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We waited five hours online just to snag tickets to Universal’s Epic Universe Annual Passholder Preview. Five. Hours. If you’ve ever spent an afternoon refreshing a virtual queue, you know the emotional rollercoaster that is. But we got them. And on April 17, we walked into the brand-new park for the very first day regular guests were allowed inside.
If you’re curious what Epic Universe is like, thinking about planning your own trip, or just want to know if it’s worth the hype, this is for you. We’re breaking down exactly what it felt like to experience the park on day one, what you need to know before you go, and a few things we wish we’d known earlier.
Getting to Epic Universe: Spoiler, Google Maps Doesn’t Know Where Epic Universe Is
We left early. We planned ahead. But what we didn’t expect? Every map app failing us.
Google Maps, Apple Maps… nobody seemed to know how to get to Epic Universe. We ended up rerouted, stuck on the wrong side of the street, getting honked at more times than we could count.
If you’re coming from out of town, give yourself way more buffer time than you think you need. The roads are still new, signage is minimal, and GPS hasn’t quite caught up. Honestly, maybe you should just get an Uber.
Despite the chaos, we made it about 40 minutes before the park opened, which gave us time to soak in that new-park vibes. Everything was shiny, spotless, and you could literally feel everyone’s excitement.
The Entry Process: Face Scans, Ticket Glitches, and Pro Tips
Universal uses facial recognition to scan your tickets. If you’ve been to their parks before, you know this can be a little hit or miss.
In our case, my mom’s photo was tied to Eric’s pass. Our eight-year-old somehow had my face on his ticket. But at Epic Universe, they didn’t even blink. The team member scanned us in, smiled, and sent us through. Even though every photo looked like Eric.
If you’ve had issues before, it’s worth checking ahead. For us, we didn’t need Guest Services.
Here’s what helps:
- Download the Universal app ahead of time. You’ll need it for tickets, food, and virtual queues.
- Have your tickets pulled up before you get to the gate.
- Buy your Power-Up Band before your trip and sync it at home.
The more you prep, the smoother your entry. You’ll want to spend your time in the park, not fixing tech at the gate.
We Went Straight to Dark Universe (Because Priorities)
We had a plan. Get inside. Go directly to Dark Universe. Do not stop.
Apparently, so did every other theme park blogger, vlogger, and TikToker because the line for Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment filled up fast. But standing in that queue, surrounded by fog and flickering lights, felt like old-school monster movie vibes in the best way.
The ride? Totally worth it. Giant animatronics. A story that actually made sense (bonus points for the strong female lead). And Frankenstein’s monster towering above the scene like a rockstar. We came out grinning, a little shaken, and immediately added it to our “must-do again” list.
Pro tip: If you’re a Universal Monsters fan, save souvenir money for this land. From Bride of Frankenstein hats to Creature from the Black Lagoon hoodies, the monster merch is seriously tempting.
Super Nintendo World: The Most Immersive Land at Epic Universe
Next stop? Super Nintendo World. We walked through Peach’s Castle and suddenly it was like stepping straight into the game. Giant spinning coins. Sound effects around every corner. Characters popping out of pipes. It was a lot, but in the best way.
We bought Power-Up Bands (about $40 each) so we could interact with the land. Totally worth it. You can tap blocks, collect coins, unlock games, and track it all in the app. Hunter was in heaven. He was calling out which soundtrack played where, spotting tiny Easter eggs, and living his best Mario life.
Here’s what we rode:
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – Fun and chaotic, but a little confusing if you don’t play Mario Kart often.
- Yoshi’s Adventure – Basically the PeopleMover with Yoshis. Cute, relaxing, and great for photos.
- Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness – Super clever track effects. Our eight-year-old was genuinely concerned we wouldn’t “make the jump,” which tells you how convincing it was.
Also? Even the bathrooms are themed. Eric took a bathroom selfie (don’t judge) because the underwater Mario tiles were that good.
Pro tip: If you’re choosing between Power-Up Bands and interactive wands, we got way more fun out of the bands. They kept everyone entertained way longer.
Isle of Berk: A Toothless Meet-and-Greet That’s Actually Worth It
I had one goal for this trip: meet Toothless. And yes, we waited 45 minutes. I’d do it again.
The interaction felt so much more personal than a standard theme park meet-and-greet. Before you approach Toothless, a team member teaches you how to greet a dragon. Don’t touch his eyes. Don’t yank his ears. Don’t stick your hand in his mouth. (Apparently people try.)
Watching Miles cautiously pet Toothless was straight out of the movie. Then we all joined for photos, but we let him have his moment.
The whole Isle of Berk feels alive. Roaming Vikings. Baby dragons. Animatronics everywhere. You could easily spend an hour here and still miss something.
After we met Toothless, which honestly was everything I hoped for, we grabbed a quick Starbucks and headed back to catch Untrainable Dragon. I was not totally sure what to expect going in, but it ended up being one of the best theme park shows I have ever seen.
You have giant dragon puppets. You have fire effects. You have Vikings singing their hearts out. It is the kind of show where you sit there thinking, “I cannot believe they are pulling this off live.”
A team member gave us the heads-up to get there early, so my mom and I went to grab seats about 30 minutes before the show while Eric and the kids went to ride Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. We were able to get a great spot, which was perfect. Just a heads-up: they do not allow food or drinks inside, and no filming is allowed. They were really strict about it, so finish your snacks before you go in.
Eric and the kids loved Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. Lainee came off saying it was one of her favorite rides of the day. Eric said it was the surprise hit. It felt like a mix of Slinky Dog Dash and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. It is fast enough to be exciting but smooth and fun without feeling too intense.
Pro tip: If you want to see Untrainable Dragon , plan to get to arrive at least 30 minutes before the show to score a great seatand ditch any food or drinks before you get there.
Ministry of Magic: Harry Potter Fans, This Is for You
Walking into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic feels like stepping straight into 1920s Paris. The detail in this land is unreal. You honestly forget you’re in a theme park. There are little tucked-away corners, shops, gorgeous signage. Every inch feels alive.
Here’s the key thing you need to know: you need a virtual queue to ride the main attraction. You don’t need one just to walk around the land, but if you want to get on the ride, you’ll need that virtual queue. And the way they do it is a little different than Disney’s boarding groups.
Universal drops virtual queue times in the app at specific times during the day. When we were there, they dropped them at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. We were sitting inside Toadstool Cafe when it happened, both Eric and I on our phones, ready to go.
I was clicking like crazy, trying to grab the earliest time. Every time I picked one, it said it was no longer available. Meanwhile, Eric calmly went for the latest time slot instead of the first one. And guess what? He got it.
People around us were frustrated because those early times sold out instantly. Eric’s strategy worked perfectly.
The queue alone is worth the experience. You feel like you’re really inside the Ministry. There are gorgeous sets, props, and little surprises everywhere you look. And once you board the ride? It is wild. It moves fast, it spins, and there’s so much going on that you probably won’t catch everything the first time. The animatronics were some of the best we’ve ever seen.
Quick heads-up: if you’re prone to motion sickness, this ride might be a lot. I felt fine, but between the screens, spinning, and effects, I could see how it could be too much for some people.
And yes, even the bathrooms are themed. Of course we checked.
Pro tip: Have multiple people in your group try for the virtual queue at drop time, and go straight for the last available time slot instead of the first. Everyone clicks the early ones, but those late times usually stick around longer. It saved us a lot of frustration.
Evening Highlights: How We Closed Out Epic Universe
After Ministry of Magic, Miles hit his limit. He just needed a break. He and GoGo went back to Super Nintendo World, where they spent over an hour doing every Power-Up Band mini-game they could find. They were seriously dedicated. GoGo said it was the perfect way to wind down while still being part of the action. Miles? He was in his element, scanning blocks, solving puzzles, and loving every second.
Meanwhile, Eric, the kids and I made a beeline back to Dark Universe to finally ride Curse of the Werewolf. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it ended up being faster and twistier than I thought. Not my favorite ride of the day (spinning rides are not my thing).
Once we got off, we checked the app and saw Stardust Racers had dropped to a 35-minute wait and we wanted to experience the ride once it was dark. Totally worth it. The ride was smooth, fast, and flying side-by-side with another coaster made it a site to be seen.
Pro-Tip: you’ll need to take off your Power-Up Bands before you board. We didn’t know that until a team member told us AFTER we already put everything in the lockers.
And because we’re us, we couldn’t end the night without food. Right before park close, we made it to Pizza Moon and ordered… everything. I might have accidentally ordered enough for 15 people, but no regrets. The pizzas are way bigger than you’d expect…definitely enough to split between two people..and the pasta was solid too. We sat down, finally relaxed, and enjoyed our feast while the park started winding down.
Final Thoughts: Epic Universe Is Worth the Hype
Walking out of Epic Universe that night, we knew one thing: it’s not a one-day park. We packed in a ton, but there’s so much we didn’t get to see or do. Next time, we’re planning at least two days so we can slow down, explore more, and soak in all the details.
If you’re thinking about going, here’s what I’d tell a friend:
- You’ll need at least two days to really experience it
- Download the Universal app and set up your account ahead of time
- Buy your Power-Up Bands before your trip and sync them early
- Plan your must-dos in advance so you don’t waste time deciding
- Don’t skip Pizza Moon, and know that one pizza can feed two people
Epic Universe felt like the perfect blend of everything we love in a theme park: immersive lands, incredible theming, great food, and cast members who genuinely made us feel welcome. It really did remind us of visiting a Disney park. We left tired, happy, and excited for our next visit.
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