Epic Universe Debuts Its First Nighttime Spectacular, Universal Celestial Goodnight, on July 7
More than a year after Epic Universe opened, Universal is finally giving its newest park a proper goodnight. On Tuesday, July 7, Epic Universe debuts Universal Celestial Goodnight, its first full nighttime spectacular, and if you have stayed at the on site Helios Grand Hotel lately, you may have already caught a sneak peek during after-hours testing.
Universal Celestial Goodnight debuts at Epic Universe on July 7. Image: Universal Orlando Resort
What the show is
Universal Celestial Goodnight turns the entire Celestial Park hub, from the Luna area to Apollo, into a choreographed display of dancing fountains, sweeping lights, an original musical score, and a fireworks finale. According to Universal, the show uses nearly 600 synchronized light fixtures, more than 350 larger than life fountains, and seven million LED lights embedded throughout Celestial Park. It runs nightly and is included with regular park admission.
The quick facts: Nightly starting Tuesday, July 7. Located in Celestial Park, so park admission is required. Nearly 600 light fixtures, more than 350 fountains, seven million LEDs, and a fireworks finale.A tribute to the four portal worlds
The show pays tribute to the four themed worlds that ring the Celestial Park hub: Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, and Dark Universe. Universal says the spectacular was developed by its award winning entertainment team and set to a high energy musical score.
The show envelops Epic Universe's Celestial Park hub. Image: Universal Orlando Resort
Guests are already hearing it
The freshest part of this story is that the debut is basically already underway. For weeks, Universal has been running after-hours technical rehearsals that are visible, and audible, from the Helios Grand Hotel. Videos shared from the hotel have captured early morning booms and fireworks bursts lighting up the sky above Celestial Park, and an aerial photographer captured color changing lighting tests against the hotel before weather cut a rehearsal short. Consider it an unofficial preview of what goes fully live on July 7.
One note for expectation setting: Celestial Park has had a fountain based nighttime moment since opening, and Universal Celestial Goodnight is widely understood to elevate that into a full scale show. Universal's announcement stops short of formally saying it replaces the earlier fountain show, so we are calling it the park's first full nighttime spectacular rather than a straight swap.
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Image credits: Universal Orlando Resort.
