Universal Orlando announced today that a new roller coaster is coming to their latest park, Epic Universe. The attraction will be added to Dark Universe, the park’s land that draws from Universal’s classic monsters. This will be the first ride added to Epic Universe since the park opened in 2025. In this post, we’ll share the details of the upcoming roller coaster and add in our commentary on the news.

Rumors of expansion at Epic Universe started even before the park opened. We like the theme park and think it’s one of the best things Universal has ever created but the capacity, or lack thereof, is a glaring issue. In a perfect world, the park would have had another ride or two before opening. That they’re intent on opening this attraction so soon shows that Universal is aware of the problem. Here are a few of the details on the new Dark Universe attraction via the press release.

Universal Epic Universe is preparing for its next thrilling addition. An all-new indoor coaster is coming to Dark Universe, one of the theme park’s five extraordinary worlds.

Located next to the award-winning Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, the upcoming attraction will immerse guests in an all-new story inspired by the iconic Universal Monsters franchise. Construction is already underway, with an opening planned in the years ahead.

This is one of several projects Universal Orlando is currently working on. Hollywood Drift, the Fast & Furious themed coaster, will be opening in Universal Studios Florida in 2027 and the new Universal Horror Make-Up Show will open in the next few months in the same park. Those additions, along with a new Jurassic restaurant in Islands of Adventure make for an interesting slate of additions over the next few years.

With those expansions in mind, it stands to reason that this Dark Universe attraction could open in 2028. The pace at which Universal Studios Florida has built Hollywood Drift has been extremely impressive. Since the new Epic Universe ride is a straight expansion and not currently part of the theme park, construction should move quickly.

A Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction being added to Epic Universe has long been rumored, as well. I wouldn’t think this project delays that one, as the park needs both, frankly. I’m happy to see Universal continue to go all-in on Dark Universe even if it’s the least popular portal in the park.

While we are extremely excited for Epic Universe to add new rides, an indoor coaster addition has us a little more mixed. I’d go as far as to say that it’s a puzzling addition. Dark Universe already has a roller coaster in Curse of the Werewolf. Having a land with two roller coasters in it is a strange choice that won’t help capacity issues like a boat or classic dark ride could.

One possible explanation is that Universal Orlando knows that Curse of the Werewolf was a misfire. The coaster is one of the more disappointing attractions in Epic Universe, feeling more like a generic amusement park ride than an immersive portion of Dark Universe. The most impressive parts of the coaster are hard to see and passed by quickly.

Adding an indoor coaster to the land now (or in 2 years from now) might pave the way to replacing Curse of the Werewolf in 5 or 10 years. With the lack of capacity, Epic Universe needs to add before they start replacing. Maybe, and this is fairly large maybe, Universal is adding now with an eye for replacing the land’s outdoor coaster later.

The more cynical view is that Universal just builds a lot of roller coasters. They’re pretty good at it! With a reputation of being more thrilling than nearby Walt Disney World, there’s always a chance that Epic Universe is just trying to lean into that. Without knowing the scale of this upcoming indoor attraction, conjecture on whether this is a future coaster replacement or something more is, well, just that, conjecture.

If that’s the reasoning then I do find it slightly disappointing. One of Epic’s strengths is the diverse ride systems used. Adding a coaster is a step back from that, as there’s already 3 in the park. Once this new one is added, coasters will make up a third of the rides in Epic Universe.

Personally, I was really hoping for a Creature of the Black Lagoon boat ride. It’s a fairly obvious choice, especially with Frankenstein and Dracula taking center stage in Monsters Unchained. There’d be upgraded capacity with the boat ride and further expanding on Universal’s classic monsters. Two birds, one stone!

What IP this new indoor coaster will draw from should be interesting. The Mummy is obvious but, you know, Universal Studios Florida already has that covered. They could still go with Creature from the Black Lagoon but that feels ripe for a boat ride in the future. Other possible choices include:

• Jekyll & Hyde
• The Bride of Frankenstein
• The Invisible Man
• Scorpion King
• Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Phantom of the Opera
• A sequel attraction to The Mummy, Frankenstein, Dracula, or Werewolf

The last bullet point is certainly possible, as is the Bride of Frankenstein, but less interesting to talk about so I’ll just say that I hope it’s a new idea and move on from those.

Any of the first 4 on the list feel like strong possibilities, after the Bride and Creature from the Black Lagoon. The Invisible Man would be an interesting pick for a roller coaster, as I think you could have some fun with the visuals on a fast moving coaster. Jekyll & Hyde could also add a fun element to a coaster, switching between a calm and thrilling track. Scorpion King could fall in line with the tone of The Mummy coaster and may be the easiest addition of the new ideas.

Phantom of the Opera and Hunchback of Notre Dame are the biggest wildcards and ones that hold a mass appeal. While not always considered in the Universal classic monsters, those films came out in that era and could draw in a crowd that might otherwise be uninterested in Dark Universe. Phantom of the Opera would be an exciting pick of IP and one that would likely be celebrated. Could you imagine though if Universal announcing a Hunchback coaster? That might kick the theme park wars to a new level!

This announcement definitely brings up more questions than answers but it’s undoubtedly good news. Epic Universe needs to add rides and do so quickly! That’s what we’re seeing with a new indoor coaster coming to Dark Universe. We’re excited to find out more about the project in the months and years to come.

Are you excited for a new coaster to come to Epic Universe? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below. Looking for discounted tickets to Universal Orlando? Check out this site! Here are all of our travel guides to Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney Resort. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!