No theme park goes as hard for Halloween as Universal Orlando Resort. And when Universal Epic Universe opens this spring, fans won’t have to wait for spooky season to celebrate all things creepy and hair-raising. Universal is finally giving theme park fans a permanent Halloween fix with Dark Universe. And we got a sneak peek nearly two months before the park opens to the public. Here’s why it’s a game changer for Universal and Halloween fans alike.
Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is the infamous, gory cash cow full of movie-inspired haunted houses, adult-geared programming (and spirited drinks) and an alt-punk attitude toward cute theme park stereotypes. More than three decades strong, there’s a whole subculture of Halloween Horror Nights fans and Dark Universe gives this community a permanent home at Universal Orlando.
The new land is one big twisted love note to the horror movie genre and Universal Classic Monsters a la Frankenstein, Creature From the Black Lagoon and The Invisible Man. And Universal knows the audience. Unlike other lands in Epic Universe, Dark Universe is really for adults. There’s more booze. The food is pure evil genius. And the story lines are much darker. Roaming characters feel less meet-and-greet and more scare actor. Plus, two new attractions boast cutting edge tech to bring scary movie effects from the silver screen to real life. As the portal to the new land says, “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
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Where Is Dark Universe Located?
Dark Universe is one of five new themed lands inside Universal Epic Universe, Universal Orlando’s brand new theme park. It’s located in the back half of the park in between SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and the new Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, which overlooks the theme park.
When Will Dark Universe Open to the Public?
Dark Universe and the rest of Epic Universe will officially open to the public May 22, but if you’re a Universal Orlando Passholder, select Preview Tickets are available starting April 17.
If you’re not a Passholder and don’t want a Preview Ticket, the only option for purchasing Epic Universe tickets at this time is via multi-park, multi-day ticket bundles, which currently start at $117.33 for adults.
What Is Dark Universe?
Dark Universe is one of four lands accessed via a portal in Epic Universe. These grand, time-traveling entrances are themed for each land and as the skeleton-coated tunnel suggests, it’s scary here. On the other side you’ll enter Darkmoor Village, a gothic, vaguely Eastern European town which riffs on many, many dark tales, from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to classic werewolf lore. It’s a full monster mash of residents, from Dr. Elias Hawk, a new vampire hunter, to iconic sidekicks such as Ygor.
The village boasts the brooding, Tudor-style Frankenstein Manor as well as a tavern, steakhouse, curious shops and a wooded area on the outskirts of town where visitors beware the howl of the werewolf.
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Are There Additional Costs With Visiting Universal’s Dark Universe?
Both attractions in Dark Universe, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Curse of the Werewolf, are included with a park ticket. Additional activities such as Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience are not included in the cost of admission and start at $45. In this eerie makeover, you can select from an assortment of monster looks, from skeleton contour to Bride of Frankenstein’s signature hair streak. The transformation package (which starts at $169) even includes matching accessories so you can walk in a human and walk out a swamp creature.
And unlike Walt Disney World’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, which is a similar makeup and dress-up experience for kids, the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience is adult-welcoming and encouraged.
Dark Universe Features
Two New Thrilling Attractions
The IP (intellectual property) may be old, but the rides are brand new and seriously smooth. Curse of the Werewolf, the land’s coaster offering is a moderate thrill in terms of speed (37 miles per hour) and height requirement (40 inches tall) but it features spinning ride vehicles similar to Crush’s Coaster at Disneyland Paris Resort. You may start the ride facing forward but you’ll end up backwards, sideways and even–spoiler alert–reverse a time or two. It’s about two minutes of moderate intensity (There are no major drops, loops or anything hardcore.) and it’s a great ride for folks who prefer their bone-chilling thrills in the movies versus coasters.
Frankenstein Manor houses the land’s marquee attraction Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. This indoor dark ride is a modern take on Frankenstein with a new character Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, the great granddaughter of Frankenstein. You’ll queue through this science fiction mansion fraught with glowing blue wires and then board ride vehicles similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in Universal Islands of Adventure. Except in this design, you’re much more exposed. And that’s terrifying because you’ll encounter 14 animated monsters along the way….all trying to chase you. And these giant animatronics, from Dracula to The Wolf Man, don’t just sway around slowly like a kid’s boat ride. These things move fast. With a height requirement of 48 inches tall, it’s definitely a thrill ride. I wasn’t able to preview this ride as it was down during my time in the park, but from what I saw in the manor queue alone, it’s visually stunning. This is my kind of theme park castle.
So Much Sophisticated (and Sinister) Food
Dark Universe food is gross….on purpose. The land’s three dining options each feature highly-themed, immersive menus that would impress any horror movie makeup or special effects pro. There’s Das Stakehaus, a vampire-owned establishment run by their familiars, with grotesque fare such as edible rice maggots or the Labotocotta, a delicious panna cotta with raspberry blood and popping candy pieces that are supposed to mimic bursting blood vessels. One thing you won’t find on the menu here in any dish: garlic.
But you’ll find garlic everywhere at The Burning Blade Tavern, an old mill now used as a meeting place for monster hunters in the village. Don’t be surprised if Dr. Elias Hawk approaches your table and warns you to “stick to the path!” It’s pub fare here with a dark twist. There’s a proprietary spiced ale made just for Dark Universe and spicy molten cheese bites encased in black dough that thankfully did not stain my teeth (unlike other black dyed food I’ve had a Universal). For something on the go, De Lacey’s Cottage has cold drinks and quick treats such as the Warm Hearted Cinnamon Bites, which are a riff on popular theme park cinnamon bread snacks.
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What Blew Me Away the Most
I’m not a horror movie girlie, but I’ve always been fascinated by the level of design detail at Halloween Horror Nights. Those haunted houses are packed with Easter eggs and an uncanny reproduction of iconic sets.
That level of fandom is found throughout Dark Universe with deep dives such as different creature paw prints and tracks as you walk closer to the dark forest area or the one tombstone in the Darkmoor graveyard that’s different from the other traditional headstones. It’s a nod to Maria, the little girl Frankenstein’s Monster (accidentally) killed in the 1931 classic Frankenstein. At night, all the frantic wiring and tubes of Frankenstein Manor run through the village illuminating the town with that signature lab-gone-wrong glow.
But for all the new tech and animatronic advancements, what impressed me the most is the range of real characters you meet throughout the land. From the intricate costumes to the horrifying makeup that I can’t believe can withstand Central Florida heat, it’s like seeing a scare actor in the light of day. And they have a lot to say when they’re not committed to a jump scare. Ygor will ask for your digits. As in your fingers. To donate to science. The Invisible Man will lurk in photos and ask you about your fears. And the folks at Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience are full of monster puns without using a single gendered term for people who want to express themselves in horror movie magic. And that is scripting that’s smart, inclusive and makes me want to return.
Final Thoughts on Dark Universe: My Honest Review
For a brand that makes most of its money licensing other people’s IP, Dark Universe is proof that Universal has something of value in their old, dusty catalogue. It’s a check that should have been cashed years ago. And I’m thrilled to see it written now. UO is officially in its villain era.
I was sad to see Monsters Cafe close at Universal Studios Florida to make way for the Minions empire. It was so kitschy and bad it was good. And while Dark Universe certainly has a lot of fun camp, there’s also a reverence for the Universal Classic Monsters.
After years of seeing elaborate but ephemeral haunted houses built just for a short Halloween season run, it’s nice to see that the spirit of Halloween Horror Nights alive and well in Dark Universe.
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