With the first media event over and employee previews having been underway for over a month, Universal Orlando is now moving forward with previews of Epic Universe and the early debut of Helios Grand Hotel, over one month before the official opening of the new theme park over Memorial Day weekend. This covers dates & details for scoring tickets along with our commentary about attending soft openings.
Let’s start with the previews. Universal has opened the online virtual queue for Universal Orlando Annual Passholders to purchase tickets for Universal Epic Universe previews before the new theme park’s grand opening date of May 22, 2025.
The virtual queue for tickets is at this link. Go go go!!!
Here are April 2025 ticket prices for the UOAP previews of Universal Epic Universe:
- April 17, 2025: $144
- April 18, 2025: $144
- April 19, 2025: $144
- April 20, 2025: $144
- April 21, 2025: $140
- April 22, 2025: $140
- April 23, 2025: $140
- April 24, 2025: $140
- April 25, 2025: $136
- April 26, 2025: $136
- April 27, 2025: $131
- April 28, 2025: $123
- April 29, 2025: $123
- April 30, 2025: $123
May 2025 Epic Universe preview ticket prices:
- May 1, 2025: $123
- May 2, 2025: $127
- May 3, 2025: $131
- May 4, 2025: $127
- May 5, 2025: $123
- May 6, 2025: $123
- May 7, 2025: $123
- May 8, 2025: $123
Also according to Universal Orlando: “Preview Dates Now Available Preview Ticket dates are available starting April 17. During this Preview period, we’re putting the final touches in place and rehearsing, so some attractions and experiences may not be available.”
In addition to Annual and Seasonal Universal Orlando Passholders, active 2025 Military Freedom Pass Ticket Holders, Universal Rewards Signature VISA Card members, and guests staying at any Universal Orlando hotel can also purchase tickets to access Epic Universe during its preview period.
Note that some of these guests will not be able to purchase Epic Universe tickets in advance–see the below FAQ for info about buying park tickets, modifying vacation packages, Early Entry at Epic Universe, and pretty much everything else!
UOAP preview dates for Universal Epic Universe are from April 17 to May 8, 2025. It’s possible more preview dates will be added after that, but availability will likely be less consistent. Media previews are expected in the lead-up to the official opening date, and Universal Orlando might need time to prepare for those, among other things.
Additionally, Universal Helios Grand Hotel is now open for reservations starting April 16, 2025!
If you want the pros to book Helios Grand Hotel for you or to help determine which Epic Universe packages will work best for your family, we highly recommend requesting a quote from Be Our Guest Vacations, a no-fee Universal Preferred Travel Agency.
It’s our understanding, although unpublished in writing anywhere, that Helios Grand Hotel guests will have the opportunity to purchase Universal Epic Universe tickets on a limited, first-come, first-served basis during these previews.
UPDATE: Universal Orlando has officially confirmed this and other details about Epic Universe previews in this FAQ:
Q: Will the entire theme park be available during the Preview/Soft Open period?
A: The Preview period is designed to allow guests to experience Universal Epic Universe while we put the finishing touches on the park in preparation for its official opening on May 22. While we plan to have as many experiences available as possible, please note that certain elements and attractions may not be operating during your visit. You can check for updates during your visit on the Universal Orlando Resort app.
Q: Is there a specific ticket I need to visit during the Preview period / Do I need to purchase a ticket?
A: Yes, Preview tickets are required to visit Epic Universe. For this initial Preview period, tickets are available for select audiences including Universal Orlando Passholders, Universal hotel guests, activated 2025 Military Freedom ticketholders, and Universal Rewards Visa Signature cardmembers.
Q: I’m a Passholder, can I change the date of my Epic Universe add-on ticket?
A: Passholders can change the date of their tickets via phone by calling (866) PASS-4-FUN or in-person at the front gate, Guest Services or Universal Vacation Planning Center desks as long as they have everyone’s Pass information available at time of purchase.
Q: I’m a 2025 Military Freedom Ticketholder, can I change the date of my Epic Universe add-on ticket?
A: Activated 2025 Military Freedom Ticketholders can change the date of their tickets via phone by calling (866) 727-7438.
Q: What are the park hours during the Preview/Soft Open period?
A: Park hours vary during the Preview period and can be found at: https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/hours-information/park-hours/epic-universe
Q: Is the park going to be open from May 9 – May 21?
A: Additional details on the Preview period from May 9 – May 21 will be available soon.
Q: Can I make a dining reservation at Atlantic or The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant?
A: More information on dining reservations at Epic Universe will be released soon.
Q: Will Passholder previews start soon? / When are Passholder previews?
A: While there will not be an exclusive Passholder preview at Epic Universe, Passholders can purchase specially priced 1-Day Universal Epic Universe Preview Tickets to experience the new park before it officially opens May 22, 2025. A specific allocation of Preview tickets will be held solely for Passholders each day.
Q: Will Passholders get any special perks at Epic Universe?
A: Passholders have the opportunity to experience Epic Universe before the park officially opens with the purchase of a specially priced 1-Day Universal Epic Universe Preview Ticket. Stay tuned for more details about Passholder perks at Epic Universe.
Q: Will Universal Express products be available for purchase during the Preview/Soft Open period?
A: Express Passes for Universal Epic Universe during the Preview period will be available for purchase at the Concierge/Guest Services kiosks inside the park. Universal Express Pass does not guarantee admission and separate theme park admission is required.
Q: Can I change my vacation package to include a Universal Epic Universe-inclusive ticket and a stay at Universal Helios Grand Hotel?
A: Yes, you can upgrade your previously purchased vacation package to include a Universal Epic Universe-inclusive ticket and accommodations at Universal Helios Grand Hotel for arrivals beginning April 16, 2025. Please call (877) 801-9720 for assistance.
Q: Can I change the dates of my hotel reservation?
A: Yes, if you booked through Universal Orlando Resort, you can update your hotel reservation by calling 888-273-1311. If you booked through a travel advisor or a third-party website, please get in touch with your booking source for modifications.
Q: I am staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel, can I purchase a Preview ticket?
A: Yes, guests staying at all Universal Orlando hotels will be able to purchase a Preview ticket to Universal Epic Universe at the Universal Vacation Planning Center in the hotel lobby, subject to availability.
Q: I am staying at a Universal Orlando Hotel, can I purchase a Preview ticket?
A: Yes, guests staying at all Universal Orlando hotels will be able to purchase a Preview ticket to Universal Epic Universe at the Universal Vacation Planning Center in the hotel lobby, subject to availability.
Q: Will Universal Express products be available for purchase during the Preview/Soft Open period?
A: Express Passes for Universal Epic Universe during the Preview period will be available for purchase at the Concierge/Guest Services kiosks inside the park and at the Vacation Planning Center at Universal hotels. Universal Express Pass does not guarantee admission and separate theme park admission is required. Universal Express Unlimited Passes are not available for purchase or use at Epic Universe.
Q: I am staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel on opening day (April 16), what time does the hotel open?
A: Universal Helios Grand Hotel will begin welcoming guests to check in on April 16 at 12PM.
Q: Can I access Epic Universe as a Helios Guest on the opening day (April 16) of the hotel?
A: Epic Universe will be in a technical rehearsal through April 16. Guests staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel will be able to enter Universal Epic Universe via the dedicated hotel entrance beginning at 10AM on April 17 with valid theme park admission.
Q: I am a Universal Helios Grand Hotel Guest, how can I enter Epic Universe through the front gate of the theme park?
A: Guests staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel will be able to enter Universal Epic Universe via the dedicated hotel entrance that can be accessed through the hotel’s lobby. Universal Helios Grand Hotel guests who wish to enter Epic Universe through the front of the park can do so by traveling via car to the park’s main entrance. Please note that parking fees may apply.
Q: Will direct transportation to Universal Epic Universe be available from all Universal Orlando hotels?
A: Yes, guests staying at any Universal Orlando hotel can enjoy complimentary shuttle transportation to Universal Epic Universe beginning April 17 as long as they have valid theme park admission. Guests staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel can access Universal Epic Universe via a dedicated entrance located adjacent to the lobby (valid theme park admission required).
Q: If I am a guest in a Universal Helios Grand Hotel on April 16, what can I do that day?
A: Guests can experience all that Universal Orlando has to offer at Universal CityWalk, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, as well as the amazing amenities and dining outlets at Universal Helios Grand Hotel. Several exciting celebratory activities will be held throughout the day, including the opportunity to meet Universal characters.
Q: I am a guest at a Universal Orlando Hotel – what exclusive theme park benefits do I receive at Epic Universe?
A: Guests staying at any Universal Orlando hotel can take advantage of a variety of exclusive benefits including complimentary shuttle bus transportation to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk, resort-wide charging privileges, complimentary merchandise delivery and more. Additionally, Universal Hotel guests will be able to enter Epic Universe up to one-hour prior to regular guests from April 17 through May 8 with valid theme park admission.
Q: Is Early Park Admission at Epic Universe available during the Preview period?
A: While Early Park Admission at Universal Epic Universe does not begin until May 23, 2025, Universal Hotel guests can enter the park up to one-hour prior to regular guests from April 17 through May 8 with valid theme park admission.
Q: I am staying at a non-Universal hotel. Will direct transportation to Epic Universe from my hotel be offered?
A: During the Preview period, buses from non-Universal hotels will drop guests off at Universal CityWalk. Guests will then have to board a separate bus for transportation to Epic Universe from CityWalk. verse from CityWalk.
Here’s a look at preview availability and pricing for Helios Grand Hotel:
Turning to commentary, this approach to previews makes sense. It allows Universal Orlando to stress-test each of the lands and Epic Universe as a whole before the grand opening, while continuing test & adjust during the overnight hours. Park operations can determine what tweaks need to be made, and get things operating smoothly–or at least as smoothly as possible for a brand-new theme park with complex attractions–before greeting hardcore tourists and theme park fans who have booked starting on May 22, 2025.
As noted above, Universal Orlando has been doing trial operations with Team Members for over a month at this point, and those previews have been extended on multiple occasions. The official party line for the extensions was to give employees more chances to experience the new park. The unofficial reason, I assume, was that Epic Universe wasn’t ready to greet guests in a paying capacity, even with the normal caveats about soft openings and previews.
The whole point of previews is to start small so it’s not a trial by fire situation for employees and gives them a chance to find their footing and learn on the job. As we’ve pointed out previously, Universal Orlando would need to scale up at some point to simulate a more normal guest load, as Team Members plus their friends and family wouldn’t be enough to sustain these previews indefinitely. Originally, we expected this to occur around early April. Instead, it’s happening mid-month.
One word of warning is that select attractions or entire lands could be unavailable during Epic Universe previews. The entire lands part of that is highly unlikely, as it hasn’t been the case during employee previews to date. But we nevertheless want to raise the possibility, however remote, to underscore the nature of these previews.
More likely is that certain rides will go down. In fact, we’d expect extensive downtime to be the norm as some of these attractions are incredibly complex and envelope-pushing. If you’re only going to pay to attend one preview and want to experience as much as possible, your best bet is going later in May.
Epic Universe as a whole is clearly not a race against the clock, but a few of its complex attractions have already been proving troublesome. That’s par for the course with new rides at both Walt Disney World and Universal.
One specific red flag thus far during previews of Epic Universe has been Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. It’s our understanding that this has yet to open during employee previews, and only tours of the queue have been available. Some media did have a chance to experience the attraction, but there were reportedly also issues then.
From what we’ve heard through the grapevine, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is operational…but not at full capacity. Rather than trying to operate it during employee previews, Universal has opted to continue making adjustments to get the ride closer to running at full tilt.
Honestly, what was described to me makes Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry sound very much like the opening months of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in terms of its downtime and reliability. I similarly would not be the least bit surprised if this isn’t resolved until much later in the year.
I also would not be surprised if Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is not open during public previews. Or if it is open, but uses a virtual queue to manage capacity and pulse guests through the queue, rather than having paying guests endure lengthy downtime. I also wouldn’t be surprised if this approach extends to the official opening and beyond.
Although not nearly as problematic, we’ve also heard of issues with Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. Either that it breaks down or has non-working effects, which then results in downtime. Friends who have attended Team Member previews have also reported a variety of other attractions breaking down on a less consistent and predictable basis.
To be abundantly clear, none of this is criticism of Universal. Heck, we’re much more critical of Walt Disney World opening Tiana’s Bayou Adventure–a reimagined ride–in non-working condition. This is a brand-new theme park with envelope pushing attractions. Reliability woes and downtime are simply the nature of the beast.
We’re bringing this to your attention so you can plan accordingly. It’s probably a wise idea to budget multiple days to Epic Universe if you want to experience everything (minus maybe Battle at the Ministry) during previews. If you don’t want to endure breakdowns, perhaps previews are not for you. Going in August or September might be the better option!
On the other hand, it’s always possible that problematic or pesky effects that are triggering downtime simply get disabled by then. So if you want to experience high-tech rides in their “purest” form…going as soon as possible might be the better approach. (Again, look at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, or even Indiana Jones Adventure, for that matter.)
Ultimately, there are no guarantees when it comes to previews and soft openings. We just want you to be aware of that, so you don’t jump to book something that you might regret later. While we’ve focused at length on the potential downsides, there are also upsides! One is that you’re first experiencing Epic Universe with other highly-motivated guests and hardcore fans, meaning the energy is likely to be better than some random day in August or September.
Trust me, as someone who has done several previews and opening days of rides, lands, and theme parks–this is something worth doing once! And you’ll probably never get another opportunity to preview another major new theme park in the United States. So even if you’re a hardcore Disney fan, you might want to consider visiting Epic Universe during the preview.
Another upside is that previews are still likely to be viewed as trial operations, meaning that Universal Orlando will continue capping attendance well below actual park capacity through the remainder of April and into May 2025. Our expectation is that the cap will progressively increase as park operations finds its footing, so expect crowds to gradually increase over the course of previews. However, that should go hand-in-hand with efficiency and reliability. The bottom line is that this should be a great opportunity to experience Epic Universe before the general public!
Need trip planning tips and comprehensive advice for your visit to Central Florida? Make sure to read our Universal Orlando Planning Guide for everything about Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Also check out our Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for everything about those parks, resorts, restaurants, and so much more.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be attending Epic Universe previews? Excited for Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe/Classic Monsters, or the How to Train Your Dragon lands and/or attractions? Think Epic Universe will be a third gate that’s a worthy addition to Universal Orlando Resort…and potentially on par with Disney’s best lands? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
