Epic Universe construction update: Wizarding World portal has a door that can open and close
Epic Universe portals may open and close with themed entryways, as seen in December 2024 construction photos by bioreconstruct.
bioreconstruct captured aerial photos above Universal Epic Universe on Dec. 5, 2024, making a new discovery in the process: the portals may have doors. (New to Epic Universe? Check out our beginners guide to the new theme park, which opens at Universal Orlando on May 22, 2025.)
Doorway on Epic Universe portal(s)
Emanating from the Celestial Park central hub, four uniquely designed portals will serve as a transition point into the franchise-focused worlds of Epic Universe: Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk.
bioreconstruct’s photos show construction workers installing a door or barrier of some sort within the entryway tunnel of the portal leading into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. The design for the doorway (so far) depicts a turquoise circle in the middle of a larger gold circle.
While the only door visible during bioreconstruct’s flight was at The Wizarding World’s portal, construction workers were also busy over at the portal leading into How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. Could each portal have a doorway with its own design?
All Epic Universe portals
As previously shared by Universal and visible within Epic Universe, each portal will also display a unique inscription, spherical orb, and weather vane.
Super Nintendo World
- Inscription: “Here we go!”
- Orb icon: Mario
- Weather vane: stars
Dark Universe
- Inscription: “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
- Orb icon: purple sphere with bright lights inside
- Weather vane: electricity-harnessing vane
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
- Inscription: “For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own” (Albus Dumbledore quote)
- Orb icon: an hourglass (representing time-travel)
- Weather vane: a hand possessing the Elder Wand
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
- Inscription: “We, my friends, have dragons!”
- Orb icon: dragon silhouette
- Weather vane: dragon silhouette (side profile)
Of course, all guests will enter Epic Universe itself via the Chronos device, a structure narratively symbolizing the beginning of our intergalactic journey among worlds. Guests can choose to step through the main portal, or walk through the emerald gates on either side of the portal.
Stardust Racers
During his Dec. 5, 2024 flight, in addition to the pictures of the Epic Universe portals, bioreconstruct also captured photos of progress at Stardust Racers, the dual-racing roller coaster in Celestial Park.
Statues will greet riders upon their entry into the Stardust Racers queue. Could they relate to Greek or Roman mythology like other statues in Celestial Park?
Construction workers continue to shape the Stardust Racers queue pathways, which will intertwine with backstage paths that can be blocked off and opened up by gates, bioreconstruct posits.
Celestial Park
Elsewhere throughout Celestial Park, construction workers continue to install more “hub grass” around the central fountain.
Contractors also began placing window patterns within the framed arches of Constellation Carousel.
See more of the Epic Universe portals and progress from all over the new park captured during bioreconstruct’s Dec. 5 flight over Epic Universe in this video:
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Makes perfect sense to have doors – if you’re building a park with a defined entrance/exit to each land, you want to A. Have the ability to shut the doors completely during construction/refurbishment/etc. and B. Have the ability to close the entrance side (most likely the right) while leaving the exit side open after park close for guests who are still riding or in the queue for a ride.
This is such a cool update! The idea of themed doors for each portal adds to the immersion. Can’t wait to see if all portals have unique designs. Stardust Racers is shaping up to be amazing too!