Summer is coming, and you know what that means!

Epic Universe is opening! 

If you’re not already familiar with the name, Epic Universe is a new park being opened by Universal Orlando Resort on May 22. The park is split into five lands: Celestial Park, Super Mario World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe. 

This got me thinking… what if we had our own Epic here? What if different parts of Columbia were portals to different worlds? Let’s take a dive into where those might be!

Celestial Park

This is the hub of Epic Universe. Its vibrant and cosmic display of organic buildings promotes a sense of awe, just like Butler and Low Library. You’re at the heart of the universe here! You can go anywhere and be whisked away to new stretches of your imagination (or to your classes).

Super Mario World

You now find yourself in the super fun land of gaming! Maybe you won’t find Mario and Donkey Kong on campus, but where can you get that same feeling? The lawns and gaming lounges! It seems there’s almost always an event going on in the lawns with parties and bouncy castles, and you could play your favorite Nintendo games in the Wallach ESPORTS room. Time to party!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

Travel back in time to 1920s Paris to have Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter fun! Enter through the Maison Française to go from ordinary happenings to the Wizarding World. You might not find magical creatures on campus, but you can have that same whimsy here in Havemeyer. You experience several chemical laboratories, learning new reactions and procedures that feel just like magic! If only we had moving statues around campus…

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

Another childhood memory! If only you could fly… Well, JJ’s might not have dragons or vikings, but it has fast food and other things from your childhood, including dino nuggies and mac & cheese bites! Munch on some happiness and imagine you’re soaring through the skies with Toothless!

Dark Universe

Now you enter the dark and spooky realm of classic monsters like Frankenstein’s monster and Dracula. On campus, the dorm basements give you that same chill. You might run into cockroaches rather than monsters, but the halls are cold and foreboding with pipes and wiring all around. It’s alive! It’s alive!!!

Columbiaverse Gate via author