ORLANDO, Fla. – Move over Magic Kingdom. The Mushroom Kingdom will soon enter Central Florida’s theme park game.
On Thursday, Universal Orlando Resort released artist conceptual renderings of the highly anticipated Super Nintendo World - one of five worlds currently under construction at Epic Universe. Based on the beloved video game franchise, the themed area follows the original land in Japan and Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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Once guests walk through the iconic green pipe, they will enter an immersive world full of colorful landscapes and iconic characters. The Epic Universe edition will be a two-in-one experience with Mushroom Kingdom and Donkey Kong Country.
[RELATED: Universal Orlando unveils Epic Universe theme park]
Here are some of the highlights:
Super Mario Land
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
A star attraction. Join Team Mario and battle Team Bowser for the Golden Cup in this groundbreaking virtual-reality experience that fuses augmented reality, projection mapping technology and elaborate environments to bring the fun of the Mario Kart video game series to life in a compelling ride-through experience.
Yoshi’s Adventure
One of the most popular Super Nintendo characters gets his name on a family-friendly ride. On Yoshi’s Adventure, guests of all ages will enjoy breathtaking views of Super Mario Land as they join Yoshi and travel through Mushroom Kingdom landscapes in search of glowing eggs and encounter many familiar characters along the way.
Toadstool Cafe
At Toadstool Cafe, guests can enjoy a variety of tasty dishes inspired by the world of Super Mario and its characters, including Mario and Luigi-themed burgers, Super Mushroom Soup, Piranha Plant Caprese, Fire Flower Spaghetti and Meatballs and so much more. Dining guests will also get a glimpse of several Toads cooking up culinary creations behind virtual windows.
Yoshi’s Snack Island and Turbo Boost Treats: Guests can also pick up delicious treats, snacks, and beverages at these walk-up dining locations.
1-UP Factory and Mario Motors: Guests can shop for souvenirs, apparel, toys, and more inspired by their favorite Super Mario characters and adventures within these retail locations.
Meet-and-greets: The iconic characters you choose to be in a game will be available to meet and interact with: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad can be seen throughout various areas in Super Mario Land.
Donkey Kong Country
It’s an attraction Nintendo fans can go bananas for. At the edge of Super Mario Land, guests will discover an entrance that leads them to Donkey Kong Country, where they’ll explore the lush, tropical landscape from the video game series, complete with tall trees, waterfalls, and landmarks such as The Golden Temple. Like Yoshi’s Adventure, Donkey Kong Country will be making its U.S. debut at Epic Universe.
Mine-Cart Madness
Guests will hop into a mine cart and careen through the jungle to help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong protect the coveted golden banana on this first-of-its-kind family coaster. Utilizing an unprecedented ride system, innovative technology and a unique coaster design, Mine-Cart Madness will send riders on a thrilling adventure where they will experience the jaw-dropping maneuvers that they’ve seen Donkey Kong and the mine carts perform in the video games – including getting blasted out of a barrel, seemingly jumping over gaps as they speed along a rickety track, and so much more.
Power-Up Bands
Something that will make Super Nintendo World so unique is the playability and Power-Up Bands are the token to enhanced immersive fun. These wearable, state-of-the-art wristbands allow guests to collect digital coins by 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 checkpoint screens to see where they rank amongst fellow guests.
News 6 traveled to Universal Studios Hollywood when Super Nintendo World opened on the West Coast last year. Click here for a visual summary. You can also watch the video below.
Super Nintendo World’s official reveal follows the epic introductions of How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk and Celestial Park. Universal’s fourth theme park sits on 750 acres of land not far from the Orange County Convention Center.
Epic Universe is slated to open in 2025.
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