After years of hype, Epic Universe is just three months away from opening its gates. Universal Orlando’s newest theme park is set to deliver five massive, fully immersive worlds, each packed with next-level attractions, cutting-edge tech, and the kind of world-building that could make Disney sweat. But as the countdown to opening day ticks down, fans have spotted one controversial detail that’s already sparking debate.
A Game-Changer for Theme Parks?
Anchoring the park is Celestial Park, a stunning entry area filled with lush gardens, water features, and high-speed thrills. But the real draw? The themed lands.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD finally brings the Mushroom Kingdom to Florida, where guests can zip through Bowser’s Castle, explore Yoshi’s Island, and even take a leap into Donkey Kong Country for a mine cart adventure. Dark Universe reimagines classic horror, throwing guests into Frankenstein’s experiments and the eerie streets of a monster-infested world.
Meanwhile, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expands with a Parisian setting inspired by Fantastic Beasts, plus the iconic Ministry of Magic, giving Potter fans yet another reason to dust off their wands. Rounding out the park is How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons bring a kid-friendly, fire-breathing spectacle to life—rumors even suggest an animatronic Toothless will be waiting to greet guests.
Virtual Queues Everywhere?
With so many first-of-their-kind attractions, demand is going to be off the charts when Epic Universe opens in May. Universal knows this, which is probably why it’s leaning into a virtual queue system to manage crowds.
Yesterday, Epic Universe was officially added to Universal Orlando’s resort map, and eagle-eyed fans immediately noticed something that set off alarms: every land appears to have a virtual queue symbol next to it.
All the lands of Epic Universe have a virtual queue… should we be worried?
#EpicUniverse
All the lands of Epic Universe have a virtual queue… should we be worried?#EpicUniverse pic.twitter.com/QETGoWSyg4
— All Things Universal (@AllTUniversal) February 28, 2025
While this doesn’t necessarily mean guests will need a virtual pass just to enter the lands, it does suggest Universal plans to use the system in some form across the entire park. This isn’t Universal’s first experiment with virtual queues—Volcano Bay relies on them heavily, and Disney has been using them for years, including for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which only just eliminated its boarding groups.
Does Epic Universe Really Need Virtual Queues?
It’s no secret that theme park fans have a love-hate relationship with virtual queues. The idea sounds great in theory—spend less time waiting in line and more time exploring—but in practice, it’s often confusing, restrictive, and leaves many guests scrambling to secure a spot before they’re gone.
Reactions to the news have been mixed, with some questioning how this will impact access to Epic Universe’s biggest attractions.
For now, Universal hasn’t confirmed exactly how the system will work, and it’s possible things could change before opening day. But with theme park crowds getting wilder every year, it looks like Universal is betting big on virtual queues to keep things under control. Whether that’s a genius move or a logistical nightmare? We’ll find out soon.
How do you feel about mass virtual queues at Epic Universe?
