Get a sneak peek inside the new Universal Epic Universe

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What’s the naughtiest word you know? OK, maybe not that one – but one you probably wouldn’t say in front of your mother. Well, I doubt any of the family-friendly movies in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise include this four-letter word, yet it was on my lips more than once as I negotiated How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and the other four worlds at new Orlando theme park Universal Epic Universe.

Sometimes that word was blurted out loud, such as during the Stardust Racers rollercoaster in Celestial Park, which reaches a top speed of 62mph; at other times it was silently mouthed in wonder at the feats of technology being displayed, such as during the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.

In the rare moments when I wasn’t dealing in profanities, I was pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Having never been on a rollercoaster in my life before flying to Orlando this month, it was a privilege to be among a small group of UK journalists invited to a preview of the world’s most hotly anticipated new theme park.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

“You’re now stepping into 1920s Paris,” says Grace Kucharski, our VIP tour guide, as we waltz through the entrance of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.

We find ourselves walking along the whitewashed corridors of the French capital’s metro system of yesteryear, before rounding a corner and being hit by a remarkable sight – looming right ahead is the spitting image of the Arc de Triomphe.

Beyond it, we are transported into the bustling Rue Cachée and a series of retro shop facades.

This was only the beginning. As we progress, we witness an ever-increasing attention to detail until we reach the pinnacle of this particular project.

We step onto the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride with very little idea of what to expect and are immediately placed at the heart of a pulse-racing drama. This simulator-style ride offers quite the adrenaline boost, and when we are finally released back into the real world, we struggle to find the words to describe the journey. It feels like a new standard has been set for other parks to follow.