Epic Day 5
“I’m a shooting star leaping through the sky / Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity.” — Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen)
I woke up so excited for another day at Epic Universe. When you’ve visited Orlando’s existing theme parks more times than you can count, the chance to explore a brand new one feels like Christmas morning. Since I stayed at home the night before, I didn’t have early entry this time, and it was my first time parking in the Guest Parking lot.
For those unfamiliar, Epic Universe has its own parking area, separate from the massive structure used for the Legacy Parks and CityWalk. Heads up: it’s a walk. There's no tram service, so if you’re parked far back, prepare for a bit of a hike. It'll be interesting to see how the crowds and parking logistics play out once the park fully opens.
Once inside, we headed straight to Dark Universe to ride my favorite attraction in the park, Monsters Unchained. The line was already long since several attractions were down during early entry, and guests naturally funneled into the available areas. That pattern would continue throughout the day, with lots of back-and-forth across the park due to frequent downtimes. As a random surprise, I also found out that my earrings glowed in the dark while in this queue.
As we made our way toward the portal, it was time to try for the virtual queue for Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. Sadly, no luck, and we weren’t even sure any spots were released.
We stopped for lunch at Das Stakehaus, aiming to beat the lunch rush but missing the mark. After a few frustrating loops around the dining room looking for a table, we discovered Team Members had begun seating guests. We waited about 10 minutes before being seated, and thankfully, the food and spooky ambiance were worth it.
Next, we made our way to Super Nintendo World, where Mine Cart Madness was up and running. Knowing its tendency to go down, we jumped in the long line quickly. It was moving fast until we reached the final room before loading and the ride went down. Just as we were about to give up, after another failed Harry Potter virtual queue attempt, it reopened. Riding it during the day was a fun change since I’d only experienced it at night. I truly adore the Donkey Kong Country area. It feels like stepping into the game.
With many rides still down, we circled back to Dark Universe for a visit to The Burning Blade Tavern. I ordered the Garlic Stake and Lagoon’ita again because why mess with perfection. A new storyteller was performing during this visit, and they were just as entertaining as the last.
As we wrapped up, we got an alert that Stardust Racers was back online. We rushed over and I got to try the opposite track from my last ride. Just as smooth and thrilling as before. I’m still blown away by this coaster.
Next, we headed to Isle of Berk, where rides were finally up. We jumped on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, which continues to surprise me with how fun it is despite its modest appearance. The line was long due to sporadic closures, but worth it.
As we exited, it was time for another attempt at the virtual queue for Battle at the Ministry. I got it at this exact moment on my last visit, so I was hopeful. No luck this time though. Since we hadn’t visited that portal yet, we took the opportunity to get crepes at Café L’air De La Sirène. Even though it looked busy, the wait was only about 15 minutes, thanks to most delays being for larger parties.
I gave the butterbeer-flavored crepe a try again hoping I’d magically become a fan. Still a no from me, but the Crêpe Citronnée aux Chambord was absolute perfection. I dream about it and can’t wait for the day Epic Universe is added to the Universal Orlando Annual Pass lineup so I can go back just for that crepe.
The remaining rides we were hoping to hit were still down, so we made another lap to Monsters Unchained. This time, the wait was short, but the pre-show rooms were skipped entirely, which tipped us off that something was off. Sure enough, once on the ride, we realized none of the screens were working. It might not be obvious to first-timers, but those effects really elevate the experience, so it was a bit of a bummer.
To close out the day, we went back to Super Nintendo World to play with our Power Up Bands and snap some photos. While we were there, Yoshi’s Adventure reopened, so we hopped in line. After that, we noticed Bowser’s Challenge was also back online, so we ended the night there.
Right before leaving, I checked the virtual queue for Battle at the Ministry one last time. It was open, but I didn’t grab it fast enough and missed it by seconds. I was so bummed, especially since the two friends I was with hadn’t gotten to ride it yet. I was thankful I had experienced it before, but I really wanted them to see it too.
Even with the ride closures and crowd challenges, it was another amazing day at Epic Universe. I know this will be my last visit until the park is added to the Universal Orlando Annual Pass, and I’m counting down the days until I can go back.
