Universal Orlando Resort (USF, IOA, Epic) Discussion Thread

[Hilltopper39]

On 4/20/2025 at 11:50 AM, Zand said:

I've been kind of keeping an eye on the reported queue times on the Universal app since they started doing passholder previews on Friday.  The biggest surprise to me is Stardust Racers never seems to get a long line. Must be a people eater and very reliable already. Usually in the 20-30 minute range. 

 

I'm taking the wait times from these preview days with a grain of salt knowing that capacity is still probably fairly limited. Will be interesting to see what these wait look like in June or July after the park is fully open and there are resort guests with express passes and all that there. With that said Stardust being a super high capacity coaster that by all accounts is very very good is pretty exciting. 

[PKI Jizzman]

At opening definitely keep an eye on the app to see what’s reported open or having a wait time to ensure you will arrive at an attraction that’s open. The biggest set back for the start of your day is going all the way into one world and the ride is down, so you then need to hustle out and over to your next best option. Hopefully this won’t be an issue soon!

The best suggestion is to start with Mine Cart due to capacity. Probably Mario Kart next. 

Monsters has more good days than bad days, but the rule is: if it’s open, stop what you are doing and go ride it. Do not save it for later in the day. You do not want to miss this attraction or have a day where it ends up breaking down early afternoon and stays down for the rest of the day. Ops will work to re open any attraction even if there’s 30 minutes to park close, and I mean any. 

Have an amazing time, travelers!

[Zand]

From what I've seen the Nintendo stuff gets long lines first but folks tend to move along by 2 or 3 and the lines for down a bit. Honestly a lot of the time I'm seeing lines under 30 mins for every ride once 3 or 4pm hits.

Honestly I do want to do the Nintendo stuff but it's probably my least must do of everything. Getting a VQ for Potter, getting on Monsters, and getting on Stardust are the big 3, then Hiccups. But based on the lines as long as everything is open I'm fairly confident I will get to do everything the first day, which sets up a more relaxing day the 2nd time around when the park is fully "open".

[Zand]

I'm sure this will surprise nobody but the virtual queue for Potter is an unmitigated shit show. I was in line for Monsters Unchained at 11 when the first drop happened, people around me were celebrating that they got a spot but every time I clicked on a time it would say "no longer available" after I tried pushing through.

Then at the 3pm drop the virtual queue didn't pop up on my phone at all. My wife tried like 45 seconds later and got the times to pop up (and then got the same message about no longer being available) but not once did the times pop up on my phone.

It feels like shit traveling all this way for the virtual queue to just totally shit itself on me.

[thepoint4life23]

I would take all the wait times you speak of with a grain of salt. I would imagine the park being much busier once its officially open. But i have also heard that THE DK ride is always having the longest line so hitting it first seems like the best idea. 

[Zand]

Alright here's my attempt at a full trip report from my first visit to Epic Universe. Scroll past to avoid spoilers! 

Arrived around 10:40 with an 11am official opening, although hotel guests had early entry into Celestial Park and Nintendo World. They were already letting non-hotel guests in at that point and you were able to go pretty much anywhere. No wait at all to get in although we got the usual ambush from the survey takers. The entry plaza has a gorgeous view into the center of the park and back to Helios.

The app showed that Stardust Racers would be delayed to start the day so we headed back to Dark Universe to begin the day at Monsters Unchained. They were just opening the line, so we were sent around to the left past Curse of the Werewolf to access the line. While waiting for them to open, 11:00 came and literally everybody was staring at their phones for the same reason. At 11 on the dot, Battle at the Ministry virtual queue went live and 3 separate times I clicked on a time only to get to the next screen and be told that "that time is no longer available" each time. Meanwhile a lot of the people around me were celebrating getting a time, which was a little dejecting.

Anyway, we eventually made our way into the queue for Monsters Unchained which is absolutely stunning. Room after room with crazy good theming made the ~45 minute wait go by seemingly in no time. The pre-shows were very good as well although tough to hear because as usual no one shuts up. The ride itself was a bit of a letdown to be honest. I don't think using the Forbidden Journey ride system here was the right play. It serves a purpose on that ride. But here, the point of the ride is to see the incredible animatronics but all the ride vehicles do is point you at them for a second or two before being swiftly pulled away. This would've been much better suited for slow moving vehicles ala Haunted Mansion. The animatronics are indeed amazing, I just wish you were able to see them for a little longer. Between the queue and the animatronics this is absolutely a must-do for anyone visiting but I just wish they went down a different path with the ride system.

Grabbed a beer from the Burning Blade tavern and caught a fire show (I think every 15 minutes?) which was neat and I would love to see at night. The tavern was a little empty on the inside, kind of expected more theming in there but I'm sure they will add to it. Also grabbed a Frankenstein pretzel from the stand by Monsters which was pretty good.

Curse of the Werewolf was posting a 25 minute wait so I hit that real quick on the way out of the area. This is a very short spinning coaster but also spins a lot more than I expected it to. Fun enough coaster when it has a short line but wouldn't want to wait much longer than I did. 

On the way back through Celestial Park I intended on heading over to Berk, but noticed Stardust Racers running with riders so I ran over and I'm glad I did. They only opened up the yellow side so this had a 60+ minute wait shortly after I got to it. Luckily I only had to wait 30. Sat in row 8 and simply put this thing is an airtime machine. There is awesome ejector all over the course. I saw a lot of folks reporting that they like it more than Velocicoaster and without the dueling element I can't say I agree, but this thing is definitely a home run. I was a little apprehensive about the seating after finding Copperhead Strike uncomfortable, but the trains on this are very nice and look great. Hopefully next time I can experience some dueling and see this thing at its full potential.

Continued over to Berk which is stunning. One of the most colorful and well themed lands I've ever seen. Got into a 45 minute wait for Hiccups Wing Gliders which turned into about 1:15 because it is an Intamin and broke down multiple times. This is a very fun ride with very uncomfortable seats. The back support protrudes into your lower back and the lapbar tightens continuously during the ride and staples the crap out of your legs. It's a terrific family coaster with fun swoopy turns and great scenery but I was also kind of happy when it was over so I could stand up. Don't miss this, but also be forewarned that it's not a comfortable train.

When we got off it was just about 3:00 but when 3:00 came and went the Battle of the Ministry times never came up on my phone. My wife tried 45 seconds later and they popped up on her phone but then got the same "this time is no longer available" message. Maybe this system works better on iPhone? Not sure but either way it's super annoying. We ended up walking over to Paris just to check out the area and it was really nice looking, but at the same time it's not the same feeling as walking into Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley and feeling like you just walked into the movies. Went over to the ride to see if I could use the single rider line and the attendant was like "you need a return time to access this attraction" so why even advertise the single rider line at all? There were numerous people standing around arguing with her so I just walked away and left the area. The roll out of this thing is a disaster. Either do it like Disney where you assign all the slots at once in the morning or just let people wait in line.

Stopped in for a brisket sandwich at Oak and Star tavern which was very good. I like the full service seating at this park's restaurants where you just sit where you want and order on the app. Nice not standing in a long line to order.

Made our way into Nintendo World next which is absolutely amazing. I've never seen HTTYD so Berk didn't give me that walking into a movie vibe as I didn't know what it is supposed to look like (although I've heard it is similar and that area is absolutely stunning). But this was just a total nostalgia trip into the video games of my youth. Started with Mario Kart which had no line before the preshow, and the queue for this is incredible. Literally felt like walking through the Bowser's Castle track on Mario Kart. After the preshow you need to wait another 20 minutes on like 528 flights of stairs before you finally get down to the station. The ride itself was pretty cool although my neck hurt from the weight of the goggles by the time it was over. I think using a Men in Black type car would've worked better for this but it was a lot of fun overall.

Wife didn't want barbeque earlier so we stopped at Toadstool Cafe where she had a Mario Burger and Tiramisu and I had some garlic knots. The burger was good but the bread almost tasted stale. Tiramisu and garlic knots were very good. 

Made our way to the Yoshi ride which to me was amazing as Yoshi's Island was my favorite game when I was a kid. Heading the music and seeing things from the game was just a huge nostalgia blast. The ride itself is very short but has some good views and it had a short line so overall very enjoyable.

It was pushing 6:00 and we had to leave for the airport by 7, so upon arriving in Donkey Kong country I saw Mine Cart Madness was posting a 90 minute line. I lucked out though as they had just reopened the single rider line and I was on in 20 minutes. While I was waiting the 6:00 Potter drop came up and the times finally came up on my phone! But then I clicked a time and it says "looks like you're not in Epic Universe"...WTF?!? This system is atrocious!

Anyway...after heading the same 3 lines being spoken over and over about the golden banana, I got on an interesting ride. It has a fun layout and some neat visual tricks, but I can't believe how jerky and tough almost every transition on this ride is. Felt like an arrow mine train which is surprising for a brand new coaster. Overall though DK country is really awesome looking...all of Nintendo World really blew me away. 

Did a little gift shopping before heading out to the airport. Overall this is a really nice park and it looks amazing. It almost doesn't feel like a Universal park. When you walk into IOA the grand reveal of all the huge rides around the lagoon is one of my favorite things in the world. When you walk into this place it feels like Disney built a park in front of the Bellagio. You can't really see much from the entrance except a little bit of Stardust and the mountain in Berk. I think when they fully open on May 22nd the park is going to feel like it needs more in it. There's 11 total rides in the park, many of them with kind of low capacity, and a couple shows. Doesn't really feel like enough to handle the crowds they're going to get. It will be interesting to see how quick they add to it.

I will be back on June 2nd (my birthday) and I will be pretty pissed if I don't get on Battle at the Ministry for a second time in a row. Thankfully I hit everything else I wanted to yesterday so won't have to worry about dealing with crazy lines. I plan on spending more time seeing shows and just enjoying the ambience of the park more. I'm not sure this beats out IOA as their best park until they add to it, but still very worth checking out.

[PKI Jizzman]

I spent over 3 hours in the MoM line and never got to ride since the queue was cleared at the end of the day. What I learned during that time is the app will not show a wait time for it, or change it to delayed if it is down. If it’s down a lot, you can assume there will be no other drops or very few at all.

Who knows when it can get to a more reliable status, but I will be very weary about losing multiple hours of my time attempting to get a ride on it next time I get to go.  Especially if I don’t get one of the first early times.

 

[KBrylczyk]

22 hours ago, Zand said:

It feels like shit traveling all this way for the virtual queue to just totally shit itself on me.

I mean, the park is in previews and there's no guarantee anything will be operational.  Manage your expectations better, especially for your June trip, because it's likely it'll still be breaking constantly.

[Zand]

1 hour ago, KBrylczyk said:

I mean, the park is in previews and there's no guarantee anything will be operational.  Manage your expectations better, especially for your June trip, because it's likely it'll still be breaking constantly.

I guess I should rephrase... I'm not upset that the ride is unreliable and that may be the reason for me not riding it. I'm more upset that the virtual queue seemingly works for some people, but not others at the exact same time. And then will shut you out for not being in the park while you're waiting in line for a ride in the park (I was on data, not wifi). Some people are able to get multiple reservations in the same day while others can't get one. It's just a terrible system.

[John Peck]

I'm heading to IOA and Universal Studios for my first time since 2007, so I had a couple questions:

- What places for food do you recommend (like is it smarter to eat in the park or citywalk too)
- we are staying at hard rock... do we pay parking ahead of time, or when we leave? We are gettign there on a monday night and staying two nights, but having the last day in the park so that means we wont move the car until weds night
- we will have the express pass, but i noticed some rides have single lines... what would be better for us?
- does the film they play in the harry potter train from park to park show the same film both ways? do i want to go back and forth with it? (I'll have a hopper)

- any tips of fluffy friendly rides and seats

- are adults currently allowed on the Paredon flyers? (i rode it in 2007 and it was fun)
- any other good tips you can give us

[KBrylczyk]

15 hours ago, John Peck said:

- What places for food do you recommend (like is it smarter to eat in the park or citywalk too)
- we will have the express pass, but i noticed some rides have single lines... what would be better for us?
- does the film they play in the harry potter train from park to park show the same film both ways? do i want to go back and forth with it? (I'll have a hopper)

Food - Antojito's on CityWalk is friggin delicious.  I got the Mole plate.  My wife and I were sat right next to the stage and enjoyed the live guitarist after a long day of jumping between parks.

Express / Singles - We didn't have Express and were able to hit every ride (besides kiddie rides) in both parks, many multiple, and this was a day that IoA closed at 7pm.  This also includes two rides on Hagrid.

Hogwarts Express - Don't waste your time.  It's faster to just walk.  This isn't a ride, it's a tiny cabin playing a short film that has a stupid long line.  The film is different in either direction, though.

[CaptainUnknown]

Express is better than single rider. Velocicoaster standby is better than single rider.

In park counter service is shit. CityWalk can be better. I remember getting some good grub at Hard Rock hotel when I stayed in 2022. Didn't have a car for that trip, though.

Take the boat to/from the hotel. Your feet will thank you. 

I believe adults can ride pteranadon flyers only during special after hours events.

[Zand]

I usually grab food from Green Eggs & Ham when in IOA. Usually a nice pick-me-up. Otherwise yes I agree with just going to City Walk for food, most of the stuff in the parks is garbage.

Single rider lines for Forbidden Journey and Hulk are worth it, but otherwise I can't think of any others that are. And definitely don't use them for Velocicoaster and Hagrid. Single rider is a little better in Studios, Rockit is hit or miss but the rest are usually pretty good.

Hogwarts Express has different videos, but is it worthwhile riding it both ways? Not really. At least going from Studios to IOA you get to see Kings Cross. If the line is short it's worth it but it can balloon to an hour at times.

I kind of have a limited experience of City Walk restaurants, but NBC Grill and Toothsomes are good. Hard Rock and Margaritaville are the same as elsewhere. I need to try new places sometime lol.

[Chiselphane]

The stars aligned enough that I can go to the last Epic preview day!  We were going to hold off til a few years but not going to have this kind of opportunity again so here we go. 

 

For John:

We mostly just snack in the parks, the crepe stand in Studios is good bang for your buck.  but we do like both Harry Potter restaurants.   and 2nd vote for Green Eggs and Ham.   But for full meals its definitely CityWalk.  I absolutely love Cowfish, and Toothsome Emporium is good too.

We like the train and I think seeing it both directions is worth it if you haven't before, but if you just do one way then definitely start in King's Cross, the station itself is really great.  But the ride is not worth a long wait, with the exception of if you need a break; you might feel like walking from one park to the other is fine earlier in the day but later on you may change your tune. 

 

[tndank]

Hot dog joint in City Walk is fairly good.  Bread Box on the second floor near Burger King has good sandwiches. 

[teacherkim]

On 5/4/2025 at 10:42 PM, John Peck said:

I'm heading to IOA and Universal Studios for my first time since 2007, so I had a couple questions:

- What places for food do you recommend (like is it smarter to eat in the park or citywalk too)
- we are staying at hard rock... do we pay parking ahead of time, or when we leave? We are gettign there on a monday night and staying two nights, but having the last day in the park so that means we wont move the car until weds night
- we will have the express pass, but i noticed some rides have single lines... what would be better for us?
- does the film they play in the harry potter train from park to park show the same film both ways? do i want to go back and forth with it? (I'll have a hopper)

- any tips of fluffy friendly rides and seats

- are adults currently allowed on the Paredon flyers? (i rode it in 2007 and it was fun)
- any other good tips you can give us

Agree Citywalk is generally better for food, although when we do eat in the parks we tend to find the HP themed restaurants the best choice for quick serve. I agree the crepe stand is pretty good too. Florean Fortescues in Diagon Alley is fun for ice cream but almost always has a healthy line.  In agree with the other recommended restaurants in CW, if you want something very funky try Cowfish, if you want a fancier sit down try Bigfire; it's pricy but very good.

Adults can only ride Pteranodon Flyers if they ride with a kid. Even the after hours events are not a guarantee, they do a lottery and some adults get to ride.

If you are a HP fan I would definitely do the train both ways. If you're a lukewarm fan US to IOA is probably the best choice due to King's Cross.

They will charge you nightly for the parking at Hard Rock and just add it to your hotel bill.

Since you will have express you really don't need a "plan" as you can ride almost anything at your leisure. Single rider will not be any faster than express. The only exception to all of that is Hagrids of course. Your best bets are generally do the rope drop run first thing and/or get in line at the end of the day since wait times are usually exaggerated a bit then. Good news is spending some time waiting for it won't be such a big deal when you have express for everything else. We find that the single rider line on Hagrids is generally faster but never a walk on, there will still be a wait and you miss most of the queue (although they seldom run the pre-show) and you will almost certainly get the sidecar seat instead of the motorbike seat (if that matters to you) 

 

[John Peck]

Thank you for the advice everyone. Since we are staying at hard rock do you recommend we still eat at citywalk or are the restaurants good there too?

Also, do the parks have PAPER park maps?

Oh, any other advice on fluffy-friendly rides and what seats to try to squeeze my fat butt into?

(I know this is non universal) Any other advice at these or any other non disney orlando parks? We are not hitting the disney parks this trip, but we will probally go over to springs. we are only in town a few days.

[AmyUD06]

10 hours ago, John Peck said:

(I know this is non universal) Any other advice at these or any other non disney orlando parks? We are not hitting the disney parks this trip, but we will probally go over to springs. we are only in town a few days.

If you've got time, try to hit the two Fun Spots (Orlando and Kissimmee).  The Orlando one has a solid GCI woodie in White Lightning, and Kissimmee has Mine Blower which is a love-it-or hate it woodie with a barrel roll.  Both parks also have some awesome go-kart tracks if you're into those.

Both parks are open late (until midnight), and also can be done pay-per-ride.

[Zand]

3 hours ago, AmyUD06 said:

If you've got time, try to hit the two Fun Spots (Orlando and Kissimmee).  The Orlando one has a solid GCI woodie in White Lightning, and Kissimmee has Mine Blower which is a love-it-or hate it woodie with a barrel roll.  Both parks also have some awesome go-kart tracks if you're into those.

Both parks are open late (until midnight), and also can be done pay-per-ride.

Not sure if the price has changed, but last I knew you could get a $35 wristband after 9pm. Pretty solid deal if you're looking for some riding after Universal closes especially considering a lot of the rides are $12 a pop.

[John Peck]

Both of the fun spots are in the plans, though we might just buy one ride on the coasters. I know it's not the best economically, but we are going to be limited on time.

[jedimaster1227]

Universal Orlando Resort has shared new details regarding Summer entertainment offerings, experiences, anniversary celebrations and more!

https://blog.discoveruniversal.com/guides-and-tips/everything-to-experience-at-universal-orlando-resort-this-summer/

There are lots of reasons to love summer. Pool and beach days, more excuses to eat ice cream, the money I’ll save on self-tanner… I could go on. But, as an Orlando local, I think the biggest reason to get excited for the summer is the fact that this year, Universal Orlando Resort is pulling out all the stops for an entire season of fun!

I’m talking entertainment and attractions that will make your whole day and night a blast, celebrations of your favorite summer blockbusters, and more exclusive merchandise, food, and drinks than you can shake a (popsicle) stick at. And I’ve compiled all of them below in a handy-dandy guide! Read on for everything to experience at Universal Orlando Resort this summer.

All-Day (and Night) Summer Fun

Universal Mega Movie Parade – April 12–November 13

Watching a T. rex prowl the streets of Hollywood at Universal Studios Florida never gets old. And that’s why I’m so excited to watch Universal Mega Movie Parade this summer! Get ready to show your true colors to the Trolls, laugh at the Mini-Pufts plaguing the Ghostbusters, and insist to Mayor Vaughn that you and Chief Brody really do need a bigger boat.

Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular – Select Dates April 14–August 24

Da-dum. DA-DUM. DA-DUM. Those suspenseful notes can only mean one thing… it’s time for Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular! This nighttime show will cap off your day in Universal Studios Florida on a perfect note — literally. Embark on a journey through your favorite movie moments as the soundtracks of “Harry Potter,” “Jurassic World,” “Jaws,” and more sync with dancing fountains and pyrotechnics.

Hogwarts Always – Select Dates April 14–August 24

The Hogwarts Always nighttime projection show is the perfect way to end a summer day in Universal Islands of Adventure. The show takes you on a magical journey through a school year at Hogwarts. Enjoy unforgettable music and relive incredible moments of wizardry — receiving a Hogwarts acceptance letter, attending a Quidditch match, a House Cup celebration — all set against the majestic backdrop of Hogwarts castle.

Celebrate Your Favorite Summer Blockbusters

Jurassic World: Rebirth – In theaters July 2, 2025

It’s not every summer that a new “Jurassic World” movie comes out! To celebrate, Universal has loads of special offerings for you to sink your teeth into. In Jurassic Park in Islands of Adventure, you’ll find themed photo ops as well as exclusive food and beverage items at The Burger Digs. Starting May 23, you can also pick up some exclusive “Jurassic World: Rebirth” merchandise in Jurassic Outfitters and Dinostore.

PRO TIP: Got some extreme dino fans in your family? Book a Jurassic World Kids’ Suite at Loews Royal Pacific Resort to take your summer vacation to prehistoric new heights!

How to Train Your Dragon (Live Action) – In theaters June 13, 2025

Over in Islands of Adventure’s Lost Continent, you can gear up to be a dragon-rider. Near Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kebab House, you’ll find a themed shopping experience in celebration of the upcoming live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon.” If you’ve ever wanted a miniature version of Toothless to carry around on your shoulder, good news: It’s time for your (and my) dream to come true!

Wicked

Rejoicify! We’re only a few months away from the release of “Wicked: For Good” — why not pass the time in Wicked: The Experience in Universal Studios Florida? This magically immersive experience features enchanting film costume replicas, Elphaba and Glinda-themed photo ops, bewitching merch, and — from June 23–August 10 — the thrillifying opportunity to take a photo with Elphaba and Glinda.

M3GAN 2.0 – In theaters June 27, 2025

You’ve seen her kill it on the big screen, and from June 10–30, you might just see her in Universal Studios Florida. I’m not at liberty to share any more details. No, she isn’t standing over my shoulder while I type this.

Jaws (50th Anniversary)

For the last half-century, “Jaws” has made children all over the world think twice before going in the pool. Or maybe that was just my experience. In Universal Studios Florida, you can celebrate 50 years of “swimmin’ with bow-legged women” in the San Francisco area of the theme park, which will be transformed to feel like the Amity of old. Snag limited-time food and beverage offerings along with a ton of exclusive merchandise, including the bucket hat and popcorn bucket that I am absolutely obsessed with.

Back to the Future (40th Anniversary)

Time flies when you’re in a flying time machine! And believe it or not, it’s already been 40 years since “Back to the Future” premiered. We’re marking the occasion with tons of exclusive merchandise, including apparel, a snazzy license plate, and even a (non-flying) hoverboard (pouch). Biff, eat your heart out!

15 Years of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Over the past 15 years, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Orlando Resort has taken theme park immersion and thrills to the next level — and it all started in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade on June 18, 2010. Whether you want to join Harry and fly above the castle grounds in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, fly deep into the wilds of the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, or grab your Second Generation Interactive Wand to cast some spells around Hogsmeade, there’s no wrong way to celebrate this anniversary. Plus, beginning in mid-June, you can take home a commemorative glass plaque commemorating 15 years of Hogsmeade at Universal Orlando Resort!

Extra Perks for Passholders

Universal Orlando Passholders know that Universal Orlando Resort is the place to be in the summer! And that’s why we’re celebrating our Passholders with plenty of exclusive perks this season, including:

• An exclusive viewing area for the Mega Movie Parade
• Exclusive seating areas in select dining locations
• Exclusive menu items
• Exclusive merchandise commemorating the 35th anniversary of Universal Studios Florida
• 3-Park Passholder Early Park Admission at Universal Volcano Bay

Fun All Summer Long

Whew! If you made it this far, it’s safe to say that you take summer fun very seriously. Believe it or not, there’s even more excitement coming to Universal Orlando Resort in the coming months! At Universal CityWalk, enjoy classic blockbusters as part of our Summer Movie Series, including:

• “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”: May 17 and 21
• “The Mummy”: May 31 and June 4
• “The Fast and the Furious”: June 7 and June 11
• “Kung Fu Panda”: June 28 and July 2
• “Trolls”: July 12 and 16
• “Shrek”: July 26 and 30

If you’re more of an audiophile than a cinephile, we’ve got you covered there too. The Summer Music Series will run on Saturdays from June 21 through August 9!

On the Fourth of July, sparks fill fly with characters and a DJ in the Music Plaza and a pyrotechnic show from the roof of TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D, as well as music and entertainment throughout CityWalk.

I feel like I’m forgetting something… oh, yeah. A brand-new theme park! Like I said: we’re pulling out all the stops. Now close this blog post, pack your suitcase or grab your Annual Pass, and get ready for summer!

What are you most excited to experience in Universal Orlando Resort this summer? Comment below and let us know!

 

[Zand]

Not sure if it's a permanent change but Ministry virtual queue was dropped today. Wait time according to the app was 2-3 hours for most of the day.

I'll be happy if this change is permanent. It will be comforting knowing my chances of riding when I am there in 2 weeks don't rest completely in the hands of a flawed lottery system. I know there are a lot of other obstacles but it will be my choice on whether to wait out the issues and the long line.

[Zand]

The line stretched back to the entrance to Berk this morning. Highest time posted was 4 hours. Right now it's posted at 2.5 hours which...isn't that bad? Compared to Hagrids and Gringotts when they opened it's basically nothing

[bejackso]

quick question on express passes. i am going to epic on thursday 06/05 and friday 06/06, open to close both days. i have my tickets and trip all planned out. HOWEVER, i did not think to buy express passes until now, and i see they are all sold out.

1. will they be available to buy day of inside the park?

2. if not, and we are unable to get express passes, how big of a deal is this? will we still be able to hit most the rides? i don't care about riding every single thing, just want some of the biggies (stardust, ministry, monsters, maybe 1-2 more).

any advice/thoughts on rope drop strategy and getting around the park would be appreciated. i realize that's probably been spelled out in this thread already but i don't have time to comb through it all.

[prozach626]

Additional question: Does the express pass save you enough time to be worth it? I want to ride every coaster once, but take as little time away from my family as possible. If we're still talking 30 minute express pass waits on the last Tuesday in July, I'll skip it for better and more important memories with the three of us.

Edit: My question is in reference to Islands of Adventure.