Epic Universe...One Year Later

The month of May marked the 1 year opening anniversary of Universal Orlando's newest theme park, Epic Universe. We thought it would be a great time to look back and see what is being said about Orlando's first brand new theme park in over 25 years.

First, let's look at what Universal (NBC) expected. Analysts and Universal both expected Epic to draw millions of visitors and generate significant positive economic impact including thousands of new jobs. According to a variety of financial and other news sources, Epic has met or beaten ALL of their benchmarks with ZERO indication that it has underperformed in any area. Universal has reported increases in theme park revenue every quarter with Q4 exceeding the $1 Billion mark for the first time of any quarter.

NBC executives have gone on to say that Epic has been a major catalyst in boosting attendance and sales across all of their theme parks. They have noted that Epic has officially made Universal Orlando a stand alone theme park vacation destination and no longer a Disney add-on visit.

That is what the experts have said, but what about those who have actually visited Epic Universe over the past year? let's look at the criticisms first. Epic opened in May 2025. May is typcially the start of our hottest and wettest time of year here in Florida. That means that shaded, covered areas are very coveted when someone is walking around a theme park in 90 degree heat and 80% humidity. Many of the criticisms coming out of Epic early on was the lack of shaded areas for guests. Since this is a brand new theme park, the trees and plants are also newly planted and need time to grow before they can offer much in the way of shade or heat relief. This issue will get better as the trees mature and grow.

Another area that guests criticized was that of the lack of unlimited express passes being offered to guests staying in one of Universal Orlando's premium resorts. Universal guests had become accustomed to being given Universal's "unlimted express pass" as part of their stay when they have stayed in one of the 3 premium (signature) properties (Portofino Bay, Hard Rock and Royal Pacific). Express passes must be purchased seperately when visiting Epic Universe which can add a significant amount to the cost of the visit.

By far those are the biggest "misses" noted by guests who have visited Epic. But what about the accolades? Overall the guest experience inside of Epic has met or exceeded their expectations but there are at least two areas that get mentioned over and over. They are the areas of food and theming. Not only did these areas meet expectations, they blew them away. Hands down, the food at Epic Universe has received the biggest praise from visitors. the consensus is that Universal has set a new, incredibly high bar when it comes to theme park food incluidng some of the best "quick service" offerings of any park, anywhere. This includes both food AND drink. You can choose things such as specialty crepes from Café L’air De La Sirène to the Blood Orange Chicken Sandwich at Das Steakhouse to the Chicken Khao Soi at the Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant to the PB and J - Pork, Bacon and Jam from the Spit Fyre Grill. And trust us when we say that is a very small sample of the variety of food choices and eateries inside of Epic.

But one other area that has received the most praise since opening day has to be the incredible, immerseive theming. You feel like you have actually entered a classic horror movie set once you enter Darkmoor (Dark Universe). And the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Ministry of Magic truly transports you to the streest of Paris. And the beauty of the Isle of Berk may actually be the prettiest, most themed land in any theme park in Orlando and yes...I am including their rival down the street. The musical scores of each land along with their level of detail has made Epic Universe a must-see park for even those visitors who are not into thrill rides of any sort.

Epic Universe has returned the "park" to theme parks once again. The gardens, points of light, music and water features etc all make it a truly wonderful park experience.

So to sum up the first full year, it has been a HUGE success for Universal. A telling sign that it has been a gigantic success is the fact that Universal is already making plans for expansion and the rumors are already making their rounds of what might be coming.

If you have yet to plan a trip to Epic Universe, it is well past time to do so. Contact us if you would like to know the best times to visit as well as the best way to plan your visit.