We finally got a first look at Universal Orlando’s new theme park, Epic Universe, and let’s just say our mind is STILL reeling from everything we saw.

Now, we weren’t allowed to take photos to share with you, but we’ve done our best to describe what we saw in the park’s five lands. However, mere words cannot truly capture how EPIC this new land really is, and we’ll be back eventually for more in-depth coverage of the park. For now, though, we’ve got some hot takes about the things that REALLY surprised us about Epic Universe — so let’s get into it. 

How family-friendly the park is

Universal doesn’t necessarily have a reputation of being super family-friendly and a lot of rides are on the “thrill ride” end of things. However, we were surprised that most of the rides at Epic Universe were a lot more accessible to kids than we might have originally imagined. 

Although some rides have a height requirement of 48 inches, many of the rides have height requirements of 40 inches, meaning younger kids will be able to enjoy more of the park than we might have expected. We were traveling with a 7-year-old and he got to ride a lot of attractions with us.

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Just how immersive the theming is

We’ve seen all the concept art and teasers Universal has thrown our way, but we were not prepared for the level of immersiveness we saw in Universal Orlando. This blows anything Universal has done previously out of the water. We were amazed at just how gorgeous Chronos Tower was, but the entirety of Dark Universe kept making us pick our jaws up off the floor with its gothic vibes.

Then there’s that incredibly details Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry queue. Everything in this new park has been carefully thought out to make you think you really are stepping into new worlds once you pass through its portal.

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The character interactions

We’re used to a certain level of character interaction because Disney has spoiled us. Well, we shouldn’t have worried about the interactions in Epic Universe because they are SPOT ON. We never expected to have memorable moments with the Bride, the Invisible Man, and Igor, but here we are.

Plus we’ve ALL seen those incredible photos of the Hiccup and Toothless character meet and greet, right? Epic Universe has quite literally knocked these interactions out of the park.

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How good the food is

Universal isn’t necessarily known for great food in its parks, but Epic Universe is about to change a lot of folks’ minds about that. Dining here really stands out with Oak and Star Tavern’s quick service spot offering barbecue-inspired meals that we had to admit was WAY better than Disney World’s Regal Eagle. We’ll also be dreaming of Mango Bread for the rest of our lives now.

We also really loved the exclusive Coca Cola Freestyle flavors like Screamberry in Dark Universe. Das Steakhouse just looked amazing and made us feel like we were inside Dracula’s Castle while the Burning Blade Tavern also wowed us with its atmosphere. We can’t wait to try more of the food in Epic Universe.

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Monsters Unchained surprised us

We’ll admit that we had SUPER high expectations going into riding Monsters Unchained. HOWEVER, the ride ended up being a bit of a disappointment for us. Now, we have to say that the animatronics and effects are the ride are TOP-NOTCH. However, the storyline really loses focus throughout the ride.

This ride also had considerable downtime during the day we visited Epic Universe. We saw multiple evacuations of the ride, as well. Now, this is something that could improve by the time Epic Universe opens, but for now, it seems like there are still some kinks to work out.

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You can’t do everything in a day

There is so much to see and do and experience in Epic Universe that one day is just not going to be enough time. However, one day is about all anyone is going to get during any one vacation because of how Universal is selling tickets to the park: you can only get one day in Epic Universe.

This is going to be a case of having to prioritize what you want to get done in that one day and realize that you’ll probably not get to everything. You’re going to just have to miss some shows and rides.

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So there are our unfiltered thoughts about things that surprised us in Epic Universe. We’ll be visiting again real soon to get you more details, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

Will you be visiting Epic Universe this year? What are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!