Universal Orlando has confirmed that more development is underway at Epic Universe, the resort’s newest theme park, which opened on May 22, 2025.
In a statement to the Orlando Business Journal, Alyson Sologaistoa, Vice President of Public Relations for Universal Orlando Resort, said the resort is “preparing for some exciting additions to Universal Epic Universe in the future,” adding that “details about specific developments will be shared in due time.”
The acknowledgement comes shortly after records showed Universal filed a permit on November 7, 2025 for “site utilities and foundation work” tied to a 150,000-square-foot structure at Epic Universe’s address. The filing doesn’t describe what the building will contain, and Universal has not clarified whether the work relates to a new attraction or another type of experience at the park.
The size of the project has sparked speculation. A structure of this scale could easily house a major ride, given that the shared show building for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry and Le Cirque Arcanus is about 173,000 square feet, while Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment occupies around 94,000 square feet, based on Google Earth measurements. The footprint also aligns with the undeveloped expansion plot behind The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, leading many to wonder if that area could receive the next major attraction. After all, Epic Universe’s Wizarding World was originally expected to include another ride at opening, but the plan was reportedly dropped from the final lineup.
Theme park commentator Alicia Stella of OrlandoParkStop.com, who has a record of accurately tracking Universal Orlando developments, has suggested that Universal may be revisiting an early Epic Universe concept: a flying broomstick attraction. This version, however, wouldn’t rely on VR, but instead use a tracked ride system with physical sets.
Stella points to a Universal patent for a suspended ride vehicle that resembles a broomstick-style experience.
She also notes a newer patent from Mack Rides for a system that blends trackless ride movement with coaster sections, allowing a single attraction to operate in two distinct modes.
None of these concepts have been confirmed by Universal. Moreover, Universal hasn’t disclosed the purpose of the new building, but its scale and timing point to a possible effort to ease some of Epic Universe’s operational issues. The park has dealt with heavy crowds and long waits, driven in part by a shortage of high-capacity attractions. Additionally, a large share of its rides are outdoors, and frequent weather delays, especially during storm-heavy summer months, can force more than half the park’s attractions to close at once. These challenges have contributed to Universal’s decision to cap attendance.
“We’ve been holding back a little bit,” Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast and incoming co-CEO, said during the company’s quarterly earnings call on October 30, 2025, “to make sure the experience is what we want it to be.”
For now, Universal is keeping future plans under wraps, confirming only that more development is on the way, not what the development will be.
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