Universal Orlando has announced details of its Super Nintendo World coming to Epic Universe in 2025. The much heralded attraction will feature dining, shopping and interactive experiences inspired by the Super Mario brand and for the first time in the USA, Donkey Kong Country.
The action will begin for guests as soon as they enter through the iconic green pipe into Super Nintendo World. Officials confirmed that guests will be surrounded by familiar sights and sounds from the Nintendo games, from Mount Beanpole and Peach’s Castle to swaying Piranha Plants, pacing Goombas, spinning coins, blocks and a whole lot more.
Inside the park, guests will also be able to take part in adventures alongside Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and other characters, and in Donkey Kong Country, where they’ll encounter thrills featuring Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong and other members of the Kong family.
Here are more details on what you can expect:
Super Mario Land
The colorful landscapes of the Mushroom Kingdom come to life in Super Mario Land, where guests can experience:
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- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge — Guests can join Team Mario and battle Team Bowser for the Golden Cup in this attraction, which fuses augmented reality, projection mapping technology and elaborate environments to bring the fun of the Mario Kart video game series to life in a ride-through experience.
Guests up for the challenge will enter through Bowser’s Castle — where they’ll wind its corridors and get a glimpse of Bowser’s deceptive plans to stack the odds in his favor before boarding their kart and heading to the starting line. Then, guests steer through a variety of Mario Kart courses — collecting coins, tossing shells at Team Bowser and dodging obstacles — as they join their favorite characters and compete to help Team Mario win the race.
- Yoshi’s Adventure — The attraction will make its U.S. debut. On this family-friendly ride, guests of all ages will enjoy views of Super Mario Land as they join Yoshis and travel through Mushroom Kingdom landscapes in search of glowing eggs, encountering many familiar characters along the way.
- Toadstool Cafe — At Toadstool Cafe, guests can enjoy a variety of dishes inspired by the world of Super Mario and its characters, including Mario and Luigi-themed burgers, Super Mushroom Soup, Piranha Plant Caprese and Fire Flower Spaghetti and Meatballs. Guests will also get glimpses of several Toads cooking up culinary creations through virtual windows as they dine inside the restaurant.
- Yoshi’s Snack Island and Turbo Boost Treats — Guests can pick up treats, snacks and beverages at the walk-up dining locations.
- 1-UP Factory and Mario Motors — These retail locations feature souvenirs, apparel and toys inspired by their favorite Super Mario characters and adventures.
- Meet and Greets — Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad characters will meet, greet and interact with visitors throughout various areas in Super Mario Land.
Donkey Kong Country
At the edge of Super Mario Land, guests will discover an entrance that leads them to Donkey Kong Country, where they can explore the tropical landscape from the video game series, complete with tall trees, waterfalls and landmarks such as The Golden Temple. Here, guests can enjoy:
- Mine-Cart Madness — Ride a mine cart as it careens through the jungle to help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the coveted golden banana on this first-of-its-kind family coaster. Mine-Cart Madness will send riders on an adventure, and they will experience the maneuvers that they’ve seen Donkey Kong and the mine carts perform in the video games — including getting blasted out of a barrel and seemingly jumping over gaps as they speed along a rickety track.
- A selection of tropical menu and merchandise offerings in the middle of the jungle, all inspired by the Donkey Kong Country video game franchise and its characters. More details will be revealed in the future.
Power-Up Bands
Park officials said guests can level up their fun with the purchase of a Power-Up Band, a wearable for their wrist that allows them to enhance their play throughout Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country. With the Power-Up Band, guests can collect digital coins by punching “?” Blocks and playing interactive activities, collect digital stamps on attractions, earn digital keys to unlock an exclusive showdown against Bowser Jr., and discover other hidden surprises. Guests can also access leaderboard screens throughout the theme park to see where they rank among fellow guests.
More details about Universal Epic Universe will be revealed in the months ahead.
For more information about Universal Epic Universe, visit the park’s website.