I simply had my finest day but at Epic Universe, knocking out 20 rides, 2 stage reveals, 2 informal eating places, and 1 positive eating spot. Everywhere in the course of 14 hours from Early Park Admission to after park closing, whereas taking 38,007 steps, 30 flights, and a couple of,390 pictures. Right here’s how I completed all of it with out Categorical Go, and the way (possibly) you possibly can, too!
One of many factors we maintain stressing is that Epic Universe’s opening season has been a wild experience. Common’s new park has had sky-high wait instances and crowd ranges, but in addition all-time low attendance and days with a lot of walk-on strains and. There have been some absolute operational meltdowns, together with bona fide ‘finest days ever.’
I’ve been extremely fortunate with Epic Universe, and have had nothing however nice days. That is most likely an enormous a part of why I really like Common Orlando’s third gate a lot, as my experiences have been unequivocally optimistic. To make certain, I’ve encountered some friction, and at the present time was no totally different. However being versatile and rapidly pivoting when issues come up has helped me keep away from catastrophe on a number of events.
Regardless of this, I’m fast to plug our rundown of Why You Ought to Skip Epic Universe. We not too long ago returned with a refresh to that put up, as our recommendation for almost all of vacationers is to remain on the sidelines and wait till Epic Universe improves its operations and effectivity.
Regardless that I’ve been lucky to keep away from the worst of the excessive crowd ranges, meltdowns and breakdowns, I’m very cognizant of those points. I’ve watched them play out from afar, listening to from each associates and readers who’ve skilled Epic Universe on its worst days.
My earlier days confirmed what might presumably go fallacious with unhealthy luck or poor planning, and my most up-to-date go to actually underscored this. Though I used to be fortunate to have my longest wait in line be 13 minutes, I might simply see ready for much longer or topic to a number of experience breakdowns and queues dumped.
Amongst different issues, two of the opposite main factors raised in that article are “Unpredictable Attendance & Crowds” and “Experience Breakdowns & Downtime.” These proceed to be the overriding points with Epic Universe, as the brand new park continues to be a veritable curler coaster of every day crowd ranges and common wait instances since its official opening three months in the past.
Past the issues, Epic Universe has had excessive wait instances all through most of its opening season. Epic Universe set a file for its busiest day ever on July 16, when common wait instances had been 85 minutes and the gang stage was 10/10. There have been back-to-back 80 minute days August 6-7. There have been a number of different days at or above 70 minutes, with every day lows within the mid-to-upper 40s.
Late June was the beginning of a stretch when weekly averages had been 64-68 minutes for six consecutive weeks; with all however one week within the 64-66 minute vary. For a park that’s so inconsistent on a day-to-day foundation, that’s remarkably constant on a weekly one (courtesy of thrill-data).
Three out of the final 4 weeks have proven indicators of enchancment, with averages of “solely” 54-57 minutes every week. Granted, any of those 3 weeks are worse than each week at Walt Disney World because the stretches between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve in each 2022 and 2023 (61 minutes on every event).
However, I’ve been predicting decrease crowds at Epic Universe for the subsequent couple of months for some time. First in our preliminary 2025 Epic Universe Crowd Calendar a pair months in the past, and extra not too long ago in Epic Universe Ticket Trickery & Crowd Adjustments.
Within the former, I shared the next when recommending when to go to: “I’m personally wanting on the final couple weeks of August, coinciding with One in every of 2025’s Finest Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World. Similar concept applies to Epic Universe.”
And within the latter: “I’m cautiously optimistic that Epic Universe may have a weekly common under 50 minutes someday in mid-September. On the very least, there ought to be sure days when the typical wait time is beneath 40 minutes. Epic Universe has been near that on the 2 most up-to-date Sundays.”
Earlier than we get too far, right here’s every day wait instances information for Epic Universe because it opened:
The day I visited ought to be extremely simple to identify. It’s the one quick inexperienced bar on the suitable aspect of the graph amidst a sea of yellow, orange and crimson.
You may say I referred to as my shot, because the day I focused over two months prematurely turned out to be the least-busy day at Epic Universe since opening weekend, with a 32 minute common wait time and 1/10 crowd stage.
If something, this overstates how busy the park really was; these numbers had been on par with 3 earlier days I attended, however the ‘seems like’ crowds (and even the precise wait instances on most sights) had been far decrease. The general common was possible skewed by two large outliers, plus typical wait time inflation.
I’ll clarify how I selected my day to go to in a bit, however first, I need to share all the pieces I completed:
- Curse of the Werewolf (x2)
- Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity (x1)
- Harry Potter and the Battle on the Ministry (x2)
- Hiccup’s Wing Gliders (x2)
- Le Cirque Arcanus (x1)
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Problem (x1)
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment (x2)
- Stardust Racers (x7)
- The Untrainable Dragon (x1)
- Yoshi’s Journey (x3)
Just a few notes and clarifying particulars so as to add…
The longest wait time on at the present time was Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity at 240 minutes. It was additionally the second, third, fourth, and so forth., longest wait with instances starting from 90 minutes to 130 minutes many of the day. There are solely two instances when its wait time dipped under an hour, after 9pm and through the many instances all through the day when it was down because of a supposed ‘Climate Delay.’
I say supposed ‘Climate Delay’ as a result of this didn’t impression different sights to just about the identical diploma. Though heavy rain was within the forecast for a number of hours all through the day, it solely briefly sprinkled on a few events. There was one occasion of lightning that did trigger downtime (I can confirm that this was legit as a result of I noticed the lightning past the park), that was additionally temporary. No different attraction had a ‘Climate Delay’ past what I’d name the ‘Check Monitor Norm.’
Against this, Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity was down 259 minutes. That verified quantity was really decrease than I’d’ve anticipated if I simply guessed; it appeared just like the experience was down about half the day. Though I checked in on Mine-Cart Insanity periodically, the wait instances had been all the time a non-starter for me till the very finish of the day.
I went in with the expectation of leveraging Single Rider strains extensively, as I’ve heard from associates who went not too long ago that these strains have been minimal even when standby wait instances are over an hour.
In the long run, I solely used the Single Rider line twice: as soon as on Harry Potter and the Battle on the Ministry and as soon as on Curse of the Werewolf. Technically, twice on Curse of the Werewolf, however on a kind of events the experience went down proper as I used to be on the boarding station, and I reduce my losses and instantly exited. (I had solely “wasted” 5 minutes at that time and felt it wasn’t well worth the gamble once I might simply leap in line once more later with minimal wait.)
Single Rider strains had been regularly closed, each when strains had been too lengthy but in addition too quick. This was true with each Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity and Curse of the Werewolf (the previous having an indication indicating the road was “at capability”) on the excessive finish, in addition to Battle on the Ministry and Stardust Racers on the low finish.
The longest I waited all day was 13 minutes, for Harry Potter and the Battle on the Ministry within the common standby line when the posted wait time was 20 minutes. (Actually, my Single Rider wait for a similar was most likely shut to about that lengthy; though there was just one individual in entrance of me, the load platform wasn’t firing on all cylinders.)
My shortest wait of the day was Yoshi’s Journey at beneath 2 minutes. Please don’t decide me for using this 3 times–it was for the pictures. This was one in all many sights that had been walk-ons, however it simply so occurs that was the quickest. It helped that nobody in entrance of me was shifting slowly and there’s no steel detector to undergo.
My most efficient stretch of the day was the ~25 minutes once I rode Stardust Racers back-to-back-to-back with out grabbing my digital camera bag from the locker. I’d’ve saved going to pad my stats, however I used to be feeling a bit off after that third experience. Guess I’m getting outdated!
This was additionally why Curse of the Werewolf closing its Single Rider line was an enormous blow. That curler coaster is way tamer and I somewhat get pleasure from it. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders would’ve been an alternative choice, however it was up and down within the afternoon and by the point it was a perpetual walk-on, I had different priorities.
Downtime and delays weren’t a pronounced problem throughout my day at Epic Universe.
On the contrary, I’d say this was a under common day for breakdowns and climate delays. Not only for Epic Universe (objectively true, and by a noteworthy diploma) or for brand spanking new sights (subjective, however I’ve been across the block and that is additionally pretty indeniable), however by regular ‘mature’ theme park requirements.
Exterior of Mine-Cart Insanity and possibly a few different rides to a a lot lesser diploma, it was a terrific day for experience uptime at Epic Universe. Between this and the low crowd, it was simple to watch the company who had been in attendance getting their ‘fill’ of a specific attraction, after which that being a perpetual walk-on (or near it) by mid-afternoon–or a bit later, within the case of the rides that had downtime woes.
Even with the objectively nice day for Epic Universe, I might see others having very totally different experiences than me.
In case you began in Tremendous Nintendo World, encountered the longest line of the day for Mario Kart after which moved on to Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity, which had a 240 minute posted wait earlier than it went down, I might see that leaving a bitter style!
I might additionally see some company who started in these two spots after which made extra unfortunate selections for rides 3-4 hitting a wall earlier than the fantastic afternoon even started. Particularly if they’d virtually nothing to point out for the day by midday, hit the height lunch rush, after which noticed a strong 3-4 hours of heavy rain on the radar.
Crucial notice was that I didn’t break a sweat knocking out all of those sights. Don’t make the error of assuming that these are the unrealistic outcomes of a speedy solo blogger and that you simply household couldn’t have completed as a lot. Though I do transfer quick, I didn’t on this specific day.
Epic Universe remains to be very a lot ‘new to me,’ so an enormous a part of my days within the park are observing and capturing pictures–almost 2,500 of them! The above photograph of Stardust Racers, for instance, took virtually quarter-hour to seize as I waited for the spot to liberate and tinkered with shutter speeds for the suitable impact. And needless to say pictures aren’t allowed on most Common rides, so I wasn’t padding my stats by spraying and praying on Monsters Unleashed or Potter!
I criss-crossed the park a number of instances for no discernible motive, besides to see what congestion was like, the bodily size of strains (I entered and exited a number of standby and Single Rider strains simply to test issues out), and take pictures of random issues. If we had a plot of my actions, they’d seem about as aimless as your common housecat. However there was a technique to the insanity…I feel?
Regardless, listed here are my stats from at the present time at Epic Universe:
Past the 38,007 steps and 18.34 miles moved, notice the 30 flights climbed. The primary two numbers are on the excessive finish of my regular days at Walt Disney World, however not irregular. (In case you’ve ever questioned how I eat a lot theme park meals, that’s how.)
The 30 flights will not be regular. There are days at Walt Disney World once I log zero flights per day. I’m actually shocked that the quantity wasn’t increased. I might swear I climbed extra flights than that; Stardust Racers and Tremendous Nintendo World alone ought to’ve accounted for 30 flights!
In any case, my recommendation is to put on comfy sneakers. I began out the day sporting Brooks Ghost Max and switched to Crocs Lite Experience noon when it was imagined to storm. I really like these sneakers, however doing that many steps in them was simply an excessive amount of.
I additionally acquired actually fortunate with a terrific fee at Helios Grand Lodge, and I’m really glad I booked that, as I took two temporary noon breaks for espresso and a change of garments (and sneakers, as famous). Had the forecast been as wet as anticipated, Helios would’ve been massively advantageous.
Because it turned out, I didn’t want Helios, however I used to be actually proud of the resort–extra so than my first keep. It was good insurance coverage, kind of like Categorical Go. (Talking of which, I’m clearly very completely satisfied I didn’t overspend on that!) The choice was Stella Nova, however I’m happy to have splurged on this. For this keep, Helios was properly price it.
One other factor to notice is that, had been I not so fixated on taking pictures and observing crowd and wait time dynamics for the sake of studying extra and with the ability to write posts like this, I might’ve simply doubled my experience depend.
If I’d’ve simply looped Stardust Racers all day, possibly I might’ve tripled it. This was a literal walk-on many of the day, and regularly dispatching with unfilled seats.
The variety of rides I completed might sound spectacular and unrealistic–and most days to this point this summer time, it could’ve been–however on this specific day, I’m optimistic that loads of different company exceeded my counts. Possibly try to be studying their recaps!
On the plus aspect, I’ve a ton of recent pictures and insights about Epic Universe to share over the approaching weeks–so keep tuned for these as quickly as I dig out from this journey!
Along with the above sights, I dined on the following:
- Spit Fyre Grill within the Isle of Berk
- Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel in Isle of Berk
- Atlantic Restaurant in Celestial Park
- Frosty Moon in Celestial Park
My most time-consuming meal of the day was, unsurprisingly, Atlantic Restaurant. This was regardless of inserting my order instantly and requesting the test shortly after my meals arrived.
To be clear, it wasn’t sluggish in a foul method. The expertise was improbable from begin to end. (Be careful, Mythos; Atlantic is coming in your banner!) Simply noting this as a result of the entire jist of this put up is how a lot I acquired achieved, and doing a positive eating meal in late afternoon definitely lowered my total effectivity.
My greatest “fails” of the day had been each of the eating selection, on the entrance and backend of the day. The primary is that I didn’t do breakfast at Café L’air De La Sirène within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The actually unhappy half right here is that I went into the restaurant to seize empty interiors, however breakfast completely slipped my thoughts. It wasn’t till later within the day when consulting my record of issues to eat that I remembered “Breakfast at Café L’air De La Sirène” was a factor…and the #1 factor on my record.
My different large fail was lacking final name at Pizza Moon. I’ve been dreaming a few return go to to Pizza Moon because the first time I dined there, however with a lot different new meals to try to assessment, it appeared “irresponsible” to revisit a restaurant for enjoyable. However once I realized they’d to-go bins, ordering proper earlier than park closing and taking the pizza dwelling appeared like the right compromise.
And it could’ve been, had I not pushed my luck with one final evening experience on Stardust Racers. (It’s simply so good at evening!) I utterly perceive why they shut with the park, however I wasn’t alone with this concept, as there have been numerous different company leaving the park with pizza bins in hand–and some others making an attempt to enter the restaurant at 10:02pm. As a comfort prize, I grabbed a cone from Frosty Moon (which was open till 11 pm!), which was a candy and refreshing method to end the evening.
Tricks to Take Benefit of Low Crowds at Epic Universe
Truthful warning: none of my suggestions are going to be really groundbreaking to any skilled theme park-goers. However, I’m going to “reiterate” them, because it’s simple for longtime Walt Disney World followers to grow to be so set of their methods that they’re second nature, and Epic Universe does throw a number of curveballs.
My first large piece of recommendation is to tempo your self. This might sound foolish and simple, however I’ve heard of so many company hitting a wall at Epic Universe, and it jogs my memory very a lot of Disney’s Hollywood Studios on this regard. If you understand you gained’t make all of it day and have to decide on between Early Park Admission or staying late, keep late.
Significantly. Early Park Admission could be discouraging on a great day, and terrible on a foul day. There are methods to take the trail of least resistance and be sure that each EPA is an effective one, however the temptation to knock out headliners could be an excessive amount of.
Likewise, it’s extremely simple to get downright discouraged by downtime and delays. If a experience breaks down, my recommendation is to chop your losses ASAP. I’d take this a step additional and suggest making knowledgeable selections earlier than even moving into line for out of doors sights. If the wait is ~120 minutes and there’s heavy rain on the radar within the subsequent hour, even getting in line is a foul determination.
I really feel for the company that began at the present time in Tremendous Nintendo World, ready an hour for Mario Kart earlier than getting in a 240 minute line for Mine-Cart Insanity…that then acquired dumped because of a experience breakdown. I’m wondering what share of these folks recovered and had an incredible day, and what number had a foul expertise.
If it’s potential to have an terrible expertise on an superior day, you higher consider it’s potential to have the identical on an terrible day. Or vice-versa. Epic Universe actually requires a float angle and willingness to pivot. Spreadsheet planners needn’t apply, as no plans ought to be set in stone…and even clay.
Above I boasted that I “referred to as my shot” when reserving this go to a few months prematurely. To be totally clear, I really moved it by 2 days as soon as I noticed I’d have extra wiggle room and an extended go to to Florida. I knew this date ought to be nice (pending the climate wildcard), however actually, I had no clue it’d be this wonderful.
As beforehand famous, the 2 days of the week with the bottom common wait instances over the previous few months have been Saturdays (#2) and Sundays (#1, by far). Friday is third-lowest. The simplest clarification for that is that Epic Universe single-day tickets are costliest on weekends, so budget-conscious vacationers are looking for out inexpensive dates.
There’s much less consistency for Mondays by means of Thursdays, and never sufficient information factors to attract definitive conclusions. Statistically, Wednesdays and Thursdays have been worst, which could possibly be a byproduct of vacationers beginning out their weeks at Walt Disney World, visiting a pair parks there, then doing Epic Universe. Or beginning out at Common’s legacy parks.
To that time, the remainder of Common Orlando is busiest on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays, adopted by Sundays. That is fueled largely by locals and Annual Passholders over the weekends, after which vacationers being most inclined to go to on Mondays. Midweek is the very best time to go to the opposite parks, with common wait instances bottoming out on Wednesdays.
This is sensible! Floridians work on weekdays, making weekends their finest time to go to the opposite parks for Annual Passholders. However Epic Universe doesn’t have APs, and plenty of locals have already gotten their “repair” of Epic Universe and are ready for Annual Passes.
One factor to notice is that as quickly as Annual Go gross sales or Florida resident ticket offers begin for Epic Universe, this dynamic flips. Saturday and Sunday will grow to be the busiest days of the weekend. Furthermore, there are exceptions to the entire above when climate rears its ugly head. Nothing throws a monkey wrench into Epic Universe wait instances like a stormy day!
However, I’d extremely suggest visiting Epic Universe within the subsequent month or two, particularly on a Saturday or Sunday. This dynamic ought to solely speed up within the subsequent three or so weeks. I can’t promise they’ll exceed my expertise, however they need to be in the identical ballpark.
The larger unanswered query for me is how lengthy this may proceed. We’ve warned that crowds are going to select up throughout peak weeks from October by means of December, and I’d anticipate the dynamic to worsen all through the guts of Halloween Horror Nights ‘season’ when regulars e book journeys for that. However early October (earlier than Columbus Day) may be positive, as would possibly early November and early December.
In reality, after this wonderful Epic Universe expertise, we’re now debating whether or not to go to as a household throughout our Christmas-time journey. We most likely gained’t, if solely as a result of time is proscribed and there’s extra that appeals to Megatron at Walt Disney World, however it virtually feels prison to go up this golden window of alternative at Epic Universe.
In the end, that’s what that is about and why I wished to explain my day intimately and implore these with flexibility to go to Epic Universe as quickly as potential. What this wonderful expertise most jogs my memory of is the halcyon days of “Further, Further Magic Hours” at Walt Disney World that started virtually precisely 6 years in the past.
“Further, Further Magic Hours” had been one of many final golden eras of Walt Disney World, a very magical expertise earlier than a number of months of essentially the most chaotic crowds we’ve ever seen within the parks. Whereas this go-round most likely gained’t be adopted up by a multi-month closure, we completely see historical past repeating itself with heavier crowds at Epic Universe.
Even when you’re a neighborhood sitting on the sidelines ready for Annual Passes, you would possibly need to contemplate re-allocating that improve value to a single-day ticket and Florida resident low cost on a keep at Stella Nova or Helios Grand. Future weekends is not going to be this wonderful as soon as APs roll out, and I’d gladly commerce a dozen mediocre days for this one wonderful expertise at Epic Universe.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Epic Universe because the begin of summer time? Planning a day within the low season or throughout Halloween Horror Nights? What did you consider wait instances and crowds? Expertise any operational meltdowns because of breakdowns or climate? Is it potential or possible that Epic Universe really has even increased attendance from October by means of December 2025, or all through 2026? Will you go to Epic Universe this 12 months, or will you look ahead to crowds to quiet down (in concept) in 2026? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share some other ideas or questions you could have within the feedback under!