Epic Universe construction update: Hub grass arrives in Celestial Park
This is not a drill: Epic Universe will have its very own “hub grass” akin to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, as seen in aerial photography of the new park’s construction.
Photographer bioreconstruct captured construction photos of Universal Epic Universe from aboard a helicopter on Nov. 15, 2024 — including a peak at the park’s central hub, Celestial Park, where a potentially iconic piece of landscaping was recently installed.
(New to Epic Universe? The theme park will open at Universal Orlando in Florida on May 22, 2025. Check out our beginners guide.)
Four words: Epic. Universe. Hub. Grass.
Back in 2015, across town from Epic Universe, Walt Disney World renovated the central hub of Magic Kingdom, in front of Cinderella Castle. The hub makeover included the addition of two courtyards covered in astro turf grass. Nicknamed the “hub grass” by fans, the area is still utilized by guests today for picnics, parade viewing, or simply a moment of respite.
Now, it seems, Epic Universe will contain a hub grass of its own. Toward the back of Celestial Park, surrounding the central hub’s large fountain, construction workers recently laid grass turf along a terraced area. Though only in one spot so far, the grass is expected to continue around the perimeter of the fountain, providing space for guests to enjoy the fountain or just relax, serving the same function as Magic Kingdom’s hub grass.
Picture it: come May 2025, you might be lounging on the Epic Universe hub grass in the middle of a busy day spent training dragons and kart-racing.
The photos below shoe the Epic Universe hub grass’ proximity to Universal Helios Grand Hotel and Constellation Carousel.
Speaking of Constellation Carousel, the previously exposed ride vehicles were covered up during bioreconstruct’s flight.
Removal of Celestial Park structure
On the other side of the pond opposite Constellation Carousel, construction workers curiously removed a previously installed section of landscaping.
Compare the photos above to those below, captured just a few days apart. The terraced structure was at the edge of one of Celestial Park’s waterways near Constellation Carousel, adjacent to the Astronomica splash pad. It was already populated with seven trees, and was eventually to be entirely green, as seen in Universal’s virtual fly-through video of Celestial Park.
Themed concrete
Elsewhere in Celestial Park, artisans have been busy placing concrete in unique designs of swooping circles and sharp angles.
One such design almost seems to emulate a compass pointing into Epic Universe, emanating from beneath the Chronos tower. The themed portal at the park’s main entrance contains spheres representing each of Epic Universe’s four franchise-focused worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
See more of bioreconstruct’s Nov. 15 flight over Epic Universe in this video:
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