How Were the May Crowds at Epic Universe?
Universal Epic Universe is officially one year old. They’re so cute at that age!
Seriously, Comcast executives wish the first year had gone a bit better.
Universal
We all know about the Stardust Racers tragedy, and there was some other stuff.
Still, the park accomplished its job in increasing overall attendance at Universal Orlando Resort.
Universal
In fact, I noticed all the Universal merch at the airport on Friday.
There was nearly as much as for Disney, which was the whole point of Epic Universe.
Disney
Universal wanted to get in the game more, and now it is.
So, how were Epic Universe’s crowds in May? Let’s check the data.
The Wait Times at Berk
Universal
Universal Epic Universe consists of five themed lands, four of which we single out each month.
Among them, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk has proven surprising.
Attractins magazine
The most family-friendly of all the lands has consistently overachieved.
Universal officials must be ecstatic over the sustained appeal of Toothless.
Photo: Universal
The Night Fury’s character greeting has remained one of the park’s most popular experiences.
Meanwhile, the other rides here have maintained their crowds, too.
Photo: Universal
As proof, here are Berk’s average wait times for the month of May:
- Meet Toothless and Friends – 74 minutes, down 2
- Hiccup’s Wing Gliders – 44 minutes, down 7
- Dragon Racer’s Rally – 39 minutes, down 5
- Fyre Drill – 29 minutes, up 2
So, Toothless came down ever so slightly in terms of average wait time.
Photo: Universal
Then, the two main rides here dropped a bit, while Fyre Drill increased.
You can safely expect the latter trend to continue, as Central Florida’s summers are…warm.
Photo: Universal
We didn’t have a single day under 90 degrees before 7 p.m. during our Memorial Day Week visit.
Fyre Drill’s splashes of cold water must feel like manna from heaven.
The Wait Times at Dark Universe
Universal
At Dark Universe, rumors persist that another attraction is in the offing.
I’ve investigated them a bit, and I’m less certain about this rumor than some.
Universal
Based on what I’ve found, Universal definitely debated a third attraction.
However, other parts of the park justify expansion more than Dark Universe.
Image: Universal
I hate saying that since it’s my favorite themed land of the bunch.
Honestly, in terms of crowds, it has fallen behind all its peers, though.
Image: Universal
As proof, here are the average wait times at Dark Universe last month:
- Curse of the Werewolf – 55 minutes, down 15
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – 21 minutes, no change
These two attractions have roughly the same combined wait time as the Toothless encounter on its own.
Image: Cedar Fair
So, park officials must determine whether a third attraction would help this problem.
Otherwise, Dark Universe may stagnate indefinitely despite how great it is.
The Wait Times at the Ministry of Magic
NBC
At the Ministry of Magic, the news is decidedly better…in a way.
Demand for Harry Potter and The Battle at the Ministry continues to be outrageous.
Universal
In May, fans waited in line for an average of 98 minutes for this attraction.
Remarkably, that’s a wait of 19 minutes less than in April, a staggering stat.
Universal
Epic Universe guests should be happy that a ride averages a wait of nearly 100 minutes.
Will that number decline now that we’ve entered year two?
Universal
I’d like to think yes, but it’s hard to say for sure since it’s the only game in town.
This version of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened with just two attractions.
Photo: Universal
One of them is a show, leaving Battle at the Ministry as the unquestioned alpha.
So, I doubt it ever drops below a 60-minute wait over the next couple of years.
Universal
Should that happen, it’s a worrisome sign for the entire park, not a reflection on this ride.
The Wait Times at Super Nintendo World
Universal
At Super Nintendo World, merch sales remain king. Also, there are rides.
Here are the average wait times of those attractions last month:
- Mine-Cart Madness – 114 minutes, down 4
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – 85 minutes, down 8
- Yoshi’s Adventure – 44 minutes, down 13
Since May is typically a down month at Universal Orlando anyway, I read nothing into this.
If anything, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for rides to slow down after a year.
Universal
Still, I think Epic Universe should ramp up expansion plans sooner rather than later.
The current iteration of the park is clearly losing a bit of momentum.
The Other Wait Times at Epic Universe
Finally, we have the average wait times for the two rides at Celestial Park.
Here are last month’s average wait times for the duo:
- Stardust Racers – 23 minutes, down 10
- Constellation Carousel – 19 minutes, down 6
Universal
So, yeah, I think it’s fair to say the controversy has hurt Stardust Racers a bit.
Overall, Universal Epic Universe’s attractions averaged a wait of 54 minutes each.
Universal
Believe it or not, that’s seven minutes less than last time, which is good news for you.
For the first time since the park opened, you didn’t need to wait more than an hour per ride.
Attraction Insight
I know the difference between 54 minutes and 61 minutes isn’t a lot.
Still, the difference adds up during a full-day park visit. So, this is a welcome change.
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Feature Photo: Universal
