Epic Universe, one year in

Queue-Times, which tracks posted waits, puts Epic's average crowd level at 61% in 2025 and 46% so far in 2026. Two of its ten quietest recorded days fell in September 2026.

The owner's numbers point the same way. In its report for the quarter ending June 30, 2026, Comcast said theme park revenue of about $2.4 billion was "led by the continued strength at Epic Universe", but that performance across the broader resort was "below our expectations with attendance softening beginning in June which has continued into 3Q". Universal has not published attendance figures, so no one outside the company knows the exact count.

Hours shrank with the crowds. WDW News Today reported that summer closing times of 9 p.m. moved to 8 p.m. for most of September 2026; Universal listed 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on September 22.

When Universal set the opening date in October 2024, Epic tickets were first sold only as part of multi-day tickets or vacation packages, according to the Orlando Sentinel. On Universal's store on September 22, 2026:

• 1-day Epic Universe: from $139.99 before tax; dates checked ran $140 to $170 in late September and $150 to $200 in October. Epic only, no hopping.
• 2-day, one park per day, with one Epic day: from $131.50 a day, just $10 more in total than the same ticket for the two older parks.
• Special 3-Day: one day at each theme park from $99 a day ($297), with blockout dates.
• 3- to 7-day park-to-park: Epic, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure on every day.

What has not changed: no annual pass includes Epic, and no 1-day ticket combines it with the other parks. Details are on our Universal tickets page.

Epic still sells only single-use Express, one shorter wait per participating ride. It started at $199.99 on Universal's store and ran $210 to $250 in late September 2026 and up to $340 on October 10 and 11. That is more than the park ticket on every date checked. Express Unlimited, and the free Express at Portofino Bay, Hard Rock and Royal Pacific, still do not work here.

The new option is Express Pass Now, launched at Epic in April 2026: a single line-skip bought in Universal's app on the day, in the park. Disney Tourist Blog reported it at $25 a ride at launch, on Stardust Racers, Yoshi's Adventure and Hiccup's Wing Gliders, with availability varying. It is useful for one re-ride, not a whole day. Our Express guide covers every product.

• Universal Celestial Goodnight premiered on July 7, 2026 as the park's first regular fireworks show, built on the old Cosmos Fountain show. On September 15, 2026 Universal confirmed the fireworks portion was "temporarily unavailable" because of a technical issue, with no return date. Do not plan your evening around it.
• Universal Nights at Epic Universe, a limited-capacity after-hours event, runs October 3, 17 and 24 and November 6 and 20, 2026, at $179 plus tax. October 17 had sold out by early September.
• Construction: aerial photos in September 2026 showed excavation for a new Dark Universe attraction behind Monsters Unchained. Universal has not announced what it is.
• Weather: Mine-Cart Madness was reportedly cleared to run in rain in July 2026, though more than half of Epic's attractions are outdoors and still close in rain.
• Closures ahead: Fyre Drill is scheduled to close from January 25 to February 4, 2027.

Queue-Times' 2026 averages of posted waits: Mine-Cart Madness 100 minutes, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry 95, Mario Kart 57. Every other ride averaged 32 minutes or less, including Stardust Racers at 20 and Monsters Unchained at 15, two of the best rides in the park.

Lower crowd levels have not fixed those two queues. They are why an Epic day still goes wrong for people who arrive at 11 a.m.

1. Buy Epic inside a multi-day ticket. At $10 extra on a 2-day ticket, there is no ticket reason to skip it. Our Epic verdict has the full math.
2. Stay on site if you can. Universal hotel guests had Early Park Admission at 9 a.m. through September 30, 2026; later dates were not published when we checked. Stella Nova walks you to the gate for far less than Helios Grand.
3. Rope-drop one headliner, do the other in the last hour.
4. Skip full-day Express. Use Express Pass Now for one ride if the app offers it.
5. Pick a quiet date. Ticket prices track demand; $140 dates were quieter than $200 ones.

For a plan that fits all three parks, see our 3-day Universal itinerary.