Having gone to the park multiple times as both a TM and a Guest, I have a pretty good overall overview of the park as a whole. This review isn’t that structured and is more a collection of my thoughts.
Also, I know I made this account a few days ago and it’s a little fishy. I acknowledge that there is no way for you guys to confirm if this review is truthful, or if in fact I am a UOTM, but I don’t really want my personal info out there so you guys can just experience for yourself when you go to the park. Also, slight but not heavy spoilers. Don’t want to spoil those “wow” moments at the park.
Parking/Arrivals:
The layout of the streets to get to the parking lot is a bit weird. While there will be three routes to get to the parking lot, the main one is currently Epic Blvd and Destination Pkwy. I feel like this will be the most popular route for Guests to use because those who are coming from Disney or Tampa/Lakeland will be getting off I-4 on Universal Blvd. Because of this, I feel like Universal hasn’t done enough to the surrounding area to alleviate the possible heavy traffic that will come. Additionally, if you are coming this way, there is only one right turn lane to get to the Toll Plaza while at North Campus it’s two right turn lanes. Even though it’s only a few thousand TMs each day (the park can sustain much more than that), the traffic to just get to the tolls near opening is kinda crazy.
They are installing solar panel covers on some parts of the parking lot, which I think is a great way for the park to obtain electricity while providing shade for cars in the scorching Florida sun. I really wish there were moving walkways to get from the lot to the park entrance but I guess my lazy butt can walk. My only real concern is that the parking lot “feels” small”. Like half the size of some of the WDW lots but I could be wrong.
The Portal Design:
My biggest intrigue of the park was with the portal concept. It is kinda refreshing to be “for the most part” completely enveloped into each world of the park. Then when you’re done you exit the way you came in. (Guests won’t be exiting through the portals to get out of the land. There are exits next to the portals with a security booth to ensure that Guest flow doesn’t get congested) I also really appreciate how you must go back to Celestial Park in order to get to you’re next world. It gives time for Guests to chill for a bit before going to their next experience.
Celestial Park (CP):
CP is really the star of the show. First off, it is beautiful. The horticulture team really did a great job with the different gardens with really unique plants/trees. The music they made is really good too, with different areas having different musical themes. There’s one music track by Stardust that is pretty reminiscent of Epcot but grander and with synth. The fountains add some great kinetic energy to the land. All of this makes for, in my opinion, the best world in the park. Not because it’s immersive or it’s a huge IP, but because it’s ambience and aesthetics can’t be found in other parks across the country. Take some time to explore it.
HTTYD:
The world was the most surprising for me. This was my least anticipated land for me and it almost blew me away the first time I walked in. The music, the kinetic energy, and walk-around characters really made this world feel special.
Potter:
Honestly, it’s my favorite of the three potter lands. This world is the most immersive imo. Each building is so tall that it blocks out the rest of the park. On the flipside, you can pretty much see potter from the outside at any angle. The animatronics just for the wand magic are so fluid too. They’ve also learned to widen the walkways in a Potter land.
Nintendo:
Not much to say about this world because it’s also in Japan and USH. It’s cool but done before twice.
Dark:
Too small. Walk around characters are great though and add energy to the area. Go say hi to Igor, he’s my favorite.
Attraction Ranking:
I feel like Potter will be my #1 but since it is having technical delays, I cannot rank it. Also, for reference, a 5/10 is your average theme park ride while a 10/10 is Indiana Jones Adventure.
The Best:
Stardust Racers (8.5):
This is the most re-ridable attraction in the park. I’ve spent so much time on both sides trying to find the perfect seat. I’ve found the yellow side to be more intense but in a rougher way, while the green side was more enjoyable. The celestial spin and the fact that there’s on-board audio are the best parts of the ride. (I mean, come on. Velocicoaster should’ve had on-board audio) The ejector is pretty good but I dont think it’s better than velocicoaster. I’ve heard so many people say that it’s one of the best coasters ever but I disagree. Velocicoaster, Mako, and Iron Gwazi are all better coasters in Florida but I think it’s a good #4. Also, be careful on the launches. The beginning of the launches start off slow but then all of a sudden it accelerates super quickly. This made my head, and my friend’s heads, bang against the head rest and left for an uncomfortable moment on the ride.
Monsters (8):
I think this ride is being overhyped. I’ve had people tell me that it’s the best ride ever created and its the “perfect attraction”. While it is impressive, I believe most are being led to believe this ride is greater than it actually is. First off, there are way too many effects. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but the likelihood of having a cycle where every effect works will be slim to none. Additionally, the ride experience itself is a little rough. It’s not like a intense fun rough, but an uncomfortable experience at times. It is still an upgrade from FJ and I think most will enjoy it. Finally, the pacing of the ride is off. Dracula escapes super quickly, then the rest of the monsters escape, then Dracula gets “defeated”. Even though it’s a 4 minute ride, it ends so abruptly. But I gotta say that the queue, preshow, music, and aesthetic of the ride is amazing.
Mid Tier:
Hiccups (6):
Slightly better than Slinky. A fun family coaster while that awesome HTTYD soundtrack blasts through the speaker. It doesn’t do anything special but that’s okay because the littles will love it. My main issue with it is that the lap bars staple your thighs by the second launch, so it can be a little uncomfortable. I’ve found the best row is the back for both the good forces and also the staple is less the farther back you go.
Mario Kart (6):
It’s the exact same ride experience as USH but with a better queue. Still though when I think about the words “Mario Kart ride”, I imagine a fast pace dueling slot car attraction that drifts (cough dynamic attractions cough).
Werewolf (5.5):
I love spinning coasters because of their re-ridability. Some of this ride has some good forces, especially after the last swing launch. However, it’s so short. The ride starts to get pretty good and then… it just ends. Also, there is audio while you ride but it isn’t on-board audio. The music track plays all throughout the area and it starts to get annoying after a few cycles. My favorite row is #2. I’ve found you spin the most there.
Dragon Racer Rally (5):
I need to learn how to flip more. It’s awesome but no one seems to know how to, including me. It’s so difficult lol.
Lower Tier:
DK (4):
Man, this was the biggest disappointment for me. I knew that this was a family coaster going into it, but I was not expecting it to give me a headache. The ride is fun but at the bottom of every hill the RV shakes back and forth as if it’s trying to stabilize itself. I thought it would be a one-time thing but everytime I’ve ridden it it has given me a headache. Be warned. Oh also, the front row does not suit well for anyone 6ft or taller/with long legs.
Fyre Drill (4):
This was a cute attraction and while I thoroughly enjoyed my time on it, it seems too amusement parky. I loved trying to find the different targets that would soak the boat and seeing how each effect would be different. Sometimes it would be a small spurt of water, while sometimes it would splash a huge wave over your party. It was fun but it reminded me too much of six flags with brighter paint.
Yoshi (3.5):
I waited 5 minutes for it. That’s about the longest I’d wait for it again. I hope the littles enjoy this ride because most people won’t lol. Ik the park needed a slower ride for those who want a more placid experience, but it’s just a meh. I do really like how they made it an interact experience by having the Guests push buttons where they find certain eggs. That added an extra aspect to the experience that was fun.
Food:
Here’s a ranking of all the food I’ve had so far. I’m no food critic so I won’t go too much into depth about each one but here it is.
Pizza Moon (9):
Actual good theme park pizza. Reminds me of Red Brick Pizza Oven. Oh, and please get the lemon cake. I hate lemon cakes but this was awesome.
De Lacy’s Cottage (7):
Salted pretzel is better than Disney’s but not by much. I’m a sucker for cinnemon pretzel bits though and man, it was really good.
Mead Hall (7):
Some good food options. Some tasty, some not so much. I liked the salmon.
Spitfyre Grill (6.5):
The bowls are actually pretty good. However, the low score is because the pricing is egregiously high.
Cafe La Siren (6):
Quiche is quite good, beef bourguignon is uhh not. Couldn’t try the butterbeer crepe though.
Grog and Gruel (5):
Mac and cheese cones. It’s fine tasting but quite small for how expensive it is. If it was the only thing I bought for lunch, I’d still be hungry.
Oak and Star Tavern (4):
If you’ve had real BBQ, you’re gonna be real disappointed when you eat this. I wouldn’t recommend.
I appreciate the fact that the food options are so much more than your standard theme park burger, pizza, or chicken tenders.
Nighttime:
This is where it’s at. The best version of the park is when the sun goes down. The lighting package for Epic is the best I think I’ve ever seen in a park. It’s well thought out and almost all of the lights in Celestial Park have the ability to sync up. So please stay until the sun goes down.
Overall:
I think the park is gonna wow people, but also might disappoint some people. There are definitely many of those “wow” moments throughout the whole park. However, I also think that Epic is being so overhyped. Yes it is innovative in theme park design, technology, food, etc, but it certainly isn’t the best theme park in the world, or IMO the country. It does have charm, but not more charm than Disneyland. It does have thrills, but not more than Six Flags. It does have immersive theming, but not more than some other FL parks. What I’m trying to say is that when you go to the park for the first time, don’t build up the expectation that it will shoot all the way to your #1. Don’t think that Stardust Racers will be the best coaster ever, or that Monsters will be the best dark ride ever. Just go to have a good time with your friends/family and try to make lasting memories you’ll never forget… because at the end of the day, isn’t that what theme parks are all about?
TL:DR
Epic is fun. Celestial Park is the best World. DK kinda sucks. Green side is better than yellow on Stardust. From what I’ve seen, Ministry ride will wow people but man will it break alot. The park is overhyped. Oh and UO will finally have an awesome nighttime spectacular. Fireworks, water fountains, colors, and great music. See y’all on May 22nd.
I think it's important to have these more tempered reviews, because let's face it a brand new theme park is NOT going to please everyone. Also, the early reviews from TMs are naturally going to be biased because they're talking about their workplace that relies on people to want to pay hundreds of dollars to show up and support their salaries. I think we'll probably start getting more fair and balanced reviews like this over the coming weeks as UO APs and other visitors with less "skin in the game" have a chance to experience the park.
Also, as noted here, Battle of the Ministry has not been running consistently (if at all) during previews, so while many early reviews have been praising Monsters Unchained, that glowing praise may be toned down once more guests are able to experience the park's signature HP attraction. Additionally, other aspects of the park are not yet running regularly, including the Untrainable Dragon and Harry Potter shows, and the park's signature nighttime show in Celestial Park has yet to debut aside from occasional tests that occurred without guests in the park.
Finally, it needs to be emphasized that the park is still in technical rehearsals and will likely continue to tweak operations even after the grand opening on May 22. That's one of the reasons why parks do these soft openings for team members, passholders, and other selected guests to not only make sure everything works but to also get feedback/critique on operations and other details. We all need to remember that this is the first full major theme park to open in the US since 2008 (Hard Rock Park), and a lot has changed since then. Not only is Universal reinventing the concept of the theme park with Epic, but they also need to reinvent how to soft open it. Over the past 15-20 years, we've seen individual lands in existing theme parks open, but this is brand new territory for virtually everyone involved in this process.
@Russel- I’d say that my review was fair and balanced. I talked about some of the stuff that I thought the park does really well, while also discussing what I didn’t like so much. However you’re right, I should have talked about my own perspective first. I am a TM and I am at Epic everyday but I am just like all of you. I’ve been so incredibly excited for the park for 4 years now and while the park did meet/exceed some expectations, others it did not. My jaw dropped when I first got to the park, but the rides didn’t make that happen. I hope that changes when I get on Potter. (If it’s half as good as the queue is, it probably will).
My main issue with the park are the rides themselves. I don’t think they are as stellar as some may believe them to be ( at least the ones I’ve talked to). You say that they can tweak the operations and some of the smaller details of the park, and I agree, but they can’t change the main foundation of what the attractions are.
Where the park really excels is the atmosphere. I could walk around the park all day and not get bored, but I haven’t had the desire to go back on the rides as much.
@ThemeParkies - My comment was not a slight against you or your honest opinion of the park. I think others are concerned about the rides, and amidst all the glowing praise of the park, there has been a constant undertone of concern about many of the supporting attractions. I do think that Super Nintendo World being a cloned land is a cop out, and the concerns about Mine Cart Madness have been growing since Universal Japan delayed its opening.
While the actual quality of the attractions seems to be very high, my biggest concern is that guests will get stuck wondering what to do if they are being restricted in jumping to another portal by virtual queues. I think Universal is really betting on the atmosphere and walk around characters in each portal to create that immersive appeal to keep guests from wanting to simply jump from ride to ride.
They're also expecting guests to shell out extra money once in the park to participate in additional experiences that are designed to fill their time and enhance the immersiveness of each land (HP wands, Power-Up bands, and Dark Universe Makeup experience). There's some limited ability to appreciate those upcharges without paying for them by watching other guests participate in those activities, but it creates a disconnect between the haves and have-nots, especially if guests are forced to wait in a virtual queue before they can go to another portal. In Ministry of Magic, there's just the one ride and the show, but everything else in that portal requires guests to pay extra for either a wand or food to do anything else within the land.
I also worry that Epic Universe ends up in the same situation that recent immersive character-driven lands from Disney that weren't as interactive as initially promised, and have only become less interactive as time passes. There might be great character interactions now, but Universal has to commit to supporting these interactions in the long term, and not let them become the first line items to cut when financial projections are not met. So much of these worlds relies on the characters (and TMs) to differentiate them from other theme parks that if they are pulled back or toned down, guests will be left with just the rides, which are by their nature flawed.
@Russell - lol no you’re good. I never write reviews so I should’ve prefaced it with more context.
I heavily agree with your last statement. If the food prices I saw are a correlation with how they’ll price the rest of the park, Guests will be charged a hefty amount during their visit. I can’t imagine what express will be priced at, and how often it’ll be sold out…
@ThemeParkies - I have read about the food prices, and while most of the reviews seem to indicate it's pretty good (with some misses as you've noted), it is a significant increase in price, and comparable price increases were recently reported at IOA and USF. I do get that Universal wants to portray that Epic as high (read "Disney") quality, but it seems like they might be reaching a bit and being over-aggressive in their pricing. I would also extend that to the Gen 2 HP wands, which are priced at $80. I get that they're a big step up from the original designs (along with inflation and all), but that's a big chunk of change (half the price of a day's admission) to participate in a significant part of the immersiveness of the Ministry of Magic. I can only imagine how much they're going to charge for the Dark Universe makeup experience - I'd guess over $100.
Nice to see a review of the park. And while I'm sad Monsters' pacing disappointed, it still sounds incredible. I'd love to hear how it compares to the other Orlando parks, if you wanted to rank them.
@ThemeParkies: welcome! Thanks so much for this early review, and for also keeping it as spoiler free as possible :-) please update this post once you were able to experience the Harry Potter attraction in full!
@fattyackin-
Of course! I didn’t want to spoil the specific awesome stuff about the park because each world has so much to explore/discover.
@Velocicoasterfan-
Monsters is still an awesome ride (hence why I still gave it an 8/10) but since I was led to believe it was a 10/10, my expectations were through the roof.
My top 10 tentative Orlando ride rankings with UEU are:
#1 Hagrids
(#2 hoping Ministry becomes my future #2)
#2 ROTR
#3 Velocicoaster
#4 Monsters
#5 Guardians
#6 TOT
#7 FOP
#8 Spider-Man
#9 FJ
#10 Safari
Orlando Parks:
#1 Epic
#2 IOA
#3 AK
#4 Epcot
#5 DHS
Velocicoaster only at number 3?! One look at my username will tell you my thoughts on that one.
Glad to see the epic rides still high up, though. My expectations have been met at the very least.
Does anyone have a link to any sort of review of the Ministry of Magic? Has it been running at all during TM previews?
I've seen multiple reports that the ride was not available for the TM previews but people have been invited to walk through the queue. Aside from quality, I am interested in how long the ride lasts. If the Monsters Kuka thing runs just four minutes and then Ministry last around the same ... Well, that's just not a lot of experience (time) is it?
For comparison, anyone know how long Forbidden Journey runs? I’ve re-ridden multiple times in a row in single rider but it always seems like a pretty decent length.
Everything I've seen has indicated that Battle of the Ministry has not been operational at all for TM previews. The issue seems to be that the system can't run with more than 3 or 4 vehicles at a time, which is not sufficient even when Universal is operating with a very restricted park capacity.
"Well, that's just not a lot of experience (time) is it?"
I don't know, the actual ride portion of RotR, which is often cited as the best theme park attraction in the world, only lasts for @4-5 minutes, so if both of Epic's premier dark rides last for the same amount of time on the actual ride systems, then those would be comparable experiences timewise. Of course that's assuming the queues and preshows (including secondary ride systems - Monsters Unchained reportedly has an elevator preshow sequence similar to Escape from Gringott's) are of high quality and value to the overall story/theme and not just step tactics like Universal used to do on their classic movie attractions like Twister, Earthquake/Disaster, Kong, and Backdraft.
It strikes me that Comcast park fans who regularly attack Disney may have unreasonable expectations about Epic Universe. If the Potter ride doesn't work or has crazy wait times ... I mean, OUCH!
I love it, and thanks for posting.
@TH - I would tend to agree, and it's going to hurt even more because you're going to have all those HP fans, who lined up for 8+ hours around the lagoon when the first WWoHP opened at IOA in 2010, extremely disappointed. While all the early returns from the TM previews suggest that the park is surprisingly well balanced, there are going to be large chunks of guests flowing through the turnstiles every single day with one singular focus, and if that attraction/land is not operating or does not live up to expectations, it's going to create a lot of frustration and negative reviews. It's one thing when it's massive lines, which Universal can probably manage and play off by citing immense demand (as they've done in the past for the previous WWoHP openings), but it's another when attractions don't live up to expectations, which is my concern with SNW. While the attractions in that portal are all know commodities, I expect a majority of guests visiting Epic will not have experienced those attractions elsewhere. That may lead to a sense of disappointment if those attractions don't live up to the expectations set by Epic, even if those expectations are because of the anticipation for other areas of the park.
Ultimately, I think Universal's choice of IPs is a blessing and a curse in the same way the Disney has been having to deal with Star Wars fans. Epic is going to have distinct groups of fans that will want to spend the entire day in one portal, and if the attractions in that portal aren't working, it's not only going to disappoint those guests, but the word will go out to those individual fan groups even more so than the theme park community. That's why the first few months are critical for the success of this park, and why Universal needs to make sure everything is working as optimally as possible and capacity is controlled very carefully.
I think once videos go viral of the interior queue at the Ministry attraction that interest will be at a fever pitch so here’s hoping that UC has the, cough cough, mischief managed when it comes to technical difficulties.
I heard Battle at the Ministry may run in B Mode for the foreseeable future. B Mode is a strobe light on the multi-million dollar finale animatronic. They are already calling it Disco Umbridge. At least that's what I heard.
Comcast (along with the other 43 corporations that have owned the UO parks) has a history of struggling to keep new attractions operating. If there are hiccups with the Epic Potter attraction, it shouldn't come as a surprise.
Over on YouTube a guy named Max Thrills posted 5:48 of reporting/analysis titled "The PROBLEM With the Battle at the Ministry... | Epic Universe". It's a pretty thorough presentation that worth the watch.
Still, I have no doubt that one way or another the attraction will get "fixed" and will be reasonably reliable. The long lines may be around for five, six or ten years (wait time yesterday evening [end of day] at 'Flight of Passage' [opened in 2017] was 75 minutes). But eventually all it will run.
And I applaud Comcast (I always have) for taking a chance and swinging for the fence. Or, to put it in more basic, rudimentary language "I totally get it. Gutsy move on (Comcast's) part".
But if the Potter ride doesn't work, or requires reservations, or maybe even a crowd controlling "upcharge" (don't call it a "cash grab") that's a difficult situation. That's a circumstance where a sizable chunk of the Epic experience will be inaccessible -- which would be a big disappointment.
But I'm sure they'll be fine.
Most of the best dark rides in the world sit at around the 4 minute mark, TOT, FJ, FOP, ROTR, Spider-Man, Indy, etc. Monsters and Potter are no different.
There is a lot of misinformation on the internet surrounding the ministry ride. I have some friends that work there that said that it isn't as bad as some people are making it out to be. That's all I'll say on that. But yes, the attraction hasn't been open to regular TMs during previews. They've just been letting TMs through the queue up to the merge point. The only people that have been on the ride are some of the TMs that work there and higher management.
@N B: You know what's funny? Curse of the Werewolf basically has a static figure of a big hairy mythical creature, that has flashing lights on it, above the RV meant to simulate the creature swiping down at Guests. I think UC took a page from Disney's book.
Thanks for the review.
The park looks amazing from what I've seen on Youtube, the landscaping and scenery I always thought looked the best so far. I'm glad to hear that this is indeed the case.
My biggest concern though had always been the rides and how long they are. All though the 2 big ones looked and sounded amazing I'm sorry to hear that my fear was probably correct. They seem too short and the supporting rides definitely are too short. Donkey Kong should have been twice as long and I was really hoping for a boat style ride that lasts a long time like Disney. My husband doesn't like intense rides so I feel like there won't be much for him to do.
Oh well still looks amazing and I'll obviously hold back my judgement until I can experience it myself in a few years time.
@Francis - I just don't think you're going to ever see those 10+ minute boat rides anymore. Those types of attractions are a relic of the past and are unlikely to be utilized in parks anymore. Think about it, when was the last time ANYONE built an attraction that lasted more than 10 minutes? Even when WDI modernized PotC in Shanghai with Battle for the Sunken Treasure, that experience is just under 10 minutes.
I think what designers are doing is extending the ride experience into the queue, making that part of the immersion and expansion of the formal ride. So, while the actual ride might only last 4-5 minutes, guests are immersed in the story for 15-20 minutes or more.
The sky is falling!!!! One of the most advanced rides ever built isn't letting people ride two months early... manufactured drama at it's finest.
Wow. Four exclamation points and a misspelled three-letter word ("its"). Someone who has been claiming other posters are in "denial" sure seems to be overcompensating for his insecurities. Either he's upset about ThemeParkies' review ("over-hyped", "Too small", "it’s so short", "biggest disappointment") or he's trying to suppress the trauma from being called out on that other thread where he posted inaccurate information and outright falsehoods.
I feel sorry for the someone who defines his identity via a corporation's logo. I sincerely hope he's okay.
I think someone here may be obsessed with me.
My exact response to the original post: "I love it, and thanks for posting."
Your projection, paranoia, fear, uncertainty, and doubt may may be getting the best of you. Epic Universe is happening, and all the attention will be on them for the foreseeable future.
I'm not sure you are equipped to handle this, to be honest.
So to defend NB-
@th creative you attack his incorrect usage of the word it's, probably an autocorrect issue, and then misrepresenting his response to a previous reply about a different ride, then referring to a different thread entirely? Have you heard of logical fallacies?
VelocicoasterFan - This is a tense time for some. The little half day park that opened down the street from the mouse in 1990 has thrown down the gauntlet. Their success and capital to build Epic Universe can literally traced back to the acquiring of a single IP for it's (it is) parks.
@Russell - I guess that's true but still would have been nice to get a nice slower boat ride that my husband can go on. As it is will only be able to do Yoshi, and the carousel :(
Will still enjoy the park I'm sure due to the shows, scenery and atmosphere but I am disappointed overall at the ride offerings for my specific situation. For myself since I ride everything I am super excited and I'm looking forward to everything.
@NB - I do love Universal a lot more then Disney as well but I'm still very critical of the original parks. They have a long long way to go before they can actually take own Disney. Epic is a step in the right direction but their next priority should be updating the original parks. Moving forward they can't be giving us crap additions like Minion Blast and that ridiculous kid zone refresh. Also stop closing stuff down and keeping it empty for years!
i'm going to be honest, i AM upset by the review, (but not at theme parkies thanks) I know its not the end of the world that there is one bad review but i still feel a little disappointed. Judging from the pictures, rumours and news articles, i thought it could be a one size fits all epic shoe. oh well... maybe it was overhyped. BTW welcome theme parkies, is this a one time thing or are you staying for the long one, because im mostly new and if you couldnt tell by the other comments, people get VERY upset about their theme parks, especially the disney vs universal debate. its basically split down the middle
Thank you! And welcome to the site.