Credit: UniversalEpic Universe may be Universal Orlando Resort’s crown jewel, but even a brand-new park has a few kinks to iron out. Since opening earlier this year, the park has dazzled guests with groundbreaking rides and immersive lands, but one recent hiccup on a Donkey Kong attraction shows that opening-year tweaks are still in progress.
Sometimes, those early-year adjustments become emergencies — leaving a guest trapped with no escape.
Epic Universe: A New Era for Universal
Epic Universe isn’t just an expansion but an entire new theme park. Split into several highly detailed worlds, each land features rides, shows, shops, and restaurants themed to blockbuster franchises.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Here, guests travel to the heart of London before stepping inside the magical government headquarters. The headline ride, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, blends trackless ride vehicles with huge set pieces and screen effects to place riders in the middle of a wizard duel. The Floo Network Transit is also a transportation-style attraction that mimics magical travel.How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Fans of the DreamWorks films can soar over cliffs and dive into Viking villages on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, a suspended family coaster that offers sweeping views of the land. Younger guests can ride Dragon Racer’s Rally, a spinning, interactive attraction, and everyone can enjoy the live stunt show, The Untrainable Dragon.
Dark Universe
This gothic land celebrates Universal’s classic monsters. Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment is a dark ride that mixes animatronics, projection mapping, and special effects to bring Frankenstein’s story to life. There’s also a smaller spinner ride, Curse of the Werewolf, for families.Celestial Park
Acting as the hub of Epic Universe, Celestial Park offers the Starfall Racers dual-launch coaster, an outdoor thrill ride that races along 5,000 feet of track. Guests can also enjoy the Constellation Carousel, which swaps traditional horses for glowing, otherworldly creatures.
And of course, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is one of the most talked-about lands in the park.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: A Gamer’s Paradise
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is a living, breathing video game level, complete with spinning coins, moving Goombas, and a soundtrack straight out of the classic titles. Guests enter through a giant green Warp Pipe that opens into the Mushroom Kingdom, where there’s more to do than you can fit into one visit.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
Using augmented reality visors and interactive steering, guests race through Bowser’s Castle, dodging shells and collecting coins in a competition to beat Team Bowser.Yoshi’s Adventure
A slow-moving family ride that takes guests on Yoshi’s back through colorful scenes filled with hidden characters, animatronics, and the occasional surprise from Mario and friends.Mine-Cart Madness (Donkey Kong)
The newest addition to the Nintendo lineup, this “boom coaster” uses a hidden track to create the illusion that the cart is leaping over gaps in the rails — just like in the original Donkey Kong Country games.
Guests can also meet Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad; eat at Toadstool Café; and use Power-Up Bands to collect coins and stamps through mini-games scattered around the land.
Donkey Kong’s Next-Level Ride Tech
Mine-Cart Madness is unlike anything else in Epic Universe. Riders board themed mine carts and zip through Donkey Kong’s jungle, encountering animatronic characters, rolling barrels, and waterfalls. The coaster’s signature trick is the “broken track” jump, where the visible rail ends abruptly and the cart appears to fly through the air before landing safely on the other side.
It’s all achieved through clever engineering — the vehicle is riding on a hidden side rail the entire time. The lap bar restraint system is designed to keep guests safe through these quick movements, but like any ride system, it can occasionally need a little help.
The TikTok Moment That Went Viral
A TikTok posted by @dlovegocrazy has been making the rounds after capturing one of those “little help” moments. In the clip, Mine-Cart Madness has completed its run, but one rider’s lap bar refuses to release.
Several Universal team members surround the cart, working to troubleshoot the problem. The guest is obviously annoyed, anxiously waiting for someone to crack the code.
The video shows the crew communicating quickly and carefully, tugging on the guest’s lap bar. It’s unsure how long the guest waited to be released. Evidently, they were there long enough to scroll on their phone for a while and have someone film a TikTok. This is the kind of scene that’s equal parts unusual and fascinating for park fans — especially on such a high-profile, brand-new ride.
Common for New Rides — Even the Big Ones
Theme park openings are rarely flawless. Engineers can test a ride for months before opening, but real-world operation with thousands of guests per day often reveals minor issues that need attention. In the case of Mine-Cart Madness, it was a mechanical restraint that temporarily decided to stay put.
Universal’s training kicks in during these moments, with team members following strict safety procedures. Once the lap bar was released, the guest exited, and the ride returned to regular operation shortly afterward.
Why Fans Still Line Up
Despite the hiccup, Mine-Cart Madness remains one of Epic Universe’s biggest draws. It’s the perfect mix of nostalgia for fans of Donkey Kong and fresh thrills for theme park lovers. Combined with the rest of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD — from the competitive chaos of Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge to the charm of Yoshi’s Adventure — it’s a land that delivers on both immersion and fun.
Opening-Year Lessons for Universal
Epic Universe may still be the new kid on the block, but it’s already proving that “growing pains” can be more than just a few squeaky wheels. Stuck lap bars and random shutdowns are starting to feel less like rare glitches and more like part of the regular programming. Still, for most guests, the spectacle, tech, and sheer over-the-top detail keep them returning for more.
And for one TikTok-famous rider, they now have a bonus souvenir — a story they’ll probably trot out every time they see a barrel, a mine cart, or that smug, tie-wearing gorilla who started it all.