Before our first trip I compiled a list of Easter Eggs for the Harry Potter areas, and I guess a few others. For example, that ride queue where you put your hands on certain places and stuff happens, that was super cool. Plus, it is nice to be Hero Mom who can point out those things. My personal favorite was the owl poop.
For the Epic trip I’ve started a similar list for the whole park. Lots of what is out there is the same few things repeated over and over. So I thought I’d post what I had so far and my fellow TP’ers can chime in with stuff I missed.
Celestial Park
· Freestyle drink - Celestial Spritz, a bright orange drink that’s very tart.
· Themed Utility covers. GT is for Grease Trap. (and other themed covers throughout Epic)
Stardust Racers
· There are Flux Capacitors on the back of the coaster trains for Stardust Racers, straight out of Back to the Future. The ride’s backstory explains that a certain time-traveling doctor once visited Celestial Park and donated his advanced tech to stabilize the racing comets.
· Keeping the time travel motif going, the controls at the load and unload station, as well as some design details on the train itself, resemble time travel controls from the 1960 film adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.
Atlantic Restaurant
· The host stand for Atlantic, the underwater-themed eatery, is shaped like a large diver’s helmet. A round plate can be seen on the front with the words “CP SPACE DIVING HELMET,” with CP standing for Celestial Park. Then it says “ATLANTIC MMXXV,” the Roman numerals for Epic Universe’s opening year, 2025. At the bottom are the numbers P304, which is the overall project number for the park, and B1220, the building number for Atlantic specifically.
· Napkins are themed to the restaurant, and the silverware have fish scales, plus themed coasters and swizzle sticks
Moonship Chocolates and Celestial Sweets
· Captain Cacao searches the cosmos looking for the best candies with his partner Maya of the Skies. You can see maps, notes, and ingredients from their travels in a display case on the left side of the store. A recipe for the star-shaped floating marshmallows that power their moonship can also be spotted here.
· Captain Cacao’s suitcase, which he’s sitting on at the top of the ship mast in the center of his store, is filled with stickers with logos from locations found throughout Celestial Park.
· There are a set of increasingly smaller doors on the right side of the shop. The largest of these doors is for Maya. The smaller one within it is labeled for Captain Cacao. And a third, even smaller door, is labeled for “ML,” but no one knows who ML is… yet.
North Star Wintry Wonders - park’s holiday store - look for the falling snow out front
· There is a conveyor belt above the shelves with toys moving on it. Look closely and you may spot a familiar face from elsewhere at Universal Orlando. An Earl the Squirrel doll can be seen moving along the belt.
· You can also spot him in the “window” on the back wall, where the conveyor belt is dumping toys into Santa’s sleigh. Captain Cacoa as a Jack in the Box, along with his Moonship can be spotted among the other toys as well.
Harry Potter Land
· As you enter through the portal into 1920s Paris, the walls are covered in posters meant for Muggles. Once you pass through the archway, and the ads shift to magical ones promoting everything from frog choir auditions to warnings about not confronting Grindelwald—or using the Eiffel Tower as a portkey! Don’t speak French? Grab a translation app and see what else you can discover!
· A massive vintage perfume ad to your right as you enter. This is an earlier version of Divine Magic, the same wizarding fragrance featured in King’s Cross Station and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
· At the first house on Rue Cachee, you’ll occasionally see a green light glowing in the window—a clear sign of the Killing Curse in The Wizarding World. This is believed to be the site of Grindelwald’s first crimes. Look closely in the other windows and you’ll spot the eerie skull pipe he used in the Fantastic Beasts films.
· If you go down the little alley where Le Goblet Noir is, you’ll see a large window into a storefront with paintings. (If you’re entering from the side near the entrance to the world, this window will be on the left.) Stand around for a while because those portraits come to life. During a recent visit to Epic Universe, I spoke in real time with the lady of the painting named Cassandra. We conversed for about 10 minutes before she helped me through a “spell” to alter another painting in her window. While I cannot guarantee you’ll always do spells with her (I happened to have my new wand from the nearby wand shop, Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique with me), being able to talk to a portrait like in the Harry Potter books and movies is pretty cool.
Battle at the Ministry ride
· Floo Network Numbers - Starting in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, when entering the Battle at the Ministry ride, look at the numbers above each of the Floo fireplaces. They are the different project numbers for each of the worlds of Epic Universe, used by construction crews and designers while the park was being built. Project 901 is Celestial Park, 902 is for Dark Universe, 903 is the Isle of Berk, 904 Super Nintendo World, and 905 is for the Wizarding World itself.
· Moving newspapers and magical ads in the atrium with headlines that shift based on where you stand
· References to MACUSA and Grindelwald in wall plaques, portraits, and even trash bin logos
· An enchanted elevator panel that includes “Level 7: Department of Magical Games and Sports”, a callback for Quidditch fans.
· House-elf silhouettes in unexpected places (including ceilings and corners) that nod to beloved characters like Kreacher and Dobby.
· A wand engraving near the entrance that matches the Deathly Hallows symbol, hidden in plain sight.
· Queue stretches for over a mile
Le Gobelet Noir
· Since Nicolas Flamel lives above the tavern, references to the Sorcerer’s Stone and Deathly Hallows are sprinkled throughout.
· You can spot a trio of puppets high on a shelf above the tables in the main dining room. These are the Tales of the Three Brothers puppets, just like the ones seen in the Tales of Beedle the Bard show at Universal Studios Florida, which was inspired by the animated sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. The brother in the center of the trio can be seen holding the Elder Wand.
· One of the spells will reward you with a look at the Sorcerer’s Stone, which fans of the books might remember was in Paris in the time frame of this land (set during the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them period).
Darkmoor - Dark Universe world
· You can spot several references to the number 428, the year the town was founded in story. One can be spotted on a brick near the ground facing the well in the center of town, where the violin player can often be found. The year 428 was chosen as a tribute to Carl Laemmle, Jr. His father founded Universal Studios, but Carl Jr. was head of production from 1928 to 1936, when the Classic Universal Monsters films were released, including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and Bride of Frankenstein… Making him sort of the father of these characters. Carl Laemmle Jr.’s birthday (April 28)
· Beastly Footprints - Look down while walking along the path between the Village of Darkmoor and the Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster and you may notice footprints. They start as human footprints, but then transition into large wolf prints, almost as if the Wolfman’s full moon transformation happened right here, as he was escaping out of town and into the forest.
· Maria’s Memorial: In the graveyard at the entrance (where you might even spot Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s assistant, Ygor, wandering), look for a statue of a young girl holding flowers in her dress. This is a touching nod to Maria from the original Frankenstein film—an accidental victim of Frankenstein’s Monster—serving as a quiet memorial to one of Universal’s most tragic characters.
· Freestyle drink - Screaming Berry is akin to Dr. Pepper Blackberry.
· The Darkmoor Well:
o The central well is part of an important truce between the villagers of Darkmoor and a vampire colony that lives beneath the streets of Dark Universe. After a major battle between the factions, the well was established as a reminder of the tussle and the cost of peace… In this case, keeping the vampires well supplied with blood.
o The village is said to be built above catacombs where vampires dwell. The well outside Das Stakehaus emits fog by day, but glows ominous red at night to signal that the vampires have awoken.
o Look closer, and you’ll spot spikes for “feeding” those below.
o A Latin inscription on the metal band that translates to: “Never forget that you exist by our will alone.” Guess that’s the vampire way of saying welcome?
o Rumor has it that if you lean in far enough, you might hear the vampires’ eerie noises rising up from below the village—waiting for their dinner to be poured down to them.
· Bathrooms in Darkmoor
o There aren’t a lot of mirrors in the Dark Universe (since Dracula doesn’t cast a reflection). Also Black toilets.
· Unspecified locations with Darkmoor
o Tomb engravings in the graveyard queue referencing original film release dates of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy
o A broken lab wall revealing the original Bride of Frankenstein’s hair silhouette burned into the concrete
o Audio snippets and ambient whispers quoting lines from the 1930s Universal films, heard only when you’re still
o A portrait in the manor foyer that ages slowly throughout the day—possibly a nod to Dorian Gray.
o Latin phrases etched into stone that translate to “Man is the real monster”
Dr. H. Jekyll Apotheker in Darkmoor
· Listen closely. You’ll hear Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde arguing. Stick around and you’ll learn the name of an off-the-menu drink, which you can order at the Burning Blade Tavern.
The Burning Blade Tavern
· There’s an audio cue that rings throughout the land to make people aware of when the blades of the tavern are about to be engulfed. When you start hearing bells chiming across Darkmoor, you’ve got about 30 seconds to make your way to The Burning Blade Tavern to see the windmill on fire.
· Secret menu “Crossbow,” which is a mix of Darkthorne Mead and Strongbow Gold Apple Cider.
Monsters, Unchained
· Look up just as you enter the second preshow for Monsters Unchained, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein is about to reveal her plan. Above the crowd of people you’ll see a medical table illuminated by electricity. Fans of the original 1931 Frankenstein film may recognize this reproduction of the table where Dr. Henry Frankenstein’s creation is brought to life. It can only be seen for a few seconds at the start of the preshow, until the lights go dim, so don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
· Lead designer for Monsters Unchained, Gregory Hall, always leaves a calling card on the attractions he works on. A signature of sorts, GR39-0430 shows up on attractions like Transformers, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, and more. It stands for GREG-APRIL 30TH, his birthday. To find it at Monsters Unchained, look in the first preshow room with Ygor. At the front-left of the room is a “Specimen List” hanging inside of a cabinet. It lists all of the monsters that have been captured by the doctor, and has the GR39-0430 calling card at the very top.
· You can also spot Greg on the Frankenstein family tree, hanging on the wall in the queue. He’s shown as the father on the family tree, just like is the father of the ride.
· Scientific Documents - Many of the documents on the walls of the queue for Monsters Unchained feature the number 902-E, which is the Dark Universe’s project number, 902, with an E, which may stand for E-Ticket, referencing this ride.
· All of the signatures on these documents throughout the queue from Dr. Victoria Frankenstein are unique, with none repeating or copy/pasted.
· The Statues Spell ICONS - Deep in the catacombs where the Monsters Unchained ride takes place we pass by several creepy statues. In the brief period between seeing Victoria with her crossbow for the first time on the ride, through to seeing the Creature from the Black Lagoon right in front of us, there are several statues that may look familiar. There are tributes here to multiple icons of Halloween Horror Nights, including Eddie, Bone, Jack the Clown, and Chance.
Curse of the Werewolf ride
· A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nod to the classic 1981 film An American Werewolf in London, with a replica of the iconic red jacket worn by David Naughton hung in the barn you’ll zip through a time or two.
Super Nintendo World
· There are over 30 Pikmin hiding around Super Nintendo World, in at least 10 different spots.
o In addition to several groups of Pikmin that can be found around the main Super Mario Land area, there’s a duo of Pikmin inside of the Yoshi’s Adventure queue,
o a group outside in Donkey Kong Country,
o and even a few hidden around the Super Star Store in Celestial Park located outside of the world’s exit.
o One well-hidden group of Pikmin can be found inside of the Mine Cart Madness temple queue, drawn into a mural on the wall. This mural is a nod to the original Donkey Kong game, and features several poor Pikmin being run over by a rolling barrel, plus two pimkin ghosts.
· Bathrooms in Nintendo highlights the pipes, since Mario often uses warp pipes to transport through his world.
· Hidden blocks and power-ups that only trigger with your Power-Up Band, especially near Donkey Kong Country’s temple ruins.
· A subtle tribute to the original arcade Donkey Kong engraved above one of the queue tunnels.
· Paintings and pixel art referencing rare Mario power-ups, like the Frog Suit and Bee Mario
· Toads and Yoshis hiding in places only visible from specific angles
· Themed pipes and platforms with sound effects straight from retro NES games
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
· Inside the queue one portrait of Bowser features a special autograph from Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator behind Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Pikmin.
Isle of Berk World
· Fishy Berk Battles –
o Berk’s many dragons includes Cloudjumper, Hiccup’s mom’s dragon, who alternates between being asleep and awake.
o When you first enter How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, you may spot some small dragons on the right side of the lagoon. Two of them can be seen fighting over a fish, each with a part of it in their mouths.
o There’s a mural inside of the ordering windows at Spit Fyre Grill where a Viking and a dragon are fighting over a fish too.
o These are similar motifs as the two Compys fighting over a shirt at the Jurassic Park ride in Islands of Adventure, as well as the moving sign with dinos fighting over a slice of pizza at Pizza Predattoria in the same park.
· Snow Wraith - will roar to life and blow ice and mist in your direction.
o At a stand nearby the Snow Wraith, you can purchase a cool Snow Wraith ICEE
· For other cool Isle of Berk Easter eggs, Anitra Pritchard, Show Director Entertainment Operations at Universal Orlando Resort, suggests that you keep any on the “tops of the buildings for character specific Easter eggs that only readers might know about.”
· Freestyle drink - Dragon Splash, a citrusy drink that’s not too sweet
· Murals in Berk Bathrooms.
How to Treat Your Dragon shop
· Look toward the upper displays to spot “Katy’s Kandy’s,” a reference to Senior Creative Director Katy Pacitti herself!
Fyre Drill
· There are large banners on the backside of the load area, facing this interactive boat ride. One of the banners contains the words “things are just starting to heat up,” which is a direct line from Doc Ock on the Spider-Man ride in Marvel Super Hero Island.
Mead Hall
· Look up—way up! Above the grand 16-foot-7-inch doors is the hut of Gothi, the silent village elder. You’ll spot her standing outside, keeping a watchful eye over the entire Isle of Berk, dragons and Vikings alike.
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
· Different dialogue from the dragon trainer, depending on whether you choose the right or left track.
The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant
· Nod to Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets on the signs inside of The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant
Drink called “Waturi Punch”. Waturi are the “citizens” of Volcano Bay. Drink comes with a blue dragons swizzle stick