How Much Does it Cost to Visit Epic Universe?
Epic Universe is the shiny theme park in town, and everyone wants to visit the brand-new attractions and amazing themed environments. But it is not cheap, with base tickets starting more expensive than the other two parks and not yet being included in annual passes. This article will price out the average day at Epic Universe for a family of four staying off-site and driving to the park.
The Scenario
Here’s our scenario: we’ll be touring with a family of four, Homer the dad and Marge the mom, along with child Bart and Lisa (Maggie is with Patty and Selma at home) on April 1, 2026, a Crowd Level 4 day at Epic Universe.. They will be driving to the park using their own car, purchase one-day admission for each person, eat in the park for lunch and dinner, have a snack and drink in the park, and buy souvenirs. We’ll also look at the pricing with Express Pass, you know, if Mr. Burns is paying. As a reminder, we’ll be factoring in Orange County’s 6.5% sales tax on all items.
Note: All prices are accurate as of the date of publishing.
Admission & Parking
We are looking at single-day tickets to Epic Universe for two adults and two kids. While Universal advertises tickets starting at $139.00, we found our dates’ price is $194, only $5 less than the Christmas period. Ouch.
| Adult ($194.00, plus tax, x2) | $413.22 |
| Child ($189.00, plus tax, x2) | $402.57 |
| Cumulative Total | $815.79 |
Homer’s driving the pink Plymouth junker to the park, so let’s factor in parking:
| Parking (General, Tax Included) | $32 |
| Cumulative Total | $847.79 |
Nearly $850 and we’re not in the door yet.
Express Pass
Good news: Express Pass is not mandatory. With a solid touring plan and showing up before park opening, following the plan, and staying till close, you can complete a full tour of the park. But Express Pass sure is nice to have!
| Express Pass ($290 plus tax, x4) | $1235.40 |
Food, Drinks, and Snacks
The Simpsons will have two meals in the park, a snack break, and a round of drinks for the adults and kids. The two meals will be at a counter service location in Celestial Park – splitting two pies at Pizza Moon and BBQ at Oak and Star Tavern, plus drinks.
| Lunch @ Pizza Moon (Two Pizzas, Three Sodas, One Beer) | $81.25 |
| Dinner @ Oak & Star Tavern (Two Platters, Two Handhelds, Two Mixed Drinks, Two Sodas) | $132.02 |
| Snack @ Frosty Moon (Four Cookies) | $20.41 |
| Drinks @ The Wizarding World (Two Mixed Drinks, Two Butterbeers) | $57.51 |
| Cumulative Total | $291.19 |
Cut that $300 bill down some by cutting back on the alcohol and stealing sips of the kid’s butterbeers. Good news: water is free.
Merchandise
Captain Cacao is so cute, so Bart and Lisa are picking up one of those each, plus the whole family is getting a round of t-shirts.
| Two Captain Cacao Plush with Tax | $85.20 |
| Four T-shirts with Tax | $149.10 |
| Cumulative Total | $234.30 |
The Final Bill
Ok, let’s check out the final bill…
| Admission | $815.79 |
| Parking | $32.00 |
| Food | $213.27 |
| Snacks | $77.92 |
| Merch | $234.30 |
| Express Pass (Optional) | $1235.40 |
| Cumulative Total | $1373.28 ($2608.68 with Express Pass) |
YIKES! $1374 for a family of four is astonishing; that’s more than most families spend on all vacations in one year, let alone one day. But there is some tips you can follow to save some serious cash when visiting Epic Universe.
Money Saving Tips for Epic Universe
⭐️ Choose a different day to visit. Switching to the last week of January (January 28th, 2026) drops the admission cost to $692.25 with tax, a savings of $123.54. The same day’s Express Pass for each guest is $639.00, a savings of $596.40!
⭐️ Epic Universe has large family serving options at Pizza Moon and Mead Hall, which cost less per person than a standard entree at other restaurants.
⭐️ Instead of $77 on snacks, consider bringing your own snacks into the park. Universal isn’t a fan of coolers full of perishable food, but small non-perishable snacks like granola bars and trail mix are ok.
⭐️ We love a good drink as much as the next person, but cutting back on alcohol is a quick way to reduce your costs. This is especially true at Epic Universe, where mixed drinks can cost around $18.
⭐️ Buy t-shirts for your trip from other sources or provide them to your kids instead of a $40 plush.
Making these changes can add up to $470 in savings! By choosing an off-season to visit and spending your money wisely, you can get into Epic Universe for a family of four for $900, including tickets and food.
Do you have any good tips that save you money in Epic Universe or the other Universal parks? Leave them in the comments below!
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Thanks for this look at the costs for attending. It certainly can give a starting point. I’m used to DVC where my room is prepaid in my annual dues and parking isn’t an issue. Access to discount tickets also makes it sweeter. So planning trips to Universal is eye watering at times and a reality check for those who may not have the same opportunities as I do.
Universal Studios outside food policy is very strict. The following information is from there website-
Prohibited Items
Explosives, weapons, items that can be used as or has the appearance of a weapon
Alcohol or drinks containing alcohol
Marijuana or any item containing Cannabis or related paraphernalia
Illegal items
Power driven or radio frequency-controlled devices*
Outside food and beverages**
Coolers***
Glass
Suitcases/Bags with wheels
Folding chairs
Any other items Universal personnel deem to be inappropriate, disruptive or harmful
*Only devices utilized as a mobility device are permitted.
**Permitted items include bottled water (2 liters per guest max), any food required for medical purposes, medically indicated nutritional supplements, or for special dietary needs, and baby food/baby formula.
They may be lenient, or you can sneak them in, but the rules are clear. Disney’s outside food policy is very good. Universal will give you water, but in a small Dixie size cup. Maybe Universal Studios need the extra food money they can swindle from you to pay for Epic.
Darn, I was hoping the TP crew was going to bring an entire Thanksgiving dinner into Epic Universe 🙂
Hi Will,
That stiupation on food is new to me. Just this past September trip I saw a family with a whole loaf of bread make sandwiches in the Wizarding World! Also I’ve been able to bring in granola bars and other snacks with no issue. I think the main worry with their language is people bringing in full coolers that aren’t properly cooled and lead to food poisoning.
I will update the article with clarifications. 🙂