One of the biggest and most expensive theme parks ever is opening in Florida in May: Here’s what it looks like

‘Epic Universe’, Universal’s new $7 billion theme park is set to open in Florida, with thrill seekers eager to try out what will be one of the biggest in the world.

An eight-year wait is almost over, with May 22 the date scheduled for the grand opening. A journalist from The New York Times was given special access to try out the park, and they labelled it “a dramatic evolution” in how we will experience theme parks.

Over 100 acres of land have been used to create the entertainment paradise, with the rides including music, smells, landscaping, food, cutlery, staff uniforms and even toilets.

Fountains, bars and trees line the entrance, replacing the typical row upon row of overpriced merchandise shops. This new way of experiencing a theme park will be the USP for Epic Universe, as it looks to take on Disney, the main rival in the area.

New tech set to revolutionise ticketing

Epic Universe is introducing facial recognition at its entrance plaza, eliminating the need for paper tickets or digital fingerprints. The goal is to streamline entry. The same tech will also be used for locker access and express ride lanes.

How much will a ticket cost for Epic Universe?

Single-day adult tickets start at $139, with prices climbing to $199 during peak holidays. Adding express ride access will cost an extra $130 to $330 per person.

Exploring the five worlds of Epic Universe

There are five worlds inside: Celestial Park is billed as “the cosmic heart” of the park, and has hotels and light shows for guests.

Dark Universe’s centrepiece is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, a ride that takes you through Frankenstein’s manor before being presented with classic monsters of the 1930s.

How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk is a part of the park based on the film franchise of the same name. It houses 31 animatronic dragons and Universal are even looking to add a pair of flying dragons using drone technology.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic and Super Nintendo World, are also hotly anticipated parts of the park, with the latter already existing in the Hollywood and Japan parks that Universal has.

The Harry Potter world is styled on Paris in the 1920s and features nods to both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. The Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride is the pièce de résistance of the park, using a mixture of animatronic characters and video screens to tell the story of Dolores Umbridge. Lights and vibrations are aplenty your wand ($85) is linked to the Universal app, and they activate personalised messages and other rewards.

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