Universal's Epic Universe - News and Discussion

[GhostHost24]

I cancelled our Cabana Bay for next weekend. The wait times have been crazy this weekend

So after going on a either sold out day. or close to it, it wasn't bad at all. Wait times are super inflated. I didn't wait more than 30 minutes for anything. DK was 85 posted, waited 15. Mario Kart posted 65, waited 20. Wing Glider was posted 55, waited 10.

The park def felt very empty outside of ride areas. It was quite nice. Tables were easy to find everywhere. If you can , honestly reconsider

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You people are a terrible influence.

I'm now booked for 5/15, need to call tomorrow to get tix via the Universal credit card - looked at the availability and now it won't let me verify the link again to actually buy.

 

[Haley R]

So after going on a either sold out day. or close to it, it wasn't bad at all. Wait times are super inflated. I didn't wait more than 30 minutes for anything. DK was 85 posted, waited 15. Mario Kart posted 65, waited 20. Wing Glider was posted 55, waited 10.

The park def felt very empty outside of ride areas. It was quite nice. Tables were easy to find everywhere. If you can , honestly reconsider

Wow really? Idk what to do now. I would hate to show up and it actually be 85 minutes because there’s no way ds will wait. Why are the wait times so inflated?

 

[Haley R]

why? by all reports the wait times have been pretty good, aside from Donkey Kong and getting a VQ for HP, no one is waiting more than 20-30 mins for anything.
Now is the time to do during the soft opening, once it opens fully it will be crazy town.

I was going based off the ride waits showing on the app but I guess those aren’t accurate. I watched it today and they were showing 85 minutes for some. I’d hate to go and it actually be that long though. I’m not sure what to do

 

[LoveToDisney]

Has anyone seen an ECV in any Epic queue?

 

[wendlle]

So after going on a either sold out day. or close to it, it wasn't bad at all. Wait times are super inflated. I didn't wait more than 30 minutes for anything. DK was 85 posted, waited 15. Mario Kart posted 65, waited 20. Wing Glider was posted 55, waited 10.

The park def felt very empty outside of ride areas. It was quite nice. Tables were easy to find everywhere. If you can , honestly reconsider

agree, all the reports so far are nothing but short waits even on sold out days. N

Wow really? Idk what to do now. I would hate to show up and it actually be 85 minutes because there’s no way ds will wait. Why are the wait times so inflated?

same reason Disney does it - to sell express pass/LL and to also manage the lines
People walk away instead of joining the que

 

[tony67]

I was going based off the ride waits showing on the app but I guess those aren’t accurate. I watched it today and they were showing 85 minutes for some. I’d hate to go and it actually be that long though. I’m not sure what to do

I've watched several o the Ricks Flix live streams on you tube - they may still be up

Other than the first day with the overabundance of Disney Influencers wanting to be first it never seemed like the wait times were long - and the last two weeks were spring break vacation weeks - so IMO those would be the peak preview attendance weeks.

You people are a terrible influence.

Yeah - I ended up going as well - I don't think the parks will be this quiet for a long time.



One other thing - prices may also be lower now as well - for example they raised the price of the Garlic Pretzel at the burning blade from 8.99 to 11.99 - so now it cost the same as the mini burger and the other things on the menu - so I suspect those may go up in price as well.

Another person was saying the staff did not want them posing photos of the menus - as things were changing

I also saw something posted that the average price as Epic was higher than Disney - that does not surprise me at all - I've said something similar in the past about beers - one difference with the food is that Universal seems to have smaller menus and the quick service is higher quality than many quick service at Disney. That said I do feel the prices are a bit much - even at the older parks.

 

[GhostHost24]

agree, all the reports so far are nothing but short waits even on sold out days. N

same reason Disney does it - to sell express pass/LL and to also manage the lines
People walk away instead of joining the que

Think combination of that, and they're still figuring out how long it takes to get through a queue with the boarding etc.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

And higher likeliness of breakdowns/delays. Keeps people happier to expect a 60min wait and get a 20min wait, than to get in a 20min line that is then delayed for 40min.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Did anyone go on Dragon Racer's rally? I'm very interested in this ride but worried about hanging upside down the entire flight. Please let me know that the vehicle is designed to default to right side up.

I did. It was an extremely mediocre ride with a long wait because it loads so slowly. The ride itself is very very short. I think maybe three rotations. Don’t worry about flipping upside down, that is apparently nearly impossible to do even if you try. If you don’t do anything at all it’s Magic Carpets of Aladdin but less thrilling.

Seriously, every ride at Epic was awesome except for this one. This one was a complete fail because if it had been designed as a spinner for kids it would be fine, but with a 48 inch height requirement I predict it will be extremely unpopular once people have actually ridden it.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

So it's a highly themed carnival ride in a cool scenic themed setting?

 

[tony67]

So it's a highly themed carnival ride in a cool scenic themed setting?

That is what it looks to me - really the one ride I will skip no doubt.

I'll probably skip the carousel as well, but I hear a lot of good things about it - still its a carousel.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'll probably skip the carousel as well, but I hear a lot of good things about it - still its a carousel.

I normally skip carousels as well as they make me think of what was at my mall but I opted to go on the one in Tokyo Disney and really enjoyed it, something about that one made me feel so much like a kid again. I'm not really wanting to go on the Disney ones in the U.S. but I think the theming accounts for a lot here and why I ended up deciding to do the one in Tokyo. I think the Epic one will be great for that and probably best seen at night. It's not a new idea at all nor super exciting ride though.

 

[GhostHost24]

Ya I skipped carousel and dragon racers myself.

Also skipped stardust but that's because my head can't handle it

Also mine cart was prob a one and done for me. I have bad back and it wad like getting an adjustment.

 

[Jessem1133]

So it's a highly themed carnival ride in a cool scenic themed setting?

Exactly. For the amount of money spent on building and developing a whole new park...seeing a ride that could have been plucked straight out of a state fair blows my mind.

 

[Pyxie]

So it's a highly themed carnival ride in a cool scenic themed setting?

Basically. It's apparently a clone of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ride at the Mall of America. There is a girl on Instagram who rides that one almost daily and tries to make it spin as much as she possibly can. Maybe she should explain how it works lol.

 

[keishashadow]

no one is waiting more than 20-30 mins for anything

My mr has been following Epic thrill data, always spot on for HHN and other in park days for us in MCO.

This is real time now


There have been many much longer wait times in the afternoon, this with very reduced capacity in the parks. I assume they are slowly increasing the number of guests for stress test purposes.

 

[Charade67]

Questions for anyone who has already been to Epic Universe and used the single rider lanes - did they get you on the ride much quicker? Do you miss a lot of the theming if you do single rider instead of the regular queues?
I have a solo trip coming up this weekend.

 

[GhostHost24]

Questions for anyone who has already been to Epic Universe and used the single rider lanes - did they get you on the ride much quicker? Do you miss a lot of the theming if you do single rider instead of the regular queues?
I have a solo trip coming up this weekend.

I only did dk single rider. Only thing you really missed was an animatronic.

I was surprised how quick I got on (posted 85, waited 20). But it could have helped they had many seats not sittable for whatever reason so it was easy to get single riders on

 

[fatmanatee]

Questions for anyone who has already been to Epic Universe and used the single rider lanes - did they get you on the ride much quicker? Do you miss a lot of the theming if you do single rider instead of the regular queues?
I have a solo trip coming up this weekend.

I can speak to Mario Kart, it's a really good queue and you miss all of it if you do SR. Looks like the same for HP, would imagine it's also the case for Monsters. Generally been recommended that you do the regular line at least once for the experience, then do SR if you want repeats. This is basically standard for single rider though, you do it to get to the ride quicker but you lose any special queue experience as a result.

Will also add: MK single rider wasn't that efficient when I did it. HP and Monsters probably better.