Here's a look inside Universal Orlando's new Epic Universe theme park

Universal Orlando Resort is opening the gates to its Universal Epic Universe theme park on Thursday, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

The fourth addition to Universal Orlando's Florida portfolio, Epic Universe will open to the public on May 22, immersing visitors in the worlds of Harry Potter, Super Mario, "How to Train Your Dragon" and other beloved franchises. Located southwest of downtown Orlando, Epic Universe is the first major theme park to open in Florida in more than 25 years and is expected to ramp up competition with Walt Disney World Resort, a fixture in Orlando, Florida, since 1971 when it first opened.

"Is Epic Universe going to put Disney out of business? Absolutely not," said Dennis Speigel, founder and CEO of consulting firm International Theme Park Services. "Is it going to put a chink in their armor? Yeah."

Universal announced the launch of Epic Universe in 2019.

Though official figures have not been released, Speigel estimates that bringing Epic Universe to life cost NBCUniversal parent company $7.7 billion. Comcast posted $8.6 billion in revenue for its theme park segment in 2024, according to a regulatory filing.

Universal Orlando did not respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment.

Celestial Park, the "cosmic heart" of the new Epic Universe, according to the website, features "lush greenery, tree-lined walkways and dancing fountains."

Epic Universe is expected to be a boon for the local economy in Orlando, which is known as The Amusement Capital of the World, with deep roots in the tourism industry. In 2024, the amusement park hub welcomed over 75 million visitors, according to Visit Orlando, a trade association. Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando called the opening of Epic Universe an "important milestone" for the Orlando community.

Universal Orlando has not released details about the capacity of the park, but Speigel estimates Epic Universe can accommodate roughly 45,000 to 50,000 people per day. He estimates the new park will draw at least 6 million visitors a year, and possibly more, especially if U.S. economic growth remains solid consumer concerns about tariffs abates.

"The park actually has the physical capacity to draw at least 8 million people," Speigel told CBS MoneyWatch.

However, other factors could affect those numbers. A new survey from Bankrate shows that over half of Americans expect to spend less on travel, dining out or entertainment this year.

Here's a look inside Universal Orlando's newest theme park.

Visitors to the Orlando destination will have the opportunity to visit five different "immersive worlds," each with their own special themed restaurants, rides and entertainment:

• Celestial Park. The first world guests will enter and the gateway to other sections of the park, Universal Orlando calls Celestial the "heart of Universal Epic Universe."
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Set in 1920s Paris, the wand-waving world merges details from the "Fantastic Beasts" films and the "Harry Potter" film series. The park builds on two other Harry Potter attractions offered by Universal: Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, and Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure.
• Super Nintendo World. From the moment they make their way through green warp pipe, visitors will be met with numerous sights, sounds and characters of the Nintendo video game. While there, they can also take part in a Mario Kart race, a ride that offers augmented reality headsets.
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. This "rugged, rocky world" inhabited by vikings and dragons is modeled after the DreamWorks movie series.
• Dark Universe. Described on the Universal site as the "most mysterious world" of the Epic Universe, Dark Universe will immerse guests in the storylines of Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein and other spooky creatures.

Ticket prices for the new theme park start at $139 for adults and $134 for kids before tax. Prices can vary depending on the day, the Universal Orlando website notes.

Theme park hours are somewhere between 9 a.m.-10 p.m. EST, according to the site, but fluctuate daily, so visitors should check ahead when planning.

In:
• Walt Disney World
• Harry Potter
• Florida
• Orlando
• Nintendo