Epic Universe With Tweens: Complete Guide, Ride Reviews & Full Budget Breakdown (Ages 8-12)
We love traveling together as a family, and Orlando has become one of our go-to destinations. In 2024, we visited Disney World and Universal Studios on a budget, spending $4,536 for seven days in Orlando (see our complete breakdown here: Disney World and Universal Studios on a Budget: Full Cost Breakdown & Money-Saving Tips. Our kids—then 7 and 9—fell in love with Universal Studios, especially the Wizarding World.
So when Epic Universe opened in summer 2025 with a brand new Harry Potter land AND Super Nintendo World, we knew we had to go back just one year after our last visit. My kids are huge Nintendo fans, and the idea of experiencing a completely new theme park was too exciting to pass up. This time, we spent one day at Epic Universe, returned to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (since we loved it so much last time) for one day, and experienced Disney's Epcot for the first time.
The total cost of our trip was $5,732, which was almost $1,200 more than last year. However, if we’d used credit card points for flights and car rental like we did in 2024, this trip would have only cost $4,982. That’s only $446 more than last year, and we got to experience a brand new theme park in Orlando.
In this blog, I'll break down exactly what we spent, share our honest thoughts on Epic Universe (spoiler: it was worth it, even with the insane crowds), and compare our experience to both our 2024 trip and the other Orlando parks.
Here's the complete breakdown and the honest truth about whether Epic Universe is worth coming back to Orlando for.
The big questions we'll answer:
Is Epic Universe worth the hype? (Our verdict: YES, despite insane crowds)
How much did this trip really cost compared to 2024? (Only $446 more without the flight costs!)
Epic vs Universal vs Disney: Which did our tweens prefer?
Which rides are actually worth the 2-3 hour waits?
Should you return to Orlando if you just went last year?
🎢 Epic Universe at a Glance
Budget-Friendly Travel to Orlando: Flights and Rental Car
One of the biggest differences between our 2024 trip and our 2025 trip was that we paid for flights and our rental car this time instead of using credit card points. I'm still a big believer in using credit card points strategically for travel. We're very diligent about paying off our credit card balance at the end of every month (we have it set to auto-deduct), and we use our credit cards for everyday purchases to rack up points.
Last year, we used those points for our flights ($627 for all four of us) and our rental car ($123). This year, we'd used our points earlier on another trip, so we paid out of pocket:
• Flights (Southwest, Cleveland to Orlando): $627 for a family of 4
• Rental Car (7 days): $123
**Total Transportation Cost: $750**
Epic Universe & Orlando 2025: What We Actually Spent
One year ago, our Orlando trip cost $4,536 out-of-pocket (we used credit card points for flights and rental car). This time, we paid for everything. Here's the honest breakdown.
WHAT WE SAVED ON:
✅ Lodging: -$29 (found similar Airbnb for less)
✅ Restaurants: -$128 (ate out less, packed more lunches)
✅ Souvenirs: -$309 (already had wands from 2024, kids more selective)
Total Savings: $466
WHAT COST MORE:
❌ Flights/Car: +$750 (paid this time instead of using points)
❌ Park tickets: +$168 (overall price increases)
❌ Groceries: +$64 (tweens eat more!)
❌ Park food: +$255 (Epic & Epcot food, less strict on budget)
❌ Power Bands: +$96 (Epic exclusive)
❌ Activities: +$273 (explored more non-park stuff)
Total Increases: $1,606
Net Difference: +$1,196 (or +$446 without flights/car)
DETAILED BUDGET BREAKDOWN
ACCOMMODATION: $1,506
Airbnb in Davenport:
• $1,506 for 7 nights ($215/night)
• 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath condo
• Full kitchen (essential for budget!)
• Private pool
• 25 min from Disney, 30 min from Universal (plan to add 30-45m in morning for travel)
• 2024: $1,535 ($219/night)
• Saved $29 by booking similar place
PARK TICKETS & PARKING: $2,368 total
1 Day at Epic Universe + 1 Day at Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure (park hopper):
• Park hopper tickets for family of 4: $1,527
• Parking: $35x2
Disney Epcot (1 day):
• Tickets for family of 4: $736
• Parking: $35
• Epcot Subtotal: $771
Affordable Lodging Near Orlando Parks: Our Airbnb
Just like last year, we opted to stay in an Airbnb instead of at one of the theme park resorts. The reason we made this choice was threefold:
1. Cost savings: Staying at an Airbnb was significantly cheaper than the on-property resorts. We found a great condo for about $215 per night, whereas the cheapest Universal or Disney resorts would have been $250-500+ more over the course of the trip.
2. Kitchen access: This was the biggest factor for us. Being able to buy groceries and make our own meals—especially breakfast and lunches to pack for the parks—was crucial to keeping our budget in check.
We found an Airbnb condo in Davenport, about 30 minutes from Disney and 40 minutes from Universal. Though each day we had to add about 15-30 minutes for morning traffic. **The total cost for seven nights was $1,506** (we actually saved $29 compared to last year).
3. More space: The condo had five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a private pool. Much, much more space than what $215 a night would have gotten us on a resort. There was also a clubhouse with a really nice community pool and a less-than-great fitness center. Staying in one hotel room with kids for seven days didn’t sound like fun to us. We really wanted to be able to have space to stretch out so we weren’t on top of each other for the whole week.
Having that private pool was also a huge bonus for us. It allowed our kids to swim and be entertained while my husband and I relaxed by the pool without dealing with crowds. We also used the community pool a few times, which had a nice lazy river and water slide.
Feeding a Family on a Theme Park Budget: What We Ate
The total amount we spent on food for the week was $751. This broke down into:
• Groceries: $244
• Food in parks: $347
• Restaurants (outside parks): $242
• Coffee (outside parks): $47
Compared to last year, we spent a bit more on groceries ($244 vs $180) because our kids are older and eat more now, and because of everyone’s least favorite word: inflation. We also splurged more on food in the parks this time ($347 vs $92 last year), particularly at Epcot. Because you can’t go to Epcot without trying some culinary cuisine!
However, we actually saved money on restaurants outside the parks. We spent $242 this year compared to $370 last year. We ate out less frequently and packed more meals, which helped offset some of the higher park food costs.
Just like last year, the key to keeping food costs manageable was making breakfast at our Airbnb every morning and packing lunches to bring into the parks. We'd make sandwiches, pack snacks, and brought refillable water bottles. This saved us a significant amount of money and meant we didn't have to waste time finding food when we were hungry in the parks.
Epic Universe & Orlando Parks:
Complete Budget Breakdown
Here's the complete breakdown of what we spent on our seven-day Orlando trip in November 2025, compared to our 2024 trip:
Complete Cost Comparison: 2024 vs 2025
| Category | 2024 Trip | 2025 Trip | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights + Car | $0 (used points) | $750 | +$750 |
| Lodging (7 nights) | $1,535 | $1,506 | -$29 (saved!) |
| Groceries | $180 | $244 | +$64 |
| Restaurants (outside parks) | $370 | $242 | -$128 (saved!) |
| Food in Parks | $92 | $347 | +$255 |
| Park Tickets + Parking | $2,095 | $2,368 | +$273 |
| Souvenirs | $344 | $35 | -$309 (saved!) |
| Power Bands | $0 | $96 | +$96 |
| Coffee | $50 | included in restaurants | — |
| Non-Park Activities | Minimal | $273 | +$273 |
| TOTAL | $4,536 | $5,732 | +$1,196 |
But here's the real comparison:** If we'd used credit card points for flights and the rental car (like we did in 2024), our 2025 trip would have cost $4,982. That's only $446 more than our 2024 trip! For comparison, here's how we spent our money on our 2024 trip: Disney World and Universal Studios on a Budget: Full Cost Breakdown & Money-Saving Tips.
The bottom line: Epic Universe didn't blow our budget—paying for flights and splurging a bit more on experiences did. But by being strategic about where we saved (lodging, restaurants, souvenirs) and where we splurged (tickets, Power Bands, activities), we kept the trip affordable and had an incredible time.
- Lodging -$29
- Restaurants -$128
-
Souvenirs-$309We brought back the wands we purchased in 2024!
-
Flights + Car+$750Paid instead of using points
-
Park Tickets+$273We got 3 park days both years
-
Groceries+$64Kids are growing!
-
Park Food+$255Epic & Epcot food, less strict this time
-
Power Bands+$96Epic exclusive interactive experience
-
Non-Park Activities+$273We explored more of Orlando
WHAT TO EXPECT AT EPIC UNIVERSE:
Epic Universe was the big reason we returned to Orlando only one year after our last trip. My kids are big fans of both Harry Potter and Nintendo, so a park featuring the Ministry of Magic AND Super Nintendo World was too good to pass up.
We spent one full day at Epic Universe in November 2025, and here's my honest take: Epic Universe was absolutely worth it, even with the insanely long wait times.
The park is stunning. The theming is incredible. The rides are great. But you need to go in with realistic expectations about crowds and waits.
Whenever I’m talking to people who are considering visiting theme parks in Orlando, I always try to stress that the most important thing is to show up with a plan. Do some research and know what rides and/or experiences are MUSTS for your family, which are WOULD BE NICE, and which are NOT FOR US.
Having a list and doing a little bit of research will make your time in the park so much more enjoyable and less stressful. PRO TIP: One website that was super helpful for our trip was Thrill-Data, which provides average wait times for theme park rides. They even have heat maps for different times of day for each ride, so you can see when might be best to visit. Another PRO TIP: is to download the Universal Orlando app so you can keep an eye on wait times throughout your day.
Epic Universe is divided into five distinct "worlds":
1. Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic
2. Super Nintendo World
3. How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk
4. Dark Universe (classic Universal monsters)
5. Celestial Park (the central hub)
We arrived when the park opened at 10am and stayed until close. Even arriving at rope drop, wait times were already significant. By midday, most major rides had 2-3 hour waits. Read on to discover what we loved, and what we wished was different, at the brand-new Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida.
Wizarding World: Battle at the Ministry
The Wizarding World at Epic Universe is styled like the Fantastic Beasts franchise, with the exteriors being modeled after wizarding Paris in the 1920s. In my opinion, it’s the least impressive Wizarding World out of the three parks (Universal & Islands of Adventure). It was cool to see some of the old-timey Parisian stylings, but it felt like it lacked the magic you experience walking through Diagon Alley at Universal and Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure.
One of the coolest parts of the Wizarding Worlds that’s available at all three is being able to “cast spells” at different storefront windows. To do this, you’ll need to purchase an interactive wand. In the other two Wizarding Worlds, you purchase these interactive wands at Ollivander’s Wand Shop, but at this Wizarding World in Epic, you buy them at Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique. We’ve heard that the shop owner is in at times, and is fun to talk to, but nothing beats the Ollivander’s Experience. So, I’d recommend visiting Ollivander’s at Universal or Islands before visiting Epic, unless you don’t care about the special experience at Ollivander’s and want one of the Parisian-style wands.
Wand prices start at around $60 for first-gen wands and up to $85-$90 for second-gen wands. The second-gen wands look cool, but we had purchased first-gen wands a couple of years ago, and they work just as well.
Each wand comes in an Ollivander’s box and includes a map of all of the different places you can cast a spell around the Wizarding World. When you reach one of the spots, there will be a medallions set into the pavement that show you the motion to make with your wand to correctly cast the spell.
PRO TIP: The best way to cast the spells is by moving only your wrist, not your whole arm, to make sure the infrared cameras catch the entirety of the motion. Some of the fun magical effects include lighting lamps, moving water, and bringing fantastic beasts to life.
Because we waited in line for so long for Battle at the Ministry, we didn’t have too much time to explore the rest of the Wizarding World. Which meant we didn’t get to see Le Cirque Arcanus, which is a 23-minute show set in 1920s Paris and features aerialists, puppetry, and some incredible special effects. Friends of ours went and they said it blew them away, so if you enjoy shows, I’d recommend trying to make time for it. I wish we would have!
IMPORTANT COMPARISON: Both of my kids said that Universal's Wizarding World (Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley) felt MORE like being in Harry Potter than Epic's Wizarding World (Ministry of Magic). Epic's Ministry is cool and new, but Universal's lands are more immersive and have more to explore when it comes to the Harry Potter world.
HARRY POTTER AND THE BATTLE AT THE MINISTRY RIDE REVIEW
We arrived when the gates opened at 10a and headed straight for the Wizarding World to hop on our first ride for the day: Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. We chose this as our first ride because it was the one we wanted most to ride, and we knew our kids would be super bummed if we missed it because we waited until later in the day.
Unfortunately, by the time we got to the queue (we didn’t have early park admission, which is a bonus to staying on resort) the wait was already two hours. We decided to wait, anyways, and it broke down multiple times while we were in line, and we ended up waiting THREE HOURS.
**Was the ride worth a three-hour wait? No.**
**Was it a great ride? Yes.**
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
Pros
- The Floo Network entrance is really, really cool!
- Walking through the Ministry of Magic is awesome! The scale and attention to detail is incredible.
- The ride is lots of fun and filled with intense (but not too scary) moments from the ministry battle.
Cons
- 3+ hour wait time (not worth waiting that long)
- Broke down three times while we waited
- Felt very crowded at times
Quick Stats
STRATEGY FOR BATTLE AT THE MINISTRY:
• Consider buying Early Park Admission if it's available (could save 2+ hours) or express pass (very expensive!)
• Visit during the last hour before the park closes when wait times drop
• Check wait times throughout the day on the Universal app
• If the wait is over 120+ minutes, consider skipping it or coming back later
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
We love us some Nintendo, especially Mario, so we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to visit Super Nintendo World. They did such a fantastic job with this part of Epic Universe. My kids' eyes lit up as we stepped inside this part of Epic Universe. It seriously is the most visually stunning land in Epic Universe (and Orlando!).
You enter Super Nintendo World through a portal that transports you through a green Warp Pipe, just like in the Mario games. It’s an escalator that takes you up, and there are green flashing lights and sounds from the game, which make for such a fun, exciting entrance.
There is also an accessible entrance to the right of the escalator. If the escalators are too full or you want to get in quickly, the entrance on the right is perfectly acceptable.
I think what really sells Super Nintendo World and makes it feel like stepping into the game is how they have you go down into the park, so that all of the architecture soars high above you, giving you the sense that you really are like tiny Mario navigating the world. It feels like you’ve been transported out of the real world and into everyone’s favorite childhood video game.
Another thing that I loved, loved, LOVED about Super Nintendo World was the bright colors and how everything nearly everything moved and had life to it. This really helps sell the in-game experience.
Super Nintendo World is a multi-level land with Mushroom Kingdom at the top, and the entrance to Donkey Kong Country on the bottom. Donkey Kong Country is really, really cool in and of itself. It’s impressive how the design team was able to capture the unique Nintendo aesthetic while preserving the tropical, fun feel of the Donkey Kong games.
Donkey Kong Country is where you will find our favorite ride in Super Nintendo World: Minecart Madness. It does such an amazing job of capturing the feeling of those levels in Donkey Kong where you’re trying to keep on the minecart rails. There are a couple of steep drops, and the track looks “broken” at times, which could be a bit much for younger kids who don’t enjoy thrills. However, our nine-year-old, who doesn’t like thrilling rides, really enjoyed this one.
Are Power Bands Worth It?
We bought Power Bands ($50 each) so that our kids could play and interact in Super Nintendo World. The Power Bands enable you to punch Question Blocks [ (?) ] to collect coins (you can track progress via the app) and play mini-games like Piranha Plant Nap Mishap where you have to tap ringing alarm clocks to keep the piranha plant asleep, Bob-omb Kaboom Room where you have to collect fragments before a bomb goes off (our favorite!) and Koopa Troopa POWer Punch where you have to use a shell to hit a Koopa Troopa.
Beating these mini-games gives you keys, and once you collect three keys, you get to enter Bowser Jr.'s Shadow Showdown in Bowser’s Castle. It’s a lot of fun, and my kids LOVED it.
RIDE REVIEWS FOR SUPER NINTENDO WORLD:
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge Ride review
We were honestly pretty let down by this ride. Both our kids gave it a 4/10. It’s similar to the Men in Black: Alien Attack ride at Universal, and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Disney, both of which are fun rides that allow you to shoot at different things. And while the visuals and design are impressive for the ride itself, the actual mechanics of shooting require you to wear these weird AR goggles that felt awkward, and kind of ruin the immersive experience. It’s also pretty slow, and we didn’t really get the sense that we were in a Mario Kart race except for the end scene with Rainbow Road (which was pretty awesome!).
Honestly, our favorite part of the ride was how well the queue is designed. Moving from room to room in Bowser’s Castle is pretty neat, and the design team did a stellar job with it. Overall, I wouldn’t say to skip it, but if you’re not a huge Mario Kart fan, and if the line is more than 45 minutes, I wouldn’t wait for it again.
PRO TIP: The wait times do seem to drop toward the end of the day (again, check Thrill-Data to confirm if this is still the case), so if you don’t mind potentially missing it, you could save it for then. The risk being, of course, that the time never comes down and you don’t get to ride.
Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
Pros
- The queue is amazing. Very cool to walk through Bowser’s Castle.
- The final scene on Rainbow Road is fun.
Cons
- The AR goggles are awkward and don’t perform well. Kind of ruins the immersion.
- Long wait times
Quick Stats
Yoshi’s Adventure Ride Review
Yoshi’s Adventure is a slow-moving ride designed for families to get a full view of the Mushroom Kingdom. My 11-year-old rated it 7/10, and my 9-year-old gave it 6/10. It's cute and well-themed, but nothing special. Good for younger kids or if you need a break from intense rides. It’s a great ride if you enjoy omnimovers and have some time to spare. For us, it was worth the 30ish-minute wait.
Yoshi's Adventure
Pros
- You get a great view of the Mushroom Kingdom
- Yoshi and friends are super cute
- Perfect for little littles or kids who don’t like thrilling rides
Cons
- Slow-moving
Quick Stats
MINECART MADNESS Ride Review
Minecart Madness is EASILY the best ride we rode at Epic Universe. This was hands-down the best ride at Epic Universe. My 11-year-old rated it 10/10, and my 9-year-old gave it 9/10.
If we had to choose between riding Minecart Madness or Mario Kart, we’d pick Minecart every single time. It’s fun, gives you some thrills, and makes you feel like you’re playing a real-life version of those classic Donkey Kong minecart levels.
Minecart Madness
Pros
- Two drops
- Fun misdirection that makes you think the track is broken
- Characters pop out during the ride
- Pretty thrilling ride
Cons
- Long wait times
Quick Stats
Super Nintendo World at Night
We really loved Super Nintendo World at nighttime. It adds an extra layer of beauty, and it’s so fun to see everything lit up at night. If you’re able to make it over to this part of the park after the sun goes down, we highly recommend it!
How To Train Your Dragon: The Isle of Berk
We didn’t make it over to The Isle of Berk until the evening, so I’m not sure how it looks during the daytime. But at night, it sure is spectacular! Because we had spent so much time at the Wizarding World and Super Nintendo World, we didn’t have a whole lot of time here.
The Untrainable Dragon Show 9/10
We were able to make it to The Untrainable Dragon show, and I highly recommend making time to attend! It’s got everything you want in a fun, family-friendly theme park show: characters you love, funny moments, and set pieces that wow. I don’t want to spoil too much, but be on the lookout for Hiccup & Toothless’ entrance–it’s great!
My eleven-year-old gave it a 10/10, and my nine-year-old gave it an 8/10.
Fyre Drill Ride Review: 8/10
This is a fun, water-based ride that lets you use a water cannon to put out “fires” and try to soak other Vikings. Just be prepared to get soaked!
Fyre Drill Ride Review
Pros
- Slow-moving fun
- Great for kids who love water rides
- Fun targets to aim at
Cons
- Possibilty of getting SOAKED
Quick Stats
The Dark Universe
If you’re a fan of old, creepy monster movies, then you’ll love The Dark Universe. The design team did a fantastic job capturing that horror aesthetic from the 1920s/30s. We visited at night, which really helped sell the spooky vibes.
There isn’t much to do in the Dark Universe except for the rides, so you don’t need to plan on it taking up too much of your day if you just want to see it. You can walk through the whole place in fifteen minutes. Which is worth it, especially to see Frankenstein’s castle.
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment Ride Review 8/10
The queue for Monsters Unchained rivals Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. It’s really spooky and fun to see inside Frankenstein’s castle. And the storytellers did a good job of weaving the story you’ll encounter onto the ride into the queue. If you have kids who get scared easily, be warned that this ride gets pretty scary and has spooky characters like Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Phantom of the Opera.
Monsters Unchained is a motion-based ride. So if you get motion sickness easily, this may not be the ride for you. I’d recommend looking up a POV of the ride on YouTube so you know what you’re in for. You’re attached to a robotic arm, and they twist and turn you around to immerse you in the battle between Dracula and Dr. Frankenstein.
My 11-year-old rated this 10/10. It's a dark, intense trackless ride where you're caught in the middle of a monster battle. The effects are incredible, and it's perfectly scary for tweens without being too terrifying. This is NOT appropriate for younger kids who get scared easily, but it's fantastic for thrill-seeking tweens. Wait time when we visited was about 75 minutes
Monsters Unchained: Frankenstein's Experiment Ride Review
Pros
- Engaging plot
- Makes you feel like you're in Frankenstein's Castle
- Whips, tilts, and rotates
- Great moments you won't see coming
- Features 14 classic monsters
Cons
- May cause motion sickness
- A bit rough
Quick Stats
Celestial Park
Celestial Park is the heart of Epic Universe (it’s the first thing you encounter when walking in), and it’s a nice little introduction to the park. The architecture is beautiful, and the gardens, water features, and dancing water fountains give a beautiful sense of serenity.
Epic Universe is probably one of my favorite Orlando theme parks at night, and a big reason for that is Celestial Park. I loved seeing it lit up, and the dancing fountains were absolutely gorgeous after the sun set. Celestial Park is home to two rides: Stardust Racer & Constellation Carousel. We skipped Stardust Racer, but we did ride Constellation Carousel.
Constellation Carousel Ride Review 8/10
Constellation Carousel is a beautiful carousel with mythical creatures. My 9-year-old rated it 9/10 (she still loves carousels), and my 11-year-old gave it 7/10. It's a nice break from the intense rides and perfect for younger kids. My daughter and I actually ended up riding it twice–once during the day, and once at night. The wait times increased significantly at night, but it is much prettier then.
Our Final Verdict: is epic universe worth it for 8-12 year olds?
🎢 Epic Universe: Our Overall Verdict
November 2025 · Family of 4 · Kids ages 9 & 11
For our family, Epic Universe was absolutely worth returning to Orlando for. The rides felt fresh and exciting, the theming is incredibly immersive, and our kids had an amazing time. But if you're on a tight budget or hate long lines, you might want to wait a year or two for crowds to die down. My 11-year-old rated Epic Universe 9/10 overall. My 9-year-old also gave it 9/10.
Epic Universe FAQs: Everything You Need to Know
However, expect 2-3 hour waits for major rides during peak season. We waited 3 hours for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry (and it broke down three times!). If you hate long lines or are on a tight budget, consider waiting a year for crowds to calm down or buying Express Pass.
For our family, it was absolutely worth returning to Orlando one year after our last trip just to experience Epic Universe.
- 1 day at Epic Universe (3 adult tickets, 1 child ticket)
- 1 day park hopper at Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure
Total for 2 days: $1,597
If you want Power Bands for Super Nintendo World, add another $48-96 (we bought 2 for $96 total). Our recommendation: buy 1-2 and share them among the family.
Most major rides have 40-48 inch height requirements, which means the average 8-year-old is tall enough for almost everything. The thrill level is perfect for kids who've outgrown Disney's gentler rides but aren't quite ready for extreme roller coasters.
Our 9 and 11-year-old were the perfect ages. They were tall enough for all rides, loved the theming (especially Harry Potter and Nintendo), and had the patience for long wait times.
Too young (under 8): Limited ride options, might be too scary, long days are hard
Too old (15+): Still fun but may want more extreme thrills
Parents: We had a blast! Don't worry that you'll be bored.
We did Epic Universe in one full day (park open to close) and managed to experience most major attractions. However, with 2-3 hour wait times, we only rode about 60% of what we wanted.
Ideal scenario: 2 days at Epic gives you time to re-ride favorites, see all shows, and explore without stress.
Our strategy if we only had 1 day: Arrive at rope drop, head straight to Donkey Kong Minecart Madness, use the Universal app to track wait times throughout the day, and skip anything with a wait over 90 minutes unless it's a must-ride for your family.
Here's why: Universal has more rides (40+ vs Epic's 12), better overall value, and BOTH of our kids agreed that Universal's Wizarding World (Hogsmeade + Diagon Alley) is more immersive than Epic's Ministry of Magic.
Choose Epic if:
- You've already been to Universal and want something new
- You're huge Nintendo fans
- You want the absolute newest, most cutting-edge rides
- You only have 1-2 days (Epic is more compact)
Choose Universal if:
- This is your first time (more rides, better value)
- You want the best Wizarding World experience
- You have 2 days to explore both parks
- Budget matters (more entertainment per dollar)
Best option: Get the package deal like we did and experience BOTH!
We bought 2 Power Bands for $96 total. Our 11-year-old (huge Nintendo fan) used his non-stop for 2+ hours and rated the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown 10/10. Our 9-year-old (casual fan) played for 30 minutes then got distracted.
Worth it if:
- Your kids are SERIOUS Nintendo/Mario fans
- You're spending 3+ hours in Super Nintendo World
- Your kids love scavenger hunts and challenges
Skip if:
- Tight budget (that's $192 for family of 4!)
- Your kids just want rides
- Casual Nintendo fans
Our recommendation: Buy 1-2 Power Bands and let kids share. You don't need one for every family member.
We visited Orlando in 2024 with kids ages 7 & 9, then returned in 2025 with kids ages 9 & 11. Even though it was only one year later, the experience was completely different:
- Kids were taller and could ride more attractions
- Epic Universe was brand new
- We already had wands from 2024 (saved $130!)
- Kids appreciated theming and details more
Our 2025 trip only cost $446 more than 2024 (when you factor out paying for flights this time). Totally worth it for a brand new park experience.
Worth returning if: Epic Universe interests you, kids are older/taller, or you loved Universal and want more
Skip returning if: Kids same age/height, very tight budget, or you saw everything last time
1. Donkey Kong Minecart Madness (9/10)
The BEST ride at Epic Universe. Unique bouncing mine cart roller coaster. Worth a 2-hour wait.
2. Monsters Unchained (8/10)
Intense trackless dark ride. Incredible effects. Perfect for thrill-seeking tweens.
3. Harry Potter Ministry of Magic (7.5/10)
Amazing theming, great ride. Just NOT worth a 3-hour wait.
4. Fyre Drill (7/10)
Fun, slow-moving water ride. You WILL get wet.
5. The Untrainable Dragon Show (10/10 for show)
Don't skip this! Massive flying dragon animatronic is spectacular.
What to skip: Mario Kart (4/10) - AR goggles don't work well, not worth waits over 45 minutes.
Gentler options:
- Yoshi's Adventure (slow-moving, gentle)
- Constellation Carousel (perfect for young kids)
- Power Band activities (interactive, not scary)
- The Untrainable Dragon show (no thrills, amazing)
Most major rides are moderate-to-high thrills. Our 9-year-old doesn't usually like super intense rides, but she handled Epic fine and rated it 9/10. It's not Disney-gentle, but it's not Six Flags-extreme either.
If your kids hate ANY thrills: Stick with Disney
If they're warming up to thrills: Try Universal Studios first
If they love thrills: Epic Universe is perfect!
Early Park Admission: Gets you in before regular guests. Could save 1-2 hours on popular rides. Worth it if you're only visiting one day.
Express Pass: Very expensive (varies by date) but lets you skip regular lines. Worth considering if:
- You only have 1 day at Epic
- You hate waiting in lines
- Money isn't a huge concern
- You're visiting during peak season
Skip if:
- You have 2+ days at Epic
- Tight budget
- You don't mind strategic planning (rope drop, Thrill-Data app)
Our take: If we'd had Express Pass, we could have ridden 3-4 more attractions instead of waiting 3 hours for one ride.
