When Universal Orlando Resort announced that they were opening an entire land dedicated to Universal Monsters open all year round the internet went into a horror fanboy (and girl) meltdown.
Merely giving us a taster of this experience at Halloween we could now bask in Universal Monsters all year round in the village of Darkmoor, a land created by Universal Orlando Resort’s creative team to house these incredible creatures.
From Dracula to Frankenstein’s Monster and the Wolf-Man there are many things to see and door in Darkmoor and whether it’s a sunny day, a rainy day or a chilly evening in Florida this area is vibrant with atmosphere whatever the weather.
Nostalgia and artistry combine to create a truly incredible land and something the world just hasn’t seen before, almost like a scare zone that you’d find within a horror attraction but with permanent architecture and rustic charm.
Atmosphere
From the electrified portal which separates the lands within Epic Universe from Celestial Park guests will enter the eerie village of Darkmoor where there are graves aplenty and beautiful statues and sculptures that add to the rundown yet charming village.
Flickering lanterns and a foreboding ambience fill the air as you’re now front and centre within your very own classic horror film.
A lingering fog oozes from behind trees and from a well that adorns the centre village square as a violin player wanders around the land and various characters roam for meet and greets including The Invisible Man, don’t worry, you can see him there’s no Merlin budget cuts taking place here that’s for sure.
From a coffin broken into splinters surrounded by an iron gate that has been ripped apart to the forged iron sign of Darkmoor itself, there is a feeling of history here despite this being a recently built project.
Everything feels worn in, and aged and has stood the test of time and Universal’s creative department has not only smashed it out of the park but out of the planet, there is no other horror-themed land that I can think of that even comes close to the level of detail on offer here and that’s before we see the lands two main attractions.
If I had one small negative (and it’s very small) I’d say the sightlines are a little off here and there as the Helios Hotel comes into view from a variety of places around Darkmoor, if you want complete immersion I’d have thought this would have been a consideration to exclude a modern hotel from being in full view of an old gothic run-down village but that’s me just being picky, isn’t it?
Attractions
Dark Universe contains two attractions, one dark ride and one roller coaster and both add their own charm to Darkmoor but one considerably more than the other.
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
This flagship dark ride already has the best facade of any dark ride in the world before you even step foot inside as this beautiful manor house is the focal point of Darkmoor and will be every single Instagrammer and photographer’s dream capture.
It oozes class and charm and what’s inside is even more impressive as guests board a KUKA robotic arm similar to the one used in the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride but modified for an even more immersive experience.
Animatronics run amok within this experience combining screens with physical sets and these very intimidating figures.
Special effects aplenty (including an incredible fire effect) put you front and centre of the story where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, the great-great-granddaughter of Henry Frankenstein, attempts to control the world’s most notorious monsters.
Well, that is, until Dracula escapes and causes havoc, let the show begin.
Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and more this ride has been hailed by fans as one of the best on the planet and it’s simply impossible to disagree, I still think a certain Star Wars-themed ride just down the road is the more impressive of the two rides (simply because of the KUKA arm’s limitations) but take nothing away from Monsters Unchained, it’s an out-of-this-world dark ride that is so good that it kind of puts a downer on the next attraction.
Curse of the Werewolf
This spinning coaster is certainly family-fun but with its simple black track taking up space within a highly themed area not to mention the netting that surrounds the track it ruins the aesthetic of Darkmoor by simply existing.
You fly past the amazing Werewolf animatronic so quickly you don’t appreciate it, the ride layout is so short and whilst mildly fun it just feels like an afterthought in an otherwise perfect area.
A real shame that this land contains one world-class ride followed by quite an underwhelming second and whilst it’s not terrible Universal should have matched up the quality of Monsters Unchained with this particular coaster but sadly they do feel rather night and day in that regard despite some lovely station and queue line theming.
Dark Universe Entertainment
From a Monster Makeup Experience where guests can transform into creatures to character encounters and more there’s plenty to explore in Darkmoor to keep any horror fan’s heart beating loudly and strongly.
Night time is when Darkmoor comes alive but if you want some of that shadowy atmosphere and you just can’t wait until evening there are a few places to seek refuge in the day and that’s the dining options.
Das Stakehaus is a quick service run by vampires, The Burning Blade Tavern has an exterior that quite literally bursts into real-life flames and then there’s De Lacey’s Cottage which is a good stand offering a variety of treats.
Dark Universe merchandise was questionable when Universal had the pop-up shop for Epic but now the park is open the full range of merchandise on offer is so varied and once Darkmoor has you in its grasp it’s quite difficult to leave.
You feel permanently moored in this area and I can’t picture any other land at Epic Universe dragging me back into it more than Dark Universe, it has you hook, line and sinker and they’ve done an incredible job.
Dark Universe is truly a chef’s kiss homage to Universal horror and whilst Curse of the Werewolf slightly lets the land down there is room for improvement and even expansion of this beautifully charming and tragically haunting space.
Click Here for more information on this exciting new land at Universal’s Epic Universe
