As Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park prepares for its grand debut in May 2025, excitement continues to build around the park’s innovative attractions and immersive experiences. After years of anticipation and delays, the upcoming park promises to offer a fresh wave of magic for theme park enthusiasts.
However, with all the buzz surrounding the new park, tensions have started to rise, particularly regarding one aspect that could shape the park’s unveiling. As the preview period progresses, issues have begun to surface around how some of the park’s exclusive content is being shared before its official opening.
Related: Universal Epic Universe Approaches Grand Opening with Crowd Control Measures
Universal’s Epic Universe has been years in the making, with the park originally slated for a 2023 opening. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the project, and now, after nearly six years of construction, the park is nearly ready to welcome guests.
While the public still has a few months to wait, team members and select guests have been allowed access to preview parts of the park ahead of the grand opening.
Unfortunately, controversy has emerged surrounding the behavior of an influencer who violated the park’s strict filming rules during a preview event. The incident highlights the challenges faced by theme parks in managing early access to new attractions, as influencers and social media stars scramble for the chance to share exclusive content.
During these previews, Universal has implemented a strict policy to keep details under wraps, requiring all attendees to sign an agreement that prohibits them from taking photos, videos, or sharing any content from inside the park.
This rule was designed to preserve the element of surprise and ensure that the park’s unveiling remains a memorable experience for the public. However, not everyone has followed these guidelines.
Recently, an influencer, known as “Disneyworld Vacationer” on social media, was caught filming and sharing footage from one of the restricted areas inside Epic Universe.
The influencer posted a video showing the entrance to one of the lands, which is a major part of the park’s design. Universal had previously released concept art revealing that guests will be able to travel through various portals to enter different themed areas within the park.
This particular footage, which was shared widely on social media, violated Universal’s filming restrictions.
X (formerly Twitter) user Shawn In Orlando shared an image of the video, accompanied by a remark that quickly drew attention.
SOMEBODY IS ABOUT TO GET FIRED
SOMEBODY IS ABOUT TO GET FIRED pic.twitter.com/cuF9HyCYDw
— SHAWN IN ORLANDO! (@ShawnNOrlando) March 22, 2025
The tweet, which has since garnered significant attention, implied that the influencer’s actions could lead to serious consequences, specifically for the Universal team member who invited them to the preview.
Shawn In Orlando’s tweet was met with widespread criticism for the “influencer”, with many pointing out the blatant disregard for the rules. The video not only ignored the NDA but also captured a sign in the footage clearly stating that taking photos or videos was prohibited.
This contradiction made the influencer’s actions even more problematic, as it was evident that the person filming knew the rules but chose to ignore them for the sake of exclusive content.
Related: Epic Universe Entry Just Got Easier: Universal Announces Major Ticket Update
Despite the backlash, the influencer, Disneyworld Vacationer, has not taken down the footage. In fact, they uploaded it to their YouTube channel, where the comments were filled with criticism from viewers who were outraged by the blatant violation of the rules.
One commenter remarked, “They knew the rules, and still decided to break them just to get views.”
Universal, on the other hand, has not made any official statements regarding the incident, but the situation has certainly sparked concern within the theme park community.
Last week, Universal sent an email to its employees reiterating the rules regarding preview access, subtly hinting that influencers and vloggers have been problematic in terms of respecting the filming guidelines. While the email didn’t single out specific individuals, many interpreted it as a direct response to this and other similar incidents.
Universal is likely to continue monitoring the actions of team members and their guests to protect the integrity of the park’s opening and ensure that content remains exclusive until the official debut.
However, many believe that stricter penalties should be introduced, including banning those who violate filming rules from future park events or permanently revoking their access to Universal properties.
As Universal prepares for the grand opening of Epic Universe, the park is continuing to finalize its attractions and experiences, which will include virtual lines and other innovative features designed to enhance guest experiences.
With tickets already on sale for the new theme park, the excitement is building for what promises to be one of Universal’s most immersive and groundbreaking attractions.
But as the preview period continues, Universal must maintain control over the flow of information and ensure that influencers and guests respect the rules they agreed to when attending these exclusive previews.
What do you think Universal should do about influencers who break filming rules? Should they be banned from future events, or should stricter enforcement of the NDA be the way forward? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
