7 Reasons Why Universal Epic Universe Isn’t Enough for Universal Orlando to Overtake Walt Disney World

Universal Epic Universe was shaping up to be Florida’s best theme park (better than any Disney World offerings).

But since the official opening on May 22nd, 2025, we’ve been hearing more negative things about Epic Universe Orlando.

From unfortunate breakdowns on Universal Epic Universe rides to Universal Epic Universe refunds, things haven’t been so great for Universal Orlando.

The initial Universal Epic Universe reviews may have been positive during media (and some of the previews), but the park’s open and the success isn’t exactly obvious.

Considering one of the main reasons Epic Universe exists is to increase the power Universal’s presence and market share in the Orlando theme park market, all these things are concerning.

Taking these 7 things into account, can Universal really surpass Walt Disney World, and become Florida theme park royalty?!

And if you’re like me, and thinking about your upcoming first visit to Epic Universe, this information (and widely-reported rumors) can be helpful for finding out a bit more about the potential experience you could have.

Let’s discuss 🙂

This post is all about the 7 significant reasons why Universal Epic Universe isn’t enough for Universal to overtake Walt Disney World.

Universal Epic Universe

How Universal Still Doesn’t (& perhaps won’t) Measure Up to Disney World

1) Disappointing Attendance at Epic Universe (or Regulated Attendance?)

Disappointing Initial Attendance at Epic Universe

Let’s talk about the awkward start. Epic Universe didn’t pull huge crowds right out of the gate.

For a park with this much hype, early numbers looked low—at least compared to the wild scenes when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade opened or when Hagrid’s coaster sent fans into a frenzy.

But is its that Epic Universe didn’t attract people? Or did Universal purposely limit numbers?

There have been rumors that turnout for Epic Universe’s opening day was below what the company expected, demonstrated through low wait times (20 minutes average across the park on opening day).

Universal even provided refunds for guests who purchased Universal Express Pass – even if they used it that day at the park – simply because they didn’t need it.

But, wait times have shot up since the first few days of Epic Universe.

Towards the end of May, (27th-30th) the average wait times were 52-73 minutes (compared to 20-38 minutes between May 22nd and May 26th).

It has been reported that Universal has been capping attendance at around a third of capacity – so it’s hard to know for sure – at this point – if they are capable of selling tens of thousands of tickets each day.

Epic Universe has also experienced some ride breakdowns (like Disney Parks and the other Universal Orlando parks experience regularly). However, during the previews, there were occasions where 7 of the 11 rides were closed, due to weather and breakdowns. Again, refunds were provided because the experience was so disappointing.

Unfortunately, it’s going to take months (or even years) to see how good or bad attendance will be at Epic Universe, and the real causes of it being either impressive or underwhelming.

2) Universal is Far More Reliant on Annual Passholders & Florida Residents

Universal leans hard on Florida residents and annual passholders to fill its original theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure).

Focusing mainly on Passholders (many also being Florida residents), they are treated well by Universal.

Not because Universal is just a million times kinder than Disney, but because Passholders and locals are more integral to the success of their parks.

From great discounts and perks (and relatively reasonable Annual Pass prices), there’s a lot of ways Universal tries to appeal to Passholders.

It’s no secret: Universal’s marketing plays to people within driving distance because that’s a huge chunk of their repeat business.

Out-of-state and country guests go (especially since the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter) but not in the same crazy numbers as Disney pulls in.

Disney has a much bigger base of vacationers, especially families traveling from all over the world for that “magical” week-long escape.

At the moment, Universal is making Annual Passholders purchase day or multi-day tickets if they want to visit Epic Universe. There is no Annual Pass option that will include entrance to Epic Universe (though it is expected to change in the future).

The problem at the moment is that they’re not seeing as many repeat visitors from Passholders – who they rely on for a fairly considerable of their success and attendance.

See more details on Universal Orlando Annual Passes in this post.

3) Still Not Enough Capacity for a Similar Number of Guests (Fewer Parks & Hotels)

Disney World is basically a city. With four full theme parks, two water parks, more than 25 hotels, countless restaurants, and a sprawling shopping district, Disney World still dwarfs what Universal can offer.

Even after Epic Universe opened, Universal has three parks and a water park.

Granted, they have opened 3 Epic Universe hotels:

Universal Helios Grand
Universal Stella Nova Resort
Universal Terra Luna Resort

But Universal’s 11 resorts seems small compared to Disney’s seemingly limitless resort portfolio.

Disney delivers a sense of scale that Universal can’t touch, especially if someone wants a week-long trip packed with new experiences every day.

And don’t forget, Disney World has mastered the art of keeping guests in the “Disney Bubble” so they never want to leave.

Their on-site resorts are attractions in themselves. Universal’s hotel lineup is growing and has some solid options, but it doesn’t match Disney’s depth or seamless guest experience.

If Universal does start to receive a level of attendance that negatively impacts Disney, they could even bring back some of their perks – namely the beloved Magical Express – to convince guests to stay at Disney for their entire Orlando vacations.

4) Disney World Is Still Better For Young Families

Universal Epic Universe brings young family-friendly lands and stories (such as How to Train Your Dragon and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD), but let’s be real—Universal still struggles when it comes to characters that land with all ages.

Universal still has the reputation of being better for thrill seekers and adults. This is great, but to dethrone Disney, Universal will need to have more options for toddlers and young kids.

5) Several Generations Have Nostalgia for Disney. Hardly Any Have Nostalgia for Universal.

Let’s face it—nostalgia has helped Disney Parks for decades.

No matter how slick or modern Universal Epic Universe is, nothing beats the memories people have of Cinderella Castle, riding the monorail, or spotting Mickey Mouse for the first (or fiftieth) time.

Universal Express Pass — Mickey Mouse at breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera – Disney’s Riviera Resort

Disney has spent decades building this attachment across generations.

Universal’s best efforts can’t replicate the sheer emotional weight of Disney memories.

For a lot of people, a trip to Disney World is practically a rite of passage.

As Universal Orlando has only existed since 1990 and been a significant player in the market since 2010 (thanks, Harry Potter), they just haven’t been able to compete on nostalgia – yet.

Universal Epic Universe rides — Part of the queue at Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts – Diagon Alley – Universal Studios Florida

6) Seasonal Events & Celebrations Are More Prominent at Walt Disney World

Disney’s specialty events are a huge deal.

For example, each year you can find these events at Disney World:

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

@caffeinebythecastle
Tonight is the first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 2024, and it has been absolutely incredible 🎃 #halloween #disneyworld
♬ Halloween ・ cute horror song – PeriTune

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Disney Jollywood Nights
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Epcot International Festival of the Holidays

Universal Epic Universe reviews — Candlelight Processional at Epcot

Multiple After Hours Events at Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot & Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney H2O Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon
Multiple runDisney Events
And more!

Universal’s got Halloween Horror Nights, a couple of their own festivals and Christmas celebrations, sure, but Disney’s lineup is broader, family-friendly, and more popular.

7) Disney’s Brand Power is Stronger (Even if it Doesn’t Always Deserve to be)

Disney’s brand is everywhere. Their movies, shows, merchandise, and parks have been part of people’s lives since childhood.

Although Disney has been struggling to consistently release successful movies in the past 5 ish years, Disney Parks have continued to attract millions of guests each year.

Universal Epic Universe definitely makes Universal look more appealing, but Disney Parks remain more familiar and approachable to many people (despite often costing more to visit).

That brand power isn’t something you can build overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions about Universal Epic Universe

How many rides will Epic Universe have?

Epic Universe has 11 rides, including:

Battle of the Ministry of Magic – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic (dark ride)
Constellation Carousel – Celestial Park (carousel with a figure-eight park)
Curse of the Werewolf – Dark Universe (roller coaster)
Dragon Racer’s Rally – How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk (flat ride where guests can control the thrill level of the experience)
Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness Super Nintendo World (family-friendly roller coaster)
Fyre Drill – How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk (boat ride with interactive elements)
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders – How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk (roller coaster)
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – Super Nintendo World (interactive dark ride)
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – Dark Universe (dark ride, similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure).
Stardust Racers – Celestial Park (roller coaster)
Yoshi’s Adventure – Super Nintendo World (Omnimover ride)

Can you do Epic Universe in one day?

You can visit for one day, but be aware that you may not ride every ride, see every show or dine everywhere you’re interested in. Especially with wait times increasing and if you don’t purchase Express Pass (though it’s hard to say how productive a day trip can be here, as Epic Universe is such a new park).

Will Epic Universe have Mario?

Yes, Epic Universe is home to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, which has Mario Bowser’s Challenge (which can also he found at Universal Studios Hollywood).

Ta Ta For Now

Universal Epic Universe is most likely going to make waves.

But, it’s a little hard to believe that adding one mega-park is all it takes to dethrone Walt Disney World.

Disney’s nostalgia, scale, ecosystem, and brand loyalty just run too deep.

For all the debate out there, most Orlando vacation planners still end up choosing the mouse—at least for now.

Are you team Universal or sticking with Disney? Let’s hear your take.

This post was all about the 7 significant reasons why Universal Epic Universe isn’t enough for Universal to overtake Walt Disney World.