One Day Epic Universe Itinerary for Your First Visit

When Epic Universe opened at Universal Orlando Resort it made a big splash in the theme park world! It was Orlando’s first new park in quite awhile and brought new never-before-see lands.

And I was SO excited to visit on our Universal trip.

But at the same time, Epic Universe can feel a little overwhelming. There are several rides in the park (like Ministry of Magic) that have become notorious for their hours long wait and I DID NOT want to be spending my whole day at Epic Universe waiting in line.

So, I was determined to come up with the most efficient plan to get on every ride and have a great time doing it. And I’m happy to say I succeeded! We had the BEST day at Epic Universe, rode several favorite rides more than once, and honestly never felt too stressed.

So I’m going to share my one day Epic Universe itinerary with Express Pass with you, but I also am going to recommend strategies for tackling the park without Express Pass. So let’s go!

What’s At Epic Universe?

A colorful, whimsical entrance structure inspired by the Super Mario franchise, featuring bright pipes, a rainbow-tiled tower, and iconic Mario elements like a red mushroom, fire flower, gold coin, and stars at the top. The archway below includes the phrase “HERE WE GO!” above a rounded design that resembles a portal, with playful Mario-themed details throughout. — Portal entrance to Super Nintendo World!

Epic Universe is the newest theme park at Universal Orlando Resort and it has brought such fun and new imaginative lands to the resort!

You’ll walk into Celestial Park, the central hub from where you will access all the “portals.” And those portals include Super Nintendo World, Isle of Berk (How to Train You Dragon), Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic, and Dark Universe.

Universal has really stepped up the game here as far as theming goes. The details in each land are incredible, and the entire park is absolutely beautiful. Plus the rides here? They do some really exciting new things.

Know Before You Go

Before you go, here are some tips for planning your visit:

Buy your tickets in advance. I love to buy tickets through Undercover Tourist to save money!
Download the Universal Orlando app before you go and start to study the map so you know where things are. Also, link your reservations to the app.
Bring a portable phone charger, a poncho, and a water bottle. If you get Express Pass, you may also want a lanyard to easily scan into your rides.
Consider Express Pass, which lets you access shorter lines. While Express Pass for Epic Universe is pricey, considering how long the wait times can sometimes be here I think it is well worth it!
Arrive early, ideally 45 minutes to 1 hour before your park entrance time. And if you have Early Park Admission, have a plan for what ride you’re heading to first!

One Day Epic Universe Itinerary With Express Pass

Here’s how our day went in Epic Universe with Express Pass. It was a truly magical day and I’m so glad we bought Express Pass for it!

The longest line we waited in all day was Battle at the Ministry, where the whole experience took us about an hour (and this was during a week where I met people who had waited five hours for the ride without Express Pass!).

Morning: Super Nintendo World & Isle of Berk

The day we were there, Epic Universe opened to Universal Hotel guests for Early Park Admission at 9:00. We got on the bus from our hotel a couple minutes after 8:00. Then we got to the park at 8:20 and started heading into the park a little before 9:00.

(Because the park opened on the later side, we ate breakfast at our hotel before we left.)

We were in Super Nintendo World by 9:01 and in line with our Express Passes for Mario Kart pretty much immediately after.

A colorful display of Mario Kart-themed trophies set against a stone wall, featuring iconic power-up items from the Mario universe. The trophies include designs like the banana peel, mushroom, fire flower, star, red and green shells, and lightning bolt. Each trophy is mounted on a pedestal with themed emblems and lighting that highlights the vibrant colors and playful design. — I loved the fact that the Mario Kart Grand Prix trophies were displayed in the line for the ride!

If you are a fan of Mario Kart, you will LOVE this! Even the theming in the line truly made me feel like I was in a video game. It’s incredible!

The ride itself is fun, if a little chaotic and hard to understand at first. You wear a VR visor that you use to play the game, while at the same time slowly moving through rooms. Pay attention to the instructions for the game before you get on, because it is a little confusing at first!

If you grew up playing Mario Kart like I did, make sure you look at the rooms beyond the games, because you’ll recognize them from different race tracks!

We were off Mario Kart by 9:30 and headed back to Donkey Kong Country where we used our Express Pass for Mine Cart Madness at 9:35. Then we spent a little more time soaking in Super Nintendo World before heading over to Isle of Berk.

(We could have ridden Yoshi now, but wanted to get onto Dragon Racers Rally as close to regular park opening time as possible because of it’s lack of Express Pass.)

Large Viking statue with a sword and blue shield rises from a rocky lagoon in the How to Train Your Dragon-themed area at Universal Epic Universe. Behind it, colorful buildings, dragon sculptures, and looping roller coasters create a vibrant fantasy setting filled with Norse and dragon-inspired details. — Everything at Epic Universe is really well done, but the theming in Isle of Berk is probably my favorite!

The first thing we did in Isle of Berk, at 9:55, was head to Dragon Racers Rally, because this one of the few rides in Epic Universe that doesn’t take Express Pass. It was fun, but honestly not worth a long wait.

Then at 10:15 we got caught in a downpour and ducked into a gift shop to wait it out. Honestly, the forecast said it was going to rain a lot the day we were there (and this isn’t a great park to do in the rain), but we got super lucky because this morning storm was the only one we had!

The rain started to clear up after a bit, so we had our first ride on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders in a bit of misty rain at 10:35. It’s a family-friendly coaster, perfect for younger kids (think Slinky Dog Dash at Disney World). This was my absolute favorite ride in the park, and, as you’ll see, we came back to it a couple times during the day!

Lunch: Ministry of Magic

Just before 11:00, we headed into the Ministry of Magic portal at Epic Universe and we spent a bit of time walking around and soaking up the amazing theming. This area is much more focused on the Fantastic Beasts franchise and is themed after 1920’s Paris. I’m not as familiar with this franchise, but I still loved this area!

At 11:15, we had lunch at Cafe L’air De La Sirene. This is a French-style bistro, and honestly I thought the food was fantastic! I had the roast chicken and Gerrit and I split a Butterbeer Crepe. It was all really good, and nice to have something that felt a little healthier.

A plated meal from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter featuring herb-roasted chicken topped with a medley of sautéed red peppers and onions, served with green beans and roasted fingerling potatoes. The plate is set on a table with themed cups and drinks in the background, adding to the immersive Harry Potter dining experience. — My meal at Cafe de la Sirene was really good! And felt very fine-dining adjacent for a quick service restaurant!

Then at noon, we decided it was time to tackle Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. This ride is notorious for a long wait, and I am SO glad we had Express Pass for it! The whole experience took us about an hour.

And it really is an incredible ride! The technology is very cool and immersive, and I’m so glad we rode it. Here’s what I’ll tell you though: If you can’t get on it, don’t let it ruin your park day. It’s a great ride, but Epic Universe is also full of so many other great rides.

If you can’t get on the ride but still want to see the inside of the Ministry of Magic, you can go through the exit into the big room! So no matter what, you can still see this incredible theming.

Dramatic interior of the Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe, featuring a giant banner announcing "Dolores Umbridge Stands Trial Today" beneath a dark, enchanted sky ceiling. The scene includes glowing windows set in glossy red and green tiled walls and a striking golden statue of a wizard seated above the crowd. — The inside of the Ministry of Magic is incredible!

Afternoon: Dark Universe, Shows, and Stardust Racers

We floundered a bit in the afternoon because of some plans getting messed up, but we definitely made the most of it! So here’s what we did.

At 1:00 we rode Constellation Carousel. I kind of wish we had saved this one for the evening though, because it’s super pretty how it lights up when it’s dark!

Then we headed into Dark Universe. I’ll be honest, we are not Dark Universe people. So we did not spend very much time here. But if you are a big fan of monsters, you will want to spend more time here soaking in everything and meeting characters. The character interactions here are really incredible!

A dramatic entrance to a themed attraction at Universal's Epic Universe, designed to resemble a towering, rocky structure wrapped in massive tree roots and steampunk elements. At the base is a large circular portal with a glowing purple orb and the phrase “IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIVE!” engraved above the archway. Visitors are walking into the illuminated tunnel beneath a cloudy sky. — Going into Dark Universe

At 1:25 we rode Monsters Unchained. It is very similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but with monsters. My 11-year-old was a little scared but still handled it okay. But as I said, we are not people who like scary things, so I didn’t really love this ride.

Again though, if you’re a fan of Monsters, spend more time here! And ride Monsters Unchained more than once! It has a very consistently low wait time so it’s easy to ride several times.

We thought about doing Curse of the Werewolf, but it was delayed so we moved on.

At 2:00 we headed back into Ministry of Magic to get in line for Le Cirque Arcanus show at 2:15, but they made an announcement that the 2:15 show was cancelled while we were in line so we left.

And that called for some ice cream, which we got at Frosty Moon. It was really good and very pretty, but one of my few complaints about Epic Universe is that they need more ice cream spots!

Close-up of a decadent chocolate dessert topped with turquoise, white, and gold candy pearls and sprinkles, served in a paper cup. Rich brownie chunks are arranged around the creamy base, and a black plastic spoon is tucked in for scooping. — Ice cream with brownies and celestial sprinkles from Frosty Moon.

At 2:50 we headed back to Isle of Berk for the 3:10 showing of The Untrainable Dragon. This was a cute show and if you have young kids who love How to Train Your Dragon, they will love this. And the dragons in the show are amazing. But I did feel like the plot was not that exciting, and they had the showstopper moment with Hiccup too early in the show.

Then we used our Express Pass for Stardust Racers at 3:40. Y’all! This was SO FUN but it is also the most intense roller coaster I’ve ever been on in my life. So be warned. But if you are a coaster fan, DO NOT miss it!

Late Afternoon: Another Show + Repeating Favorites

Because we had missed it earlier, we headed back into the Ministry of Magic portal to see the 4:45 Le Cirque Arcanus show. I loved this show! It’s based more on the Fantastic Beasts franchise, which I don’t know as well, but I still enjoyed it so much.

I’ve heard a lot of people say The Untrainable Dragon is the can’t-miss show here, but I disagree. I think Le Cirque Arcanus is the can’t-miss show in this park.

Then at 5:15 we headed back to Super Nintendo to ride Yoshi’s Adventure. This was fine, but honestly, you couldn’t totally skip it if you don’t want to wait in line. Even with Express Pass I’m not sure it was worth it. It goes in a very small circle, and sure, you get some cool views and it’s cute, but it’s a super short ride.

Evening: Dinner, More Rides, and the Fountain Show

At 6:00 we went back to Isle of Berk to start what I deemed as our Epic Universe Progressive Dinner. There were lots of different foods I wanted to try, so we spent a lot of the evening going around to different restaurants trying more rides.

We started by getting the Classic Mac and Cheese cone at Spitfire Grill. I LOVED it! This was my favorite food item of the day to be honest. Basically if you like carbs and cheese, this is a no-brainer.

Close-up of a bread bowl filled with creamy mac and cheese and topped with a generous handful of cheddar Goldfish crackers. The soft, seeded bread has a golden crust, and the dish is held in one hand against a blurred outdoor background. — The classic mac and cheese cone in Isle of Berk.

Then we rode Hiccup’s Wing Gliders again at 6:15 because it was a pretty short wait and we had loved it so much earlier.

When we were on our way out of Isle of Berk, we noticed that Fyre Drill had *just* opened after being closed ALL day! So we hopped on that at 6:45.

At 7:15 we rode Stardust Racers again. Gerrit and I rode in the single rider line, while our 11-year-old waited on her own in the family waiting area. It was starting to get dark, and it’s a completely different experience once the lights start to come on!

Gerrit rode it again a third time, but twice in a day was enough for me for this intense coaster.

At 7:35, we headed into Oak and Star Tavern and had the Smoked Cheddar Biscuits as part of our dinner. The restaurant was SUPER quiet and I think this is an underrated spot. The biscuits were SO good, and I’d love to go back and try more of the food sometime!

At 8:00 we headed back into Dark Universe, because Curse of the Werewolf was the only ride we had left. I had my doubts about this spinning coaster, but it was SUPER fun! Do be aware that if you are a tall person the seats can be pretty cramped. They aren’t really built for people over six feet.

At 8:30 we made our last dinner stop at Pizza Moon. This is definitely one of the most popular spots to eat in the park. And even this late in the night it was very busy!

Whimsical, cosmic-themed dining area at Universal Epic Universe featuring vibrant murals of planets, stars, and floating figures under a fantasy night sky. The stage backdrop includes a rocket launch scene surrounded by playful celestial characters, while guests enjoy meals in booths beneath oversized glowing light fixtures. — The interior of Pizza Moon is super imaginative.

I wanted to try the Pizza Lunare with its ube crust and it was pretty good (although honestly not as memorable to me as the Mac & Cheese Cone). We also got a Brownie Eclipse for dessert, which was good but almost too rich even for me!

At 9:00 we went back into Super Nintendo World, which is SO cool to see at night! We were going to do Mine Cart Madness through the Single Rider Line. But we thought it was a pretty bad sign when the people in line were sitting down and looked like they hadn’t moved in awhile.

So we shifted plans and headed back into Isle of Berk to ride Hiccup’s Wing Gliders one last time!

By 9:45 we found seats for the 10:00 Cosmos Fountain show, which I think is a must-see! It’s so much fun, and I loved how they had sections in the show for each portal in the park.

And that’s a wrap on our day! Honestly, this park was SO MUCH fun, and this was one of my favorite theme park days I’d had in a long time.

One Day Epic Universe Itinerary Without Express Pass

Now let’s talk about how to tackle Epic Universe without Express Pass. Hopefully you have Early Park Admission here, because you’re going to want it!

The biggest thing for your day is going to be figuring out when to go on Battle at the Ministry. There are three approaches to this.

Go on Battle at the Ministry first thing in the morning. Sure, it takes up more time in the morning than another ride might, but the wait is still going to be a ton shorter than it will later in the afternoon. This is what I would recommend doing if you have Early Park Admission (aka you’re staying at a Universal Resort hotel).
Go on Battle at the Ministry mid-afternoon. The line may be long, but it’s a good air conditioning break and/or gets you out of the regular Florida afternoon rain shower. This is what I’d recommend doing if you don’t have Early Park Admission.
Wait until evening to go on Battle at the Ministry. Sometimes the wait time gets lower in the evening, but you have to be careful with this because a) breakdowns of this ride can sometimes be frequent so you might loose your chance if you wait until later and b) the ride sometimes closes early.

For our purposes here, we’re going to assume you have Early Park Admission and we’re go to Battle at the Ministry first.

Remember to be flexible though! Wait times are different on different days and rides are sometimes closed or in delayed openings. So you may need to adjust plans throughout the day.

Morning: Battle at the Ministry & Super Nintendo World

Start your morning by heading straight to Battle at the Ministry. Yes, you’re still going to have a wait, but hopefully you’ve taken my advice and arrived at the park about an hour before it opened so you’re toward the front of the crowd heading back to Battle at the Ministry.

Then, as soon as you get off that, book it over to Super Nintendo World to ride Mine Cart Madness. This Donkey Kong themed roller coaster has a consistently long wait, and it’s not a line you want to be waiting in in the mid-day sun.

Tropical-themed Donkey Kong Country area at Universal Studios Orlando, featuring palm trees, tiki-style huts, and a golden temple facade with a large carved face above the entrance to the Mine Cart Madness ride. Guests walk through the vibrant, jungle-like setting with oversized barrels and playful signage inspired by the video game series. — Entering Donkey Kong Country

Then take a look at the wait time for Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge. This wait time tends to peak around 11:00 am, so if it’s before that and the wait is reasonable (think under 100 minutes), I’d go ahead and hop on that.

If not, check the wait time for Stardust Racers and consider hopping on that.

Lunch: Ministry of Magic

For lunch, head back to the Ministry of Magic area to eat at Cafe L’air De La Sirene and enjoy the theming in the Harry Potter area.

You can also see the Le Cirque Arcanus show, which was my favorite show at Epic Universe!

Afternoon: Monsters Unchained & Isle of Berk

Early afternoon is a great time to ride Monsters Unchained. Wait times across the park tend to peak in the early afternoon, but Monsters Unchained is always a pretty consistently low wait time. So I’d head here next.

Then head to Isle of Berk. If you feel like you have time, see The Untrainable Dragon show. It’s cute and fun, and probably a must-see if you love How to Train Your Dragon. (I like the Harry Potter show better though.)

The for mid-afternoon, ride Dragon Racers Rally, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Fyre Drill (this water ride is a great way to cool off!), and just enjoy some time in the Isle of Berk. This is my favorite portal in Epic Universe!

A whimsical, mountainous village scene from a theme park, inspired by Viking or fantasy architecture, featuring colorful, thatched-roof buildings perched on rocky cliffs. A tall, jagged peak rises in the background, while a bright blue waterway and a roller coaster track run in the foreground. The setting is vibrant and immersive, resembling a setting from “How to Train Your Dragon.” — Here you can see the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders Track winding through Isle of Berk.

Then in the late afternoon hop on either Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge or Stardust Racers, whichever one you didn’t do earlier in the morning.

Evening: Anything You Missed

The evening is for hopping on anything you’ve missed so far! There are several rides we haven’t done yet on this itinerary, and evening can be a great time to do them:

Curse of the Werewolf
Yoshi’s Adventure (honestly I’d skip this altogether though unless the wait is like 5 minutes)
Constellation Carousel (the line tends to be a little longer in the evening, but the experience is more magical!)

If you’ve managed to get a lot done, you can also go back and repeat anything you loved that has a relatively short wait time. In general, wait times tend to go down in the evening, so it can be a great time for rides!

Of course, you’ll also want dinner too. And there are some really amazing restaurants at Epic Universe! Head to Pizza Moon or Oak & Star Tavern for a quick service dinner. Or, if you want something fancier you can have a sit down dinner at The Blue Dragon or Atlantic.

A vibrant nighttime view of the Super Nintendo World attraction, themed after the Mario video game series. The scene features a multi-level, colorful mountain structure with iconic elements like ? blocks, coins, POW blocks, and characters including Goombas, Piranha Plants, and Thwomps. At the base is the entrance to “Yoshi’s Adventure,” lit with bright signage and whimsical lighting, creating a playful and immersive environment. — Super Nintendo World at night looks so vibrant and cool!

And of course, just spent some time enjoying the lands in the dark. Every single portal is amazing at nighttime here!

And finally, end the night with the fountain show at the Cosmos Fountain!

Final Tips + What I’d Do Differently Next Time

Honestly, our day at Epic Universe went pretty smoothly! We were able to do so many more rides than I had expected (like riding Hiccup’s Wing Gliders three times).

There are a few things I would do differently though. First off, I would Constellation Carousel in the evening. It’s magical how it lights up at night and I think we missed something by doing it during the day instead.

A futuristic, dome-shaped carousel attraction with a celestial and steampunk-inspired design, featuring arched golden supports, blue and gold detailing, and star motifs on the glass-like panels. The ride is partially visible through the open arches, with guests seated on stylized ride vehicles. The surrounding area includes manicured landscaping and a colorful circular plaza. — The Constellation Carousel during the day just isn’t as magical as at night.

I also would skip Yoshi’s Adventure. It’s a cute ride, but the wait time stays pretty consistently high and it did not feel worth it.

Here are a few more tips for your time in Epic Universe:

Several rides in Epic Universe have Single Rider lines. Actually, most of the major rides at Epic Universe have Single Rider lines: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Mine Cart Madness, Stardust Racers, Battle at the Ministry, Monsters Unchained, and Curse of the Werewolf.
If you have a kid who doesn’t want to ride something, use the family waiting area and child swap. The rides at Universal Resort all have designated family waiting areas. The whole family can get a ticket for child swap and then all wait in line together. Then, the first parent can go on the ride while the second parent waits in the waiting area with the kid(s). Then they can swap places without the second parent having to wait in line. Just ask a team member about using this when you enter the line and they can help you.
If you have Express Pass, get a lanyard. If you have express pass you’ll be scanning your paper Express Pass all the time, so get a lanyard to both protect it and make it easy to scan into rides.

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