Universal Orlando Resort has announced the first major new attraction coming to Epic Universe since the theme park opened, confirming that a brand-new indoor roller coaster is under construction in Dark Universe.
The currently unnamed attraction will be built beside Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and will feature an original story inspired by Universal's classic Monsters franchise.
Construction is already underway, although Universal has not yet revealed an opening date beyond saying the attraction will arrive "in the years ahead".
A new roller coaster is coming to Dark Universe
Universal confirmed the project on 5 November, describing the announcement as "electrifying news" for its newest Orlando theme park.
The company says the indoor coaster will immerse guests in an entirely new story inspired by the Universal Monsters.
It will be located next to Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, the land's headline dark ride and one of Epic Universe's most technologically ambitious attractions.
Universal has not yet announced the coaster's name, manufacturer, ride system, track layout, height requirement or exact theme.
No concept artwork has been released alongside the announcement either, meaning much of the attraction remains deliberately under wraps.
Construction is already underway
The announcement confirms months of visible construction activity behind Dark Universe.
Land preparation began during the summer on an expansion plot between Monsters Unchained and The Burning Blade Tavern, with vegetation cleared and survey work appearing around the site.
Public permit documents had previously indicated that a new attraction was planned for the area, including references to a multi-storey structure and ride-related facilities.
Work walls have since appeared around parts of the construction site as Universal moves beyond the initial land preparation stage.
Until now, however, Universal had not officially confirmed what was being built.
Universal promises an all-new Monsters story
One of the most interesting details in Universal's announcement is that the attraction will tell an entirely new story within the Universal Monsters universe.
Dark Universe currently centres around the fictional village of Darkmoor, where the experiments of Dr Victoria Frankenstein have brought together several legendary monsters.
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment features Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and other classic Universal characters.
The new coaster will expand that world rather than simply recreating the storyline of an existing attraction.
Universal has not said which monster, or monsters, will form the focus of the new ride.
What will the new Dark Universe coaster be?
For now, relatively little has been confirmed beyond the fact that it will be an indoor roller coaster.
Previous permits for the site reportedly referenced a three-storey structure measuring around 93,000 square feet and included language connected with a ride maintenance bay.
Those documents helped establish that a significant new attraction was being prepared before Universal's official announcement.
There has also been considerable online speculation about the possible theme of the ride, including suggestions involving the Bride of Frankenstein.
None of those specific themes have been confirmed by Universal.
Until the company reveals more, the only confirmed description is an indoor coaster featuring a new story inspired by the Universal Monsters franchise.
Dark Universe is already home to two major attractions
Dark Universe opened as one of Epic Universe's five worlds and is entirely dedicated to Universal's classic Monsters.
Its headline attraction, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, places guests inside Frankenstein Manor before an experiment involving Dracula goes wrong and releases the monsters.
The land is also home to Curse of the Werewolf, a spinning family coaster themed around the Darkmoor woods and the Wolf Man legend.
Adding another indoor coaster will give Dark Universe a third major attraction and significantly increase the amount of ride capacity available within the land.
The first major expansion of Epic Universe
The announcement is particularly significant because Epic Universe is still Universal Orlando's newest theme park.
Rather than allowing the park to remain unchanged for several years after opening, Universal has already started work on its first major attraction expansion.
Epic Universe was designed with expansion plots around several of its themed worlds, allowing Universal to add attractions and experiences without rebuilding the existing lands.
The Dark Universe project now provides the first confirmed example of those expansion plans moving into construction.
Additional development activity has also been closely watched elsewhere around Epic Universe, although Universal has not announced further new attractions at this stage.
No opening date yet
Universal has not announced when the new Dark Universe coaster will open.
The company has only said the attraction is planned for "the years ahead", suggesting guests should not necessarily expect an immediate debut.
With construction already underway, however, the project has now progressed considerably beyond the concept stage.
More information including the attraction's name, storyline, ride system and opening timeframe is expected as construction progresses.
Epic Universe is already growing
Less than two years into Epic Universe's operation, Universal is already preparing to expand one of the park's most distinctive themed worlds.
An indoor roller coaster also feels particularly well suited to Dark Universe, allowing Universal to control lighting, scenery and environmental effects while extending the cinematic horror atmosphere established throughout Darkmoor.
Exactly what happens inside remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.
For now, what is confirmed is significant enough: Dark Universe is getting another major attraction, construction has started and the Universal Monsters are preparing for an entirely new story at Epic Universe.
