We spent last weekend at Epic Universe and came away with a much better idea of how we would tour the park on our next visit.
There is a lot to love here. The rides are impressive, the food is surprisingly good, and the theming really comes alive once you stop rushing from attraction to attraction.
We also learned a few things the hard way, especially when it comes to rope drop, long waits and Florida weather.
Rope Dropping Epic Universe as an Off-Property Guest
We were staying off property, so we did not have Early Park Admission.
We arrived early and managed to get ourselves right near the front of the regular guest line. We were held there until the 10:00 a.m. opening, and as soon as we were released, we headed directly to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and Mine-Cart Madness.
Apparently, everyone else had the same idea.
By the time we reached the attraction, the posted wait was about two hours.
And yes, we waited.
Mine-Cart Madness is a fun ride. The mine carts, Donkey Kong theming and unusual ride system make it something you should experience at least once. The problem is that it is a relatively slow loader and does not seem to handle large Orlando theme park crowds very well.
Would we wait two hours for it again?
Probably not.
If you are staying on property and have Early Park Admission, we would consider making Mine-Cart Madness one of your first stops. If you are an off-property guest entering with the regular crowd, we would probably skip that initial rush and try it later in the day.
Mario Kart Was a Much Easier Wait
After Mine-Cart Madness, we headed over to Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and waited about 30 minutes.
That felt much more reasonable.
Mario Kart is unlike anything else in the park. There is a lot happening between the physical sets, the augmented reality elements and the game itself, so it can take a ride or two to really take everything in.
At a 30-minute wait, we would definitely do it again.
Battle at the Ministry Is Worth the Wait
As has often been the case in the mornings, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry was down when we arrived.
This leads to one of our biggest Epic Universe tips.
Make sure you have the Universal Orlando app on your phone.
You can set alerts for attractions, and that can be especially helpful when something has been down for part of the day. If you know the minute a major attraction comes back up, you may be able to get moving before a large portion of the park realizes it has reopened.
Battle at the Ministry finally opened during the afternoon, and we headed there as soon as we saw it.
We still spent about two hours in line.
This time, however, we thought the attraction was worth it.
The scale of Battle at the Ministry is incredible. The sets, screens and animatronics are on a level we have not really seen before. There are moments when you forget you are looking at a theme park attraction.
Mike also tried the single-rider line on Monday and was able to get on in about 20 minutes.
Single rider is never guaranteed to be faster, but for now it may be worth checking if everyone in your group is comfortable riding separately.
Monsters Unchained May Be Our Favorite Ride
As impressive as Battle at the Ministry is, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment may still sit at the top of our Epic Universe ride list.
The robotic-arm ride system reminded us somewhat of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but the experience itself is completely different.
Dark Universe has such a great atmosphere, and Monsters Unchained combines the ride system with fantastic physical sets, visuals and some of the best animatronics in the park.
The other great thing about Monsters Unchained was how efficiently it seemed to handle crowds during our visit.
We rode it multiple times with minimal waits, usually well under 25 minutes.
That made it very easy to walk by and say, “Want to ride Monsters again?”
And we did.
More than once.
Use Florida Weather to Your Advantage
We skipped Curse of the Werewolf earlier in our first day, but Florida weather actually ended up helping us experience it later.
One thing you quickly learn at Epic Universe is that weather can have a big impact on the park.
When thunderstorms move through and outdoor attractions close, everyone suddenly heads toward the attractions that are still operating. That can cause waits at the indoor rides to climb quickly.
But Florida storms also tend to move through fairly quickly.
Instead of automatically looking at a weather delay as a disaster, keep watching the app.
When the weather begins clearing and outdoor attractions start reopening, there can be a brief window before everyone else realizes what has happened.
We used this strategy for both Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Curse of the Werewolf and were able to ride with much shorter waits.
It is definitely something we would try again.
Don’t Spend the Whole Day Chasing Rides
One of our biggest recommendations after this weekend is simple.
Slow down.
Epic Universe is one of those parks that gets better when you stop treating it like a list of rides you need to check off.
Take some time during the afternoon and especially in the evening to wander through the different worlds.
Dark Universe becomes even better as the sun goes down. SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is beautiful once everything lights up. The Isle of Berk is filled with details that are easy to miss when you are rushing toward your next attraction. The Ministry of Magic area feels like you have stepped into another place entirely.
The theming throughout this park is amazing.
You paid to experience Epic Universe, not just its rides.
Give yourself some time to actually look around.
The Quick-Service Food Is Really Good
Another thing that really impressed us this trip was the quality of the quick-service food throughout Epic Universe.
We have always felt Disney generally had the edge when it came to theme park dining, but Epic Universe is definitely changing that conversation.
We ate at several counter-service restaurants during the weekend, and there really was not a bad meal in the bunch.
In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, we had dinner at Café L’air De La Sirène.
The restaurant itself is beautiful and feels more like a small Parisian café than theme park counter service.
We tried the Boeuf Bourguignon, with slow-cooked beef, vegetables and mashed potatoes, and it was excellent. Both the food and the setting made this feel much closer to a sit-down dinner than a typical quick-service meal.
Over in Celestial Park, we tried the barbecue at The Oak & Star Tavern. The brisket was very good and another pleasant surprise.
At How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, we stopped at Spit Fyre Grill and tried Stoick’s Steak Bowl. It was a fun combination and a nice change from the usual theme park burgers and chicken tenders.
And then there is Pizza Moon.
We ate there twice.
That probably tells you everything you need to know.
Pizza Moon may be our absolute favorite quick-service restaurant at Epic Universe. The restaurant is fun, the pizzas are made for sharing, and most importantly, the pizza is genuinely delicious.
With so many rides competing for your time, it would be easy to view meals as something you simply have to squeeze into the day.
We would not.
The food is part of the Epic Universe experience, and we would actually make time for some of these restaurants rather than just eating whatever happens to be closest when you get hungry.
If we could only pick one, Pizza Moon would probably get our vote.
Don’t Skip the Shows
We also made time for both of Epic Universe’s major theatrical shows, Le Cirque Arcanus in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and The Untrainable Dragon in How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk.
Both were well worth fitting into the day.
Le Cirque Arcanus combines live performers, puppetry and special effects in a small theatrical setting. We especially enjoyed the talented performers and the circus atmosphere.
The Untrainable Dragon is another impressive production with live performers, large-scale dragons, puppetry, music and effects.
The shows are also a good afternoon strategy.
They give you a chance to sit down, cool off and take a break from the rides while still experiencing something unique to Epic Universe.
Save Yoshi’s Adventure for Later in the Day
Yoshi’s Adventure is cute, relaxing and gives you some great elevated views of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
It is also very slow moving, and a good portion of the experience is outside in the sun.
Because of that, we would not choose the hottest part of a Florida afternoon to ride it.
At night, it is a completely different experience.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD really comes alive after dark, and riding above the land while everything is glowing and illuminated makes Yoshi even more enjoyable.
Ride Constellation Carousel When the Line Is Short
We also enjoyed Constellation Carousel in the center of Celestial Park.
It is a fun and imaginative version of a traditional carousel, and it fits perfectly into the atmosphere of Celestial Park.
It can be a fairly slow loader, though.
If you walk by and see a long line, we would keep going and check back later.
This is another attraction that is especially beautiful in the evening when Celestial Park is lit up.
Stay for the Nighttime Show
We ended our day with Universal Celestial Goodnight, the nighttime show in Celestial Park.
The combination of synchronized fountains, lighting, music and fireworks made for a nice ending to the day.
For the best overall view, we would recommend finding a spot around the Cosmos Fountain area with the Helios Grand Hotel in the background.
There are terraced areas around the fountain that provide a good view, so if having a prime spot matters to you, we would head that way a little before park closing.
If you are not concerned about sitting, there are plenty of standing areas around that end of Celestial Park where you can enjoy both the fountains and fireworks.
It is a very nice way to finish an Epic day.
What We Would Do Differently Next Time
After this weekend, our Epic Universe strategy would definitely look a little different.
As off-property guests, we would not automatically follow the opening crowd to Mine-Cart Madness.
Instead, we would start with attractions that have more manageable waits, keep a close eye on Battle at the Ministry, and save Mine-Cart Madness for later if the line comes down.
We would continue using weather-related reopenings to our advantage and check single rider when it makes sense.
We would also make sure to build both shows into our afternoon and leave plenty of time for a good meal.
Most importantly, we would slow down once the sun starts setting.
Epic Universe has some amazing rides, but the park itself is really part of the attraction.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop rushing, walk through one of those portals and just look around.
Have you visited Epic Universe yet? What attraction would you wait two hours for, and which one would you skip if the line got that long?
Planning More of Your Universal Trip?
If you are planning a full Universal Orlando vacation, we have a few more posts that may help:
Where to Stay at Universal Orlando
We break down our favorite Universal hotels, including which ones include Express Pass, which are best for families, and which work well for an Epic Universe trip.
[Read our Universal Orlando hotel guide here.]
Where to Eat at Universal Orlando
From CityWalk to the parks and resorts, we share some of our favorite places to eat around Universal Orlando.
[See our Universal Orlando dining favorites here.]
Our Full Universal Orlando Guide
If you are visiting more than just Epic Universe, check out our complete guide with tips for Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe.
[Read our full Universal Orlando guide here.]