It will be a historic 2025 on the tourism front if for no other reason than the opening of Universal Epic Universe. It will be a big deal even by our theme park center-of-the-universe standards. The Orlando area hasn’t added a big from-the-ground-up park since Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 and Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 1999.

Universal Orlando’s latest park is under construction a couple of miles southeast of its current attractions and near the Orange County Convention Center. Epic’s grand opening day is set for May 22.

The company has released many details over the months. Epic’s lands will include Dark Universe (classic monsters), How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Super Nintendo World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic and Celestial Park, an entry of sorts with rides and restaurants. Spread across these lands will be multiple roller coasters, dark rides, shows, themed eateries, interactive moments and a sizable helping of immersion, that lingering attractions buzzword.

The Epic area also will feature three new hotels. Stella Nova is scheduled to open Jan. 21, and Terra Luna now has an opening date of March 25. The Helios Grand, so close to the new theme park that it will have its own dedicated entrance, opens May 22.

Official renderings and aerial photographs of the construction site have helped stir excitement, and select ticket types are on sale already.

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Unknown Epic things: How will the crowds be, and how will Universal try to control it? Will traffic be a deterrent? How will access (and previews) work for annual passholders? Are folks still in a Wizarding World way?

Known Epic things: A lot of eyes will be on Disney, analyzing changes and additions as “responses to Epic.” National media will rediscover Orlando and have thoughts. There will be tortured turns of phrases to the tune of “It will be Epic.”

Disney’s to-do list

Beyond Epic Universal, many new attractions don’t have solid opening dates. In some cases, broad seasons have been announced.

At Walt Disney World, a lounge incorporated into Spaceship Earth at Epcot is scheduled to open in the spring. It will have views of World Celebration Gardens as well as nightly fireworks.

In summer, a pair of stage shows will debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Their names are straightforward: “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.” Magic Kingdom will introduce a nighttime parade dubbed “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.” And the latest version of Test Track will take off at Epcot.

Later in the year, a pirate tavern will open at Magic Kingdom, and “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!”, a 3D show, will debut in the Tree of Life Theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Disney World has more substantial plans in the works, such as a “Monsters, Inc.” land, “Cars” rides, a Tropical Americas area and a full-blown villain-centric domain, but they won’t be ready in 2025. But those additions each mean subtraction, too, so DinoLand attractions, Tom Sawyer Island and MuppetVision 3D are on the numbered-days list for ‘25.

Other 2025 additions

• SeaWorld Orlando will open an “immersive” Arctic-themed flying theater experience in the spring. The name of the attraction, housed in the old Wild Arctic space, has not been revealed.

• Sea Life Florida Aquarium will join the Legoland Florida Resort lineup in Winter Haven this spring.

• Blue Man Group plans to open a new show in a new theater at Orlando’s Icon Park. Its premiere is set for April 3.

• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay plans to open a kid-friendly “immersive adventure realm” in the spring. It will have rainforest theming as well as a new animal habitat.

• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex plans to open The Gantry at LC-39 in early 2025. It will include a show, hyperwall display, rocket-build experience, a test-fire simulation, educational aspects and a viewing area for real live launches.

• Work will begin on an extensive renovation of the Dr. Phillips CineDome at Orlando Science Center. (Completion is expected in 2026.)

• Expansion of the Universal Studios Store at Universal CityWalk is expected to be complete.

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