My Epic experience...tips

[Tymeece]

Epic Universe Trip sharing...maybe some tips and tricks

Epic Universe Preview Recap – May 17 Visit
Hotel, Travel, and Park Experience

I had the opportunity to attend the Epic Universe preview on Saturday, May 17, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. Below is a detailed breakdown of our stay, travel logistics, and an honest look at what we accomplished during our visit.



Hotel Stay – Universal’s Endless Summer: Dockside Inn & Suites

This was our first time staying at Dockside, and it exceeded expectations. We arrived late Friday evening and stayed through Sunday. Upon check-in, a friendly Universal team member surprised us with a complimentary room upgrade. I hadn’t done anything special—just mentioned it was our first time staying at a Universal property and approached the interaction with an extremely nice approach.

To our surprise, we walked into a spacious family suite featuring two queen beds, an additional queen in a separate bedroom, a picnic-style table, fridge, and sink. It was perfect for our group. We ate dinner at the hotel’s quick-service location both nights, and the food was solid and convenient.



Getting to the Park

We aimed to be at the park early and scheduled an Uber for 6:50 AM, unsure when shuttle buses would begin running. Interestingly, buses started loading guests around the same time, so either option would have worked.

Important Note on Entry:
There are two gated entrances before reaching the main park gates:

• Resort Bus Drop-Off Gate: This side was reportedly much busier.
• Rideshare/Valet/Disability Drop-Off Gate: We used this gate and found it far less crowded. Only about 20–30 guests were ahead of us.

At the main park gates, security formed about 14 lines, and we were fortunate to be first in one of them. If you’re looking for quick access to the central portal, aim for a middle line. Guests who hadn’t preloaded their tickets or completed facial scanning in the Universal app experienced some delays. We were fully prepared, which allowed for a seamless entry at exactly 8:00 AM. Not sure if the other two gates will be in play once the park is truly open.



Early Entry & Ride Strategy

Only a few attractions were operational atpark open for early access:

• Stardust Racers
• Monsters Unchained
• Nintendo World was open for hotel guests, but Mine-Cart Madness, Mario Kart, and Yoshi’s Adventure were not operational at that time.
• Curse of the Werewolf remained closed all day.

We chose to start with Stardust Racers, riding both the Green and Yellow tracks. Both were fantastic, with Yellow slightly edging out for me due to a few specific ride elements. My daughter preferred Green, finding it a bit more intense.

By 8:50 AM, we joined the standby line for Battle of the Ministry of Magic. Though there was no official communication, the ride eventually opened and we waited a total of four hours. The queue extended through much of the Paris area. Inside, two paths were used to manage crowd: Oneside went outside for an additional 1.5+ hours the other went straight to the Floo Network. We went right. Even once inside the Ministry, we still had roughly two more hours before boarding.



Lunch and Afternoon

We had lunch at Café L’Air de la Sirène around 12:30 PM, using mobile order and table scan for quick service. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was excellent—easily some of the best theme park dining we’ve experienced.

At this point, our completed attractions included:

• Stardust Racers (2 rides)
• Battle of the Ministry of Magic
• Lunch at Café L’Air de la Sirène

With the park closing at 8 PM, we hustled to get as much done in the remaining time as possible.



Afternoon & Evening Accomplishments

After lunch, we were able to complete the following:

• Monsters Unchained
• Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge (single rider – 40 min, seated together)
• A Couple Mini Games in Nintendo World
• Hiccup’s Wing Gliders (Able to catch right after a delay, 10 min wait)
• The Untrainable Dragon Show
• Meet & Greet with Toothless and Hiccup (1-hour wait, second longest of the day)
• Dinner at Mead Hall (great food and immersive theming)
• Dragon Racer’s Rally
• Two additional rides on Stardust Racers to close out the night

We left the park around 8:45 PM and waited for the shuttle. The Dockside/Surfside line was the longest, and we needed to wait for a second bus, which stops at Surfside first.



Final Thoughts & Tips

• Epic Universe is easily a two-day park—especially if you want to fully explore Nintendo World or Isle of Berk. These areas alone could occupy a full day each.
• Don’t expect to do everything in one day, especially with high-demand attractions like Ministry of Magic or if technical issues arise.
• Be prepared: Scan your face and load all tickets into the Universal app beforehand.
• Bring a refillable water bottle. Water stations are plentiful and staying hydrated is key. We used Liquid IV throughout the day.
• If Ministry of Magic is your priority, consider getting in line closer to park closing (assuming it’s still operating). This could be a time-saving strategy. They let guests in line before close.

Highlights

• Park Aesthetic: Stunning from every angle—immersion is top-tier.
• Stardust Racers: A world-class coaster. Yellow is my personal favorite, but both tracks deliver.
• Hiccup’s Wing Gliders: Great for kids and smoother than similar rides like Slinky Dog Dash.
• Food: Outstanding across the board. Easily the best theme park dining experience I’ve had.

What We Missed

Despite a full day, we didn’t get to:

• Mine-Cart Madness (not operational)
• Yoshi’s Adventure
• Curse of the Werewolf (not operational)
• Harry Potter Show
• Fire Drill
• The Carousel
• Several mini-games in Nintendo World

Conclusion

We had a fantastic day, even with long waits and a few unplanned changes. Flexibility, patience, and preparation made all the difference. Epic Universe is a must-visit and offers more than enough to justify multiple days.

If you're planning your visit—go in with realistic expectations, stay kind to others and the staff, and enjoy the magic!