Epic Universe’s opening season has been a wild journey. Common’s new park has had sky-high wait instances and crowd ranges, however not essentially attendance. That first half of that development seems poised to speed up within the months to return, however not earlier than an low season slowdown. This comes as 1-day tickets are beginning to promote out for choose dates via December 2025, with many extra days and whole weeks hitting (comfortable) capability.
We’ll begin by but once more making a plug for our rundown of Why You Ought to Skip Epic Universe. That was written throughout paid previews, but it surely has aged like a nice wine–for probably the most half. We just lately returned with a refresh to that publish, as 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, two of the opposite main factors raised in that article are “Unpredictable Attendance & Crowds” and “Trip Breakdowns & Downtime.” These proceed to be the overriding points with Epic Universe, as the brand new park continues to be a veritable curler coaster of day by day crowd ranges and common wait instances since its official opening three months in the past. With that mentioned, there are some fascinating updates on crowds and ticketing at Epic Universe, so let’s dive proper in to these…
Park Capability & Ticket Knowledge Loophole
For the primary few months of the park’s existence, Epic Universe ticket information might be obtained by scraping the Common Orlando backend web site. Sadly, Common lastly wised up and closed the loophole that allowed this information to be acquired, so we not can see what number of tickets can be found and what number of have been bought.
Previous to the information lockdown, we knew Common Orlando was initially limiting attendance at 12,000 to fifteen,000 company from the beginning of previews via the tip of June, relying upon the day. That then expanded to roughly 22,000 company per day in July. That’s the place the higher restrict stood via the rest of 2025, per their information.
Individually, it’s our been understanding that Epic Universe has a complete theoretical capability of round 35,000 to 40,000 company. Corroborating this, Common Orlando elevated its ticket cap to 45,000 throughout the board for the rest of 2025, doubling or tripling the restrict relying on the date. As we defined in one other publish detailing the rise, the numbers are a bit deceptive. Common made many extra multi-day ticket varieties out there, which few company have been buying within the first place.
The underside line was that regardless that Common was providing to promote ~45,000 tickets per day to Epic Universe, natural demand was the actual limiting issue since these have been much less well-liked ticket varieties and even common 1-day tickets principally weren’t promoting out from mid-July onward. The top outcome was that Common Orlando was promoting round 15,000 to twenty,000 tickets (with a number of outliers that increase the vary to 13,000 to 22,000) per day. Not as soon as this summer time did Epic Universe hit even half of that 45,000 quantity.
Offered Out Dates Enhance & Lower
The entire above is related, even when it’s previous tense, as a result of we had been watching ticket information and gross sales for the ultimate few months of the 12 months. As of late July, there have been a number of dates round Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve that have been bought out of single-day tickets.
In early August, much more dates appeared bought out. I may swear it was round half of all dates between October and December, and even some Mondays in September (kicking myself for not taking screenshots). Then in the future inside the final couple of weeks, availability had been replenished, just about throughout the board. Only some dates round Thanksgiving, Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve have been gone.
Now, extra of these dates have bought out, however nonetheless next-to-nothing within the subsequent few months. The above screenshot is from right this moment (August 20, 2025). Previous to November, the one unavailable date is October 7, 2025. Simply two weeks in the past, availability was considerably decrease.
In all probability, that is the results of Common Orlando reallocating ticket capability. Again once we wrote that publish detailing the earlier bounce in capability from ~15,000 to ~45,000 that we (mainly) referred to as nothing to fret about, we added one asterisk. That it might be meaningless if it have been laying the groundwork for future modifications and simpler reallocations of capability among the many numerous buckets of park tickets. Particularly: “If 45,000 single-day Epic Universe tickets have been abruptly made out there for every day with per week or two discover, our evaluation of the influence on crowd ranges can be very totally different.“
Sadly, we don’t know precisely what occurred with the allocation throughout ‘buckets’ as a result of the ticket information loophole has been closed. However we are able to surmise from the circumstances that: 1) tickets have been reallocated from much less fascinating buckets to extra fascinating ones, and; 2) beforehand bought out dates at the moment are promoting extra tickets. That means that is not a nothing to fret about scenario, and these increased caps completely do matter. At minimal, dates throughout the fall and vacation season are going to promote extra tickets than earlier than and exceed the earlier 22,000 excessive water mark.
For no matter it’s value, the rationale I’ve stalked the single-day ticket web page on Common Orlando is not so I may purchase tickets to dates that have been beforehand bought out. It’s just about the precise reverse. I need to take note of which dates and days of the week are promoting out most regularly so I can keep away from them. My view is just not that it’s a “good factor” that tickets are again on sale. This isn’t like a widget that sells out and is restocked.
If tickets change into out there after promoting out, that capability is coming from someplace. I’ve zero need to go to Epic Universe on any date that sells out, and I’d implore you to rethink visits throughout these peak weeks. Or at the least wait till on-the-ground reviews are available from Columbus Day weekend, as that’ll be the primary large stress take a look at of Epic Universe operations.
Lowest Crowds on Weekends
Talking of which, the 2 days of the week with the bottom common wait instances over the previous few months have been Saturdays (#2) and Sundays (#1, by far). Friday is third-lowest. The simplest clarification for that is that Epic Universe single-day tickets are most costly on weekends, so budget-conscious vacationers are in search of out cheaper dates.
There’s much less consistency for Mondays via Thursdays, and never sufficient information factors to attract definitive conclusions. Statistically, Wednesdays and Thursdays have been worst, which might 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 very best time to go to the opposite parks, with common wait instances bottoming out on Wednesdays.
This is sensible! Floridians work on weekdays, making weekends their finest time to go to the opposite parks for Annual Passholders. However Epic Universe doesn’t have APs, and plenty of locals have already gotten their “repair” of Epic Universe and are ready for Annual Passes. The outcome has been the same dynamic as we noticed at Walt Disney World when AP gross sales have been suspended for thus lengthy (it nonetheless exists to at the present time, however isn’t as exaggerated).
One factor to notice is that as quickly as Annual Go gross sales or Florida resident ticket offers begin for Epic Universe, this dynamic flips. Saturday and Sunday will change into the busiest days of the weekend. Furthermore, there are exceptions to the entire above when climate rears its ugly head. Nothing throws a monkey wrench into Epic Universe wait instances like a stormy day!
Present Crowds
It’s been virtually precisely two months since we shared our preliminary 2025 Epic Universe Crowd Calendar, which provided predictions and a recap of present crowds. On the predictions entrance, that publish nonetheless holds up.
Clearly, there’s two months of extra wait instances information since then to share (courtesy of thrill-data). Crowds have solely worsened since then. Epic Universe set a document for its busiest day ever on July 16, when common wait instances have been 85 minutes and the group stage was 10/10. That was adopted by back-to-back 80 minute days August 6-7. There have been a number of different days at or above 70 minutes, with day by day lows within the mid-to-upper 40s.
Late June was the beginning of a stretch when weekly averages have been 64-68 minutes for six consecutive weeks; with all however one week within the 64-66 minute vary. For a park that’s so inconsistent on a day-to-day foundation, that’s remarkably constant on a weekly one.
Two out of the final three weeks have proven indicators of enchancment, and our expectation is that this development doesn’t simply proceed, however that it accelerates within the subsequent 4-6 weeks. I’m cautiously optimistic that Epic Universe may have a weekly common beneath 50 minutes someday in mid-September. On the very least, there needs to be sure days when the common wait time is below 40 minutes. Epic Universe has been near that on the 2 most up-to-date Sundays.
It’s value noting that no different Common Orlando or Walt Disney World park is hitting common day by day wait instances at anyplace close to these ranges. As we’ve said numerous instances earlier than, that is principally a capability and effectivity story, and never one among overwhelming demand.
The park is hitting these crowd ranges with comparatively low attendance. There’s potential for this to get a lot worse if Epic Universe doesn’t discover its footing on journey throughput. (Or will get unfortunate with climate on a better attendance day.)
To place these numbers into perspective, it’s additionally value noting that Walt Disney World’s two busiest days since 2019 have been 71 and 70 minute waits–each got here throughout the weeks of New 12 months’s (early 2020 and late 2023). On the identical dates this summer time, Walt Disney World’s common wait time has been lower than half of Epic Universe and that’s regardless of increased day by day attendance. The identical goes for Common Orlando’s different parks, that are seeing averages of round 25 minutes.
The trendline is beginning to flip constructive now that faculty has gone again into session, however we nonetheless extremely advocate Epic Universe on a weekend, if in any respect, throughout the 2025 low season. In any other case, ready till 2026 nonetheless looks like one of the best plan of action, however that comes with huge caveats in regards to the park scaling up capability at a sooner clip than it improves journey throughput. It could prove that the following 5-6 weeks plus scattered dates this vacation season find yourself being the candy spot.
If planning a late 2025 or 2026 journey, I’d goal the entire similar dates on our Greatest & Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025, 2026 & 2027. That’s a mixture of quantitative and qualitative, and I’d argue that the latter issues extra at Epic Universe than Walt Disney World. Should you solely have in the future to do Epic Universe, make it a Sunday throughout a type of weeks.
Workforce Member Complimentary Entry
Common Orlando Workforce Members can now use as much as two of their complimentary passes for entry to Epic Universe every calendar month. Beforehand, Workforce Members must buy single-day tickets in the event that they wished to go to Epic Universe.
Notice that Workforce Members nonetheless don’t have self-admit privileges, so that they have to make use of these comp tickets on themselves and a visitor in the event that they need to go to the park. Or, they may give each away to household & mates. Comp tickets expire on the finish of every month, so Workforce Members can’t accumulate multi-month stockpiles with a purpose to go to with extra folks.
It’s exhausting to say the diploma of an influence it will have on Epic Universe crowds. It’ll undoubtedly transfer the needle to some extent, however diluted over the course of a whole month, in all probability not considerably so. It’s much less vital than self-admit or the rollout of Annual Passes can be.
The angle from which that is in all probability probably the most fascinating is that it’s a step in the direction of the inevitable rollout of each. This was a logical precursor to AP gross sales or ID entry for Workforce Members, both of which might be subsequent up. Whereas additional Workforce Member entry appears extra doubtless, introducing restricted add-ons for the highest tiers of Annual Passes is a revenue-generating transfer, so it may be step one.
Actually, we hope that doesn’t occur till someday in 2026 (and don’t count on it to). Though we’d love to have the ability to buy an Annual Go for Epic Universe, there’s just one month of low season earlier than crowds choose up once more. If that, as the beginning of Halloween Horror Nights may unleash a type of pent-up demand.
Then it’s the guts of the Halloween and vacation seasons, each of that are more likely to be busier. Then in 2026, common ticketing insurance policies are relaxed, which may additional exacerbate crowds. Common Orlando must do all the pieces to protect the visitor expertise for informal vacationers, and that doubtless means no Annual Passes for one more 12 months except main strides could be made to enhance operational capability.
Park Hopping Take a look at
Talking of the relief of ticketing insurance policies, we already know that company reserving 2026 Common Orlando trip packages for journey in January and past may have the choice to decide on park-to-park tickets that features Epic Universe. These tickets will not embody Epic Universe as a separate entitlement, and as an alternative permit park hopping.
We assume the identical will likely be true of standard multi-day Common Orlando tickets for 2026. Whereas the above Workforce Member comp entry is a vital prerequisite to Annual Passes, and so on., so too is just establishing regular ticketing insurance policies for Epic Universe. And the logical date for that’s January 2026.
Previous to then, Common Orlando is reportedly coming into choose company with trip packages right into a park hopping take a look at proper now. We’ve solely seen a pair scattered reviews of this on social media, however figured it was value mentioning proactively in case you’re fortunate sufficient to be chosen. Our recommendation can be hopping to Epic Universe after 4 pm. Do this in your first day and have that be your preliminary Epic Universe expertise. See the way it goes and decide whether or not that’s an applicable strategy for you on subsequent days.
Earnings Name
Comcast just lately held its quarterly earnings name and, unsurprisingly, they praised the profitable launch of Epic Universe. The park was the direct driver of a 19% improve in income for the theme parks section, which is sensible because it didn’t beforehand exist! Listed here are a few govt quotes from the name transcript:
“We count on Epic to proceed to scale over the course of the 12 months, with increased attendance and per caps in addition to considerably improved working leverage.”
“As anticipated, our near-term focus is on increasing journey throughput to scale back early attendance constraints. Epic is trending according to our expectations and nicely on its option to reworking Common Orlando into a real week-long vacation spot.”
It’s unimaginable to understand how executives actually really feel about Epic Universe’s launch, as they’re going to color a fairly rosy image as a result of the numbers did–and can proceed to–go up. Nonetheless, these quotes recommend they’re going to proceed discovering methods to extend attendance whereas additionally enhancing operational effectivity.
That is what we’re seeing above with ticketing modifications and it’s what we anticipated with effectivity. Nonetheless, it’s good to listen to the chief feedback about journey throughput and working leverage. That is reassuring, and signifies even high-level leaders notice that they’ll’t merely pack the park–the reliability must first enhance. I respect that.
As a fast apart, I hear a number of chatter about how Orange County attributing a document setting month for occupancy tax collections to Epic Universe is “proof” that it’s hurting Walt Disney World. On the danger of stating the plain, having extra lodge rooms stuffed is what will increase the potential occupancy tax pool–and Common simply opened three new ones, thereby rising the county’s complete room stock!
There are extra lodges now, so it stands to motive that, even on the similar occupancy proportion throughout all resorts, tax collections would improve. If the identical variety of company have been visiting however stayed at Common as an alternative of Disney, occupancy tax collections can be flat. That’s not what occurred, although, as Walt Disney World’s occupancy proportion additionally elevated. And that is regardless of Disney additionally including room stock over the past 12 months. Epic Universe might (rightfully!) get the credit score, however each Disney and Common contributed to the document.
Programming Notice: Visiting Quickly
Actually, I’m watching the entire above out of my very own self-interest, as I’m intending to go to Epic Universe once more quickly. I’m undoubtedly going at the least in the future and am debating a second (have already got nights booked at Helios Grand). I’ll undoubtedly be placing my cash the place my mouth is by happening a Sunday, however have the choice to additionally go to on Saturday if the information (and climate) are wanting good or gamble on the next Monday if Sunday goes nicely (or, I assume, goes actually badly and I need a do-over?).
We’ve now pushed off our household journey twice now, with late January 2026 being the brand new goal, so this one is simply me once more. The objective is to eat as a lot as humanly potential, testing the boundaries of how a lot the human abdomen can endure when stuffed to capability and loaded into consecutive rides on Stardust Racers. I’ll be doing loads of different testing as nicely, and am open to options on this entrance if there are specifics you’d wish to learn about present ops at Epic Universe. Or in case you have any menu & restaurant suggestions, please share these, too.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Epic Universe for the reason that begin of summer time? Planning a day within the low season or throughout Halloween Horror Nights? What did you consider wait instances and crowds? Expertise any operational meltdowns resulting from breakdowns or climate? Is it potential or possible that Epic Universe really has even increased attendance from October via December 2025, or all through 2026? Will you go to Epic Universe this 12 months, or will you look forward to crowds to cool down (in concept) in 2026? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share every other ideas or questions you’ve within the feedback beneath!
