Epic Universe construction update: Isle of Berk races to the finish line
We, my friends, we have dragons … and a new construction update from How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk inside Universal Epic Universe!
Opening on May 22, 2025, Universal Epic Universe is now less than four months from its grand opening date. As the park gets ready for its first guests, construction is ramping up. Flying above Universal Orlando’s How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk on Jan. 17, @bioreconstruct documented a more than significant amount of progress throughout the land. Saddle up and strap in your Vikings-in-training, because this is a big one!
Mead Hall
Four doors have been placed at the entrance of Mead Hall, one of Berk’s quick-service dining locations.
Spit Fyre Grill
Construction crews are hard at work finishing up the outdoor seating canopy over at Spit Fyre Grill, a dining location, painting some supports since we last checked in.
Fyre Drill
For an attraction that’s constantly “on fire,” Fyre Drill looks very vibrant. Epic Universe crews filled the ride’s pathway with water and uncovered lots of figures nearby. In the back of the photo below, you can see new art painted onto the rockwork.
A figure that resembles Hiccup’s father, Stoick the Vast, appears on the attraction holding a water bucket.
Workers also painted stripes on the top of the attraction’s queue covering.
The load platform for Fyre Drill appears to be a conveyer belt. It remains to be seen if this dragon water battle ride will operate with a continuous loading process, resembling rides like Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges at Universal Islands of Adventure, or if it will dispatch boats one by one, like Battle of Bricksburg at Legoland Florida. The latter is the same type of ride, so it’s possible Fyre Drill will more closely resemble that.
Fyre Drill’s extended queue is covered by colorful tarps, with some human-sized dryers nearby in the top left corner of the image. For the low price of $8 (if it’s the same price as dryers in other Universal parks), you and your group can be 5% drier than you were two minutes prior!
More people dryers may be located under this structure, which is still under scaffolding.
Dragon Racer’s Rally
The Dragon Racer’s Rally spinning flat ride has seen lots of additions since we last checked in, including the attraction’s wait time sign and the warning board.
On top of the ride entrance is a sheep, waiting to be catapulted into the air. Next to the sheep awaiting its demise are recently installed nets, to protect guests in line from loose change or anything that could fly out of a rider’s pocket.
An illustration of Hiccup and Tootheless was added in the center of the stands overlooking Dragon Racer’s Rally.
Look at that smile! That will be you as you train for dragon racing on this attraction! Next to this precious portrait, more banners were installed of dragons featured in the “How to Train Your Dragon” movie franchise. Little flags were also added, draped between the banners.
A stroll around the village of Berk
Grog & Gruel, a snack stand next to Dragon Racer’s Rally, is uncovered and fully painted. Tip: Eat here AFTER riding Dragon Racer’s Rally.
Construction crews are working on lighting that will illuminate the hill atop Mead Hall.
A little house rests on the peak, with smaller versions of the dragon banners found on Dragon Racer’s Rally decorating the hill. To guests down below, though, these bleachers and banners may seem to be larger than they really are.
Painting seems to be complete, or nearly finished, on the buildings throughout the village of Berk.
Near Haddock Paddock, a location where you can meet Hiccup and Toothless, Universal artisans carved into a “fallen” tree with an illustration of the moment the young viking and his Night Fury dragon became friends.
Images courtesy of Universal
Near the aforementioned log is a planter with a newly installed sign, directing guests to points of interest across Berk. After seeing the carving of Hiccup and Toothless in person, I will need to be directed toward the nearest tissue box.
Construction crews continue to make progress on the tiles surrounding the fountain in the center of Berk’s village. The tiles will portray Vikings and dragons, with one notable dragon being a Gronkle. Water has yet to flow from this fountain (that we’ve seen).
Guests riding the Hiccups Wing Gliders roller coaster will soar over the water and past these dragon houses, but since we are stationary right now, we can get a closer look at the details on this hill.
Sheep are scattered at the bottom of the mountain, presumably hiding from dragons or the catapult at Dragon Racer’s Rally.
Lots of colorful dragon houses also call this hill home. Some dragons are currently resting in their humble abodes, with some poking out their head or tail!
A robotic tail shown here without its skin, or scales in this case, is hanging out from this dragon house.
We expect this tail to swing once Isle of Berk opens.
More colorful tails are found in this concentrated hilltop, and an orange Gronkle sticks its head out!
A fun kinetic feature for the land will be the head of a Snow Wraith, blasting guests walking by with mist. The rock work pictured below matches the icy aesthetic of the Snow Wraith concept artwork, with icicles hanging above where the dragon head will soon stick out. With a summer grand opening in Florida, I will be spending most of my time sitting under this dragon.
Artwork courtesy of Universal
How to Train Your Dragon portal at Universal Epic Universe
The beacon above the portal to the Isle of Berk is still under scaffolding.
Below is a reverse view of the portal, from the side of the portal facing Berk rather than the Celestial Park central hub.
Above the portal to the Isle of Berk is an orange globe, with a silhouette of Toothless flying. This matches the orb on the Chronos tower at the park’s entrance. Also noteworthy is a sliding door, indicating Universal can open and close the entire area as needed for capacity or operating reasons.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is coming along beautifully at Universal Orlando. We won’t doubt there will be a whole new batch of things to talk about in the coming weeks, as Epic Universe’s Opening Day fast approaches.
Are you looking forward to flying with dragons? Let us know in the comments below! As always, stay tuned to Attractions Magazine for construction updates on Epic Universe and more.
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