Can You Do Epic Universe In One Day? Here’s My Honest Opinion, As Someone Who Tried

The countdown is officially on for what is arguably one of the most exciting new family travel destinations in decades: Universal Orlando’s upcoming theme park addition, Epic Universe. When the portals open on May 22, 2025, thrill-seeking travelers will get the chance to explore five new worlds filled with 11 rides, more than 100 menu items across 30 eateries, and plenty of nooks, crooks, alleys, and shops, too. But as with any top-tier theme park resort, that kind of all-encompassing entertainment comes with a decent price tag — one that gets bigger the more days you stay. So, how much can you maximize your time? Can you do Epic Universe in one day?

I visited Epic Universe in early April as part of a media preview, and I spent an entire day in the park. Based on that experience, here are my honest feelings about how much you can accomplish if you choose to go the single-day ticket route.

What is Epic Universe?

Is it possible to knock out Epic Universe in a day? Sure, it’s possible. Will you hit everything the park has to offer? Definitely not. However, what you choose to prioritize in the park is up to you.

So, before we deep dive into whether you can and should attempt Epic Universe in one day, it helps to know what all it entails. Universal Orlando Resort’s third theme park (or fourth, if you count Volcano Bay), Epic as a whole sits on 750 acres of land, with around 110 acres of that devoted to the theme park itself — things like the hotels, parking, and potential room for expansion comprise the remaining acreage.

Unlike Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, Epic is not accessible through Universal CityWalk. Since it’s located a few miles away from the existing parks, guests will drive directly to the new park or arrange some other transportation. As expected, there will be complimentary transportation to and from Epic (and CityWalk and the other parks) for guests staying in any Universal Orlando hotel.

Three new hotels are opening alongside the park: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, and Universal Terra Luna Resort.

The galaxy-inspired Stella Nova and Terra Luna are sister hotels, so basically the same experience in different fonts. I stayed at Terra Luna during my visit, which isn’t walkable to Epic since you’d have to cross a major highway. However, the shuttle to get to the park from Terra Luna takes hardly any time. You can also catch a shuttle from Stella Nova but could theoretically walk to the park from this hotel if you’d like — I heard a team member tell someone it’s less than a full mile but more than a half-mile walking distance. Still, you’d need to cross some potentially busy roads. And, well, the shuttle is fast, free, and full of A/C.

Helios Grand Hotel is the crown jewel in Epic’s new hotel offerings. Considered more of a full-service hotel for guests looking to “go all-out,” it practically puts you in the park: This hotel has a dedicated and exclusive entrance leading you right to the Celestial Park portal.

What is there to do inside the park?

Once inside the park, you’ll find a hub-and-spoke layout consisting of five themed worlds. The center, or hub, is Celestial Park. The spokes, going clockwise from The Chronos (the iconic towering entrance to Celestial), are Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk.

Each themed world offers rides, restaurants, shops, and other entertainment specific to its unique aesthetic. At the time of opening on May 22, there will be 11 rides in total:

• Constellation Carousel (Celestial Park)
• Stardust Racers (Celestial Park)
• Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge (Super Nintendo World)
• Mine-Cart Madness (Super Nintendo World)
• Yoshi’s Adventure (Super Nintendo World)
• Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment (Dark Universe)
• Curse of the Werewolf (Dark Universe)
• Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry (Ministry of Magic)
• Dragon Racer’s Rally (Isle of Berk)
• Fyre Drill (Isle of Berk)
• Hiccup’s Wing Gliders (Isle of Berk)

In addition to the rides, attractions at Epic include 26 individual gardens as well as Astronomica in Celestial Park (an interactive water play area with dancing fountains), Viking Training Camp (a Viking-themed playground for kids), two shows (Le Cirque Arcanus in Ministry of Magic and The Untrainable Dragon in Isle of Berk — both of which are spectacular and I cannot recommend enough), the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience in Dark Universe (get transformed into a monster!), and lots of interactive opportunities to collect digital coins with your “Power-Up Band” in Super Nintendo World.

Rounding out the fun are 30 dining locations, along with lots of cute shops to grab souvenirs.

So... is it doable in one day?

Maybe you’re trying not to *entirely* blow your budget. Or maybe you’re short on time. There could be any number of reasons you may need to keep your Epic Universe experience contained to one day. Do I think it can be done? Of course! It’s all about how you choose to approach your trip.

I spent a full day at Epic — from 9-ish a.m. until around 7 p.m. — and managed to hit every ride but one. However (and it’s a big one), I was part of a preview event, so the park wasn’t even close to being full. Plus, we had a tour guide. Together, that meant we really didn’t get stuck in any queues. A typical Epic trip will most definitely mean spending a decent portion of your day waiting in lines, even if you have Universal Express Passes.

If you’re trying to do it in one day, I highly recommend having a plan of attack. Talk with your group ahead of time about the rides that are most important to you, and make a beeline for those as soon as the park opens. If you’re traveling with die-hard thrill seekers who really want to hit as many rides as possible, you can also take advantage of the single-rider lines, which tend to move pretty quickly.

Remember, too, that it will be hot. While there are tons of places you can duck into for a little A/C, there won’t be a lot of shade as you’re walking around Epic from world to world. That Florida sun doesn’t mess around! Even in early April, wearing sunscreen and drinking plenty of water, I got a bit burnt and dehydrated. Take that into consideration when planning how long you’ll be in the park and how much you’ll be able to accomplish.

During my one-day visit, I focused on the rides and barely scratched the surface of the food options. In fact, I only took one food break: about an hour for a sit-down lunch. We did squeeze in both shows, which ate up some time (but again, totally worth it). I only popped into a few shops. For the most part, we were hustling. And I truly feel like Epic is the kind of park where you’re going to find new and exciting little details the more time you spend there.

So, yes, you could do it in one day. But you’ll have to decide what you’re comfortable skipping until your next trip.