It has turn into a typical development for Epic Universe to go from 1/10 crowd ranges adopted to 9/10 crowds on back-to-back days, with wait occasions doubling in a single day. Common’s new park has nice days to go to & terrible ones to keep away from; this explains the large variations and shares an inventory of dates to focus on in late 2025 & 2026 to help in planning upcoming journeys.
One of many factors we preserve stressing is that Epic Universe’s opening season has been a wild experience. Common’s new park has had sky-high wait occasions and crowd ranges, but additionally all-time low attendance and days with numerous walk-on strains and. There have been some absolute operational meltdowns, together with bona fide ‘finest days ever.’
The excellent news is that we’ve been watching intently because the tail finish of summer time, and a really clear sample has emerged. It’s not an anomaly or outlier at this level. There’s a pointy distinction in good vs. dangerous dates to go to Epic Universe, and this day-to-day swing in crowd ranges is shockingly frequent and predictable.
As a warning earlier than we get going, this doesn’t at all times work; climate and experience reliability stay wildcards. You can set your self up for achievement by selecting the perfect date, however nonetheless get unfortunate attributable to different variables.
Epic Universe’s opening yr has been a low capability and ineffectivity story, and never one in every of overwhelming demand. The park is hitting excessive crowd ranges with comparatively low attendance. There’s potential for issues to get a lot worse if Epic Universe doesn’t discover its footing on experience throughput.
We already know dates round Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New 12 months’s Eve have offered out or will promote out. There are likewise days within the subsequent couple of months which are indifferent from holidays however nonetheless promoting out.
For example to underscore this day by day divergence, there have been two latest days that had 29 minute common waits and 70 minute common waits. To place these numbers into perspective, Walt Disney World’s two busiest days since 2019 have been 71 and 70 minute waits–each got here in the course of the weeks of New 12 months’s (early 2020 and late 2023).
On the identical dates that Epic Universe had 29 minute and 71 minute waits, Walt Disney World’s common wait occasions have been 23 minutes and 20 minutes, respectively. To additional illustrate the divide, Walt Disney World has seen month-to-month averages of round half-hour since summer time, whereas Epic Universe has been within the 55 to 63 minute vary. All of these numbers are averages, not peaks.
It’s additionally price noting that earlier than Epic Universe had that 29 minute and 70 minute day-to-day unfold in wait occasions, there was an analogous lull. That’s the day I shared in My Glorious Epic Universe Expertise.
As mentioned there, I focused that day over two months upfront turned out to be the least-busy day at Epic Universe since opening weekend (up till that time–it was since surpassed), with a 32 minute common wait time and 1/10 crowd degree.
Extra lately, Epic Universe had a 39 minute common wait time and a pair of/10 crowd degree on November 9, 2025. This was over what ought to have been a busy vacation weekend (and was one at Walt Disney World and the remainder of Common Orlando.)
The very subsequent day, that spiked to 71 minutes and 9/10 crowd ranges. On Veterans Day, crowd ranges dropped once more. That’s now the third consecutive mid-tier vacation that has been much less busy than the day earlier than it.
Level being, that is predictable–at the very least, to a level. In reality, most of what you’re going to learn right here we’ve already coated to some extent in different posts. We’ve been constant in our recommendation, and in addition clear within the limitations in our suggestions.
In response to earlier Epic Universe crowd avoidance suggestions, we’ve acquired reader pushback. Apparently, our recommendation doesn’t align with that of different crowd calendar assets. As only one illustrative instance, right here’s what one of many top-ranked Epic Universe recommends:
- Keep away from weekends (particularly Saturdays)
- Keep away from holidays (together with Labor Day)
- For the least crowded days, go to midweek (particularly Tuesday by means of Thursday)
I hate to name out different assets, as I’ve been incorrect loads of occasions, however these suggestions are–fairly actually–the precise reverse of appropriate.
Right here’s a rundown of actuality at Epic Universe:
- The three busiest days of the week at Epic Universe are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
- Weekends are constantly the least busy two days of the week (particularly Sundays)
- Labor Day was the slowest day at Epic Universe since Might twenty fifth
- Mid-tier holidays are the largest exception to the above, and trigger the day earlier than them to be busier (even Sundays)
These will not be new developments. We’ve been overlaying them since mid-June when first publishing our Epic Universe Crowd Calendar. Even at that time, the primary two developments had began to emerge, and the underlying rationale was logical and understandable for anybody who understands greater image Florida visitor dynamics. Labor Day hasn’t been a busy vacation in years.
To this useful resource’s credit score, they did accurately name summer time being busy. Predictions round Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New 12 months’s Eve being packed will likewise virtually definitely pan out.
The issue is that many assets have predicated their predictions on the present theme parks in Central Florida, particularly Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey. That may seem to be an accurate method at first blush and it does lead to correcting calling vacationer developments that revolve round faculty breaks. However it misses quite a bit.
The issue is that Epic Universe is a very completely different beast. It’s like modeling your zoo for genetically-engineered dinosaurs after a petting zoo for bunnies and child goats. You’ll get the straightforward stuff like enclosures and sidewalks proper. However we’ve all seen that film and know the way it ends.
I’ve been extremely fortunate with Epic Universe, and have had nothing however nice days. That is most likely an enormous a part of why I like Common Orlando’s third gate a lot, as my experiences have been unequivocally constructive. To make certain, I’ve encountered some friction, however being versatile and shortly pivoting when issues come up has helped me keep away from catastrophe on a number of events.
Regardless of this, I’m fast to plug our rundown of Why You Ought to Skip Epic Universe. Our recommendation for almost all of vacationers is to remain on the sidelines and wait till Epic Universe improves its operations and effectivity.
Amongst different issues, one of many main factors raised in that article is “Trip Breakdowns & Downtime.” This continues to be the overriding subject with Epic Universe, as the brand new park continues to be a veritable curler coaster of day by day downtime–and that’s mirrored in crowd ranges and common wait occasions.
I set myself up for achievement by choosing a fantastic day with my most up-to-date go to to Epic Universe. I additionally bought very fortunate. The climate was favorable because the rain held off, and other than two sights, there wasn’t a complete lot of downtime. This took day of week choice and made it a fantastic date.
Issues might’ve simply gone the opposite course. It might’ve been a stormy day and extra rides might’ve had extended breakdowns, ballooning wait occasions (and the general crowd degree) at these sights that have been operational. The next day might’ve been smiled upon by the theme park climate and experience reliability gods, and ended up being higher regardless of the on paper stats as much as that time.
All of that is price underscoring as a result of you are able to do every part to set your self up for achievement with Epic Universe–choosing the proper dates, leveraging the savviest technique, and so on–and nonetheless have a destructive expertise because of the unpredictability of all of it. Such is the character of the beast with a brand new theme park.
As beforehand famous, the 2 days of the week with the bottom common wait occasions over the previous couple of months have been Saturdays (#2) and Sundays (#1, by far). Friday is third-lowest. The best rationalization for that is that Epic Universe single-day tickets are most costly on weekends, so budget-conscious vacationers are in search of out inexpensive dates.
There’s much less consistency for Mondays by means of Thursdays, and never sufficient information factors to attract definitive conclusions. Statistically, Wednesdays and Thursdays have been worst since opening. Extra lately, we’ve seen Tuesday emerge because the busiest day a number of weeks. This dynamic could possibly be a byproduct of vacationers beginning out their weeks at Walt Disney World, visiting a pair parks there, then doing Epic Universe. Or beginning out at Common’s legacy parks.
To that time, the remainder of Common Orlando is busiest on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays, adopted by Sundays. That is fueled largely by locals and Annual Passholders over the weekends, after which vacationers being most inclined to go to on Mondays. Midweek is the best possible time to go to the opposite parks, with common wait occasions bottoming out on Wednesdays.
This is smart for the relaxation of Common Orlando or Walt Disney World! Floridians work on weekdays, making weekends their finest time to go to the opposite parks for Annual Passholders.
There’s just one little drawback with extrapolating from this that the brand new park will observe an analogous trendline: Epic Universe doesn’t have Annual Passes! Epic Universe additionally doesn’t have significant Florida resident ticket offers, that are one other robust driver of weekend attendance at the remainder of Common Orlando and Walt Disney World.
Many locals have already gotten their “repair” of Epic Universe and are ready for Annual Passes or aggressive ticket offers. The consequence has been an analogous dynamic as we noticed at Walt Disney World when AP gross sales have been suspended for thus lengthy (it nonetheless exists to this present day, however isn’t as exaggerated).
One factor to notice is that as quickly as Annual Move gross sales or Florida resident ticket offers begin for Epic Universe, this dynamic flips. Saturday and Sunday will turn into the busiest days of the weekend. Furthermore, there are exceptions to all the above when climate rears its ugly head. Nothing throws a monkey wrench into Epic Universe wait occasions like a stormy day!
Finest Dates to Go to Epic Universe in Late 2025
- November 15-16, 2025
- November 29-30, 2025*
- December 6-7, 2025
- December 13-14, 2025
November 29-30 is the bottom of Thanksgiving, which is at all times much less busy within the parks than individuals anticipate. Vacationers arrive early and normally head residence by the weekend after. Once more, I wouldn’t search out November twenty ninth if I have been a neighborhood or had flexibility, however November thirtieth will get the inexperienced mild regardless.
In case you’re visiting throughout our favourite week of the yr at Walt Disney World, we’d strongly suggest beginning at Epic Universe and doing that day if in any respect doable. It overrides WDW crowd suggestions.
The entire fascinating dates deeper into December 2026 are presently offered out, making these (clearly) undesirable.
If you have already got multi-day tickets for these date ranges (or availability opens again up–as typically occurs), the least-bad choices needs to be December 20-21, 2025. It needs to be an analogous story with January 3-4, 2026.
These will not be enthusiastic suggestions. They’re, as recommended above, the ‘making lemonade out of lemons’ choices. I wouldn’t go to Epic Universe on any of these dates, however that’s not useful if you have already got a visit deliberate.
Finest Dates to Go to Epic Universe in Early 2026
- January 10-11, 2026
- January 19, 2026*
- January 24-25, 2026
- January 31, 2026
- February 1, 2026
- February 7-8, 2026
- February 22, 2026
- February 28, 2026
- March 1, 2026
- March 7-8, 2026
- April 11-12, 2026
- April 18-19, 2026
- April 25-26, 2026
- Might 2-3, 2026
- Might 9-10, 2026
- Might 16-17, 2026
The asterisked date in January 2026 is the bottom of the MLK Day vacation weekend. This taking part in with fireplace to some extent, however now we have first rate information suggesting that this Monday might be higher than the Sunday earlier than it.
Epic Universe’s underperformance on latest vacation weekends reinforces this. I wouldn’t plan a go to round this recommendation if I have been a neighborhood, but when I have been already heading down for these dates and wanted to choose inside this vary, these are the dates I’d select.
Usually, these suggestions turn into decrease confidence the additional out we go. There are such a lot of transferring elements in relation to Epic Universe that predicting crowd ranges could be very troublesome. Particularly, Epic Universe goes to have park hopping and fewer restrictive ticketing guidelines beginning in 2026. This could not materially influence day of the week developments (which, once more, are pushed by locals), nevertheless it would possibly! We’re in unprecedented territory.
One other factor that makes me particularly weary about Winter 2026 is that this has turn into an more and more in style time to go to for theme park followers, with crowds and occupancy from January by means of March growing at each Walt Disney World and Common growing lately.
On high of that, we’ve heard from many readers who’re “ready out” the opening yr crowds and concentrating on their first visits in Winter 2026. Anecdotes are clearly not information, nevertheless it’s extremely frequent for main new theme park additions to have this sort of dynamic–an preliminary lull attributable to fears of crowds, adopted by an inflow of demand. If the opening season wait occasions of Epic Universe do develop into a “lull” (attendance has not been excessive relative to theoretical capability), we’re in for a world of damage in 2026!
As for the times to keep away from, actually, the remainder of them is what I’m most inclined to say. But when, for no matter cause, I completely couldn’t do Epic Universe on a weekend, I’d be inclined to go Friday. If that weren’t doable, Monday is the date I’d select.
Simply to reiterate once more, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the worst days to go to. That is statistically talking, which suggests we’re smoothing information out over an extended period. In trying extra intently, midweek is everywhere. There have been stretches lately when Tuesday is worse than the 2 days that observe, and it seems to be “catching up” to Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The factor is, you aren’t visiting on a statistical common of all weeks. You’re visiting on an precise date, in the true world. So if I needed to do a Tuesday by means of Thursday for no matter cause, I’d wait till absolutely the final minute to decide after which resolve on the idea of the climate forecast, minimizing my publicity to rain (though early afternoon downpour works wonders at clearing out Epic Universe–shockingly so).
Truthfully although, I simply wouldn’t go to midweek. I’m solely happening Sundays from right here on out till APs go on sale or aggressive Florida resident ticket offers roll out. From my perspective, the park has too many issues to go to on a non-weekend. To every their very own on that, although.
Trying additional into the long run, if planning a visit later in 2026 or 2027, I’d goal all the similar dates on our Finest & Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026. That’s a mixture of quantitative and qualitative, and the latter arguably issues extra at Epic Universe than Walt Disney World.
Use that finest & worst weeks recommendation to focus on timeframes in your Walt Disney World and/or Common Orlando trip, after which use the above day of week suggestions to slim your go to dates to Epic Universe.
We’d strongly suggest prioritizing Epic Universe when selecting which park to go to. It needs to be the overriding issue, as there’s way more variance for Epic Universe than some other park at both resort.
As talked about above, timeframes to focus on embrace the week after Thanksgiving, mid-January, earlier than winter break, early spring, and post-Easter 2026 are all interesting. Mainly, the dates with the very best probability of lowest attendance and finest climate.
Whereas I’m planning extra solo analysis journeys to Epic Universe all year long, our massive household trip will occur in January or February. Climate is the deciding issue for us–however my gentle concern with dates deeper into subsequent yr is the elevated probability of Annual Passes or Florida resident ticket offers, which might exacerbate crowd points dramatically.
Want journey planning suggestions and complete recommendation in your go to to Central Florida? Make sure that to learn our Common Orlando Planning Information for every part about Islands of Journey and Common Studios Florida. Additionally take a look at our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Information for every part about these parks, resorts, eating places, and a lot extra. For normal updates, information & rumors, a heads up when reductions are launched, and far more, join our FREE electronic mail e-newsletter!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Epic Universe since summer time ended? What did you consider wait occasions and crowds? Expertise any operational meltdowns attributable to breakdowns or climate? Is it doable or possible that Epic Universe really has even crowds this vacation season, or all through subsequent yr as soon as park hopping is allowed and go to restrictions are eliminated? Will you go to Epic Universe in 2026, or will you await crowds to calm down (in concept)? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share some other ideas or questions you have got within the feedback beneath!
