How to Get The Most Out of Orlando’s In-Depth Epic Universe Preview Center Before Opening Day
Find out what's inside the Epic Universe Preview Center at Universal CityWalk in Orlando.
With the grand opening of Universal Orlando's new Epic Universe park just weeks away and tickets on sale, many future guests are already planning how to get the most out of their visit that will include portal destinations including: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.
If you're local to Florida, or just visit the Universal Orlando Resort often as an annual pass holder (APH), there's a place you can visit right now to orient yourself to everything inside Epic Universe - the Epic Universe Preview Center located right on Universal CityWalk.
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A free experience for anyone visiting Universal CityWalk, the Preview Center is an attraction unto itself allowing everyone to look at Universal's detailed model/map of the new theme park, or go a step further and explore it via the Epic Universe Preview Center augmented reality app available in the Apple App Store or via Google Play.
NBC Insider is here to help you best navigate a visit and use the Preview Center to plan your epic visit starting this May.
Where is the Epic Universe Preview Center at Universal CityWalk?
The Epic Universe Preview Center is right in the heart of Universal CityWalk near the entrances to Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure, just on the other side of the water from each park's respective entrance. The Center is open to the public during normal business hours at CityWalk and you do not need an appointment to visit.
The Universal Studios Orlando Resort App has a map you can use to find it, and there is signage in the park itself to find the Center. Inside the Preview Center is a massive 1/8th inch to 1-foot scale model of the entirety of the Epic Universe.
How do I find and use the augmented reality app?
You can get information about the Epic Universe Preview Center from the Universal Studios Resort app (seen above in the image), or if you download the Epic Universe Preview app which was made for guests to interact with the theme park model inside the Preview Center.
In order to take advantage of the augmented reality aspects of the model, you will need to download the Epic Universe Preview app. The model interactivity does not function with any other app.
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Once you have downloaded the Preview app, allow the app to have access to your camera and your photos which is part of the augmented reality experience. You can then direct your camera at the model and the AR aspects built into the model will come to life in your hand! (Don't worry if you're not technically inclined because the app also has a tutorial built into it, accessible via the app's menu.) Overall, once it's downloaded, bringing the model to life takes mere minutes.
There are no rules for where you point your camera (just don't cross the ropes), so you can a better idea of any of the rides, dining options or portal entries to the five worlds. Depending on what you seek out to explore, you might see animated versions of the movement of the rides; animated characters from each land approximating what you'll experience at photo opportunities or in the ride queues, or the entrances for all of the restaurants or fast casual dining areas (menus to come). Frankly, it's a visual and technological wonder that makes the Epic Universe Preview Center an attraction all its own.
If you're a planner, the model is a great way to get your own early lay of the lands, plot out the distance between your priority destinations during your visit, and figure out the best place to rest and eat in your busy days. Knowing ahead of time how ambitious to want to be can help you and your fellow visitors make the most out of your ticketed days.
What else is inside the Epic Universe Preview Center?
Since 2024, the Epic Universe Preview Center has been stocked with exclusive merch that visitors will find inside the five portal locations inside the theme park. Surrounding the massive Epic Universe are mini portal retail sections for all five new worlds. So you can dress for the many monsters at Dark Universe, get your Mario and Luigi hats, a plushy Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon and much more. Each feature just a small sampling of what you will find inside the retail locations inside the theme park, from clothing to collectibles.
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While Universal wants everyone to visit Epic Universe, they know not everyone can immediately, so this gives everyone a chance to grab some of the new park's retail treats even if you won't be venturing inside for a while.
All five worlds of Epic Universe will officially open for business Thursday, May 22, 2025. Find out how to get tickets here.
