Guests exploring Epic Universe’s newest lands may not realize just how close one of them came to a dramatic visual signature.
Before the park opened, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk was designed not only as a grounded Viking village, but as a place where dragons would fly overhead.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk is the largest of the park’s IP-based lands, set between the second and third films. Guests move through a functioning village with rides like Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Dragon Racer’s Rally, interactive experiences, animatronic dragons, and The Untrainable Dragon show, which many have described as the emotional core of the land.
Mead Hall serves hearty Viking-inspired meals alongside the signature Yaknog drink, while Spit Fyre Grill and Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel support the area’s bustle. The Viking Training Camp play zone gives younger visitors space to explore. Small details — like fire-breathing dragons tucked into cliffs — reinforce the idea that Berk is alive.
However, the land originally aimed higher.
Before opening, Orlando locals reported seeing large dragon-shaped drones soaring above the construction site. Early testing footage circulated online, suggesting the dragons would appear in nightly entertainment. For many park watchers, it seemed that Universal was preparing something unprecedented (even if not everyone was impressed by what they saw).
Dragon drone sighting over Epic Universe tonight!
Dragon drone sighting over Epic Universe tonight! pic.twitter.com/rI33BFoCss
— Adventuring with Annie (@AnniesUniUpdate) April 16, 2025
A new docuseries, Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks, confirms that the drone show was real, tested, and nearly included.
It also captures the moment Universal paused the plan.
The upcoming docuseries “Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks” features lots of footage of the dragon drone testing for How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, including the moment Universal decided it wasn't ready for the park.
The upcoming docuseries "Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks" features lots of footage of the dragon drone testing for How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, including the moment Universal decided it wasn't ready for the park.
Our review of the docuseries, debuting… pic.twitter.com/D4Q4ao0cRV
— Attractions Magazine (@Attractions) November 6, 2025
“That’s been a long time coming and it’s right at the threshold of being able to release,” Universal’s Ryan Paul previously told The Orange County Register. “Once we have that integrated and actually running as the show that we want it to, it’ll really add to the skyline.”
The hesitation came after a serious drone incident in downtown Orlando in late 2024. During a holiday performance, drones collided and fell into the crowd. One struck a 7-year-old boy, who later underwent emergency surgery after the drone allegedly shocked his heart. His family ultimately filed a lawsuit.
Months after Epic Universe’s opening, the skies above Berk remain empty. The docuseries may offer further insight, but for now, the dragons stay grounded, and the land’s magic remains focused on its animatronics, live entertainment, and atmosphere rather than aerial spectacle.
What would you like to see at Epic Universe?
