Everything Texas Families Need to Know About Universal’s New Epic Universe Theme Park

Epic Universe is the first theme park built from the ground up in decades. Yes, this is all BRAND NEW. It is not a refresh, it is not a new land, it's A WHOLE ENTIRE NEW PARK and early reviews are screaming about how amazing it is.

Opening on May 22, 2025, I am recommending to all my clients that they give this park time to breathe and really perfect the guest experience, but I admit this will be hard because it looks fricking awesome.

Whether your family is into dragons, dark monsters, wizards, or Mario Kart, there’s a whole new universe to explore.

🌌 What's the Buzz About?

Epic Universe is bringing five uniquely themed worlds to life, each packed with attractions, dining, and entertainment:

Celestial Park: The central hub with lush landscapes, the Stardust Racers coaster, and the Constellation Carousel.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk: Fly with dragons, meet Toothless, and dive into Viking adventures.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™: Jump into your favorite games with Mario Kart™: Bowser's Challenge and Donkey Kong Country™.
Dark Universe: Explore the eerie world of classic Universal Monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Ministry of Magic™: Experience the magic of 1920s Paris and the British Ministry from the Harry Potter universe.

Catch creepy monsters like The Invisible Man at the new park!

🎟️ Ticket Tips for Texans

Tickets are on sale now, with options to bundle Epic Universe with other Universal parks. They're not cheap, they're pricing themselves in line with Disney. No deals here.
Multi-day tickets currently include one day at Epic Universe. They're going to try real hard not to overload the park at first and they'll encourage you strongly to visit the other Universal Parks.
Express Passes are available but note that Express Unlimited isn't offered for Epic Universe at this time. It has to do with the hotel contracts, it's a little boring, and I bet this changes but for now, NOPE. Skipping the lines is still TBD.
No reservations needed, but you'll select a start date when purchasing tickets., which is why I don't think you shoudl buy tickets until you are 100% sure you're going.
Preview Tickets: If you are visiting before the official opening and staying on property, there's a chacne you can buy a preview ticket. It's first come/first served, based on availability, some attractions may be closed (because it's previews), but if you have a trip already planned, this could be cool.
The strategic play? Book your resort room NOW, then deicde later if you want to go. Do not buy a package, do not buy theme park tickets. Get your room (which has a generous cancellation policy) and let the park open, read reviews, then decide if it's a must-visit. I am so good at this game, please get in touch with me, this is exactly what a travel agent is for.

yep, you want to work with me

🏨 Where to Stay

Three new hotels are opening near Epic Universe, but you can stay at the "old" hotels or even off property or over at Disney.

There will be a bus that runs directly from City Walk/the other parks and the reported door-to-door is 10 minutes, they've even built a dedicated lane that only Universal busses can drive in, but with wait times and walking....eh. Busses are not my favorite but they are a thing.

Universal Helios Grand Hotel: You get a private entrance to the park here and this is the "fancy" choice. Looks fantastic, loving the reviews I am seeing. I will probably stay here on my trip.
Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort: Both offer complimentary transportation to the parks, these are more value-ish resorts

✈️ Travel Tips for Texas Families

As your go-to travel expert, I know the ins and outs of planning a hassle-free trip from Texas to Orlando:

Go for two: I actually don't think you should spend your entire vacvation with one brand. Mix it up, do Disney and Universal, it's not too hard and I can help you game plan. For people with older kids especially this is a solid plan.
Give it time: There will be stumbles, give Universal some weeks to polish traffic flow, attractions, staff management, etc. But you should book Q4 NOW, before the rush happens. Once people figure out this is cool, rooms will go fast. Especially CLUB level rooms, which are the best, omg please ask me about these, long live the free snack room at Universal.
For the love, use a travel agent: From cruises to Florida resorts and theme parks, I can help you get the most bang for your buck. Some things are worth the splurge and some things....are not.

Ready to embark on an epic adventure? Let's plan your family's unforgettable trip to Universal's Epic Universe!

tap here and I'll send you prices and ideas