How Were the Epic Universe Crowds in January?
We’ve officially entered the second year of Universal Epic Universe.
Well, maybe not. It all depends on perspective, as the park opened in May 2025.
So, Epic won’t celebrate its first birthday for another four months.
However, the new park at Universal Orlando Resort debuted in 2025, and it’s now 2026.
Universal
Some people have worried that it may be susceptible to the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser factor.
In case you’ve forgotten the drama, the Star Wars Hotel sold out for its first nine months.
Photo: Business Insider
Then, as soon as the calendar rolled over to the next year, people stopped visiting. And I mean ALL of them.
Soon afterward, Disney threw in the towel, and the infamous Galactic Starcruiser is now office space.
Attractins magazine
Thankfully, Epic Universe shows no signs of slowing down, at least not yet.
SO, how were the January crowds at Epic Universe? Let’s find out!
The Wait Times at Berk
Attractions Magazine
While some other themed lands receive tons of hype, families treasure the Isle of Berk.
That’s because anyone who has watched How to Train Your Dragon knows how great it is.
Photo: Universal
The idea of visiting a themed land where dragons are real is literally a dream come true.
Universal does an excellent job of maintaining the magic here, which has led to glowing reviews.
Attractions Magazine
How long did guests need to wait in line to experience all the fun?
Here are Berk’s average wait times last month:
- Meet Toothless and Friends – 88 minutes, up 3
- Hiccup’s Wing Gliders – 72 minutes, up 8
- Dragon Racer’s Rally – 55 minutes, up 6
- Fyre Drill – 15 minutes, down 10
Attractions Magazine
So, we’re definitely trending upward at Berk, which suggests that the crowds are thriving, not dying.
Let’s check a few other themed lands to check whether this is an exception.
The Wait Times at Dark Universe
Universal
I’m on record as saying that this is the most impressive themed land at the park.
Of course, I’m a Classic Universal Monsters superfan going back to the early days of cable television.
Disney
Lon Cheney and I cannot believe this place is real, but it is! Despite this fact, the crowds have been manageable.
I suspect that the other themed lands are hogging more of the glory, especially that one.
Universal
Savvy tourists know that they get excellent bang for the buck at Dark Universe, though.
As proof, here are the average wait times at the themed land last month:
- Curse of the Werewolf – 64 minutes, up 7
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – 32 minutes, up 3
Image: Universal
So, you can ride both attractions here in about the same time as one encounter with Toothless.
To be fair, meeting Toothless is pretty amazing, especially for those of us who love black cats.
The Wait Times at the Ministry of Magic
Comcast
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter continues to be a shockingly huge draw at all three parks.
Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida show no signs of slowing down.
Universal
Meanwhile, the European version of the concept continues to pack them in, too.
Last month, guests waited for an average of 180 (!!!) minutes to ride Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.
Universal
That’s 32 minutes more than last time…and last time was Christmas.
Folks, you know a ride must be good when people are standing in line for three hours to do it.
Universal
Still, this isn’t a good thing for Universal, and it’s something that really needs to be fixed.
The park had made decent strides in late 2025, but it obviously suffered a setback in January.
The Wait Times at Super Nintendo World
Universal
Then, we have the joyous tourist experience that is Super Nintendo World.
This place is pretty much the only thing that could cause my wife to glance up from her Switch.
Attractins magazine
Speaking of which, when are we getting an Animal Crossing themed land/ride, Universal?
I may need to buy a house in the area if you do. Anyway, here are the attraction wait times here:
- Mine-Cart Madness – 155 minutes, up 36
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – 103 minutes, down 2
- Yoshi’s Adventure – 52 minutes, down 6
So, guests also stood in line for more than two and a half hours at Mine-Cart Madness, which…isn’t ideal.
The Other Wait Times
Finally, here are the other two wait times at Celestial Park:
- Stardust Racers – 44 minutes, up 11
- Constellation Carousel – 24 minutes, down 1
Attraction Insight
Overall, guests at Epic Universe waited for an average of 74 minutes per attraction.
Yup, we’re eight months into this now, yet guests are still standing in line for more than an hour for everything.
Universal
I’m hopeful that Universal finds some fixes for that, but let’s be realistic about the matter.
There may not be much anybody can do until attraction expansion occurs.
Epic
Thankfully, news of that appears imminent at some point in 2026.
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Feature Photo: Universal
