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One Day Epic Universe Itinerary
EPIC UNIVERSE
Three expert-crafted itineraries to help you maximize every ride and experience at Universal's newest theme park. Choose the plan that fits your trip!
- Early Park Admission at Epic Universe can change seasonally. As of February 2026, the lands open during EPA include select attractions in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. Universal does not always list specific rides, so check the Universal Orlando app on the morning of your visit to see what's operating. We've built this plan around the current EPA lineup, but if the lands change, you can still follow the order of this plan during regular park hours.
- Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry now uses a traditional standby line (the virtual queue system has been retired). Wait times for this ride regularly exceed 2–3 hours during peak times. Our three plan versions handle this differently — one starts with Battle of the Ministry during EPA to knock it out early, one saves it for the evening when waits tend to drop, and our no-EPA version schedules it mid-afternoon. Choose the plan that best fits your priorities!
- Epic Universe park hours vary throughout the year. Always double check the official Universal Orlando website or app to confirm the hours for your visit date. If Universal opens Epic earlier than expected, you can still follow the order of this plan.
- Epic Universe has two brand new live shows: The Untrainable Dragon in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Le Cirque Arcanus in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic which are not included in this ride driven park plan. However, feel free to work them in between at any point that might work for you. We suggest early afternoon for The Untrainable Dragon and early evening for Le Cirque Arcanus.
- This ride driven park plan also does not include much time to explore and use any premium upgrades such as power up bands in Super Nintendo World or the interactive wands within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
- The reason why we have you walking across the park at certain times of the day is to try to avoid being out in the sun during the afternoon when it is the hottest. We tried to strategically plan for your lunch as well as one of the most popular indoor rides, Monsters Unchained, at strategic times of the day.
1 – ARRIVE EARLY
We cannot stress this enough — plan to arrive at Epic Universe at least 60 minutes before EPA begins. Security screening happens before the ticket checkpoint, and the park allows guests to fill the space between security and the turnstiles before EPA starts. The earlier you're in that holding area, the better position you'll be in when the portals open.
2 – HAVE YOUR HOTEL KEY OR HARD TICKETS WHICH SHOW EPA READY
Your Universal Orlando hotel room key or Park Prodigy Multi-day tickets is your ticket to EPA. Each person in your party will need to show their ticket to access EPA attractions. Make sure everyone has theirs before you leave the hotel!
3 – KNOW YOUR GAME PLAN
During EPA, only select lands and attractions are open. Team members stationed at the portal entrances will check for valid hotel keys. Have a clear plan for which land you're heading to first — don't waste precious minutes deciding once you're inside the park. Our recommended order is built into the schedule on the following pages.
4 – DOWNLOAD THE UNIVERSAL ORLANDO APP
The Universal Orlando Resort App is essential for checking real-time wait times, seeing which attractions are operating during EPA, and navigating the park. Download it before your trip and link your tickets to your Universal Account.
5 – BE FLEXIBLE
Rides occasionally have delayed openings during EPA, especially newer attractions. If your first choice isn't operating yet, have a backup plan ready. Our schedule includes alternatives so you're never stuck waiting.
Super Nintendo World during EPA
Most guests rush here first, so expect it to be the busiest EPA land. If Mine-Cart Madness is operating, it's worth prioritizing — it regularly sees 2-3 hour waits later in the day.
Isle of Berk during EPA
This is a fantastic option. Hiccup's Wing Gliders is one of the most popular rides in the park and having early access can save you over an hour of waiting. We also have seen many of our clients prioritize the Toothless meet and greet as this can have a 90 minute wait later in the day.
Ministry of Magic during EPA
Head straight to Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry. This ride averages 2-3+ hour waits during regular hours. Riding it during EPA is a game-changer for your entire day.
| Attraction | Min. Height |
|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness | 40" |
| Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge | 40" |
| Yoshi's Adventure | 34" |
| Hiccup's Wing Gliders | 40" |
| Dragon Racer's Rally | 48" |
| Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry | 40" |
| Fyre Drill | No minimum |
| Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | 48" |
| Curse of the Werewolf | 40" |
| Stardust Racers | 48" |
| Constellation Carousel | No minimum |
🎮 Plan 1: Starting with Super Nintendo World
Early Park Admission Required | Starts at ~9:00 AM
| Time | Attraction / Activity | *Wait |
|---|---|---|
| ~9:00 AMHOUR 1 (EPA) | Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge Head straight to Super Nintendo World during EPA. |
~45 min |
| ~9:45 AMHOUR 2 | Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness Regularly hits 2-3 hour waits later in the day. |
~80 min |
| ~11:05 AMHOUR 3 | Yoshi's Adventure | ~30 min |
| ~12:00 PMHOUR 4 | Hiccup's Wing Gliders Head to Isle of Berk. |
~65 min |
| ~1:05 PMHOUR 5 | Lunch Break | ~60 min |
| ~2:05 PMHOUR 6 | Dragon Racer's Rally | ~45 min |
| ~2:50 PMHOUR 7 | Fyre Drill | ~45 min |
| ~3:35 PMHOUR 8 | Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment Head to Dark Universe. |
~30 min |
| ~4:05 PMHOUR 9 | Break | ~20 min |
| ~4:25 PMHOUR 10 | Curse of the Werewolf | ~60 min |
| ~5:25 PMHOUR 11 | Stardust Racers Head to Celestial Park. |
~60 min |
| ~6:25 PMHOUR 12 | Constellation Carousel | ~15 min |
| ~6:40 PMHOUR 13 | Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry Waits tend to drop in the evening. |
~120 min |
Rest of the Day
- Dinner — not included with this plan
- The Untrainable Dragon (Show)
- Le Cirque Arcanus (Show)
- Explore Super Nintendo World with Power Up Band
- Explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Interactive Wand
🧙 Plan 2: Starting with Battle at the Ministry
Early Park Admission Required | Starts at ~9:00 AM
| Time | Attraction / Activity | *Wait |
|---|---|---|
| ~9:00 AMHOUR 1 (EPA) | Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry Head straight to Ministry of Magic. Averages 2-3 hrs later in the day. |
~60 min |
| ~10:00 AMHOUR 2 | Curse of the Werewolf | ~45 min |
| ~10:45 AMHOUR 3 | Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | ~30 min |
| ~11:15 AMHOUR 4 | Hiccup's Wing Gliders Head to Isle of Berk. |
~65 min |
| ~12:20 PMHOUR 5 | Fyre Drill or Dragon Racer's Rally | ~45 min |
| ~1:15 PMHOUR 6 | Lunch in Isle of Berk | ~60 min |
| ~2:30 PMHOUR 7 | The Untrainable Dragon (Show) | — |
| ~3:00 PMHOUR 8 | Constellation Carousel Head to Celestial Park. |
~25 min |
| ~3:25 PMHOUR 9 | Stardust Racers | ~45 min |
| ~4:10 PMHOUR 10 | Explore Ministry of Magic / Le Cirque Arcanus Interactive Wand or see the show. |
~65 min |
| ~5:15 PMHOUR 11 | Yoshi's Adventure Head to Super Nintendo World. |
~30 min |
| ~5:45 PMHOUR 12 | Dinner in Super Nintendo World or Pizza Moon | ~60 min |
| ~6:45 PMHOUR 13 | Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge | ~45 min |
| ~7:30 PMHOUR 14 | Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness | ~85 min |
Rest of the Night
- Explore Super Nintendo World with Power Up Band
🎢 Plan 3: Without Early Park Admission
No EPA Required | Park Opens at ~10:00 AM
| Time | Attraction / Activity | *Wait |
|---|---|---|
| ~10:00 AMHOUR 1 | Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment Head to Dark Universe first — lower crowds at open. |
~30 min |
| Curse of the Werewolf | ~20 min | |
| ~11:00 AMHOUR 2 | Stardust Racers Head to Celestial Park. |
~35 min |
| Constellation Carousel | ~15 min | |
| ~12:00 PMHOUR 3 | Break #1 | ~20 min |
| ~1:00 PMHOUR 4 | Hiccup's Wing Gliders Head to Isle of Berk. |
~50 min |
| ~2:00 PMHOUR 5 | Dragon Racer's Rally or Fyre Drill | ~50 min |
| ~3:00 PMHOUR 6 | Lunch Break | ~60 min |
| ~4:00 PMHOUR 7 | Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry Head to Ministry of Magic. Plan for a long wait. |
~180 min |
| ~7:00 PMHOUR 8 | Break #2 | ~20 min |
| ~7:20 PMHOUR 9 | Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge Head to Super Nintendo World. |
~45 min |
| ~8:05 PMHOUR 10 | Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness | ~75 min |
Rest of the Day
Note: This plan skips dinner to maximize ride time. We recommend grabbing a quick bite during one of the breaks if needed.
Rides not included in this plan:
- Yoshi's Adventure
- Fyre Drill or Dragon Racer's Rally (whichever was not selected in Hour 5)
Experiences not included in this plan:
- The Untrainable Dragon (Show)
- Le Cirque Arcanus (Show)
- Explore Super Nintendo World with Power Up Band
- Explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Interactive Wand
Ready to Plan Your Epic Universe Day?
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