It really will be Universal Orlando Resort’s year.
On May 22, 2025, Florida will welcome one of the most ambitious theme park projects ever undertaken: Universal’s Epic Universe. Already a global hub for tourism, Central Florida—home to Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando, among others—is about to raise the bar with Universal’s latest creation, a park promising to redefine the guest experience.
Epic Universe will join Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, featuring immersive lands like Celestial Park, Dark Universe, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic.
“It’s been almost 25 years since a major theme park from Disney or Universal has opened in the United States,” highlighted TRAVEL+LEISURE in its prestigious Top 50 Best Places to Visit list.
“Universal Epic Universe marks a huge transformational moment for Universal Orlando Resort, and it will change everything about our destination,” said Karen Irwin, President and COO of Universal Orlando Resort, in a statement to T+L. “This will be the exciting culmination of our amazing growth over the past 30-plus years and will transform Universal Orlando into a weeklong vacation destination filled with the most thrilling experiences imaginable.”
With over 11 million digital unique visitors, nearly a million in print circulation, and a social following exceeding 15 million, TRAVEL+LEISURE reaches an audience that can significantly influence travel trends. Their readers, with an average household income of $400,000, are exactly the type of guests Epic Universe is likely to attract (data per T+L‘s 2023 media kit).
Interestingly, Walt Disney World Resort did not make this year’s Top 50 Best Places to Visit list. Its last appearance was in 2023, thanks to the now-closed Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and the 50th-anniversary festivities. Instead, the publication included Sanibel Island, praised for its remarkable recovery following hurricanes in recent years.
While Disney focuses on refurbishments—including the indefinite closure of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ahead of Frontierland’s overhaul—Universal is surging ahead. Alongside Epic Universe, Universal’s expansion includes the year-round horror attraction Universal’s Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas and the family-centric Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
In Orlando, three new hotels—Universal Stella Nova Resort, Universal Terra Luna Resort, and the Loews-operated Universal Helios Grand Hotel—are set to debut in the months before the park’s opening, ensuring guests can extend their stays in style.
Universal’s Epic Universe opens on May 22, 2025. Are you planning to visit? Let us know in the comments below!
We are planning a trip in October of 2025. It’s sad to think that families with a small income won’t be able to experience all of the wonders that Universal offers.