Universal’s newest theme park is in preview mode—but with major ride closures and technical issues, is Epic Universe ready for prime time?

Universal Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort will officially open on May 22, 2025. The brand-new theme park is going through paid previews currently. To put it nicely, it is not going according to plan. We have visited three times during previews. As a result, we have seen parts of Universal Epic Universe that are not ready for prime time. Today, May 7, stands as a very poor day for the theme park.

In fairness, many aspects of Universal Epic Universe function wonderfully. However, if guests are going to pay real money to attend, more things need to be working adequately. Nevertheless, the May 7 preview day will not go down in history as the best day at Universal Epic Universe. As a result, it appears Universal Orlando Resort is taking some drastic measures to fix the problem while they can.

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is the one attraction causing the most anxiety for team members and guests alike. For the record, we have ridden this attraction. Besides causing a bit of motion sickness for some of our group, the ride is magnificent and almost everything a Wizarding World of Harry Potter fan could want.

This ride has been unreliable for some time. In fact, even leading up to team member previews, it rarely completed a full cycle. Universal Orlando Resort instituted a “Virtual Line” system during previews for this attraction, which immediately lowered guest satisfaction. Also, on many days, the attractions did not open until 3:00 p.m., meaning even fewer opportunities for preview guests at Universal Epic Universe to experience it.

On May 7, Universal Orlando posted on its website that “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry will be closed during Epic Universe previews May 10-16” However, the Ministry of Magic attraction will remain open for self-guided tours.

It also stated that the Viking Training Camp will also be closed May 13-16. Universal Orlando said this was being done for final preparations. With significant dates coming up for Universal Orlando starting May 19 and official opening on May 22, everything needs to be working.

Epic Universe Attractions Closures on May 7

During a recent visit to Universal Epic Universe, we experienced many attraction closures. During some times of that day, more attractions were closed than open. We understand that these are previews, so you pay your money and you take your chances. All of that sounds fair since guests get to experience this brand-new theme park before most guests. However, the hard-working team members need time to practice with larger and larger crowds before the grand opening.

Today failed to be a good day for team members to gain experience. For example, many attractions cannot stay open today.

Hiccup’s Wing Gliders in the “How to Train Your Dragon” section of Epic Universe has been down most of the day. During our most recent visit, this family-style coaster went down numerous times. When it was operating, the posted wait was two hours. This attraction makes a fantastic family-style roller coaster with enough thrills for everyone. Still, it brings disappointment when people in the queue hear that Hiccup and Toothless are fine-tuning the attraction. Also inthe Isle of Berk world of Universal Epic Universe, Fyre Drill, a water-based attraction was marked as being closed for the day.

In addition, Stardust Racers, a previously reliable attraction, did not operate in the morning and early afternoon on May 7. The “dueling” coaster loads efficiently, so with it down, all those people have to find something else to do, filling queues at the open attractions. While Universal Epic Universe has plenty of character interactions and other things to do, attractions being closed puts lots of pressure on the theme park operations.

The “Cirque Arcanus” in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area had its first show of the day canceled. During our visits, this marvelous show that theme park fans will love has often gone down.

Mine Cart Madness at Epic Universe Closed Today

In Super Nintendo World, Mine Cart Madness remained closed all day. This unique coaster attraction has struggled during previews. It often fails to open for early park admission. When combined with its slower loading system, a shutdown of the ride means a significantly lower number of people get to experience the hidden track aspect of this ride.

We experienced the attraction not opening on time during our most recent visit to Universal Epic Universe. In our case, it did open about 30 minutes late that day.

is Universal Epic Universe Ready for Prime Time?

Theme park operations should not be defined based on a few days. Still, this does not look good for a theme park with hundreds of media types preparing to descend upon the Universal Orlando theme park for the grand opening in about two weeks. Theme parks go through growing pains. This is why soft openings and previews occur. Universal Orlando Resort will learn from today. Only time will tell how quickly these operational issues will be solved.

Universal Epic Universe

Universal Epic Universe is Universal Orlando Resort’s upcoming theme park It promises to be Universal’s most ambitious project yet, featuring immersive lands based on popular franchises like How to Train Your Dragon, Harry Potter, Universal Monsters, and Super Nintendo World. The park is designed to deliver next-level storytelling through cutting-edge technology, themed environments, and thrilling rides. Located a few miles from Universal’s existing parks, Universal Epic Universe includes a central hub, Celestial Park connecting each land. It’s expected to redefine the theme park experience and compete directly with Walt Disney World.

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