese cone from Hooligan's Grog and Gruel. I got pork, bacon, and jam mac and cheese inside a garlic-bread cone, which was really tasty. That and a bottle of water cost around $23.
Later in the day, I came back and rode Dragon Racer's Rally. It didn't look like much and was a pretty short ride, but it was fun to control my "dragon." I like that riders could use handles to make the experience as intense or relaxing as they want.
I didn't have time for the other rides in this land — Fyre Drill (an interactive boat ride) and Hiccup's Wing Gliders (a family-friendly coaster).
Celestial Park was beautiful, and I loved its coaster.
Themed after stars and constellations, Celestial Park has a lot of fun decorations and statues.
Its standout ride is definitely Stardust Racers. It's the biggest roller coaster in Epic, and it was a fun, fast-paced thrill ride I'd go on again.
The other ride in this world is Constellation Carousel, but I didn't have time for it. It seemed to be a typical carousel, and it looked beautiful with its vibrant colors and starry patterns.
I enjoyed Dark Universe more than I thought I would.
Dark Universe's theme is all about classic monsters and creatures, from vampires to Frankenstein. I don't usually gravitate toward spooky things, so I wasn't sure how much I'd like it.
However, I enjoyed Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, a dark ride into the world of Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man, and other iconic creatures.
Later in the afternoon, I headed to Das Stakehaus, one of this world's quick-service eateries, for lunch. I got a "blood" orange chicken sandwich complete with a black bun and a slice of red velvet cake shaped like a coffin. It cost around $27.
The meal was satisfying, and I enjoyed sitting inside the chilled vampire-themed restaurant to get a break from the heat.
In total, I spent about $60 on food and drinks.
Everything I ate and drank at Epic Universe was good and cost typical slightly-high-theme-park prices.
Although I didn't order very much throughout the day, I still spent $60 on food and a drink for one person. My favorite buy was the $10 Butterbeer, and I will definitely get it next time I visit one of the parks.
All in all, I recommend visiting Epic Universe.
I was at Epic Universe from the time it opened at 9 a.m. until around 6 p.m.
My ticket seemed like a solid value, plus it'd cost me about $20 less now that I'm able to use my Florida resident discount.
I think the park is especially great for adults looking for an ambient vacation with a little fun sprinkled in. It's probably not ideal for those seeking thrills, and I've seen some people online criticizing the park as not having enough rides.
That said, the number of rides didn't disappoint me. I didn't even go on all 11, and I still didn't leave feeling like I needed more. Plus, the rides I did go on were enjoyable.
After all, Epic Universe really shines with its world-building and storytelling. If you want to be immersed in stunning lands inspired by pop culture and famous franchises, this park is worth a visit.
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