See INSIDE Dark Universe at Epic Universe

We finally had the chance to go INTO Epic Universe today, and we’re bringing you along with us!

Although the park does not open until May 22nd, 2025, we got a special preview at Universal Orlando’s brand-new park. Epic Universe is home to five different themed lands, including Celetial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, and Dark Universe.

Dark Universe has been talked about so much during Team Member previews, and for good reason! Today, we are taking you along for a first look inside this land!

Atmosphere

Welcome to Dark Universe.

You’ll enter Dark Universe through an “electrifying portal, which harnesses the dark energy of Darkmoor.” On the portal, you can see the words “It’s Alive! It’s Alive!” Once inside, Universal says that the “same energy will pulsate throughout the entire village and connect at the top of Frankenstein Manor.”

We were completely geeking out with all the details! If you’re a fan of classic monster movies and books, Dark Universe might need to be one of your first stops. It’s spooky but not overwhelming.

Here at Dark Universe, after reading the classics and seeing it come alive, it’s the perfect amount of fun and spookiness year round! 🌙😈 #epicuniverse #hosted pic.twitter.com/JxAU6LVfZM

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) April 5, 2025

There are so many details to discover, including “rumors” told by different characters around the land. If you hear little phrases from characters, it’s up to you to decide if they’re true or not! You’ll have to walk around the land to discover them for yourself.

It’s a bit strange to see Dark Universe during the day with the bright sunlight, and we can’t wait to come back and visit at night for the full spooky vibes.

Characters

We got to see the Invisible Man as he walked around the area. We thought he was pretty spooky, but he was still friendly. The characters matched the energy of the person they were talking to, so if a visitor seemed a little scared, the characters were more gentle, but if they were bold, you might just get scared!

There’s also a storyteller who comes out on the Burgomaster’s porch with a violin and tells stories with music. He told stories about classic Universal Monsters like Phantom of the Opera, and paired with the violin, we’re in love.

We also got to meet Victoria Frankenstein’s Monster! Did you catch that it’s Victoria and not Victor? This monster is a little different from the ones you know from the books. You can meet them at Darkmoor!

They looked so lifelike and were sweet and funny to talk to. It’s almost like they’re new to life when they speak to you — well, because they are!

Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment

Universal has deemed this ride its “most terrifying attraction yet.” It’s a “state-of-the-art dark ride” that’ll take “guests deep into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein conducts her twisted experiments.”

When you enter, you’ll instantly be transported into the Frankenstein Manor, where you’re not sure what you’re going to see around every corner.

It looks like the doctor is causing some chaos as they work on new experiments.

The manor seems to get darker and spookier as you get further into the queue.

We couldn’t film the ride, but we could for the preshow, and let’s just say wow. We’ve never seen anything quite like it.

The Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride 🧟‍♂️ I’m starting to think those animatronics are truly alive, the technology is just AMAZING! ✨ #epicuniverse #hosted pic.twitter.com/ktITYKLWei

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) April 5, 2025

Frankenstein’s Monster walks around and interacts with other characters as if he’s real. He’s a huge animatronic that walks and moves like a real monster. The whole ride is filled with these large animatronics, which can get pretty scary. You’ll see classic monsters like Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, mummies, and more as they all break free from Dr. Frankenstein’s experiments.

It’s definitely scary and pretty thrilling, but it’s not too terrifying, which we appreciate. Monsters will constantly jump out at you throughout the ride, but we’ll save the real terrors for Halloween Horror Nights. We had some real jaw-dropping moments as we tried to escape the monsters.

There’s a lot of movement in this ride, and if you get motion sickness, beware that this might trigger it. Despite that, this ride is incredible and worth all the hype. Monster fans need to ride it!

Curse of the Werewolf

The next attraction in this land is Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster inspired by “The Wolf Man.”

This is definitely on the shorter side. The carts spin based on the weight and movement of the people inside, giving them different twists and turns each time you ride them.

There’s an awesome backward moment where you do see a werewolf, which we loved, and it has a lot of spinning. It’s a great coaster, and we saw a lot of kids exiting the ride and really enjoying it.

Curse of the Werewolf ride in Dark Universe 🐺🎢 #epicuniverse #hosted pic.twitter.com/Jxo2vqnQoP

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) April 5, 2025

The seats on this ride were very small and felt restrictive at times, so be aware before heading to the ride.

It was a cute and family-friendly coaster that we enjoyed riding, but we’re definitely going to be running to Monsters Unchained before Curse of the Werewolf.

The Burning Blade Tavern

This tavern is a place where Darkmoor’s monster hunters hang out! There’s a menu of burgers, wings, bratwurst, pretzels, and beverages.

The exterior fits right into Dark Universe with its dark gothic feel, but instead of monsters, it’s for the monster hunters!

We stepped inside and found more dark wood, and this seemed like a great place to have a drink and relax from the heat.

This land is completely blowing us away, and we can’t wait to come back and explore more details with every visit. Coming at night might also bring a darker experience.

If you’re just as excited for Dark Universe as we are, don’t forget to pick up one of our exclusive AllEars t-shirts to wear once you enter the portal!

We will be checking out everything at Epic Universe and will be back at the park when it opens on May 22nd, so make sure to stay tuned with us here at AllEars!

“I’m Crying.” — We Are Inside the NEW Epic Universe Theme Park With a FIRST LOOK at All FIVE Lands!

 

Do you have a trip planned to visit Universal Orlando this year? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: We were invited by Universal to attend a preview of Epic Universe. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

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