Universal Epic Universe - New Florida Theme Park

[Benjsh]

We are going last two weeks of August and were hoping to spend two days there really but I'm not shocked they are limiting it to one day for the 14 day pass to begin with.

The only workaround seems to be buying multiple days tickets for Universal and then doing the same again but that will make our holiday too expensive sadly.

We won't get on everything so will have to prioritise the main rides which I'm sure should be manageable in one day.

Very excited though.

 

[Bowser]

In a bizarre coincidence i'm going to be in Florida for work with a day off on the day Epic opens!

But i'm assuming in reality there's no point going as it will be intolerably busy with multi-hour queues for everything?

My only thought was rather than when a new ride opens, at least people will be spread out as it's lots of new rides opening simultaneously but that's probably wishful thinking...

 

[Matt N]

In a bizarre coincidence i'm going to be in Florida for work with a day off on the day Epic opens!

But i'm assuming in reality there's no point going as it will be intolerably busy with multi-hour queues for everything?

My only thought was rather than when a new ride opens, at least people will be spread out as it's lots of new rides opening simultaneously but that's probably wishful thinking...

If you’ve got the chance to go, why don’t you go anyway and see what it’s like?

Will you get many other opportunities to go to Florida in the future? If you will, then maybe it’s not so important that you go on this one day, but if not, I’d definitely try it, personally.

It may be intolerably busy with multi-hour queues for everything or it may not, but my take is that if you have the opportunity to go, you should take it and go and see what it’s like. The worst that will happen if you do is that you go and it’s terrible, whereas if you don’t go, you may come to regret it in the future.

Each to their own, however; that’s just my opinion.

 

[Bowser]

If you’ve got the chance to go, why don’t you go anyway and see what it’s like?

Will you get many other opportunities to go to Florida in the future? If you will, then maybe it’s not so important that you go on this one day, but if not, I’d definitely try it, personally.

It may be intolerably busy with multi-hour queues for everything or it may not, but my take is that if you have the opportunity to go, you should take it and go and see what it’s like. The worst that will happen if you do is that you go and it’s terrible, whereas if you don’t go, you may come to regret it in the future.

Each to their own, however; that’s just my opinion.

Realistically i can likely go to Florida again in the coming years, it was more the coincidence of being there on that day!

So with that in mind, if there's a high probability of it being terrible i don't think i'd want to waste the time and money. Plus having poor memories of the experience would likely sour any desire to go back. I have far less patience and stamina for long queues at this point, 60 minutes is probably my limit.

I don't know what the last major theme park opening was for a reference point of what it could be like? They probably all pre-date the social media era in the USA and Europe!

Also on further investigation it seems they'll only be selling multi-day tickets so this dream has ended before it started.

 

[Matt N]

Ah, that’s a shame for you; why not go to one of the other Universal parks, Disney parks or SeaWorld parks instead? That is the great thing about Central Florida; if you can’t go to one park, you’ve at least got a plethora of others to choose from!

 

[Bowser]

Ah, that’s a shame for you; why not go to one of the other Universal parks, Disney parks or SeaWorld parks instead? That is the great thing about Central Florida; if you can’t go to one park, you’ve at least got a plethora of others to choose from!

Yep thanks, spoilt for choice so might do that, hopefully they'll be quieter than usual!

 

[Maelstrom]

Universal have revealed at NewYork comic con this weekend that monsters unchained will feature Jump scares in the queue line.

I am in Orlando again next August and my priority top 5 rides would be.

1. Harry Potter and battle at the ministry
2. Monsters Unchained
3. Starfall racers
4. Donkey Kong
5. Hiccups wing gliders

-Plan California in 2026 so not bothered if don’t get on Mario Kart.

 

[Llama]

I don't know what the last major theme park opening was for a reference point of what it could be like? They probably all pre-date the social media era in the USA and Europe!

I've been thinking about this, I don't believe there has been a major park opening like this (in an English-speaking country, let's say) since influencing became a thing. That's a good thing because every inch of this entire park will be on Youtube within 24 hours of the public opening, if not before, but I can imagine that it won't make the first few weeks the most pleasant of visiting experiences for those non-content creators who just want to go on the rides and see the sights.

 

[jon81uk]

In a bizarre coincidence i'm going to be in Florida for work with a day off on the day Epic opens!

But i'm assuming in reality there's no point going as it will be intolerably busy with multi-hour queues for everything?

My only thought was rather than when a new ride opens, at least people will be spread out as it's lots of new rides opening simultaneously but that's probably wishful thinking...

I would assume ticket sales will be limited so the queues might not be that bad once in the park, it’s the scramble to book them tomorrow that will be the harder part!

 

[Maelstrom]

The uk tickets (also assume the us multi day tickets) you don’t pick a date for when visiting epic universe and your 1 day entry can be any day during the 14 days ticket is valid (or 3,4 5 days for American multi day tickets). The risk is the day you choose hits capacity and universal advise using at the start of your trip as if that happens you have chance to visit on a different day.

if staying onsite and you get their for early entry which onsite universal guests will get at epic then that should not be an issue as even if everyone staying onsite decide ( to visit the same day the park wouldn’t hit capacity.

 

[Skyscraper]

The uk tickets (also assume the us multi day tickets) you don’t pick a date for when visiting epic universe and your 1 day entry can be any day during the 14 days ticket is valid (or 3,4 5 days for American multi day tickets). The risk is the day you choose hits capacity and universal advise using at the start of your trip as if that happens you have chance to visit on a different day.

if staying onsite and you get their for early entry which onsite universal guests will get at epic then that should not be an issue as even if everyone staying onsite decide ( to visit the same day the park wouldn’t hit capacity.

Apparently if you add EU on to a 14-day ticket they remove VB, and you can only visit EU once. My best friend has booked a 7 day stay and will find out the EU ticket options from her travel agent tomorrow.

 

[Maelstrom]

The uk tickets are same as before 14 days unlimited access to studios, IOa and volcano bay and will now inc 1 day visit to Epic. You will still be able to buy the 3 park pass without Epic if someone didn’t want to visit, these will obviously be cheaper and likely same price they current sold at £300-£330 depending where get them from. Will be interesting to see how much the new pass inc the 1 day visit to epic is tomorrow.

The US tickets they have different options across multi day and have options with or without Volcano bay

Edit- just read pricing for UK tickets has been released by the major Uk sellers and will be £415 for the UK ticket.

 

[rob666]

So, £300 to £330 depending where you buy from...unless that is rip off Britain, where they want another hundred quid.
Sounds about right I suppose.

 

[Skyscraper]

The uk tickets are same as before 14 days unlimited access to studios, IOa and volcano bay and will now inc 1 day visit to Epic. You will still be able to buy the 3 park pass without Epic if someone didn’t want to visit, these will obviously be cheaper and likely same price they current sold at £300-£330 depending where get them from. Will be interesting to see how much the new pass inc the 1 day visit to epic is tomorrow.

The US tickets they have different options across multi day and have options with or without Volcano bay

Edit- just read pricing for UK tickets has been released by the major Uk sellers and will be £415 for the UK ticket.

The ticket that includes one day at Epic is 15 days actually.



Would assume your epic tickets are dated for a particular day during your stay.

 

[Bowser]

Do people go to a theme park every day for 14 days?

 

[Maelstrom]

The day at epic is not dated. You can go any day during the 15 days from when your ticket starts. It does advise to go early in hol as not guaranteed entrance if hits capacity.

They have said they will sell dated single day tickets at a later date (likely to be $180-$200) based on existing park prices and a premium over those.

In regards to people going for 14 days some people might buy many do split stays with Disney and universal.

This summer I was at universal onsite for 9 nights and then Disney 11 nights. (Next summer 9 nights at each) but I don’t go to parks for full days and certainly couldn’t in August when now visit. Nip in and not of parks, visit parks each day normally morning in a park, then back to hotel in the afternoon (or to shopping outlets on the off day) and then back to a park in the evening. That why like stopping onsite as just so easy at both universal and Disney to nip back to the hotel as and when feel.

I like the flexibility of dipping in and out of the parks as feel and parking hoping etc which the 14 day UK tickets for universal and Disney allow. Although will need to spend the full day in epic universe next August.

 

[Sazzle]

Do people go to a theme park every day for 14 days?

I am not sure if you’re asking a genuine question or are being sarcastic, so apologies in advance for my factual tone should I have misread your intention.

It is standard practice for Florida parks to be included on combined 14 day tickets and for holidaymakers to spend their entire two week break at a park every day. So, in answer to your question, the answer is yes.

With 4 Disney theme parks, 2 Disney water parks, 2 Universal parks, 1 Universal water park, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld, that’s 11 days already filled if you visit one-per-day. That doesn’t take into account places like FunSpot, the shopping centres and any other places that take your fancy.

Parks can be part-day/park-hopper experiences (Universal/IOA) and the Disney parks often end up being split days with multiple visits due to their long opening hours, so most guests see more than one park in a day and therefore by default visit parks more than once.

As @Maelstrom said, there are times during the day when you go back to your accommodation for a rest, or take a more leisurely pace than you would if you were heading to a park for only a day.

It was only natural for Epic Universe to be added to the existing ticket offers.

I see the 1 day stipulation may only apply to 2025 - AttractionTickets are selling 14 day passes for Universal parks in 2026 with no restriction. No information yet on the 14 day flex ticket for all parks…

I do wonder how, for my next trip, I’m going to factor in a pool day to rest my screaming. painful feet in order to give a couple days to this new park… I can’t justify a 14+ day holiday!!

 

[Bowser]

I am not sure if you’re asking a genuine question or are being sarcastic, so apologies in advance for my factual tone should I have misread your intention.

It is standard practice for Florida parks to offer 14 day tickets and for holidaymakers to spend their entire two week break at a park every day. So, in answer to your question, the answer is yes.

With 4 Disney theme parks, 2 Disney water parks, 2 Universal parks, 1 Universal water park, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld, that’s 11 days already filled if you visit one-per-day. That doesn’t take into account places like FunSpot, the shopping centres and any other places that take your fancy.

Parks can be part-day/park-hopper experiences (Universal/IOA) and the Disney parks often end up being split days with multiple visits due to their long opening hours, so most guests see more than one park in a day and therefore by default visit parks more than once.

As @Maelstrom said, there are times during the day when you go back to your accommodation for a rest, or take a more leisurely pace than you would if you were heading to a park for only a day.

It was only natural for Epic Universe to be added to the existing ticket offers.

I see the 1 day stipulation may only apply to 2025 - AttractionTickets are selling 14 day passes for Universal parks in 2026 with no restriction. No information yet on the 14 day flex ticket for all parks…

I do wonder how, for my next trip, I’m going to factor in a pool day to rest my screaming. painful feet in order to give a couple days to this new park… I can’t justify a 14+ day holiday!!

No it wasn't sarcastic, it was based on the premise that it's quite exhausting going to a theme park (i find anyway) so couldn't imagine doing it for 14 consecutive days!

Also i was working on the assumption that a 14 day ticket only covered one "brand", eg. Universal, i didn't realise they were combined tickets across all the parks.

 

[John]

You'd have to buy separate tickets for each group of parks under different ownership but can get 2 week tickets for all 3 groups. When I last visited back in 2015 we had a 3 week ticket for Disney - we extended our trip by adding in Carowinds, Six Flags over Georgia and LL Florida but didn't want to be limited as to when we could do the Disney parks. I think adding a 3rd week to the Disney ticket cost about £20 more at the time.

Between the three tickets you get 9 theme parks and at least 5 waterparks. Unless you're a massive slide fan it's probably not worth doing that many waterpark days but even if you just do one or two it's very easy to fill a full 2-week trip with just the 3 main park chains, even before you start thinking about what else you might want to do whilst out there. Florida trips can be very intense!

 

[Maelstrom]

Some sellers sell combines tickets but their is no such one ticket that covers all the parks all they are doing is bundling the UK 14 day tickets for the different brands (ie Universal, Disney, seaward group etc). Also UK tickets offer much better value than buying US based tickets, unless you only wanted to spend 2 days at Disney or go just to one specific park. once you get to about 3 days the UK tickets offer better value, especially with US tickets you pay extra for things like park hoping, or adding the water parks. Disney no longer sell the 21 ticket now, although the 14 day ticket for Disney allows 14 days of access spread over 18 days.

Last two trips I have been for 20 days and spent every day visiting a park, but as said don't spend all day in a park. Although going again next year it is the first time I would have gone back so quickly as normally a few years between each visit I have been lucky enough to go. But decided not to visit theSeaward/Busch next year, operations are poor now, food is poor and very expensive. Would rather spend the time at Universal and Disney. Maybe in future will visit them again if they add any major must do coasters.

Lots of UK families/visiors no longer do all of the parks as simply to much to do in one holiday (and the cost) and with Epic I think this will happen even more. American guests tend to do just one resort ie Just Disney or Universal as they go for much shorter lengths then we do, the average is around 5 nights generally but not many would go for more than 7 nights. Which was Universal aims with Epic to have enough to keep guests on their property for a full week.