Universal Orlando Resort’s highly anticipated third theme park, Epic Universe, has surprised fans with its early opening, offering everyone a sneak peek of the new park ahead of its official grand opening on May 22, 2025. Universal’s decision to release single-day preview tickets for the general public made this surprise preview possible, allowing visitors to explore the park weeks ahead of schedule.
Epic Universe has already impressed many visitors during its initial Team Member, press, and Annual Passholder preview period, with some calling it the most advanced of all Universal Orlando Resort parks. With five distinct lands, including 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, the park promises an experience leagues more immersive than Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Despite the excitement, not everything has gone smoothly during these preview days. Guests have reported a few hiccups, including a 50-minute evacuation from one of the park’s most popular attractions, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. Issues with the park’s Virtual Queue system have also surfaced, with guests expressing frustration over difficulty securing slots, even during the lower-traffic preview periods.
In addition to these challenges, another recent issue surfaced in Celestial Park, the park’s central entrance hub. X (formerly Twitter) user @bioreconstruct posted a photo showing a “Temporarily out of Stardust” sign on the Constellation Carousel, with the warning instructing guests to choose another animal. The photo caught the attention of Universal Parks fans, who were surprised to see such a simple problem on an attraction so soon after the park first welcomed guests.
A covering when a Constellation Carousel animal is out of Stardust.
A covering when a Constellation Carousel animal is out of Stardust. pic.twitter.com/YCiymvSHRY
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) April 22, 2025
The carousel, a more traditional attraction compared to the high-tech rides in other areas of Epic Universe, was an unlikely source of trouble, but it highlights the growing pains that come with launching a new theme park. Universal has not publicly commented on whether the malfunction was caused by a technical issue or guest misbehavior.
Fans on social media were quick to react. “How is this already broken? 😞” asked @BeeBricks.
How is this already broken? 😞
— BeeBricks (@BeeBricks) April 22, 2025
Whether these problems will persist once the park is fully open is unclear. Still, the early preview period has given guests a glimpse into the challenges that accompany launching a new park.
Despite the hiccups, Epic Universe continues to draw large crowds and receives mostly positive feedback. As the park prepares for its official opening, Universal Orlando Resort is working to address these minor issues and ensure everything is ready for the thousands of guests who will visit come May 22, 2025.
Are you planning your first visit to Epic Universe? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
