Disney Family Guide to Epic Universe

 It’s here! Epic Universe is finally open, and it feels like Christmas, with everyone getting a shiny new toy – featuring video games and dragons! Epic Universe has the excitement and brands to catch the eye of even the most loyal Disney family. We told ourselves we wouldn’t compare it to Disney World – but let’s be real, we absolutely are, and that’s how we know what you’ll want to be prepared for.

So, this is not about which is better (okay, we do share some opinions), but if you’re used to Walt Disney World and are heading to Epic Universe for the first time, here’s what to expect. Because just like us, you might think you are great at planning a theme park vacation, but you don’t know what you don’t know. Buckle up, we have a lot to cover!

First Things First: Who is Epic for?

Let’s just say this up front: Epic Universe is not built for toddlers. Sure, there are a few family attractions, but this park skews older overall. Think 8-10 and up, depending on how sensitive your kid is to dark or intense themes. The tiny stroller parking areas are your first clue. There aren’t many young kids in the park.

Getting There and Getting In: Transportation and Security, and Parking Fees

Let’s start before you even step inside.

Buses and Double-Dipping Parking Fees

Universal resort guests have reliable bus service, and if you’re staying at Stella Nova or Helios Grand Resort, you’re close enough to walk. But heads up, parking is not free, not at your resort or the parks. So driving to Epic Universe would mean an extra $32. At least the buses have excellent theming – a Donkey Kong bus is a pretty sweet ride!

Trading Fingerprints for Facial Recognition

The first time you visit a Universal Park, you will need to have your ticket either on your phone or in physical form. But for future visits, you’ll use photo recognition and hopefully not need your ticket at all. Check out this article for all of the details, including what information the system holds.

Security: Be Careful What You Pack

Security is directly in front of the gate, and it’s a TSA-style screening. Meaning, everything you have with you, even in your pockets, goes in a bin, and then you walk through a metal detector while your stuff goes on the conveyor belt and is screened in an X-ray machine.

This means they will detect any food you have packed – Universal’s food and cooler policy is significantly more limiting than Disney’s. So, pack all the snacks – but they do expect you to purchase meals in the park. Read their full policy here.

Speaking of Food: Mobile Ordering and Refillable Cups

Here’s a wild concept – there are only two restaurants that offer reservations, and you don’t need to eat at one of them to guarantee a table with air-conditioning to sit and relax a bit during meal times. I know, that seems like a fever dream, but I promise it’s true.

Mobile Ordering

Here’s something a Disney Family is used to – mobile ordering. Epic has elevated the mobile order. In most locations, mobile ordering allows you to find a table, sit and think about what everyone wants to order, and then the food comes to you. A definite upgrade from balancing trays of food with a well-meaning child trying to help. No worries, if you don’t want to use mobile ordering, find a table, order at the cashier or bar, and let them know your table number. Then sit back and relax, or at least sit down, and your meal will come to you when it’s ready.

Refillable Cups

Does every Disney family dream of a refillable cup? Epic has made that dream come true. There are Freestyle Coke machines almost everywhere,  waiting for you to fill up. These 20-oz cups don’t need to be filled with soda all day. Different flavors of Vitamin Water are also available. And all guests can get filtered ice water from the Freestyle machines, even if you bring your water bottle from home.  Find all the details here, including pricing

Pro tip: If you’re going into the Ministry of Magic portal, fill up before, as there are no Freestyle Coke Machines in 1920s Paris.

Epic Vibes vs Disney Magic – Is It Always a Great Thing to be 100% New?

The overall feel of Epic Universe is vibrant and new, and very different from the warm nostalgia of Disney. If Disney is Carnegie Hall, Epic is the high-tech concert in the Las Vegas Sphere. Does this matter? Sometimes, yes. At both Epic and Disney, new rides incorporate the latest technology. And that technology can cause downtime for the rides. Peter Pan’s flight is rarely down, because it doesn’t have any bells and whistles; you just hop on a ship and fly.

Every ride at Epic is brand new, which means two things: they don’t have all the kinks out yet, and the tech will always make them more than a classic.

Harry Potter: Battle of the Ministry goes down if a guest crosses their legs. I wish this were hyperbole. Even the shows have had technical delays. This is where parents can shine. Be prepared to pivot.

There’s an App for That, Facial Recognition and Charging Drama

Tech is, as always, both fantastic and a necessary nuisance. The Universal app is not as essential as My Disney Experience, mostly because you don’t need it for Express Pass. But you will still need your phone for much of the day, and there are no paper maps.

Wait Time Notifications

We receive a lot of feedback from guests indicating that they would prefer to have less screen time in the parks. Although you will still need your phone, the Universal app features a function that allows you to avoid spending all day checking wait times. It will notify you when an attraction’s wait time reaches a comfortable level for your family. For example, if you only wish to wait 30 minutes for Hiccup’s Wing Glider, the app will send a notification when that happens. You can also schedule alerts for multiple attractions at once.

Free, Unlimited, FuelRod Swaps – Nope

At Disney World, many families, including the TouringPlans Moms team, use FuelRods because they enjoy the comfort of knowing they can get power to their phones anytime. It’s not ideal, but it is dependable. At Epic, every swap costs $3.21, and it still doesn’t fully charge your phone. We suggest you either charge all your FuelRods before you arrive or have an external battery. Multiple guest services Team Members told me the app eats up your battery.

Smile for the Locker

I’d like to give you a heads-up about the lockers. There are lockers for storing items you don’t want to carry, and there are mandatory lockers at certain rides. All of the lockers use facial recognition. This does slow down the process at the lockers. But more importantly, if mom buys the locker, then nobody else can go and grab your stuff except mom. Technically, they have their ways, but it’s a hassle.

The Add-Ons Aren’t Truly Optional (Sorry Budget)

Before I visited Epic, I thought a Power-Up band was just for collecting points and maybe helping the question boxes make their fun sound. I imagined that you could play all of the games and only miss out on collecting the keys. Most kids wouldn’t know what they were missing. Unfortunately, that is not the case. There are big, fun, and very visible games that you are not allowed to play without a Power Up Band.

I also noticed that much of the magic in the Place Cachée depends on the interactive wands; without them, there isn’t a lot for the young wizards to do.

I know, I know – we weren’t going to have opinions, but as a parent, this is tough. I didn’t say no, and I didn’t regret it. But my credit card was annoyed.

Pro tip: The Ministry of Magic is delightful in the evenings, as it’s easier to see the magic, and pictures come out better without the sun’s reflection.

Rider Swap, Height Requirements, and Strollers

Remember when we said we don’t see Epic as a park meant for toddlers? Let’s dive into that a bit.

Height Requirements

Universal Parks do not allow lap seating. So, if you have a child too young to sit in your lap, they will only be able to ride two rides at Epic, and one of those rides is a water ride, which means you will be soaked. Even the adorable Yoshi ride that moves more slowly than the People Mover has a height requirement of 34″. In addition to the two rides, there are two shows and a splash pad. The fantastic playground, Dragon Training, has shade, areas for kids of different ages, and family restrooms. If they had a way to prevent children from escaping without parents, it would be perfect.

Rider Swap

I know I just said we were trying not to have opinions. And this is not an opinion, it is a fact, and we are judging. The Rider Switch at Epic and all Universal parks is horrible.

This article is already reading like a book, so please check here for details. However, let me just say that the baby has to wait in line, potentially for hours, and then sit in a room while others ride the ride. And we haven’t discussed this, but some of the queues are scary, and the “Family Room” in Monsters Unchained looks and feels like a dungeon. Okay, my rant is over, but you get the idea – don’t plan on Rider Swap.

Strollers and Wagons

If you love your push wagon, here’s some excellent news for you: there are no restrictions on wagons or the size of your stroller. Unlike Disney, you aren’t tripping over strollers all day, so there is no reason to prohibit them.

The Elements: Weather, Stairs, and Sound

There are a few things we want to prepare you for. You may want to pack an umbrella, KT tape, and earplugs.

Looking for Shade and Shelter

I see you, I said ‘umbrella,’ and you immediately thought, ‘We are a poncho family.’ Yes, ponchos are much easier to move around in as a family, but we are suggesting umbrellas for shade.

Like Disney World, Epic is in Orlando, where we have both full sun and heavy rain. Unfortunately, the park has limited options for shade and shelter. Prepare with cooling towels, hydrate often, and hats or umbrellas are important.

Unfortunately, only three attractions and two shows are indoors.  So, when it’s raining, not only is it uncomfortable, but there is not much to do. Have a game plan in mind if you happen to visit on a rainy day. And maybe plan a break back at your resort if it’s just the typical Florida mid-day storm.

Pro tip – Super Nintendo World is crazy slick in the rain, I mean, people are wiping out, and the stairs are especially hazardous when wet. Guests were actually shuffling in the restroom to avoid falling.

Stairs, Stairs, and More Stairs

If you scroll through social media, I’m sure you’ve seen all the drama about the stairs. They are not kidding! There are stairs everywhere. If you are over 35, take your Advil and tape those knees. Unfortunately, I tried the elevator at Battle of the Ministry, which has two flights up, then down, before and after the ride. Waiting for the elevator added 36 minutes to my wait time.

The Volume is Up!

Nobody ever called a theme park quiet, but the sound levels at Epic are uncomfortably high. The worst offender is Super Nintendo World. We were collecting attraction capacity data one day and needed to switch places just to give each other breaks from the assault on our eardrums.

Even the “quiet” background music in Celestial Park is louder than necessary, and in the corners of Darkmoor, the sound bounces off the walls. If your family is at all sensitive to sound, pack some headphones or earplugs for relief.

Epic is Stunning at Night, but Not Exciting

The lighting at Epic is stunning. The park definitely shows off at night. And because there’s no fireworks or an extravaganza like Fantasmic, you can really wander and enjoy the best time of day for Epic.

The Cosmos fountain show is lovely, and you can sit and relax while you enjoy the show. But it doesn’t draw a crowd. And that isn’t exciting, but it also means you don’t have to either dart out before to avoid the rush or stand in a sea of humanity and then fight the crowds carrying all your things and the children on the way out. Leaving the park is more like leaving Animal Kingdom than it is leaving Magic Kingdom.

Touring Plans Moms Say: Yay or Nay

Here are a few thoughts to wrap things up.

YAY: to a full hour of Early Entry. Any resort guest or qualifying passholder has a 60-minute head start at Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, Stardust Racers, and Constellation Carousel.

NAY: To no paper maps. You’ll need to use your phone to navigate the park.

YAY: To all of the fun characters and performers in the portals. Ygor is his own attraction! And meeting Toothless is an experience.

NAY: to the limits on Donkey Kong. DK only comes out once an hour (and sometimes not even that), and guests line up early. Unfortunately, there are no signs or Team Members to let you know that only the first 10 groups will get to see him. Even if you have been waiting for 40 minutes.

yay (lowercase): to the amazing cosplay, especially in the Harry Potter area. Unfortunately, these outfits are so well done that it can be hard to tell if you’re letting your kids interact with professionals or fellow Muggles. Keep a close eye on the kids.

NAY: to the number of restrooms. All of the bathrooms are beautifully themed (Dark Universe might be too authentic, it’s very dark), but unfortunately, there are not as many as we hoped for. The Ministry of Magic does have two restrooms, but every other portal has one. In Super Nintendo World, if you need a restroom and you are at Mine-Cart Madness, you have to go all the way to the exit area of SNW. And if you are near Bowser’s Challenge, that requires steps or an elevator.

YAY: to Isle of Berk – yes friends, they have dragons. This World is perfect. Humor, Great rides, including the sleeper hit Hiccup’s Wing Glider, a popular show, good food, and it’s where little ones will spend the most time.

Hopefully, this helps you feel prepared to explore new worlds! Drop any questions in the comments!