Tips For Visiting Epic Universe In 2025

You may have seen some alarming posts on social media about how bad Epic Universe is. Things constantly break down, or the park shuts when it rains. For those lucky enough to be visiting Epic Universe before the year is out, I have practical information and tips for visiting Epic Universe in 2025 to share based on my visit last month!

If you’re staying on-site, you will be granted entry 1 hour earlier than standard ticket holders. On my visit, the park opened officially at 10, meaning a 9 am opening for me as I was staying in Helios Grand and Stella Nova during my stay. If you want to arrive early, queues start to form around 90 minutes before the early entry time.

The park has two sets of external gates, one by the bus drop off and car park and an inner set at the turnstiles. I arrived around 735, wanting to make the most of the quieter early morning, but you don’t have to turn up this early. Even 8 am will be fine when they open the first set of outer gates.

The next holding point is at the turnstiles in the entrance courtyard. We were held here until around 820 when all guests were let into the park. Remember, the park uses facial recognition with your ticket and Express Passes. If this is your first visit to a Universal park on your ticket, you will need to have a quick photo taken, but it really doesn’t take long.

The last holding point is at the portals, which opened at 850 on my visit, a little ahead of schedule, but it meant we weren’t standing around too long.

There are 3 groups of people you encounter during early entry: Those that head for Super Nintendo World, those that rush for Harry Potter and another smaller set that queues for Isle of Berk to open at 10 am, mainly to grab a photo with Toothless without the usual 90-minute+ wait. The only undercover area while waiting is for Super Nintendo World, which is under the shopping arcade. Other portal entries are outside in full sunshine.

As for what you head for? That’s entirely up to you. I headed to Super Nintendo World for Donkey Kong, which ended up not opening early, but I had a blast in the land exploring all the shops and little details, not to mention Mario Kart. The single line here can save you a ton of time! (Likewise with Mine Cart Madness).

Frustratingly, although not announced in the app, Battle at the Ministry was having a great day and opened at 9 am, saving early riders a ton of time in the usual 2+ hour queue, but it doesn’t always open early. My second visit, it didn’t open until gone 1030 and had a 4-hour queue snaking around the entire area. The single rider line for this attraction can be hit or miss, so you take your chances.

One learning curve a lot of people struggle with is mobile food ordering. In other parks, it’s always an option to save time in the queues (sometimes), but in Epic Universe, it is mandatory. EVERYTHING is ordered for and paid in the app, barring a couple of snack stands. Sometimes, you won’t even see a menu. If you ask a team member, you will be directed to the app. Please get used to mobile ordering before you visit. Talking to some team members, it sounds as though Universal could be rolling this out to the other parks in the future, too.

On the whole, it works great, though. Minimal wait times (don’t forget to tap that you have arrived), and the food options are surprisingly varied and tasty. Yes, they’re still expensive, but compared to the food you can get in Magic Kingdom, the quality here is superior. It’s easy to tell the park chefs have been given a little creative freedom here and allowed to run with some wacky ideas, but it works. The restaurant settings are also unique and destinations in their own right, so don’t be afraid to have a look around.

Now, for one of the most frustrating things about your visit. Attraction downtimes. Yes, it will happen, but it happens in every park, not just in Epic Universe. It just gets advertised more in Epic Universe.

Attractions scheduled to open with the park won’t. Attractions go down for any unknown reason while you’re waiting. Attractions get delayed opening; Fyre Drill didn’t open until the afternoon of my first visit. But the park engineers work hard at bringing attractions back up as soon as they can. Remember that most attraction downtimes are not the result of mechanical issues but more often than not are the result of visitors dropping something or being ill. When attractions go down, the issues are never advertised. Pack some patience, you will be fine! Does an Epic Universe visit require some luck? Absolutely, but a lot of the negative comments you see are the result of people’s attitudes before they even set foot in the park.

Another major talking point is a “lack” of shade or the park being very hot. People, it’s summertime in Florida, and it gets seriously hot! If you don’t deal well with the heat, don’t visit in the summer. This is not an Epic problem; it’s the same for every other park! On my visit, it had a “feels like” temperature of 110 degrees! It’s the same temperature in other parks, but the relative newness of the plants in Epic Universe, particularly in Celestial Park, where the trees will need a few more years to mature, is more noticeable. Park management has been listening to feedback, and Cool Stations have been set up to help alleviate some of these issues.

Regarding a lack of shade. There is shade if you look for it, just perhaps not where people expect, and this is one area where I think Epic Universe could do better. Seating in the areas that are shaded, such as downstairs in Super Nintendo World, would do well to have a little more seating to save people from sitting on the floor. I get that it’s a health and safety issue, but with whole families camped out on the floor, people flow is already an issue in places later in the day. Epic Universe needs more seating, and in the meantime, some covers over the seats that are there would go a long way to improving guest metrics in this area.

Which brings me neatly to my next talking point. The rain! It rains in Florida a lot. 8 out of Epic Universe’s 13 attractions are weather affected, meaning they won’t operate in a storm.

Naturally, the indoor attractions that remain get flooded with people, and then complaints about queues follow. Epic is a stunning park (emphasis on the park there). Celestial Park doesn’t have a lot of cover, and that’s by design. Universal intended and truly succeeded in putting the “park” back in theme park. It’s not a concrete slab (looking at you, EPCOT of old).

When you visit Florida any time of the year, you should expect and plan around the rain. Leave the park in the afternoon for a break or head for some shows, indoor attractions or have a sit-down meal. Don’t be afraid to take your time. Not everything has to be done at a lightning pace.

The rain is unpleasant for some, fascinating for others, but you can also use it to your advantage. The parks empty out after a storm, allowing you to fit in more attractions when it clears. Look at the positive side of things, not the negative and your day will go better.

With Epic Universe being so new, it feels like a busy park, but attendance is still being capped while kinks are being worked out in operations. One of the most common questions I see on groups is, “What order should I do the rides in?”

There are a total of 13 attractions throughout the park, including 2 play areas for children. 8 of the attractions are affected by weather delays on top of operational challenges. On my visit, this list is in order of the attractions consistently posting the highest wait times throughout the day.

• Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry – 2-4 hours
• Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – 90 mins to 2 1/2 hours
• Donkey Kong: Mine Cart Madness – 90 mins to 2 hours
• Meet Toothless – 90 mins to 2 hours
• Fyre Drill – 90 mins – 2 hours
• Dragon Racer’s Rally – 1- 2 hours
• Hiccups Wing Gliders – 1 hour – 90 mins
• Curse Of The Werewolf – 1 hour- 90 mins
• Yoshi’s Adventure – 1 hour
• Stardust Racers – 30 mins – 1 hour
• Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – Under 30 mins
• Constellation Carousel – Under 30 mins
• Astronomica (Play Area) – No Wait
• Viking Training Camp (Play Area) – No Wait

On your visit, I would urge you to seek out what interests you the most. If there is already a high wait time, leave it until later in the day; the queues will drop off as it gets closer to closing and typically from 6-7 pm onwards.

The question on pretty much everyone’s lips! My answer is an emphatic yes. Go and experience the level of detail that outdoes Disney. Epic Universe is a stunning achievement. It’s not without its challenges, and your day definitely will depend on the weather, your attitude and a little bit of luck.

Are the rides groundbreaking? Not exactly. They’re tried and tested systems with new twists and technological advancements.

Universal’s aim with Epic Universe is to immerse us, and that has certainly been achieved. The thought and detail that has gone into this park is truly breathtaking, but if you’re the type that has a tick list of attractions and little else, you’ll quickly find that this isn’t the park for you. Likewise, if you’re just out for thrills. The target demographic for this park is firmly set on families.

Epic Universe is about making memories with your friends and family, not rushing from one attraction to another. There is more than enough here to fill a day or two. The two shows, while lacking substance, bring new levels of storytelling and technological advancements. The attractions are varied enough and aimed at a more family-friendly market to placate naysayers that Universal is an adults-only resort.

Epic Universe is indeed Epic, but it’s in the details around you, not the headline attractions, that you will find the magic and your memories.