I simply had my best possible day but at Epic Universe, knocking out 20 rides, 2 level presentations, 2 informal eating places, and 1 superb eating spot. Far and wide the process 14 hours from Early Park Admission to after park remaining, whilst taking 38,007 steps, 30 flights, and a couple of,390 pictures. Right here’s how I completed all of it with out Specific Go, and the way (perhaps) you’ll be able to, too!
Some of the issues we stay stressing is that Epic Universe’s opening season has been a wild journey. Common’s new park has had sky-high wait occasions and crowd ranges, but in addition all-time low attendance and days with a variety of walk-on strains and. There were some absolute operational meltdowns, together with bona fide ‘best possible days ever.’
I’ve been extremely fortunate with Epic Universe, and feature had not anything however nice days. That is most likely a large a part of why I really like Common Orlando’s 0.33 gate such a lot, as my studies had been unequivocally certain. To make sure, I’ve encountered some friction, and this present day was once no other. However being versatile and briefly pivoting when issues stand up has helped me keep away from crisis on a number of events.
In spite of this, I’m fast to plug our rundown of Why You Must Skip Epic Universe. We lately returned with a refresh to that put up, as our recommendation for almost all of visitors is to stick at the sidelines and wait till Epic Universe improves its operations and potency.
Even if I’ve been lucky to keep away from the worst of the excessive crowd ranges, meltdowns and breakdowns, I’m very cognizant of those problems. I’ve watched them play out from afar, listening to from each buddies and readers who’ve skilled Epic Universe on its worst days.
My earlier days confirmed what might be able to cross incorrect with unhealthy success or deficient making plans, and my most up-to-date seek advice from in point of fact underscored this. Even supposing I used to be fortunate to have my longest wait in line be 13 mins, I may simply see ready for much longer or matter to a couple of journey breakdowns and queues dumped.
Amongst different issues, two of the opposite main issues raised in that article are “Unpredictable Attendance & Crowds” and “Journey Breakdowns & Downtime.” Those proceed to be the overriding problems with Epic Universe, as the brand new park is still a veritable curler coaster of day by day crowd ranges and reasonable wait occasions since its reliable opening 3 months in the past.
Past the issues, Epic Universe has had excessive wait occasions all through maximum of its opening season. Epic Universe set a document for its busiest day ever on July 16, when reasonable wait occasions have been 85 mins and the group stage was once 10/10. There have been back-to-back 80 minute days August 6-7. There were a number of different days at or above 70 mins, with day by day lows within the mid-to-upper 40s.
Past due June was once the beginning of a stretch when weekly averages have been 64-68 mins for six consecutive weeks; with all however one week within the 64-66 minute vary. For a park this is so inconsistent on a day by day foundation, that’s remarkably constant on a weekly one (courtesy of thrill-data).
3 out of the closing 4 weeks have proven indicators of growth, with averages of “handiest” 54-57 mins each and every week. Granted, any of those 3 weeks are worse than each and every week at Walt Disney Global for the reason that stretches between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve in each 2022 and 2023 (61 mins on each and every instance).
However, I’ve been predicting decrease crowds at Epic Universe for the following couple of months for some time. First in our initial 2025 Epic Universe Crowd Calendar a pair months in the past, and extra lately in Epic Universe Price tag Trickery & Crowd Adjustments.
Within the former, I shared the next when recommending when to seek advice from: “I’m in my view taking a look on the closing couple weeks of August, coinciding with Considered one of 2025’s Highest Weeks to Talk over with Walt Disney Global. Identical concept applies to Epic Universe.”
And within the latter: “I’m cautiously positive that Epic Universe can have a weekly reasonable under 50 mins someday in mid-September. On the very least, there will have to make certain days when the common wait time is underneath 40 mins. Epic Universe has been with reference to that at the two most up-to-date Sundays.”
Prior to we get too a long way, right here’s day by day wait occasions information for Epic Universe because it opened:
The day I visited will have to be extremely simple to identify. It’s the one quick inexperienced bar at the proper facet of the graph amidst a sea of yellow, orange and crimson.
It is advisable say I known as my shot, because the day I focused over two months prematurely became out to be the least-busy day at Epic Universe since opening weekend, with a 32 minute reasonable wait time and 1/10 crowd stage.
If anything else, this overstates how busy the park in truth was once; those numbers have been on par with 3 earlier days I attended, however the ‘looks like’ crowds (or even the precise wait occasions on maximum points of interest) have been a long way decrease. The whole reasonable was once most probably skewed by means of two giant outliers, plus conventional wait time inflation.
I’ll provide an explanation for how I selected my day to seek advice from in a bit of, however first, I wish to percentage the whole thing I completed:
- Curse of the Werewolf (x2)
- Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity (x1)
- Harry Potter and the Struggle 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)
A couple of notes and clarifying main points so as to add…
The longest wait time on this present day was once Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity at 240 mins. It was once additionally the second one, 0.33, fourth, and so on., longest wait with occasions starting from 90 mins to 130 mins many of the day. There are handiest two occasions when its wait time dipped under an hour, after 9pm and throughout the repeatedly all through the day when it was once down because of a meant ‘Climate Lengthen.’
I say meant ‘Climate Lengthen’ as a result of this didn’t affect different points of interest to just about the similar level. Even supposing heavy rain was once within the forecast for a number of hours all through the day, it handiest in brief sprinkled on a few events. There was once one example of lightning that did reason downtime (I will be able to test that this was once reliable as a result of I noticed the lightning past the park), that was once additionally temporary. No different enchantment had a ‘Climate Lengthen’ past what I’d name the ‘Take a look at Observe Norm.’
Against this, Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity was once down 259 mins. That verified quantity was once in truth not up to I’d’ve anticipated if I simply guessed; it gave the look of the journey was once down about part the day. Even supposing I checked in on Mine-Cart Insanity periodically, the wait occasions have been at all times a non-starter for me till the very finish of the day.
I went in with the expectancy of leveraging Unmarried Rider strains broadly, as I’ve heard from buddies who went lately that the ones strains had been minimum even if standby wait occasions are over an hour.
Finally, I handiest used the Unmarried Rider line two times: as soon as on Harry Potter and the Struggle on the Ministry and as soon as on Curse of the Werewolf. Technically, two times on Curse of the Werewolf, however on a type of events the journey went down proper as I used to be on the boarding station, and I reduce my losses and straight away exited. (I had handiest “wasted” 5 mins at that time and felt it wasn’t well worth the gamble once I may simply soar in line once more later with minimum wait.)
Unmarried Rider strains have been continuously closed, each when strains have been too lengthy but in addition too quick. This was once true with each Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity and Curse of the Werewolf (the previous having an indication indicating the road was once “at capability”) at the excessive finish, in addition to Struggle on the Ministry and Stardust Racers at the low finish.
The longest I waited all day was once 13 mins, for Harry Potter and the Struggle on the Ministry within the common standby line when the posted wait time was once 20 mins. (Truthfully, my Unmarried Rider wait for a similar was once most likely shut to about that lengthy; even supposing there was once just one individual in entrance of me, the weight platform wasn’t firing on all cylinders.)
My shortest wait of the day was once Yoshi’s Journey at underneath 2 mins. Please don’t pass judgement on me for using this thrice–it was once for the pictures. This was once one of the points of interest that have been walk-ons, but it surely in order that occurs that was once the quickest. It helped that no person in entrance of me was once shifting slowly and there’s no steel detector to head via.
My best stretch of the day was once the ~25 mins once I rode Stardust Racers back-to-back-to-back with out grabbing my digicam bag from the locker. I’d’ve saved going to pad my stats, however I used to be feeling a bit of off after that 0.33 journey. Bet I’m getting outdated!
This was once additionally why Curse of the Werewolf remaining its Unmarried Rider line was once a large blow. That curler coaster is way tamer and I slightly experience it. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders would’ve been an alternative choice, but it surely was once up and down within the afternoon and by the point it was once a perpetual walk-on, I had different priorities.
Downtime and delays weren’t a pronounced factor throughout my day at Epic Universe.
On the contrary, I’d say this was once a under reasonable day for breakdowns and climate delays. No longer only for Epic Universe (objectively true, and by means of a noteworthy level) or for brand spanking new points of interest (subjective, however I’ve been across the block and this could also be reasonably indeniable), however by means of standard ‘mature’ theme park requirements.
Outdoor of Mine-Cart Insanity and perhaps a few different rides to a miles lesser level, it was once an excellent day for journey uptime at Epic Universe. Between this and the low crowd, it was once simple to watch the visitors who have been in attendance getting their ‘fill’ of a specific enchantment, after which that being a perpetual walk-on (or with reference to it) by means of mid-afternoon–or a bit of later, with regards to the rides that had downtime woes.
Even with the objectively nice day for Epic Universe, I may see others having very other studies than me.
In case you began in Tremendous Nintendo Global, encountered the longest line of the day for Mario Kart after which moved directly to Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity, which had a 240 minute posted wait sooner than it went down, I may see that leaving a bitter style!
I may additionally see some visitors who started in the ones two spots after which made extra unfortunate alternatives for rides 3-4 hitting a wall sooner than the fantastic afternoon even started. Particularly if they’d virtually not anything to turn for the day by means of midday, hit the height lunch rush, after which noticed a forged 3-4 hours of heavy rain at the radar.
An important notice was once that I didn’t wreck a sweat knocking out all of those points of interest. Don’t make the error of assuming that those are the unrealistic result of a rapid solo blogger and that you simply circle of relatives couldn’t have completed as a lot. Even supposing I do transfer rapid, I didn’t in this specific day.
Epic Universe continues to be very a lot ‘new to me,’ so a large a part of my days within the park are looking at and taking pictures pictures–just about 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 correct impact. And remember the fact that pictures aren’t allowed on maximum Common rides, so I wasn’t padding my stats by means of spraying and praying on Monsters Unleashed or Potter!
I criss-crossed the park a couple of occasions for no discernible reason why, aside from to peer what congestion was once like, the bodily duration of strains (I entered and exited a number of standby and Unmarried 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 reasonable housecat. However there was once a solution to the insanity…I believe?
Regardless, listed here are my stats from this present day at Epic Universe:
Past the 38,007 steps and 18.34 miles moved, notice the 30 flights climbed. The primary two numbers are at the excessive finish of my standard days at Walt Disney Global, however no longer extraordinary. (In case you’ve ever questioned how I consume such a lot theme park meals, this is how.)
The 30 flights isn’t standard. There are days at Walt Disney Global once I log 0 flights according to day. I’m truthfully shocked that the quantity wasn’t upper. I may swear I climbed extra flights than that; Stardust Racers and Tremendous Nintendo Global by myself will have to’ve accounted for 30 flights!
In spite of everything, my recommendation is to put on at ease footwear. I began out the day dressed in Brooks Ghost Max and switched to Crocs Lite Journey noon when it was once meant to hurricane. I really like the ones footwear, however doing that many steps in them was once simply an excessive amount of.
I additionally were given in point of fact fortunate with an excellent fee at Helios Grand Lodge, and I’m in truth satisfied I booked that, as I took two temporary noon breaks for espresso and a metamorphosis of garments (and footwear, as famous). Had the forecast been as wet as anticipated, Helios would’ve been massively wonderful.
Because it became out, I didn’t want Helios, however I used to be in point of fact proud of the resort–extra so than my first keep. It was once great insurance coverage, type of like Specific Go. (Talking of which, I’m clearly more than happy I didn’t overspend on that!) The opposite was once Stella Nova, however I’m happy to have splurged in this. For this keep, Helios was once smartly price it.
Every other factor to notice is that, have been I no longer so fixated on taking pictures and looking at crowd and wait time dynamics for the sake of finding out extra and having the ability to write posts like this, I may’ve simply doubled my journey depend.
If I’d’ve simply looped Stardust Racers all day, perhaps I may’ve tripled it. This was once a literal walk-on many of the day, and continuously dispatching with unfilled seats.
The choice of rides I completed may appear spectacular and unrealistic–and maximum days up to now this summer season, it could’ve been–however in this specific day, I’m certain that a variety of different visitors exceeded my counts. Possibly you will have to be studying their recaps!
At the plus facet, I’ve a ton of recent pictures and insights about Epic Universe to percentage over the approaching weeks–so keep tuned for the ones once I dig out from this shuttle!
Along with the above points of interest, I dined on the following:
- Spit Fyre Grill within the Isle of Berk
- Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel in Isle of Berk
- Atlantic Eating place in Celestial Park
- Frosty Moon in Celestial Park
My maximum time-consuming meal of the day was once, unsurprisingly, Atlantic Eating place. This was once in spite of putting my order straight away and asking for the test in a while after my meals arrived.
To be transparent, it wasn’t sluggish in a nasty method. The revel in was once implausible from begin to end. (Be careful, Mythos; Atlantic is coming on your banner!) Simply noting this since the entire jist of this put up is how a lot I were given finished, and doing a superb eating meal in overdue afternoon undoubtedly decreased my total potency.
My greatest “fails” of the day have been either one of the eating selection, at the entrance and backend of the day. The primary is that I didn’t do breakfast at Café L’air De L. a. Sirène within the Wizarding Global of Harry Potter. The in point of fact unhappy section this is that I went into the eating place to seize empty interiors, however breakfast completely slipped my thoughts. It wasn’t till later within the day when consulting my checklist of items to consume that I remembered “Breakfast at Café L’air De L. a. Sirène” was once a factor…and the number one factor on my checklist.
My different giant fail was once lacking closing name at Pizza Moon. I’ve been dreaming a couple of go back seek advice from to Pizza Moon for the reason that first time I dined there, however with such a lot different new meals to check out and evaluate, it appeared “irresponsible” to revisit a cafe for amusing. But if I discovered they’d to-go bins, ordering proper sooner than park remaining and taking the pizza house gave the look of the easiest compromise.
And it could’ve been, had I no longer driven my success with one closing evening journey on Stardust Racers. (It’s simply so excellent at evening!) I utterly perceive why they shut with the park, however I wasn’t by myself with this concept, as there have been numerous different visitors leaving the park with pizza bins in hand–and a couple of others attempting to go into the eating place at 10:02pm. As a comfort prize, I grabbed a cone from Frosty Moon (which was once open till 11 pm!), which was once a candy and refreshing option to end the evening.
Tricks to Take Benefit of Low Crowds at Epic Universe
Honest caution: none of my suggestions are going to be in point of fact groundbreaking to any skilled theme park-goers. However, I’m going to “reiterate” them, because it’s simple for longtime Walt Disney Global fanatics to change into so set of their methods that they’re 2d nature, and Epic Universe does throw a couple of curveballs.
My first giant piece of recommendation is to tempo your self. This may appear foolish and easy, however I’ve heard of such a lot of visitors hitting a wall at Epic Universe, and it strikes a chord in my memory very a lot of Disney’s Hollywood Studios on this regard. If you realize you gained’t make all of it day and feature to make a choice from Early Park Admission or staying overdue, keep overdue.
Severely. Early Park Admission may also be discouraging on a excellent day, and terrible on a nasty day. There are methods to take the trail of least resistance and be sure that each and every EPA is a superb one, however the temptation to knock out headliners may also be an excessive amount of.
Likewise, it’s extremely simple to get downright discouraged by means of downtime and delays. If a journey breaks down, my recommendation is to chop your losses ASAP. I’d take this a step additional and suggest making knowledgeable selections sooner than even coming into line for outside points of interest. If the wait is ~120 mins and there’s heavy rain at the radar within the subsequent hour, even stepping into line is a nasty choice.
I think for the visitors that began this present day in Tremendous Nintendo Global, ready an hour for Mario Kart sooner than stepping into a 240 minute line for Mine-Cart Insanity…that then were given dumped because of a journey breakdown. I’m wondering what proportion of the ones folks recovered and had an awesome day, and what number had a nasty revel in.
If it’s imaginable to have an terrible revel in on a fantastic day, you higher consider it’s imaginable to have the similar on an terrible day. Or vice-versa. Epic Universe in point of fact calls for a drift angle and willingness to pivot. Spreadsheet planners don’t need to practice, as no plans will have to be set in stone…and even clay.
Above I boasted that I “known as my shot” when reserving this seek advice from a few months prematurely. To be absolutely clear, I in truth moved it by means of 2 days after I discovered I’d have extra wiggle room and an extended seek advice from to Florida. I knew this date will have to be nice (pending the elements wildcard), however truthfully, I had no clue it’d be this very good.
As prior to now famous, the 2 days of the week with the bottom reasonable wait occasions over the previous couple of months had been Saturdays (#2) and Sundays (#1, by means of a long way). Friday is third-lowest. The perfect cause of that is that Epic Universe single-day tickets are costliest on weekends, so budget-conscious vacationers are in the hunt for out more cost effective dates.
There’s much less consistency for Mondays via Thursdays, and no longer sufficient information issues to attract definitive conclusions. Statistically, Wednesdays and Thursdays had been worst, which is usually a byproduct of visitors beginning out their weeks at Walt Disney Global, 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 means of Sundays. That is fueled in large part by means of locals and Annual Passholders over the weekends, after which vacationers being maximum prone to seek advice from on Mondays. Midweek is the very best time to seek advice from the opposite parks, with reasonable wait occasions bottoming out on Wednesdays.
This is smart! Floridians paintings on weekdays, making weekends their best possible time to seek advice from the opposite parks for Annual Passholders. However Epic Universe doesn’t have APs, and lots of locals have already gotten their “repair” of Epic Universe and are looking forward to Annual Passes.
Something to notice is that once Annual Go gross sales or Florida resident price tag offers get started for Epic Universe, this dynamic flips. Saturday and Sunday will change into the busiest days of the weekend. Additionally, there are exceptions to all the above when climate rears its unpleasant head. Not anything throws a monkey wrench into Epic Universe wait occasions 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 will have to handiest boost up within the subsequent 3 or so weeks. I will be able to’t promise they’ll exceed my revel in, however they will have to be in the similar ballpark.
The larger unanswered query for me is how lengthy this will likely proceed. We’ve warned that crowds are going to select up throughout top weeks from October via December, and I’d be expecting the dynamic to worsen all through the guts of Halloween Horror Nights ‘season’ when regulars e book journeys for that. However early October (sooner than Columbus Day) could be superb, as may early November and early December.
In reality, after this very good Epic Universe revel in, we’re now debating whether or not to seek advice from as a circle of relatives throughout our Christmas-time shuttle. We most likely gained’t, if handiest as a result of time is restricted and there’s extra that appeals to Megatron at Walt Disney Global, but it surely virtually feels legal to cross up this golden window of alternative at Epic Universe.
In the end, that’s what that is about and why I sought after to explain my day intimately and implore the ones with flexibility to seek advice from Epic Universe once imaginable. What this very good revel in maximum strikes a chord in my memory of is the halcyon days of “Further, Further Magic Hours” at Walt Disney Global that started virtually precisely 6 years in the past.
“Further, Further Magic Hours” have been one of the vital closing golden eras of Walt Disney Global, a in point of fact magical revel in sooner than a number of months of essentially the most chaotic crowds we’ve ever observed within the parks. Whilst this go-round most likely gained’t be adopted up by means of a multi-month closure, we completely see historical past repeating itself with heavier crowds at Epic Universe.
Although you’re an area sitting at the sidelines looking forward to Annual Passes, you could wish to believe re-allocating that improve price to a single-day price tag and Florida resident bargain on a keep at Stella Nova or Helios Grand. Long term weekends is probably not this very good as soon as APs roll out, and I’d gladly business a dozen mediocre days for this one very good revel in at Epic Universe.
Want shuttle making plans guidelines and complete recommendation on your seek advice from to Central Florida? Make sure you learn our Common Orlando Making plans Information for the whole thing about Islands of Journey and Common Studios Florida. Additionally take a look at our Walt Disney Global Holiday Making plans Information for the whole thing about the ones parks, hotels, eating places, and so a lot more. For normal updates, information & rumors, a heads up when reductions are launched, and a lot more, join our FREE e mail e-newsletter!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Epic Universe for the reason that get started of summer season? Making plans an afternoon within the low season or throughout Halloween Horror Nights? What did you call to mind wait occasions and crowds? Enjoy any operational meltdowns because of breakdowns or climate? Is it imaginable or possible that Epic Universe in truth has even upper attendance from October via December 2025, or all through 2026? Will you seek advice from Epic Universe this 12 months, or will you stay up for crowds to calm down (in principle) in 2026? Agree or disagree with our overview? Any questions? We like listening to from readers, so please percentage another ideas or questions you could have within the feedback under!
I simply had my best possible day but at Epic Universe, knocking out 20 rides, 2 level presentations, 2 informal eating places, and 1 superb eating spot. Far and wide the process 14 hours from Early Park Admission to after park remaining, whilst taking 38,007 steps, 30 flights, and a couple of,390 pictures. Right here’s how I completed all of it with out Specific Go, and the way (perhaps) you’ll be able to, too!
Some of the issues we stay stressing is that Epic Universe’s opening season has been a wild journey. Common’s new park has had sky-high wait occasions and crowd ranges, but in addition all-time low attendance and days with a variety of walk-on strains and. There were some absolute operational meltdowns, together with bona fide ‘best possible days ever.’
I’ve been extremely fortunate with Epic Universe, and feature had not anything however nice days. That is most likely a large a part of why I really like Common Orlando’s 0.33 gate such a lot, as my studies had been unequivocally certain. To make sure, I’ve encountered some friction, and this present day was once no other. However being versatile and briefly pivoting when issues stand up has helped me keep away from crisis on a number of events.
In spite of this, I’m fast to plug our rundown of Why You Must Skip Epic Universe. We lately returned with a refresh to that put up, as our recommendation for almost all of visitors is to stick at the sidelines and wait till Epic Universe improves its operations and potency.
Even if I’ve been lucky to keep away from the worst of the excessive crowd ranges, meltdowns and breakdowns, I’m very cognizant of those problems. I’ve watched them play out from afar, listening to from each buddies and readers who’ve skilled Epic Universe on its worst days.
My earlier days confirmed what might be able to cross incorrect with unhealthy success or deficient making plans, and my most up-to-date seek advice from in point of fact underscored this. Even supposing I used to be fortunate to have my longest wait in line be 13 mins, I may simply see ready for much longer or matter to a couple of journey breakdowns and queues dumped.
Amongst different issues, two of the opposite main issues raised in that article are “Unpredictable Attendance & Crowds” and “Journey Breakdowns & Downtime.” Those proceed to be the overriding problems with Epic Universe, as the brand new park is still a veritable curler coaster of day by day crowd ranges and reasonable wait occasions since its reliable opening 3 months in the past.
Past the issues, Epic Universe has had excessive wait occasions all through maximum of its opening season. Epic Universe set a document for its busiest day ever on July 16, when reasonable wait occasions have been 85 mins and the group stage was once 10/10. There have been back-to-back 80 minute days August 6-7. There were a number of different days at or above 70 mins, with day by day lows within the mid-to-upper 40s.
Past due June was once the beginning of a stretch when weekly averages have been 64-68 mins for six consecutive weeks; with all however one week within the 64-66 minute vary. For a park this is so inconsistent on a day by day foundation, that’s remarkably constant on a weekly one (courtesy of thrill-data).
3 out of the closing 4 weeks have proven indicators of growth, with averages of “handiest” 54-57 mins each and every week. Granted, any of those 3 weeks are worse than each and every week at Walt Disney Global for the reason that stretches between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve in each 2022 and 2023 (61 mins on each and every instance).
However, I’ve been predicting decrease crowds at Epic Universe for the following couple of months for some time. First in our initial 2025 Epic Universe Crowd Calendar a pair months in the past, and extra lately in Epic Universe Price tag Trickery & Crowd Adjustments.
Within the former, I shared the next when recommending when to seek advice from: “I’m in my view taking a look on the closing couple weeks of August, coinciding with Considered one of 2025’s Highest Weeks to Talk over with Walt Disney Global. Identical concept applies to Epic Universe.”
And within the latter: “I’m cautiously positive that Epic Universe can have a weekly reasonable under 50 mins someday in mid-September. On the very least, there will have to make certain days when the common wait time is underneath 40 mins. Epic Universe has been with reference to that at the two most up-to-date Sundays.”
Prior to we get too a long way, right here’s day by day wait occasions information for Epic Universe because it opened:
The day I visited will have to be extremely simple to identify. It’s the one quick inexperienced bar at the proper facet of the graph amidst a sea of yellow, orange and crimson.
It is advisable say I known as my shot, because the day I focused over two months prematurely became out to be the least-busy day at Epic Universe since opening weekend, with a 32 minute reasonable wait time and 1/10 crowd stage.
If anything else, this overstates how busy the park in truth was once; those numbers have been on par with 3 earlier days I attended, however the ‘looks like’ crowds (or even the precise wait occasions on maximum points of interest) have been a long way decrease. The whole reasonable was once most probably skewed by means of two giant outliers, plus conventional wait time inflation.
I’ll provide an explanation for how I selected my day to seek advice from in a bit of, however first, I wish to percentage the whole thing I completed:
- Curse of the Werewolf (x2)
- Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity (x1)
- Harry Potter and the Struggle 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)
A couple of notes and clarifying main points so as to add…
The longest wait time on this present day was once Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity at 240 mins. It was once additionally the second one, 0.33, fourth, and so on., longest wait with occasions starting from 90 mins to 130 mins many of the day. There are handiest two occasions when its wait time dipped under an hour, after 9pm and throughout the repeatedly all through the day when it was once down because of a meant ‘Climate Lengthen.’
I say meant ‘Climate Lengthen’ as a result of this didn’t affect different points of interest to just about the similar level. Even supposing heavy rain was once within the forecast for a number of hours all through the day, it handiest in brief sprinkled on a few events. There was once one example of lightning that did reason downtime (I will be able to test that this was once reliable as a result of I noticed the lightning past the park), that was once additionally temporary. No different enchantment had a ‘Climate Lengthen’ past what I’d name the ‘Take a look at Observe Norm.’
Against this, Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity was once down 259 mins. That verified quantity was once in truth not up to I’d’ve anticipated if I simply guessed; it gave the look of the journey was once down about part the day. Even supposing I checked in on Mine-Cart Insanity periodically, the wait occasions have been at all times a non-starter for me till the very finish of the day.
I went in with the expectancy of leveraging Unmarried Rider strains broadly, as I’ve heard from buddies who went lately that the ones strains had been minimum even if standby wait occasions are over an hour.
Finally, I handiest used the Unmarried Rider line two times: as soon as on Harry Potter and the Struggle on the Ministry and as soon as on Curse of the Werewolf. Technically, two times on Curse of the Werewolf, however on a type of events the journey went down proper as I used to be on the boarding station, and I reduce my losses and straight away exited. (I had handiest “wasted” 5 mins at that time and felt it wasn’t well worth the gamble once I may simply soar in line once more later with minimum wait.)
Unmarried Rider strains have been continuously closed, each when strains have been too lengthy but in addition too quick. This was once true with each Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity and Curse of the Werewolf (the previous having an indication indicating the road was once “at capability”) at the excessive finish, in addition to Struggle on the Ministry and Stardust Racers at the low finish.
The longest I waited all day was once 13 mins, for Harry Potter and the Struggle on the Ministry within the common standby line when the posted wait time was once 20 mins. (Truthfully, my Unmarried Rider wait for a similar was once most likely shut to about that lengthy; even supposing there was once just one individual in entrance of me, the weight platform wasn’t firing on all cylinders.)
My shortest wait of the day was once Yoshi’s Journey at underneath 2 mins. Please don’t pass judgement on me for using this thrice–it was once for the pictures. This was once one of the points of interest that have been walk-ons, but it surely in order that occurs that was once the quickest. It helped that no person in entrance of me was once shifting slowly and there’s no steel detector to head via.
My best stretch of the day was once the ~25 mins once I rode Stardust Racers back-to-back-to-back with out grabbing my digicam bag from the locker. I’d’ve saved going to pad my stats, however I used to be feeling a bit of off after that 0.33 journey. Bet I’m getting outdated!
This was once additionally why Curse of the Werewolf remaining its Unmarried Rider line was once a large blow. That curler coaster is way tamer and I slightly experience it. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders would’ve been an alternative choice, but it surely was once up and down within the afternoon and by the point it was once a perpetual walk-on, I had different priorities.
Downtime and delays weren’t a pronounced factor throughout my day at Epic Universe.
On the contrary, I’d say this was once a under reasonable day for breakdowns and climate delays. No longer only for Epic Universe (objectively true, and by means of a noteworthy level) or for brand spanking new points of interest (subjective, however I’ve been across the block and this could also be reasonably indeniable), however by means of standard ‘mature’ theme park requirements.
Outdoor of Mine-Cart Insanity and perhaps a few different rides to a miles lesser level, it was once an excellent day for journey uptime at Epic Universe. Between this and the low crowd, it was once simple to watch the visitors who have been in attendance getting their ‘fill’ of a specific enchantment, after which that being a perpetual walk-on (or with reference to it) by means of mid-afternoon–or a bit of later, with regards to the rides that had downtime woes.
Even with the objectively nice day for Epic Universe, I may see others having very other studies than me.
In case you began in Tremendous Nintendo Global, encountered the longest line of the day for Mario Kart after which moved directly to Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Insanity, which had a 240 minute posted wait sooner than it went down, I may see that leaving a bitter style!
I may additionally see some visitors who started in the ones two spots after which made extra unfortunate alternatives for rides 3-4 hitting a wall sooner than the fantastic afternoon even started. Particularly if they’d virtually not anything to turn for the day by means of midday, hit the height lunch rush, after which noticed a forged 3-4 hours of heavy rain at the radar.
An important notice was once that I didn’t wreck a sweat knocking out all of those points of interest. Don’t make the error of assuming that those are the unrealistic result of a rapid solo blogger and that you simply circle of relatives couldn’t have completed as a lot. Even supposing I do transfer rapid, I didn’t in this specific day.
Epic Universe continues to be very a lot ‘new to me,’ so a large a part of my days within the park are looking at and taking pictures pictures–just about 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 correct impact. And remember the fact that pictures aren’t allowed on maximum Common rides, so I wasn’t padding my stats by means of spraying and praying on Monsters Unleashed or Potter!
I criss-crossed the park a couple of occasions for no discernible reason why, aside from to peer what congestion was once like, the bodily duration of strains (I entered and exited a number of standby and Unmarried 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 reasonable housecat. However there was once a solution to the insanity…I believe?
Regardless, listed here are my stats from this present day at Epic Universe:
Past the 38,007 steps and 18.34 miles moved, notice the 30 flights climbed. The primary two numbers are at the excessive finish of my standard days at Walt Disney Global, however no longer extraordinary. (In case you’ve ever questioned how I consume such a lot theme park meals, this is how.)
The 30 flights isn’t standard. There are days at Walt Disney Global once I log 0 flights according to day. I’m truthfully shocked that the quantity wasn’t upper. I may swear I climbed extra flights than that; Stardust Racers and Tremendous Nintendo Global by myself will have to’ve accounted for 30 flights!
In spite of everything, my recommendation is to put on at ease footwear. I began out the day dressed in Brooks Ghost Max and switched to Crocs Lite Journey noon when it was once meant to hurricane. I really like the ones footwear, however doing that many steps in them was once simply an excessive amount of.
I additionally were given in point of fact fortunate with an excellent fee at Helios Grand Lodge, and I’m in truth satisfied I booked that, as I took two temporary noon breaks for espresso and a metamorphosis of garments (and footwear, as famous). Had the forecast been as wet as anticipated, Helios would’ve been massively wonderful.
Because it became out, I didn’t want Helios, however I used to be in point of fact proud of the resort–extra so than my first keep. It was once great insurance coverage, type of like Specific Go. (Talking of which, I’m clearly more than happy I didn’t overspend on that!) The opposite was once Stella Nova, however I’m happy to have splurged in this. For this keep, Helios was once smartly price it.
Every other factor to notice is that, have been I no longer so fixated on taking pictures and looking at crowd and wait time dynamics for the sake of finding out extra and having the ability to write posts like this, I may’ve simply doubled my journey depend.
If I’d’ve simply looped Stardust Racers all day, perhaps I may’ve tripled it. This was once a literal walk-on many of the day, and continuously dispatching with unfilled seats.
The choice of rides I completed may appear spectacular and unrealistic–and maximum days up to now this summer season, it could’ve been–however in this specific day, I’m certain that a variety of different visitors exceeded my counts. Possibly you will have to be studying their recaps!
At the plus facet, I’ve a ton of recent pictures and insights about Epic Universe to percentage over the approaching weeks–so keep tuned for the ones once I dig out from this shuttle!
Along with the above points of interest, I dined on the following:
- Spit Fyre Grill within the Isle of Berk
- Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel in Isle of Berk
- Atlantic Eating place in Celestial Park
- Frosty Moon in Celestial Park
My maximum time-consuming meal of the day was once, unsurprisingly, Atlantic Eating place. This was once in spite of putting my order straight away and asking for the test in a while after my meals arrived.
To be transparent, it wasn’t sluggish in a nasty method. The revel in was once implausible from begin to end. (Be careful, Mythos; Atlantic is coming on your banner!) Simply noting this since the entire jist of this put up is how a lot I were given finished, and doing a superb eating meal in overdue afternoon undoubtedly decreased my total potency.
My greatest “fails” of the day have been either one of the eating selection, at the entrance and backend of the day. The primary is that I didn’t do breakfast at Café L’air De L. a. Sirène within the Wizarding Global of Harry Potter. The in point of fact unhappy section this is that I went into the eating place to seize empty interiors, however breakfast completely slipped my thoughts. It wasn’t till later within the day when consulting my checklist of items to consume that I remembered “Breakfast at Café L’air De L. a. Sirène” was once a factor…and the number one factor on my checklist.
My different giant fail was once lacking closing name at Pizza Moon. I’ve been dreaming a couple of go back seek advice from to Pizza Moon for the reason that first time I dined there, however with such a lot different new meals to check out and evaluate, it appeared “irresponsible” to revisit a cafe for amusing. But if I discovered they’d to-go bins, ordering proper sooner than park remaining and taking the pizza house gave the look of the easiest compromise.
And it could’ve been, had I no longer driven my success with one closing evening journey on Stardust Racers. (It’s simply so excellent at evening!) I utterly perceive why they shut with the park, however I wasn’t by myself with this concept, as there have been numerous different visitors leaving the park with pizza bins in hand–and a couple of others attempting to go into the eating place at 10:02pm. As a comfort prize, I grabbed a cone from Frosty Moon (which was once open till 11 pm!), which was once a candy and refreshing option to end the evening.
Tricks to Take Benefit of Low Crowds at Epic Universe
Honest caution: none of my suggestions are going to be in point of fact groundbreaking to any skilled theme park-goers. However, I’m going to “reiterate” them, because it’s simple for longtime Walt Disney Global fanatics to change into so set of their methods that they’re 2d nature, and Epic Universe does throw a couple of curveballs.
My first giant piece of recommendation is to tempo your self. This may appear foolish and easy, however I’ve heard of such a lot of visitors hitting a wall at Epic Universe, and it strikes a chord in my memory very a lot of Disney’s Hollywood Studios on this regard. If you realize you gained’t make all of it day and feature to make a choice from Early Park Admission or staying overdue, keep overdue.
Severely. Early Park Admission may also be discouraging on a excellent day, and terrible on a nasty day. There are methods to take the trail of least resistance and be sure that each and every EPA is a superb one, however the temptation to knock out headliners may also be an excessive amount of.
Likewise, it’s extremely simple to get downright discouraged by means of downtime and delays. If a journey breaks down, my recommendation is to chop your losses ASAP. I’d take this a step additional and suggest making knowledgeable selections sooner than even coming into line for outside points of interest. If the wait is ~120 mins and there’s heavy rain at the radar within the subsequent hour, even stepping into line is a nasty choice.
I think for the visitors that began this present day in Tremendous Nintendo Global, ready an hour for Mario Kart sooner than stepping into a 240 minute line for Mine-Cart Insanity…that then were given dumped because of a journey breakdown. I’m wondering what proportion of the ones folks recovered and had an awesome day, and what number had a nasty revel in.
If it’s imaginable to have an terrible revel in on a fantastic day, you higher consider it’s imaginable to have the similar on an terrible day. Or vice-versa. Epic Universe in point of fact calls for a drift angle and willingness to pivot. Spreadsheet planners don’t need to practice, as no plans will have to be set in stone…and even clay.
Above I boasted that I “known as my shot” when reserving this seek advice from a few months prematurely. To be absolutely clear, I in truth moved it by means of 2 days after I discovered I’d have extra wiggle room and an extended seek advice from to Florida. I knew this date will have to be nice (pending the elements wildcard), however truthfully, I had no clue it’d be this very good.
As prior to now famous, the 2 days of the week with the bottom reasonable wait occasions over the previous couple of months had been Saturdays (#2) and Sundays (#1, by means of a long way). Friday is third-lowest. The perfect cause of that is that Epic Universe single-day tickets are costliest on weekends, so budget-conscious vacationers are in the hunt for out more cost effective dates.
There’s much less consistency for Mondays via Thursdays, and no longer sufficient information issues to attract definitive conclusions. Statistically, Wednesdays and Thursdays had been worst, which is usually a byproduct of visitors beginning out their weeks at Walt Disney Global, 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 means of Sundays. That is fueled in large part by means of locals and Annual Passholders over the weekends, after which vacationers being maximum prone to seek advice from on Mondays. Midweek is the very best time to seek advice from the opposite parks, with reasonable wait occasions bottoming out on Wednesdays.
This is smart! Floridians paintings on weekdays, making weekends their best possible time to seek advice from the opposite parks for Annual Passholders. However Epic Universe doesn’t have APs, and lots of locals have already gotten their “repair” of Epic Universe and are looking forward to Annual Passes.
Something to notice is that once Annual Go gross sales or Florida resident price tag offers get started for Epic Universe, this dynamic flips. Saturday and Sunday will change into the busiest days of the weekend. Additionally, there are exceptions to all the above when climate rears its unpleasant head. Not anything throws a monkey wrench into Epic Universe wait occasions 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 will have to handiest boost up within the subsequent 3 or so weeks. I will be able to’t promise they’ll exceed my revel in, however they will have to be in the similar ballpark.
The larger unanswered query for me is how lengthy this will likely proceed. We’ve warned that crowds are going to select up throughout top weeks from October via December, and I’d be expecting the dynamic to worsen all through the guts of Halloween Horror Nights ‘season’ when regulars e book journeys for that. However early October (sooner than Columbus Day) could be superb, as may early November and early December.
In reality, after this very good Epic Universe revel in, we’re now debating whether or not to seek advice from as a circle of relatives throughout our Christmas-time shuttle. We most likely gained’t, if handiest as a result of time is restricted and there’s extra that appeals to Megatron at Walt Disney Global, but it surely virtually feels legal to cross up this golden window of alternative at Epic Universe.
In the end, that’s what that is about and why I sought after to explain my day intimately and implore the ones with flexibility to seek advice from Epic Universe once imaginable. What this very good revel in maximum strikes a chord in my memory of is the halcyon days of “Further, Further Magic Hours” at Walt Disney Global that started virtually precisely 6 years in the past.
“Further, Further Magic Hours” have been one of the vital closing golden eras of Walt Disney Global, a in point of fact magical revel in sooner than a number of months of essentially the most chaotic crowds we’ve ever observed within the parks. Whilst this go-round most likely gained’t be adopted up by means of a multi-month closure, we completely see historical past repeating itself with heavier crowds at Epic Universe.
Although you’re an area sitting at the sidelines looking forward to Annual Passes, you could wish to believe re-allocating that improve price to a single-day price tag and Florida resident bargain on a keep at Stella Nova or Helios Grand. Long term weekends is probably not this very good as soon as APs roll out, and I’d gladly business a dozen mediocre days for this one very good revel in at Epic Universe.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Epic Universe for the reason that get started of summer season? Making plans an afternoon within the low season or throughout Halloween Horror Nights? What did you call to mind wait occasions and crowds? Enjoy any operational meltdowns because of breakdowns or climate? Is it imaginable or possible that Epic Universe in truth has even upper attendance from October via December 2025, or all through 2026? Will you seek advice from Epic Universe this 12 months, or will you stay up for crowds to calm down (in principle) in 2026? Agree or disagree with our overview? Any questions? We like listening to from readers, so please percentage another ideas or questions you could have within the feedback under!
