We’ve Got Good News and Bad News About Isle of Berk at Epic Universe

Epic Universe’s How to Train Your Dragon-themed Isle of Berk may be the park’s surprise sleeper hit land thanks to a fun headline attraction, and exquisite theming elements. However, that doesn’t mean the land is perfect.

When Epic Universe’s four intellectual property portals were announced, Isle of Berk was arguably the one that received the least fanfare, which is somewhat understandable given that the others were an East Coast-installation of Super Nintendo World, a new Wizarding World of Harry Potter land, and the first-ever land dedicated to Universal’s Monsters. However, since the park has been open for previews, the land has stood out to many (including us) as being equally as good or possibly better than at least some of the park’s other offerings. That said, we can envision some issues for the land once Epic Universe opens to the public proper on May 22nd.

First, though, let’s analyze some of the elements that make the land so good.

Hiccup’s Wing Gliders

The land’s main attraction, this family coaster is themed to being “a winged flying machine that launches aspiring Dragon Riders into the air, swooping and soaring and encountering Hiccup and Toothless along the way.”

Not only is this family coaster one of the best in any Orlando theme park, it also serves as the beating heart of the land. This coaster isn’t just stashed away at the back of the land like others. Instead, Universal Creative has channeled Disney’s iconic 1967 Tomorrowland and made the coaster an integral part of the landscape. The gliders weave through the land, adding kinetic energy to the land, and making things feel more “alive” to the point that even those who don’t ride it benefit from its presence.

Meeting Hiccup

One of the land’s — and the overall park’s — highlights is meeting Hiccup and Toothless themselves. This meet & greet blew us away, as we genuinely felt like we were talking to one of the iconic Vikings and his dragon pal. Hiccup’s mannerisms and even voice were spot on, while the masterful puppetry of Toothless really made it feel like the dragon had come to life.

More Dragons!

Toothless isn’t the only dragon in the land however. Scattered throughout, there are various other dragons. Using a mixture of puppetry, statuary, animatronics, and static figures, these creatures are seemingly around every turn. Instead of structured meet & greets, these creatures are simply part of the environment, giving the whole area a sense of lived in reality.

Food

Perhaps the most unexpected highlight of this unexpected triumph is the food. Whether it’s sitting in the epically (sorry, we couldn’t resist) grand Mead Hall, or enjoying one of the three mac & cheese cones at Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel – – the Goldfish Mac & Cheese Cone, the PB&J – Pork, Bacon, & Jam Mac & Cheese Cone, and the Dragon Fire Chicken Spire Mac and Cheese Cone – – Isle of Berk *might* be the culinary highlight of Epic Universe.

Of course, lie we said, there are some potential negatives about the land that might become bigger issues when the park is open.

Long Lines

Considering the massive amount of anticipation for Epic Universe, everything in the park is likely to have long lines once it opens to the public. However, even during the park’s preview period, lines have been long for both attractions and food in the land. Specifically, the aforementioned meet & greet with Hiccup and Toothless has been quite high. The most recent time we visited the park, it was averaging 75 minutes!

Universal’s History

While Universal’s theme park presentation has certainly evolved over the years, it’s still fair game to mention that the company has a history of cutting back on entertainment offerings once a land or park opens. As stated above, one of the best parts of Isle of Berk is the lived in feel afforded by the land’s dragons, as well as the “Vikings” who populate it, and if any of these elements were to be cut or toned down, it would take away a bit of the magic.

Out of Date Soon?

Finally, the last thing isn’t directly the fault of the land itself. Later this year, a live-action How to Train Your Dragon film is set to be released. If the remake is a success, it could potentially usurp the animated originals as the definitive look of the franchise, making the portal potentially feel out of date.

Isle of Berk MAY be the best of Epic Universe’s portals, however there are definitely still some kinks left for Universal to work out. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on the NEW park!

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Are you excited for Isle of Berk? Let us know in the comments below!

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