Hello, this is your one and only Nana. Long time no see! I know, it’s been a while. That’s because I was living in Epic.
Today, I’d like to share my experiences from Epic. I spent 5 days and over 55 hours there. I rode pretty much everything, except the carousel and Yoshi’s Adventure.
Some people don’t know my background, so let me share a bit so everyone can understand where I’m coming from and how I feel about Epic.
I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. My mom loves Disney, so I was basically raised in Tokyo Disneyland. We had annual passes for about 10 years, until I started middle school. I think my mom was the original “Disney Adult.” She didn’t expose me to Sailor Moon or Sanrio characters. It was all Disney, all the time.
We even flew a couple of times to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World before I moved to Hawaii. In 2013, I moved to Florida, and in 2015, I became an Annual Passholder at WDW.
So yeah, I’m definitely a Disney girl more than a Universal girl. This review is coming from a Disney adult who’s spent a lot of time at both Tokyo Disney Resort and Walt Disney World.
Editor’s note: This review is from the period of technical rehearsals, also known as a “soft opening.” Not everything was available or complete.
Epic Universe Parking and Entrance
The parking lots still seem unfinished; they’re still working on building the roofs with solar panels. I do like that they’re adding those roofs over the handicap parking spots so people won’t get wet while getting in or out of their wheelchairs or vice versa. That’s a thoughtful touch.
However, the walk from the parking lot to the entrance is really far. It felt like I was walking for over 10 minutes. (Of course, it depends on whether you get “princess parking” or a terrible spot.) There’s no tram, no moving walkway… I can already tell this will be rough during the summer heat.
After that long walk, you reach security. It’s the same setup as the security hub at the other parks — you have to put all your group’s stuff into one bin and go through the metal detector. Just about 10 steps past security, there are the ticket scanning points. One of the days I went, it was a mess. A lot of guests had ticket issues, and the space between security and the scanners got super crowded.
I guarantee this setup will be a nightmare when it rains. Putting security and ticket scanning just 10 yards apart is not a great idea. We’ll see how that goes over time.
Celestial Park
It’s an interesting theme to start with. The names of the stores, attractions, and restaurants are all related to the universe, planets, and stars—like Star Sui Bao, Oak and Star Tavern, Pizza Moon, CelesTiki, Stardust Racers, and more.
My first impression of Celestial Park was: “Wow, lots of water fountains.” There’s a big fountain near Helios where you can sit and relax. Depending on the weather, you can even feel a light mist coming off it. Honestly, I kinda liked it. Florida gets super hot in the summer, and that mist felt nice and refreshing.
Before I went to Epic, I was a little worried about having fountains right in the middle of the park. Like, EPCOT and Universal Studios Florida both have big lagoons in the center, and while they’re pretty, they make you walk around them to get to the other side. It’s a longer walk. Call me lazy, but sometimes I skip World Showcase just because it’s such a big loop.
So, I was mentally prepared to do a lot of walking around a giant fountain to reach the other portals, but funny enough, you don’t have to. They actually built paths and bridges for easy access. That was a total game-changer for me.
Celestial Park does offer some entertainment, like a live band, a violinist, a poet writing personalized poems, a painter, and even a moving statue. It kind of gives off Disney Springs vibes.
Did I spend a lot of time in Celestial Park? Nope, definitely not. Why? Because the other portals are way more detailed and immersive. Even if I had an annual pass for Epic, I probably wouldn’t spend much time in Celestial Park.
There just isn’t enough shade. A few picnic tables have parasols, but they’re always taken. It feels like this is becoming a Universal trend. When they opened DreamWorks Land, they didn’t add enough shade there either. And this is Florida; we will start getting really hot by May.
Speaking of hot weather, every restaurant has Freestyle machines (which is great), but as of April 23, there’s only one Freestyle machine in Celestial Park, and it’s by Frosty Moon.
I know they’re planning to add more on the right side of the park, but they’re not there yet.
So yeah, stay hydrated out there!
One of the restaurants, Pizza Moon, is my favorite restaurant in Celestial Park.
They have some original characters for the restaurants like Duke of Cheese and Madam Margherita.
Everyone’s super hyped about Celestial Park’s other original character, Captain Cacao.
But to me… he just looks like the Japanese comedian Gor☆Geous. Not gonna lie, Universal really nailed their marketing, timing it perfectly when a lot of Disney adults are already into Duffy. It kind of feels like when Burger King opens right across the street from McDonald’s.
Do I like Captain Cacao? Nope.
Do I like Duffy? Sort of…
(My favorite character is Scooby-Doo, okay?)
Celestial Park has two rides, Stardust Racers and Constellation Carousel.
I got to ride Stardust Racers yellow. I love thrill rides, but this one made me sick — it just kept going up and down hills. I definitely prefer VelociCoaster over Stardust. Honestly, SeaWorld’s Mako still holds up as the scarier ride compared to these coasters.
One thing I really appreciate is that there are two Starbucks in the park — one near the entrance and another by Frosty Moon.
That means I can grab a coffee on the way in and refuel in the middle of the day without having to walk all the way back. Bless them for that.
Okay, let’s talk about the worlds! I’ll go from left to right.
Super Nintendo World
I know I’m in the super minority here, but I didn’t really care much about Super Nintendo World. I hadn’t been to the one in Hollywood or Osaka. I did cover the Donkey Kong opening remotely when it launched at USJ, and honestly, the Japanese reviews were not great, so my expectations were pretty low.
The whole land is a sensory overload. It reminded me of arcades and pachinko parlors in Japan— super loud, with different sounds coming from all directions. But everything is insanely detailed. There are even binoculars you can look through, but trust me, they’re not your average binoculars. (No spoilers here!)
I saw Mario and Luigi for the first time, and they talked. My mind was blown. WDW used to have Talking Mickey at Town Square Theater, but they removed him in 2019 because he was “confusing guests.”
Princess Peach also talks to guests, which is wild. But what really surprised me? When Mario and Luigi came out for meet and greets, the crowd exploded with excitement, way more than any character I’ve seen at Disney. People were shouting and screaming with joy, just from seeing them. I love character meet-and-greets, and I’ve been to a ton of Disney character debuts… but this? This was hands down the most hype I’ve ever experienced.
One of my lunches at Epic was at Toadstool Café. I wanted spaghetti but didn’t want giant meatballs, so I went with the kids’ meal spaghetti.
…BIG MISTAKE.
This was the saddest kids’ meal I’ve ever had. The spaghetti was dry, the sauce had barely any salt, and it came out cold, like it had been sitting there for a while. I felt miserable. 0/7 stars.
However! Their Princess Peach Cake is a must-try.
It tasted just like Japanese strawberry shortcake — not overly sweet like most American versions. The whipped cream was light, the sugar level was just right, and the whole thing was delicate and balanced. 100/7 stars.
The restaurant itself is super fun — Toads are shown prepping food, and the décor and atmosphere are full of charming little details. Loved it.
As for the rides, SNW has Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Mine Cart Madness.
I’ve ridden Mario Kart twice now.
Not gonna lie — I hate the seat. It’s like a suction cup. I got sucked in and had a hard time getting out. Also, I’m not great with screen rides, and this one adds a visor screen on top of everything else. The gameplay feels like Men in Black at USF, but with extra confusion. My brain just couldn’t keep up. I’d rather play Mario Kart at home.
Now, Mine Cart Madness… I saw so many bad reviews on Twitter when it opened at USJ, so I didn’t expect much. But let me tell you — this ride surprised me. At one point, it was my favorite ride in the whole park (currently sitting at #3). I won’t spoil anything, but you truly feel like you’re riding a mine cart, not a coaster. It’s more thrilling than you think.
Overall, the land is overwhelming and loud. I can handle it—maybe because I’m from Tokyo, and it honestly sounds and feels exactly the same.
(But if you’re sensitive to noise or have sensory issues, definitely bring earplugs.)
Dark Universe
I don’t even know where to begin. Universal is really good with horror, and this land proves it. You can truly see Universal’s “power of darkness” here. They know how to build a scary land. My vocabulary honestly isn’t strong enough to describe how intense and immersive this place felt.
I HIGHLY recommend the Monster Make-Up experience for both kids and adults.
Their work is professional-level, not like the typical face paint you get from a kiosk that smudges the moment you touch your face. It took me over 20 minutes and ten makeup removers to get my Frankenstein look off. I washed my face, I scrubbed… and I was still green the next morning.
The characters here? Next level. I LOVE Ygor, he’s been my favorite since the very first preview.
The Invisible Man knows how to handle bloggers, and Frankenstein and his Bride are less scary.
As for the rides, there are two, Curse of the Werewolf and Monster Unchained.
I really liked Curse of the Werewolf.
It reminded me of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, but outside. Some people say it spins more and feels more out of control than Guardians, but I didn’t think so. Guardians sometimes makes me queasy — but Werewolf? Not at all. Super smooth, super fun.
Monsters Unchained is… something else. It’s a unique ride. Now, full disclosure — I’m a total chicken when it comes to Halloween Horror Nights, and even the queue had me jumping a few times. The ride itself isn’t scary, but it did make me a little motion sick. It’s similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — lots of ups, downs, and swinging around. That said, the first 20 seconds? Amazing. I won’t spoil anything, but the animatronic at the beginning is mind-blowing.
As for the food in Dark Universe, it’s unique, for sure.
Would I go back and eat it again? …Nope.
^ This is us in blogger jail.
Oh, and fun detail — the bathroom toilets are black. Totally on theme, but wow… those are gonna be so hard to clean. Just my two cents.
Ministry of Magic
They definitely heard my complaint about how narrow Diagon Alley is. In this land, all the paths are wide, so you’re not shoulder-to-shoulder with other guests. Big win already.
I absolutely loved the show, Le Cirque Arcanus.
If you’re a Fantastic Beasts fan, this is a must-see. It does not disappoint. I actually like Fantastic Beasts more than Harry Potter (yes, I’m one of those weird people), and I had an absolute blast.
The Ministry of Magic only has one ride — Battle at the Ministry. You need a Virtual Line (VL) to ride it. I don’t have any pro tips for acquiring a spot… BUT if you don’t see the VL available exactly at 11:00:00 (like with Disney), don’t panic. Don’t close the app. Just keep refreshing until the VL icon turns blue.
Now, the big question everyone asks: “How’s the ride? Will I get sick?”
Well… I got sick.
To be fair, I barely handle Star Tours and Flight of Passage. Transformers and Spider-Man make me sicker than both. So if you’re like me and struggle with screen-based rides, this one might be rough.
That said, the queue is amazing.
I thought it was going to be a copy-paste job from the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Tokyo, but nope. Epic actually made it even better.
And here’s something random but important: the bathroom by the entrance (Toilette de la Rue de Montmorency) is the best bathroom in all of Epic. Super clean, great A/C, and — get this — the best Wi-Fi.
Nobody seems to be talking about the Wi-Fi, but it’s insanely fast.
I was uploading pictures and videos to my Drive, and everything was done in minutes. Honestly, it felt faster than my home internet. (Thanks, Jason, for the screenshot.)
Isle of Berk
This is my Berk — I mean, my home. This land is a 1000/100. It’s incredibly detailed, with sheep scattered all over, characters constantly roaming around, and even dragon meet-and-greets. Pure magic.
Let’s talk about the food. Before my first visit, I had a few people recommend the Steak Bowl from Spit Fyre Grill. At this point, I don’t even know how many times I’ve eaten there.
I love their Shrimp Bowl — definitely more than the steak one. You can check out my full review soon, but the bottom line: Spit Fyre Grill never disappoints.
Another popular food item comes from Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel — the Mac and Cheese cones. Now, I’ll keep it honest: I’m not a fan of mac and cheese. Plus, I’ve gotta ask—why the curves in the bread? Too many curves for me. But hey, if you’re a mac and cheese fan, go for it! It might just be your thing.
They have a decent amount of seating and tables at Mead Hall and in the dining area by Spit Fyre Grill. Also, they have a few benches by Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel.
Isle of Berk has three rides: Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, Fyre Drill, and Dragon Racers Rally.
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders is my absolute favorite ride in all of Epic Universe. I won’t spoil anything, but it has a few launches, some surprises, and an animatronic that weirdly reminded me of those Disney popcorn carts (IYKYK). The speed is not kid-friendly, but if you love How to Train Your Dragon, you’re going to love this ride.
Fyre Drill is my second favorite ride in Epic. It’s a perfect group ride — family, friends, coworkers, whoever. I rode it with my WDWNT gang, and we had a blast.
Jason got completely drenched, so fair warning, but Florida is hot, and we need a water ride like this.
Dragon Racers Rally is just like a swing in DCA, nothing fancy. It’s supposedly to spin sideways or something, but I couldn’t figure it out.
The Untrainable Dragon is a decent show.
My only nitpick? I always wonder why the two Viking singers are holding microphones. It kind of breaks the immersion. I’m sure Universal could just give them wireless mics or something more in-theme.
You can meet characters even after dusk; some characters will still roam around. Definitely make you feel you are living in Berk.
Overall
My Power Ranking on the Rides:
- Hiccup’s Wind Glider
- Fyre Drill
- Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness
My Power Ranking on the Lands:
- Isle of Berk
- Dark Universe
- Ministry of Magic
My Power Ranking on the Bathrooms:
- Ministry of Magic (Right side of the bathroom – Toilette de la Rue de Montmorency)
- Entrance Bathroom (Before security)
- Spit Fyre Bathroom
A lot of people compare Epic Universe to Tokyo DisneySea, but honestly, they’re not comparable.
Tokyo DisneySea doesn’t have portals like Epic does. What Tokyo DisneySea does well is seamlessly blend the borders between lands, unlike places like Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge. I’m not a fan of that. (I miss the old MGM Studios, as usual.) At Tokyo DisneySea, the transitions between lands feel more natural and detailed, and you don’t get that jarring shift when moving from one land to another. Just because Duffy lives in Tokyo DisneySea and Captain Cacao lives in Epic doesn’t mean they’re comparable. Just saying.
To me, Epic Universe is just another Universal park, and they did a great job. Honestly, though, Epic isn’t that big. I only walked about 6 miles on average, even though I was there from 9:30 a.m. until 9 p.m., plus the walk to the parking lot. (EPCOT festival days are about 12 hours, and I usually walk around 10 miles.)
Since it’s still the Annual Pass preview, not everything is open, and they’re operating at controlled capacity, so most of the rides didn’t have crazy wait times. We’ll see how that changes once everything fully opens.
The food at Epic is definitely better than Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. I love how you can just walk up to the restaurant, order from your phone, and have the Team Member bring the food to your table. It’s kind of like the Minion Café at USF, and I’m all for that.
You can still go to the cashier and order your food, too. I have T-Mobile, and when I went to Toadstool Cafe, I didn’t have any cell service. But thanks to Comcast for the SUPER fast and “reliable” Wi-Fi (when it’s connected.)
Epic Universe having Super Nintendo World is a huge deal for the East Coast, for sure. A lot of people who can’t afford to visit the West Coast can now come down and enjoy more SNW. This is definitely a major draw for them.
As a Disney Adult living in Orlando, I’m not entirely sure I’ll be back to Epic on my days off until September or October. The weather is going to be crazy, and summer vacationers will be flooding in soon, too. I’d rather wait and see how they update things and make improvements before I go back.
Anyways, thank you for reading all the way here. I know some people might not agree with me, it’s just another Nana’s Death Note Princess Diary: Epic Universe Edition.
Have a magical day and see you real soon!