For theme park fans that love the holiday season, of which I am definitely one, Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida is expanding this year's merriment. The newest expansion wasn’t totally without holiday festivities in its first year after opening, but I was personally able to experience at the time what the Universal Orlando Resort has to offer destination-wide, and I was surprised that Super Nintendo World wasn’t fully decked out, especially when Universal Studios Hollywood is already doing so annually for their smaller version. It felt the attempt could have been much bigger, and thankfully there is indeed more décor debuting this holiday season.
From November 14 through January 3, 2027, Super Nintendo World and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk will be joining in on the seasonal magic, alongside Celestial Park and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. I don’t know if Epic Universe will get the Mario and Luigi Snowmen or if they’ll expand the holiday celebration into Donkey Kong Country, but I’m excited to see how they decide to decorate.
Super Nintendo World And How To Train Your Dragon - Isle Of Berk Are Joining In On The Holiday Merriment
Epic Universe is already a big award winner and it's also a theme park where there isn’t one portal that I would want to skip over on any trip there. Super Nintendo World is truly the land of audio and visual stimulation, and whether you're a longtime obsessive Nintendo fan or a total newbie, there is endless interactive fun to be had. That’s why I think it’s perfectly suited to get the theme park holiday treatment in 2026. Last year, there was some outside store décor that the Pikmin were hidden in, but it’s thrilling to know that it won’t end there.
I’m also elated that Isle of Berk will be adorned with holiday cheer. Sure, there was a “Happy Snoggletog!” banner up in the merch shop last year, but with how incredibly detailed and expansive the How to Train Your Dragon portal is, it was disappointing to see the festive décor confined to such a small space. Details of how much grander things could get are scarce at the moment, but any expansion of holiday sparkle is a welcome improvement. I also love that the universe has its own unique yule-time celebration that those of us that don’t normally live amongst dragons can now get in on.
Now, We Just Need To Get Dark Universe In On The Holiday Spirit
In case you’re wondering, the streets of Ministry of Magic will again have a bit of holiday dazzle, and the winter wonderland of Celestial Park will include twinkling trees and holiday-themed fountain displays throughout the day at the Cosmos Fountain.
While the rides are incredible and so well suited to each of the lands they are located in, I’m in the camp that firmly believes Monsters Unchained is the best ride at Epic Universe. I absolutely understand why a fan recreated Frankenstein Major in LEGO form. I could spend hours exploring Darkmoor’s every nook and cranny in Dark Universe, as I imagine the possibilities of what could be added there in the future. Because of that, I hope the last remaining hold-out in the theme park will join in with the holiday cheer, sooner rather than later. I know I, for one, would love some sort of special celebration in that land, not that I’d need any excuse to spend as much time there as possible.
I’m all for expanding the holiday celebration across Epic Universe. I hope this means that we’ll continue to see more décor and more festivities in the years to come.
