After years of waiting and speculation, Universal Orlando Resort’s newest park, Epic Universe, has finally arrived. Promising an adventure into fantastical realms and beloved franchises, Epic Universe instantly captured the attention of theme park fans worldwide.
Visitors flocked to the park on opening day, eager to explore incredible lands such as SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, Dark Universe, How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, Celestial Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.
Related: Planning a Trip to Epic Universe? These Are the Rides with the Longest Waits
With excitement running high, guests were ready to dive headfirst into everything the park had to offer — from thrilling rides to unique dining experiences, and of course, the all-important exclusive merchandise. Opening day collectibles, especially, are a big deal for fans looking to bring home a tangible piece of the magic.
However, despite the joyous atmosphere, a sour note quickly emerged. Guests hoping to snag one of the park’s special Opening Day Medallions were met with disappointment: the medallions had already sold out, and the shocking part was that this happened before the park even officially opened to the public.
Related: Universal’s Epic Universe Looms—But Disney’s Top Exec Just Flipped the Narrative
Theme park insider and social media personality Ashley Carter perfectly captured the collective frustration on X (formerly Twitter):
So much disappointment from people I’ve talked to who were hoping to get the Epic Universe opening day medallion. Guests didn’t have a chance as the medallion reportedly sold out during the media preview. Yikes, Universal.
Big yikes.
— Jerry Houston (@radiohouston) May 22, 2025
The medallions, it seems, were snapped up entirely during early media preview events. These exclusive previews, intended for press and influencers, offered them the chance to buy all the available Opening Day Medallions before regular guests even entered the park. For many fans, this felt unfair—like being locked out of an important part of the celebration.
Another X user voiced a common sentiment among dedicated fans:
I’m a broken record at this point, but I hate these media/influencer events. The real hardcore fans don’t get to experience this kind of stuff and then they get dibs on all this cool merch as well. No bueno.
I’m a broken record at this point, but I hate these media/influencer events. The real hardcore fans don’t get to experience this kind of stuff and then they get dibs on all this cool merch as well. No bueno.
— Nick Chappell (@NickChaps96) May 22, 2025
Related: Universal Pulls Popular Merchandise from Epic Universe Amid Surging Demand
This scenario isn’t isolated. Back in April, Inside the Magic reported that Universal had to pull Captain Cacao plushes from shelves to prevent them from selling out prematurely during media previews. Once those previews began, the remaining plushes quickly disappeared, and guests were told new stock wouldn’t arrive until late summer or early fall.
It’s clear that while media and influencer previews serve an important role in hype-building, they can unintentionally leave everyday guests feeling like second-class participants—especially when it comes to limited-edition merchandise.
Universal has yet to publicly address the medallion sellout before opening day. Hopefully, lessons learned here will lead to better merchandise strategies in the future, ensuring that exclusive items like the Opening Day Medallion are more accessible to the fans who’ve eagerly awaited this park for years.
We want to know what you think! Was it wrong for Epic Universe to sell out of Opening Day merchandise before the park officially opened? Are media and influencer events overshadowing the average guest experience at theme parks? Should Universal and Disney rethink how they handle these situations to be fairer to all visitors? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below!
