Hoppin’ news! Universal Epic Universe is now open — and you can save on your Universal Orlando tickets when you purchase through Undercover Tourist, up to $88 per ticket!
Booking your Universal Orlando hotel stay through Undercover Tourist unlocks the same benefits as booking directly through Universal. Undercover Tourist now offers a flexible deposit option, so you can secure your Universal Orlando hotel stay for only a refundable $200 deposit, and then pay the remaining balance 30 days prior to check-in.
Universal Epic Universe is now open as of May 22, 2025! If you're planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort with kids, you're probably wondering how to tackle this brand-new theme park. From where to stay, rides, shows, character meet and greets, dining and must-know family logistics — we're covering it all. We’ll also share helpful tips for navigating the park with little ones, including where to find strollers, the Family Care Center and quiet places to rest. This guide is here to help you feel confident and prepared when exploring Epic Universe with kids of all ages. Let's dive in!
What Is Epic Universe?
Epic Universe is Universal Orlando's third theme park — well, technically, the fourth when taking Universal Volcano Bay into account — and it’s a big deal. HUGE, actually! Unlike Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe is located in a completely separate area, a few miles south of the existing parks. It has its own dedicated parking area and entrance. Guests staying at Universal Orlando Resort hotels or visiting from CityWalk can get there using the free resort buses.
The park is designed to feel like you're traveling across space to explore new worlds. It centers around Celestial Park, which acts as the hub. From there, you'll enter four other immersive worlds, each with its own entrance portal and completely unique theming, attractions, food and experiences. Let’s take a quick look at each world:
This is the heart of Epic Universe. It’s an open area filled with fountains, gardens and beautiful (and stroller-friendly) walking paths. It features two attractions, both quick-service and table-service restaurants and a stunning central lagoon.
This area is where you'll start and end your day, and it's a great place to stop for a snack or to cool down at Astronomica, the splash pad area.
Here you'll travel up through the green warp pipe to the Mushroom Kingdom. This world is a kid's dream come true, especially if your family loves video games! This Mommy Frog played the heck outta Super Nintendo as a kid, so it brings the nostalgia.
In this world, you can meet characters such as Mario and Luigi and ride the interactive Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, Yoshi's Adventure and Mine-Cart Madness. Almost the entire world is interactive, especially with the use of a Power-Up Band, where you can complete Key Challenges and collect coins all with the movement of your wrist.
This world brings the Universal Monsters to life in a fresh, new way. Dark Universe is set in the present day, where the stories of Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster actually happened! While the overall theme may be a bit spooky, there are experiences here for a variety of ages. More on that below!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic
This version of the Wizarding World blends the "Fantastic Beasts" films with the classic "Harry Potter" series. It's a mix of 1920s Paris and the British Ministry of Magic. Here, you can experience detailed storytelling, magical shops, delicious food and the headliner attraction, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.
How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk
This viking-themed world is filled with adventure, thrills and ... DRAGONS! The tadpoles can meet characters such as Hiccup and Toothless, ride dragon-themed attractions, explore interactive play areas and even adopt a dragon and participate in a dragon adoption celebration.
Where to Stay at Epic Universe with Kids
Staying at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel makes your vacation so much easier, especially with kids. You'll get perks such Early Park Admission, free transportation and convenience when you want to head back to your room for naps or swim breaks.
The brand-new Helios Grand Hotel is located inside Epic Universe itself, which is a total game-changer for families. It has its own entrance into the park, which makes it incredibly easy to hop back to your room for a break, nap or swim in the middle of the day — no bus rides or long walks needed.
Other great choices for families are Universal’s Signature Collection hotels: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. These resorts include Universal Express Unlimited, which allows you to skip the regular lines at most attractions, which is a huge perk, especially in the Florida heat. Your kids will love the themed suites available at these hotels, too. Note: Universal Express Unlimited is not available at Epic Universe yet, so this benefit only applies to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure at this time.
At Loews Royal Pacific Resort, the "Jurassic World" Kids' Suites come with gyrosphere-style beds that look straight out of the movie. At Loews Portofino Bay, your kiddos can sleep in custom-designed missile beds inside the "Despicable Me" Kids' Suites, just like Margo, Edith and Agnes. And if your kids are dragon fans, the kids' suites at Helios Grand Hotel are themed to "How to Train Your Dragon," which will feel like stepping into a dragon’s den with Toothless and Light Fury.
Universal has several Prime Value and Value hotels, such as Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Aventura Hotel. Cabana Bay is especially popular with families for its lazy river, in-house bowling alley and spacious suites. The Endless Summer Resort, which includes Surfside Inn and Suites and Dockside Inn and Suites, offers budget-friendly pricing and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes.
Finally, alongside the Helios Grand Hotel, two additional new hotels, Stella Nova Resort and Terra Luna Resort, are now open and are the closest to Epic Universe. Both are budget-conscious, modern and designed with families in mind.
No matter where you stay, all Universal Orlando Resort hotel guests receive Early Park Admission to the theme parks (including Epic Universe), which lets you get a head start on the crowds. If you're not staying at a hotel that includes Universal Express, you might want to consider purchasing Express Passes separately. They can make a big difference in your day by cutting wait times and keeping kids happier.
And now you can pay only a $200 deposit to reserve your stay at a Universal Resort Hotel!
Dining at Epic Universe with Kids
There’s no shortage of kid-approved dining at Epic Universe! Whether you're grabbing a quick bite between rides or sitting down for a relaxing dinner, the park will have something for even your pickiest eaters.
For breakfast, families who like to get an early start can grab coffee and breakfast sandwiches at one of two Starbucks locations inside Epic Universe. There’s also one in every Universal hotel lobby, so you can fuel up before even leaving your hotel. If you prefer a slower morning, The Oak & Star Tavern in Celestial Park is a relaxing sit-down option with hearty breakfasts such as bacon, eggs and breakfast platters that fill everyone up.
At lunchtime, head to Mead Hall in Isle of Berk. This Viking-themed dining hall will be a hit with tadpoles. Lily loved the Little Dragon Riders meals. They are very well balanced and include veggies and grapes, but the best part is that they are served in a Viking ship!
As the day winds down, dinner options such as Pizza Moon in Celestial Park serve up pizza and pasta that are always a crowd pleaser. (Pizzas only come in one size — 12" — making it easy to split among tadpoles.) Toadstool Cafe is also a popular choice because of the immersive theming and creative dishes. The kids menu includes both the Mario Mini Burger Adventure Set and Power-Up Spaghetti Marinara. Both meals come with a coin cookie. Ka-ching!
Snacks are plentiful throughout the park. Frosty Moon in Celestial Park is your go-to for soft-serve ice cream, and you can load up your cup or cone with your choice of two delicious toppings. In Super Nintendo World, Yoshi’s Snack Island serves creative treats such as the Yoshi’s Smoothie and Mango Yoshi’s Smoothie, both topped with whipped cream. You’ll also find Green Shell Calzones (vegan sausage and vegan mozzarella) and Red Shell Calzones (with Italian meat sauce and mozzarella) for a quick snack or light meal.
K. Rammelle’s Confectionery in the Ministry of Magic has unique packaged sweets and snacks. Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets in Celestial Park is another merch shop for candy, themed treats and goodies to take home.
Don't froget that you can check the Universal Orlando app for menus, dining locations and hours. You'll want to become familiar with mobile order, as that is the norm for placing an order at the quick-serve restaurants. Once you sit down at a table, you'll place your order on the app, and then your food will be brought out to your table.
Plan Out Your Day at Epic Universe with Kids
Arrive Early
When you’re visiting Epic Universe, getting there early is important. Try to arrive at the gate at least 15 to 30 minutes before it opens and head straight to the most popular rides, especially if you have Early Park Admission. Mine-Cart Madness and Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry tend to get the longest lines, particularly in the morning. If you don't have Early Park Admission and meeting Toothless is a priority, making a beeline over to Isle of Berk and jumping in that queue is also a smart move!
Map Out the Tadpole-Friendly Attractions
When it comes to which rides are best for different age groups, we have our suggestions, but you know your child best and should always go with your best judgment. Here's our take:
For toddlers and preschoolers, Yoshi’s Adventure is a slow-moving ride, and kids will love pushing the colorful buttons as they find matching eggs. At Constellation Carousel, kids will enjoy choosing which animal to ride on, plus the way the carousel moves and the music is just so dreamy. The Astronomica splash pad is great for cooling off and getting those wiggles out. Fyre Drill is an interactive boat ride with no height requirement and just the right amount of excitement. Just be prepared to get wet!
For early elementary-aged kids, Fyre Drill is still a favorite, and they’ll likely be ready for Dragon Racer’s Rally, a flying spinner-style ride that lets you twist and turn through the air. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders is a favorite for both Tad and Lily (well, the whole family can't get enough of this one!). Casting spells in the Ministry of Magic is another fun activity to fold into the day between attractions — just know that these take a little hand-eye coordination, and you may have to help your little wizards a bit here. Tad is usually the one who helps Lily (as a Ravenclaw does), and they have a blast moving from spell to spell.
Tweens will have the most fun tackling some of the park’s more adventurous attractions, such as Curse of the Werewolf, Mine-Cart Madness and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. Stardust Racers in Celestial Park is the major coaster here and is a must-do for those thrill-seekers. If it works in your schedule, ride this one at night! Is your tween a gamer or dying to drive their own car? Then Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge will be a favorite!
Teens will be drawn to the most intense rides in the park, including Stardust Racers and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment in Dark Universe.
If your littles aren’t ready for the big rides or don’t meet the height requirements, take advantage of Child Swap. This feature lets one adult wait with the child while the other rides, and then you switch without having to wait again. It's also a good idea to double-check height requirements before your visit so there are no surprises. We also recommend watching ride videos on YouTube with your kids before you go. It helps ease nerves and sets clear expectations.
Don’t forget to build in time to meet and interact with characters. In Super Nintendo World, you can meet Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Donkey Kong and Toad. Over in Isle of Berk, you can meet Hiccup and Toothless. Be on the lookout for the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. They typically roam the area as a pair, and they are really fun (and absolutely hysterical) to interact with. At the Ministry of Magic, you’ll find Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Ilvermorny students, Cosme the wandmaker and Aurors who are always on the lookout for dark magic. For brave kids, Dark Universe has Victoria Frankenstein’s new monster and the Bride of Frankenstein, plus other roaming characters to interact with.
When it’s time to slow down, there are several areas at Epic Universe where you can take a break. Watch "The Untrainable Dragon" in the Isle of Berk — this adorable live show includes music, vikings and flying dragons that’ll keep your tadpoles entertained while you rest your feet.
In the Ministry of Magic, “Le Cirque Arcanus” is a magical stage show with illusions and magical creatures. Like we mentioned above, Celestial Park is where you'll find the Astronomica splash pad. Your kids can cool off while you snag a seat nearby.
For quiet time, head to the Family Care Center located near the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. It’s air-conditioned and has several nursing rooms, family bathrooms, a kitchenette, a few tables and family seating areas. The First Aid center is located right next door, should you need to store a nursing pump, insulin or other meds as well. It's also a good idea to note the location, should you need a Band-Aid or other medical attention.
Frogtastic Tips for Traveling to Epic Universe with Kids
Here are our top tips for traveling with the kiddos to Universal Epic Universe:
- Tadpoles under the age of 3 get in for free! While they may not be able to do the majority of the rides, they can ride Constellation Carousel, Yoshi's Adventure (must be at least 34 inches), Fyre Drill and play at Viking Training Camp. They’ll also enjoy the shows and splashing in the Astronomica splash pad.
- Add room in the budget to buy a souvenir or two! What's a visit to Epic Universe without bringing home a souvenir to remember it?
- Next to most bathrooms in each world, you'll find family restrooms and water refill stations.
- Forget baby supplies? Need to nurse? Looking for medicine? Head into the Family Care Center near the Ministry of Magic.
- Strollers are available for rent at the front of the park for $40 per day. Stroller parking is available throughout the park — some is even covered.
- Lockers are available for rent at the entrance of the park and at each concierge stand near each portal.
- The Darkmoor Monster Makeover Experience has options for generic, celestial makeup if your tadpole is more into space vibes than monsters.
- Dress the part! While not mandatory, it’s popular to dress to match your favorite fandom — think dragon T-shirts for Isle of Berk, dark colors for Dark Universe, Mario and Luigi hats for Super Nintendo World and don’t forget to bring or purchase a wand to cast spells in the Ministry of Magic.
- Set up the ground rules for what happens if you or your kiddos separate from the group. Talk with your kids about notifying a Universal team member as soon as possible. The Universal staff is well-trained, and it usually doesn’t take long to reunite everyone safely.
- Have a game plan for tweens and teens who want to explore the parks on their own. Check in frequently, either by phone or at a designated meeting spot.
- And at any Orlando theme park — stay hydrated, use plenty of sunscreen and have fun!
Now you're ready to take on Epic Universe with kids! You're gonna have a blast! Still have questions? Let us know in the comments below.
Related: Our Top Tips for Going to Universal Orlando with Teens and Tweens
Related: Our Guide to Visiting Universal Orlando with Kids
Hoppy planning!
