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Universal Handing Out Free Passes After Latest ‘Harry Potter’ Ride Blunder

Sunday night at Epic Universe was supposed to be magical.

The park was buzzing with energy, the sun was setting over its elaborate lands, and fans were lining up for Battle at the Ministry, the flagship ride in the park’s Harry Potter–themed area. But by the time the night ended, some guests were leaving with something unexpected: free passes for other rides—and no trip through the Ministry of Magic.

Large decorative entrance sign for Universal Epic Universe, featuring gold and green accents, a sunburst design, gears, and the words: “Beyond this gate find gardens and epic worlds to fill your soul.” as a possible new Universal expansion project could be going on.
Credit: Andrew Boardwine, ITM

How the Evening Unfolded

The problems started at 8:15 p.m. when Battle at the Ministry came to a sudden stop. At first, guests might have assumed it was just a short delay. But when the work lights came on at 8:22 p.m., it became clear this was going to take longer than a quick reset.

Operations eventually resumed at 8:55 p.m., and guests got their hopes up—only to have them dashed when the ride went down again before the park closed for the night. For some, it was their one and only chance to experience the new attraction, and it slipped away in a matter of minutes.

Making It Right

Universal didn’t let disappointed guests leave empty-handed. As a gesture of goodwill, those exiting after the downtime received two Single Attraction Passes each, valid for any Epic Universe ride through September. That’s a decent perk—especially if it means jumping on other big-ticket rides like How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk or Curse of the Werewolf without waiting.

But as nice as free passes are, they can’t replace the experience fans were hoping for. For Harry Potter lovers who had built their whole evening around Battle at the Ministry, the consolation prize fell short of the main event.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter inside of Epic Universe
Credit: Andrew Boardwine, Inside the Magic

Not an Isolated Incident

While breakdowns are normal for new attractions, Battle at the Ministry has been hit with so many that it’s developing a reputation. Early closures and mid-day downtimes have become common enough that regular visitors are starting to plan their days around the possibility of the ride being unavailable.

For a marquee attraction that’s supposed to be one of the biggest draws of Epic Universe, that’s a problem. Guests expect occasional hiccups, but when downtime becomes the norm rather than the exception, patience wears thin.

What Guests Can Do

If you’ve got a trip planned and Battle at the Ministry is on your must-do list, your best bet is to ride it early in the day. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of running into one of these closures. And if you do get unlucky, at least you might walk away with some free passes to make the sting a little less sharp.

Until Universal works out the kinks, Battle at the Ministry might be the park’s most thrilling—and most unpredictable—adventure.

Andrew Boardwine

A frequent visitor of Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, Andrew will likely be found freefalling on Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or enjoying Pirates of the Caribbean. Over at Universal, he'll be taking in the thrills of the Jurassic World Velocicoaster and Revenge of the Mummy

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