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Image Credit: Inside The MagicUniversal Orlando Resort is gearing up to open Epic Universe next summer, and new details reveal that many guests might not be able to enter through the latest theme park gates. Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando are gearing up for many new additions, including this massive new park in Central Florida.
Universal Orlando Resort Set To Open Epic Universe in 2025 With New Ticket Deals, Leaving Hundreds of Guests Barred From Entering
Based on recent ticket information, fans will likely need to plan for multiple days at Epic Universe during its opening phase, as single-day tickets will not be available initially. A spokesperson from Universal Orlando Resort released the following statement:
“We plan to offer a range of ticket products to help manage the expected demand for Epic Universe and to ensure all guests visiting have a great experience at this groundbreaking park. We are currently speaking exclusively to our sales partners to help them prepare for the sales effort to follow. We are introducing products in a phased approach starting with multi-day ticket packages that include an opportunity to visit Epic Universe in addition to the entire Universal Orlando Resort for those planning vacations further out. Additional ticket options including those for Annual Passholders will be made available in additional phases. Details will be shared at a later date.”
– Universal Orlando Resort
Universal emphasized that this is not a ticket policy but ticketing information for sales partners. Whether this approach will apply to tickets sold directly by Universal Orlando Resort remains unclear. Guests can purchase multi-day ticket packages for Epic Universe and other Universal theme parks.
Annual Passholders Will Likely Not Have Access to New theme park
When Epic Universe opens, it will be the largest Universal park in the U.S., featuring over 50 attractions with groundbreaking technology spread across five worlds connected by mystical portals. Universal anticipates large crowds when the park first opens. Passholders will likely not receive discounts or entry for at least the first year of Epic Universe’s opening based on the phased ticketing approach announced by Universal Orlando Resort.
Initially, the focus will be on multi-day ticket packages to manage the high demand and ensure a quality experience for all visitors. Universal’s spokesperson stated that additional ticket options, including those for Annual Passholders, will be available in later phases, but specific details and timelines were not provided.
This suggests that priority will be given to multi-day ticket packages, potentially delaying any benefits or access for passholders until the initial surge in attendance subsides and the park’s operations stabilize.
Right now, Passholders have access to purchase passes for two parks or three, including Volcano Bay, with different tier options giving guests excellent choices and incentives, including being able to pay per month instead of paying all at once, which is something that attractions hundreds of new passholders per year.
With the addition of Epic Universe, it would make sense in terms of financial success that Universal will not allow passholders to access the park and all lands in the hopes of mitigating crowd levels in 2025 and 2026.
Epic Universe, an upcoming theme park in Orlando, Florida, is under construction. Announced in August 2019, the park will be the fourth theme park at Universal Orlando Resort and will open in 2025. On March 8, 2023, Universal Parks and Resorts CEO Mark Woodbury announced rebranding the division to “Universal Destinations & Experiences.”
Along with this change, the park’s name was adjusted from Universal’s Epic Universe to Universal’s Epic Universe. A modified logo was also unveiled, removing the apostrophe and letter “s” from the design. Epic Universe will utilize a hub-and-spoke format, with four themed lands branching off a central hub called Celestial Park, each featuring a uniquely-themed gateway.
The themed lands, in clockwise order from entry, will be SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, Dark Universe (themed to Universal Classic Monsters), The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk.
The theme park giant will also host its 33rd year of Halloween Horror Nights in over a month. They will begin earlier than ever, with the official opening date being August 30. There are numerous ticket options for guests, including several already sold out. This year, guests will enter haunted houses such as Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, A Quiet Place, and many more.