Universal Epic Universe Previews Begin April 17 for Select Guests

7 days ago in "Universal Orlando Resort"

Gallery / 16 Photos
Universal Epic Universe concept art

See all 16

Posted: Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:30pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Universal Orlando Resort will begin previews of its new theme park, Universal Epic Universe, on April 17, 2025—more than a month ahead of the official opening on May 22.

Select groups, including annual passholders and guests staying at Universal Orlando hotels, now have access to purchase preview tickets.

Universal Epic Universe - Front Gate

Who Can Attend the Previews

Beginning April 8, the following guests are eligible to purchase preview tickets for Universal Epic Universe:

Universal Orlando Annual and Seasonal Passholders
Guests with a 2025 Military Freedom Pass
Universal Rewards Signature VISA Card holders
Guests with confirmed stays at Universal Orlando hotels

Additional ticket access for other audiences will roll out in the coming weeks.

What to Expect During Previews

Guests with preview access will be among the first to experience Epic Universe and its five immersive lands:

Celestial Park
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Dark Universe

Universal has noted that availability of attractions, dining, and other offerings may vary during the preview period as final preparations continue for the full launch on May 22.

New Hotel Opening April 16

Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a 500-room Loews property located adjacent to Epic Universe, is now accepting reservations for arrivals beginning April 16. Guests staying at the hotel during previews will be just steps away from the new park and can enter through a dedicated entrance from the hotel lobby (valid theme park admission required).

Universal Helios Grand Hotel a Loews Hotel - Exterior

More Information

Preview ticket availability is limited. For details on how to purchase and to check eligibility, visit UniversalOrlando.com/epicuniverse.

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

Chef idea Mickey`=24 minutes ago

Mmm That probably gives a sense as to why the massive Architecture marvel wasn't built in a different way in order for it to not collide with France in Epcot. I don't know who is in charge of acceptance and non acceptance when it came to sightlines, or they loved the design so much that they weren't willing to modify and there was no other way to move it better.

Disneyhead'7127 minutes ago

I personally think that Epic! is the most ambitious theme park at opening from the big 2 since EPCOT Center in 1982. Way better than Disney-MGM and OG USF. DAK was and still is WAY under built. IOA is great, But there is still a tongue in cheek attitude that is very UNIVERSAL. Epic! has a much more mature and deeper approach. Epic! Is far from perfect. I had seen SNW in Japan and Hollywood, and thought it looked great. When I finally went, I exited the portal and thought WOW, it looks great! And then as I moved through the land, I thought WOW, it cramped and tight, and crowded. At that point all the built in kinetic energy made the experience a bit overwhelming. Not my favorite land. Although, I did enjoy Mario Kart. I knew exactly what to expect and thought it was more fun than any POV I have seen. I don't think this is THE Nighttime Spectacular. I think they will playing in the 5-7 min. sections throughout the night.

Chef idea Mickey`=30 minutes ago

Eisner or Michael Graves don't remember which think Eisner personally didn't like just tall glass towers said they looked like refrigerators. Now years later they built one Swan Reserve smack in the middle!🤫

Chef idea Mickey`=35 minutes ago

I don't know, I get that it's Universal, but the orchestra completely orchestra makes it sound and look like another Cinesational but yet the Cinesational soundtrack gives you chills. This is Epic so I expect a different sound. Same with Epcot, if it's too much Orchestra I don't like it either. Epic needs to keep the Galaxy and Renaissance of it's theme and place to thrive with Helios! If you incorporate Universal films then have a Galaxy ring to it or along with it. Anyone else kind of unthrilled by the music here.

celluloid54 minutes ago

Cool! From the image it looks like the mailer that went to AP's last year. The tagline and size make it look like the same poster.

DCBaker1 hour ago

If you're heading to a Passholder preview:

celluloid1 hour ago

Indeed. The rush of change to Universal Studios Florida post ROTM was not great for that park as a whole. And don't get me wrong. Hagrids is an amazing situation, I just don't want it to see the fatigued trend of coasters going through theming as the standard for most E Tickets, but it also makes sense as the audience is calling for it and more physical thrill oriented recently. With DCA, I meant more from an opening perspective and its flaw compared to EPIC and its current flaws. I should have been more specific. Comcast has not always gotten it right, but they have genuinely done more great for the Orlando Property as anyone has post opening era. They ultimately know this with studio as well, as they have leaned into the nostalgia properties that are a bit more timeless that left fast in the last 20 years, and RRR is going bye bye.

BrianLo1 hour ago

I quite like Hagrids and Forbidden Journey. My two highest rated Universal attractions globally. IOA has an entertainment problem that brings it down several rungs. DCA I think has a very solid plan. Maybe not what people want, but all three of the major attractions could be favourites. The bottom of the industry right now between both operators is WDSP. I actually think it will be one of Universal’s Studio parks, probably Orlando, by next year. There’s no other park I can think of that has so many major things I would actually be happy to see removed, replaced, or fixed. Well over 50% of its contents just for straight up removal.

celluloid1 hour ago

To be frank for me, it is Disney and Uni have both rested on laurels plenty of times in the last fifteen years or so that have brought down the industry since they are the top two. Seaworld and Busch Gardens used to have to try harder when they did. 90s Sea World and Busch Gardens were a much stronger product. Regional parks in turn, were able to not try as hard as well. EPIC has its flaws, but it is not one of those times IMHO. I don't even think it is IOA at opening strong, but it is not DCA. I know Forbidden Journey is not everyone's cup of tea, but it was a very innovative screen hybrid attraction as it used screens for flight and the Kuka arm in a way no one had yet. Hagrid's is one of the top themed coaster experiences out there, but it is going to always pale to an innovative dark ride for me. And a coaster going through theming is a lot of fun, but that is going to get fatigued too. Luckily EPIC has a nice balance for now.

BrianLo1 hour ago

We are in alignment! It’s not this product, it’s strictly the sins of the father. USO has an atrocious balance and it bring down the whole industry. It has 4-5 too many *kinda mediocre/bad* screen based experiences. I know we have a couple extremists, but several of my top ten global rides and many top 25 are screen-forward.

earlthesquirrellover232 hours ago

This is an awful POV, it does not capture what the ride experience is actually like at all.

celluloid2 hours ago

This is the issue with so many primarily stop at a screen-based things. Fatigue hits so much faster and revealing flaws when things are not implemented in unique ways or order. Fast and Furious has many flaws in general, clearly, but one of them is you are in a speed tunnel on a giant moving bus, that become a motion simulator. It can happen with any ride, magic trick or performance piece, but without unique elements it goes faster. Gringotts certainly should have been more coaster and the pacing is all off. On the positive side of Ministry, the younger and 40 inch height crowd finally have a large scale Potter dark ride they can go on.

mkt2 hours ago

I just received confirmation from a friend physically there - they are installing Novacharge L2 chargers through Chargeup, the same setup used at Disney Springs, UO Team Member Parking, and other places in Orlando. So these will definitely not be free chargers.

DarkMetroid5672 hours ago

This is actually one of my biggest qualms with JWA, you can tell it wasn’t meant to be a Scoop ride but the ride does the classic Scoop motions bc why not. EDIT: Spider-Man was clearly designed with the Scoop in mind. Transformers was, for all its flaws, clearly inspired by Spider-Man in its ride design. Even TDS Peter Pan is very intentional in how it uses its Scoop. And then JWA is just like “yeah whatever.” You can tell it was aching to be the IJA Vehicle/Time-Rover.