Aerial photographer bioreconstruct flew over Epic Universe on January 17, providing an updated look at the newest construction as it nears completion. The new Universal Orlando Resort theme park will open in May 2025, and the nearby Stella Nova resort opened this past week.
All photographs courtesy of bioreconstruct, whom you can follow on both YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).
Table of Contents
Epic Universe Overview
Epic Universe features the lands Celestial Park, Dark Universe (Universal Classic Monsters), Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. The entrance to the park is near the back of the photo, while Super Nintendo World is to the right and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is on the left.
The majority of the park is new testing lights at night. The tallest building is the new Helios Grand Hotel. The bright section at the top of the photo is Super Nintendo World.
Celestial Park
Final detail work continues on the Chronos, which is the large tower acting as both the entrance and main icon of Epic Universe. Several crane lifts were parked in this main entrance area as crew members work on the roofs for the Guest Services building and ticket scanning portico.
New ticket scanners have been installed in multiple locations, though they do not seem to be plugged-in yet.
Around the entrance plaza, crews are adding new plants and final touches to the nearby buildings.
As the sky grows dark, the Chronos lights up with multiple points of light around the edge of the portal and on the icons reaching toward the top.
One of the most noticeable attractions in Celestial Park is Stardust Racers. Stardust Racers is a dual-racing coaster with orange and yellow tracks weaving between each other.
Detail work and facing is now being applied to the new green canopies that cover the ride’s extended queue. The area behind the queue is still being used as crew member parking space.
New silver orbs similar to the large comet in the center of the attraction have been placed on the ground. This area has yet to receive any landscaping.
The yellow arrow in this picture points to an area of the rollercoaster track where some of the orange paint has already been removed. This is likely due to several recent tests of the new attraction, and it will hopefully be repainted before the park opens.
The circle in the center of the park is going to be home to a large water fountain used for shows. The steps around the fountain are in the process of being covered in grass turf, with a few on the left side not yet finished.
A small splash pad sits on a balcony next to the fountain. Small lights and spots along the red paint lines have been added to the concrete.
This building is going to be the Meteor Astropub restaurant. The green-roofed building at the top right is currently rumored to be a private event space.
New roof elements, including a solver orb next to the arrow, are being installed on the restaurant. The circular patio roof is still lined with temporary yellow flags and cones.
All of the scaffolding has been removed from the head of the Luna state. When guests enter the park from under the Chronos, Luna overlook will be the first area they see. Luna is silver and reaches her hand out to a small rabbit statue.
A statue of Helios is placed on the exact opposite side of the park, facing toward Luna and away from the Universal Grand Helios Hotel. The statue is still mostly covered in scaffolding, though the shape of a new bird statue can be seen behind him.
A new concrete mural is being installed on the balcony behind Helios. The image shows a yellow and orange sun on a blue background.
Not far from Helios is the entrance to the Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant. The columns on the patio outside the restaurant have now been themed and painted grey. We are still waiting on a giant dragon above the archway, as seen in concept art.
The second restaurant in Celestial Park is Oak & Star Tavern. New trees have been planted around the entire building, as the restaurant is supposed to be hidden away from the bustle of the central hub. Star-like points of light have been added to the bricks above the restaurant’s entrance. The chimneys on the left of the roof are also new.
Celestial Park is also home to the large Constellation Carousel. The blue roof is nearly complete now, with only a few small pieces needing to be added. Guests will enter through the marked stone path, and then wait in the smaller domed section.
Peeking inside, the tarps covering all of the animals for the carousel appear to have been removed. The vehicles are expected to be shaped like animals with ties to the zodiac and constellations.
The carousel has been testing the hundreds of small bulbs lining each wedge of the roof. The lights run all the way from the central point to the water below.
The sign has now been installed for Pizza Moon, a quick-service pizza restaurant. The image on top of the sign is an homage to the 1902 film “A Trip to the Moon,” with a slice of pizza in place of what is usually a rocket wedged in the moon’s left eye.
The final dining location in Celestial Park is called Atlantic. The restaurant has an aquatic theme, fitting its location overlooking the central fountain. New gold stripes have been added around the columns of the building. Seashells are now placed on top of each column, and detailed molding has been attached to the upper line of the roof.
Finally, Celestial Park is home to a Nintendo-themed gift shop. Stained glass images of Nintendo characters have been installed above the entrance, including images of Mario, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong. Both entrances to the store are now flanked by carved statues of additional Nintendo characters such as Bowser, Toad, and Yoshi.
Dark Universe
Dark Universe is the section of Epic Universe themed to Classic Monsters. The large grey show building on the left is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
In the center of this aerial image is the rollercoaster track for The Curse of the Werewolf. The yellow arrow on the right is pointing to a recently-added office trailer is what will be a backstage area.
No major changes have been made to the portal for Dark Universe, which includes a rocky tower and steampunk-like spire powered by electricity.
The portal was recently spotted testing its new purple lights at night. Electricity crackles on the metal spire at the top, and the circular icon above the purple entrance glows with an eerie light.
Moving inside the land, the central area of Dark Universe is a village called Darkmoor. The indoor arch on the right side leads to a set of restrooms, which recently had their sign installed over the top.
The central well has been weathered to match the stonework in the rest of the land, and crews have been adding small themed details like the store sign hanging on the right.
The graveyard near the village looks much greener now that the plants have had a few weeks to grow and fill in space.
The buildings on the right of the town center belong to Das Stakehaus. This restaurant is located “deep under Darkmoor” in the ancient catacombs that vampires call home. The restaurant signs have been installed, but no menus as of yet.
Over by The Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster, crews were using cranes to install new frames for holding safety nets along the sides of the track.
The frames are a combination of U-shaped holders and vertical metal posts. Several of them have already been installed on the section nearest to the guest walkway.
A truck on the street near the top of the image had several more curved peices of framing waiting to be installed.
Over by Frankenstein Manor, home of the Mosnters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment attraction, additional queue ropes have been run across the central walkway leading through the gates.
The castle has received some final painting work and aging, making it look even more creepy. Crew members seem to be looking at the large double-doors open toward the castle’s interior.
New trees have been added to fill the area inside the extended outdoor queue and outside the castle gates. The trees help to block views of the show building and backstage areas from guests.
Frankenstein Manor Daytime Light Testing
Another area in Dark Universe conducting daytime testing for the first time is Frankenstein Manor.
The light effects at the top of the castle turrets are meant to resemble electricity running across the wires.
A jagged line of broken shingles is meant to make the tower appear as though it has been recently struck by lightning.
Burning Blade Tavern Daytime Flame Test
In addition to the latest construction, bioreconstruct was able to record footage of the Burning Blade Tavern conducting additional daytime testing of the flaming windmill above the restaurant. The tavern has previously been seen testing the flames at night, but this is the first daytime look we have at the fire effect.
Super Nintendo World
More rainbow-colored panels and yellow Power Stars have been installed around the pipes on the top of the Super Nintendo World entrance portal. Crews were also working on the sliding doors inside the portal, which can be used to close off the land from the central hub.
Since our last update, more of the detail work around the land has been completed. The Super Mario section is now bursting with color and character.
Crews were using a list to work on the finishing touches of Peach’s Castle. The turrets on either side of the land’s entrance still need to be painted pink.
The Princess Peach stained-glass window in the center of the castle has also not been installed yet. The gazebo to the left is a meet-and-greet location.
To the right of the castle, the archway below the large gold coins has been painted orange. This area will be one of several Key Challenge mini-game locations scattered throughout the land that interact with guests’ Power-Up Bands.
Moving back to a wide view, several crew members were walking on the roof of the blue buildings along the right side. All of the spinning coins have been installed, and have been seen moving for tests.
Several crew members were also gathered near the entrance to Bowser’s Castle. This is the opening for the queue of the Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge attraction.
A horned lamppost has been installed to the right of the Mario Kart entrance warning sign. The orange caution tape we saw in front of the castle has also been removed.
All of the Yoshi ride vehicles have been uncovered at Yoshi’s Adventure. Crews were working underneath the attraction, on the side entrance to 1UP Factory store.
Yoshi’ Adventure travels directly over the warp pipe that leads to the Donkey Kong themed area of Super Nintendo Land. This pope has been completely painted now, and golden palm trees have been added to either side.
The Captain Toad figure near the end of Yoshi’s Adventure has been uncovered. Captain Toad is wearing an adventure outfit with a head lamp and stands on a tree stump.
This photo shows the full track loop for Yoshi’s Adventure. All of the test dummies we saw inside the vehicles have been removed.
The white egg replacing the “O” in Yoshi for the attraction’s main sign has been removed for an unknown reason and has still not been installed once again.
Additional crew members were stepping between the thorny vines next to a large Piranha Plant. This plant will move its head backward and forward as part of another Key Challenge, so it is possible the plant is being prepared for testing.
Most of Super Mario World has been testing nighttime lights. We can see all of the teal lampposts are turned on, as well as the lights over attraction signs. Orange lights glow within the eyes of Bowser on the front of his castle.
On the other side of the divider wall is the Donkey Kong Country section of Super Nintendo World. The golden temple for the Mine-Cart Madness attraction appears nearly complete.
The remaining pots, columns, and details of the temple have all been covered in shiny gold paint.
The large statue of a monkey’s head is lit up at night by multiple hidden spotlights. The waterfall running from the statue’s mouth was also testing at night.
The track for the rollercoaster runs parallel to the queue entrance. A mine cart was being tested at full speed and is seen here in the center.
During another test, Universal employees were seen actually riding Mine-Cart Madness. This is the first time we have seen this attraction tested with real people instead of test dummies. The cart is located above the yellow arrow.
Near the water area of the rollercoaster, a fog effect was also being tested. During this section, the mine cart will appear to jump off the track and briefly skim across the surface of the water. The fog is used to help hide the real track holding the cart from on the right side.
A sideways view shows the fog effect from another angle. You can also see another empty mine cart running across the higher track.
Donkey Kong’s house will be used as a meet-and-greet location for guests to interact with the oversized character. The hut has now been completely painted, and a large pile of bananas has been placed at the base. The bananas are likely a barrier to keep guests at a distance when taking photos with Donkey Kong.
This photo shows the entry portal for Donkey Kong Country from the opposite side. The two circular statues have now been painted grey, and the rockwork around the portal has been completed.
Crews are still in the process of finishing the green, jungle-themed barrier walls that separate Super Nintendo Land from backstage areas. This light green section will soon be painted with layers of jungle trees to match the finished area on the right.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
This first photo is a wide-angle of the entire How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk area. The large lake in the center has been drained of water again since our last update.
Plenty of scaffolding is still surrounding the dragon icon at the top of the How to Train Your Dragon portal. Crew members appeared to be painting and adding additional fine details. More landscaping has also been added to the grassy area to the right of the portal.
Most of the portals in Epic Universe have been testing their new lights. Each portal has a different color on the inside. The How to Train Your Dragon portal has an orange interior light color.
Construction continues on the Spit Fyre Grill covered seating area. Beams and basic structures are now in place for the roof over the building. The yellow arrow also points to the location where an interactive Ice Dragon will be placed, according to official concept art.
Next, we move over to the Fyre Drill boat ride, seen at the bottom, and the Haddock Paddock meet-and-greet area under the red canopy.
A few more targets have been added to the Fyre Drill attraction. The two sides of each boat will compete in hitting 130 moving targets with their water guns.
Across from the Haddock Paddock, a new dragon statue has been added in the top right corner near the arrow.
This green and blue overhang protects the entrance of the theater for “The Untrainable Dragon.” This show is based on “Untrainable,” which premiered at Universal Studios Beijing.
A mechanical dragon tail is in progress near the guest walkway by the theater. It is currently covered in a black tarp, but the scaffolding has now been removed from the dragon houses.
This overview is of the Viking Training Camp play area. Most of the playground elements have now been installed, including ropes along all of the walkways and added details on the pavement.
A majority of the scaffolding has now been removed from the Viking Training Camp. Plants like shrubs and small trees have been planted near the front entrance and along the right edge of the area.
The main lagoon is once again empty of water. The rollercoaster track for Hiccup’s Winged Gliders crosses under the walkway bridge and comes through the center of the water.
Zooming in closer, crew members are completing final detail work on several of the Viking longships parked in the lagoon. Ropes, props, and paint can all be spotted sitting on the ground near the boats.
More dragon tails have been added to the dragon houses decorating the mountains near the lake. The tail on the top left is mechanical and has not yet been covered, so the moving parts can be seen inside.
Detailed stonework has been added around the land’s central fountain, with tiles creating pictures of dragons on the ground.
The double set of doors that lead to the Mead Hall restaurant have now been painted and weathered. The first set of doors was open, allowing us a look at the set of inner doors. The maintenance hatches under both statues flanking the entrance were open, so perhaps the fire effect for these will also start testing soon.
More light fixtures have been installed to the white section of roof above the mead hall. The white area will not be visible to guests from the ground. This tall mountain will use forced perspective to make Gothi’s hut at the top look far away.
The building on the left is the queue entrance for Hiccup’s Winged Gliders, while the right building is the exit gift shop. The facade of both buildings looks nearly complete, and additional landscaping has been added around the doorways.
A temporary net has been put into place over the queue for the Dragon Racer’s Rally attraction. The net will hold the permanent canopy in place while it is stretched and attached to the supports. The yellow arrow points to additional sheep figures that have been installed in the nearby area.
More colorful banners have been added to the stands surrounding Dragon Racer’s Rally, including several depicting different breeds of dragons. The two-headed dragon is a Hideous Zippleback, which is ridden by Ruffnut and Tuffnut in the films, while other dragons include a green Gronckle and red Monsterous Nightmare.
More hanging flags have been added to the top of the stands. The banner directly behind the large throne shows Hiccup riding atop Toothless.
Dragon Racer’s Rally Ride Testing
The Dragon Racer’s Rally attraction has been spotted conducting full ride tests for the first time.
The spinning arm of the attraction can be seen rotating, and the gliders where guests will sit are hanging on one end. The gliders appear to be hanging with room to tilt in multiple directions, so gravity keeps the glider facing horizontally.
Finally, here is a quick look at the land testing it’s nighttime lighting. Most of the paths appear to have small lanterns installed along the walkways. Bright lights are pointed at the peak of the mountain, as well as the cover where Hiccup’s Winged Gliders comes out from the water.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
The outdoor area of the land is mostly based on Place Cachee, the French equivalent of Diagon Alley as seen in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” but the land’s largest attraction is based on the British Ministry of Magic seen in the “Harry Potter” films.
Crews are still working on finishing the Harry Potter entrance portal. A pattern has now been added to the concrete in front of the portal entrance. It is a little hard to see, but it looks like the design might include differently-shaped wands from the Harry Potter universe.
At night, the portal was testing purple interior lights. The quote above the portal also lights up to be easily readable.
The arch at the entrance to Place Cachee is called the Phoenix Arch. Additional weathering has been added to the stonework on the both the muggle and magical sides.
Along the main street, crews are now adding more details like awnings to the entrances of stores and restaurants.
The red tent in the center of the street is Le Cirque Arcanus, a stage show inspired by the circus from “Fantastic Beasts.” Since our last update, posts for the show’s extended queue have been added on the left side.
Even more extended queue posts for the show now stretch along the street on the right, going around the trees we saw planted last time.
The hanging lights installed during our last update have now been testing at night. The lights run to the tent’s tallest peak and across the entrance.
The open-air section on the left is a courtyard situated along a hidden street. The construction vehicles have been removed from this area, and the detailed paintings running across the upper floors have been finished.
The arrows in this photograph point to two new green columns that are used for French advertising. They have not been decorated yet, but themed advertisements will likely be added to these posts soon.
This thin street full of stairs will not be accessible to guests. It is inspired by Montmartre in Paris and helps to frame the turrets of Sacré-Cœur above it.
The turrets are designed as another forced-perspective illusion to look like the cathedral is sitting in the distance. Lights have been installed on the right corner roof to light the turrets at night.
These nighttime lights have recently been seen testing. The facade is bright enough at night to be seen from the nearby hotels.
On the opposite side of Le Cirque Arcanus, additional awnings are being attached to the front of shops. Each section is themed to match the French businesses like Lunette de Lune, De Textes Anciens, Oculus Regulus, Expert en Bestiaux, and Librarie Magillard.
The arch in this white and green building is the entrance for the land’s main attraction, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. Guests will seem to travel via the Floo Network to the British Ministry of Magic for the ride. Crews are adding final green paint details to the swirls above the arch.
The gate above this yellow arrow is new. The gate leads to a backstage hallway, so this will keep guests from walking inside. The iron fence around the statue at the end of the street is also new.
Epic Universe Hotels
The outside of the Universal Helios Grand Hotel is nearly complete. Two large cranes were still parked outside the hotel’s lobby, but no other scaffolding remains.
No major changes have been made to the resort’s pool, apart from a few more new plants in the grassy area above it.
Several rooms in the hotel are testing lights, which allows us to see inside a few of the rooms. It looks like basic furniture is appearing in most rooms, though they are not fully staged yet.
Meanwhile, slightly further back from Epic Universe are the new Stella Nova and Terra Luna resorts. The Stella Nova resort opened officially to guests this week, while the Terra Luna resort will have a delayed opening date of March 25.
We recently stayed at the Stella Nova resort, so we have a full resort photo tour as well as a full standard room tour available on our website. Additionally, we reviewed all of the new spirits and drinks available at the Nova Bar by the pool.
At night, both Terra Luna and Stella Nova have installed small white lights that look like stars in space.
Roadwork
Universal is still in the process of finishing its new bus terminal. Universal has announced a new fleet of electric buses will be used to transport guests staying on property to Epic Universe. This currently empty lot is where the new buses will be parked.
This recent building is likely for bus maintenance. It is being completed right next to the new bus terminal. Crew members are still painting the building, but it has not been connected to the rest of the pavement yet.
New road signs have been added on the roads leading to both Epic Universe and the new resorts. The new signs are blue circles.
The large raised circle is part of an extension to Kirkman Road (State Road 435). The goal of the roadwork is to ease congestion and create an easier connection point for traffic coming from and going to Epic Universe.
The large traffic circle will specifically be used for buses and guests coming or going to Epic Universe from other areas of the Universal Orlando Resort. Guests will use the traffic circle to access Epic Universe via car, and resort buses will use it to access bus-only lanes between the new park and the rest of Universal Orlando Resort.
Video
If you want to see the full footage of bioreconstruct’s latest flyover, you can watch it below.
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The post Burning Blades, Spinning Dragons, Nighttime Lights, and More During Epic Universe Construction Update appeared first on WDW News Today.
