Epic Universe will not be a 2-day park for the typical vacationer. Regardless of claims on the contrary by diehard Common Orlando followers, that is completely unfaithful for the overwhelming majority of company. The title would possibly sound like pure reward, with us saying that is the primary multi-day park in Central Florida since Magic Kingdom. It’s not. (Up to date July 5, 2025.)
That is extra about there being legitimate explanation why theme park followers and repeat guests to Walt Disney World and Common Orlando would possibly wish to allocate extra time to Epic Universe throughout its opening 12 months. A few of that’s self-evident: it’s new! In fact locals and Annual Passholders would wish to spend disproportionate time on the new park, versus those they’ve performed dozens to a whole lot of instances.
A part of that’s extra strategic, although. That sure experiences and choices would possibly require a number of days at Epic Universe, that it behooves you to construct in a buffer so that you don’t stroll away saying, “I want I had extra time to do X or Y,” or “I can’t consider that, even after a number of days within the park, there’s nonetheless a lot I missed!” These are my sentiments precisely proper now, so it’s not precisely hypothetical!
Talking of which, I’m torn relating to Epic Universe. I really like Common Orlando’s new park, and can’t wait to return this summer time and past. However there main downsides to visiting this highly-anticipated new park throughout its opening season(s), as specified by Why You Ought to Skip Epic Universe (Subtitle: “or Find out how to Be taught to Cease FOMO and Wait to Go to Till Winter 2026 & Past”).
To be completely sincere/blunt with you, that ‘skip’ article is growing older very well. Though it was met with backlash by a vocal minority of Common stans, I really feel forward of my time and totally vindicated in publishing it. I nonetheless do see upside in visiting early and am wanting to return myself, however with every passing day, I consider that ready till 2026 is the “right” recommendation for many vacationers.
Nonetheless, I’m publishing this within the curiosity of steadiness…and since I stated I’d. Additionally, as a result of by advantage of studying a distinct segment web site about theme parks, you have already got put your self within the minority relating to issues like this. So it’s solely potential that the recommendation right here nonetheless applies to a majority of Disney Vacationer Weblog readers, even when nearly all of all vacationers must be avoiding Epic Universe till 2026!
As excited as I’m to revisit Epic Universe ASAP (and I’m very excited), I additionally acknowledge that not everyone seems to be me. I already did each trip a number of instances in a low-stress, low-stakes atmosphere. If I am going again and do nothing however Monsters Unchained, a few coasters, and a ton of consuming & exploring, I’ll contemplate my subsequent days to be successes. The common vacationer won’t have the identical time or tolerances to expertise Epic Universe, operational warts and all, within the coming months.
To that time, I’m married to a mean vacationer, so none of that is theoretical! Our household had an Epic Universe journey deliberate for this summer time that we’re suspending for the explanations lined in that ‘Skipping Epic Universe’ article. Whereas I’ll return to Epic Universe many instances within the months to come back, that’ll be on my own and primarily “for analysis.” I’ll undoubtedly have loads of enjoyable, however our household trip will likely be delayed till early 2026 for extra optimum circumstances.
Anyway, right here’s how I plan to benefit from my future visits to Epic Universe in 2025, and why I like to recommend the identical in case you’re planning on tackling the brand new park within the coming months…
Outlast Excessive Wait Instances & Crowds
As defined in our Epic Universe Crowd Calendar, the brand new theme park is seeing astronomical wait instances for quite a lot of causes (some mentioned under) regardless of comparatively low attendance. No ticket varieties are promoting out for the rest of July 2025 and past, which could possibly be a very good factor relating to crowd ranges and wait instances. However even with Animal Kingdom-level attendance, Epic Universe already has excessive wait instances.
Simply to place issues into perspective, the typical wait time for each week in June was 60 minutes or greater. The height week was the second to final, when the typical wait time was 68 minutes. There have been a number of days when the typical was at or above 70 minutes. This will likely not appear that dangerous. In any case, many rides at Walt Disney World have wait instances which might be over an hour. However understand that that is a mean throughout all rides and all through the day, and it doesn’t bear in mind downtime. Not solely that, however 4 rides had averages over 100 minutes.
To place this into perspective, Walt Disney World’s two busiest days since 2019 have been 71 and 70 minute waits–each got here throughout the weeks of New 12 months’s (early 2020 and late 2023). Epic Universe had 8 dates that had been that busy or busier simply in June 2025! Suffice to say, Epic Universe wait instances are actually excessive, making it troublesome to perform all the pieces in a single day.
On the identical dates this summer time, Walt Disney World’s common wait time has been lower than half of Epic Universe. The identical goes for Common Orlando’s different parks, that are seeing averages of round 25 minutes. There’s a very actual chance that each one of those parks (besides Animal Kingdom) are seeing greater every day attendance than Epic Universe, too.
As is at all times the case with theme parks, the simplest strategy to beat the crowds is to reach early and keep late. When you’re eligible to benefit from Early Park Admission, that’s large. Even when not, common rope drop is a good time to knock out one portal. Staying late to outlast the crowds on the finish of the evening is likewise one other wonderful strategic possibility for low waits.
That is regular recommendation, however there’s an added wrinkle to this: Epic Universe Rides “Secretly” Open Early & After Park Closing. That is large, particularly because it’s unpublished. The top result’s that it makes the primary two hours of the morning and final two of the night as or extra priceless than your complete center of the day.
When you have two full days at Epic Universe, it additionally makes for simpler strategizing. Merely knock out two portals throughout Early Park Admission and common rope drop, after which two portals on the finish of the evening. This leaves you with one left over. Our counterintuitive recommendation is to Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic and its marquee attraction throughout the late morning or early afternoon. Battle on the Ministry is the proper attraction to get out of of the warmth for a bit! (See our Epic Universe Morning Technique: Rope Drop Rides to Do & Keep away from to Save Time for extra. We don’t have nighttime technique but, nevertheless it’s extra simple, anyway.)
Greatest Meals Park in Orlando
I can’t say definitively that Epic Universe is at the moment the #1 meals park in Orlando. Even after spending a number of days there, I’ve nonetheless solely scratched the floor of what its culinary scene has to supply. However what I did strive was largely distinctive, a implausible combination of enjoyable, photogenic, scrumptious, and impressive.
Based mostly on that have, it’s simply the #1 meals park in Common Orlando. That’s not a excessive bar, although. The opposite parks is usually a bit, ahem, restricted when you get exterior the Wizarding World of Harry Potter lands, with extra crowd-pleasing delicacies of various levels of edibility.
Epic Universe is an enormous departure from this, with each creative & intriguing choices and theme park staples performed at a extremely excessive stage. Take Pizza Moon, for instance. It’s a counter service pizza parlor (therefore the title), so that you would possibly understandably have restrained expectations. It’s someway implausible, being nearer in high quality to By way of Napoli than Pizzafari. (Consider the hype in regards to the ube-crusted Pizza Lunare.)
My concern is that this received’t final. It is rather typically the case that new eating places at theme parks open with menus that swing for the fences, solely to be dumbed-down over the months and years that comply with to comport with the expectations of common company, and within the title of operational effectivity and throughput.
I might see each being points at Epic Universe. We waited over 45 minutes for a part of our order in the future at Café L’air De La Sirène (in equity, it was implausible). We additionally overheard one other visitor ask “why is the crust purple?” in regards to the aforementioned Pizza Lunare (they appeared to ship it again, however that wasn’t 100% clear).
Visiting earlier offers you a larger alternative to benefit from the Epic Universe menus of their full glory. Going for 2 days offers you extra time to strive the entire formidable and enjoyable meals. After which, you’ll have craveworthy dishes to mourn a long time from now: “Bear in mind when Epic Universe had that distinctive and wonderful ___? Convey it again, Common!”
See Portals at Night time
Like each theme park ever, Epic Universe is best at evening. That is very true of these in Central Florida throughout the summer time, simply by advantage of consolation from cooler climate and sunshine being changed by synthetic lighting packages. It’s my dream for Magic Kingdom to return to midnight closings.
Epic Universe is absolutely fairly at evening. The cartoonish colours of Tremendous Nintendo World pop underneath a deep blue nightfall sky because the lights oversaturate the environments. Find out how to Prepare Your Dragon – Isle of Berk sees its atmosphere grow to be a moody and atmospheric panorama, with wealthy lighting that amplifies the rockwork and craggy cliffs. Then there’s the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic with its romanticized tackle Paris–let’s simply say it does justice to the “Metropolis of Lights” moniker.
Nonetheless, the 2 unequivocal highlights of nighttime at Epic Universe are Celestial Park and Darkish Universe. The previous is the park’s central hub, and it’s downright disagreeable throughout the day as a consequence of a dearth of shade and heat-reflective pavement. At evening, Celestial Park is beautiful, with fountains and lighting results that make you wish to linger and take in its distinctive environment and nuanced unique design.
Then there’s just about the whole thing of Darkish Universe, which ‘works’ a lot better at evening. (It’s not known as Daylight Universe for a cause.) You’ll completely wish to see Burning Blade Tavern stay as much as its title, wander exterior the Frankenstein property, and spend a while getting misplaced within the alleys of Darkmoor.
Resulting from park hours, all of this isn’t potential in a single evening. Possibly on dates when the park now closes at 10pm, however even then, it’ll be actually, actually rushed. You received’t be lingering or taking any time to soak up the environment. The optimum method is actually two portals per evening, plus a sluggish stroll via Celestial Park in your method out. Even that’s going to be a bit extra rushed than you would possibly like.
Sluggish Down & Drink the Particulars
At any time when a brand new theme park land opens, it has grow to be the cliche to say, “that is truly a full day land.” This occurred with Pandora, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Tremendous Nintendo World, and each Wizarding Worlds. And little question, I’ve spent full days in all of those lands–a number of, even–after they had been model new.
However I’m a dork who spends method an excessive amount of time in theme parks who loves a shiny new object. It’s one thing to understand and obsess over, and there’s pleasure in discovering the entire particulars and secrets and techniques these new lands maintain. That is the case for a lot of different locals and Annual Passholders, who’ve a willingness to spend inordinate quantities of time in new areas as a result of all the pieces else is “previous information” to them. For a primary timer or rare customer, the circumstances are clearly totally different.
Nonetheless, with none background information or intense fandom for any of those properties (save for Nintendo, however I’ve already skilled two different variations of that land), I discovered myself wanting extra time inside every portal. I stored stumbling upon new and fascinating issues whereas there, and I do know my visits solely scratched the floor.
Epic Universe is sort of a entire park of Wizarding Worlds when it comes to design particulars, and in contrast to something Common has performed earlier than. In time period of depth and a spotlight to element, it jogs my memory of Animal Kingdom. However frankly, with areas which might be extra fascinating and fascinating to me, personally. It’s very troublesome to each deal with driving the rides and savoring the areas. You really want two days for that, even when it’s not a 2-day park within the conventional sense of the time period.
Wet Days, Downtime & Delays
Epic Universe has had a number of days providing a horrible one-two punch of technical difficulties plus inclement climate inflicting trip closures. I’d say that is solely going to worsen throughout the top of storm season, however there have already been instances when just one (1) trip in your complete park was working. It’s onerous to think about something worse than that…hopefully!
Storm season goes to be tough, simply by advantage of the variety of points of interest with out of doors elements at Epic Universe. That will likely be exacerbated within the first 12 months by the all-new points of interest have rising pains which might be typically stricken by issues their first few months. Even with out rain, issues have been rocky not too long ago–it’s typically the case that solely one-third of rides are operational at any given second. A lot of ‘delays’ or flat-out ‘closed’ points of interest. That is the character of the beast as points of interest grow to be extra advanced.
The underside line is that you simply’ll wish to give your self two days in case you’re visiting Epic Universe in its first ~6 months as a buffer. Versus tilting at windmills and ‘forcing’ issues when the stuff hits the fan, float! Absorb these particulars, discover the park, and provides your self “permission” to have a very good time throughout a foul day.
That is very troublesome with only a single day and no margin for error to get all the pieces performed, however simpler with two. As somebody who has made ‘lemonade out of lemons’ throughout many operational meltdowns at different theme parks, belief me–that is the way in which.
N/A. Earlier is Optimum
Usually, we advise diehard followers to go earlier versus ready relating to formidable and envelope-pushing points of interest as a result of probability of pesky and problematic results being disabled later for the sake of operational effectivity. Probably the most notorious instance of that is Indiana Jones Journey at Disneyland, with many long-lost results which might be the stuff of legends. Extra not too long ago, this has additionally been true with Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and extra.
My concern was that this is able to even be the case with Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Harry Potter and the Battle on the Ministry. Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear to be that’s the case. I’ve but to have an ideal ride-through on Monsters Unchained, and others have reported Battle on the Ministry recurrently working with damaged results. On this case, it seems these rides will get higher over time, as additional take a look at and modify hones their timing and will get the Audio Animatronics firing on all cylinders.
I’d additionally prolong this to the park as an entire. Throughout my visits, there have been nonetheless closed-off paths in Celestial Park and different areas that wanted their ending touches. Possibly this will likely be performed by opening day, however perhaps not. Regardless, my perspective is that the park goes to develop into its personal over time, and it could take a number of wet seasons to get it actually wanting good.
I’m properly conscious that this ‘optimistic’ article about spending extra time at Epic Universe is pretty backhanded. A lot of that is ‘lemonade out of lemons’ stuff. However in case you booked a gap season journey months in the past, that’s the angle from which I’d now suggest approaching this new park. Go in with a restrained and cheap stage of hype, hoping for the perfect however ready for the worst.
On the threat of belaboring the purpose, we don’t count on any of this to be a lot of a problem within the medium or long-term. I’m cognizant of the truth that some latest posts have seemingly positioned me as an Epic Universe Hater, however I swear, I actually am not. I really like the brand new park! Nearly each new attraction or land has preliminary rising pains, particularly the superior ones. Epic Universe is a whole park of these!
I’m not attempting to be essential or nitpick–that is extra of a sober “it’s what it’s” kind of commentary within the face of what has felt like a runaway hype prepare. A 12 months from now, Epic Universe must be working easily and with a excessive diploma of effectivity. It’ll hopefully have blossomed into its personal. There’s one thing to be stated for experiencing a brand-new theme park, however there’s additionally a non-monetary value to doing so. Take into account each earlier than taking the plunge.
Want journey planning suggestions and complete recommendation to your go to to Central Florida? Make certain to learn our Common Orlando Planning Information for all the pieces about Islands of Journey and Common Studios Florida. Additionally take a look at our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Information for all the pieces about these parks, resorts, eating places, and a lot extra.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be attending Epic Universe this summer time for its opening season, or will you skip it till the brand new park settles right into a groove? When you do go to, are you planning on spending a number of days at Epic Universe to understand the brand new park in its full glory–or give your self extra of a security internet to expertise extra of the park and endure downtime and delays? Involved about unreliable rides, how sizzling the park will get, or anything? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share another ideas or questions you could have within the feedback under!