Epic Universe's How to Train Your Dragon World Promises Full Immersion: "I Actually Burst Into Tears"
The minds behind Epic Universe's How To Train Your Dragon world shared details about the upcoming park.
There are many exciting new worlds coming to Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe, but perhaps one of the most highly anticipated is the immersive experience promised with How To Train Your Dragon: The Isle of Berk.
The world will open alongside Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, and Celestial Park on May 22, 2025. Like the others, it promises a particularly immersive experience for parkgoers. Fans of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise will feel like they’re experiencing a sequel to the movies — every detail of the park is designed to make you feel like you’re a Viking living among friendly dragons, fully steeped in the franchise.
“The challenge for us is not just to bring those stories and the story of Hiccup and Astrid and that whole cast of characters to life, but also convey that emotion and do it through the artistry,” Steve Tatum, executive creative director of Universal’s Epic Universe, told the crowd when NBC Insider attended New York Comic-Con 2024.
How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk Rides
Tatum noted the park is set at a time in the franchise when Vikings and dragons coexist peacefully, calling it “How to Train Your Dragon 2.5.” Through the art direction of the park, it was important to make sure parkgoers experience that harmony at all times to help them feel like they’re living in the world of the movies.
“So then, when you walk into this world, that world will immerse you. You’ll be surrounded by it and you will be living in this medieval-like village and the thing about this world is that it has more attractions than any of the others,” he revealed. “So, there’s a family coaster, Hiccup’s Flying Gliders, where you get to soar with dragons. There’s a Broadway-style show, 'Untrainable.' There’s a Viking training camp where it’s a kids’ play area. There’s Dragon Racers Rallies where you get to test your acrobatic skills. So, it’s very rich, not only story, but also with lots to do. So, it’s really bringing that world to life in an amazing way.”
How to Train Your Dragon-Themed Hotel Rooms
The immersion doesn’t have to stop just because you leave Epic Universe for the day, either. Tatum revealed that the upcoming Helios Grand Hotel, which is attached to the new park, will feature How to Train Your Dragon suites similar to the Minions-themed ones elsewhere in the park.
“You can live 24-7 in this world,” he said. “You can go to the world in the day and then you can stay in the suite at night. So, there are views inside the room.”
How to Train Your Dragon Director Gets a Preview
The director of the original How to Train Your Dragon film, Chris Sanders, previously discussed seeing some of his work be brought to life by way of Universal Parks and shared a touching story about just some of the production value going into these parks and the emotional impact it had on him, albeit quite far away from Orlando.
“You know, I just saw one, actually, at Universal Beijing. It was overwhelming,” he told NBC Insider. “They showed me a show and then afterward, they allowed me to stand up on the stage and they had Toothless fly down and land in front of me. I actually burst into tears.”
He added: “It was more emotional than I expected it to be because there he was, like, in dimension and… I got to pet his head and look into his eyes and… It was overwhelming.”
While there’s no guarantee that what he saw in Beijing will make its way to Epic Universe, the team behind the new park is clearly pulling out all the stops when it comes to using technology to bring these worlds to life in an exciting, immersive way. So, it seems 2025 will be a big year for fans of Universal Parks.
In the meantime, catch up on the films on Peacock now.
