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Our Epic Day at Universal’s Epic Universe Preview
Our Universal Studios Epic Universe preview was indeed epic—and just a little hectic! Mark and I spent a full day exploring the brand-new Universal Epic Universe theme park during a special sneak peek before it officially opens to the public on May 22, 2025. We knew we were walking into a “technical rehearsal,” which meant not everything would be running perfectly, but we were still so excited to experience it all. Spoilers ahead, lots of tips, and tons of photos!
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Despite some frustrations (93-degree weather, large crowds, and a few major ride closures), we still had an absolutely incredible time. This park is meant to be explored slowly, and honestly, one day isn’t nearly enough. But we tried to make the most of our visit by planning one ride, one food, and one drink in each land, giving ourselves breaks along the way, and trying not to wait in any lines longer than 30 minutes.
Let’s break down everything we experienced—and learned!
Early Entry and a Rocky Start
During this short trip we stayed at the beautiful Terra Luna Resort, which gave us early entry access, one hour before day guests. We arrived at the gates at 9:00 a.m., gates opened at 9:30, and we cleared security at 9:40. We were inside Super Nintendo World by 9:55.
The only lands available during early entry are Super Nintendo World and Celestial Park. Of the four ride options (Mario Kart, Donkey Kong: Mine Cart Madness, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Starfall Racers), only Yoshi’s Adventure was up and running when we arrived. Mario Kart had an extremely long wait, and Donkey Kong and Stardust Racers were completely closed for the day.
We explored Super Nintendo World (which was extremely loud and overstimulating first thing in the morning), browsed merch, and took a ton of photos before moving into Celestial Park. The theming here is stunning and spacious, but unfortunately, Stardust Racers—my top must-do ride—was also closed. Since the other portals to the park’s main lands didn’t open until 11 a.m., we snapped more photos and grabbed our first cocktail of the day from Bar Zenith.
Ministry of Magic: Magic, Wands, and a Dream Ride
Once the portals opened, we headed straight to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Our first stop was the wand shop, Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique, where I picked up a new interactive wand. Then we wandered the shops and scoped out the ride queue for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.
Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry is currently open limited hours and is only accessible to ride with a virtual queue lottery. BUT the exciting part is that they did have the ride queue open for anyone to walk through and explore, so we did that several times and got to experience the Floo system and the entire immersive ride line without actually getting on the ride. We got to take our time, and you could walk through as many times as you wanted – a content creator’s dream!
This ride uses a virtual queue with drops at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. (and they fill up immediately). We were lucky enough to score a 3 p.m. virtual queue for a 6-7:20 PM callback! The Floo Network, Ministry offices, magical effects—it was beyond my expectations and truly a dream for Harry Potter fans. And when we finally got to ride it later that night? Worth. Every. Second. More on that later.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
Pizza, Monsters, and Midday Heat
After exploring the Ministry, we were starving and a little overheated, so we grabbed lunch at Pizza Moon. This spot has instantly become a fan favorite, and it lived up to the hype—delicious food, great AC, and well-themed interiors. At this point, we declared Epic Universe a certified foodie park.
Dark Universe
Next, we made our way to Dark Universe, my second most anticipated land—and it did not disappoint. We rode Monsters Unchained (which thankfully didn’t trigger my motion sickness like Forbidden Journey does) and Curse of the Werewolf, which felt like a thrilling combo of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. The only downside? It’s a short ride. Still, so worth it, though.
We also ducked into the Burning Blade Tavern, which was packed but had fantastic spooky vibes and strong drinks (though, heads up: they’re pricey for the size).
By now, it was HOT. So, we returned to Terra Luna Resort for a recharge—and we’re happy we did.
Part Two: Nighttime Magic
Feeling refreshed, we returned to Epic Universe and headed into the vibrant How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. The theming here is adorable, and it’s clearly the most kid-friendly land outside of Nintendo. Because many rides in other lands were down, this area was packed, so we didn’t linger too long.
But we did grab two must-try food items: the viral Mac & Cheese Cone from Hooligan’s Grog and Gruel (insane!) and the Celestial Steamed Buns from Star Sui Bao (delicious!).
As the sun set, we soaked in the nighttime ambiance, took one last spin on Yoshi’s Adventure, and watched the Burning Blade Tavern burst into flames in true dramatic fashion. Epic Universe transforms after dark—everything feels more magical and cinematic.
The Perfect Ending
Finally, at 8 p.m., the Battle at the Ministry ride officially opened. Because of the delays, our virtual queue was converted into an Express Pass, and we walked right on with hardly any wait. And let me tell you—this ride is everything I dreamed it would be and more. It’s the most technologically advanced, immersive, and emotionally powerful theme park experience I’ve ever had. I honestly teared up thinking about how long I’ve been waiting for something like this since reading the books in 2000. And bonus: still no motion sickness for me!
We slowly made our way out of the park in the dark and just drank it all in. I think, at the end of the day, we both realized how much we want Universal annual passes and plan to do so once they include Epic Universe. I look forward to going back and learning all the ins and outs of this park so I can continue to share with you all!
Final Thoughts & Tips
This park is huge. It’s too much to conquer in one day, especially in the heat and crowds. Express Passes are absolutely worth it. Pack a backpack—there are lots of large lockers available. Bring sunscreen, hats, and even an umbrella for the sun. The park has water refill stations everywhere, but very little shade. There are also a lot of stairs, so wear supportive shoes.
Most importantly: don’t expect to do it all. Make a flexible plan, build in breaks, and enjoy being in a brand-new, breathtaking park full of creativity and magic.
We’re already planning to get Universal annual passes once Epic Universe is included, and I can’t wait to share more tips, updates, and photos with you all.
Let me know if you are ready to start planning a trip to Universal Studios!
I’m glad the motion sickness didn’t get you. I’m always worried about that for myself and this gives me hope. I’m looking forward to just hanging out at the dark universe and taking in those spooky vibes.
Yes! I was so thrilled that the 2 rides I was most worried about would be too much like Forbidden Journey and they were so much smoother!