Universal Orlando Resort is preparing for one of its biggest expansions ever with the opening of Epic Universe on May 22, 2025. The highly anticipated theme park promises to bring guests a next-level immersive experience, featuring five unique lands: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
Although the park’s grand opening is still months away, Universal has been allowing employees an early look with exclusive team member previews. Now, Universal has decided to extend those previews once again, but not without some controversy along the way.
Epic Universe Previews Extended Once Again
Originally, Universal scheduled its team member previews for March 17-25 and March 29-31. After an initial extension through April 5, the company has now pushed the deadline back even further, giving employees and their families the chance to visit through April 16.
During these previews, team members can reserve tickets for themselves and up to three guests through Universal’s External Ticket Distribution System. While this allows employees to experience the park ahead of its official debut, there are strict rules in place regarding content sharing. Universal has made it clear that photos and videos are prohibited, though team members can still use the official My Universal Photos service to capture their visit.
Controversy Over Media Leaks
Despite Universal’s no-photo policy, footage and sneak peeks from inside Epic Universe have already surfaced online. Some employees have reportedly invited vloggers, influencers, and theme park reviewers as their “family members,” allowing them to get an early look at the park. While this practice isn’t technically against Universal’s stated rules, it has led to unapproved content being posted on social media.
In response to these leaks, Universal is now enforcing a new restriction that goes beyond banning photos and videos—team members and their guests are allegedly no longer allowed to post reviews or share opinions about their experience at Epic Universe.
A guest who attended one of the previews took to social media to claim that Universal has now implemented a rule preventing attendees from posting thoughts or reviews about their visit. This has sparked discussion among theme park fans, with some criticizing Universal for being overly strict while others argue that the park is still in a testing phase and reviews at this stage wouldn’t be entirely accurate.
Why Universal Is Cracking Down on Early Reviews
Related: New Rumor Claims Universal Is Working On an Epic Universe Documentary
Universal’s decision to limit reviews likely stems from a few key reasons. Epic Universe is still in technical rehearsals, meaning attractions and operations are not yet finalized. Allowing early reviews could misrepresent the experience that guests will have once the park officially opens. Additionally, early feedback—especially if negative—could shape public perception before the park is truly ready to welcome visitors.
There’s also the issue of spoilers. Many fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to experience Epic Universe for the first time, and premature details about ride mechanics, shows, or interactive elements could take away from the excitement of seeing everything firsthand.
What About Annual Passholder Previews?
The continued extensions of team member previews have led some Universal Annual Passholders to wonder if their promised previews will still happen before the park opens. Universal has stated that passholder previews will be announced at a later date, but with ongoing extensions for employees, some passholders are concerned that their window for early access may be shrinking.
With just under two months left before Epic Universe officially opens, Universal seems focused on fine-tuning the guest experience before the public gets their first official look. Whether or not they will be able to keep all leaks under control remains to be seen, but for now, team members are still getting extra time to explore the park—just without the ability to share their thoughts with the world.
