Epic Universe- Isle of Berk
Of all the new lands at Epic Universe, Isle of Berk was (as I expected) my favorite. Every detail seems to have been created by people who love the franchise as much as I do. We visited before the release of the live action version of the movie, and I’m sure this area of the park will grow in popularity as the new (incredibly well done) version gains audience.
Isle of Berk is home to three rides: Fyre Fury, Dragon Racer’s Rally, and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. Wait times were shortest (walk-on) when the land opened, and we started each of our mornings riding Hiccup’s Wing Gliders as soon as we were able. It was one of our favorite rides, and choosing to ride when the outside queue was short saved both time in line and in the heat.
The Dragon Racer’s Rally was a “one and done” ride for us. The ride loaded slowly, and I couldn’t maneuver the wings to flip my dragon completely. Less adventurous guests might enjoy the flight, but I wouldn’t wait the 40+ minutes that were listed for most of our visit.
Fyre Fury was a great choice as the day was heating up, but also would have been a good ride during a light rain shower if we were already getting wet or had raincoats on. While the goal was to shoot targets with our water blasters, inevitably (or intentionally) the water found its way to other boats and the guests in them.
Between rides we found interactive decorative elements and roaming character interactions to enjoy. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were particularly entertaining as they pester each other and visitors, while Gobber educated us about Viking tools and culture.
The “Toothless and Friends” meet and greet wait was always at least an hour during our two days in the parks. While Toothless is always there to meet, Hiccup often took a break and was replaced by another viking for the photo op. When we got in line both Astrid and Hiccup were there with their dragons, but had left by the end of our hour in the queue. The unique experience was well worth the wait and was a highlight of the trip for us.
Visit Tip: Plan to meet Toothless just over an hour before a performance of The Untrainable Dragon. The wait while standing will be long for the character meet and greet, but then you will be rewarded with more time with the dragons during a fantastic show while seated indoors. (It was so cool inside that we wish we had jackets.)
Dining & Shopping
We had lunch in Mead Hall, an indoor quick-service restaurant. The other option was the Spit Fyre Grill, with a covered outdoor seating patio overlooking the Fyre Drill ride. Both restaurants had similar menus during our visit, with sandwiches, bowls, and salads for guests wanting lighter meals. Isle of Berk offered wine, beer and mead, but didn’t have the array of themed mixed drinks found in Dark Universe or Ministry of Magic.
Snacks, (including the very popular Mac & Cheese Cones from Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel), desserts and souvenirs were also available throughout Berk in kiosks and shops.
Visit Tip:
Prepare for weather; the rides were still operating with shorter waits in the rain while rides in other lands had closed, so it was a good place to spend time for those guests not afraid to get wet. If extremely inclement weather or lightning closed the outdoor attractions the Untrainable Dragon show or Mead Hall are good options to wait out storms indoors.
The Viking Training Camp was the area in the park most dedicated to free play activities for young children. (Super Nintendo World catered to people of all ages and the activities needed adult and staff guidance.) The Viking Training Camp (similar to Camp Jurassic in Islands of Adventure) provided an area for caregivers to take children to swap time while the adults and older family members visited attractions.
Read more blog posts about Universal Studios in Orlando
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