How Were the September Crowds at Epic Universe?
We’ve got a couple of discussion topics about Universal Epic Universe last month.
The first one is obviously the tragedy that occurred, and what that means for the park.
WESH
However, there’s a second thing happening at the park recently. The slow season began.
With school back in session, this should have been the first time the parks tracked decreased attendance.
We don’t know that for certain, though, as new theme parks don’t always play by the rules.
So, we’ve got a bit of mystery this time. How were the September crowds at Epic Universe?
The Wait Times at Berk
Attractins Magazine
So far, this themed land has claimed the most popular experience at the park.
I’m dubious that anybody at Universal expected it, but here we are.
Attractins Magazine
Fans are standing in line to meet Toothless for longer than they’re doing almost anything else at the park.
Basically, the list is the Harry Potter ride and the Toothless character encounter.
Image: Universal Studios
Was that the case last month? Here are the average wait times at Berk:
- Meet Toothless and Friends – 94 minutes, up 6
- Hiccup’s Wing Gliders – 67 minutes, up 3
- Dragon Racer’s Rally – 46 minutes, down 2
- Fyre Drill – 33 minutes, down 20
Photo: Universal
The Fyre Drill makes sense since the temperatures have dropped in Central Florida.
However, there’s a bit more to it than that. This attraction had experienced drops even before then.
Attractions Magazine
This attraction appears to be the least popular one at the park so far, but it also achieves plenty of throughput.
So, this is probably a little bit of column A and a little bit of column B.
The Wait Times at Dark Universe
Universal
We just told members of our immediate family the surprising news about Dark Universe.
Despite the fact that it features objectively the best theming at the park, it’s the least popular themed land.
Universal
That’s offensive to me, as I love *everything* about this place, but it’s proving to be more of a curiosity than anything else.
I want it to do better and hope that fans continue to discover its greatness.
Universal
Still, you can track the lack of popularity with the average wait times last month:
- Curse of the Werewolf – 55 minutes, no change
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – 28 minutes, up 6
So, I’m thankful that Frankenstein is doing better, but this is a top-three ride at the park.
Image: Universal
Demand should be higher, and I’m accounting for sizable throughput when I say it.
Spend more time at Dark Universe, my friends! It’s fantastic!
The Wait Times at the Ministry of Magic
Universal
Of course, the real selling points of Epic Universe are the next two themed lands.
Even though this is the third Wizarding World of Harry Potter, demand remains outrageously high.
Universal
Last month’s average wait times were:
- Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry – 126 minutes, up 9
We don’t actually track wait times for Le Cirque Arcanus, but it’s filling up regularly, too.
NBC
No matter what nonsense J.K. Rowling spouts about Emma Watson, fans keep flocking here.
Seriously, though. Who attacks Emma Watson? She seems like such a kind and laid-back human being.
The Wait Times at Super Nintendo World
Now we have the true draw at Epic Universe. We already had some Potter Lands in Florida.
Everyone was chomping at the bit for the first Nintendo Land here, and we finally got it.
Universal
Not coincidentally, demand has remained VERY strong since the park’s inception.
Here are last month’s average wait times:
Universal
- Mine-Kart Madness – 132 minutes, up 26
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – 100 minutes, down 6
- Yoshi’s Adventure – 44 minutes, down 6
Photo: Universal
The novelty here is that one attraction increased significantly while the other two dropped.
Ordinarily, that’s a strong sign that Mine-Kart Madness struggled with uptime issues.
Image: Universal
If true, that’s not surprising for a relatively new roller coaster. However, it may just be that popular.
This is something we’ll continue to track over the next several months.
The Other Wait Times
WESH
Now we reach the uncomfortable part of the discussion.
In case you haven’t heard, tragedy struck at Stardust Racers, where someone died on the ride.
OC Register
Details remain murky about what went wrong, but obviously something did for someone to be dead.
Universal officials closed Stardust Racers indefinitely as authorities researched what happened.
Universal
So, we’re only discussing a partial month of data, and it frankly doesn’t matter much.
Still, here are the average wait times at Celestial Park last month:
Universal
- Stardust Racers – 44 minutes, up 1
- Constellation Carousel – 16 minutes, down 3
In a surprising turn of events, Stardust Racers reopened on October 4th. So, we will have data for it next month.
The question becomes how many people are willing to ride it in lieu of recent events.
Attraction Insight
Overall, Epic Universe attractions averaged a wait of 65 minutes, which is the same as the previous month.
Therefore, Epic Universe appears to be a bit impervious to standard calendar behavior this past month.
Universal
We’ll have to wait and see whether the tragedy and associated negative headlines hurt the park’s attendance.
I know that’s a grim thought, and I’m sorry to bring it up. Unfortunately, it’s a valid consideration at this point.
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Feature Photo: Universal
