{"id":283201,"date":"2026-05-25T01:07:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/283201\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T01:07:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:07:08","slug":"universal-orlando-tears-down-iconic-attraction-as-fans-offer-mixed-reaction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/283201\/","title":{"rendered":"Universal Orlando tears down iconic attraction as fans offer mixed reaction"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 25 years after it debuted as one of\u00a0Universal Orlando\u2019s <\/a>most iconic themed lands, the Lost Continent is beginning a phased closure at Islands of Adventure.<\/p>\n

Demolition work has started inside the aging land. Footage from a local station\u2019s news helicopter showed an excavator positioned next to a pile of rubble, according to multiple reports.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the coming months,\u00a0venues and experiences\u00a0<\/a>within Lost Continent will permanently close in phases to make way for a new themed area,\u201d a Universal Orlando spokesperson told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will include the closure of Mythos Restaurant in 2027,\u201d a statement also noted.<\/p>\n

The Lost Continent opened with Islands of Adventure in 1999, helping to define the\u00a0park\u2019s early identity<\/a>\u00a0with mythology-inspired architecture, towering stone facades and elaborate storytelling rooted in ancient legends.<\/p>\n

For years, it served as one of the\u00a0resort\u2019s most atmospheric lands<\/a>, blending fantasy adventure, cutting-edge effects and live entertainment, according to Universal Orlando.<\/p>\n

The area was also home to several fan-favorite attractions.<\/p>\n

Universal Orlando\u2019s iconic Lost Continent at Islands of Adventure is beginning a phased closure. Shutterstock \/ Daniel Dent<\/p>\n

The Dueling Dragons\u00a0roller coasters\u00a0<\/a>\u2014 later re-themed as Dragon Challenge after the arrival of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter \u2014 were among the resort\u2019s most iconic thrill rides.<\/p>\n

They were famous for their intertwined layouts, synchronized dispatches and near-miss elements, per Universal Orlando and Wizarding World history pages.<\/p>\n

Poseidon\u2019s Fury was another signature attraction, drawing crowds with dramatic water tunnel effects, bursts of fire and live actors.<\/p>\n

But over the last 15 years, Universal has steadily chipped away at the land.<\/p>\n

In 2010, the Dueling Dragons coasters were re-themed as Dragon Challenge as part of the neighboring Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion, according to Universal Orlando.<\/p>\n

That attraction ultimately closed in 2017 to make way for Hagrid\u2019s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, now one of the resort\u2019s most popular rides.<\/p>\n

The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad, a stunt-heavy live show, said goodbye in 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Poseidon\u2019s Fury closed in 2023, according to Universal Orlando\u2019s retired attractions page.<\/p>\n

Demolition has already begun, with an excavator spotted amidst rubble as the park makes way for a new themed area. Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Mythos Restaurant<\/a>\u00a0is expected to remain open through 2027 as part of Universal\u2019s phased closure plan, according to the company press release.<\/p>\n

\u201cUniversal Orlando Resort is continuing its unprecedented momentum as it prepares for a slate of compelling new guest offerings across the destination, ranging from new themed areas to\u00a0delicious eateries,\u201d the resort said in a release shared with Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

Universal announced the resort\u2019s Horror Make-Up Show at Universal Studios Florida is temporarily closed to prepare for what the company calls a \u201creimagined experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The updated production \u201cwill showcase a mix of classic and modern horror properties along with\u00a0shockingly fun surprises.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Hogwarts Castle at Islands of Adventure has seen ongoing maintenance and refurbishment work in recent years, according to Orlando Informer.<\/p>\n

Universal Orlando will debut Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift in 2027, a high-speed roller coaster based on the blockbuster movies, the press release noted.<\/p>\n

Mythos Restaurant will close in 2027, following past closures of fan-favorite rides like Poseidon\u2019s Fury and Dueling Dragons. TNS via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The demolition drew mixed reactions from Universal visitors.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad it\u2019s finally happening because it\u2019s needed it. I mean, the two attractions have been closed for 8 years and 3 years,\u201d one Reddit user said.<\/p>\n

But many fans were sad to see Lost Continent go.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye, Lost Continent, you will always be my favorite show,\u201d said one TikTok user.<\/p>\n

\u201cRIP, Lost Continent. Thank you for everything,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

A third TikTok user chimed in with these words: \u201cThe end of an era.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More than 25 years after it debuted as one of\u00a0Universal Orlando\u2019s most iconic themed lands, the Lost Continent…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":283202,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[6859,139,141,140,35165,2411,3437,4278],"class_list":["post-283201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-disney","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news","tag-roller-coasters","tag-theme-parks","tag-universal-studios","tag-us-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=283201"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283201\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/283202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=283201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=283201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=283201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}