Universal Orlando attendance increased in 2025 even as its two established theme parks recorded fewer visits, according to estimates in the Themed Entertainment Association’s latest Global Experience Index. The difference was Universal Epic Universe, which opened in Central Florida partway through the year.
The report estimates that Universal Studios Florida received 9.3 million visits, down 2.1%, while Universal Islands of Adventure recorded 9.2 million, down 2.6%. Epic Universe, meanwhile, drew an estimated 4 million visits in its partial opening year and helped produce a net gain of 3.5 million park visits across the resort, according to the supplied report excerpt.
What the Universal Orlando Attendance Numbers Show
The figures offer two perspectives on the same year. Look at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure individually, and both were down from 2024. Add Epic Universe to the comparison, and the resort’s overall count of park visits grew.
The Themed Entertainment Association, or TEA, publishes an annual study of attractions attendance. Its 2025 index announcement says Epic Universe’s opening helped lift combined attendance at Central Florida’s leading parks by 4.3%.
Those counts represent park visits, not necessarily different people. A guest who visits more than one park can contribute more than one visit, so the estimates cannot establish how many individual travelers came to Universal Orlando.
They also do not explain why either established park declined. Some guests may have adjusted their plans to include Epic Universe, but the attendance figures alone do not establish whether the new park caused those decreases.
Epic Universe Opened During a Partial Year
Universal officially opened Epic Universe on May 22, 2025, meaning its reported 4 million visits cover only part of the calendar year. Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure had the full year to accumulate visits.
That difference matters when comparing their totals. Epic Universe’s lower figure does not, by itself, tell readers how the parks would compare over equivalent full years.
The new park debuted with five themed worlds: Celestial Park, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe. Inside the Magic previously covered Universal’s reveal of those five worlds.
Together, they gave visitors another substantial destination to fit into an Orlando vacation. For fans deciding where to spend their time, the choice now includes Nintendo characters, dragons and Universal’s classic monsters alongside the attractions at the resort’s older parks.
The Older Parks Were Already Seeing Declines
The 2025 estimates were not the first recent decreases at Universal Orlando’s existing theme parks. Inside the Magic previously reported that both parks saw attendance fall in 2024, the year before Epic Universe opened.
That history is another reason to be cautious about assigning a single cause to the 2025 changes. The report’s year-over-year estimates show what happened to attendance; they do not provide a complete account of individual guests’ decisions.
For Universal, the resort-wide increase still matters. The supplied TEA excerpt describes Epic Universe as part of a broader destination strategy, with another park creating opportunities for longer stays and spending on hotels, tickets, food and other experiences. The attendance estimate alone, however, does not show how much additional revenue or profit those visits generated.
What the Changes Mean for Guests
A larger resort gives travelers more to choose from, but it also makes planning more important. Visitors hoping to experience Epic Universe and the original parks should check how many days their tickets cover and whether their chosen product allows visits to the parks they want.
Universal’s Epic Universe ticket information outlines available options. Inside the Magic has also examined expanded multi-day ticket choices and Epic Universe access for existing annual passholders. Guests should check current terms and availability before purchasing.
Park hours deserve a check, too. As Inside the Magic has reported, early closing times can change an Epic Universe itinerary, particularly for visitors hoping to see the park after dark.
What to Watch Next
The next useful comparison will be a full calendar year of Epic Universe attendance alongside the two established parks. That could show whether the opening-year increase continues, although future estimates still would not reveal every reason guests choose one park over another.
