Main Street Dreamers

Universal Orlando’s newest park, Epic Universe, is one of the most ambitious theme park projects ever built. With five portals leading to immersive, enchanting lands, you are sure of an incredible day at this park. The park includes cutting-edge attractions, incredible shows and brand new character meets around the massive area. Today, we’re stepping away from our usual Disney magic for just a moment, to take you inside the world of Epic Universe. We will share with you how we made the most of our 1 day ticket to the park, and how you can too.

Park Opening

Our top tip if you have a one day ticket is to ensure that you get to the park around 30 minutes before park opening. You will most likely be allowed into the park earlier than the scheduled opening time. For us, it was a 10am opening and we were allowed in at 09:45. Top tip – Make the most of your day if staying at a Universal resort with a one hour early park entry.

Super Nintendo World – 10am

Without a doubt, the most popular and busiest land in Epic Universe all day was Super Nintendo World. This land transports you right into the Mushroom Kingdom, with immersive areas and bright colours welcoming you in. These attractions become popular quickly, so get in line as soon as you can if these rides are a priority for you. You have 3 attractions to choose from; Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Yoshi’s adventure and Donkey Kong Mine -Cart Madness, which means there’s something for all the family. These attractions will come at a wait, so prepare for that.

Stardust Racers – 11:30am

Not too far from Super Nintendo World, you will find Stardust racers. This is Epic Universe’s signature dueling launch coaster. This does give us a bit of nostalgia for Dueling Dragons over at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. However, it’s clear that this is a step up in technology from the ride that closed back in 2017. This, along with Super Nintendo World, is an incredibly popular attraction at Epic Universe, so aim to get that done before the lines build up too much.

Isle of Berk – 12pm

By lunch time, head over to How to Train your Dragon, Isle of Berk. This land feels enormous, with dragons swooping overhead and so many shopping and dining areas to explore. We grabbed lunch at Spit Fyre Grill. Make sure to try their Mac and Cheese cones, you will not be disappointed. After lunch, make your way over to the Untrainable Dragon show – quite possibly our favourite Universal show ever. (We are not ashamed to admit that we cried). This is unlike any other show that Universal Orlando has introduced. This show is a mix of puppetry, live actions, and big ‘wow’ moments. Ensure you look above you because the show is full of incredible surprises!

Dark Universe: 1:30pm

As you leave Isle of Berk, step into the moody world of Dark Universe. In Dartmoor you will find two distinctive attractions to enjoy. The first of which is Monster’s Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. We waited only 15 minutes for this ride, and we would’ve waited a long time more. The ride system is the same as Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey, but is a real step forward. This ride mixes storytelling and scares, and the ride system keeps you flying quickly between each scene. Note – This ride moves you much more than Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and we would warn those with motion sickness.

The other ride you will find here is The Curse of the Werewolf. This rollercoaster twists you through a creepy forest, and is just as entertaining as the other attractions you will find at Epic Universe.

Quite honestly, you could spend a whole afternoon exploring the shops and dining in this area alone. While we were there also, we found this land to be quieter and less chaotic than others. This ensured we could spend a bit more time exploring and having the full experience of the land.

Wizarding World : Ministry of Magic – 3pm

No trip is ever complete without a little magic. The newest addition to Universal’s Wizarding World take us inside the Ministry of Magic. This area blends Parisian culture with Harry Potter stories that you would expect to see. The major attraction in this land is of course Battle at the Ministry. Full disclosure, we didn’t make it on this ride during our day at the park. The line was constantly over 2 hours, and in the July heat with a pregnant sister in tow, it was not something we were willing to do. However, if you ask for a tour, they will allow you to visit the incredible Metrofloo and the Ministry entrance with the incredible Professor Umbridge banner. This was a great alternative for us and we were really grateful that it was possible. Also, don’t forget about the Le Cirque Arcanus for an magical show inside a grand circus tent.

On your way out of this land, stop at Creperie Madame Crepe for a butterbeer crepe. This crepe is filled with Butterbeer flavoured custard, with a toffee flavoured drizzle and whipped cream. We are not the biggest fans of Butterbeer usually, but this was incredible. We believe this is a must-do snack for your Epic Universe day.

Dinner at Blue Dragon – 6pm

Located in Celestial Park, Epic Universe’s main hub, this table service restaurant features Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean flavours. This restaurant is a social dining option. What this means is that food comes out of the kitchen when it is ready, not when the whole table’s items are ready. This may mean that your food may arrive a lot earlier than someone else on your table. The aim of this is to encourage guests to order multiple dishes to share, in order to taste a variety of flavours. While expensive, this restaurant boasts incredible reviews, and is a true must do for any foodies in your group.

Celestial Park – 8pm

For your final hour before park close, spend your time leisurely in Celestial Park. The atmosphere completely changes after dark, with glowing lights and an illuminated fountain guided the way. Hop on the Whimsical Constellation Carousel and stick around for the nighttime spectacular that finishes your day at the park in style. You will also find many gift shops to grab a souvenir of your day, so make sure you stop on your way out of the park.

In conclusion, with careful planning you can experience a lot at Epic Universe in one day. From early thrills on Stardust racers, to a magical ending at Celestial Park. This park is going to be busy, so arrive early and pace yourself. Also, knowing your must-do attractions will make all the difference.  Don’t forget to slow down and enjoy the food, the atmosphere, and those little details that make Epic Universe so incredible!

Will you be planning a one-day trip, or will you be taking more time to explore? We would love to hear your strategy!

• The sisters behind Main Street Dreamers