The Viking village of Berk at Universal Epic Universe features more than 30 dragons that breathe fire, slumber in the sun and greet visitors for photo ops – but it’s the flying dragons that attract the most attention.
The How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk themed land opened on May 22 as part of the 750-acre theme park featuring more than 50 rides, attractions, shows and experiences.
Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. Hiccup and Toothless meet-and-greet characters in the How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk themed land at Universal Epic Universe in Florida. (Courtesy of Universal)ALSO SEE: Epic Universe first impressions from inside Universal’s newest theme park
The Isle of Berk has animatronic, puppeted and robotic dragons that help make the 15-acre land feel like the eighth century village from the $1.6 billion film franchise where raucous Vikings and rambunctious dragons live in harmony.
“We really wanted to make the Isle of Berk feel alive,” Universal Creative ride and show engineering manager Ryan Paul said. “Feel like the dragons have fully integrated with our hooligan clan here with all the other Vikings.”
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders in the How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk themed land at Universal Epic Universe in Florida. (Courtesy of Universal)Hiccup’s Wing Gliders dual-launch family roller coaster puts aspiring dragon riders on a new winged flying machine for a bird’s eye view of Berk.
“We wanted to make sure that guests got to emulate the experience of actually flying on a dragon,” Paul said of the coaster.
Concept art of “The Untrainable Dragon” live show in the How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk themed land at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park in Florida. (Courtesy of Universal Orlando)“The Untrainable Dragon” Broadway-style live show features Hiccup and a 1,100-pound Toothless animatronic dragon with a 27-foot-wide wingspan flying above the audience.
“He actually flies overhead via a gantry system that we’ve integrated into the show,” Paul said during an interview at Epic Universe.
“The Untrainable Dragon” live show in the How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk themed land at Universal Epic Universe in Florida. (Courtesy of Universal)Universal Creative has been working for at least eight years to get dragon drones to fly through the skies over the Isle of Berk and Universal Epic Universe, according to Paul.
“The drone program is something that the team’s been working on for quite a few years now,” Paul said. “There’s been quite a bit of R&D in that realm. We’re talking down to materials. Every pound that you put on that drone is going to affect the way that it articulates and flies.”
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Video footage has captured animatronic drone dragons flying over Epic Universe before the park’s opening.
“Those are our prototypes,” Paul said. “Those aren’t our final dragons. A lot of that is just the propeller programming and articulation of the wings.”
Astrid and Stormfly meet-and-greet characters in the How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk themed land at Universal Epic Universe in Florida. (Courtesy of Universal)The traditional propeller-driven drones have articulated wings that use a series of small actuators to flap the wings.
“It doesn’t necessarily depend on the flapping of the wings to stay in flight,” Paul said. “That is just kind of that added element that is really kind of an aesthetic.”
Guests shout and raise their hands while riding the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders coaster in the How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk world during a preview day for Universal Epic Universe on April 5, 2025. Orlando’s first new theme park in a generation is set to open to the public on May 22. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)ALSO SEE: Why Florida’s Universal Epic Universe theme park matters
The aerial drones will fall into two dragon classes: Gronckles and Monstrous Nightmares.
Gronckles are medium-sized Boulder Class dragons that are chunky and cute with gigantic heads, short bodies and relatively small wings that beat as fast as a hummingbird.
Monstrous Nightmares are large Stoker Class dragons that have long, snake-like necks and tails with sharp spines and a gigantic mouth capable of swallowing a Viking.
The How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk world features three rides and a show in addition to immersive scenery at Universal Epic Universe on April 5, 2025. Orlando’s first new theme park in a generation is set to open to the public on May 22. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)ALSO SEE: How millions flocking to Epic Universe help and hurt Disney World
Universal Creative is still fine-tuning the dragon aerial drone show.
“That’s been a long time coming and it’s right at the threshold of being able to release,” Paul said. “Once we have that integrated and actually running as the show that we want it to, it’ll really add to the skyline.”
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