Can you believe Epic Universe just celebrated its very first birthday? 🎂 I remember standing at the gates on opening day thinking, "this is going to change how families plan a Universal Orlando vacation" — and one year later, I can tell you: it has.
On the June 1 episode of Theme Parks & Passports podcast, Heidi and I sat down with Amanda Spencer Hill from Universal Parks & Resorts to look back on Epic Universe's first year. If you haven't listened yet, you can catch the full episode, Epic Universe Turns One: Insider Tips, Updates & What's Coming Next. I'm pulling together some of my favorite takeaways here for you, plus what it all means for your Epic Universe vacation planning.
The Land That Keeps Surprising Guests
One of my favorite parts of the conversation with Amanda was talking about which land has surprised guests the most this year. If you've been following along with me, you know I go so you know — and I can tell you firsthand, walking into Epic Universe for the first time is a different kind of magic than anything else Universal has built. There's a real "wow" factor the moment you step through those gates, and it's one of those things that photos and videos just don't capture. You have to feel it.
Early Park Admission: Why It's Worth Building Your Trip Around
If there's one planning tip I keep coming back to, it's this: Early Park Admission matters more at Epic Universe than almost anywhere else on property. Staying at a Universal on-site hotel gets your family in the gates before the general public, and in a park with the kind of demand Epic Universe has seen, that early window can be the difference between walking onto a headliner attraction and standing in a 90-minute line before lunch.
My Top Tips for Planning Your Epic Universe Vacation
After a full year of watching this park evolve (and plenty of trips of my own), here's what I'm telling every family and couple reaching out to me about Epic Universe right now:
- Give yourself a full day (or more) just for Epic Universe — it's too immersive to rush
- Stay on-site for Early Park Admission — it's one of the highest-value perks Universal offers
- Talk to me before you book anything — a quick planning conversation can help you make the most of your time in the park
Epic Universe's first year has genuinely reshaped what a Universal Orlando vacation can look like, and I don't think we've seen the end of it. If you want to hear the full conversation with Amanda, give the episode a listen, and if you're ready to start planning your own Epic Universe trip, reach out — I'd love to help you build a vacation that fits your family perfectly.