With Epic Universe set to open its gates on May 22, the countdown is officially on for what promises to be Universal Orlando Resort’s most ambitious theme park yet.
As the third park at the resort, Epic Universe is designed to redefine immersive experiences, blending iconic intellectual properties with original concepts in a way that could reshape Orlando’s theme park landscape.
And now, Universal has dropped a major update — changing how guests can secure tickets for this highly anticipated park.
The Hype Builds For Epic Universe
From the spellbinding Ministry of Magic in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to the classic monsters lurking in Dark Universe, Epic Universe is packed with carefully crafted lands that cater to every type of parkgoer.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD promises high-octane rides like Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and Mine Cart Madness, while How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk boasts family-friendly fun with Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and the Untrainable Dragon stage show.
At the heart of it all lies Celestial Park, an original concept land where astrology-inspired rides like Stardust Racers aim to captivate guests with cosmic wonder.
Universal Drops Multi-Day Ticket Requirement for Epic Universe
Until now, the only way to experience Epic Universe was to purchase a multi-day ticket that included access to Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure. This move sparked mixed reactions — some saw it as a strategic effort to balance attendance across all three parks, while others viewed it as an attempt to push guests into spending more money by bundling tickets.
But that all changed today.
Universal Orlando Resort has officially scrapped the multi-day ticket requirement, now offering single-day tickets to Epic Universe – but only from June 1. This means guests can explore the new park without having to add extra days at its sister locations (although we can’t imagine Universal isn’t hoping guests will continue to do so regardless).
To purchase these single-day tickets, guests must first enter a brief virtual queue before accessing the ticketing page. At the time of writing, this queue has been temporarily paused due to “a high volume of requests.” Earlier today, however, waits were averaging 10 minutes.
Prices for these tickets range from $139 to $199 for adults and $134 to $194 for children aged three to nine.
Disney World Watches as Universal Expands
The arrival of Epic Universe also reignites an ongoing conversation about how this new park might impact Florida’s reigning vacation giant — Walt Disney World Resort.
Though Disney has remained tight-lipped about building a fifth gate, the company isn’t staying idle. Instead of expanding with an entirely new park, Disney has opted to double down on its existing properties. Magic Kingdom will soon welcome two new areas — one inspired by Pixar’s Cars and another centered around Disney Villains — alongside the upcoming Disney Starlight Nighttime Parade.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is in the process of phasing out DinoLand U.S.A., gradually replacing it with Tropical Americas — a new land influenced by Encanto (2021) and the Indiana Jones franchise. Meanwhile, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will swap out Muppet*Vision 3D for a Monsters, Inc. (2001)-themed area (yes, we’re already in mourning), with Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster getting a Muppets retheme to keep Kermit’s presence alive.
The battle for Orlando’s theme park dominance is heating up, and with Epic Universe breaking new ground, all eyes are on how Disney will respond.
Are you planning to grab a single-day ticket and step into Epic Universe this summer?
