Going to Universal’s Epic Universe? Here’s 10 Things You Need to Know

Epic Universe is the newest Universal Orlando theme park that opened in May 2025. Since the park's opening, there has been a number of different operational changes and shifts along with key differences from the other Universal Orlando theme parks.

Even as a seasoned theme park visitor, I found myself confused at times navigating the differences of Epic Universe. Based on my time spent in the park, here are the top things you need to know before your visit.

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1. Express Pass Works Differently at Epic Universe

The biggest difference for Express Pass at Epic Universe is that premium Universal Orlando hotels do not include Express Pass for Epic Universe in their hotel stays. Currently, you get Express Pass included with your hotel stay if you stay at one of these three hotels: Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. But for now, that is only for use at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. This is where most of the complaints about the high cost of Express Pass for Epic Universe come in.

Three rides are also not included in Express Pass: Dragon Racer's Rally, Mine-Cart Madness, and Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry which includes two of the most popular rides in the park. See all our best tips for how to get on Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry with no wait.

You can also only purchase single use Express Pass at Epic Universe which means you can only use Express Pass once on each ride. We might see the way Express Pass operates at Epic Universe change down the line but for now, the usage is a bit more limited compared to the other Universal theme parks.

2. Early Park Admission Can Change

Early Park Admission at Epic Universe has shifted and changed since the park opening with rides being added and removed sporadically. Currently, Early Park Admission includes the rides in Dark Universe, Stardust Racers, and two of the three rides in Super Nintendo World. Mine-Cart Madness was recently removed from Early Park Admission and replaced with Dark Universe.

The best way to track these changes is to watch the Universal app the morning of your visit which will tell you what time the rides will start operating at. This is a must since things are changing so often at Epic Universe.

3. Some Rides Are Still Open Past Park Close

If the park is listed at closing at 9 PM, this means only the “portals” are closing at 9 PM.

Guests can still access the two rides in Celestial Park an hour after that closing time. This was a pleasant surprise to us as we were able to just walk on Stardust Racers and Constellation Carousel. We even rode Stardust Racers twice!

4. Be Prepared for Hot Sun and Limited Shade

You can find some decent shade in some of the specific lands, especially in the Harry Potter area, but as for the rest of the park, there is minimal shade.

This is especially true when you're walking to and from the “portals” in the Celestial Park area. Consider bringing a strong UV umbrella to keep yourself shaded, as we found this a big struggle in the hot weather. This also meant there were minimal spots to sit in the shade, and so that often resulted in us taking breaks inside restaurants to get out of the sun.

5. Most Rides Shut Down for Rain

Most of the rides in Epic Universe are outdoor attractions which means they will close for storms. If there is any chance of lightning in the area, Universal will close these attractions.

That means that only four rides will stay open, plus the two shows, in the park. This is one of the biggest negatives for Epic Universe, as a big rain storm will essentially shut the park down. Make sure you prioritize the outdoor rides early in the day as it's more common for storms to take place in the afternoon in Orlando.

6. Universal Uses More Facial Recognition for Lockers and Entry

Universal is testing out a lot more options for facial recognition in Epic Universe which often slows things down considerably as they work out the kinks. All of the lockers for attractions use facial recognition which, for the most part, is more efficient since you do not have to go digging for a park ticket.

But when it came to entering the park and using Express Pass, the machines for facial recognition were still in testing and they caused a lot of slow down when moving through lines. Sometimes we were asked to scan our Express Pass ticket and other times they scanned our faces. Be prepared for both, especially if you have Express Pass.

7. Most Dining Uses Mobile Order

Mobile order at Epic Universe is available at nearly every dining location. I love the way Universal Orlando uses mobile order. You just sit at your table, scan the QR code on the table, and place your order. A team member will then bring the food to your table.

During busy times, you will have to wait in line to be sat at a table before placing your order so which can create some confusion. But the process still largely works the same. Some restaurants do not even have an option to place an order with a team member so having the Universal Orlando app downloaded is essential.

8. Skip the Crowded Super Nintendo Entrance to Save Time

The entrance to Super Nintendo World is fun for immersion as guests travel up escalators (or use elevators) and enter overlooking the land. But from there, you have to go down large flights of stairs (or elevators if you can't use stairs) to get to the bottom floor where many of the attractions are. This is especially a pain if you are going into the area just to access Donkey Kong Country.

We discovered a secret entrance located behind this Mario fountain to the right of the portal, which is just big doors that lead you right into the ground floor and just steps away from Donkey Kong Country. If you are looking to just get from point A to point B when it's crowded, I highly suggest this pathway!

9. Use Single Rider Lines

Take advantage of the single rider lines at Epic Universe. There is a large number of attractions that take single rider, although some may close due to capacity, especially for the most popular rides.

• Curse of the Werewolf
• Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
• Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
• Mine-Cart Madness
• Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
• Stardust Racers

Based on what we observed, single rider lines were the longest for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry and Mine-Cart Madness. They looked the most effective for the other rides on this list.

10. Stay Late for the Fountain Show in Celestial Park

The Cosmos Fountain Show at Epic Universe takes place in Celestial Park after the portals close for the night. This is such a cool show that you can get a great view of from anywhere in Celestial Park. The show is about 18 minutes long and feautures all of the fountains and LED lights changing in time to music that celebrates all of the different portals in the park like Super Nintendo World, Isle of Berk, etc.

This was a great show to end our night with and was extremely low maintenance to see.