Credit: UniversalUniversal Orlando Resort is giving Annual Passholders another reason to spend some time at Epic Universe over the next several weeks.
With Passholder Appreciation Days about to begin, Universal has revealed a special perk tied to one of Epic Universe’s major live entertainment offerings. Annual Passholders can receive priority seating for The Untrainable Dragon, the stage show inside How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk.
The perk won’t eliminate every requirement for seeing the show, and Passholders will still need valid admission to Epic Universe. However, it could make catching a performance a little easier during a busy stretch at Universal Orlando.
There is also one important date range Passholders will want to keep in mind, as The Untrainable Dragon already has a temporary closure scheduled during the Appreciation Days period.
Universal Adds Priority Seating for Annual Passholders
Universal announced the new perk through the official Universal Orlando Resort Annual Passholders Instagram Stories on August 12.
During Passholder Appreciation Days, eligible Annual Passholders can take advantage of priority seating at The Untrainable Dragon. Universal is asking Passholders who want to use the benefit to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled performance.
That extra access could be particularly useful for Passholders who already plan to visit Epic Universe during the event.
Rather than creating a completely separate Passholder performance or requiring guests to attend on a specific preview date, Universal is incorporating the benefit into regular performances of The Untrainable Dragon.
Of course, priority seating doesn’t mean Passholders can simply show up whenever they want and expect a guaranteed spot.
Universal says seating remains available on a first-come, first-served basis and can change. Passholders also need separate admission to Epic Universe to use the perk. An Annual Pass alone doesn’t automatically provide access to the park or the show.
That makes the 15-minute arrival recommendation especially important. Passholders hoping to take advantage of the priority seating should plan their time around the show schedule rather than arriving at the last second.
The Untrainable Dragon Has Become Part of Epic Universe’s Entertainment Lineup
The Untrainable Dragon is located inside How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, one of the themed worlds at Epic Universe.
While much of the attention surrounding a new theme park naturally goes toward its rides, Universal also built live entertainment into the Epic Universe experience. The Untrainable Dragon gives guests a chance to see familiar characters from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise in a different setting than the land’s attractions.
The production runs approximately 20 minutes and is designed for guests of all ages.
During the show, Hiccup and Toothless join Gobber and Astrid as the characters work together to solve a mystery.
For families spending time in Isle of Berk, that makes the show something they can work into the middle of a day filled with rides and other activities. It also gives guests a chance to sit down for a longer entertainment experience rather than moving immediately from one attraction queue to another.
Now, Annual Passholders visiting during Appreciation Days have an additional benefit when adding the production to their plans.
Passholder Appreciation Days Begin August 15
The timing of the announcement comes just before the start of Universal Orlando’s Passholder Appreciation Days.
The 2026 event begins August 15 and continues through September 30, giving Annual Passholders more than a month to take advantage of the celebration and its offerings.
Priority seating for The Untrainable Dragon adds another Epic Universe benefit to the mix.
That’s particularly notable because Epic Universe remains Universal Orlando Resort’s newest theme park. Giving Annual Passholders a special benefit inside the park provides another incentive for eligible guests to work Epic Universe into their plans during the Appreciation Days window.
The priority seating perk is also simple compared to something requiring reservations or a complicated booking process. Universal’s announcement tells Passholders to arrive 15 minutes before showtime, although availability remains first-come, first-served.
That means Passholders won’t necessarily need to restructure an entire park day around the benefit. They can spend time exploring Isle of Berk and then make their way toward the show before a scheduled performance.
Still, there is a portion of Passholder Appreciation Days when the perk apparently won’t be available because the show itself won’t be operating.
A Temporary Closure Is Already Scheduled
Annual Passholders have from August 15 through September 30 to enjoy Appreciation Days, but The Untrainable Dragon isn’t expected to perform throughout that entire period.
The show is scheduled to close temporarily for refurbishment from September 15 through September 20.
That creates a six-day interruption during the larger Appreciation Days window.
Anyone specifically planning an Epic Universe visit around the priority seating perk will want to keep those dates in mind. Visiting during the refurbishment period would mean missing the show altogether rather than simply losing access to the special seating benefit.
Based on the announced dates, Passholders have two main opportunities to use the perk: between the beginning of Appreciation Days and the September 15 closure, and again after the scheduled refurbishment ends through September 30.
The closure also serves as a reminder that attraction and entertainment schedules can change. Universal specifically notes that seating arrangements for the Passholder benefit are subject to change as well.
For guests traveling from outside Central Florida or planning a specific Epic Universe day, checking the operating schedule closer to the visit will be important.
What Passholders Need to Know Before Going
The biggest thing to remember is that this isn’t guaranteed seating.
Universal is offering priority seating, but the company still describes availability as first-come, first-served. Passholders should arrive 15 minutes before showtime if they want to use the benefit, and waiting until the performance is about to begin could mean missing the opportunity.
Guests also need separate Epic Universe admission.
That distinction matters because the Passholder benefit concerns seating for the show rather than park entry. Passholders should make sure their admission allows them to enter Epic Universe on the day they intend to visit before making plans around The Untrainable Dragon.
Once inside the park, however, the process appears fairly straightforward based on Universal’s announcement.
There is no mention in the provided announcement of an advance reservation requirement for the priority seating. Instead, Universal directs Passholders to arrive early for the performance.
For anyone who already planned to see The Untrainable Dragon, that’s a relatively easy perk to add to the day.
Universal Gives Passholders Another Reason to Visit Epic Universe
Passholder Appreciation Days are built around giving Universal Orlando’s most frequent guests some additional benefits, and this year that extends directly into Epic Universe.
Priority seating won’t dramatically change a day at the park, but it can make a difference for guests who want to fit several experiences into a limited amount of time.
Live shows require more planning than attractions that operate continuously throughout the day. Guests need to pay attention to scheduled performance times, arrive early enough to enter, and balance those plans against rides, meals, and everything else they want to experience.
For Annual Passholders, priority seating can remove at least some of that uncertainty.
The benefit begins alongside Passholder Appreciation Days on August 15 and is connected to an event that continues through September 30. However, Passholders shouldn’t forget about The Untrainable Dragon’s scheduled September 15-20 refurbishment.
Outside those closure dates, Passholders heading to Epic Universe can arrive 15 minutes before a performance and attempt to take advantage of priority seating, provided space remains available.
It’s a relatively small addition, but for Passholders spending plenty of time at Universal Orlando, those smaller perks can add up.
And with Epic Universe now part of the Passholder Appreciation Days experience, The Untrainable Dragon is giving eligible guests one more reason to head into Isle of Berk before the celebration comes to an end.
