A woman died after riding Universal Orlando’s Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster in November, according to Florida’s quarterly theme park incident report released Thursday.
The report, which accounts for the final three months of 2025, says an unidentified 70-year-old woman was unresponsive and died after riding the coaster on Nov. 25.
It says she passed away at the hospital, but includes no further details.
The report includes all medical incidents and injuries that are recorded at Universal Orlando, Disney World, Legoland, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.
It includes eight other non-fatal medical incidents at Universal and six at Disney World between October and December 2025. No other incidents were recorded on Revenge of the Mummy in the report.
The report notes it is “a compilation of data collected from the exempt facilities and reflects only the information reported at the time of the incident.”
Due to privacy concerns, the report says, “the Department does not receive updates to initial assessments of a patron’s condition.”
Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor coaster themed after The Mummy film that reaches 40 mph and includes a drop hill of 39 feet. It has appeared on past quarterly reports 21 times for nonfatal injuries and the death of a man who fell from the loading area onto the ride’s tracks in 2004 — the year it opened.
Other Universal rides that reported nonfatal incidents include Stardust Racers, Doctor Dooms Fearfall, Jurassic World: VelociCoaster, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, and Yoshi’s Adventure.
Stardust Racers appears twice in the report: once for a 78-year-old man who experienced chest pain and a 61-year-old man who experienced cardiac arrest.
The Epic Universe dual-launch coaster most notably made recent headlines over the Sept. 17 death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, a 32-year-old man found unresponsive after riding the coaster and later pronounced dead at the hospital. A final investigative report deemed the case accidental and the official cause of death as blunt impact injuries. Zavala used a wheelchair and did not have use of his legs. He also had undergone previous spine and hip surgeries.
Universal has not released a statement about the death.
Universal Orlando announced Thursday its full slate of annual events and experiences set for 2026, including Mardi Gras, Volcano Bay Nights, holidays at the park and Halloween Horror Nights.
Halloween Horror Nights this year celebrates a 35th birthday that’ll kick off Aug. 28 and run through Nov. 1. It’s set to run on select nights, which will be announced at a later date, Universal says.
The park has also yet to begin to tease haunted house and scare zone themes. Last year’s widely well-received 10 franchise-based and original houses included Five Nights at Freddy’s; WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks; Terrifier; Jason Universe; Fallout; Hatchets and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters; Dolls: Let’s Play Dead; Grave of Flesh; Gálkn: Monsters of the North; and El Artista: A Spanish Haunting.
Also announced for 2026 was Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval, set to return Feb. 7 through April 4. Expect sky-high parade floats, live music performances and plenty of New Orleans-themed eats.
The park says its still new(ish) Volcano Bay Nights will return this year, although exact dates have yet to be shared. The nighttime waterpark event was first launched in early 2025 and came back again in the fall. It offered guests access to the limited-capacity park at night, with character meet-and-greets, live entertainment and treats.
Holidays at Universal Orlando kick off just days after HHN on Nov. 14 and will run through Jan. 3. The park will see the return of annual traditions like Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Grinchmas, and Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. There will also be a slate of New Year’s Eve festivities at the parks and Universal CityWalk, which will be announced in the coming months.
The Stardust Racers roller coaster at Epic Universe Credit: Seth Kubersky
Last December, I predicted that 2025 might prove to be a pivotal year for Central Florida’s arts and attractions industries, which then appeared poised at the precipice of either historic expansion or an epic implosion. In the end, both possibilities turned out to be somewhat true, as Orlando welcomed many exciting new experiences while bidding far too many bitter farewells. Here are the highlights and lowlights across my past year covering our community’s live active cultures.
Without a doubt, the long-awaited debut of Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe was the theme park industry’s biggest event of the year, if not the century. I was lucky enough to be invited to pre-opening previews and lavish grand opening celebration (try to spot me in final episode of Peacock’s Epic Ride documentary) but you can judge my genuine love for the new park by the absurd amount of money I’ve spent on single-day admission over the past six months, in the ongoing absence of annual passes.
Tragically, Kevin Zavala’s death aboard Stardust Racers (and other injury claims that have followed his family’s settlement with the park) has cast a shadow over that world-class coaster. And although Universal wisely restricted initial attendance to avoid a repeat of Universal Studios Florida’s infamous inaugural summer, with over 20,000 guests per day visiting over the holidays, Epic’s deficit of people-eating E-tickets is showing up in triple-digit wait times for the top rides. Happily, a massive new indoor Harry Potter broomstick ride, along with other fast-tracked additions, should alleviate Epic’s congestion over the coming years. Universal’s older parks are also receiving some much-need TLC as construction commences on replacements for USF’s Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and IOA’s Lost Continent; also look for Volcano Bay to close next fall for a multi-month makeover.
In Anaheim, Mickey went all out celebrating Disneyland’s 70th birthday with new entertainment and returning favorites, including the controversial first-ever Walt animatronic and celebrated Paint the Night parade, putting to shame the Magic Kingdom’s meager golden anniversary in 2021. But as Walt Disney World prepares to turn 55, we’re left looking back over a year marked by more endings than arrivals. EPCOT’s Test Track emerged from its second makeover with more impressive visuals, but even less educational value. Disney Starlight, Magic Kingdom’s first new nighttime parade in decades, turned out to not be worth the wait, with dazzling float designs undermined by uninspiring music and understaffing. And my most memorable WDW visits of 2025 were bittersweet final pilgrimages to MuppetVision 4-D and the Rivers of America (with Disney Legend Tom Nabbe, Disneyland’s original Tom Sawyer, who is remarkably OK with his island’s extinction), both of which were evicted for upcoming Pixar attractions.
Outside of Orlando’s attractions, the cruise industry was the shining star of the Sunshine State’s year in tourism. Most of the major cruise lines launched their latest mega-ships out of Florida’s ports, and I was fortunate to sail aboard during some celebrity-studded christening celebrations. MSC stepped up to the big leagues with their ginormous World America, and announced its sister ship World Atlantic will sail out of Port Canaveral starting in 2027; I still say stick to their exclusive Yacht Club, even on these newer vessels. My first experience aboard Princess Cruises didn’t quite live up to their stellar reputation for service, but I was still spellbound by Star Princess’ immersive at-sea outpost of L.A.’s famous Magic Castle. Best of all, Norwegian Cruise Line knocked me out with their authorized Prince musical production and cirque spectacular, which I was able to follow from NCL’s Tampa-area rehearsal studio to the Aqua’s main stage.
Within the world of theater, by all rights the highlight of my year should have been my trip to New York City to see Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot — my all-time favorite play, which I’d previously seen starring Nathan Lane and Bill Irwin, and Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen — with Bill & Ted alumni Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves. However, director Jamie Lloyd’s visually striking production proved both frustratingly expectation-subverting and fan-servicing to a fault. The expensive experience emphasized once again that Orlando offers theatrical experiences that equal or outdo anything around Times Square, whether we’re talking about some of the terrific national tours that came through the Dr. Phillips Center this year (including Water for Elephants and Hadestown) or Off-Broadway-worthy revivals from local companies like Theater West End.
Sadly, the same issue that has plagued Orlando’s arts community throughout recent years only became more acute in 2025: the lack of affordable venues for nomadic troupes to rehearse and perform in. Despite the ongoing space squeeze there were several bright spots, as some cultural keystones happily received new homes or rejuvenated existing institutions. Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts sadly said goodbye to founder Chris Cortez due to health issues, but got to move into the coveted former Winter Park Library building. Winter Park Playhouse is performing their classic musicals at Orlando Shakes while major upgrades are underway at their Orange Avenue storefront, which they were finally able to purchase with Tourism Development Tax funding after 23 years. Imagine Performing Arts Center continued to thrive in the Oviedo Mall, providing a platform for challenging works like Ensemble Co.’s chilling revival of Bryony Lavery’s Frozen, which was arguably superior to the one I co-produced years ago. And Theater on the Edge happily reopened with emotionally affecting mountings of Birds of North America and The Sunset Limited to celebrate co-founder Samantha DiGeorge’s recovery from cancer.
Unfortunately, the venue victories of 2025 feel outweighed by the list of losses, starting last winter with Orlando Fringe’s exit from their ArtSpace stages above Church Street, following floods and other downtown plagues. The organization carried forward with a successful May festival, and their Orlando Out Fest gracefully transitioned into The Center’s Q Fest, but the move curtailed much of Fringe’s year-round programming. Currently, the ex-ArtSpace is temporarily occupied by Renaissance Theatre Co., but reopening plans for The Ren’s permanent building near Loch Haven — which was shuttered by the city during the Halloween season — remain TBA at the moment. We lost photographer and arts advocate Patrick Kahn, along with his Snap! Gallery; Jeanine Taylor is retiring from her Sanford folk art gallery; and the long list of restaurants and bars that announced their closures this year includes long-running live music venues like Tanqueray’s and Muldoon’s Saloon. Personally, the final bow that hit me hardest was Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows, which not only served up delicious hens with their whodunits, but served as an important safety net and launching pad for countless local actors.
Finally, if all these dizzying highs and lows in arts and attractions make you want to spark one up, don’t look to the cannabis industry for a calm and quiet year in review. 2025 began with the aftermath of recreational marijuana’s defeat at the ballot box, before new restrictions stuck into this fall’s federal shutdown legislation recriminalized the rapidly growing market for hemp-derived THC. Then, President Trump upended everything again with his recent executive order rescheduling reefer like other prescription drugs. Amidst all these wild swings, Orlando’s MMJ community continued to expand, as I watched Goldflower open their doors, attended one of Leafwell’s free medical card events, and toured Insa’s cutting-edge growing facility with CEO Peter Gallagher; hat tip to their new 30 mg Energy tablets, which helped power me through some 30,000-step theme park days.
Whether it’s weed or the wider world, things appear unlikely to become any more stable in the upcoming year. So as 2025 comes to a close, I say smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em.
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After only a few months in existence, Universal Orlando’s newest park Epic Universe may already be looking toward making some changes, according to permits hinting an expansion.
Universal Orlando filed a permit on Nov. 7 detailing plans for utility and foundation work on a 150,000-square-foot building. The address listed is 1001 Epic Blvd., the official address for Epic Universe. But it is unclear whether the building is located within the park or just on Universal Boulevard property.
Bryce Ramsay, an architect with Baker Barrios, submitted the application, according to reporting by the Orlando Sentinel. But no public comments have been made by the park about the permits.
However, during the Bank of America Securities Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference on Sept. 3, Universal Destinations & Experiences CEO Mark Woodbury discussed future expansions planned for all three Universal parks. With the building size detailed in the permit, it has sparked excitement and speculation of a new attraction.
Epic Universe’s opening in May 2025 marked the first all-new theme park debut in 25 years in Orlando. It brought with it five immersive themed worlds (Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World and How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk). It’s garnered a widely positive reception from fans, and the park has already nabbed industry awards.
Universal Orlando is holding space for an updated shopping adventure delving into the magical world of Oz debuting this week, providing some fantastical cross-promotion for the upcoming film Wicked: For Good.
Starting Friday, Oct. 31, the “Wicked: The Experience” shop at Universal will get some big upgrades, with an ozmopolitan collection of new film props, photo ops, exclusive merchandise and more, inspired by second installment in the Wicked film series, out Nov. 21.
Guests can explore immersive spaces along the yellow brick road, inspired by locales in the Land of Oz, like the Emerald City and Shiz University, brought to life with scenic design and film costume replicas.
A variety of themed bites, beverages and treats, such as the Yellow Road Shake with Dulce de Leche ice cream and the Wizards Elixir Shake with Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream at Schwab’s Pharmacy ice cream shop, will be available throughout the resort as well.
Entry to the experience is free with purchase of a park ticket.
It’s been just under three weeks since a Universal Orlando guest died after riding a new Epic Universe rollercoaster. Now, the ride’s open to guests once again.
Epic Universe’s Stardust Racers reopened Saturday after having been closed since Sept. 17, when 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who used a wheelchair, died at a hospital after he was found unresponsive after riding the coaster.
Off-duty Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a “man down call” within Epic Universe on the day. Zavala was then transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.
An investigation into the incident was launched by Universal and local officials, and Universal has since confirmed the ride “functioned properly” while Zavala boarded, rode and completed the ride.
Now, according a letter obtained by Orlando Weekly that was sent to Universal employees by president and COO Karen Irwin, the theme park has updated its operational procedures and attraction signage to “reinforce existing ride warnings and physical eligibility requirements at Stardust Racers and other rides.”
The letter continues to state the ride would be reopened starting Oct. 4.
On the same day, the park released an updated Guide for Safety and Accessibility, which now states that Stardust Racers riders who use mobility devices must be able to walk independently. The attraction has a device to assist those riders with their transfer to the ride vehicles.
Previously, WESH2 reports, the Guide for Safety and Accessibility stated that Stardust Racers riders “must be able to take a small step into the ride vehicle compartment, either independently or with assistance from your companion.”
Stardust Racers is a dual-launch coaster that reaches speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet across the 5,000 total feet of track inside Epic Universe’s Celestial Park. The height requirement is 48 inches.
BREAKING NEWS JUST INTO OUR NEWSROOM. WESH TWO HAS OBTAINED A LETTER SENT TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO EMPLOYEES FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A GUEST WHO RODE THE STAR RACER’S ROLLER COASTER. NOW, THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT THE RIDE TONIGHT, WHICH REMAINS CLOSED. THE LETTER SENT TO EMPLOYEES BY THE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT, SAYS THE RIDE SYSTEMS FUNCTIONED AS INTENDED AND THE EQUIPMENT WAS INTACT AT THE RIDE’S START AND DURING THE RIDE. IT WENT ON TO SAY THAT TEAM MEMBERS FOLLOWED PROCEDURES AND THE ATTRACTION WILL REMAIN CLOSED AS THE PARK DOES A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW PROCESS. WITH THE RIDE MANUFACTURER. 32 YEAR OLD KEVIN RODRIGUEZ ZABALA WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE ON THE RIDE ON WEDNESDAY AND LATER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER CONFIRMS HIS RULED HIS DEATH RATHER AN ACCIDENT, CITING MULTIPLE BLUNT IMPACT INJURIES. WESH TWO WAS THE ONLY NEWS CREW AT THE SCENE THE NIGHT OF THE DEATH. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY AND BRING YOU THE LATEST UPDATE
Universal Orlando Resort president says Stardust Racers ride was functioning properly
WESH 2 has obtained a copy of a letter sent to Universal Orlando Team Members after the death of a guest who rode the Stardust Racers roller coaster.In the letter, President & COO of Universal Orlando Resort Karen Irwin said, “Our hearts are with our Guest’s family and loved ones, and with all of you who have been impacted by the tragic loss.” Irwin continues stating that internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride’s start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station. The letter tells Universal Orlando Team Members to be mindful that this is an ongoing investigation.Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive on the Stardust Racers roller coaster on Wednesday and later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Universal Orlando officials. The medical examiner confirmed that the death was accidental, citing multiple blunt impact injuries. Click here to support his family’s GoFundMe.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
WESH 2 has obtained a copy of a letter sent to Universal Orlando Team Members after the death of a guest who rode the Stardust Racers roller coaster.
In the letter, President & COO of Universal Orlando Resort Karen Irwin said, “Our hearts are with our Guest’s family and loved ones, and with all of you who have been impacted by the tragic loss.”
Irwin continues stating that internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride’s start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station.
The letter tells Universal Orlando Team Members to be mindful that this is an ongoing investigation.
Universal Orlando Resorts
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive on the Stardust Racers roller coaster on Wednesday and later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Universal Orlando officials.
After the launch of its first-ever nighttime waterpark event earlier this year, Universal Orlando Resort once again hosts Volcano Bay Nights event, on now through the end of October.
Volcano Bay Nights, which debuted this spring, offers guests exclusive access to the limited-capacity park at night, with character meet-and-greets, live entertainment and treats. And this time, it features Scooby-Doo and the rest of the Mystery gang.
The fall-themed event features live entertainment throughout the fiery island, including the chance to take pictures with iconic characters and villains from the Scooby-Doo franchise, along with a live DJ soirée at Waturi Beach.
Other perks include shorter wait times for fan-favorite rides like TeAwa the Fearless River, Ko’okiri Body Plunge, Krakatau Aqua Coaster and more.
The park will also offer complimentary island-inspired snacks like pineapple & coconut popcorn and signature menu items from onsite restaurants, in addition to more than 100 drink choices and free refills with a Volcano Bay Freestyle Souvenir Cup.
Tickets are available for $99 plus tax per person, with self-parking included. Universal Orlando passholders can expect to receive a 10% discount off the ticketed price. To upgrade the experience, Universal says that private cabanas will be available to book at the concierge huts on the day of the event for $279.99, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Guests will have access to Volcano Bay on Friday nights until Oct. 31, beginning at 4 p.m., with the event officially taking place from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Credit: by Seth Kubersky
Spooky season has sneaked up on Orlando once again, as signified by the annual arrival of Universal Studios Florida’s Halloween Horror Nights. For HHN’s 34th installment, the creative team led by Mike Aiello and Lora Sauls have pulled out all the stops, delivering what I feel is the event’s strongest installment this decade.
I was especially impressed by the scarezones — particularly the Roaring ’20s toxic mutants in New York, the Cat Lady mini-show outside Animal Actors, and Hollywood’s vampire masquerade ball — which were markedly more menacing and story-focused than the selfie-zones of recent years.
The latest Nightmare Fuel pyrotechnic dance show also continues its upward evolution with a satisfying sequel to last year’s cursed circus storyline, as first-time director Charles Gray (picking up the baton from Jason Horne) punches up the pacing, tightening the integration of illusions and explosive choreography. And although I was unable to watch the new Haunt-o-Phonic fountain show, the brief glimpse I caught looked ghoulishly delightful.
However, most guests go to HHN for their world-famous haunted houses, and this year’s lineup of 10 terrifying mazes will present a dilemma for all but the deep-pocketed. The offerings are mostly solid, and several are spectacular, with only a few relative duds this time around. But if the posted standby wait times on opening weekend are anything to go by, my traditional goal of completing every house and show in one night without Express access may have finally become impossible to accomplish.
The cat appears to be out of the bag on my former “secret weapon” of Stay & Scream, with queues now opening at 4 p.m. and some exceeding two hours before the evening officially begins.
Even Express isn’t a panacea anymore, as it reduces your wait by roughly half but doesn’t eliminate it, and new longer pathways to and from the soundstages (necessitated by the demolition of Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket) mean even old hands at HHN will have difficulty formulating an efficient route this year. The ideal solution — assuming you can afford it — is an RIP tour, like the one I was hosted on during the opening-night media event. Thanks to our tour guide, Billie Jane, who is an award-winning local playwright-performer when she isn’t escorting VIPs at Universal, we were easily able to squeeze in all 10 mazes (plus extras) before the 2 a.m. closing.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to get front-of-the-line privileges and are forced by long queues to pick and choose which houses to line up for, here are my totally subjective rankings of all 10, based on how many minutes I’d personally be willing to wait for another run-through.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Credit: by Seth Kubersky
Be aware that your mileage will undoubtedly vary, because I base my preferences on things like the ambition and execution of the scenic artistry and special effects, the creativity and clarity of the theme, and the placement and pacing of the performers. I don’t judge how “scary” a house is, because years of working backstage have blunted my startle response, and I can no longer get spooked with a conga line of shuffling guests around me.
Terrifier (worth 75 minutes)
The gallons of gore that literally drenched me in this house should force any fanboys complaining that HHN has gone “family-friendly” to STFU. I enjoyed walking through the three Terrifier films far more than watching them, thanks in large part to this cast’s expert mimicry of Art the Clown’s mime mannerisms.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (worth 70 minutes)
The Easter egg-filled re-creation of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria is note-perfect, from the crying child to the Springtrap mask. Unfortunately, the impressive movie-accurate animatronics and full-sized articulated puppets from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop are mostly rooted in place, which somewhat mutes their menace.
El Artista: A Spanish Haunting (60 minutes)
I’m a sucker for a grand facade, and this Gothic manor (which inspired this year’s overall aesthetic) is one of Universal’s most jaw-dropping. Once inside, overhead aerial stunts, multiple Pepper’s ghosts and every other trick in the book are employed in telling a refreshingly original tale from director Ramón Paradoa that evokes Goya and Gaudí with a Faustian twist.
Dolls: Let’s Play Dead (worth 50 minutes)
If Disney ever put a haunted house based on Toy Story’s Sid and Finding Nemo’s Darla inside the queue of Hollywood Studios’ Midway Mania, it might look like this. Guest-activated buttons, a playful sense of scale and imaginative environments (like the inside of an Easy-Bake Oven) make this the most entertaining house.
WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks (worth 45 minutes)
I stopped following professional wrestling when WWF became WWE, so add an extra 15 minutes if you’re already a fan. As a newcomer, I was unexpectedly engaged by the variety and viciousness of the characters and the verisimilitude of the backstage environments.
Gálkn: Monsters of the North (worth 40 minutes)
Wicker Man and Midsommar have nothing on this revenge-driven romp through a pseudo-Nordic village being ravaged by horned horrors. The best part is the “belly of the beast” finale, which features some of the event’s most relentless scareactors.
Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters (worth 30 minutes)
Old West-inspired haunts are usually winners, and this Slaughter Sinema spinoff starts strong with an actor-driven entrance and unique lava lighting. I also loved the ending’s speeding train effects and blow-off monster, but the creature designs and plot seemed somewhat muddled in the middle.
Grave of Flesh (worth 20 minutes)
The towering graveyard facade makes a fabulous first impression, but it goes downhill fast with repetitive dirt walls and a grab-bag of monster designs. The brief M.C. Escher-esque interlude in the middle only reminded me how badly I want HHN to have a Hellraiser II house.
Fallout (worth 15 minutes)
As a Fallout fan from the prehistoric era of Wasteland on my Apple IIc through to the Amazon series, this house was a shocking disappointment. The initial Vault architecture is impressive, and all the fan-service props (like Pip-Boys and Jolt Cola dispensers) are in place. But Lucy dominates too many scenes, miming to comically repetitive audio cues, while Maximus and especially the Ghoul are given shamefully short shrift before the anticlimactic ending.
Jason Universe (worth 10 minutes)
I’m sure to get flamed for this take. The folks around me praised this maze’s scare factor, but the return of Jason Voorhees to HHN missed the mark for me. If too many cooks spoil the soup, then too many Jasons — mostly mid-series hockey-mask incarnations, no sign of X’s cyber-version — popping in and out of boo-holes, without any of his iconic kills or environments beyond repetitive wooded campgrounds, ultimately bored me.
Universal Orlando has been awarded new amusement-industry awards, scoring big for its new behemoth baby Epic Universe and water theme park Volcano Bay.
This year’s Golden Ticket Awards, a prestigious annual tradition in the theme park world presented by Amusement Today, granted Universal a total of five awards for both new and longstanding immersive experiences and attractions. It was the only Florida park to win in this year’s roundup.
The park nabbed the following honors:
Best new theme concept for Epic Universe’s village of Darkmoor
Best new coaster for Epic Universe’s Stardust Racers
Best new attraction installation for Epic Universe’s Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
Best dark ride for Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
Best water park for Volcano Bay
This year marks the first time a new winner has been named in the best water park category in 26 years. Volcano Bay, opened in 2017, beat out the previous titleholder: Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort in New Braunfels, Texas.
While Epic Universe, the theme park’s highly anticipated new venture that opened this summer, helped the amusement giant score big, Disney World was left in the dust.
Disney World took home no wins. Maybe next time, Mickey.
Universal says new cutting-edge theme park, Epic Universe, will open in May
Updated: 9:07 AM EDT Oct 17, 2024
After much speculation, unconfirmed reports and a cryptic social media post from Universal Orlando Resort, the company has finally announced an opening date for its latest entertainment undertaking, a new theme park called Epic Universe.Epic Universe will open May 22, 2025, according to a social media post from the park. Tickets will go on sale Oct. 22, which will be the same day guests can book reservations at select hotels.In the works for years, the groundbreaking, 750-acre park is the fourth addition to Universal’s empire of Orlando entertainment, including Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay water park. About Epic UniverseUniversal expects its new multi-themed park, divided into five separate worlds, to transform Central Florida.Dubbed “the most immersive and innovative park ever built,” Epic Universe is set to bring in millions of tourist dollars and change the attraction landscape in Orlando and beyond.Inspired by the exploration of unknown worlds, Universal’s Epic Universe will be composed of five separate “lands,” all with their own themed rides, dining and shopping. Celestial Park, inspired by all things astronomy and mythology, is at the heart of it all.> WATCH: Chopper 2 captures a look at new ‘Starfall Racers’ coaster from Universal’s Epic UniverseFrom Celestial, Universal has crafted four other worlds for guests to explore, including:Dark Universe, featuring some of Universal’s most iconic monsters.Super Nintendo World, a vibrant land bringing you straight into video game paradise.How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, where you can live among dragons and Vikings.Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, the third franchise-themed world spanning Universal Orlando.The addition of a new park also means the addition of three new hotels, including Helios Grand Hotel, the gem of Universal lodging, officials say.According to the park, Helios Grand Hotel is a “full-service hotel for guests looking to go all-out during their Universal Orlando Resort stay.” The biggest perk is Helios’ dedicated and exclusive entrance into Celestial Park.Two other themed hotels, the Stella Nova Resort and the Terra Luna Resort, are also opening on the premises. > READ: Universal shares first-ever details about Helios Grand Hotel coming to Epic Universe
ORLANDO, Fla. —
After much speculation, unconfirmed reports and a cryptic social media post from Universal Orlando Resort, the company has finally announced an opening date for its latest entertainment undertaking, a new theme park called Epic Universe.
Epic Universe will open May 22, 2025, according to a social media post from the park. Tickets will go on sale Oct. 22, which will be the same day guests can book reservations at select hotels.
In the works for years, the groundbreaking, 750-acre park is the fourth addition to Universal’s empire of Orlando entertainment, including Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay water park.
About Epic Universe
Universal expects its new multi-themed park, divided into five separate worlds, to transform Central Florida.
Dubbed “the most immersive and innovative park ever built,” Epic Universe is set to bring in millions of tourist dollars and change the attraction landscape in Orlando and beyond.
Inspired by the exploration of unknown worlds, Universal’s Epic Universe will be composed of five separate “lands,” all with their own themed rides, dining and shopping. Celestial Park, inspired by all things astronomy and mythology, is at the heart of it all.
From Celestial, Universal has crafted four other worlds for guests to explore, including:
The addition of a new park also means the addition of three new hotels, including Helios Grand Hotel, the gem of Universal lodging, officials say.
According to the park, Helios Grand Hotel is a “full-service hotel for guests looking to go all-out during their Universal Orlando Resort stay.” The biggest perk is Helios’ dedicated and exclusive entrance into Celestial Park.
Two other themed hotels, the Stella Nova Resort and the Terra Luna Resort, are also opening on the premises.
Just in time to open a brand new theme park, Universal Orlando will expand its flagship store in CityWalk to include two areas dedicated to lands in Epic Universe.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World expansions will open in the Universal Studios Store in 2025 — right across the way from the Epic Universe Preview Center.
The new Wizarding World area will have theming and merchandise from all three park lands — Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and the new Ministry of Magic. For the first time, guests can grab cold, frozen, hot and vegan Butterbeer treats outside the parks. The new counter will also have other specialty items from the Wizarding World — likely packaged candy and bottled drinks from Honeydukes.
Then, more Mushroom Kingdom merchandise will finally arrive at Universal Orlando with the Super Nintendo World section of the Studios Store. The area will have a dedicated entrance themed after the video games’ colorful world and characters, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong and more.
Souvenir shops at Hollywood’s and Japan’s Super Nintendo World feature giant warp pipes and bright and bold colors. Inside are more pipes, gears and more game elements brought to life. For Orlando’s store, there will likely be similar merchandise like character-themed clothing and accessories. Depending on when the expansion opens, the Studios Store may also sell the Power Up bands to use inside Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe.
More details about the store expansion are coming soon, Universal said. We’d love to see more dedicated areas themed after Epic Universe’s How to Train Your Dragon and Dark Universe lands, too.
With 10 terrifying haunted houses, five spine-tingling scare zones and frighteningly immersive entertainment, Halloween Horror Nights 33 offers guests the chance to experience their worst nightmares face to face starting Friday.
Running longer than ever before, with 48 dates through Nov. 3, the event will transport attendees to some of horror’s scariest scenes.
Here are some of the highlights guests can expect this year:
Brave guests can zip their lips and experience A Quiet Place, one of this year’s hallmark haunted houses, up close. If you know what’s good for you, don’t stray from the pack — and definitely don’t make a sound.
A genre-defining horror franchise also makes its return to the HHN stage this year: Insidious: The Further invites guests — or victims — to join the Lambert family as the red door welcomes them into a deathly demonic realm.
This year’s house roundup includes: A Quiet Place, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Insidious: The Further, Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines, Slaughter Sinema 2, Goblin’s Feast, Major Sweets Candy Factory, The Museum: Deadly Exhibits, Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America and Triplets of Terror.
In one of this year’s scare zones, icons from horror production company Blumhouse — including The Black Phone‘s Grabber, M3GAN and Happy Death Day’s killer — will make appearances in the park’s San Francisco area. Four other original scare zones are scattered around the rest of the park, promising guests no escape from eerie encounters.
This year’s five scare zones are Enter the Blumhouse, Duality of Fear, Torture Faire, Demon Queens and Swamp of the Undead.
While waiting for the next fright, guests can recharge and experience HHN’s infamous Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus live show, featuring an ominous atmosphere and agile aerialists performing alongside rock music and pyrotechnics. If they’re in need of updated merchandise, guests can get their fix at the all-new tribute store.
Even demons and monsters need to eat. Straight from this year’s haunted new menus is Pork Carniceria, inspired by Monstrous: The Monsters of Latin America; Mini Stay-Puft S’mores, inspired by Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire; and Abbott’s Farm Corn Chowder, inspired by A Quiet Place.
There’s no escape from the scares at Halloween Horror Nights thanks to five immersive scare zones set up around Universal Studios Florida.
With 10 haunted houses and a live show already revealed, HHN finally told us what the last scare zone theme would be this week. Based on not-so-subtle spoiler photos of a Blumhouse logo-covered structure in the park, it was no surprise the horror film studio was making an appearance this year.
HHN officially confirmed a Blumhouse scare zone on Wednesday. As you walk through the (probably) fog-filled San Francisco area of the park, you’ll run into iconic Blumhouse characters like The Grabber (The Black Phone), M3GAN, the baby mask-wearing slasher from Happy Death Day and more.
The other four scare zones at HHN 33 are original themes.
Duality of Fear: The HHN entrance scare zone will force you to choose between SINIST3R — visceral horror — and SURR3AL — unearthly terror. There’s no lesser of two evils with these scream queens.
Torture Faire: SINIST3R’s renaissance faire is a gory showcase of all her favorite medieval torture devices.
Demon Queens: SURR3AL’s hellscape is filled with terrifying and fanatical followers of her unique brand of terror.
Swamp of the Undead: The Louisiana swamp comes to undead life with hordes of zombie trespassers.
Halloween Horror Nights 33 kicks off at Universal Studios Florida on Aug. 30 and runs select nights through Nov. 3. The ticketed event includes haunted houses inspired by A Quiet Place, Ghostbusters, Insidious, Universal Monsters and six original stories.
This year’s live entertainment includes Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus — a showcase of pyrotechnics and aerialists set to pulse-pounding rock music. There will also be themed food and drinks throughout the park, and chances to ride some of the best attractions in the park after dark.
Tickets, upgrades and vacation packages are available to purchase now through UniversalOrlando.com/HHN.
Universal Orlando is in search of fans to star in The Fanny Pack, a new YouTube vlogger-style series that prepares guests for a visit to the park.
The Fanny Pack will feature a rotating cast of fans revealing what guests can experience at Universal Orlando through improvised segments and challenges.
To audition, fans will be asked to submit a vlog-style tour of their favorite park location while answering questions about themselves and their passion for Universal Orlando. Experience vlogging is not required, but it is preferred. Fans auditioning must have experience in digital content creation or participation on social media and live in the Orlando area.
“The casting call is looking for authentic, witty, adventurous and outgoing personalities with a passion for theme parks, fandoms, thrill rides and pop culture,” Universal Orlando said in a release.
Universal Orlando is filling a Shrekzel-shaped hole in theme park goers lives.
DreamWorks Land, the new world filled with Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda, is now open at Universal — along with a CineSational lagoon show and Hogwarts Always projection show.
DreamWorks Land fills the space formerly taken up by Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone. The Nuthouse Coaster may be history, but Universal ensured its replacement remained just as kid-friendly. The only ride in the area is the Trolls Trollercoaster. Play areas, snack stands, shows and character encounters make up the remainder of DreamWorks land.
Movie fans can also dine at Trolls– and Shrek-themed snack kiosks. Menu items are mostly cinematic twists on familiar favorites — like the Shrekzel, a Shrek-shaped soft pretzel, or the Poppy-licious Pink and BroZone Berry ice creams.
Here’s a look at the Universal attractions now open in DreamWorks Land and two new light shows.
Shrek’s Swamp Meet
The character encounter Shrek’s Swamp Meet takes place outside the green ogre’s 35-foot cottage, where guests can meet and take pictures with Shrek, Fiona and Donkey.
Movie characters at theme park meet-and-greets usually stay silent, but Donkey chats with guests with full-on Eddie Murphy swagger, so be prepared to bring some of your most burning questions about life in the Swamp or his wife, Dragon, if you visit.
Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres
With four slides, a wet play zone and a colorful playground, Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres is a play area designed for the youngest park visitors. The area also features a Pinocchio animatronic whose nose sprouts as he tells white lies.
King Harold’s Swamp Symphony
Kids’ play area King Harold’s Swamp Symphony invites guests to stand on lily pads in front of a frog-studded log. Stomping on the pads triggers the frogs to croak in a symphony of ribbits.
Mama Luna Feline Fiesta
The Puss in Boots: The Last Wish film came out less than two years ago, but it already has a presence in the new land. Mama Luna’s house features a digital screen with hundreds of cats visitors can play with using bells, maracas and buttons.
Trolls Trollercoaster
The Trolls Trollercoaster is DreamWorks Land’s only ride, and it’s designed with kids in mind, with a minimum height requirement of 36 inches (compared to The Incredible Hulk Coaster’s 54-inch requirement).
The ride doesn’t go upside-down, but it does lean heavily into its source material — riders take a seat in the caterpillar Caterbus before joining the movie’s protagonists Poppy, Tiny, Satin and Chenille in an escape from “spooky spiders.”
Poppy’s Playground
Poppy’s Playground is another kid zone, where a 20-foot mushroom extends over a field of Trolls flowers and mushroom swings for little parkgoers.
The central attraction of Kung Fu Panda protagonist Po’s village is a digital screen where Po appears to chat with the crowd and lead a group kung fu session. Po’s cousin Ling-Ling makes an appearance in the virtual character meet, which repeats every 20 minutes.
Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp
As another kid zone, Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp stands out for its interactive water features — including cannons and dump buckets — which Universal assures visitors will leave them soaked.
The play zone also has giant fans, gongs and merry-go-round noodle bowls.
DreamWorks Character Zone
In a break from DreamWorks Land’s focus on Trolls, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek, the DreamWorks Character Zone offers the chance to meet Gabby from the animated kid’s show Gabby’s Dollhouse — as well as other characters, according to the attraction’s website.
DreamWorks Imagination Celebration
DreamWorks Imagination Celebration brings together characters from all three of the area’s featured film franchises in a 20-minute live show. The multi-sensory show combines live actors, animated characters and dancers.
CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular
Located in Universal Studios alongside DreamWorks Land, CineSational is the park’s new lagoon show. It features soundtracks from several Universal films, including Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Jaws and the Minions franchise, according to a release.
The show will include 228 water fountains that extend up to 131 feet.
The CineSational show takes the place of the Cinematic Celebration, which was shown at the same central lagoon and ran from 2018 until 2023. Like its replacement, Cinematic Celebration also featured franchises like Harry Potter and Jurassic World.
Hogwarts Always Castle Projection Show
The Hogwarts Always show is the only new attraction unveiled Friday in Universal Islands of Adventure. The nighttime show is set against the backdrop of the Hogwarts castle and will feature visuals from the Harry Potter films.
Universal confirmed in a release Friday the show will feature the Hogwarts Express and the Sorting Ceremony.
The show will be available on select nights, but Universal has not provided a calendar of scheduled showings. The new show replaces “The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle,” which ran from 2018 until 2023.
The upcoming five-world park is still under construction for now, but the Epic Universe Preview Center is now open at Universal CityWalk. Those looking forward to challenging Bowser in Super Nintendo World or soaring with Hiccup on the How to Train Your Dragon wing glider coaster will have to keep practicing their fire-breathing and dragon-saddling techniques a little while longer.
Theme park visitors can enter the extraordinarily colorful world set to unveil at Epic Universe early this summer, with a special preview center set to open at CityWalk.
Universal released first-look images of the highly anticipated new park and detail teasers earlier this year, and now, the Epic Universe experience may be even closer.
Universal Orlando announced Wednesday an Epic Universe Preview Center will debut at CityWalk this June.
The center will allow guests to explore models of the upcoming park offering bird’s-eye views of Epic Universe, set to open in 2025. The models will feature attractions, shops and experiences to come. Using augmented reality devices, guests will get an in-depth view of the epic experience.
The preview center will be located in the former Universal Legacy Store located in CityWalk. The experience will also offer new shop items that will be offered inside the new park, including merchandise as well as photo opportunities against backgrounds displaying themes from each of the five new parks.
Universal has yet to release an opening date of the preview experience.
While preparing to enter a portal into a new universe, guests can expect the five new parks to include the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, Dark Universe and Celestial Park.
Guests can expect new attractions including Nintendo World’s Mario Kart, How to Train Your Dragon’s Monsters Unchained, Celestial Park’s Constellation Carousel and more.
The layout of the new park uses the wheel-and-spoke diagram that allows for four themed sections to circle around one hub and entrance section. The park will be located on a 750-acre site behind Orlando’s Icon Park, making it a 15-minute drive from Universal’s other parks.
Universal is also crafting new lodging experiences like the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts set to open in 2025.
Three months ahead of opening night, we now know six of the 10 haunted houses coming to Halloween Horror Nights 33 at Universal Orlando.
Breaking tradition and keeping fans on their toes, HHN took to the Spooky Empire convention last weekend to reveal the first house — Slaughter Sinema 2, a sequel to the horror movie drive-in maze from 2018. The next day, the fright fest announced Goblin’s Feast, a new original house full of hungry goblins, orcs and witches.
Then every day this week, at 10:33 a.m. on the dot, HHN announced Major Sweets Candy Factory, The Museum: Deadly Exhibits, Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America and Triplets of Terror.
Major Sweets Candy Factory makes you a chaperone on a field trip that turns sour when your child charges turn into sugar-fueled fiends. In The Museum: Deadly Exhibits, something evil escapes from a new folklore museum and sets out to destroy everything in its path.
In the Monstruos house, La Muerte is your guide to exploring the terrifying legends of Tlahuelpuchi (a shapeshifting vampiric witch), La Lechuza (a shapeshifting owl witch) and El Silbón (a cursed whistling spirit who carries the bones of their victims).
And in the Triplets of Terror house, you’re invited to a gory party for the Barmy triplets, who celebrate their birthday by recreating their family’s murders. How precious!
With seemingly all of the original houses revealed for this year’s event, fans are left to speculate what IP-themed experiences we’ll get.
In years past, HHN announced one or two of the big IP houses first, sprinkling in original houses throughout the summer. Is it a good omen that Universal announced all the original houses first? Maybe they’re saving the best ones for last.
Either way, HHN has grown exponentially in popularity over the last three decades – blockbuster IP houses or not. Longtime diehard fans have even expressed on social media that HHN doesn’t need even one IP house. The classic, campy and lore-filled original houses are consistently among the best experiences.
We’ll still be checking the HHN Twitter page every day at 10:33 a.m. for the foreseeable future. There are still four more houses, five scare zones and live entertainment to announce.
Halloween Horror Nights returns on Aug. 30 and runs for 48 select nights through Nov. 3. Tickets are on sale now, and some new merch is already available in the parks and online.
MAYOR’S VETERANS ADVISORY COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. EVERY DAY THIS WEEK, UNIVERSAL HAS BEEN ANNOUNCING NEW HAUNTED HOUSES FOR THIS YEAR’S HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS. AND TODAY WE ARE SHOWING YOU MONSTROUS THE MONSTERS OF LATIN AMERICA. YOU’LL MEET THREE TERRIFYING LEGENDS OF MEXICO, COLOMBIA, AND VENEZUELA. UNIVERSAL. STILL HAS PLENTY MORE HOUSES LEFT TO UNVEIL, SO STICK WITH US AS WE BRING YOU ALL THE ANNOUNCEMENTS AS SOON AS THEY HAPPEN. HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS RUNS AUGUST 30TH
Universal Orlando unveils 5th house coming to Halloween Horror Nights this year
Updated: 2:20 PM EDT May 23, 2024
Universal Orlando has just unveiled another house that will be ready to haunt guests during the 2024 Halloween Horror Nights season. Joining the list of four other announced houses is “Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America,” where Universal said guests will encounter three terrifying legends. “With La Muerte as your guide, you’ll be begging for piedad from these three terrifying legends: Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza and El Silbón,” the park said online. This year, Halloween Horror Nights will start earlier than ever and feature 10 haunted houses and five scare zones.Universal has already announced five of its 10 houses, which also include “Major Sweets Candy Factory,” “Goblin’s Feast Tavern,” “The Museum: Deadly Exhibit,” and “Slaughterhouse Sinema 2.”To read more about the other houses announced, click here. Halloween Horror Nights runs from Aug. 30 to Nov. 3
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Universal Orlando has just unveiled another house that will be ready to haunt guests during the 2024 Halloween Horror Nights season.
Joining the list of three other announced houses is “Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America,” where Universal said guests will encounter three terrifying legends.
“With La Muerte as your guide, you’ll be begging for piedad from these three terrifying legends: Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza and El Silbón,” the park said online.
This year, Halloween Horror Nights will start earlier than ever and feature 10 haunted houses and five scare zones.
Universal has already announced four of its 10 houses, which also include “Major Sweets Candy Factory,” “Goblin’s Feast Tavern,” and “Slaughterhouse Sinema 2.”
To read more about the other houses announced, click here.
Halloween Horror Nights runs from Aug. 30 to Nov. 3
When DreamWorks Land opens next month at Universal Orlando, kids and adults alike will get to enjoy salty Shrekzels, take a trip on the Caterbus with the Trollercoaster, and learn kung fu in Po’s training camp.
About a month out from opening day, Universal Orlando shared exciting new details about DreamWorks Land in a behind-the-scenes video and at an invite-only media event.
DreamWorks Land replaces Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, a play area that closed in January 2023 after nearly 25 years.
In an interview with USA Today, Universal Creative creative director Dean Orion and executive VP of marketing at DreamWorks Animation Michael Vollman explained how the idea for DreamWorks Land came about and the importance of family-friendly play areas.
When speaking about the DreamWorks presence in Universal parks and the move to revamp Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, Orion said: “Parks, you know, they take a lot of wear and tear. They age. The IP (intellectual property) gets a little long in the tooth, and sometimes it’s time to refresh.”
The Trolls and Kung Fu Panda franchises both saw new movies released in 2023 and 2024, respectively, but Shrek is nearly 25 years old, with the latest film released in 2010. Vollman said Shrek is “(still) massively popular” and “perfect” to include alongside the others.
As for keeping the former KidZone kid-friendly, Orion said it was “a huge motivation here to create a really fun environment where kids can play freely.” He also said there’s much emphasis on interactivity in DreamWorks Land — with screens, physical aspects, water and characters.
All this to say, the new DreamWorks Land was very much created with kids in mind, but offers plenty for adults to enjoy as well.
Shrek
Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres: A playground built for the littlest swamp monsters with slides, a wet play zone and Shrek’s Outhouse slide — experience what it’s like to be flushed! Don’t forget to visit Pinocchio and press the “fact check” button to learn some fun facts that may or may not be true.
Mama Luna Feline Fiesta: The shaded play area is inspired by Puss in Boots 2: The Last Wish and features interactive screens and levers to play along with Mama Luna’s cats.
King Harold’s Swamp Symphony: Join a choir of 10 frogs to create different melodies as you touch and step on interactive lily pads.
Shrek’s Swamp Meet: Head over to Shrek’s cottage to meet Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona.
Swamp Snacks: The place to go for Shrekzels with green cheese, Swamp Dogs wrapped in pizza tree bark, Far Far A Waffles, Mud Puddle Pudding, Chonkey Donkey chocolate ice pops and Frozen Ogre sour apple ice pops. Swamp Snacks also drafts and canned beer.
Trolls
Trollercoaster: Board the Caterbus for an adventure through the Trolls’ forest in this family-friendly roller coaster.
Poppy’s Playground: Another area for the little kids, Poppy’s Playground shrinks you down to Troll size to play under a 20-foot mushroom alongside brightly colored flowers and insects.
Trolls Treats: The giant boom box-shaped ice cream shop has flavors like Poppy-licious Pink lemonade and huckleberry-flavored BroZone Berry.
Kung Fu Panda
Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp: The characters and setting from Kung Fu Panda come to life to help teach you how to do kung fu in this play area. The Panda Village also has water cannons, dump buckets, Mr. Ping’s Noodle Kaboodle and a giant gong to ring.
Po Live!: Meet and interact with Po the panda as he teaches kung fu moves and how to make the best stir-fry.
DreamWorks Character Zone: Meet and greet iconic characters from DreamWorks projects, including Shrek, Trolls, Kung Fu Panda, Puss in Boots and Gabby’s Dollhouse.
Imagination Celebration: Head into the former Barney theater to see all the fan-favorite DreamWorks characters party and dance together in the interactive live show with 360 LED screens and impressive puppetry.
High Five Hideaway: The small gift shop is big on new character merch, including Shrek ears headbands, Po plushies and hats, and Trolls tees that say “vibes” in fluorescent colors.
DreamWorks Land opens on June 14 at Universal Studios Florida.
