As Central Florida looks into a future brimming with innovation and expansion, its theme parks are no exception.

Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern

People travel from around the world to experience all that the Orlando area has to offer. In addition to vibrant cultural scenes and bountiful beaches, Florida is home to many state-of-the-art theme parks and entertainment centers. Eager to push the boundaries of imagination and technology, these amusement venues are constantly innovating, always leaving something for their guests to eagerly anticipate.

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO

EPIC UNIVERSE

The long-awaited opening of Epic Universe is officially set for May 22—unlocking the immersive worlds of Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon’s Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.

Celestial Park, the heart of Epic Universe, promises to “put the ‘park’ back in ‘theme park.’” Nestled within rolling gardens, mythological- and astronomy-inspired sculptures, and water features, Celestial Park will feature dining options, merchandise shops, Stardust Racers—an “out-of-this-world” roller coaster—and more.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will transport guests into the fantastical land of the franchise, headlined by the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride. Riders will pass through iconic locations such as the Métro-Floo Corridor, the Ministry of Magic atrium, ministry reception and Dolores Umbridge’s office, before boarding the Magical Ministry Lift. Aboard this lift, riders will race through the halls of the British Ministry dodging Death Eaters and more—chasing after Umbridge as she attempts to flee her own trial.

An iconic green pipe will lead visitors into Super Nintendo World. Separated into Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country, this area features familiar landmarks such as The Golden Temple, Peach’s Castle, Mt. Beanpole and more. Complete with a groundbreaking Mario Kart experience, character meet and greets, and plenty of themed food venues, this colorful land will bring the classic game company to life.

The immersive world of How to Train Your Dragon’s Isle of Berk promises to be an “attraction unto itself” as the active village will include hand-carved details, bursts of fire and stunning landscaping. Guests will have an opportunity to meet the movie’s stars Hiccup and Toothless, test their dragon-riding skills at Viking Training Camp and recount the trials of dragon training with a heartwarming musical show, The Untrainable Dragon. Topping it off, the land’s new attractions Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Dragon Racer’s Rally will give folks the opportunity to experience what it’s like to soar with the dragons.

Rounding out the new parks, the Dark Universe will be the land of monsters. New rides in this land include Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster inspired by The Wolf Man, and Universal Orlando’s “most terrifying attraction yet,” Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. World famous creatures such as Frankenstein’s Monster and The Invisible Man will be available for meet and greets and Darkmoor’s Monster Makeup Experience allows guests the opportunity to represent their favorite Universal monsters with face paint and temporary tattoos.

VOLCANO BAY
Starting this April, Universal Volcano Bay will offer its first nighttime event: Universal Volcano Bay Nights. This after-hours event will allow guests to experience the water park from 7-10 p.m. Included with the ticket price is access to complimentary treats such as spicy island shrimp and a complimentary Volcano Bay Freestyle souvenir cup. In addition to lower wait times on top attractions, this event will feature a live DJ and meet and greets with characters from DreamWorks Animation films—including Madagascar, Shrek and Trolls.

WALT DISNEY WORLD

EPCOT
Since June 2024, Epcot’s iconic Test Track coaster has been closed for major renovations, including a reimagining of the ride in conjunction with General Motors. The attraction is expected to reopen later this summer equipped with a new storyline.

Spaceship Earth Lounge is expected to open late this spring. Views of World Celebration Gardens and Epcot’s nightly fireworks, not to mention unique drink offerings make this lounge a relaxing to unwind while at the park.

MAGIC KINGDOM
Disney’s legacy franchise Pirates of the Caribbean is in the midst of adding a tavern to Adventureland. This tavern is expected to revive the Barker Bird, also known as Peg-Leg Pete, who was removed from the water ride in 2006. Once opened later this year, this tavern will be the first non-dining location in the Magic Kingdom to serve alcoholic beverages.

This summer, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will debut in Magic Kingdom providing a nighttime parade filled with fan-favorite characters such as Moana, Peter Pan and more.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
This summer Hollywood Studios will be getting two new shows: Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid—A Musical Adventure. Taking place on Sunset Boulevard, Disney Villains will be an all-new live production “where the most fiendish of foes—Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent—take center stage.” Meanwhile, The Little Mermaid show will combine puppetry, live performers and stunning visuals to create a show for all ages, featuring nostalgic songs like “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.”

ANIMAL KINGDOM
This winter Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will take over the Tree of Life theater previously inhabited by It’s Tough to be a Bug! Unlike its predecessor, the new Zootopia show will be a 4D experience featuring a new original song.

In January, Animal Kingdom’s newest Sumatran tiger cub, Bakso, made his debut on Maharajah Jungle Trek. With less than 600 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, Bakso will act as an important reminder of the importance of conservation and the efforts of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Species Survival Plan in managing threatened and endangered species.

DINOSAUR will be closing this year to make way for the park’s new Tropical Americas addition, making 2025 the last year for fans of the ride to “go get that dino.”

SEAWORLD

An immersive experience is on its way to SeaWorld Orlando. Launching this spring, Expedition Odyssey embraces the beauty of the Arctic as guests “fly over” stunning landscapes including the Aurora Borealis, ocra whales and massive glaciers.

SeaWorld’s popular after-hours event, Coasters After Dark, is also returning. On select nights in March and April, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy lower wait lines on top attractions, including Pipeline, Manta, Journey to Atlantis, Kraken, Mako, Ice Breaker, Penguin Trek and Infinity Falls. Each ticket will also include complimentary popcorn and an exclusive five-sample lanyard to use at Seven Seas Food Festival booths.

LEGOLAND

This year LEGOLAND Florida and sister locations around the world will host a “first-of-its-kind” LEGO Festival. Upon entering the festival, children will be given a lanyard and sent out to enjoy five engaging zones: music, creativity, dance, gaming and chill out. Each interactive zone is centered around encouraging imagination and promoting the joy of play. Once they’ve finished their day at the festival, children will be prompted to make a “Play-Pact,” “requiring children to promise to build more, laugh louder, explore endlessly and always keep playing.” For each pact made, Merlin Entertainments and the LEGO Group promise to “arrange for underserved children and their families to enjoy playtime at a LEGOLAND Resort.” The event will begin running on weekends in May through World Play Day on June 11.

In addition, LEGOLAND’s newest exhibit, SEA LIFE Florida, is set to open on May 23 and will include 25 interactive exhibits. Approximately 150,000 gallons of water will be home to over 3,000 marine creatures “representing 150 different species from Florida’s coastal waters and around the world, including blacktip reef sharks, blue-spotted stingrays, big-belly seahorses and more.” Visitors will also have an opportunity to get up close and personal at the exhibit’s invertebrate touch pool.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

INTERNATIONAL DRIVE
With 24 project completions anticipated this year, guests of the I-Drive District have plenty to look forward to. New and upcoming restaurants include Hocca Bar, Juan Valdez Cafe, Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe, Dick’s Last Resort, Taffer’s Tavern, Zukka Sushi and Chipotle—adding to an already populated food scene. Several attractions are also anticipated to open this year. Activate Games will bring a new way to play, fusing physical activity and interactive technology to create a unique offering. SandBox VR, an immersive virtual reality gaming experience, is expected to open later this year and ICON Park is also expected to open their new theater—a “578-seat entertainment venue … featuring a state-of-the-art design for its venue headliner, the Blue Man Group”—in April.

OLD TOWN
In addition to numerous dining options, unique shops and various rides, Old Town is host to many exciting events and car shows. In April, Old Town will host the Osceola Community Health Services’ 2025 Heath Festival. This free event, aimed at enhancing public wellness, will provide no-cost vaccinations, health screenings, scheduling, mammograms, and eye and dental screenings. In June, Old Town will host its “Waggin’ Weekend” event, celebrating everything that makes dogs man’s best friend. The event will include small and large breed contests, a dog parade, pet vendors and more.

THE WIZARD OF OZ MUSEUM
For a non-traditional museum experience, look no further than The Wizard of Oz Museum. Starting with the 1900 book written by L. Frank Baum, the museum takes visitors through the history of Oz featuring original props from The Wizard of Oz and other interactive media. Self-guided tours are available with options to scan QR codes for an audible history scattered throughout the museum. In addition to over 2,000 Ozian artifacts to enjoy, the museum boasts an immersive experience where over 30 laser projectors transform the gallery space into seven completed scenes from the classic film. This show also includes a captivating 12 minutes of Vincent van Gogh’s famous works.

MCKEE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Don’t miss out on McKee Botanical Garden’s latest exhibit, Nature POP!, which runs through May. The new exhibit features over 40 sculptures made from more than 800,000 LEGO pieces and explores the beauty of nature through highly stylized, colorful displays that stand in contrast to the jungle garden. On June 14, McKee will also be hosting its 20th Annual Water Lily Celebration, featuring demonstrations, plant sales and outdoor painters. This year the annual photo contest’s “Best in Show” photo will be selected by internationally renowned landscape photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo.

THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM
Guests can now enjoy the Lightner Museum’s newest exhibit, Laura Mongiovi: Empire, through May 18. Local artist Mongiovi is currently a professor of visual art at Flagler College and has exhibited her work nationally. Exploring the modern and historical themes of power and beauty, Empire showcases textile, drawing and sculpture works. In addition, the Lightner Museum is currently showcasing Riding High: Vintage Bicycles from the Keith Pariani Collection, The Gilded Age: Treasures from the Lightner Museum and St. Augustine Through the Lens of William Henry Jackson.

DAYTONA LAGOON
Just a short drive from Orlando, Daytona Lagoon offers a full day of family fun at an affordable price. Their year-round park features go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, bumper cars, a climbing wall and a ropes course while the water park, open now through October, is filled with water slides, a wave pool and even a lazy river. If you are planning a future day trip, summer nights at Daytona Lagoon are packed with events with expanded nighttime hours to enjoy the waterpark under the stars all season long including Family Nights, Friday Night Luaus and Saturday Nite Slides.