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Universal Epic Universe - New Florida Theme Park
Probably! The single rider line at ministry took similar time to main line but would preferred the main line as that’s moving where as single rider your stood still for ages.
Stardust racers has been on one side all day (although the other side is fully staffed with the staff just stood there!) the one side that’s open is running 4 trains.
2 hr to park close- surprised lasted full day as never normally do in August in Orlando any more! Have managed the following so far and should get a couple of more rides done. Monsters unchained has been virtually a walk on all day outside the hour when there was a storm.
Battle at the Ministry x 2
Stardust racers x 2
Hicups wing gliders x 2
Mario Kart x 1
Monsters Unchained x 2
Curse of the werewolf x 2
Le Cirque Arcanus X 1
Plus sit down quick serve lunch at oak and star tavern. Sit down quick serve dinner at. Cafe l’air De La Sirene. Afternoon ice cream stop at Frosty Moon.
Plus time looking in some shops etc.
Benjsh
TS Member
You've done very well there then. Seems like crowds are definitely started to die down a little.
All the New Yorkers arrive next week though. They famously delay their Orlando trips to when all the Orlando schools are back in apparently. Shouldn't be too busy though i wouldn't have thought.
Really hoping we get in plenty of rides. We have 2 days there but no express as we didn't think it was worth the proce given a few of the big rides arent included.
I think you will be fine I have been the same weeks in August a few times (I go home Sunday 24th) doing a split stay and switch to Disney next Friday. Queues have always been manageable on previous trips.
I did join the donkey Kong line at 8.45pm as was 75 mins it broke down for 5 mins then checked the app and queue had gone to 120 mins. Decided had enough as had been a long day so left the line.
The detail in the park such as the music (there is themed music playing in the background almost everywhere) lightening etc and even how the toilets are fully themed to each is excellent.
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Post back with some non-YouTuber honest feedback about stardust. Im planning on using it as a gateway to velocicoaster for my kids next year..
Stardust was great, didn’t get it racing as only one side working, some great airtime. I think I prefer Velocivoaster though overall for the second launch, top hat and final inversion. My fav ever coaster experience has been Back-row on Velocicaster at night. I would say Velocicoaster is more intense. Also the theming helps as there is isn’t any really on StarDust.
Benjsh
TS Member
Haven't ridden either Stardust or Velocicoaster yet so excited to get on both from the 18th August onwards.
In fact I have a lot of new Florida coasters to experience since I haven't visited since 2013. Mako and Iron Gwazi are high up on the bucket list.
In fact I have a lot of new Florida coasters to experience since I haven't visited since 2013. Mako and Iron Gwazi are high up on the bucket list.
After doing Velocicoaster a couple of times yesterday for first time this trip it definitely more intense than Stardust. Ride last night when it was going dark was as amazing as I remember and why it’s my top coaster. Hoping stardust is dueling when back there this week. I can see it in the distance from my hotel room and last night it looked like it was as can see the flashing lights on the trains going round and looked that both trains where running.
The two existing parks were noticeably quieter yesterday outside Velocicoaster and Hagrids. Also if food wasn’t bad enough at Busch parks - when at Busch avoid dragon fire grill - a health and safety inspection the other day was so bad that they closed on the spot and removed dinners mid meal from the restaurant.
The two existing parks were noticeably quieter yesterday outside Velocicoaster and Hagrids. Also if food wasn’t bad enough at Busch parks - when at Busch avoid dragon fire grill - a health and safety inspection the other day was so bad that they closed on the spot and removed dinners mid meal from the restaurant.
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Benjsh
TS Member
We've got the free dining thrown in at Busch Gardens and Sea World and despite that I'm not looking forward to it at all. Heard some real horror stories.
What time does the shuttle bus leave to go back to Orlando? That's if you didn't drive of course.
jon81uk
TS Member
We did it in 2022 and it was adequate. Smoked meats at Seaworld were fine and the Chinese food at Busch was like a ready meal quality but not inedible.
Nice thing about the inclusive meal plan was just being able to grab drinks and snacks a few times, stopping for a soda and a cake or similar every 90 minutes. We only did one full meal but did get the light breakfast and lots of snack breaks.
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Matt N
TS Member
It’s funny, because I remember the food at SeaWorld and Busch being really nice circa around 2016. At SeaWorld in particular, I remember there was this really nice pretzel place where we got excellent pretzel-based dishes; we visited SeaWorld 3 times on that 2016 trip and went there every time!
I can’t speak about it more recently, as on our 2023 trip to Orlando where we revisited both along with Universal, we were a lot more frugal and largely subsisted on a bag of crisps and an apple each during the park days themselves. I find that I don’t feel incentivised to eat that much in the Orlando parks, what with the heat and all, and my family seemed to agree, so we didn’t find ourselves needing to buy much in the way of food in the parks in 2023.
But certainly, I remember the SeaWorld food being really nice in around 2016 or so.
I can’t speak about it more recently, as on our 2023 trip to Orlando where we revisited both along with Universal, we were a lot more frugal and largely subsisted on a bag of crisps and an apple each during the park days themselves. I find that I don’t feel incentivised to eat that much in the Orlando parks, what with the heat and all, and my family seemed to agree, so we didn’t find ourselves needing to buy much in the way of food in the parks in 2023.
But certainly, I remember the SeaWorld food being really nice in around 2016 or so.
The_bup
TS Member
Funny that, I like Velocicoaster a bit more because it’s less intense! I remember getting off the green side feeling a bit shaken up, of course, by the sounds of it the green side may of been shut for you…
Still pretty incredible Universal own my top 2 coasters (or top three, but let’s not get pedantic)
Benjsh
TS Member
First day back today for a lot of schools in Florida and the US and Epic looks pretty rammed. Multiple rides on over 2 hr waits currently.
Think a lot of people have chosen to visit today thinking it would be quiet and are probably finding that a lot of other people had the same idea.
Yesterday was absolutely dead by all accounts too at just 8% capacity. Hearing stories of people getting plenty of re-rides in on BATM and Nintendo rides too. Today id imagine its more or less impossible to even ride all the attractions once.
Think a lot of people have chosen to visit today thinking it would be quiet and are probably finding that a lot of other people had the same idea.
Yesterday was absolutely dead by all accounts too at just 8% capacity. Hearing stories of people getting plenty of re-rides in on BATM and Nintendo rides too. Today id imagine its more or less impossible to even ride all the attractions once.
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I am at epic today again and it’s about the same as Saturday. Stardust has just gone to two sides (had been on one all morning).
Looking on the app wait times at IOA fairly low outside of Hagrids and Velocicoaster. Hipogrif is running on reduced capacity, yesterday a good number of seats on each train blocked off. The queue times don’t get much lower than they are currently in the summer.
Looking on the app wait times at IOA fairly low outside of Hagrids and Velocicoaster. Hipogrif is running on reduced capacity, yesterday a good number of seats on each train blocked off. The queue times don’t get much lower than they are currently in the summer.
One to keep at watch of but currently not forecast to hit America, but as we know they are unpredictable and can change.Possible Hurricane warning for the weekend / Monday.
Tropical Storm Erin is now being labelled as a likely Hurricane. Oh happy days.
Tropical Storm Erin likely to be 1st hurricane of season, not forecast to hit US
Tropical Storm Erin has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and is forecast to strengthen into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season by Wednesday.
Having now been able to ride Stardust racers dulling - absolutely fantastic (plus ridden the other side) not sure now which i prefer now between Velocicoaster. In any case it’s fantastic, as was said earlier is great they have both coasters at their parks, along side the excellent Hagrids. Hopefully the coaster hits continue with Rip Rode Rickets Intamin replacement.
Edit: Stardust at night is incredible.
Edit: Stardust at night is incredible.
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Danny
TS Contributor
There's just something otherworldly about Stardust at night, with the audio blasting and the train lights fully functioning. It looks as if they've not been at 100 per cent recently (image from two days ago) so hopefully they keep on top of it.
